A Treatise containing two parts. 1 An Exhortation to true love, loyalty, and fidelity to her Majesty. 2 A Treatise against Treasons, Rebellions, and such disloyalties. Written by Michael Renniger. Psal. 36. How precious is thy mercy O God, and the Children of men shall put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the vintry by Thomas Dawson, and are there to be sold. 1587. ❧ To the most Excellent, mighty, and gracious Queen, ELIZABETH by the grace of God Queen of England, France, and Ireland, defender of the true Christian faith, grace and mercy from God our Faher, and from our Lord jesus Christ. MOST Humbly I beseech your gracious Majesty, to vouchsafe the accepting of this small treatise, of one of your majesties old sworn servants of household, and (althouge of the least and most unworthiest) of the association. The great occasion of the late occurentes, hath induced me to sound the trumpet of exhortation out of the word of God, in a good and acceptable season (I trust) to do good to all subjects of your Majesty, which shall read or hear the same. Most heartily I pray God the father of our Lord jesus Christ, to vouchsafe by it (as the ordinary means of his blessed will) with his spirit to work good in th' hears of all subjects to your Majesty, t● whose hands or ears it shall come. And that his tender mercy in Christ, will continually set the watch and guard of his providence, about the royal person and estate of your Majesty, and keep you as the apple of an eye, (as David prayeth) and under the covert of his own wings, from all conspiracies, treasons, and plats of practices, at home or abroad, of all enemies whatsoever: And bless your Majesty, with long life, prosperous reign, and victory over all your enemies. Your majesties Most humble and faithful subject, and servant Mihael Renniger. The Contents, principal points, and chief matters of the exhortation. 1 A Commendation of the godly and loving affections of faithful subjects to her Majesty, and how such godly affections are of God, and are accepted of him. 2 How we should frame our affections and obedience to Princes and higher powers, according to the rules of God's word. 3 How according to the rules of God's word, Christians in the primitive and ancient Church, framed their affections and obedience to princes and higher powers, being then heathen, and many of them persecutors of the faith of Christ. 4 What an acceptable thing it is to God, when the people join their hearts to Godly Princes, in true faith to God, & hearty fidelity to their Princes. 5 The Example of David his loyalty and fidelity to the royal person of King Saul, notwithstanding continually he sought his life. 6 The example of the famous fidelity of one Lilla a Britton and an heathen man, in the defence of the royal person of his Prince. 7 How the late occasions and dangers, should increase & inflame true love, loyalty, and unfeigned fidelity, in the hearts of all good subjects to her Majesty. 8 How directed in wisdom from God w● may take the right way, long to obtain her of the mercy of God, by making hearty prayers and supplications to God for her: That he will set the watch of his providence about her, and send the garrison of his Angels to guard her, that the evil spirits, and those by whom they work, and that work and practise by them, may have no power against her: With what minds we should pray to God for her, that he may accept our prayers. 9 Of the inner wall of England, which is true faith to God, unfeigned fidelity to our Prince, and mutual love and concord amongst ourselves: And of the outward wall by Sea, which is the shipping, navigation, & furniture thereof, wherewith her Majesty hath fortified our country, and what a comfort and blessing it is to our whole country. 10 Of those that make breaches in these walls, by lingering & looking after invasions & foreign forces. 11 What hath been the case of this realm in invasions of foreign forces and strangers heretofore, and of other countries in like cases. And what should be our refuge and stay against all invasions. 12 A general warning to all subjects, to shun such vices, as hinder true faith to God, and true loyalty to their Prince, which are hypocrisy and a hollow heart to God, and hypocrisy and a hollow heart to the Prince and estate: with perverseness, frowardness, and uncontentment of malcontents, misslikers and murmurers against the Prince and estate. The fitness of the season for this kind of exhortation. IF we look into the state of this present time, and the wonderful work of God in the late discovery of traitorous attempts against the royal person of her Majesty, and our Country, it ministereth very fit occasion & matter of this manner of exhortation unto us. For if the people of God, be his heavenly husbandry (as Saint Paul calleth them) and we his workmen, 1. Cor. 3. we must also take fit times and seasons for it. And when the good season is, and the ground in temper, it is then good sowing the seed. Now by the wonderful work of God of late, the season serveth, and the very ground of the hearts of faithful subjects is so tempered and prepared of God, that this kind of exhortation is very welcome to them. The showers are then most in season, when the dry ground thirsteth after them. The Prophet David saith, Psal. 14●. that his soul gaspeth after God, like as a thirsty land. And God in the Prophet isaiah, resembleth himself to a cloud, isaiah. 18. coming with dew in the heat of harvest. And in the same Prophet he sayeth, that he knoweth how to speak in time and sea with the weary soul. isaiah. 50. And as God doth sen good seasons to those that are fain of heavenly things, so by his word and exhortation, thereof he worketh secretly in consciences of Christians as pleaseth him. It is good to take the seasons which God offereth. Paul exhorteth us to serve the season and opportunity, Rom. 12. which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. All things have their appointed time as Solomon saith. Eccle. 3. God hath made the way to this exhortation by his marvelous work of late, by kindling the fire of fidelity in the hearts of all good subjects. Now is the time to blow it up by exhortation out of the word of God. This season so well serving (by God's grace) it will be more effectuous. Thus of the fitness of the season for this kind of exhortation. The order of the exhortation. FOr the better ordering of my exhortation I have laid down the contents, principal points and the chief matters thereof, in the beginning, as a brief view of the whole discourse, & as in order I mean to treat of them: To which order I refer myself. THE FIRST OF THE chief matters. THE first is, a commendation of Godly and loving affections of faithful subjects, to her Majesty, and how such Godly affections are of God, and are accepted of him. In the very beginning of my discourse, the loving and dutiful affections of faithful subjects, in the discovery of traitors against the royal person of her Majesty and our Country, doth offer themselves to my remembrance, and deserveth good memory and commendation of all that bear true hearts to her Majesty. When did ever the hearts of faithful subjects more melt at the tender mercy of God in the deliverance of their Prince? 2. Tim. 4. As if they had seen her plucked out of the Lion's mouth, as Paul sayeth of himself: Psal. 18. or drawn out of the gulf of many waters, as David of himself sayeth: Dan. 3. Or saved out of nabuchadnezzer's furnace, which he had prepared for the three servants of God. God sent his Angel to save his servants in the midst of it: Dan. 6. as also to stop the mouths of ramping Lions in the den, Hester 7. where Daniel was in the midst of them. God delivered Hester the Godly Queen with her kindred and people, from the cruel conspiracy of Haman: And godly judith from the rage of Olophernes: jud. 13. 2. Sam. 18. And King David from the treasons of Absalon, and out of their bloody hands which would have eaten up his flesh, Psal. 27. according to his own words. And his most tender mercy also, wonderfully hath delivered Elizabeth our gracious Queen, as most joyfully we have seen of late. Therefore her loving subjects, so well in London, as otherwhere, have showed signs of thankful joy, by singing of Psalms to God, making of Bonfires in streets, ringing of Bells, and such like usual signs of public joy and triumph of people. But one thing passeth all that we have seen: the loving affections of faithful subjects to her Majesty, which as a fire burned inwardly in their hearts and bowels, as outwardly the fires did in the streets. And these in true value and estimation pass all triumphs. It is in common practice by Beacons and marks of fires, to give warning to countries of invasion of enemies. And the council of the learned is in common infections and plauges, Io. Palmari●s de febri pestili. lib. 1. cap. 11. for purging of the infected air from pestilent vapours, not only to make open fires, but aromatical sweet and fragrant fires, with sweet Woods, Hipocrates. Herbs, Oils, and such like. As they writ that Hypocrates did, when by making of such sweet fires (God so disposing and working by him) he turned away the great plague mentioned of Thucydides which out of Ethiopia was by the air infected coming into Grecia. And that Empedocles before him gave the like council. Empedocles. But there is no fire more effectuous to wake and warn the hearts of people against the coming of common enemies, than the fire of true love and fidelity in their hearts and bowels to their Prince: and which more is feared of their enemies. and more purgeth the country of infections and practice of treasons, and is like an aromatical and fragrant fire of sweet sacrifice in the sight of God. For by this late danger, (which the mercy of God hath turned away) he hath stirred up the minds and the very bowels of tender affections in faithful subjects. God's goodness doth dispose of evils to the good of his Church and servants. God's providence disposeth evils to the benefit of the faithful. Origen hom. 14. in cap. 13 lib. Nun. His providence ordereth all occurrentes in the world, to the benefit of the faithful. Origen saith: Omnia in hoc mundo sic sunt disposita, ut nihil prorsus ociosum sit apud deum, etiamsi malum illud sit, etiamsi bonum. All things (saith he) in this world, are so disposed, that with God nothing at all is idle, whether the same be evil or good. For God is the perfect workman of all things (as Augustine saith: August. lib. 1 de naturae boni. citatur ab Hugone car. in cap 13. Epist. ad Rom. Origen hom. 14. cap. 23. in lib. Num. ) And with good things he intermeddleth the evils, by disposing the evil to good. Origen saith Maliciam deus non fecit, sed cum ipsis a quibus habetur, utitur ea ad necessarias causas: God (saith he) hath not made malice, but he useth it with those in whom it is to necessary causes. In the noble antidote or preservative against poisons called Theriaca, vipers are put, and thereof commonly it is called Medicamentum ex viperis. Gale. lib. 1. de antido. And Galen showeth how of viper's flesh and grated bread are made balls, which are called Trochischi de vipera. Orige. Hom. 19 in cap. 24 lib. Num. Origen saith, Serpentium venena depelli medicamentis confectis ex serpentibus perhibent: They say (saith he) that poisons of serpents are driven away with medisons made of serpents. What marvel then though God turneth the poisons of traitorous plats, into preservatives of godly Princes and faithful subjects. The late occaunons by God's providence hath wrought this good effect, that they have stirred up the minds and bowels of tender affections in faithful subjects to their Prince, and in the Prince to her subjects: As if heroical nature and virtues did strive who should have the prize; in the subject of loyalty and tender compassion to the Prince, in the Prince of piety and tender compassion to her subjects. The subject poureth out his heart and bowels of tender compassion to his Prince, and in the faith of a subject voweth himself to his Prince; The Prince poureth out her piety and bowels of motherly affection to her subjects, and from the very root of heroical nature, tender compassion issueth out unto them. What heart can hear of this heroical emulation, contention, (I should rather say) compassion, and not melt? We yield the prize of heroical piety and motherly compassion unto our Prince. Ye let us strive still in piety, in loyalty, in bowels of tender affection to our Prince, even to win the prize also if we may: and to show ourselves herein to strive for such masteries is true piety. The heroical minds of godly Princes, are greatly pleased with such strife. I will carry us to higher contemplation: God the fountain of all piety, is highly pleased with such emulation: And to strive for the garland of this piety, is high piety itself in the sight of God. God continue this strife, increase it, and inflame this emulation in the hearts of tender affections of subjects to the Prince, and in the bowels of motherly piety and compassion of the Prince to her subjects. Thus of the good effect that of the prepensed evils God hath wrought. By corrupt nature we are given to security, and if not to be weary, yet to be full of God's blessings, and by continual custom to make less account of them. Heb. 5. Paul saith to the Hebrews, that they were dull of hearing, notwithstanding the jewels of God's word are most precious. 1. Cor. 4. And to the Corinthians, that they were full, and reigned without him. But this late wonderful work of God, hath awaked us out of slumber, and whetted dull affections in us, and hath set an edge on us, to be more mindful and thankful for God's blessings. Act. 20. After Paul had said to the elders of the Church of Ephesus (for whom he sent to Miletum to take his last farewell of them) that henceforth they should see his face no more, they wept all abundantly, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. The last farewell and departing from a dear friend is doleful, much more from a dear mother, and most of all from the most dear mother of our country, and the good nurse of the Church of God. The very remembrance thereof, would raze the bowels of good natures, and the mention of it doth in manner wound tender hearts of faithful subjects. As for the ungodly, they are without good affections of nature: Paul calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, without natural affection, trucebreakers, traitors. The fidelity of king David's servants 〈◊〉 the trea● Let us hear of the true fidelity and loving affections of king David his servants, when he was assailed with the treasons of Absalon When king David begun to decline, 2. Sam. 15. & Absalon had blown the blast of his treason abroad, and gathered great strengths about him, the hearts of the men of Israel turned after him (as the Scripture witnesseth:) & king David his father was fain to fly. And as he went up the mount of Olives, he wept and had his head covered, and went barefooted. Then did the true hearts of faithful subjects show themselves in the right vain to the rescue and comfort of their Prince. The Scripture telleth how the people that were with him, had every man his head covered, and as they went up, 2. Sam. 15. joab. Abishai. Ittai. Zadok. Abiathar. The Levite. Ahimaaz. jonathan. they wept Then flocked his faithful subjects about him, joab, and Abishai his brother, and Ittai the Gittit, as captains of special trust were at hand with him. Zadok and Abiathar the Priests, cleaved unto him, and the Levites bearing the Ark of the Lord. Ahimaaz, Zadok the Pristes' son, and jonathan, the son of Abiathar the Priest, were as running posts, to bring tidings from Herusalem and Absalon's Camp to King David. They abode in Enrogel, because they might not be seen to come into the City. But they were descried. 