A Lanterne-light for loyal Subjects. Or, A terror for Traitors. Wherein may be seen the odiousness of Treason, the deserved end of Traitors, and the wonderful preservation of anointed Princes. A matter rightly agreeing with this time of danger, where wicked persons have desired our public sorrow, and the ruin of this Realm of England.  
Fear God, Be true to thy Prince: and obey the Laws.  
Printed at London by Simon Stafford, dwelling in Hosier lane, near Smithfield. 1603.   

❧ To the right Honourable, the Lord Thomas Howard, Earl of Suffolk, Baron of Walden, Lord Chamberlain of the King's household, Knight of the Noble order of the Garter, and one of his majesties most Honourable privy Council, health, happiness, and prosperity.  
I Have adventured (Right Honourable Lord) under your Noble protection, to publish to the world, a poor testimony of my loyalty to my Prince and Country. A little Pamphlet it is, but a sweet comfort, and a sound counsel for good Subjects, describing many fair examples of Traitors foul ends; showing, that the reward of Treason, is destruction, and after death, lasting infamy.  
The matter agreeing with the condition of this troublesome time, hath made me the bolder to present it to your Honourable censure: Acceptance I do not doubt; for no good subject can mislike it. For here, in the name of Experience, I advise all men, whose heads climb above the height of their present conditions, to make loyal and honest actions, the Ladder of their advancement, which will commend them with a beloved life, or an honourable death, when Treason is the Hatchet that severeth life, and joineth Infamy unto death. The Lord be with your Honour in all your affairs; for whose health and Honourable prosperity, the good subjects of England continually pray.  
At your Honour's commandment, in all humble duty, Richard Johnson.   

A Lanterne-light for loyal Subjects: OR, A terror for Traitors.  
GOD placeth Kings in their Kingdoms, and he alone will have the dissolving of them. If Princes be good, let us be thankful to God for them: if they be tyrannous, let us look into our sins; for God sendeth Tyrants, to punish the sins of the wicked. Therefore, whether Princes be good or bad, let subjects be obedient, lest (for their disobedience, God take away the good, and double the tyranny of the bad.  
Then, I wonder, why men are so bewitched with the enticements of the Devil, to lay violent hands upon the Lords Anointed, knowing, that the reward of such enterprises, is shame and confusion.  
Wherefore let all men consider this, that God by sundry examples preserveth the innocent, from the violent hands of the wicked, even in the pride and greatest hope of their purposes.  
Haman erected a gallows for Mardocheus the jew; and he and his ten sons suffered thereupon.  
The false judges had got sentence of death against chaste Susanna: but by divine providence, the stones dashed out their own brains. But where the practice tendeth to the murder of Anointed Princes, the odiousness thereof so highly offendeth the Majesty of God, as he hath defended even notable Tyrants, from the murdering swords of Traitors.  
As for example: Commodus was a wicked Emperor, and to kill him, the Traitor Quintianus waited at his chamber 
plutarch.  door: his dagger was ready drawn, his heart was resolute, and his hand was striking the stroke, at what time the Traitor cried, This the Senate sendeth thee. By which forewarning, Quintianus was stayed, and the Emperor escaped unhurt.  
If God plucked wit and prudence from Traitors, that purposed to kill such notable Tyrants, as this was, it is constantly to be believed, that with the Shield of his strength, he will defend righteous Princes, amongst whom our most gracious King is crowned with the sovereign renown of virtue: in which dignity the King of Kings long continue his Majesty.  
The murder of a Prince is so odious, as even nature itself crieth out against it.  
King Croesus had a young son, that from his birth was dumbed and yet, when one of King Cyrus' soldiers (taking him for a common person) was ready to kill him, the Infant cried out, O, kill him not; for he is the King my father. 
Persian Hist.   
Also I have read of a stranger matter; namely, of a King's son that broke forth of his mother's womb, to give his father warning of his enemies; & presently after his birth, cried out, I am borne in a woeful hour, to be the messenger of no better tidings, then that my father is in present danger, so lose both his life and kingdom. Which being spoken, the Infant presently died.  
