THE COMplaint of peace.  
written in latin, by the famous Clerk Erasimus Roterodamus.  
¶ And Nuely translated into english by Thomas Paynell.  
Anno domini. 1559.   

¶ To the Right Honourable Lord Antony Uicounte Momtegue, Knight of the Right Honourable order of the Garter.  
ERasimus Roterodamus, one of the excelenste Clerks of our time, perceiving and feeling the world to be wavering, troublesome, unquiet, and every where bended and inclined to war and mischief, could not temper himself, nor yet his pen, but needs he must write unto the world this true and eloquent complaint the which I have translated and dedicated unto your lordship, as unto a father and a supporter of peace, & quietness, entituled the complaint of Peace. And searching very narrowly for a place for peace to rest herself in. He in his time, could nowheres, no not among Princes (as he saith) nor Cardinals, bishops, priests, layers, Married men, nor among Scole men, nor Divines, nor yet among Religious men, find where to bestow her quietly: such tempests, and surges of controversy a rose in every City and Region throughout all Christendom, that peace was and is exiled even from those, that to th'ensample of all others should have embraced her, the which truly if Christ's true Religion had been among them, would most lovyngelye and quietly have received her, and most tenderly retained her. And even now every man's head, as I conjecture and perceive is busy & unquiet, given all to newfangledness, the very mother of all commotions uproars, debates, battle and murder: the mother of all ryetus and lycentius living, and of lewd liberty sedition and tre●son, the very root and beginning. Every man is now ready to invade other, to spoil, to rob, to de●ace Cities, towns and burrows. Thus through Mars and Bellona, and for lack of unity and peace Cities are spoiled & Civil laws, the present aid and maintenance of the common weal put to silence. Thus Merchants are robed both by sea and by land, thus the innocent husbandman is utterly undone, thus Kingdoms are empovereshed, honest Matrons defiled, Virgins deflowered, incest and sacralege supported, and thee world on every side ready to decay, & all this (as I have said) for lack of true peace in Christ, the which causeth men to be of one accord in faith, confirmable in purpose, and like in humility and diliction. God of his goodness send us this P●ace. For why the peace of this world, is rather a discord than a Peace: of the which and the commodities thereof with the ●ncommodytyes of war, an● how Peace is turmulyd and toast from post to pillar. Erasymus in this complaint most sincerely and evydenlye doth teach us, the which as it is most eloquently and pleasantly written, so it is to those that ●auour and receive the truth, most true and pleasant.  
Thus our Lord preserve your lordship ever and ever, and send us the Peace that passeth all understanding, and that never shall have end.  
Amen.   

¶ The complaint of Peace.  
IF mortal men (so it were for their commodity) would so disdain me, eject me, and utterly undo me, that hath not deserved it. I would even now lament my injury, and their iniquity: but when they even at this present do drive me, the spring and fountain of all felicity, from them utterly lost and cast away, and call unto them the sea of all calamity, their infelicity, is more to be bewailed than is my injury, whose chances I am enforced to lament and to have pity on them, with whom I had rather be angry and miscontented. For why to drive his lover from him, howsoever he driveth or rejecteth him is unkindness to disdain him that hath deserved thanks vnthankefulnes● and to afflict and undo the parent and keeper of all men, is a wicked thing. But seemeth not this an extreme demency and madness, to think themselves unworthy of so excellent commodities, the which I do bring with me, and for these willingly to call fo● so cruel a heap of all evils? It is seemly and meet to be angerye with the evil: but what other thing can we do than be wail those, that are so driven and toast with furies? she which certainly are for no neither cause more to be lamentid, than that they lament not themselves, nor for no other cause more unhappy, than that they perceive not their infelicity. For it is a certain grace and step to health, to knowledge the greatness of his infirmity, and sickness. For if I peace prays●d by the voice of the Gods and men be the fountain, 
●eace.  parent nurysher, augmenter and defender of all good things, that other the air hath or the earth. If without me there is nothing flourishing nowheres, nothing sure● nothing pure nor holy, nothing pleasant unto men, nor thankful unto the Gods. 
●arre.  If war contrary to a●l things, be the seed of all evils. A certain Ocean Sea of all natural things, wheresoever they be. If all flourishing things through the vice of this, do putrefy, things increased do die, things underset do fall, things well and subs●ancyall builded do perish, and that are sweet, wax so w●e. finally if it be a thing so far from holiness, that it be a most present pestilence of all godliness and religion. If there be nothing more unfortunate than this one thing unto men, nor nothing more hateful unto the Gods. I pray the by the immortal Gods. Who shall believe these to be men. Who shall believe that there is any cr●m of wisdom in them, that with so great charges, so great study, so great travel, so many cra●●●●●esses, so many cares, so many perils do study to cast me of, & would buy such a heap of evils so dearelye● If wild beasts after this manner would despise me, I would bear it more eas●lye, and impute thee injury done unto me, to nature, where with the cruel inclination of nature, had done cruelly. If I were hated of dumb beasts. I would forgive their ignorance because that strength of the mind is denied them, the which only can perceive my gifts. O unworthy thing, and more than prodigious: nature hath created man endued with reason, and that recevyth the will and mind of God, benevolence and concord and yet I do sooner obtain a place among wild beasts, how wild and how brutish soever they be, than among men. And the confederations of so many celestial circles, albeit their motion and power is not all one, yet they continue and live thus many years. The powers of the Elements striving among themselves, do defend with equal wait, eternal peace, and they in so great a discord, with a mutual consent and exchange do nourish concord. And how faithful a consent and agreement of their membres is there in the body of Beasts, and how ready is their mutual defence? What thing is there more unlike than is the body and the soul; and yet with how strait an amity hath nature bound these two together, certes the separation of them declareth it, therefore as life is nothing else, 
Life.  but the society of the body & the soul, so the health of all the qualities of the body is concord. 
Concord  The unreasonable beasts do live every one in his kind civilly and in good agreement. Elephants do live in sundry flocks Swine and sheep paster together. Craynes and jays do fly together in companies. Storks the masters of pity have their assembles. Dolphins do defend themselves with mutual offices and duties. The politic concord that is among Ants and Bees is known. But whereto go I forwards to speak of these things, the which, notwithstanding they lack reason, yet they lack not perceiving. Thou mayst know, that in trees and herbs there is a certain amity. Some be baron, except thou join a male unto them, a vine embraceth an elm, a peach a vine, insomuch that insensable things, seem yet to perceive the benefits of peace. And as these things have not the power of perceving, so that they have life, yet they are borderers unto those things that perceive. What is so brutish as the kind of stones: and yet thou shalt say that they have the sense of peace and concord. So an Adamant draweth yearn unto him, and drawn, doth hold it. There is also agreement among the most savage and wild beasts. The wildness of Lions doth not apere among themselves. A Boar doth not move nor shake his fiery ●uske against a boar. And among Lynx's there is peace. A Dragon showeth no cruelness against a Dragon. And the proverbs have adournyd the concord of wolves. I will add that seemeth to be more marvelous, the wicked spirits, through whom the concord and peace of those the be in heaven, and of men was first broken, and now is broken, are in league among● themselves, and defend that their tyranny such as it is, with consent and agreement men only, whom of all other unamitie becometh, the which principally have most need thereof neither nature so mighty and effectuous in other things can accord, nor instruction join together, nor so many commodities proceeding of concord, unite them, nor the feeling and experience of so many evils reduce and bring them to mutual love and concord. The figure and form of all men is ●ommen, and the self same voice, and where as all other kind of beasts do differ most chiefly amoug themselves in form and fashion of bodies, the vygure and force of reason is given and appointed to man only, the which is unto them and among them so comen, that it is comen to no nother beasts, & speech the principal conciler of amity & friendship, is given unto man, the sedes of all discipline & virtuous are commonly graft in him, a gentle & a meek wit bending to mutual benevolence that which of itself delighteth to be beloved, and is pleasant to do good unto other, except a man through evil cupidities & lusts be as it were with Circe's medicines corrupted, 
Circe's.  & of a man through degeneration & going out of kind be made a beast? Of this certainly the vulgar & common people whatsoever doth pertain to mutual benevolence, do call it humanity and gentleness, Nature unto this hath added tears, 
●eares.  a document and experience of an exorable nature, where by if any offence perchance hath happened, or any small cloud duskyd the clearness of amity, they may easily be made friends again. Lo by how many reasonnes and ways nature hath taught concord: And yet not being content with these enticements of peace, she would not that amity should be only pleasant unto man, but also necessary. And therefore she hath so parted and divided the gifts aswell of the body, as of the soul, that there is no man so well furnished, but that now and than he may be relieved and helped by the office of the inferiors. Nor she attributh nor giveth not the self same, nor yet the like unto all men, that this inequality might be made equal through mutual love and amity. divers things come forth of divers countrise, that the very use of them should teach mutual merits and deservings. Unto other beasts, she hath attributed armour and help, where with they should defend themselves, only man she hath brought forth without knowledge and feeble, nor no otherwise in safeguard, than by confederations and mutual necessity. 