2. Sam. 17. And when Absalon's servants searched after them, they went down into a well in Bahurim, and a faithful woman that bore true heart to David, spread a covering over the well's mouth with ground corn thereon: & so by her fidelity they escaped & brought intelligence to David what council Architophel had given against him. 2. Sam. 15. The Cherethites and all the Pelethites & the Gittites which were of his chief garrison & guard, or as some note of his principal bands, even six hundredth men, issued out of Gath after the king, & marched before him. Ittai the Gittit a stranger. Ittai the Gittit a stranger followed his Sovereign, & in no hand could be parted from him: for when king David willed him to provide for himself, because he was a stranger & late come, he answered & said: the Lord liveth, & as the Lord the king liveth, in what place my Lord the king shallbe, whether it be in death or life, even there surely will thy servant be. Then David upon trial of such trust, made him leader of the third part of his Army. And when David was come to Mahanaim, Shobi of Rabbath of the children of Ammon (whom Lyra & the Interlinearis note for the son of the king of Ammon) and Machir out of Lodebart, Shobi. Machir. Barzelai. and Barzelai the Giliadite brought Beds, & Basins, & earthen vessels, & Wheat, and Barley, and Flower, and parched Corn, and Beans, and Lentils, and Honey, and Butter, and sheep, and cheese of Kine for David and for the people: for they said, the people are hungry, and weary, and thirsty in the wilderness. But let me not forget Hushai the Archit, Hushai the Archit. which came against David with his coat torn, and having earth on his head: Whom David sent back after ●o the City, where by his counsel (God so disposing it) he was the mean to dash the counsel of Architophel, & thereby to overthrow Absalon, and to deliver David. Thus of the fidelity that king David found in his friends and faithful subjects, when he was distressed with treason. And in the late dangers, which Gods providence from heaven turned away, would it not rejoice good hearts to see how the faithful Hushaies, Shobees, Berzillays, and Ittaies showed themselves in true loyalty and fidelity to their Prince? The most honourable, and persons of nobility and honour, hath by their provident counsel, care, and true loyalty, got great honour & good will, of all the bear good hearts to her Majesty. The faithful subjects have had their deserved praise: The whole estate of the ministery, like Zadok, Abiathar, and the Levites, entirely cleaving to their David and Sovereign, and under God depending of her, in forward fidelity and true loyalty have showed themselves. Finally all faithful subjects flocked about the royal person of their Prince, with their hearts and with tender affection guarded her, and would have gauged their bodies and bowels also for the safety of her Royal person and estate, if such occasion had required it. Many Ittays would have been found in England to have said to their David and Sovereign: wheresoever our Sovereign Lady and Mistress the Queen be, whether it be to life or death, there her servants will be also. For if she should fail (whom the tender mercy of God long continue among us) then might the faith full Hushai, and true hearted subject of England, go with earth on his head, and in steed of renting his clothes, rend his heart, and wail in woe. But whither doth my pen wade in sorrow? The tender affections of faithful subjects hath carried me on this far. God vouchsafe long to bless such Hushaies, Shobies, Berzillays, Ittaies, and all of the right race of true hearted subjects to her Majesty, of what state or name soever they be. Thus of the commendation of loving affections in faithful subjects to their Princes. From whence such affections are Now from whence such affections & good will are: They are inspired of God, who as he boweth and bendeth the hearts of Princes as pleaseth him (according to salomon's saying) so by his grace he worketh & frameth good affections, Pro. 21. & good will in subjects to their princes also. 1. Sam. 10. After that Saul from God by Samuel was appointed king, and he went home to Gibeah, there followed him the band of men of chivalry or strength, whose hearts (as the Scripture saith) God had touched. So it is God which toucheth the hearts of faithful subjects, to bear unfeigned good will & true loyalty to their Princes. Psal. 18. The Prophet David saith: It is God that giveth me power to avenge me, & subdueth the people under me. And before in the same Psalm: Thou deliverest me from the contentions of the people. And as good affections of true loyalty are from God, so they that are void of them, are in scripture called the children of Belial. After that God by Samuel had placed Saul in the royal seat, they that refused their allegiance to him, are so termed: The sons of Belial (saith the scripture) said (of Saul) how shall he save us? 1. Sam. 10. So they despised him, & brought him no presents. So far the scripture. The Devil is called Belial, as much to say, Pagni. in thesauro. as without yoke (Pagnin noting it.) And Nicho. de Lyra expoundeth the word: Absque iugo legis divinae & disciplinae: Nicho. de Lyra in 1. Sam. 10. Without yoke of god's law etc. Fitly therefore they that wilfully are disobedient to Princes, & cast off the yook of gods ordinance from them, are called the children of Belial. In this example of the disobedience to king Saul, we may see the very state of the minds of disobedient and disloyal persons. As they despised Saul, so they despise principalities & states ordained of god. Iudaes Apost. in Epist. Catholica. Jude the Apostle saith of such, they despise governments, and speak evil of them that are 〈…〉 authority. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth soverainties & high states, because of the glory & honour of them. By their despising, we may note their presumption against the ordinance of God: By their evil speaking or blaspheming (which word the Apostle there useth) we note how they be wray their evil disposition against them. And hereby we see that such evil dispositions and presumptions against Princes placed of God, are of Belial, who privily poisoneth first their minds with evil affections, and after eggeth them by reckless & reproachful speech to discover themselves. The godly affections of true loyalty are of God But godly affections of true loyalty, good will, and dutiful subjection according to God's ordinance, are of God, and he accepteth the good will and good affections of the heart, though occasion serveth not to show them in effect and work. Chrysostom in God's behalf doth say, Ego voluntatem coronare soleo, Chrysost. ho. 41. in ca 22. Gene. & propter mentem praemia prestare. I am wont to crown the good will (saith he) and to reward the good mind. He speaketh of Abraham's offering up Isaak, whose good will God did accept for Sacrifice, though by his Angel he stayed the work. Saint Paul saith, that it is God that worketh in us the will and the work even of his good pleasure. Phi. 2. August. & Alipius Paulino Episco. Epist. 106. Our will is but the handmaid (as S. Augustine saith) Pedissequa non praevia voluntate, the will being the handemaid and not the leader. The Fathers in the council holden at Arausica about the year of our Lord 441. determined thus: In council. Arausi. cap. 18. Gratia quae non debetur praecedit ut siant. Grace (say they) that is not due, goeth before that (good works) be done: for our works and deserts are his gifts. As Augustine saith: Aug. de verbis Apost. ser. 2. Discute bona merita tua, & videbis quòd dona sunt mea: Examine thy good deserts, and thou shalt see that they are my gifts. And the same Augustin saith, Dona sua coronat, non merita tua: Aug. in joh. tract. 3. He crowneth his own gifts, and not thy deserts. Chry. in illud Psal. 9 pati. pau. It is given of him (as Chrysostom saith) that it may be crowned in us: donatur ut coronetur. For no man doth offer any thing of his own to God (as Origen saith) but that he doth offer is the Lords. Orig. ho. 23. in lib. Num. Nemo suum aliquid (saith he) offered Deo, sed quod offert Domini est: He needeth nothing (as Athanasius saith) Sibi sufficit (saith he) ac seipso plenus, Athana. lib. count Gentiles in quo universa consistunt, quique ipse omnibus tribuit: He sufficeth (saith he) to himself, and of himself is full, in whom all things doth consist, and he giveth to all: and the good inclinations and affections that are in us he giveth: In Concil. Arausi. cap. 6 As the Fathers in the Council of Arausica (for condign honour to be given to the grace of God) did set down: ut credamus velimus, pulsemus, laboremus, etc. per infusionem & inspirationem spiritus sancti in nobis fieri: That we believe (say they) will, knock, labour, etc. by the infusion and inspiration of the holy Ghost it is wrought in us: So far their words. Thus how good will and good affections to princes according to God's ordinance, are of God. Now how he doth also accept them. He that worketh them, god accepteth the good affections which he hath wrought. Gen. ca 22 vouchsafeth also to accept them as sacrifices in his sight: As in Abraham he did, when in good will he offered Isaak his son, though God by his Angel stayed the work. S. Paul calleth the good will & good affections of the Philippians to him, Phil. 4. with the sign thereof by Epaphroditus sent, an odor smelling sweet, and a sacrifice acceptable to God. God more accepteth of godly affection, than he doth of Sacrifice, as by the Prophet Hosea he saith, Hose 6. Mat. 9 our Saviour confirming it: I would have mercy and not sacrifice. The Prophet Samuel said to king Saul, Obedience is better than Sacrifice. 2. Re. 15. Solomon calleth it the Sacrifice of fools, Eccle. 4. when in the house of God they direct not rightly their prayers to God. And in the Prophet Esay, Esa. 1 God rejecteth sacrifices with ungodly & wicked affections offered unto him. But godly affections and obedience to God according to his word, and true good will, loyalty, and obedience to Princes according to his ordinance, are as a sweet sacrifice unto him. And without this he accepteth not of outward sacrifices & prays: no more than he did of the sacrifice of Dathan, Corach, Num 16. & Abiram, whom for their rebellion against Moses, with their families, households, & goods, the earth swallowed up quick: And no more than he did the sacrifice of Nahab & Abin the sons of Aaron, Levi. 10. which offered strange fire before the Lord, not commanded of him: and fire went out from the Lord & devoured them: And no more than he did the Sacrifice of king Saul, 2. Sam. 15. which he offered in Gilgal contrary to the commandment of God. S. Sam. 13. And no more than he did the sacrifice of Absalon, when he was entering into his rebellion against king David. Ignatius Epist. 2. ad Trallian. Ignatius the ancient Father, with the examples of Dathan & Abiram, & Saul, rehearseth the example of Absalon, of whom he saith: Absalon parricida existens divino judicio arbori appensus, sed & cor eius quod malè cogitaverat, sagitta transfixum est: Absalon (saith he) a parricide (who conspired the death of his father) by god's judgement was hanged at a tree, & his heart that evil had thought, was shot through with an arrow: So far Ignatius. What availed his sacrifices out of a disloyal & rebellious heart offered to God before? Ignatius noteth the dreadful judgement of God on the very heart, which bred and brought forth the treasons: It was pierced (saith he) with an arrow. A fearful example of the vengeance of God on the very heart that conceived the treasons, and on the wretched body that executed them, & was for them executed by the almighty hand of God. Let this example warn all subieccs to keep their hearts true to their Liege Sovereign according to God's ordinance, that the vengeance of God pierce not the very hearts of them that breed treasons, as it did the heart of Absalon: 2. Sam. 18. whose heart as it had a time of pride & presumption, so it had also a time of woeful panting, when hanging at the thick bough, joab thrust darts into it. This example is as a spectacle set up of God, to warn all to keep their hearts from such presumption, treason, and rebellion, lest they pluck the judgements of God on their hearts which contrive it, and on their bodies which practise it. Let them purge therefore their hearts from such presumptuous & wicked affections, and cleanse & purify them by true faith (whose true effect it is as Peter saith) & by unfeigned repentance & obedience to the word of God, Act. 15. & to princes according to the ordinance of God. Such godly affections are wrought by the spirit of God, by cleansing our hearts, and renewing right spirits in us, Psal. 51. as David by his own experience felt in himself: & such godly affections, are as sweet sacrifices accepted of God. Thus of the commendation of godly affections in faithful subjects to her Majesty, and how such godly affections are of God, and of what value they are in the sight of God: & of presumptuous & contrary affections, which provoke the wrath & judgements of God. The 2. is, The second chief matter. how we should frame our affections and obedience to the rules of the word of God. Our Saviour in his own person hath given us example of subjection and obedience to the higher powers, in paying tribute for himself and Peter. Mat. 17. And when the priests and Scribes sent spies to tempt him and to trap him in his speech, and to deliver him unto the power and authority of the Governor (as Luke saith) he made them resolute answer: Luke 20. Give unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God those which are Gods. And Saint Paul warneth