We hereby perceive, how the person of an anointed Prince is so sacred, as nature maketh a passage for sucking babes and dumb persons, to deliver the same from danger; and withal, the Traitor is so open to destruction, as the Preacher saith to the Traitor, A Bird of the air 
Ecclesiastes. 10. 20.  shall bewray thy voice, and with her feathers shall discover thy words.  
Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, they, and all that they had, went down quick into hell, because of their rebellion.  
And certainly, whosoever marketh the sequel of treason, shall find a hundred examples to one, to prove the end of Traitors to be most miserable.  
By Statute law, it is petty treason for a servant to murder his master, being but a subject. How detestable treason is it then, for a sworn servant, to lay violent hands on his anointed Prince? The offence being in the extremest degree of sins, the punishment ought to be according to the severest censure of justice.  
Every man's house well governed, resembleth a Common wealth, wherein servants ought to live in the awe and subjection of subjects. But the wicked policy of men hath always been such, as where open power was too weak, ambition, envy, and money, alured the servants of Emperors & Kings, and men of all estates, to lay violent hands on their masters, and to betray them to death.  
judas, one of the Apostles, betrayed our Saviour jesus into the hands of the jews.  
King Alexander was poisoned by his Physician.  
The death of the Emperor Commodus, was compassed by the practice of his own sister.  
Many have had their bane by their wives; some by their sons: but innumerable have been destroyed by the treason of their servants.  
But let all good subjects, to their comfort, and Traitors, to their confusion, know, that the wicked dig a pit, and fall therein themselves.  
The jews had Saint Paul in prison, where forty of them vowed, that they would neither eat nor drink, until they had slain him: but God in a due time defended him.  
The Angel of the Lord led Peter forth of prison.  
The Angel of the Lord defended Sidrac, Misac, and Abednago in the burning fire.  
The Angel of the Lord stopped the Lion's mouths, that should have devoured Daniel. And there is no doubt but the good Angel of the Lord, with a drawn sword, will defend our Sovereign Lord King james, from all his enemies.  
A comfortable saying it is, that this holy Angel of the Lord, with a drawn sword (though not visibly seen) standeth between the godly and their enemies. And then, though the wicked come armed with an host of men, they shall be overcome with their subtle devices, and their swords shall go thorough their own hearts.  
Call we now to mind our late sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth, whom the Angel of the Lord, even from her cradle, did miraculously preserve from the tyranny of all her enemies. When (for our sins) Queen Mary committed both the Word and Sword, to the hypocrisy and tyranny of the popish Clergy, good Lady Elizabeth's life was then assailed with a thousand public and private practices, but the Angel of the Lord still stood between her and her harms; and from the fetters of adversity, loosed, and crowned her Majesty, with the supreme dignity of this Realm. Afterwards, in the days of her majesties most happy reign, many there were, that with the superstition of Papistry were so blinded, that they sought daily to take away this good Queen's life: as Arden and Someruile; the one whereof was quartered, and made a prey for Paul's; the other hanged himself, the night before the appointed day of his execution.  
The dangerous Traitor Throgmarton, as cunningly as he disguised his odious treasons, was entrapped in the snares, which he set for his Country's destruction, and worthily died with the sword, which he had whetted for the innocent.  
The odious Atheist Parry likewise had the reward of his fellow Traitors, who, though he had the place and opportunity, yet as graceless as he was, the very Majesty of her princely countenance made him lose his resolution.  
Many are the falls of Traitors, which I could bring in, since the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, which for this time I omit. But surely, neither her majesties goodness, nor their own duties could movethem to obedience, that had but once drunk of the dregs of Popery. Therefore all true subjects may sigh and say, Alas: those whose hearts are hardened therein, have their judgements blind, and their affections swift to run upon destruction.  
Pharaoh was warned with divers plagues, that he should not hinder the departure of the children of Israel forth of Egypt: yet he would needs follow them, to his utter destruction.  
God's justice struck Mahomet with the falling sickness, to make him know and repent his blasphemy: but to strengthen the people's misbelief, the Devil taught him to say, that his trance proceeded of the conference of an Angel, whose divine presence could not endure his earthly shape.  