Necessity.  Necessity invented cities, and necessity hath taught the society and fellowship that is among them, that they joining their strength and power together, should repel the violence of wild beasts, and robbers. For in worldly things there is so little help that mankind even at the begynnyug of life, had perished, if matrymonyall concord had not nourished and brought him up. Nor man should not have been borne, and borne even at the beginning of life, should by and by have perished, and lost life: if the friendly hand of the midwife, and frendely● piety of the nurse, had not helped the infant. And nature hath planted unto this use, those vehement little fierce of piety, that thee parents love even that, that as yet they have not seen. And unto this she hath added the mutual piety of the children to their parents, that their imbecility and weakness might mut●allye be ●ubleuatyd and suckeryd by their aid and help, and that it ●yght be unto all like plausible and favourable, and of the Greeks called most aptelye A●tipelargosis, that is a mutual retaliation or compensation of benefyte● unto this are added the bands of kindred, and of affinity. In some there cometh the similitude of wits, of stodies, and of shape the surest reconciler of benevolence. In many a certain secret sense and feeling of the mind, a marvelous great spurge and provocation to mutual love and amity, where at our elders much maruelde● and ascribe it to the will and power of God. With thus many arguments nature hath taught peace and concord. With thus many enticements she hath invited us unto her, with so many cords she draweth us with so many things, she compelleth us. And after all these things, what effectuous infernal fury to hurt man, these things being broken, cast a side, and shaken of, hath planted in the hearts of man this insatiable fury of fyting? And but that the use and custom doth first take a way the admiration, and than the sense of the euy●●, who would believe that these men were endued with reason, that with continual discord, controversies, & wars contend and strive among themselves. Finally they trouble and confound all places, both haloved and profane with rapine blood, and ruin. Nor there are no confederations, be they never so holy, that can separate and divide them furiously raging against themselves, to the mutual destruction of themselves. Yea it nothing had been put or added unto it, the comen vocable or name of a man, had been sufficient for agreement among men. But be it so that nature, the which is of great force among brute beasts, profited nothing among men: shall christ therefore be of no force, n●r power among Christians? Let the doctrine of nature be of little effect, yet among beasts that have no understanding, it hath great force and strength. But forasmuch as the doctrine of Christ is much more excellent than the doctrine of nature, why doth it not persuade the thing unto those that profess her, the which one of all other things she most principally doth counsel: that is Peace & mutual benevolence: or at least way, teach him to forget this so wicked & so cruel madness of making of war. When I here the vocable & nature of man, by & by I run unto him as unto a creature borne properly for my wealth, trusting that it shallbe leeful for me to rest there, & when I here the title of christian men, I make the more haste unto than, having truly good hope to reign among them. But here among these (I am a shamed and loath to speak it) the places of judicature, the counsel ●hamber, the courts, the temples do so rumble & sound every where with debates & strifes, that the like is no wheres among the ethnics. Insomuch that where as the company of advocates is the greatest part of the misery & calamity of man, 
Advocates.  yet this is but a small matter & a solitariousnes to the troubles of those that go to law. I behold the City, by and by I have good esperance & hope, that there at least ways is good agreement & concord among those that the self same walls do enclose, 
Cities.  the self same laws do rule and govern, & as carried in one ship, a comen peril and danger doth contain. But O wretch as I am, y● here also doth find all things defiled with dissension, & so, that scarcely it is leeful to find any house, in the which I may have a place for a few days. I leave of the vulgar and comen people, 
Uulga● people.  the which after the course of the Sea, are drawn with their own formur and troublous motions. Now I come unto the court of Princes, as into a cercerten port & haven. 
Court  No doubt (quoth I) among them there shallbe a place for Peace. For they are more prudent & wise than the comen people, they are the eye of the people. Furthermore they are placid in his stead & room, that is the doctor and Prince of concord, of whom truly I am commtndyd to all men, but specially unto these. And all things do promise me well. I see gentle salutations, amorous, embracings, merry banquets, and all other duties and offices of humanity.  
But o unworthy thing, it was not lawful among these to behold the only shadow of true peace and concord. All things were coule●yd and feigned, and with open factions and secret dissensions and hatreds corrupted. And finally I insomuch do find that among these there is no seat for Peace, 
Note.  that from hence cometh the springs and beginnings of all dissension and wars. But whether after this shall I unfortunate turn me, seeing that hope hath so oftentimes deceived me? But Princes are rather mightier than lernid, and are led more by cupidity and lust, than by the right judgement of the mind. I will convey myself to the company of eruditie and learned men. Good letters make men. 
●earned ●en.  But Philosophy more than men. Divinity maketh than gods. It shallbe lawful for me thus driven about with so many circuits to rest among these men. But alas for sorrow, behold here in like manner a new kind of war not so bloody, but no less foolish and mad. One school varieth from another, & as though the truth of things were changed, by the place, so certain decres travail not over the Sea, certain pass not over the Alps, nor certain swim not over the Rhine: yea in the self same unyverstie the Logicians maketh war with the Rhetoricien, & the Divine doth discord with the Lawer. And in the self same kind of profession and learning, thee Scotysse doth fight with the Tho●iste, the Nomynale with the Real, the Platonyst with the Peripatike, in somuch that in most small matters, they agree not, and often times they strive most cruelly for a matter of nothing, until the heat of the disputation doth wax more and more from arguments to slanders, and from slanders to buffets. And albeit the thing be not done neither with daggers nor spears, yet with their poisoned and venimouse styles they wound each other● & with biting teeth and taunts, they tear one another, and one against the others, fame do violently move & shake the deadly darts of their tongues. Whether shall I turn me, that so often have provid that I am deceived? What remaineth but only religion, 
Religion.  a secret as it were & a holy anchor whose profession, notwithstanding it be the comen profession of all christians, yet they do most peculiarly profess it with title, apparel, & ceremonies, that commonly are commended by the name of pr●istes. These therefore do put me beholding all things in good hope, that there is a haven prepared for me. 
 The white garments nobilitatid with my own colour, do please me. I see crosses, the tokens & notes of peace. I here the sweet name of a brother, the argument of a singular charity. I here the salutations of peace very happy through the joyful pronunciation of things, that be to come. I behold & see the communion of all things a college joined together, all one temple, the self same laws, the quotidian & daily conventes. 
 Who doth not trust that here shallbe a place for peace? But O unworthy thing, the college doth not almost never agree with the bishop. This is a small matter, but that they through dissension must also be divided among themselves. How many priests be there, that are not at debate & strife ●ith some other priest? Paul doth judge it a thing not to be borne, that one christian man should go to the law with another & should a priest strive with a priest? 
1. Cor. 6  & a bishop with a bishop? But perhaps some one will forgive these men, because that through long continuance & use, they are come in a manner to the company of profane and lay men, inasmuch as they have begun to possess the self same things with them. Go to. Let them hardly use their right, the which as it were they do desende by prescription. Yet th●re remaineth one kind of men, the which are so bound to religion, that if they would desire it, they can by no means shake it of, no more than a tortoise her house or shell. I should hope to have a place among these, but that my hope so oftentimes frustratid, had taught me utterly to despere. And yet because I will leave nothing unproved, I will experiment it and prove it. Thou seekest for an end of this matter. I departed from no men more gladly. For what thing should I hope for, when teligion doth not agree with religion. There are as many factions, as there are feloweshyppes. The Dominicales are at debate with the Minorities. The Benedictines with the Bernardynes: as many names, so many Religions, so many even o● purpose, divers ceremonies, because that nothing should agree: every man is pleased with his own, and hateth & condemneth other men's. The sel●e same fellowship is through factions divided. The observants speak evil of the Coletes, and both they of the third kind, ●he which have their name of the Conu●ntes called Conventuales, and yet there is no agreement among them. I now as it is meet and mistrusting all things, desired to hide myself in some little monastery, that truly and unfeignedly were in quiet. This thing I shall say against my will, the which would to god war not most true. Hitherto I have found none, that with civil, hatred and brawlings was not infected. A shame it is to rehearse what unprofitable strifes & debates the elder men which are to be feared and reverencid for their beard and cloak sake, do excite and stir of tryfylles & vain matters. And finally how greatly learned they seem unto themselves, & how holy. Yet some little hope smiled upon me, that somewheres among so many Marriages, 
Marriage.  some manner of place, should be given me. For what doth not a comen house, a comen bed, and comen children prom●s? Furthermore the mutual law of their bodies, so that thou shalt rather believe than to be one body made of two, than to be two. But that most mischiefs Eris and contention is also cropen hither, 
Eris.  and through the dissension of their minds divideth those, that with so many bonds are bound. And yet I shall sooner chance to have a place among these, than among those which with so many titles, so many di●ers garments, so many ceremonies profess or absolute charity. But finally I desiryd this that at the least way, a place might be appointed me in the breast of some one man. But yet that chaunsyd not, for the self same man doth strive and fight with himself, reason maketh war with the affections, and furthermore affection, whilst pity draweth one wai and cupidity another, striveth with affection. Again lust suadeth one thing, and anger another, ambition one thing, co●ituousnes another. And being such men, yet they are not a shamid to be called christians, albeit that they do utterly discord from the thing that is unto christ most chief and peculiar. Contemplate and behold his universal life. 
The life of Christ  What other thing is it, than the doctrine of concord, & mutual love? What other thing do hy● commandments inculcate and repeat, what his parabl●s but Peace, but mutual charity? Did that noble prophet Esaias inspired with the celestial spirit, and showing that christ the reconciler of all things should come: promise that he should be a ruler, or an over thrower of Cities? A warrior? A triumpher? No no. What then? A Prince of peace, 
Esa. 9  and because he would that he should be noted and understanded to be the best of all other: he noted him of that thing, that he iudgyd, the best of all things. Nor it is no marvel that it seemed so to Esaias when that Syllius the etnich poet wrote of me in this sort and manner. 
silius.  Peace of all things that nature gave unto man is best. 
Peace.  And that mystical poet doth agree unto this man saying. 