Titus as a watchman to warn others: Tim. 3. Put them in remembrance (saith he) that they be subject to the principalities and powers, and that they be obedient and ready to every good work. And the Apostle S. Peter touching the great ordinance of God in this behalf, saith thus: 1. Pet. 2●. Submit yourselves unto all manner ordinance of man (meaning public governments) for the lords sake, whether it be to the king, as having the pre-eminence, or unto governors as unto them that are sent of him for the punishment of evil doers, Rom. 13. and for the praise of them that do well. And after, fear God, honour the king. Thus the Apostle Peter. S. Paul the Apostle, preacher and crier (as he calleth himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) of the Gospel of Christ, maketh general proclamation of the great ordinance of God, touching subjection and obedience to Princes and higher powers: Let every soul (saith he) be subject to the higher powers, for there is no power but of God. The powers that be, are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist, shall receive judgement (or damnation) to themselves. For Princes are not to be feared for good works, but for evil. Wilt thou then be without fear of the power? Do well, so shalt thou have praise of the same: for he is the minister of God for thy wealth. But if thou do evil, fear, for he beareth not the sword for nought: for he is the minister of God to take vengeance on him that doth evil. Wherefore we must be subject, not because of wrath only, but for conscience sake. And for this cause pay you tribute also: for they are Gods ministers serving for the same purpose. Give to all men therefore their duty: Tribute to whom tribute (is due, Power notes in the words of S. Paul touching subjection & obedience. ) custom to whom custom, fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour (belongeth.) Hitherto S. Paul. In this treatise of the Apostle, I note chiefly four principal points, first, the generalty of the charge: Secondly, to whom this subjection & obedience is due, whereof he giveth in charge; Thirdly, how and in what sort: four, the outward sign thereof by which it is showed. Touching the first. In the generalty of the charge thereof, 1. The generalty of the charge. there is no exception, unless one can plead exception out of the number of souls comprised in the generalty of the charge. Chrisostom specifieth the generalty hereof in particular vocations and estates, even in the highest degree of such as under pretence of Religion and holiness, might seem to plead exception and freedom from it. Whether thou be (saith he) an Apostle, or whether thou be an Evangelist, or a prophet or whatsoever thou be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Chrisosto. in cap. 13. Epist. ad Ro. for saith he, this same subjection doth not over throw piety and godliness. Thus Chrisostom. Is there any that in the earth might challenge more pre-eminence and exception, than our Saviour for his own person while he lived on earth? Who vouchsafed for his own person as man, to pay tribute to Caesar. Luke. 20. His example and doctrine added to it, commanding to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God, those things which are Gods, concludeth all. Who can plead pre-eminence, exception, or exemption herein, seeing our Saviour in sign of subjection as man, Mat. 17. caused tribute to be paid for himself & Peter? This doctrine and answer of our Saviour, the soldiers of Henry the fifth Emperor of that name (when he came to Rome to receive the imperial Crown) carried from him, Albertus Kranz. Sax lib. 5. cap. 33. and as it were thrust it in the teeth of Pope Paschal the second of that name: saying that his demands were not to be yielded to of the Emperor, because it is written: Give to Caesar, the things that are Caesar's, & to God, those that are gods. And the next day when the Pope sat in his pomp in the Church, his soldiers rushed in again, and took the Pope in his Pontificalibus, and the Cardinals in their pompous array, and many of the Nobility of Rome prisoners, and the rest of the inferior Clergy, they so rifled, that they stripped them out of their clothes. And for the ground of subjection, the Emperor used the saying of our Saviour against the presumption of the Pope and Cardinals, which plead pre-eminence and exemptions, and are puffed up in pride and pomp above the principalities and powers of the earth. Origen the ancient father saith, that all they that have money, Orige. in Epist. ad Rom. lib. 9 cap. 13. possessions, or any thing of this world, must hear: Let every soul be subject to the higher powers: Thus of the generalty of the charge. The second note to whom subjection & obedience is due. Ambro. in commenta. in Epist. ad Rom. cap 13. The second note is, to whom this subjection and obedience commanded here is due: To the higher powers, principates, and magistrates. He calleth them Gods ministers to the praise of the good, & to the punishment of the evil, for they carry not the sword for nought. As he calleth them Gods ministers, so Ambros calleth them Gods deputies & his vicegerents, as Daniel (saith he) saith the kingdom is gods, and he giveth it to whom it pleaseth him. In the book of wisdom, Sap. 6. they are called the officers of gods kingdom. Psal. 82. The Prophet David calleth them Elohim, that is Gods, in respect they are Gods leivetenauntes, and have his power committed to them in earth, & the ministration of justice in God's behalf. 1. Pet. 2. Therefore S. Peter willeth us to submit ourselves to them for the Lords sake, because of god's ordinance, and that they are his ministers and deputies. Nicho. de Lyra postilae in 1. Pet, 2. And Nich. de Lyra saith, in as much as god's image shineth in them, in respect of their sovereignty: & as Ambros noteth the cause, Ambro. in comen. in Epist. ad Rom. cap. 13. Orige. in comen. in Eist. ad Rom. cap. 13. they have (saith he) the image of God, that under one others be. And if godly they carry themselves in their governments (as Origen saith) they shall have in the day of judgement praise of God, even for the good administration of these laws here, when it shall be said to them: O good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over few things: I will make thee ruler over much. And if they misuse their estates, then as the said Origen saith there, the just judgement of God shall be on them, because the sovereignty which they received, they have according to their own ungodliness tempered, and not according to the laws of God. Thus Origen. And though they be evil, yet are they Gods ministers to do thee good, and to try what mettle of true godliness is in thee. For as Augustine saith, the very terror of temporal powers, August. ad Valentinum Epist. 48. even when they sight against truth, is a glorious trial to the just and strong. And as the Gloze ordinary saith, God many times suffereth an evil man to tyrannyse, that the evil may be confounded; and for the better trial of the good. Thus the Gloze. Were they not evil in the time of our Saviour when they were heathen, and when S. Paul made general proclamamation of subjection to be yielded to them? When Nero played the tyrant and persecuted the Christians to death; Paul sealed with his blood the Gospel of our saviour under him. And yet his tyranny then was turned into the triumph of the Church of God: & Paul with other faithful Christians by shedding of their blood for Christ, were invested in the robes of martyrdom, & had crowns of glory set on their heads. To such Princes, though persecutors & heathen, subjection & obedience is to be yielded according to God's ordinance: But in things against God, & when the persecution is against the faith, (as Origen saith) we must say with the Apostles, that god is rather to be obeyed then men. Thus to whom this subjection & obedience here commanded is due. My third note is, The 3. note how and in what sort subjection & obedience is due. how and in what sort we should be subject and obedient to them. Wherefore (saith Paul) you must be subject, not because of wrath only, but for conscience sake; because it is the ordinance of God, and in wilful despising thereof, conscience is wounded, non only wrath & punishment provoked: When as Origen saith one hath that within him, Origen. in comen. in Epist. ad Rom. cap. 1● that of his own conscience may be accused. Augustine thus expoundeth these words of the Apostle, not because of wrath only, but for conscience sake: ut non simulatè quasi ad oculos hominum faciamus, August. sup●● Epist. ad Gal. cap. 3. sed pura delectionis conscientia propter deum: That we do it not (saith he) with glozing as to the eyes of men, but of a pure conscience of love for God's sake. And in an other place, August in Expositionae qua● und. prepositionun Ex Epist. ad Rom. propo. 74. the same ancient father doth thus open these same words of Paul: Not only (saith he) for avoiding wrath, which thing may be done feignedly, but that in thy conscience thou mayest be assured, that thou dost it of love to him to whom thou art subject, at the commandment of the Lord who would have all to be saved. Thus how Augustine expoundeth these words of Paul. The Gloze called interlinearis following Augustine saith, Glosa inter linearis in cap. 13. Epist. ad Rom. Ambro. in comen. in Epist. ad Rom. cap. 13. that in loving the magistrate, thy mind may be clean. Ambrose referreth the words to the judgement to come, where conscience accuseth also, besides the punishment in this world. And thus how and in what sort we should be subject to them. The 4. note is the outward sign of subjection & obedience. My fourth and last note is, touching the outward sign of this subjection, and in what affairs it is showed. For this cause sayeth Paul ye pay also tribute: for they are Gods ministers serving for the same purpose. Give to all men therefore their duty: Tribute to whom tribute (belongeth:) custom to whom custom, Ambro. in Epist. ad Rom. cap. 13. fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour. Thus far S. Paul. Ambrose saith, they pay tribute to show their subjection, that they are not free but under a Sovereignty and power that is ordained of God. And Origen voucheth the person of our Saviour for example: Orige. in Epist. ad Rom. cap. 13. Even our Lord jesus Christ (saith he) paid tribute when he lived in this flesh, who said that he paid not as a debtor, but lest he should offend them. And Nicholaus de Lyra the famous friar and writer of postiles upon the text, speaking of those that under pretence of Religion, would claim freedom and exemption for not paying tribute, Nico. de Lyra in Postilla in 1. Pet. 2 saith: Retinendo illud quod debebatur, dominis temporalibus committebant furtum. By retaining or withholding that (saith he) that to temporal Lords was due, they committed theft. Thus much of my fourth and last note also. Hereby appeareth how we should frame our affections and obedience to the higher powers according to the rules of the word of God. And if our Saviour and his Apostles thus gave in charge to Christians living under Heathen Princes, as Tiberius, Caligula, Tiberius, Caligulae, Claudius, Nero. Claudius, and Nero the Emperors, (amongst whom Nero was the first persecutor of the faith of Christ as Tertullian saith) Orientem fidem primus Nero cruentavit: Tertul. lib. cont. Gnostic. Nero (saith he) first imbrued with blood the faith of Christ in the first springing up thereof) how much more should Christians yield dutiful subjection and obedience to Christian & godly Princes, which are Fosterfathers & Nurses to the church of God, isaiah. 49. as the Prophet Esay calleth them. Ignatius the ancient Father & Martyr, about the time of the Apostles, Ignatius. Epist. 8. add Antiochense. renewed this charge of our Saviour and his Apostles: Be subject (saith he) to Caesar in all things in which your subjection is without peril. He meaneth the peril of their soul, faith, & bounden duty to God, because Princes at that time were Heathen. And thus how according to the rules of gods word, we should frame our affections and obedience to higher powers. The 3. chief matter. The third principal point or chief matter is, how according to the rules of God's word, the Christians in the primitive Church framed their affections and obedience to Princes & higher powers, being then heathen. Tertul. a very ancient father, Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 4. about the time of Severus the Emperor (as by his own words appeareth) who was after Christ about the year 196. openeth the very hearts, affections, & prayers of christians, for Emperors & Princes then being Heathen, and their fidelity, obedience, and subjection to them according to the laws of God. Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 30 We (saith he) for the health and wealth of the Emperor, call on the everlasting God, the true God, and the living God, whom the Emperors themselves, though Heathen, wish to be gracious unto them above others. And in an other place speaking of the prayers of the ancient christians in their congregations: We pray (saith he) for Emperors & their ministers and potentates, Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 39 for the state of the world, for quietness of all things, for the stay of the end. Thus Tertul. Though the Emperors before and after Tertul. time were Heathen, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, Domitian, Traian, Marcus Aurelius, Severus. as Tiberius, Calig. Claudius, Nero, Domitian, trajan, Marcus Aurelius, Severus in Tertullians' time, & sundry of them persecutors of christians to death, yet such were their affections, prayers, fidelity & subjection to them according to God's ordinance, that in their congregations they prayed for their health, wealth, & prosperous state. Hiere. 