Upon the principal day of the bloody murder at Paris in France, as a token that God's word should flourish, in despite of their cruelty, a dead and withered tree bore green leaves, in that Churchyard that received many a murdered carcase. And yet the Papists, on the contrary part, applied this prophesying example, to the second flourishing of the Romish church. Thus blind they are in their wicked imaginations & traitorous attempts: and thus, with such vain hopes, are all Traitors led unto the follies, and falls of unloyall subjects. Wherefore, howsoever they persuade themselves, and threaten our Country with a change of prosperity; so long as we fear God, and be true to his Majesty, our peace will undoubtedly last, and the 
* Sir Walter Rawley,  disturbers thereof are like shortly to taste their own miserable fortunes, being already justly condemned for their traitorous attempts against our most gracious King, and 
Sir Griff●● Markham, M. George Brooke, M. Antony C●pley, M. Brooksby, Watson, & Clarke.  their own native Country. Therefore let all sorts of people bear this in mind, that whosoever loseth his life by any kind of treason or violence, God will not only revenge the blood of the same man so murdered, but will also severely punish the murderers in a strange manner.  
God punished the murder of Abel, committed by his brother Cain, with a most bitter curse; and yet that there might be no protection in murder, God said himself, That whosoever slew the reprobate Cain, it should be avenged seven fold.  
And now to touch the guilt of murder more nearly, God requireth the blood of Innocents', at the hands of Kings and anointed Princes, as thus: To punish the fault of King David, in seeking the death of Vrius, God took away the life of the child, which David had by Urias' wife.  
Furthermore, in the time of King David, there were three years famine, and David demanded the cause why? And the Lord said, It was for Saul, and the house of blood, because he slew the Gibeonites. According to the opinion of Erasmus, the consenter to murder, is as guilty as the doer.  
judas that betrayed Christ, and Pilate that adjudged him to death, only to please the jews, carried the fearful burden of murder in their consciences, and by the horror thereof, wrought their own destructions.  
Moreover, nature hath taught the very Infidels and heathen people to believe, that vengeance followeth murder. Reason then may persuade all Christians, to assure themselves, that the bloodthirsty are worse than Infidels, and cannot escape the sword of vengeance.  
Now, seeing that Kings, if they shed any blood, otherwise then by the sword of justice; and judges, if they adjudge death for hatred, fear, or gain, by God's righteousness are punished as murderers: what may they then expect, that in corners lay violent hands on anointed Kings, or without colour of authority, murder the innocent? If the eyes of their understanding were not blind, they might see a bad success in their purpose, and the open confusion of themselves.  
I have read of a number of good and bad Princes, and also of other which have been bereaved of their lives, by the violent hands of secret Traitors: but among a hundred, you shall hardly find of one murderer, that hath escaped the torture of God's vengeance.  
Brutus and his partakers murdered julius Caesar; but not one of them escaped a violent death.  
We may yet remember the unhappy murder of the King of Scotland, father to our Sovereign Lord, King james (whose life God long continue) how villainously he was made away: yet the greatest favourers, & the greatest procurers of the said murder, were by common justice drawn to commit almost all the murderers into the hands of the hangman; and such as escaped, and were not bound to the censure of the law, could by no means shift themselves from the vengeance of God.  
john I●r●g●, that first assailed the godly Prince of Orange, had the common reward of Traitors. And the most odious Atheist Balthasar Serack, that slew the said Prince, for all the blessings of the Pope, the commendations and threatenings of the King of Spain, exchanged the Pistol wherewith he slew him, for most horrible tortures to be executed upon himself, being the just reward for his heinous treason.  
I could allege infinite examples, to dissuade men from violent murder, which Gods providence many ways preventeth, when as his justice never leaveth the murderer unpunished. Yet if Traitors had reason to observe the judgements of such practisers, or experience to look into the wisdom of this age, they should see their attempt as vain a matter, as to throw stones against the stars, or with a knock of their head to level a mountain, that seek to displace a beloved Prince.  
But now to wade into the depth of our subject, ambition and desire of dignity, is the wellspring of rebellion and treason: they that will fly without wings, are like to fall before they are wise.  
He that is borne to be a servant, in no wise aught to look for double attendance.  