Psa, 75●  His seat is made in peace. He said in peace, not in Hostes. He is a Prince of peace, he loveth peace, he is offended with discord. And again Esaias calleth peace a work of justice, 
Esa, 32,  meaning (if I be not deceived) the self same that Paul mente, and he of troubulous Saul, was made peaceable, and the doctor of peace, with what breast, with what eloquently did he preferring charity above all other gifts of the sprite, 
1, Co, 13  thunder out my praise unto the corinthians? why should I not glory to be praised of so laudable a man? 
He, 13.  This man sometimes calleth him the God of peace. 
Collo, 3●  In another place he calleth him the peace of God: manifestly declaring these two to cleave and agree among themselves, that there can be no peace, where GOD is not present, nor that God can be there, where peace is not present.  
Likewise we read in holy Write, the Angels of Peace to be called meek and the ministers of God: 
Psalm 103.  so that by itself it is manifest, whom we ought to take for the Angels of war. hearken unto me ye excellent warriors. Behold under whose ensigns ye war. Certes under his, that first sowed dissension & discord between God and man. What calamity so ever man doth feel, he ought to ascribe it to his dissension and discord. A light matter it is that certain men do argue that God in holy Write, is called the God of Hosts, and the God of vengeance: For why there is a great difference between the God of jews, and the God of Christian men, although that of their own nature they are one, and the self same God. Or if the old titles do please us, go to, let him be the God of Hosts, so that thou take and understand the sharpness and front thereof to be the consent of virtue, by whose aid and help good men destroy vice. Let him be the God of vengeance, 
Esaie. 1 ● Reg. 12.  so thou take vengeance for the correction of vice, and dost refer the bloody occision of men, wherewith the books of the Heabrues, are replenished, not to the cutting and tearing of men in peces● but to thee driving away of wicked affections out of the breast and mind of man. But to follow on that we purposed. As oft as the secret and divine letters do signify absolute felicity they do it by thee name of Peace. As Esayas, 
isaiah. 32.  my people (sayeth he) shall sit in the beutifulnes of Peace. And another, 
Psalm 124.  Peace (sayeth he) upon Israel. Again Esaias doth marvel at the feet of those that denunce Peace, that denunce good things. Whosoever bringeth tidings of Christ, 
isaiah. 52  bringeth tidings of Peace. He that dywlgath war, diwlgath him that is most unlike christ. Go to now, What thing did draw the son of God into the Earth, but that he myght● reconcile the world unto the father, and ioygne men among themselves, with an indissoluble charity, and last of all that he might make man his friend. He was than an Ambasadoure for me, he did my businesses. 
1. Psal. Re. 22.  And therefore Solomon would bear his type and figure, the which unto us is called peaceable. 
1, Psa, Reg, 22  How great soever David was. yet because he was a warrior, because he was defiled with blood, 
1, Psa, Reg, 22, ●8.  he is not suffered to build the house of god. Nor he deserved not in this part, to bear the type and figure of peaceable Chryst. Now O thou warrior, ponder this in the mean while, if wars received & done by the commandment of God do profane men, what shall they do, whom ambition, anger, & fury doth persuade? If the blood of ethnics, being shed doth pollute the meek king, what shall the great ●ffusion of christian blood do? I pray ehe O thou christian Prince, if thou be truly a christian, behold the Image of thy Prince, observe & mark how he entered into his kingdom, how he proceeded, how he departed hence, & thou shalt easily understand, how he would have the to rule, marry that peace and concord might be the some & conclusion of all thy care & rule. Did the angels when Christ was borne, blow up their warlike trumpetes? The jews unto whom war was ꝑmitted, hard the sound of the trumpetes. These beginnings were meet and convenient for those, 
Levi, 19,  to whom it was lawful to hate their enemies. But the Angels of Peace sing another manner of song to the people of Peace. Do they call men to war? or do they promise victories? or triumph? No. What than at last? They denounce Peace, & the congruences with the oracles of the Prophets. And they denounce it not to those that breath out murders and war, that show themselves fierce to battle, but to those which with good will are inclinyd to concord. Let men colour and say what they will to their own destruction & hurt: If they loved not war, they would not thus strive with continual wars among themselves. Go to. What other thing did christ himself being of a good age teach. What other thing did he exprese than Peace? And now & than he salutid his Disciples with the good luck of peace. Peace be unto you. 
L●c. 24,  And he prescribed unto his the form of greeting, as only meet & worthy for christensen. 
Roma, 1,  And the Apostles not oblivious & forgetful of this precept and commandment, begin their epistles with Peace: and wish Peace unto those whom they singularly well do love. He wisheth an excellent thing that wisheth health: but he that doth desire peace, desireth the sum and conclusion of all felicity. And mark with what solicitude and care he now departing this world, commendeth Peace, the which he so often times in all his life time commended. Love ye (saith he) one another as I have loved you. 
Io, 15,  And again. 
Io. 14.  I give you my peace, I leave you my peace. Do ye hear what he leaveth unto his? Doth he leave them horses? or a guard? or an Enpeire? or riches? none of all these things. What than? he giveth peace, he leaveth peace, Peace with his friends, Peace with his enemies. Now I would thou shouldst consider, what he after the mystical supper, the time of his death being now at hand, with those his last prayers, desyrred of his father. I suppose that he which knew that whatsoever he demanded he should obtain it, 
Io. 11.  would ask no vulgar nor no comen thing. O holy father (saith he) keep them in my name that they may be one as we be. 
joan. 1●  See I beseech you, how noble a concord C●rist doth ask for his. He said not that they may be of one mind, but that they may be one, nor that after every manner, but as we (sayeth he) be one: the which after a most perfect and a unspeacable way are the self same. And by the way declaring that men by this way & means only, must be saved, if they among themselves do nourish mutual peace and concord. The Princes of this world do note and mark their men, & specially in the time of war, with some notable note and sign, that they may be known from other. But see and behold with what note or badge christ hath marked his: certes with no other than with the note of mutual cha, ritie, saying. 
joan. 1●  By this badge and note men shall know that ye are my disciples, not if ye be so or so apareled, not if ye feed upon this or that meat, nor if ye fast only, nor if ye swallow up so many psalms, but if ye love one another, nor that after the comen sort, but as I have loved you. The precepts of the Philosophers are innumerable, and the commandments of Moses and of the kings are divers and many, but my precept (sayeth he) is but one, tha● is, that ye love together. And prescribing unto them one form of praying doth he not even at the beginning warn them of a marvelous concord? Our father sayeth he, it is the prayer of one, it is the common petition of all men● 
 they are all one house, all one family, all depend of one father, 
 and how agreeth it then that they should make continual war among themselves? With what mouth or boldness dost thou call upon the comen father, if thou thrust thy sword into thy brother's bowels? And now because he would that this one thing should settle most deeply in the minds of his, with how many signs, with how many parables, with how many precepts hath he repeated the study of concord? 
john. 10  He nameth himself a shepherd, and his servants sheep. And I pray you, who ever saw sheep fight with sheep: Or what shall woules do, if the fold tear one another? when the vine doth call himself the rote, and the branches his, what other thing doth he express than unanimity. It should seem a prodigious thing worthy to be pourgid by sacrifice, if in the self same vine one branch should war with another: and is it not a monstrous thing, if a Christian shall fight with a christian? finally if any thing be secret and holy unto christian men, that should be very holy & deeply settled in their minds, that Christ in those extreme and last commandments making as it were his last will & testament delivered, commending those things unto his children, the which he desired should never be forgotten. And what other thing doth he teach, commit, command, pray or desire in all these things, but mutual love among his? 
joan. 1●  What doth the communion of that holy bread & amiable cup decree, but a certain new & an indissoluble concord. But when he perceived the peace could not stand where men strived for offices, glory, riches, & to be revenged: he doth then utterly extirp out of the minds of his such affections and utterly forbiddeth them not to resist evil, 
Math. 5.  & if they may he commandeth them to do good to those that have not deserved it, 
Math. 5.  and to pray and wish them well, that wish other that is evil. And seem they unto themselves to be christians, that for every light injury do draw the greatest part of all the world to war? He commandeth that a prince should play the minister among his people, nor that he in no other thing should excel other, but that he be better than other, and that he aid and help many. And yet some be not ashamed for a small access and piece of ground to be added and annexed unto their territory, to stir up so great tumults. He teach it us to live with out any store, after the use and custom of birds & lilies. He forbiddeth us to extend our carefulness unto the next day. 
Math. 9  It is his will and mind, that all we should depend from heaven. 
Mat, 19,  He excludeth all rich men from the kingdom of heaven, and yet certain men fear not for a little money unpaid, the which peraventure is not oyinge nor dew, to shed so much human blood. And in these days, these seem most just causes of making of war. And truly Christ doth no nother thing, commanding them to learn one certain thing of him, 
Mat. 11.  to be meek of mind and not fierce: 
Math. 5,  and what he commandeth the gift to be left before the altar, and not to be offered before thou be in friendship with thy brother, doth he not manifestly, teach us, that concord is to be preferred above all other things, nor no sacrifice to be thankful unto God, except he commend it? God refused the jews' gifts, a kid perchance or a sheep, the which that they which were at debate did offer: & dare christian men thus making war among themselves offer up that holy sacrifice? Now when he liketh himself unto a hen, gathering her chickens under her wings, 
Mat, 13.  with how apt a sign doth he paint concord? He is a getherer, and how doth it agree, that we christian men should be kites? To the self it pertaineth, that he is called the corner stone, containing and ioigning both the walls together: and doth it not agree that his vicar's should move all the world to battle and war, and ●o●gne kingdoms to kingdoms? 