29. And God by Heir. willeth the jews which were captive in Babylon, to seek the prosperity of the City: where I (saith God) have caused you to be carried away captive, & pray unto the Lord for it, for in the peace thereof, shall you have peace. Thus far jeremy. According to this, Tertull. the aforesaid witnesseth, how the ancient christians (in whose times so many blessed martyrs by life & death glorified God) were wont in public prayers to commend to god the prosperous estate of their Emperors, though they were paynim, & many of them persecutors. Precantes sumus (saith he) omnes pro omnibus Imperatoribus vitam illis pro lixam, Imperium securum, domum tutam, Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 30 exercitus fortes, senatum fidelem, populum probum, orbem quietum, & quaecunque Caesaris & hominis vota sunt. We all pray (saith he) for all Emperors for long life unto them, security of their Empire, safety in their house, puissant hosts, a faithful Council, a good people, a quiet world, and whatsoever Caesar or man would wish. Thus far Tertullian. And further the same Tertullian in commendation of the subjection & fidelity of the ancient Christians to their Princes, doth show, how though by the great blessing of God they were so overspread and multiplied on earth, that their Cities, Countries, and islands were full of them, as he saith: Vestra omnia implemus Vrbes, Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 37. Insulas, etc.: And if they should revolt from them, they should leave the Cities of their Empire so desolate, that themselves would wonder at them: & if they should conspire and join their forces together, they might soon overrun them: yet notwithstanding according to God's ordinance, with such humble subjection, fidelity, & allegiance they bore themselves, even to them that rigorously reigned over them, & eftsoons persecuted them. And see the great blessing of God on them therefore more & more. The more they multiplied, the more they were persecuted: as Tertullian to Scapula saith: Tertul. ad Scapulam. The sect of christians, the more it is builded up, the more it is cut and hewn down. And in an other place he saith: Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 45 Plures efficimur quoties metimur à vobis. Semen est sanguis Christianorum. The more (saith he) we grow, the more you mow us. The seed is the blood of Christians: Thus Tertullian. Though Panim Princes & Emperors in the primitive & ancient Church watered it with the blood of Christians, yet God so blessed it, that by that seed it sprang & spread over the face of the earth. And notwithstanding to Princes, though paynim then, these ancient Christians yielded their subjection fidelity according to the ordinance of God. It is good thus to look into the examples of the Primitive Church, on which God powered out so abundantly his spitit, & out of the which issued such numbers of blessed Martyrs, whose memory is blessed, & whose state is glorious in the kingdom of God. Plinius Secundus of the ancient christians to Traianus the Emperor. Plinius Secundus an Heathen and Noble man, writeth unto trajan the Emperor a Panim prince, of the conversation & behaviour of the ancient christians: by occasion that in the government of his province, he saw such multitudes of them so meekly to endure persecutions, some condemned to death, some disauthorised & prived of their estates: whereat being amazed as wonderful, not only strange, he maketh relation to the Emperor thereof, & of their assemblies and conversation: and thus he writeth his intelligence of them, Tertullian the foresaid ancient father reporting it: Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 2. Se nihil aliud de sacris eorum comperisse, quàm caetus antelucanos ad canendum Christo & Deo, & ad confirmandam disciplinam, homicidium, adulterium, fraudem, perfidian, ac caetera scelera prohibentes: That (saith he) of their religion and service he could bolt out no other thing, but their assemblies before day were to sing to Christ and God: & that for confederating their discipline, they forbade murder, adultery, fraud, treachery, & other heinous offences. Thus much Pliny of the conversation and manners of the ancient Christians. A worthy glass to be set before Christians of our time, to whet their dull devotion to God, and for reformation of such heinous offences amongst them. And if thus the ancient Christians showed themselves in subjection and fidelity to their Princes, though they were paynim, & so forbade & loathed treachery, homicide, and shedding of blood, that as the same Tertul. saith of them: Tertul. in Apolog. cap 37 In our profession (saith he) more lawful it is to be slain, then to slay: how would they have abhorred treachery & the shedding of blood of Christian Princes, whose principates and powers serve as handmaids to the Gospel of Christ, & whose blood will cry to God against treacheries only intended against them, & not only before the execution of them but after, as the blood of Abel cried to God from the ground after it was shed? They writ that Renelphus the young king of Mercia, was by treason of Quendred his Sister slain, and after the murder cast into a thick wood, Fabian in his Chronicle of England 〈◊〉 6. part ●●p. 158. & that by a pillar of divine light, shining from the corpse (as Fabian in the English Chronicle telleth it) the corpse was first discovered, after entered: & Quendred by god's vengeance apparently stricken. For the truth of the circumstance of the story I leave to the author. But surely by divine light from heaven, treasons against princes, & plaits of murders, Treasons and murders wonderfully are discovered by lights from heaven and marvelous mean on earth. even before the attempt & practise of them, wonderfully are discovered: as of late marvelously we have seen. By what means soever they are descried, gods providence appointeth the means on earth: And by divine light from heaven the inferior means are directed on earth, as wonderfully we have seen. O let us magnify always the mercies of the glorious God for it. Thankfully we recognize his wonderful work. Only the fear is, the worldly security do not swallow it up, & by forgetfulness it fade away. For security cometh stealing on, Against security and forgetfulness. & unthankfulness is ready continually to assail us, & forgetfulness to overflow us, unless we hold fast & lock up in thankful memory, the blessed and wonderful work of God. Therefore that it perish not in the gulf of unthankfulness, let us renew & keep it fresh in remembrance, & what our portion had been if God's providence had not prevented. & provided for us. All England should have rued, & faithful servants to god, & true hearted subjects to her M. might with Hieremy have written new lamentations: Hier. lament. & the roll of the book delivered to Ezech. the prophet, Ezech. 2. written with lamentations within & without had been fit for our doleful state. Hiere. 9 We might have said with Hier. Who will give us eyes as fountains of waters to bewail the wracks of God's Church and of our Country, Herem 9 if that doleful day had comen on us. But God hath wiped the tears from our eyes, reve. 7. as he doth wipe the trares from the eyes of the Saints, as S. john saith: and he hath put of our sackcloth, Psal. 30. and girded as with joy, as the Prophet David saith, and hath turned the doleful day to joy, and the book of lamentations, into the book of praising of God: and hath opened the good affections of faithful subjects to her Majesty, to the great comfort and rejoicing both of her Majesty, and of all that bear true hearts to her. Thus how the ancient Christians framed their affections and obedience to their Princes, though they were paynim: and how they abhorred treacheries, homicides, and shedding of blood and such other heinous offences: And how God's providence marvelously worketh in the discovery of such offences. The 4. principal point and chief matter. The fourth is, what an acceptable thing to God it is, when the people join their hearts to Godly Princes, in true faith to God, and hearty fidelity to their Princes. Let us lay down examples hereof out of the holy Scriptures. How acceptable a thing was it to God, when under jehosaphat the godly king, his people assembled together, jehosaphat & his people. & joined their hearts & hearty prayers with their Prince to God, at what time the rumbling rumour was up of great multitudes of enemies of the children of Moab, Ammon, 2. Chro. 20. & of mount Seir coming on them. And presently they received comfort of God. jehaziel. The spirit of God came upon jehaziel a Levite, who delivered sweet comfort to them from God: & their enemies sword were turned on themselves. Likewise when under the godly king Asa, Asa and his people. the people & commons with such hearty affection & fidelity were joined to God & their prince, that they made a covenant (as the scripture saith) to seek the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart, 2. Chro. 15. & with all their soul: and whosoever will not seek the Lord God of Israel, shallbe slain, whether he be small or great, man or woman. And they swore unto the Lord with a loud voice, & with shouting, & with trumpets, and with corners. And all juda rejoiced at the oath, for they had sworn to the Lord with all their heart, & sought him with a whole desire, & he was found of them: And the Lord gave them rest round about. Hitherto the words of the scripture. So likewise under Hezechiah the gracious prince, Hezechiah & his people when Rabshakeh sent from Sancherib king of Assur began to roar out blasphemies against God: isaiah. 37. and minaces against the prince & people: and Eliakim and other the servants of king Hesechiah sent with him, rend their clothes: And Hesechiah put on sackcloth, and went to the house of the Lord to make his moan to God in prayer: and his people were joined in true fidelity to their Prince: & God sent them comfort by the Prophet isaiah, and sent his Angel to destroy the huge host of Sancherib, an hundred fourscore and five thousand. And when they arose up early in the morning, behold (saith the Prophet) they were slain, and all was full of dead bodies. josiah and his people. So under josiah the religious Prince, when the book of the law of God was found of Helkiah the Priest, & Shaphan the chancellor read it before the king, he rend his clothes, his heart melted, and he humbled himself before God, and he cleansed the temple of God from idolatry, and he● gathered all his people from the greatest to the smallest (as the Scripture saith: 2. Chro. 34. ) and he red in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant that was found in the house of the Lord. And the king stood by the Pillar & made a covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord, & to keep his commandments, & his testimonies, & his statutes, with all his heart, & with all his soul: and that he would accomplish the words of the covenant written in the same book. And he caused all that were found in jerusalem & Benjamin, to stand to it. And the inhabitants of jerusalem, did according to the covenant of God, even the God of their fathers. Hitherto the words of the Scripture. What a blessed state was in juda and Benjamin then, when the hearts of the Prince & people melted at the word of God, & were knit in one, to serve God according to his law, & their Sovereign in true fidelity according to it? How good & comely a thing is it (as the Prophet David saith) for brethren to dwell together in unity? Psal. 133 It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard, even unto Aaron's beard, & unto the skirts of his clothing etc. So far David. And if this we join our hearts together, to serve God in true faith, and our Prince in true loyalty and fidelity, we shall find comfort & help from God. God will bless the prince for the people, & the people for the Prince: foreign enemies will fear, traitors will tremble, rebels will be ready to run into caves & dens, & seditious persons will shrink in their own secret imaginatious: Psal. 58. & the wicked ones like snails shall be ready to melt away in their own wicked ways, as the prophet prayeth they may. Thus how acceptable a thing it is to God, when the people join their hearts together in the true faith to God, & hearty fidelity to their Prince. The 5. is of David his loyalty and fidelity to the royal person of king Saul, The 5. chief matter. notwithstanding he sought his life. While David was yet a subject to king Saul, The Example of David his loyalty to the person of king Saul. 2. Sam. 24. by the evil spirit sent of God on him, he was so incensed against David, that he chased him as abird from covert to covert to devour him. His spies hunted him, and they told him: behold David is in the wilderness of Engaddi: and the men of Ziph brought him tidings that David lurked in the hill of Hachilah by them. Psal. 11. And how say ye saith he, (as some lay down the words in the Psalm) to my soul, that she should fly as a bird to the hill. Yet notwithstanding he was thus chased for life, and driven out to the uttermost, and put on his guard for safety of life, yet he bore such love, loyalty, and fidelity to the royal person of his Prince, that when God eftsoons had put him into his hands, he would suffer none of his retinue or garrison to offer violence unto him. 2. Sam. 24. For he said, the Lord keep me from doing that thing unto the Lords anointed, to lay my hands upon him, for he is the anointed of the Lord. And with these words he quailed his own servants which said unto him: See, the day is come which the Lord said unto thee, Behold I will deliver thy enemies into thy hand, and thou shalt do to them as seemeth good to thee. But David would suffer none of his men to lay hands on him even when he came as it were into his mouth, into the cave to ease himself, David saved king saul's life in the cave. where David & his men were hid in the inward parts thereof. And his men said, now is the day etc. And they were sharp set, even to have torn him with their teeth. And if David in the plung had not pacified his men, and guarded the person of his Prince (which notwithstanding persecuted him to death) king Saul had been dispatched of them. And an other time, God put king Saul into his hands, David saved king saul's life being asleep in the camp. 1. Sam. 26. when David came upon him as he was a sleep, and the people lay round about him. And Abishai said to David, God hath closed thy enemy in thy hand this day: I pray thee let me smite him once with a spear to the earth, and I will not smite him again. And David said to Abishai, destroy him not, for who can lay his hand on the Lords anointed & be guiltless. And he took the king's spear, and the pot of water from saul's head, and from the top of a hill he cried to Abner the captain of saul's host, and to the people: This is not well done of thee, as the Lord liveth ye are worthy to die, because you have not kept your master the Lords anointed: and now see where the kings spear is, and the pot of water that was at his head. And saul's heart rued, & he said: I have sinned, come again my son David, for I will do thee no more harm, because my soul was precious to thy eyes this day. Behold I have done foolishly, and have erred exceedingly. So far the Scripture. Thus king saul's life was precious to David though he did persecute him to death, because he was his Sovereign Lord, placed of God in the royal seat. His private causes and oppressions he committed to God, abiding his pleasure and leisure, and as his providence should dispose of him and them. But he could not frame his heart, either himself, or to suffer any other under his regiment, to offer any violence to the person of his Prince, notwithstanding they were in arms, and had him at their devotions. And his conscience was so tender touching his loyalty to the person of his Prince, that when in the cave mentioned before, he had cut off but a lappet of saul's garment, in sign that God had put his life into his hands, he was touched in his heart after (as the Scripture saith) because he thought he had been to bold with his Prince. 