Dignity is like a vane on a high Tower, which is subject to the chance of fortune, as the other is to the chance of the wind. And, who so will sit surely upon the seat of prosperity, must, like the Snail, get experience with slow climbing; lest in taking a swifter course, like unto a Bird, he be removed with the least stone that is thrown, I mean, with the least disgrace of fortune. If men's minds grow bigger than their natural conditions, there are many examples of virtue to imitate, which have raised sundry men from the cart to the highest degree of honour: when otherwise, in climbing by treason, many honourable Estates die dishonourably, and to their posterity, leave no better Inheritance, than Infamy. Therefore let all ambitious minded men know, that destruction followeth presumption, and the climbing of pride will have a fall.  
And now I think it not amiss, to discourse unto you the speeches of an English Traitor, which he spoke at his execution within these few years: and his words were these, Oh, woe is me, unhappy man! I may now rightly compare my estate to the state of Adam, who at first was placed in Paradise, and there enjoyed all the pleasures of the earth, and was only forbidden to eat of the fruit of one tree: but for his transgression, he not only procured misery upon his own head, but upon the heads of all his posterity. So (quoth he) I that wanted nothing, but had health, wealth, and friends, and so might long have lived, if I could have forborn to have been untrue to my Prince: but alas, for my offence, I have brought myself unto this misery, by which, my good mother, my loving wife, my four brethren, and six sisters, yea, and our whole house (never before attainted) is infamed, and our posterity for ever like to be undone.  
By his overthrow all men are warned to make choice of good company: for the old Proverb is verified, Evil company corrupts good manners. And truly, the injury he hath done to his whole posterity, may be a fearful example, to fear men from treason, especially the Nobility and better sort of Gentlemen: for they thereby not only lose their lives and livings, but the honour of their houses are corrupted. Contrariwise, for the virtue and dutiful service of one man, a number of his posterity receive both honour, and many other worldly blessings.  
Hereby we may compare a traitors offence to Adam's fault, and we may liken the sacred Majesty of our renowned King, to the pleasant and glorious fruit of the tree of life, so precious in God's eyes, as he forbade Adam, and all the seed of Adam, to lay violent hands upon.  
But now, to return again to the bad success of Traitors in their attempts, consider yet these few examples, that happened in Queen Elizabeth's days.  
First, consider we how Pius quintus set Doctor M●rt●● on work (being an English Fugitive) to raise a commotion in the North parts, where the Earl of Westmoreland, and other great personages entered into open rebellion: yet the very sound of her majesties power dismayed them, and happy was he that could run fastest away. The principals fled; but escaped not the justice due unto Traitors: and the Earl of Westmoreland himself ever after lived in poverty, and for a bare allowance, was subject to the proud controlment of every rascal Spaniard.  
Felton, to draw her majesties subjects from dutiful obedience, set up the Pope's Bull upon the Bishop of London's gate: but (God be praised) the horns, that should have gored the innocent, turned into a halter to hang the Traitor Felton.  
The Pope expecting no good success by open force, then armed his practices with Machiauils policies: Mader & Barlow, were made Instruments to murder some principal Magistrates: but their confusion was speedy, and their purpose frustrate.  
The peace of England was troubled with the conspiracy of Throg●●rton, Appleyard, Brooke and others; but they had no better success, then in helping themselves to the gallows.  
Doctor Story may be an example of God's justice herein; the Earl of Desmond, Doctor Saunders, Campion, the fourteen Traitors, and many others may be sufficient witnesses of the miserable ends of Traitors.  
Moreover, we may read in King Edward the sixth his time, of a general rebellion that was almost throughout England: yet all had bad success. The Papists tempted the commons to rebellion, with persuasions to throw down enclosure, and for themselves foisted in, to have their old Religion again.  
The banishment of strangers, hath been made the cause of many commotions. Also the Northern men had but a bad proof of two rebellions, when they had the Cross and Banner of five wounds borne before them.  
And to conclude, thus you may see the just end and due desert of all Traitors. Therefore my counsel is (which I speak from the true zeal of my heart) that my loving brethren the subjects of England, open not their ears to the subtle persuasions of Papists, lest rebellion enter into their heart's, & so vengeance light upon their whole bodies. If this counsel were surely grafted in all men's hearts, than no doubt, but the rotten branches of rebellion would soon be cut off, and unity surely placed in England, to the great comfort of our Sovereign Liege King james; whom the Lord of Hosts preserve ●nd keep, and all that wish him well.