 And they, 
 as they boast themselves, have that high reconciler to their prince, and yet by no means they can be reconciled to themselves. He reconcilyd Pilate and Herode, 
Lu. 23.  and yet he cannot bring his to concord. He that was defended doth rebuke Peter as yet half a Iwe, the which in iop●riye of his life was ready to defend his Lord and master, & commanded him to put up his sword: 
Ihon. 18  and among christian men, the sword even for every light matter is drawn out against christians. Would he be defended with the sword, that dying prayed for ●he authors of his death? All christian men's letters and books, 
●u, 23.  whether thou read the old or the new testament, do sound nothing else but peace and unanimity: 
 and all the life of christian men doth entreat of nothing else but of war. What cruelness is ●●ys more th●n bestlye, 
 the which with so many things can not be overcome, nor mitygaty●. But let them either leave of the glory of the title of christyanitie, or else express the doctrine of christ by concord. How long shall the life strive with the name? Beutify your houses and your garments with the Image of the Cross, asmuch as it shall please you: christ shall not knowledge no neither note nor sign, but that that he himself prescribed, that is, the sign of concord. 
Acts .1.  The Apostles being assembled together saw him going into Heaven, and getheryd together they were commanded to tarry for the celestial and heavenly spirit. And he promised that he would continually be conversant among those that were assembled, because no man should hope ●or trust christ to be any where present in wars. Now, what other thing is that fiery and flaming spirit, than charity? There is nothing more comen than fire, and fire without any damage or loss is kindled with fire. Wilt thou know that the spirit is the parent of concord? Behold the end. 
Acts .4.  He saith that they were all of one heart and mind.  
Remove the sp●it● from the body, by & by the whole composition of the members shall fall and decay. Take Peace away, the whole society of a Christian life doth perish. Many divines do at this present affirm, that the celestial spirit is in fudyd by the Sacraments: if they preach and say the truth, where is the peculiar ●ffect of the spirit, 
 one heart & one mind? but if they be fables, why do they so great honour unto these things? truly I have said and spoken these things, that christian men should be the more a shamed of their manners, 
 & not that I would remove or take any thing from the Sacraments. And that it hath pleased christian men to be called the church, of what other thing doth it monish us, 
 but of unanimity? What grement is there between hosts & the church? this doth sound a congregation, and that a dissension: if thou glorify that thou art apart of the Church, what hast thou to do wi●h war? 
Note.  If thou be removed from the church, what hast thou to do with christ? If the self same house receive you a●l, if ye have a comen prince, if ye war all for one, if ye be consecratid & instructed with like Sacraments, if ye enjoy like gifts, if ye be nourished with like stipends, if the like reward be asked and demanded, why do ye make such tumults among you? We see that there is among these wicked soldiers, the which being hired for wages, even to the minister of slawter, great concord, and for no nother cause, but that they go to war under the self same ensigns, and cannot so many things join those, that profess piety? Is there nothing done by so many Sacraments? Baptism is the common Sacrament of all other, 
Baptism  by this we are borne again to Christe● and cut of from the wo●ld, are graft in the members of christ. What thing can be so much itself, as the members of the self same body? Of this therefore there is neither bond nor fire, Barbariam nor Greek, man nor woman: but all are the self same in Christ, the which reduceth all things unto concord. A little blood tasted on both parts o●t of ●he cup, 
Note.  doth so join the Scythes, that they tarry nor delay not to die for their friend. 
amity.  And amity is a secret and a holy thing among the Ethnics, the which a comen table hath conciled: and shall not that heavenly bread, 
Note his place for the sacrament ●f the ●ulter.  and that mystical cup contain and keep christian men in love & amity, the which Christ himself hath ordaynyd, the which daily they do renew in the sacrifices? If christ hath done nothing there and in these things. What need now so many Ceremonies? if he went about a serius matter, why do we asthoughe he had done some light matter, neglect i●● Dare any man be so bold to come to that table the note of amity, or to the banquet of Peace, that prepareth war against christians, that prepareth to lease them, for whom christ died, to draw their blood, for whom christ shed his blood & O breasts more than adamantynes, in so many things there is society and fellowship, & in life so inexplicable debate. The self same law of birth is unto all men, & the self same necessity of age & death. All we have the self same prince of kind, and the self same author of religion: we are all redeemed with the self same blood & consecratid with the self same sacrifices, & nouryshyd with the self same sacraments, and whatsoever gift cometh of these it cometh from the self same fountain, & equally it is comen unto all. We have all but one church, & the self same reward shall all men have. And the celestial Iherusalem where unto christian men do suspire & breath, is named of the vision of peace, where of the church in the mean while doth sustain & bear the figur●. And how chanceth ●t than that this doth so greatly differ from that ensample? Hath diligent nature profitid so little, hath Christ himself with all his commandments, with so many mysteries & signs made nothing perfect? yea evilthinges (as the proverb saith) reconcile those that be evil. 
The life of man.  What is more frail that the life of man, what is shorter? unto how many infirmities & chaunches is it subject? And yet seeing it hath more evils of itself than it can well bear or suffer, yet they as mad men call unto themselves the greatest part● of all evils.  
So great blindness doth occupy the minds of men, 
 that they see nothing of all these things: they are so driven & that headlong, that they break and cut of all the bands of nature and of Christ, and of confederations, 
 They fight in all places and often, nor there is no measure nor no end. Nation with nation, City with City, Faction with Faction, Prince with Prince is hurt and destroyed, and for the foolishness or ambition of two men, the which shall shortly as it were with a fever perish, human matters are troubled and turned upside down. But I will leave of the tragydies of the old war. Let us repeat the Acts of a ten years sense. Among what nation did they not fight both by sea and by land most cruelly? What region whas not moist & wet with christian blood? What river, what sea was not infected and died with human blood. O shame, they fight more cruelly than jews, than Ethnyckes, than wild beasts. What war soever the jews had, it was made against strangers, the which christian men should make against vice, with the which there is now agreement, & war is made against men. And yet God's commandment led the jews to battle. But ambition, 
Ambiti●̄  (if thou judge thee thing truly all colours set apart) doth violently hale christian men clean overwarth: and anger a very evil counseyler, 
Anger,  doth drive them, and unsatiate cupidity of having doth draw them. They were busy with foreigners, christian men are in league with Turks, and among themselves they have war. The desire of glory most commonly did stir the Ethnic tyranes to war, and yet they did so subdue the Barbarus and wild nations, that it was expedient for them to be subdued, and that the victor should study to be faverd of those that were subdued: And they laboured asmuch as was possible that the victory might be with out blood, that an honest fame and renome might be unto him that wan, and the victor's benignity a solace to those that were subdued. But I am shamed to remember for how light and vain causes christian princes provoke the wo●ld to war. 
The cau●e why pryre is make war.  This prince doth find out, or feigneth some old or currupte title, asthoughe it w●re some great matter, who should govern & rule the kingdom, so that the commodity & profit of the comen weal were seen unto. He findeth a fault that some what (I cannot well tell you what) is omitted in the confederation and league of a hundred titles and articles. This man is privately offended with him for his spouse deceytfullye conveyed away, or for some light word or merry scoff freely spoken. And there be (the which thing of all other is most scelerate and wickid) that through a tyrannical deceit (because the feel and perceive their power, by the concord of the people to decay, & by their dissension to be stablyshyd) do subourne and appoint them, that of purpose shall move war, that they may dy●ide those that be joined, and the more licentiously and freely rob and spoil the unfortunate people. Other there be most nocent, the which are nourished with the damages and loss of the people, and in the time of peace have little to do in the comen weal. What infernal furis could send in such poison into a christian heart? 
Dione●●us.  Who hath taught christian men this tyranny? The which neither any Dionysius, nor any Mezentius hath known. 
Mezentious  They are rather beasts than men, and only noble by tyranny, nor nowheres noble nor wise, but to do hurt and mischief, nor never in accord and agreement, but to oppress the comen wealth. And they that do these things, are taken and accepted for christians, and every where thus pollutyd approach and come to the holy churches and Altars. O most pestylente personnes, worthy to be into thee extreme islands exiled. If christian men be the members of one body, why doth not every man rejoice of other men's felicity and fortune? Now if that kingdom which bordereth upon another do flourish in wealth, it is thought in a manner to be a just and a lawful cause to make war. For what other thing (if we will speak the truth) hath moved, or shall move so many to tear the kingdom of France with arms, 
France and th● high prais thereof.  but because it is the most flourishing of all other? There is no kingdom more ample and wide: nor nowheres a more noble Senate, no whers a more famous unyversitie, no wheres more greater concord, and for the cause most highest in power. The laws flourish nowheres so greatly, religion no wheres more untouchyd nor with the inter meddling of jews as among the italians co●ruptid, nor infected with the neyg●bered of Turks or moor as among the spaniards, and the Hugariens. Germanye (so that I speak nothing of the Bohemes) is into so many kings divided, that there is no manner a face of any kingdom. France only is as it were an undesiled flower of the christian dominion, and as a most sure castle, if perchance any tempest should arise, is many ways invaded, and with so many crafts and deceits molestyd, nor for no not her cause, but that they should be, if there were in them any vain of a christian mind, most fain and glad of. And unto these wy●kyd deeds they pretend a good and a just title, thus they passed & make away, to amplyfy and to enlarge the empeir● of Chryst. O monstrous thing, they think that the comen weal of christendom is not well counseylid nor provided for, except they overthrow thee most beautiful and most fortunate part of christendom. What, that entreating and doing of those things, they pass the wild beasts in cruelness. All kind of beasts fight not, nor the conflicts of beasts are not as we have said before, and it is more often to be repeated & spoken of, that they may the better remember it, but against a contrary kind of beasts. An Adder doth not bite an Adder, nor a Lynxe doth not tear a Lynxe in pieces. And again, when they fight they fight with their own weapons. Nature hath armid them, men are borne unarmyd. O GOD immortal, with what weapons doth anger arm a man? Christians do invade christian men with the engines of hell. Who can believe that gowns were the invention of man? Nor they run not with so thick, nor with a multitude so hard closed together to their mutual destruction. Who ever saw ten lions fight with ten bulls? But how often do twenty thousand christians fight with weapons with so many christian men? So much pleasure it is to hurt, and so much pleasure to offend and to draw out the blood of their Brethren. Nor beasts for the most part fight not, but when hunger, or the care of their younglings do cause them to rage. But what injury is there so light unto christian men, that seemeth not a sufficient and a meet cause and occasion of war? If thee comminaitye should do these things, they might pretend ignorance, if they were youngemen, lack of knowledge might excuse them, if they be prophayne personnes, the quality of thee person would alienate the cruelness of the deed. But now we see that the seed of war doth most cheyfelye spring of those, 
Note.  by whose counsel and moderation it was meet and convenient, the motions of the people should be suaged. The ignoble and contemnyd bulgar people do build excellent cities, and edified, civylye they do rule them, and governing them, they inryche them. Governors and rulers krepe into those cities, and as wasps and dorrs they secretly do convey and steel that, that by other men's industry and labour is provided and gotten: and that, that of many is well heaped together, of a few is ill spent: and that, that is well builded, is most cruelly brought to ruin. If they remember not the old, let who so will remember with himself, the battles & wars that have been foughtenne and made this ten year, and weighing the causes, he shall find that they for the princes causes have been begoune, and ended with the great damage and loss of the people, unto whom they nothing pertaynyd. And that, that in times passed among the Ethnics and gentiles was esteemed filthy an hoar head (as he saith) to were an helmet, 
Note.  that is now laudable and praise worthy among christian men. 