1. Sam. 24. David resolute loyalty Though he were cast out of his protection, yet so he abhorred treasons & violence against the person of his Prince, that he was resolute whatsoever should become of him, not for the winning of his kingdom, to the person of his Prince 2. Sam. 26. or saving his own life, to do or suffer violence to be done to his person. For this was his resolution touching the person of his Prince: As the Lord liveth (saith he) either the Lord shall smite him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go down to battle and perish. The Lord keep me from laying my hand upon the Lords anointed. So far the Scripture. David honoured king Saul in the field, though he pursued him to death 1. Sam. 24. And humbly he honoured the person of his Prince, even in the field, and amides the forces & furniture of wars. For after he came out of the cave, (where he had so much ado to qualify the rage of his soldiers, and restrain them from running upon king Saul) he cried after Saul, saying: O my Lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David inclined himself to the earth, and bowed him (as the Scripture saith) and after spoke to him. Notwithstanding that king Saul continually sought his blood, and in armour lay in the field against him, yet he honoured the person of his Prince in the midst of the wars. And his person was so precious in his sight, that he could suffer no bodily harm or violence to be done to him: insomuch he had remorse for cutting off the lappet of his garment. What hearts then, or rather what addamantes in steed of hearts, Zacha. 7. have they (as the prophet Zacharie saith of the jews) which living under the peace and protection of so merciful a Prince, can find in their hearts, so much as to think any treachery or violence to her royal person: who hath been so good a mother of her country, and so pitiful a nurse of the Church of God, Epist. ad Philemone. & by whom the bowels of God's saints have been refreshed, as of Philemon, Paul saith: and who hath fostered her faithful subjects in the blessings and benefits of God, which so abundantly under her government so many years God hath bestowed upon us. If therefore there be any remorse of conscience to God and his ordinance, if there be any bowels of good nature in us to our natural and liege Sovereign, if there be any value of true worthiness in us, let us show our love, loyalty, and hearty fidelity to her: and honour her royal person, as David did the person of his Prince, and guard her from all violence, in respect of God's ordinance, and the manifold blessings which under her so many years we have received: and that God may bless us for our loyalty and honouring the person of our Prince, as he did bless his faithful servant David. Though his loyalty seemed to be lost touching king Saul, yet it was not lost with God: for God's blessngs more abundantly followed & fell on him. Beside, David's loyalty to king Saul was a comfort to him in his troubles. 1. Sam. 26. he found such comfort of conscience by it in his troubles, that he said to king Saul: Behold like as thy life was much set by this day in my eyes (when he came on him as he lay fast a sleep) so let my life be set by in the eyes of the Lord, that he may deliver me out of all tribulations. So the loyalty that he showed to his Prince, in respect of God, he found abundantly again with comfort of conscience in his greatest troubles: and his own life was precious is the sight of God. Abigael. As Abigael the virtuous woman said to him: The soul (saith she) of my Lord shall be bound in a bundle of life with the Lord thy God, 1. Sam. 25. and the soul of thy enemies shall God cast out as out of the middle of a sling. What comfort and encouragement may this be to the hearts of true subjects to their Prince, since God blesseth loyalty, and it is a comfort to the conscience in troubles: and as their Prince is precious in their sight, so for their loyalty their own life is more precious in the sight of God. Besides this, David's comfort in the righteousness of his cause. 2. Sam. 25. David took comfort of the uprightness and innocency of his cause, and thereof he said: The Lord reward every man according to his righteousness: for the Lord hath delivered thee into my hands, and I would not lay my hands upon the Lords anointed. So far the Scripture. And before he said to Saul when he saved his life in the cave, 1. Sam. 24. understand and see, that there is neither evil nor wickedness in me, yet thou huntest after my soul to take it. The Lord be judge between thee and me, and avenge thee of me, and let not my hand be upon thee. So far the Scripture. God took the judgement into his hands, and delivered David, and avenged his cause of Saul. So God hath taken of late the judgement of the cause into his hands and hath delivered our gracious Prince, & revenged her cause of her enemies: & the uprightness and innocency of her cause, is great comfort to her in the sight of God. God vouchsafe long (as Abigael said to David) to bind her soul in a bundle of life, and long to lock up her life from all her enemies, as a jewel of comfort to his Church and our Country. Thus of the example of David his loyalty and fidelity, to the person of king Saul, notwithstanding he persecuted him to death, and how God blessed him for it. The sixth is, the example of the famous fidelity of one Lylla a Briton and heathen man, The 6. chief matter. in the defence of the royal person of his Prince. As I have laid out at large the example of the loyalty and fidelity of David to the person of king Saul, so I will set down briefly the example and fidelity of one Lylla a Briton, in the defence of the royal person of his Prince. Fabian in his Chronicle of England the 5. part cap. 130. When Edwin king of Northumberland, at a City beside the water of Darwent in Darbishire, being smally accompanied, was suddenly assailed of a murderer and swordman (as Fabian calleth him) by Quincelinus' king of the West Saxons hired to it, Lylla a Briton his famous fidelity in the defence of the person of his Prince. who ran on him with a sword that was envenomed, one Lylla the kings trusty servant, unarmed and disgarnished of weapon, thrust his body between the traitors sword and the king, and saved the king his life, with loss of his own: And yet through the body of Lylla with the thrust of the sword, the king was wounded also: & because the wound was poisoned, it was more hardly cured. A worthy example of famous fidelity in defence of the royal person of the Prince, worthy to live in the memory of all faithful subjects: & as a glass to be set before their eyes to encourage and emboul●ē them, as a wall to set their bodies & bowels in defence of the royal person of their Prince, against the swords of all traitors & enemies, Though Lylla be dead in person many hundred years since, yet his loyalty liveth still in the bowels of faithful subjects, ready to thrust their bodies against the sword of all traitors and enemies to the royal person of their Prince. And if Lylla did so for king Edwin a Prince as then heathen, and but over a corner of this land, much more will faithful subjects with their bodies and bowels, defend the sacred person of so Christian and gracious a Prince, and good mother of all England, against the sword of all traitors and enemies unto her. England is the mother of many Lyllas' in these days, and hath fostered and bred many such faithful subjects for life to their Prince. God send many such, and long continue them, and bless us with the long life & prosperous continuance of our Prince. Thus of the example of Lylla his famous fidelity in defence of the royal person of his Prince. The 7. chief matter. The seventh is, how the late occasions and dangers, should increase true love, loyalty, and unfeigned fidelity, in the hearts of all good subjects to her Majesty. The late dangers should inflame love & loyalty in true subjects. john 16. The fear & danger to departed from a person most dear to us, doth increase and inflame more love in us. When our Saviour had resolutely told his disciples, that he must departed from them, their hearts were filled with sorrow. And they fell on the neck of Paul, and wept on him, Act. 20. after he had told them of Ephesus, that they should see his face no more. When Sixtus the ancient bishop of Rome, Sixtus. Laurentius. Platina in vita Sixti 2. was going to martyrdom for the faith of Christ, Laurence his Archdeacon cried out after him: Whither goest thou father without thy son? He so loved him in life, that in death he was loath to be parted from him: & three days after he followed him in martyrdom also. Ex passione Cypriani à Pontio eius diacono edita. When Cyprian the Archbishop of Carthage, was brought to the place of his martyrdom, and stood up in linen, ready for the executioner, the people's hearts so rued on him, that they cried, let us die with our holy Bishop. The people of Constantinople, Chrisostom's first banishment. so entirely loved Chrisostom their Archbishop, that the first time by Eudoxia, the Empress her means he departed into banishment, they made a mutiny in the City. After at the Emperor his commandment being recalled home again, the people ran on heaps to meet him, and shouted about him, and as ravished with joy of his return, they would needs perforce have him to the great Church, there out of his old place to hear his voice again. And after his second banishment, Chrisostom's second banishment. many the could not temper their zeal & affection to him, sequestered & banded themselves in a faction, & were called johannitae after his name, & great stir eftsoons was made for him. And if so grievous their departing was from their Bishop dear to them, how doleful would the departing have been from such a gracious Prince and natural mother of our whole Country? And therefore the late fear and danger thereof, should increase and inflame the fire of true love, loyalty, and unfeigned fidelity, in the hearts of all true and natural subjects to her Majesty. The 8 chief matter. The eight is, how directed in wisdom from God, we may take the right way, long to obtain her of the mercy of God, by making hearty prayers and supplications to God for her: That he will set the watch of his providence about her, and send the garrison of his Angels to guard her: That the evil spirits, and those by whom they work, and that work and practise by them, may have no power against her: With what minds we should pray to God for her that he may accept our prayers. That we may long obtain and enjoy the blessing of her royal person and sovereignty amongst us, the right way in the direction of godly wisdom, is to have continual recourse to God, by making hearty prayers & supplications to him for her: These be the safest munitions of Princes on earth, & & as it were Castles in heaven, to keep her on earth from all treacheries & practices of enemies and evil spirits whatsoever. The safest munitions of Princes are hearty prayers of the faithful unto God for them. Let us build for her, bulwarks on earth in the bowels of hearty affections of faithful subjects, and Castles in heaven, with hearty prayers and supplications unto God for her: That God will vouchsafe to be a continual Castle to her on earth, as he was to his servant David, Psal. 18. (whose glory was, that the Lord was his rock, strength, and defence. Psal. 61. ) And that he will be a Tower of strength to her against all her enemies: and that he will prepare his mercy and faithfulness to preserve her. This is the impregnable Castle & Tower of defence, as Solomon saith: The Tower of strength, Prou. 18. is the name of the Lord. That the mercy of God will vouchsafe cotinually to keep her for his poor Church and our Country, let us join ourselves (as Tertullian speaketh) as in an army to God, and as if by violent force of fervent prayers we would win it of God: Ad deum (saith he) quasi manu facta praecationibus ambiamus. Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 39 And let us with heavenly affections beat at heaven gates, and touch God in our prayers, as Tertullian saith in an other place: Coelum tudimus (saith he) deum tangemus. Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 40 Such violence and force of faith is acceptable to God as the same Tertullian saith: Tertul. in Apolog. cap 39 Haec vis deo grata est: This violence is acceptable to God. As he that knocked at his neighbour's door at midnight, and would not give up till he opened and gave him that he came for: Luke. 11. And as the widow that hanged about the judge till he granted her suit: Luke. 18. And as the woman of Canaan that followed our Saviour with open mouth, Mat. 15. till she obtained that she came for of him: Mark. 10. Bartimaeus. And as blind Bartimaeus the beggar (the son of Timaeus) begging by the high way, when Christ passed by he left not begging & crying after him, till he commanded him to be brought unto him: then off went the beggars cloak, that lighter and without let he might run to him: and his running and casting of his cloak, was not in vain; for of a dark man he was made to see, & he glorified the mercy of our Saviour to him. If we awake but a little out of the dreams of worldly vanities (for mortal creatures in respect of their worldly states, Psal. 90. as David saith, are like a sleep or dream) what are worldly states, ports, & countenances, but as Bartimaeus his beggars cloak in the sight of God. If we behold them in the glass of true value & of the wisdom of God by his blessed word, Eccle. 1. Psal. 62. all is but most vain vanity (as Solomon saith) and the children of men are deceitful upon the weights, they are altogether lighter than vanity itself. This is the glass of true value for us to see ourselves in the right shape of our frail nature, and in the right estate of worldly vanities. Let us make never so much of the painted sheath, it is in the sight of God but as Bartimaeus his beggars cloak. jaco. 2. They that are rich in faith (as james saith) & enriched with heavenly gifts (as Paul saith) are rich and honourable in his sight. 