Naso,  An old soldier unto Naso is a filthy thing, and unto these, a warrior of three ●core and ten, is an excellent thing. Yea, nor priests truly are not ashamed, whom in time paste, 
●●. 16.  God in that bloody and unmeke law of Moses, would not they should be defiled with any blood. Divines the masters of the christian life, are not ashamed, the professors of the absolute religion are not a shamed. bishops are not ashamed, Cardinals, and the vicar's of christ are not a shamed to be the authors and fire brands of that thing, the which Christ so greatly hath derestyd. How do miters and helmetes agree? what hath a crosier or a sheep hook to do with a sword? what hath the gospel book to do with a shield? How doth it agree to salute the people with peace, and to stir and provoke the world to most trobelous battles? to give peace with the tongue, and in deed to send in war? Dost thou with the self same mouth, 
 where with thou preachest peaceable christ laud and praise war? singest thou with the self same trumpet GOD and Satan? Dost thou covered with a cowl incite at the holy Sermon, the simple unto murder the which of thy mouth lokydde for the evangelical doctrine? Dost thou occupying the place of the Apostles, teach that, that is contrary to the precepts of the Apostles? Art thou not afeard, least that, that was said and spoken of Christ'S messengers (how goodly be the feet of those that show forth Peace, 
Ro. 10.  good tidings. and health) be turned clean contrary? How filthy is the tongue of priests exhorting unto war, inciting to evil, provoking to death and murder? Among the Romans as yet wickedly religious, he that took upon him to be thee high Bishop did assure with an oath, as the custom was to keep his hands clean and pure from blood, and so, that being hurt he should not be revenged. 
Uaspa●an.  And Tytus Uaspacyan an Ethnycke Emperor kept and performed the faith of this oath constantly, and it is praised of the Ethnycke writers. But O shamefastness utterly taken from man, priests dedicated among christian men unto GOD, and Mounckes the which pretend a further holiness than these, inflame men to murders and slaughters. And they make of the trumpette of the Gospel Mars trumpet, and forgetting their dignity, they curse and run up and down, and suffer all things, so they may stir up war, and through these men, Princes (the which peraduentre would be quite) ar● inflamed to war, by whose authority, it was meet and convenient, that they being in tumults and strife, should have been quiet. Yea they themselves, (the which thing is more prodigious and wonderful) do fight, and even for thee self same things, that the Philosophers among the wicked contemned, the contempt whereof is, peculiar and proper unto men apostolical. A few years since, when the world was violently drawn by a certain fatal sore and disease unto war: the evangelical preachers, that is the grey and the black Friars, song and blewe up their trumpets and kindled them more and more, that of their own accord were inclined to furiousness. Among english men, they encouraged them against the frenchmen, and amoge the Frenchmen, they hartoned them against thee Englishmen, they instigated and provoked all men to war. No man provoked to peace, except one or two, & for me to have named them, was unto them in a manner death. The holy bishops forgetting their dignity and profession, ran hither and thither sharpening and troubling most diligently the public sores & plagues of the world. And on the one part they pricte forwards Pope july, & on the otherside Kings, as though they were not mad enough of themselves, to haste & to set forwards the war, & yet we cloak this manifest madness with magnificent titles. To this point a little we wrist the laws, the writings of good men, & the warns of Scripture most shamefully, I will not say wickedli. Yea the thing is almost come to this point, that it is foolishness & wickedness too, once to open thy mouth against war, and to praise that, that is only praised by the mouth of christ. He seemeth to counsel the people very slenderly, and to favour the prince very little, that counseleth the thing of all other most healthsome, and dissuadeth from the thing of all things most pestilent. Now priests do follow the Hostes. bishops bear a rule in the Hosts, and leaving their churches, they do Bellona's businesses. 
Bellona.  Yea war doth now engender and make priests, it maketh Bishops, it maketh Cardinals, of the which honourable titles the legate of the camp is had and estemid worthy of the successors of the Apostles. And it is the less to be marveled at, if they, whom Mars engendered, do desire war. And to th'intent the sore should be the worse to be healed, they colour such wickedness with the figure and face of piety. The ensigns and standards have closes. The wicked soldier and hyryd for money to tear & murdre men, doth bear before him the sign of the cross, 
Of Chri●●●● cross  & that, that only is able to dissuade war, is the sign of war. O thou wicked soldier, what hast thou to do with the cross? with these and such minds and deeds. Dragons, Tigers, and Woules draw together. This sign is his that hath won, not by war, but by death, which saved and lost not, the which thing the enemies with whom thou hast to do, if so be thou be a christian man, may most chiefly warn thee, & how the mayst obtain the upper hand. Thou making haste to destroy thy brother, dost bear the ensygne of health, and with the cross dost lose and destroy him, that is saved by the cross. What a thing is this, that men even from those secret and reverent Sacraments run to war (for these also are brought into the host, in the which most specially is represented the chiefest concord of christian men) and draw their naked swords against their brethren, and make christ a looker one (if he vouchsafe there to be present) of such a wicked deed, as of all other is most acceptable and gracious v●to the wicked spirits. finally the Cross of christ, which thing is most absurd and not to be hard, doth shine and is secret and holy in both the hosts and battles. What a monstrous thing is this? Doth the Cross fight against the Cross? Doth christ make war against Christ? This sign of a christian name is wont to fear the enemies? Why do they fight against that, that they adore and worship? I beseech you, 
Our lords prayer  what doth the soldier pray in these sacrifices. Our Father. O unshamefast face, dar'st thou call him father, that goest about to slay thy Brother? Halowid be thy name. How can the name of GOD be more dishonestyd than with these tumults that are among you. Thy kingdom come. Prayste thou so, that with such abundance of blood goest about tyranny? Thy will be fulfilled in Earth, as it is in Heaven. His will is to have Peace, and preparest thou war? Thou of our comen father desirest daily bred, and yet thou dost burn thy Brother's corn, and hadst rather it should perish as concerning thyself than profit him. Now with what mouth shalt thou say this, And forgive us our ●respasses, as we forgive those that trespass against us, that dost make haste to slay thy Brother? Thou that with thy own peril dost draw thy brother into peril and danger, dost pray, that thou mayst avoid the danger of tentation. Thou desirest to be delivered from evil, by whose instinct and motion, thou craftily g●ste about to do thy brother all evil & mis●hif. Plato denied it to be called war, 
Plato.  that the Grecians should move against the greeks, it is sedition saith he. And unto these, war is sacrete and holy, the which a Christian for every light cause, & with such soldiers & armour, maketh against another. The laws of the Ethnics do cast him sowed in a bag of leather into a river that doth moist or wet his sword with the blood of his brother. Are they less brethren whom Christ hath coplid, than they whom consanguinity hath joined? And yet here is a reward for the parricide. O the miserable chance of those that war. He that overcometh is a parricide, & he that is overthrown, doth perish, and yet that notwithstanding, he because he went about to murder his parents, is culpable of parricide. And after all this, they detest and curse the Turks as wicked persons and alienate from christ, even asthoughe that they, when they do these things, were christians, or asthoughe a more pleasant spectable could be exhibited unto the Turks, 
 than if they saw them with mutual and like weapons kill themselves. The Turks do sacrifice unto devils, but when there is no sacrifice more acceptable unto them, than if one christian slay another, what other thing dost thou then but that, that they do? Furthermore the wicked spirits (when that he in like manner that killeth, and he that is killed are made a sacrifice) have a double sacrifice, who so faverth the Turks, or is a friend unto devils, doth oftentimes offer such like sacrifices. But I long sense do here what excusys witty and wise men shall make to their own destruction. They complain that they are compelled, and drawn unto war against their wills. Say of this vizor, and excuse, away with these colors, counsel with thy own breast and conscience, thou shalt find that anger, ambition, & foolishness do draw the hither, and no necessity: except peradventure thou unto this end dost measure necessity, if in all points it satisfyth not thy mind. Carry these fair words unto the people, 
Gal●. 9  god is not derided, nor with colours deceived. And in the mean while, solemn supplications & processions are made, peace is desired, & prayed for with great and loud clamurs, we cry out with marvelous great lowings, grant us peace we pray thee: here us. Shall not god justly answer these. Why do ye laugh me to scorn? ye pray me to put of, that willingly ye do call unto you, ye refuse by prayer● that ye are authors of. If every offence causeth war, who hath not a cause to complain him? many things chance between the husband and the wife, the which must be wynckydde at, except thou hadst rather that benevolence and love should be broken. And if there be any such sprung among princes, what need is there by and by to be drawn to war? There be laws, there be learned men, there be worshipful Abbots, there be reverent Bishops, by whose helthesume counsel the tumults of things may be composyd and suaged. Why do they not rather make these men arbytrers, the which they cannet obtain to be so unjust unto them, but that they shall depart with less hurt, than they should by the experience and proof of war. 