1. Co. 1. When we come to the throne of his grace (as Paul calleth it) to pray to him, Herald 4. we must lay from us worldly ports & pomps (as Bartimaeus did his cloak: for they are no other in the sight of God: and show ourselves as right beggars to our Saviour, to beg gifts of grace and continual help of him. And we must ply him as Bartimaeus did, & the woman of Canaan, & not ●s give him up till he vouchsafe his mercy on us: As Augustin said, that he plied him with begging prayers continually, Augustinus Audaci to have some portion of heavenly wisdom of him. Ego (saith he) ex illo thesauro mendicabunda prece quotidianam stipem rogo. Let us come therefore in the right shape of Christians and beggars, with godly importunacy to beg of the mercy of God, the prosperous and long preservation of our Prince, against all traitorous practices and attempts of enemies. And that as David prayeth, Psal. 22. he will prevent her with bountiful blessings, and make her glad with the joy of his countenance: that her glory may be great in his salvation, Psal. 20. and that dignity and honour he will lay upon her. And as in the Psalm before he prayeth, that he will help her out of his sanctuary, and strengthen her out of Zion: that she may rejoice in his salvation, & triumph in the name of the Lord: and that the Lord will perform all her petitions. Thus upon David his prayers, as upon the wings of the spirit, we may be carried up into heaven in our prayers for her. The Struthio camel. For as the Struthio-camel hath a heavy body and weak wings, yet his weak wings are an help to his heavy body: so by corrupt nature we have heavy bodies in prayer, and the wings of our souls are weak also, but upon David prayers in his Psalms, as on wings of the spirit, we are supported in our prayers to God for her. Thus how we should make our prayers and supplications to God for her, showing ourselves in the right shape of Christians, as continual cravers and beggars before the throne of the mercy of God for her. The second branch of this part is, that we should pray to God to set the watch of his providence about her, and to send the garrison of his Angels to guard her, that the evil spirits and the workers by them, may have no power against her. The safety of Princes, Estates, The watch of God's providence, and garrisons of Angels. and countries, is by the continual watch of God's providence over them, and the defence and garrison of his Angels about them. As the watch and guard of Princes are joined together, so where the watch of god's providence is, there also is the guard of his Angels: As they were about Elisha in Dothan, 2. Reg. 6. when God opened the eyes of his servant (according to Elisha his prayer) and he saw horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. The Angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear God as David saith, and delivereth them: Psal, 34. Psal. 91. and in another Psalm, he hath given his Angels charge over thee to keep thee in all thy ways. The watch of God's providence, and the guard of his Angels was about Abraham where ever he became, Gen. 16. & about those that belonged to him: as Agar and Ishmael her son, Gen. 23. when they were like to have perished in the wilderness: and when he sent his eldest servant to take a wife for Isaak his son, he said: The Lord God of heaven he shall send his Angel before thee. So God's providence appointeth them to resort and attend about his servants at home and abroad. reve. 19 And they call themselves felloweseruaunts to those that have the witness of our Lord jesus in them: and Paul calleth them ministering spirits, for their sakes that shallbe heirs of salvation. Seeing then in the wisdom of God revealed by his word, the right way for the safety of the persons & estates of princes on earth, is by prayer to god for them, to commit them to the watch of God's providence, and to the guard of his Angels; let us heartily pray, that God will set the watch of his providence, and the garrison of his Angels, to keep the Royal person and estate of our Prince, his Church, & our Country, from all her and our enemies. By God's providence the Angels are appointed to special ministrations and services over Princes, governments, Da. 10. and countries, as out of Daniel the Prophet is alleged. Epipha. li. 2. cont haeres. to. 1. ex sententia Procli count Origen. Proclus against Origen saith (Epiphanius rehearsing it) that the Angels were made, Ob providentiam eorum quae constructa sunt: For providence (by their ministrations) of those things which of God were made. After he saith●y as god hath universal and perfect providence, so Angels have particular, to say their ministrations and services particularly allotted to them of God, in Country's government, estates, public & private persons. Though Augustine doth plainly confess, August. ad Orosima con●. Priscillian. that he knoweth not the difference between the Angels, and what the thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers are (by which name their dignities are noted in Paul) and that he cannot distinguish their dignities and ministrations to which they are assigned of God; yet plainly he saith, that by their nature they are spirits, and when they are employed in their ministrations and works of God, they are called Angels. For Angelus (saith he) nomen officij ect, non naturae. Agust. super Psal. 103. An Angel (saith he) is a name of office and not of nature. Ex eo quod est (saith he) spiritus est, ex eo quod agit, Angelus est: touching his being (saith he) he is a spirit, in respect of his work and ministration, he is an Angel. Seeing then by God's providence they are appointed their ministrations & services, over governments and countries, over the Church of God, over the Fosterfathers and Nurses thereof, Esay. 49. (as Esay calleth them) and publicly and privately give their attendance as is appointed them of God: Let us heartily pray to God that for continual safeguard of our Prince and Country will vouchsafe to appoint the watch of his providence, and the ministration of his holy Angels, against all her and our enemies, and against all evil spirits and their instruments by whom they work, and all that practise by them. Of the evil spirits, and those that are set on by them. The end of the second branch of this matter is, that the evil spirits and those that are set on by evil spirits, and work and practise by them, may have no power against her. Arnobius the ancient father witnesseth, that apostasy and falling from God and true faith, idolatry, blaspheming, slandering gods truth, & such like wickedness, are the works of evil spirits: as likewise mischiefs, outrages, treasons, and such like heinous offences are. For the wicked are set on by evil spirits to such outrages, & the evil spirits do work by them as by their engines and instruments, & they work & practise by evil spirits. King Saul consulted with the Witch that wrought by the evil spirit, 1. Sam. 22. and the next morrow he was slain. 2. Reg. 21. Manasse king of juda in the highest of his great idolatry & wickedness, gave himself over to witchcraft and sorcery, & after great tribulations sent of god on him, he humbled himself to God, 2. Chro. 33. and by repentance was reclaimed. Ahaziah king of Israel, when he lay on his sick bed, 2. Reg. 1. sent to Baalzebub the idol of Ekron for counsel and help, 2. Reg. 1. but God by the Prophet Elias sent him answer, that he should not come down off the bed on which he was gone up, but should die the death. julian the Apostate. After julian the Emperor became an Apostate, and revolted from the faith of Christ, he gave himself to monstrous sorseries, & was roused with evil spirits continually against the faith of Christ, & carried headlong to his own destruction. Licinius the wicked & Heathen Emperor in his wars against Constantin the christian Emperor surnamed the Great, Licinius the Emperor. sought after sorseries Witches, Enchanters, & those that wrought with evil spirits, & they sang all one song to him, Eusebius de vita Constan. lib. 2. (as Euseb. witnesseth) that he should carry the victory away, but Licinius lost the field, & after lost his life. Panim Emperors & sorcerers against Constantine the Emperor. The Panim Tyrants and Emperors which warred upon Const. aforesaid, bore themselves greatly bold of their enchantments & nigromancies (as Eusebi. reporteth) & because those things were exercised of the Tyrants, as Eusebius saith, Eusebius de vita Constantini. lib. 1. Constantinus deum quaesivit adiu torem, sought for help of God, & gave himself devoutly to prayer, & by the help and power of God, he triumphed over all the Tyrants, and over all the evil spirits and the workers by them. So likewise hearty let us pray to god, for his continual protection, and safecondit of the royal person & estate of Elizabeth our Queen, and that by the ministrations of holy Angels & blessed spirits at his appointment continually attending her, she may triumph over all evil spirits, & those that are set on & whet on by them, and work and practise by them. And the more heartily and earnestly let us pray for the continual watch of god's providence, & the attendance of holy Angels about her, because in the kingdom of Antichrist, darkness, idolatry and error, the evil spirits do most prevail, have power in their minds by error, & in their affections to set them a fire to mischiefs and outrages against the Church of God, and against Princes, whom God hath raised as pillars in his Church, to comfort and support her by the authority they have received of God against her enemies: and who (as john saith in his Revelation) bring their glory and honour unto the city of God: reve. 21. and whose principates on earth, do serve to the setting forth of the glorious Gospel of our Saviour. Against such Princes, the evil spirits are mad, and continually touse the minds of the wicked, and inflame their evil affections and dispositions against them: but by the providence of God, and ministration of holy Angels appointed to them of God, the wicked ones are drawn into the destruction themselves that they devised for them. Beware therefore that we give not ourselves over to darkness in steed of light, to error in steed of truth, to infidelity in steed of true faith, to wilful contempt of the word of God, the state and government, the ministery and godly laws for true religion by public authority established. For where error, idolatry, infidelity, hate of God's word, blaspheming of his truth is rooted, there the evil spirits delight to dwell. As Paul calleth them the spirits of error, 1. Tim. 4. so they employ all their forces to hold men in gross errors. Arnobius Afer. lib. 6. & 8. cont. Gentes. Arnobius the ancient father showeth how they were wont to work in the idols of Heathen, and in dead images as assistants to them, lying signs and wonders (so far as God permitteth) by them. And join themselves also as assistants to them, which are instruments of error, idolatry, unbelief, & disobedience. The Valentinians. Iraen. lib. 2. cap. 57 The Valentinians (against whose blasphemous heresies Iraeneus the ancient father and Martyr hath written) took on them as workers of miracles: but their miracles he calleth magical illusions, & magic mockeries, and fantastical shows and gases, to the seducing and destruction of men. Marcus the sorcerer. Iraene. lib. 1. cap. 9 Marcus the seducer and sorcerer (as Iraeneus witnesseth of him) had Diabolun paredrun, id est, assessorem, a familiar or assistant Devil, and by magic and necromancy, took on him to prophesy and to inspire others to do the same: and chiefly seduced & abused women of great wealth: and in the ministration of the Sacrament he laid snares by magic as delutions and mockeries to seduce souls. Tertullian telleth, Socrates. that Socrates the famous Philosopher, among the Heathen was wont to say, Si daemonium permittat: Tertul. in Apolog. cap. 4● If his Devil or familiar would permit him: and yet he could not save him from sentence of condemnation & execution in Athens, Simon Magus. Simon Magus the great necromancer under Claudius the Emperor at Rome (as Iraen. saith) was Statue honoratus propter magiam: Iraen. lib. 1. cap. 20 Honoured with an image set up to him for his magic and necromancy. Menander. Menander his Disciple likewise greatly vaunted and vanced himself to such as would become his Disciples, Iraen. lib. 1. cap. 21. and with his heresy learn sorcery and magic of him. May we not see the right successors of Simon Magus the great Sorcerer at Rome in the Sea of Rome? Sylvester. 2. In Sylvester Bishop of Rome the second of that name, the great Necromancer and Sorcerer, Plati. in vi. in sylvest 2. who by sorcery and help of the Devil (as Platina the Italian writer of the lives of Popes, and an officer to them witnesseth) came to be Pope, and at his sudden death unlooked for, the Devil deceived him, & then at that instant he bewailed & confessed his wickedness, as Platina aforesaid telleth. Besides many Sorcerers and necromancers followed in that Sea (Beno the Cardinal confessing it) as disciples of Sylvester, and right successors of Simon Magus. What marvel though evil spirits have so prevailed in that Sea, and wrought by them and those that have been bewitched by them, such monstrous mischiefs, unnatural treasons, and bloody butcheries and outrages against the Church of God, & against Christian Princes, People, and Countries? Therefore seeing the Church of God, and our Prince and our country hath such enemies confedered with evil spirits, by whom they work and be continually set on by them, what should be the refuge of godly & faithful subjects to her Majesty, but with Constantine the Emperor in the like case in his wars, against such sorcerers & workers by wicked means, with hearty and fervent prayers, to commend and commit the Royal person of our Prince, her estate and reign, & the estate of God's Church and our country, to the Almighty providence & protection of God: that so with Constantine she also may have victory over all her enemies, maugre all evil spirits whatsoever. Then fear them not. The blessed banner of the fatherly providence of God is displayed over us. God is the protector of our life (as David saith) whom then shall we fear? Psal. 27. Though an host of men were laid against us, yet shall not our heart be afraid: though there rose up war against us, yet will we trust in him. Thus let our hearts take hold of David's comfort: Rom. 15. for the holy Scripture is written for our comfort and instruction. These are examples for us. What is a cordial comfort and sovereign salve if it be not used? Enlarge therefore our own hearts in David's comforts, Psal. 46. saying with him: God is our strength and hope, a very present help in trouble. And in his prayer growing into comfort and courage, he saith: The Lord of hosts is with us, the god of jacob is our refuge. And in another place, Psal. 44. it is not (saith he) their own arm that helped them, but thy right hand, and thy arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour to them. Thou art my king O God, send help to jacob. Thus David. Let us arm ourselves in his spirit & with his prayers, against all forces of evil spirits and enemies, and they will fly. jaco. 4. Resist the Devil (saith james) and he will fly from you. What though Balaam doth invocate and call on devils against the people of God (as Origen saith. Orige. ho. 13. in ca 22. lib. Nu. ) Inuocet licet Daemons Balaam, non potest Deus à daemonibus defendere? Cannot God (saith he) defend us from Devils? He reigneth over the Devils and evil spirits also, as the same Origen in another place saith: Non solum bonis & sanctis mentibus ac spiritibus dominatur, Origen. in Epist ad Rom. ca 4. lib. 9 verum & nequam & refugis, his quos Scriptura malignos Angelos appellat: He ruleth not only over good and holy minds and spirits, but over the evil and revolted spirits, & whom the scripture calleth the evil angels. And therefore fear them not. Fear cometh of want of faith. Neither must we fear them nor fawn upon them. To. Gerson ser. 1. de. 5. Antonio veritate. 3. Gerson a writer of great name in their own schools, & sometime chancellor of Paris, giveth godly counsel herein, that we should not fear the evil spirits, nor fawn on them, to seek to them by sorcery and unlawful means to have help or any good of them or by them. What friendship (saith he) can a man have of a deadly enemy? What truth of the father of lies? If he telleth any true thing, it is to deceive & by colour of truth to betray thee. He is a Traitor to thy Lord, and wilt thou look for help of him? And God threateneth to destroy thee if thou deal with him and seek to him, and those that work by him. Against God and against the faith is to seek health of the enemy of God. Thus Gerson imboldneth us against the fear of evil spirits, and feareth us against fawning and seeking for help or any good thing by them. Let us not therefore that are invested in the name and faith of Christ, fawn on them or fear them, or those that work and practise by them: But let us fear the living God, and power our hearty prayers and supplications to him for the continual protection and long preservation of the Royal person of our Prince, and her prosperous estate, and for the ministration and garrison of holy Angels about her, against all evil spirits and workers by them: Then the evil spirits themselves will fear, and the instruments in whom and by whom they work, will quake at their very heart roots, and we shall see the great salvation of our God, and shall magnify his marvelous mercies and wondrous works, for the continual preservation of his Church, the Royal person and estate of our Queen and Country. Thus of the end of the second branch of this matter, that we should pray for her, that the evil spirits and those that are set on by evil spirits and work by them, may have no power against her. The last branch. With what minds we should pray to God for her. The last branch of this matter is, with what minds we should pray to God for her that he may accept our prayers. We must not only lift up our hands in prayer, which (as Athanasius saith) God hath given us: in oratione supplices tendamus addominum: That humbly in prayer we should lift them up to the Lord: but we must lift up our hearts with our hands to heaven (as the Prophet jeremy saith) and with our hearts we must cry to God for her. For hearty prayer is the cry of the heart and bending of the thoughts (as Augustine saith) August. in Psal. 18. Aug. de ver. Apost. ser. 13. and not the clamour of the mouth and jaws (as in another place Augustine saith) but the clamour of the heart which soundeth in the ears of God. And thus with heart and hands we must take with us also the warning of S. Paul, 1. Tim. 2. that we lift up pure hands in prayer to God, not polluted and defiled with gross and grievous sins, and with unrepentant hearts. For sinners (continuing in their sins) God doth not hear, as the blind man whom our Saviour healed witnesseth in S. john. john. 9 And if I incline to wickedness in my heart, Psal. 66. the Lord will not hear me saith David. He that sinneth (with unrepentant heart dwelling and abiding in sin) is of the Devil saith john. God abhorreth the wicked, 1. john. 3. & will destroy them as David saith. Psal. 5. Psal. 109. Pro. 15. & ●1 Let his prayer (saith he in another Psalm) be turned into sin. The sacrifices of the wicked (as Solomon saith) are abominable to God. If therefore we lift up such hearts and hands as the wicked do, with unrepentant hearts in their sins, than we harbour the common enemies in our own bosoms. We pray for the Prince and bear good hearts unto her, but look into our own bosoms, and there lurk the Ghostly and common enemies, even gross & grievous sins which break out, carry all before them, & overflow all. Osee. 4. One sin (as Osee saith) toucheth an other and overtaketh an other, isaiah 5. & they are linked together as if they were drawn with Wainropes (as isaiah saith:) and they are heaped up to heaven as S. john saith of the sins of Babylon. reve. 18. And they are in the ears of the Lord of Hosts as isaiah saith. isaiah. 5. Alack for the grievous sins of England: our sins are the common enemies, our sins arm our enemies against us, Chrysost. ho. 1. de ver. isaiah vide Dom. as Chrysostom saith. Ones heart may bleed to think it, & cannot but rue in the speaking and hearing of it. The great and grievous sins of England are ready to conspire, to pluck out our gracious & dear mother out of the Royal chrone. Because for the sins of the people, God taketh away a godly Prince, and giveth them a Prince in his wrath, Osee. 13. as the Prophet Osee saith: and sendeth oppressors and effeminate persons to rule over them, as God by the prophet isaiah showeth. Esay. 3. job. 34. And as Elin saith in the book of job, for the sins of the people, he causeth an hypocrite or wicked man to reign over them. For the word Chancph doth signify both, because commonly they are concurrent. So josiah the godly Prince was taken away, josiah. Hier. lament. for whom Hieremie the Prophet wrote Lamentations: and all singing men and singing women (as the Scripture saith) mourned for josiah in their Lamentations to this day, 2. Chro. 25. and made the same Lamentations an ordinance in Israel: and there succeeded him jehohas a Prince of three Months: jehohas. and after him Ichoakim an ungodly king. jeoachim. 2. Chro. 26. Hesechiah. 2. Chro. 32. So after the godly and gracious King, Hesechiah by God's visitation ended his life (whom all juda and all the inhabitants of jerusalem did honour at his death, Mannasse. 2. Chro. 33. as the Scripture saith.) Manasse his son succeeded him, an ungodly and idolatrous Prince, jehosaphat. jehoram. 2. Chro. 21. till by repentance after he was reclaimed. Likewise after jehosaphat the religious and virtuous Prince, jehoram his son followed, who imbrued himself in the blood of his brethren, and walked in the wicked ways of Ahab. Abiah. Absha. etc. And for Abiah and Ashah, and other godly kings, eftsoons followed wicked and idolatrous Princes, which were snares and stumbling blocks to the people of God. This is the course of God's judgement, for the continual multiplying of grievous sins in Countries, he withdraweth the blessing of gracious and godly Princes from them. If therefore our hearts melt over the Prince by occasion of the late dangers, (as the hearts of all faithful subjects do,) let us put from us those great and grievous sins, which continually provoke his displeasure against us. Let us cast our sins from us (as by Ezechiel God warneth) that they bring us not to ruin. Ezech. 18. I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner, saith the Lord God: shall he not live if he return from his ways? Now is the Are put to the root of the tree (as S. john the baptist saith. Luke. 3. ) God by his late wonderful work hath given general warning to all, and summoneth all to repentance. Let us fall to hearty repentance, and turn to God from grievous sins and wicked life, with an unfeigned purpose to leave them, and a gracious purpose henceforth to lead a godly life. And in this purpose let us lift up pure hands to God, as Paul exhorteth, for the long and prosperous preservation of the royal person and estate of our Prince: that the goodness of God in the tender mercy of Christ, will vouchsafe to accept our prayers. Thus of the last clause of this matter, with what minds we should make our prayers for her, that the goodness of God may vouchsafe to accept them. The 9 chief matter. The ninth is, of the inner wall of England, which is true faith to God, unfeigned fidelity to our Prince, and mutual love and concord amongst ourselves. And of the outward wall, which is the shipping navigation, and the furniture thereof, wherewith her Majesty hath fortified our Country, and what a comfort and blessing it is to our whole Country. The inner wall of Engnland is made of lively stones (as Peter calleth Christians) closely couched to Christ the corner stone, The inner wall of England. 1. Pet. 2. Ephe. 2. Col. 2. Act. 15. Ephe. 3. as Paul calleth him, by true & lively faith, which is the gift of God, and his effectuous work, to purify and cleanse the heart, and by which he dwelleth in the hearts of the faithful (as Paul sayeth,) And in the body politic and civil building, of the same lively stones are laid and linked together with hearty fidelity to their Prince, as the Principal stone of that building: and in the rest of the building the same, lively stones are joined and coped together in mutual love and Christian concord and charity together. Thus the inner wall of the Realm is built and arreared up, by true faith to God, hearty fidelity to the Prince, and mutual love and concord amongst ourselves. David speaking of the walls, towers, & munitions of Herusalem, willeth us to walk about Zion, Psal. 47. to tell her Towers, to mark well her Bulwarks, and withal and without the which all the rest is nothing saith he, for this God is our God for ever and ever, he shallbe our guide unto death. And if we will truly consider of the inward wall of England, these be the Towers, Bulwarks, and munitions thereof, true faith to God, loyalty to our Prince, and mutual love amongst ourselves, and with all and without the which, all worldly munitions and fortifications are nothing, if in the spirit and faith of David, we say: This God is our God, for ever and ever, he shallbe our guide unto death. Therefore let all good subjects of England, earnestly endeavour to lay themselves close and firm in the building of the inner wall of England, by true faith to God, unfeigned fidelity to our Prince, and mutual love amongst ourselves. Beware there be none like lose and sagging stones which lie in the midst of the wall, and deceive and weaken the building of it, and make rifts and rents in it, by infidelity to God, disloyalty to the Prince, and malicious hate of true subjects to her Majesty. Heb. 12. Beware that no root of bitterness spring up to trouble us (as S. Paul saith) and many be defiled by it. Isaeus ex Philastration Sophistis. Isaeus the Zophist being demanded of the walls of Sparta, answered that the walls of Sparta were man to man, and shield to shield. Even so the inner wall of England next to the blessed providence of God, which is as a wall of defence round about her Majesty and our Country, is man to man, and shield to shield. Let all true subjects of her, Majesty, fortify that inner wall of England, with heart to heart, man to man, and shield to shield, and then taking God to be our foreman and guide, we shall not need to f●●●e the invasions of foreign enemies. Only let us fear God, and be heartily thankful to him for his great blessings, and for his wonderful work of late, and using all good and ordinary means as his gifts, earnestly pray●●● to him that his fatherly providence will be the continual protection of the royal person of our Queen, her estate and our Country. Thus of the inner wall of England, and the true fortification thereof. Now of the outward wall of Engnland and fortification of it, which is the shipping, The outward wall of England, the shipping & navigation. navigation, and the furniture thereof. One not experienced in public affairs, cannot well esteem the great blessing, benefit, strength and fortification, that cometh to the realm, by the shipping, navigation and furniture thereof. For because we are environed with Seas, it is the outward wall by Sea, against invasions by land. And without it, we cannot creep out of our Country, but we shallbe cut off, and there will be an open way by Sea upon us to be invaded by land: and the ports as the gates of our Country, willbe naked and open to our enemies. But this outward wall of the shipping, navigation and funiture thereof, by the good mother of England our gracious Queen, is so made up and fortified, as under no Prince the like. Many employ themselves in building and furnishing of sumptuous houses: but she as the great mother of many children, hath built; fortified, and furnished the great and outward wall of England, to the great comfort of our Country, and safety of the land. What want we for the defence of the land, if we want not the fear and favour of God? for without the fear and favour of GOD all walls, Arnobius in Psal. 146. munitions, and fortifications are nothing. Arnobius the ancient father, about the year of our Saviour 329. saith: my ship may sail, but it is God (saith he) which strengtheneth both the master and mariners of the ship, which sendeth prosperous winds and gales, and conducteth the ship in her course, that she may fetch the right haven: and before: let my horse run furnished for the wars, yet say thou it is the God of strength, which giveth strength to my horse to run. Thus Arnobius. What then are worldly forces, fortifications, and munitions, without the fear and favour of God? Naham. 