Note.  There is scarcely any peace so evil, but that it is better, than the most equal war. First ponder every singular thing, that requireth, or that bringeth in war, and thou shalt perceive how great gain thou shalt have. 
The Pope's authority  The authority of the Pope is most excellent, but when nation's and prince's do strive tumultuously with wicked war, and that many years, where is then the Pope's authority, where is the power than next ●nto christ? In this thing ●ertaynelye it should be showed, if they were not b●wnde with like cupidities. The pope calleth to war, men do obey, the self same calleth to peace, why do they no● obey in like manner? If they rather desire peace, why did they joyfully obey july the author of war: 
Iuliu●.  no man scarcely obeyed Leo provoking to peace & concord. If the Pope's authority be most holy, Certes it ought then to be most in force, as oft as he provoketh to that, that christ did teach most specially. But they whom julius could stir unto mortal war, 
Leo.  when Leo that most holy Pope provoking them by so many means to christian religion could not do the same do declare that under the pretence of the Church. they have served their own lusts and cupidities, so that I say nothing more sharply. If even from the heart ye do hate war, I shall counsel you, how ye may defend concord. Perfect peace doth not consist in affinites, nor in the confederations of men, of thee which we do oftentimes perceive and see, the wares do rise & spring. The fountens where out this evil doth break, must be purged, evil cupidities & desires do engender these debates and tumults. And whilst every man doth serve & please his affections, the comen weal in the mean season is afflicted and troubled, and yet no man attaineth the things the he by evil means and ways doth desire. 
An exhortation unto princes  Let princes be wise for the profit of the people, and not for their own profit: and let them truly be wise, that they may measure their majesty, their felicity, their riches, their glory with those things, that truly and in deed make men great and excellent. Let them be of s●che a mind towards the comen weal, as a father is towards his family. A king shall esteem and judge himself great and noble, if he command and rule those that be good, and happy, if he make his fortunate and wealthy, and noble, if he command and govern those that are free, and rich, if he have rich subjects. And flourishing, if he have Cities that flourish with perpetual Peace. And the noble men and magistrates shall ensue and follow the mind of the prince, and shall measure all things with the commodity and profit of the comen weal, and by this ways & means they shall far more justly provide for their own commodities. Shall a king that is of this mind, besone moved to extort money of his subjects, to give it unto a barbarus and a strange soldier? Shall he drive his to famine and hunger, to enrich certain wickid Captains? Shall he object and cast his subjects lives to so many dangers? I think no. Let him thus far exercise his empeire, that he being a man, remember that he ruleth men, a freeman, free men, and at least, a christian man, christian men. And in like manner the people shall so far forth honour him, as it shall seem profitable for thee comen wealth, nor a good prince should ask, nor exact no nother thing. The consent and agreement of the citizens, shall diminish the cupidities of an evil Prince. Let the cause of private commodity, be far of from them both. Let great honour be showed unto those that exclude war, and that by wit or counsel shall restore concord, and that goth about by all means, not to gather together a great strength and force of men and munition, but that there be no need of them. The which most goodly act and deed we read that Dioclitianus 
Diocli●●anus,  one among so many emperors, in his mind and thought conceived. But if war cannot be avoided, yet let it be so used, that the mischief thereof may fall upon their heads, that gave the occasion and causes thereof. Now the princes make war in safeguard, the captain's increase thereby, the greatest part of the evils and losses is powryd upon the husband men and comen people, unto whom the war pertaineth not, nor that gave no cause nor occasion there of. Where is the wisdom of the prince if he way not these things? There must a mean be found, whereby it may be appointed that Empeirs change not nor as it were walk not up & down so often, 
Note.  for the renovation and renewing of things doth engender tumults, & tumults war. And this may easily be done, if kings children were married within the borders of their dominion, or if it so like him to mary them to the borderers, for so the hope of succession is cut of from them al. Nor let it not be lawful for the prince to alienate or to sell any part of his dominion, as though free cities were private land. For the cities which are rulid by kings are free cities, and they which tyrants overpress do serve. Now by the alteration of such marriages it chanceth that he that is borne among Irish men, shall suddenly rule those of Ind: or else he that rulid the Syrians, shall suddenly be king of England, so it chanceth that neither of thee realms hath a prince, for whilst he leaveth the first, of the last he is not known, and unto them he is as a man borne in another world. And in the mean seson that he purchaseth thee, whilst he over cometh it, whles he stablisheth it, he consumeth & descendeth the other, & sometime whilst he stodeth to embrace both, he scacelye meet to rule one, loseth both. These princes will once agree what each of them ought to rule and govern, & that no affinity shall e●ther extend, or diminish the borders of their dominion once given & delivered unto them, nor no confederations extirp nor destroy them. And every one of them shall labour and travel asmuch as he may possible, to adurne his part & portion, & giving all his study & diligence unto that part only, shall travail to leave it enriched with all goodness and riches unto his children. And by this means it shall come to pass, that in all places all things shall flourish. But among themselves they must be coupled and confederated not with affinities, 
●owe princes ought to 〈◊〉 confede●●yd.  nor with factious socyetes, but with pure and sincere amity, & chiefly with comen and like study of fordering and increasing the common wealth. Let him succeed the king that is either next of kin, or judged most meet by the suffrages and voices of the people, and let it suffice other to be reputed and counted noble among those that be honest. It is a kingly thing not to know private affections, 
Note.  but to esteem all things for the public and common utility. furthermore a Prince shall eschew long peregrenations, yea he should never will ne desire to pass being thee bounds and borders of his kingdom: and he shall remember the saying approved by the long consent of worlds. The forehead is more excellent, than is the hinder part. A Prince shall esteem himself to be enriched not by the taking away of other men's, but if he increase his own. When war must be entreated & spoken of, let him not call young men to counsel unto whom war is pleasant and sweet, because they are unexpert, 
Call none of these to counsel.  how much evil and mischief it hath and containeth: nor those, unto whom it is profitable that public tranquilytie be troubled: nor those the which are nourished and made fat with the calamities of thee people. He shall call witty ancient and old men, whose mercy and benevolence is known unto the country. Nor let not war be moved for the pleasure or lust of one or two, the which once begun is not easily ended. It is a most perilous & a dangerous thing, except it be taken in hand by the consent of all the people. The occasions and causes of war must even out of hand beforetolde and declared. But yet certain must be winked at, for gentleness shall invite and provoke gentleness. Some times peace must be bought. And if thou cast what war shall consume and waste, and that thou shalt keep thy Cytizyns from destruction, it shall seem, although thou didst buy it full dearly, to be bought for little. And when a great d●ale moor, besides the blood of thy Cytizyns, should have been spent in war: thou shalt reckon how great and manifold evils thou exchuidst, and how much goodness thou defendidst, so shalt thou not repent the of thy expenses and charges. In the mean time let bishops do their office and duties. Let Preystes be truly priests. Let Monks remember their profession. Let divines teach that is worthy and meet for christ. Let all men conspire against war. Let all men bark against it. Let all men preach, extol and inculcate peace privately and apertly. Then if they cannot bring it to pass that it be not ended by the sword, yet certes they shall not approve it, nor be present thereat, nor that any honour by their authority be had or given too such a wicked, or to such a suspect thing.  
Let it be sufficient for those that be slain in battle, to be buried in Prophayne and unhallowed ground. And if there be any good in this kind, the which surely are very few, they shall not for these things be defrauded or lease their reward. But the evil and wicked, the which are many, shall not be pleased that this honours be taken from them. I speak of these wars that commonly christian men make against christian men. Nor I mean nor think not so of those, that with a simple and a religious study, and diligence do repel thee violent incursions of thee Barbaryens, and with their own peril defend the public and common tranquylytie. Now the Trophies and signs of their victories, died and stained with the blood of those, for whose salvation christ shed his blood, are advanced and set up in temples among the Images of the Apostles and Martyrs: as though that hereafter it be a Religious work not to be made Martyrs but too make Martyrs. It were sufficient enough that these things were kept in a place of judgement, or in an armary, for it is not convenient that any thing defiled with blood, should be received into the holy church, the which ought to be most clean and pure. priests consecratid unto God should not be present, but to destroy and disannul war, for if they consent and agree unto these things, and every where inculke and repeat the same, it willbe of great force & strength. But if this be a fatal disease of man's wyr, that be no means it cannot endure with out war, yet let this evil then rather be shed against the Turks, 
How turks should be aluryd to christ.  although it were better to allure them by doctrine, good deeds and by the innocency of life to Christ's religion, them to invade them with war. But if war (as I have said) cannot in no wise be avoided, yet that were a litter & an gesier harm, than that christian men should so wickedly make war and be hurt and destroyed among themselves. And if mutual charity do● not unite them, some comen enemy by some means or other shall join them, so that there shallbe as it were a certain concord, although that true concord be absent and lacking. Finally it is a great part of peace, from the heart to will Peace. All such unto whom peace is pleasant, do receive all occasions of peace, the things which do withstand it, either they neglect them, or else they remove them, & suffer many things, so tha● so great goodness may be safe and sound. They search the beginning and causes of war, the things that pertain to peace, they praise them, or else they dissemble them, but that that doth tend towards war, they increase and make it worse. I am a shamed to open for how vain & trifling matters they exci●e and stir great tragedies, a●d how great tempests do rise of so small sparkles. Then that great multitude of injuries is remembered, and every man doth heap on his own evils and injuries done unto him, but in the mean space of good deeds there is no remembrance, but deep forgetfulness, so that thou shalt truly swear, that they desire, and covet war.  
And oftentimes their are privet matters of princes, the which compel the world to war. But the cause why that war should be taken in hand, should be public and more than evident. But when there is no cause they feign causes of dissension abusing the vocables of country's & regions to the nourishment of hatreds, & noble men do nourish & increase this error of the foolish people, & abuse it to their own profit and commodity, & certain priests also do nourish these things. The english man is enemi unto the french man, for no nother cause, but that he is a french man. The english man for no nother cause doth hate a Scot, but because he is a Scot The German is at debate with the frenchman, the spaniard with them both. O overwartnes. The vain vocable of the place disjoineth men. Why should not so many things rather reconcile than? Thou English man dost hate a french man, why dost not thou a man, rather be welwilling unto man? a christian man unto a christian. Why can so void and so light a matter do more with these men, than so many bands of nature, or of christ? The place doth separate and divide men's bodies, but not their minds● In times past the Rhine separated the french man from the German, but the Rhine doth not separate a christian from a christian. The mountens pyrines divide the Spaniards from the italians, but the same divide not the communion of the Church. The Sea divideth english men from french men, but it dyvideth not the society and fellowship of religion. Paul the Apostle disdaineth to here these voices among christian men. 
1. Cor. ●  I am Apollo's, I am Cephas, I am Paul's disciple. Nor he suffereth not wicked names to divide christ reconciling all things: and we judge the comen vocable and name of a country to be a grave and a weighty cause why one nation should bend towards the destruction of another. Nor this surely unto some men's minds is not sufficient, for thou dost here that shrewdelye and of purpose they do seek occasions of debate and division, they divide France and those things with vocables, the which neither sea, mountens, nor true names of regions divide. Of French men they make Germans, that through the fellowship of the name, amity should not grow and increase. If a judge in odious actions, as of divorce, doth not lightly receive their controversies, nor admit every probation, why do these men in a thing of all other most odious, admit every vain and light cause? But let them rather think and take the matter as it is, that this world is the comen country of all men. If the title of the country do reconcile all men, borne of the self same elders, if affinity of blood maketh friends, if the church be one family and equally comen to all men, if the self same house do couple and join friendship, it is meet that wise and witty men should hang and cleave to this part. Thou sufferest and berist sum things with thy father in law, and for no neither cause but because he is thy wives father, and beryst thou nothing with him that in fellowship of religion is thy brother? Thou forgeveste many things for the propinquintie and nighness of kindred, and forgivest thou nothing for the affinity of religion? Truly there is no band that bindeth more streyghtlye, 
A very sure hand.  than the sodality and fellowship of Christ. Why is that thing only before our eyes, that doth exulcerate and hurt the heart? If thou favour peace think thus rather, in this he hath hurted me, but at other times he hath often profited me: or by some other man's impulsion he hath hindered and hurted me. And as they that call men to concord lay the causes of dissension that were between Agamennon & Achilles (as Homer doth write) to the Gods Aten, 
Aten.  so let those things that at no time can be excused, be imputed to destiny, or if ye will, to some evil God, and let hatred be translated from men into these things. Why are they wiser to their own destruction, than to defend felicity? why are they more quicker of sight to evil, than to good? They that are somewhat more wise do or ever they go about any private matter, deliver, consider, and look about them: but they, their eyes being closed and shut up, cast themselves headlong into war, namely when it is once begun, it cannot be avoided, yea of a little, it is made great, and of one, many, and of an unbluddy, a bloody, and chiefly when that this tempest doth not afflict and punish one or two, but in like manner encloseth all men. If the comen people do lightly way these things, yet it is the princes and the nobilities part to ponder and way them. It is the priests part by all means to stablish these things, and to lay them unto the willing and unwilling, they will cleave and take place, if they be hard in all places. But dost thou make war? first behold what manner a thing peace is, and what war is. What profit Peace bringeth, and what ●uyll and disprofit war bringeth, and so shalt thou perceive whether it be expedient to permit and change peace for war. If it be a thing to be marueylde at, a kingdom flourishing every where with all things, with cities well builded, with fields well ●anerid & tilled, with very good laws, with most honest disciplines, with most holy manners: think with thyself, if I make war, this felicity shallbe troubled by me. On the other side, if thou at any time hast seen the ruin of Cities, thestretes decayed & broken, the churches consumed with fire, the fields desolate, 
The fruits of war.  and this miserable spectacle and sight, as it is, is seen, think this to be the fruit of war and battle. If thou think it grievous to bring into thy country such a scelerate and filthy company of hiryd soldiers, to nourish & feed them with the damage & loss of thy Citizens, to serve them, to slatter them, yea and to commit thyself & thy health to their arbytriment, look that thou think this to be the condition of war. If thou abho theft, war doth teach it, if thou detest parricide, that is learned in war. For how shall he fear being moved to slay one, that hyrid for so light a stipend doth slay and murder so many? If the neglecting of the laws be most present pestilence of a comen weal, 
The neglecting of Laws.  the laws in that time of war, shall keep silence, if thou esteem adultery, incest & filthier things than those to be filthy, war is the master of all these things. If impiety and the neglecting of religion be the spring of all evils, 
The spring of ●l evils.  these things by the tempests of war are overthrown. If thou judge the state of that comenwele to be evil, where they that are worst may do most, in war they that are most scelerate and most evil, do reign. 
Note.  And their works whom in time of Peace thou wouldst crucify and hang up, in war are chiefest and most regarded. For who can better lead an army be by-ways, than an exercised thief? who shall more strongly rob other men's houses, or spoil Churches, than a breaker down of walls, or a sacrilegious person? Who shall more coragiouslye smite his enemy, or with his sword draw out his bowels, than a sword player, or a parricide? Who is so meet to set Cities a fires or ingentes of war, than he that is a burner of houses? who shall so well contemn the perils of fludes and seas, as a pirate exercised with long robbery? Wilt thou manifestly know & see, how wicked a th●ng that war is, mark and consider those well that doth make it. 
Note.  If unto a religious prince nothing should be more accepted than the health and welfayre of his subjects, this man most specially should hate war. If it be a prince's felicity to rule & govern his daughters, he must most chiefly embrace peace. If we should principally wish unto a good prince, that he might rule those that were best, he must needs detest war, where outeflo with the pump of all impiety. If he think all that his citizens do possess to be his, he be all means must needs avoid war, the which, so that it chance happily, doth consume all men's substance, and the thing that hath been purchasid and gotten by honest arts and means, must be spent upon a cruel sort of hang men. Now they most diligently must way this thing, that every man's one cause doth flatter him, and that every man's hope doth please him, and when it is most often very evil, yet unto him that is moved it seemeth most right and equal, and this doth often times deceive them. But feign the cause to be most just, feign the end of the war to be most profitable & prosperous: cast with thyself the incommodities where with the war was made and the commodities the which thou hast obtaynyd and gotten by the victory, and mark whether to win be of so great a valour. 
The incommodities of war.  An unbludlye victory doth scarcely chance at any time. And now thy men be polutid with humane blood. Besides this, count the loss of manners and public discipline, the which with no utility and profit can be restored. Thou consumest thy treasure, thou spoildst thy people● thou dost burden those that be good, thou dost stir & provoke the unhonest to mischief, nor after that the war is finished the relics thereon are not by & by pacified. Handy crafts, & occupations do decay, the exchanges & resorting together of merchants are shut up. And to enclose thy enemy, thou art compelled to exclude thy s●l●e from many regions and countries. 
Peace maketh all things comen.  Before the war, all regions & countries that bordered upon the were thine, for peace by the exchange of things make all things comen. See & behold how great a thing thou hast done, the dominion which is chiefly thine, is now scarcely thine. And to besiege a little town how many ingents of war & tents are needful? And to overthrow a very town needs must thou make & build a counterfete, but yet thou mightest with less charge have builded a very town. And to let thy enemy to comforth thou as a banished man from thy country, dost sleep under the cope of heaven. It would have cost the less to have builded new walls, than to batter & throw them down with bombards and ingentes of war, that are builded. Here I dare not reckon ne count what sums of money have run thorough the exactors, receivers, and Captains fingers, the which is no small part. And if thou shulst revoke & call every singular thing to the just accounts: I willingly would suffer thou shalt every where eject me, if thou find not that peace might have been bought for the half part of the expensis. But if thou shulst remit any part of injury, thou woulste repute thyself to be of a small courage. Yea there is no probation more certenne of an abject, 
Note.  and of an unkyngly mind, than to be revenged. Thou thinkest that somewhat it should diminish thy majesty, if having to do with some Prince bordering upon thee, & perchance thy kinsman, or affine, & that in times past had done for thee, thou shulst remit part of thy right. 
 But how much more abjectly dost thou despise thy majesty, when that now & than thou shalt be compelled to please the Barbarus companies & vilest dregs of all scelerate & mischievous persons, the which shall with gold never be filled nor satisfied? whiles that thou as meek and with prayers dost send Ambasadours unto the Cares a most vile & hurtful people? 
●ares.  whilst thou committest thy life, & thy people's goods & substance to their faith that have neither consideration nor holiness. But if peace shall beseem to have any iniqitie, beware thou think not thus, this I lease, 
 but I by peace so much. For a subtler disputer shall say, I would if the thing particularly pertained unto me, soon grant it. I am a prince & whether I will, or ni●, I rule the common wealth. He shall not litely commence nor begin war, that looketh upon nothing else, but that is public, but truly we see the contrary, & that all causes of war be nourished and fed of those things, that pertain nothing unto the people. Wilt thou defend this or that part of thy dominion, what is this unto the people? Thou w●lt be revenged upon him that hath forsaken thy daughter, what is this to the common wealth? to expend and way these things, & to foresee them, is the point of a very wise man, & of a noble Prince. Who at any time hath ruled more at large, or more nobly or gloriously than Octavius Augustus? 
Augustus.  Atis also desired to give up and resign his Empere, 
Atis.  if he had seen any other Prince more profitable for ●he common wealth. This saying of a certain Emperor is of noble Authors meritoriously & worthily praised. My children, saith he, shall spare me, if any other can better govern and counsel the common wealth. These good wills & minds the heathen show unto the common weal. But as concerning Christ's religion, christian princes esteem christian people so little, 
Note.  that either they will with the most grievous destruction of the world revenge their cupidites & lusts, or else fulfil them. Now I do here certain other in this wise say the contrary, denying them selfs to be in safeguard, except th●i may sharply repel the violence of the wicked. 
Antoni●i.  Why were not the only Antonini the meek & the Philosopher among the innumerable Emperors of Rome, invaded? but because no man ruleth more surely than he, 
Note.  that is priest & ready to give that over, that he governeth for a common wealth, & not for himself. And if neither the s●nse of nature, nor the respect of piety shall nothing move you, nor yet so great calamity, certes the shame of a christian name shall reduce your minds to concord. How great a portion of the world do christian men possess? And yet this is that City situated upon the high mountain, & made a spectacle both unto god & man. But what shall we think, that the enemies of a christian name do mean and speak, what infamy they vomit out against C●rist, when they see ●hat christian men do strive among themselves for lighter matters than the Et●nikes, more cruelly than the wicked, with more cruel ingents of war than they? Whose invention was the bumbarde & gun, 
Go●nes.  was it not the invention of christian men? And that the thing might be more disdained, they name them by the names of the Apostles, & their Images are graved upon them. O cruel derision. Shall Paul the continual exhorter of peace, cast any devilish ingent of war against a christ●n man? If we desire to bring the Turks to Christ's religion, let us first be Christians. Nor they shall never believe it, if they see the thing that christ above all things doth most detest, to be no wherse more cruelly used, than among christian men. And that Homer the Ethnic doth much maruyle at among ethnics, when that there is a society of pleasant and sweet things, as of sleep, meat, drink, of dances, and music, and that of unlucky war there is no society, and this is most true among them, unto whom thee name of war ought to be abominable. Rome that furious warrior in times past, ha●h seen at certain times her temple of janus spared and shut up. 
janus temple.  And how doth it agree that among you, there are no days vacant from war? With what boldness shall ye preach Christ the author of peace unto them, when that ye with continual dissension do strive among yourselves? And now what mind & courage think you, that your discord doth add and give unto the Turks? There is nothing more esye, than to overcome those, that are at debate. Will ye be fearful unto them? Be at unity and concord, why do ye willyngelye think yourselves unworthy of the iocundite and pleasure of this present life: and will ye fall from the felicity that is to come? 
●he life of man.  The life of man of itself is subject to many misfortunes, concord shall remove a great part of the moles●iousnes & grief, whilst that with mutual officis the one either doth comfort, or else doth help & aid the other. If any good thing chance, it shall cause the concord to be the sweeter, & the more common, whilst one f●end giveth part unto his friend, & awe willer rejoiceth for his welwyllers' sake. How vain things are they & how soon shall they perish, for the which their is such a tumult among you, death unto all men is at hand, 
Death.  aswell unto kings as unto the comen people. What tumults shall a vile wretch stir up, the shortly after shall vanish a way as it were smoke? Eternity is at hand. Whereto serveth it to strive and labour for these things like unto shadose, asthoug this life were immortal. O miserable wretches, that believe not that fortunate & happy life of the good, nor hope not for it, shameless persons that promise themselves the same to be the way and journey from the wars, when that the life of the good, 
The life of the good.  is no nother thing than a certain unspecable communion of fortunate and happy souls, seeing that now that thing shall fully & perfectly chance, that Christ so diligently prayed his heavenly father for, that they might be so joined together, as he was joined unto his father. 
joan. ●●  And how can it be meet for this high concord, except that in the mean while ye asmuch as ye may do, think upon it. And as an Angel is not suddenly made of a stinking glutton, even so a companion of Martyrs and Saints is not suddenly made of a sanguinolent and bloody warrior. Go to, there is shed enough, yea more than enough of christian blood, & if y● be little, of humane blood, we have furiously enough stroven mutually to destroy each other. We hitherto have done sacrifice enough to the furis & to hell, we have long enough fed the Turks eyes, the fable is ended. At the lest wise at length let us a●ter the miseries of the wars to long borne and sufferde, wax wise, whatsoever hitherto hath been done undiscreetly and foolishly, let it be imputed to the destiny and necessity of things. Let thee obliviousness and forgetfulness of thee evils that be past, the which in time past have pleased profane men, please christian men, and here af●●r give your diligence with comen counsels to the study of peace. 
very good council.  And so give your study and diligence, that it may so be made and bound, not with bands made of flax, but with adamantine and sure bands, that it never be broken. I call unto you O ye princes, at whose beck and commandment the matters and businesses of men most cheyfelye do depend, and that among men do bear the Image of christ: Knowledge the voice of your prince calling unto peace, esteem that all the world weryid with long war, doth desire this of you: if it displease any man, it is right and meet to give and to attribute it to the public and common felicity of all men. It is a greater and a weightier matter, than that may be neglectyd for light causes. I call unto you O ye priests consecratid unto god, express & declare that with all your study, that ye know to be most thankful unto god, & remove that, that is ●nto him most hated. I call unto you O ye divines, preach y●u the Gospel of peace, sing continually peace unto the people. I call unto you O ye bishops, that in ecclesiastical dignity do excel other, see that your authority be of power and force to bind Pea●e with eternal bands. I call unto you that are private Magistrates, that your will be an aid and an help to the wisdom of kings, & to the mercy and justice of bishops. I confusely call unto you that are named by the name of a christian name, that ye with consenting minds do conspire and consent unto this thing. Show you here of what power that the concord of the multitude is, against the tyranny of the nobles. Unto this let all men bring together all that ever they have. Let eternal things join them, whom nature with so many things hath joined, & Christ with many more. Let every man with comen stodies do, that equally pertaineth to the felicity of all men. All things do invite us to this. first the sense of nature, 
The things that in●yteih us to peace.  & (as I may sai) humanity itself. Furthermore christ the Prince & author of all humane felicity. And besides all these things, so many commodities of peace, and so many calamities of war. Unto this the minds of princes, inclining to concord, God as it were even now inspiring them, do call us. Behold that peaceable and meek Leo, 
Leo,  playing the part of the vicar of Christ, hath desployde and set forth his ensign unto all men inviting us to peace. If ye be true sheep, follow your pastore. Frances the most christian french king, 
Fr●ncis.  not by title only, doth call us, that which is not grieved to by peace, nor in no place hath any regard of his majesty, so he may provide and help the comen and public peace, teaching this to be truly a noble and a kingly work, to do well for man kind. Here unto doth that most noble prince Charles a young man of an uncorrupt indole and signification of virtue, 
Charles.  doth call us. Nor the Emperor Maximilian doth not abhor this. 
Maximilyan, King Henrye the viii  Nor that noble king Henry of England doth not refuse it. It is meet that all other should willingly ensue and follow the ensample of so great and mighty princes. The most part of the people detest war, & pray for peace. A few whose wicked felicity doth depend of the public infelicity, doth wish for war, and whether it be right or no that their dishonesty should be of more valour and force, than the will of all good men, judge you. Ye see that hitherto there is nothing done by confederations, nothing advanced by affinities, nothing by violence, nothing by revenging. Now on the other side prove what placability & beneficence may do, war soeth war, & vengeance draweth vengeance. Now grace shall engender grace, and benefit shallbe invited by benefit, and he shall seem most kingly that granteth & foregoeth most of his right. It succeedeth not that is done by humane study. But christ himself shall prosper godly counsel, the which he being author and guide shall see to be received. He shallbe present & favourable, he shall help us, and favour the faverers of the thing, that he so greatly faverth, & public utility, shall overcome private affections. And whilst peace is provided for, and every man's fortune made better, Prince's kingdoms, if they rule those that be good and religious, and reign more by laws, than by arms, shallbe amplifide: the dignity of noble men greater and trueer, the quietness of priests more tranquil, the quietness of the people more plentiful, & their fertility more quiet, and the name of christ to the enemies of Christ's cross more fearful. And finally every one shallbe to ●che other, and all unto all loving and pleasant, and above all things thankful unto christ, whom to have pleased, is the highest felicity.  
I have said.   

¶ IMPRINTED AT London, in Paul's Churchyard, by John Cawoode, one of the printers to the queens Majesty.  
Cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.