3. As the Prophet Naham saith: strong Cities shallbe like Figgtrees, if they be shaken the fall into the mouth of the eater. Let us earnestly pray for the grace of God, that we may fear him, and for his continual favour in the preservation of the long life and prosperous reign of our Queen and our Country. Now I will show you the experience of our own Country in time past, King Edgar● shipping. ●ouching this outward wall of the shipping and navigation, and the fortifying and furnishing thereof. King Edgar a valiant Prince, so fortified and furnished this outward and wooden wall of the shipping and navigation, that though there were great multitudes of Danes under him, Fabian in his Chro. of England the 6. part. cap. 193. King Egelredus. yet they were quailed and kept under in his time: And yearly (Fabian reporting it) he scoured the Seas, and brought great quietness to the land. After him Egelredus his soon by Estrild or Alfride (who succeeded Edward called the martyr, slain by treason of Estrild his steppemother, to bring the Crown to Egelred her son) was so hunted and chafed of the Danes, The Danes shippings. partly by treasons within the land, and partly by means of their shipping, navigation, and furniture thereof, that he was fain to forsake the land, and to fly into Normandy: And in process greatly they did prevail over the land: and by means of their shipping, when they were provided to be encountered in one cost, than they would take their ships and wooden horses and land in an other place: and so by their shipping and navigation, they wearied the land and at last won the land. King Edmond surnamed Ironside. King Canutus. And first king Edmond surnamed Ironside, was feign to divide the land with Canutus king of Dansk: and after the death of Edmond, Canutus reigned over the land. Thus by experience of our own Country heretofore, we see what a blessing and benefit it is, when the outward wall of shipping and navigation is fortified and furnished. God bless and long preserve the good mother of our Country, which hath fortified and furnished this wall, to the great benefit and comfort of our Country. Thus of the outward wall of England, the shipping and navigation thereof, and of the fortifying and furnishing thereof by Elizabeth our gracious Queen. The tenth chief matter. Of those that make breaches in these walls. The tenth is, of those that make breaches in these walls, by a linger hope and looking after invasions of foreign forces. Those the have such evil dispositions in them, do not only make breaches in these walls, but seek to betray (as much as in them is) their own Country to foreign enemies. Of those that make breaches in these walls. And such are monsters not only in nature, but also in the body politic of realms and Countries. The very heathen men abhor such. Cicero. Cicero one of the consuls and great governors of the estate of Rome when it was heathen, Catiline. against Catiline and other conspirarours against the state, bringeth out the great mother of their own Country, rebuking & charging them to departed out of her: Wherefore (saith she) should I thus be in continual fear for you? Thus Cicero in the behalf of their common Country, as their universal mother, and out of the bowels of nature itself in heathen people dealeth, in charging the conspirators and traitors against the state of Rome. Vipers. The vipers eat through the womb of the dam that breedeth them, or through the coat and skin in which they lie, as is written of them: Such are of the generation of vipers (as S. john the baptist called the pharisees and Scribes) and so grown out of kind, that they are monsters in nature. Mat. 3. They were wont in old time to carry monsters of nature into far Countries, Monsters. that the fame of them should not be hard to wound the tender sent of nature, & that near them there might be no speech of them. Would God such monsters in nature that are ready to betray their own Countries, were so far from us, that we might not hear the fame of them, much less that we should need to fear them. But the greatest danger is, when they are in the bosom and bowels of our Country, which secretly gnaw in them, and are ready to eat through them. They may be compared to Sobna. (of whom the Prophet isaiah maketh mention) who was greatly advanced of the godly king Hesechiah, Sobna. isaiah. 22. & outwardly bore his countenance that he would live and die with him, & made for himself a sepulchre in Herusalem, as if he would lay his bones there: But he had a false heart, & a linger in his heart after the Assyrians the enemies to his Prince and Country, which made invasion on them. And his false heart deceived him, for he was carried away captive into a far Country (according to Gods threatening by the Prophet) & there he ended his life in confusion. God deliver us from such Sobnaes that have linger hearts after the enemies of our Prince & Country, whatsoever countenance outwardly they make, and lay open their traitorous hearts and practices against the sacred person of our prince her royal estate & our Country. Thus of those that have lingering in their hearts after invasions of foreign forces. The 11. chief matter. The 11. is, what hath been the case of this Realm in invasions of foreign forces and strangers heretofore, and of other Countries in like case, and what should be our refuge and stay against such invasions. Our own Country doth minister to us sufficient experience in the case. Of invasion of strangers and foreign force. The fountains are small that feed great rivers. Of small occasions at first, as out of fountains, issue, grow, and flow out great floods & gulfs that overflow whole Countries. We may see the experience in king Vortigerne his time: King Vortigerne. Aurelius & Uter. Who being distressed by troubles at home, and fearing civil wars & invasion by Aurelius & Uter the sons of king Constantine, whose death by treason he had procured and practised before, sent for foreign forces paynim & Saxons for his aid. The invasion of the Sax●●. Horsus. Hengist. Fabian in his Cron. the 5. part. cap. ●3. Then came in Horsus & Hengist the Saxons first into this land: for Vortigerne distrusting his own subjects, affied himself in strangers & foreign forces, & in the end he was himself unhorsed & discomfited by Aurelius & Uter whom he feared: and the whole land was made a booty & pray for the Saxons. They came in first stealing in by troops after troops, companies after companies. The Caspian Sea. Plinius nat. ra. Histo. 〈◊〉. 6. cap. 3. Like the Caspian Sea stealeth in and breaketh in at straits at first (as Pliny writeth) but after mounteth into a great Sea, & overfloweth in the main land. First Horsus and Hengist came in with their companies, & after the fame sprung of the fat of the land, Fabian the 5. part cap. 83. Ella. Porch. Fabian the 5 part. cap. 94. Vffa. Fabian the 5. part cap. 96. (as Fabian saith) one Ella a Saxon came in with his 3. sons, & landed in the south part of Briton. And after came in a Soxon named Porch with his two sons, of whom the haven Porchmouth is called as Fabian noteth: And one Vffa a Saxon with his troops intruded himself into Norfolk and Suffolk, and other Saxons in other places. Finally as Caterpillars they devoured the fat and fruit of the land, they reigned, & the Britons served. This may be a precedent and mirror for Englishmen to look into, to see what hath been the case of their Country, when strangers and foreign forces have come upon them. Let us particularly look into the story of Hengist, hengist's story. it is notable and worthy to be renewed in remembrance of Englishmen. When Hengist so liked the land, Ronoven Hengists daughter. Fabian the 5 part. cap. 82. that he thought to plant himself here, he sent for Ronoven his daughter, who came in with 16. sail. After he had got footing in the land, first he contained himself in certain bounds, but after at a Sea he broke over the banks, and overflowed the main land. He obtained of king Votigerne first so much land as he could lay out with a Bulls hide, which he cut out into thongs, and he compassed a great circuit of ground with it, Thongcastle. Fabian the 5 part. cap. 83. and built him a Castle thereon, and he called it thong Castle. And after, he left cutting out of thongs out of the Bulls hide, and be fell to cutting out Provinces and Countries out of the main land in the East part of Briton. Then in steed of Thongcastle, Fabian the 5 part cap. 89. Hengist. king of Kent. Fabian the 5 part, cap. 95. Ella his kingdom. Fabian the 5 part cap. 94. Vffa his kingdom. Fabian the 5 part cap. 96. he made himself king of Kent, and reigned there 24. years, and after him Ochra his son ruled other 24. years. This kingdom endured above 300. years as Fabian rehearseth out of Polichronicon. Ella another Saxon, set up his kingdom over the South Saxons, Aurelius being then king of Briton. And Vffa an other Saxon reigned over the Eastangles now called Norfolk & Suffolk. Thus they fell a dividing the land amongst them; first they came in for aid of king Vortigerne when division was in the land: and after they fell to dividing the land and making shares to themselves, till they got land and al. Will not such examples of our own experience in our own Country heretofore, make Englishmen wise against all practices of invasions and foreign forces? What hearts or bowels of nature have they, which can have any linger hope after foreign forces? Do they look to advance themselves in the ruins of their Country? Either they know not or have forgotten the saying of Caesar: Caesar. I love treason, but I hate the traitor. The very heathens abhorred them, notwithstanding they reaped benefit by them. Let all true hearted subjects of England beware of them, which by the door of division at home, would let in foreign forces, to make their shares out of the body and bowels of our Country. The invasion of the Danes. Let us look into the invasions of the Danes also, which is an other glass of like experience for all true Englishmen to look into. In the first invasion of the Danes, when they descried division in the land, they joined themselves with one part, & made themselves a party with the West Britons, against Egbert king of west Saxons. Fabian the 6 part. cap. 158 And after they had made themselves a party in the land, & so had their confederates in the land, they could never be gotten out again: But as Fabian saith, they were continually abiding in one place or other, till the time of Hardikinitus the last king of the Danes blood, as the English Chronicle calleth him, Fabian the 6 part. cap. 198 who is called also Canutus of other. And they did so overspread and overflow the land, The Danes called Lord Danes in Englishmen'S houses. that (as Fabian telleth) the Danes were as Lords in private men's houses, and they called them Lord Danes. They employed the husbandmen to care & sow the ground, & to works of all druggery, & (as Fabian saith) the Dane held his wife at his pleasure, his daughter & servant. And when the husbandman came home, he should scarcely have of his own as servants had, as Fabian reporteth it. Yet for fear and dread, in every such house where they had rule, they called them Lord Dane. But after the Danes were voided, the land in despite & derision of them, it was turned into a word of reproach, & when one would rebuke an other, he would (as Fabian saith) for the most part call him Lurdane. Lurdaine a word of reproach. Is not this a notable glass of experience in our own Country also, to warn all true Englishmen to be warned and armed against all invasions and foreign forces, if they willbe masters & owners of their own houses, of their wives, children & goods, as by experience in their own Country heretofore they may see in such cases. As we have looked into the leaders & Captains of the Saxons, so let us hear of the Captains & leaders of the Danes into this land. The leaders of the Danes Fabian the 6 part. Hubba. Hunguoar or Hunger Guttran or Garmund. Fabian the 6 part cap. 172 Under king Etheldredus the 3. son of king Adaulphus, Hubba & Hunguoar or Hunger were Captains and leaders of the Danes into the land. Under king Aluredus, one Guttran or Gothian, or Garmund, (as the English Chro. calleth him) was the great leader & ruler of the Danes: with whom king Alured made composition, that he should be christened: & 20. of the chief and principal persons of them were Christened with him. And he allotted to him East Anglia, containing Norfolk and Suffolk and part of Cambridgeshire to abide in. But greedy Guttrun could not be satisfied with these countries: for while he lived he continued a tyrant by the space of eleven years. another Captain called Ciyto landed in East England under Edward surnamed the Elder. Clyto. And at last under Egelredus king of this land (driven to fly first into the Wight, Swanus. Fabian the 6 part. cap. 198 Canutus. Fabian the 6 part cap. 24. Edmund Ironside. after into Normandy:) they advanced their kingdom under Swanus king of Denmark, & after him under Canutus his son: with whom king Edmund surnamed Ironside first divided the land, and after his death by treason of Edricus, Canutus alone reigned over the whole land. Thus of the leaders of the Danes and their dividing of the land, and how at the last the whole land fell to their share. Now though Hubba and Hungar their Captains were slain (as Fabian reporteth out of Polichronicon: Fabian the 6 part. cap. 170 ) yet Captain Hunger still remaineth, Captain Hunger the Dane who hungereth after the fat of this land, and fain would be bringing in of foreign forces, to have dealings in the land, and in division to make themselves a party as the Saxons and Danes did, and that they may fall a sharing the land as Saxons and Danes did before, and at length get the land and all as they did. And by whatsoever name they be called, if we look into the right quality and disposition of such, though they are not captain Hunger in name, yet in true meaning and intent they are of his right race, for they hunger after the land, & would fain have division amongst us, that they may make themselves a party, and so have their confederates in the land, to wind themselves in, and at last to win the land. Though captain Guttrum or Gurmond be dead, Captain Guitrum or Gurmond. who could not be satisfied with a share of great Countries in England, but played the Tyrant and cutthroat still, yet such greedy guttrans or gurmands remain, who gape over the Realm ready for occasions, and would feign satisfy their greedy guts with the raven and ransacking of it. And is there any that hath true English blood in him, that can betray his own Country and cast it as a pray into the ravening jaws & greedy guts of such Guttrons or Hungars? God keep our Prince and Realm from such Hungars & Guttrons that continually gape over her and us to devour us: and give true wisdom to all natural subjects of England, by such experience and examples of our Country heretofore, to be warned against all such as practise by confederating themselves with foreign forces, to bring such Captain Hungars or Guttrons upon us, whose hunger cannot be quenched, but out of the body and bowels of this land. Thus of the invasion of the Danes and their leaders. The invasion of the Normans. Fabian the 6 part ca 217. After the Normans invaded this land under William the Conqueror, and king Harold being slain in the field, they subdued it: The Normans had the pre-eminences of honours and offices in both estates: The Englishmen were under them, Fabian the 6 part, ca 222. and great tributes were laid on them: and after sundry attempts by sundry persons made in vain, the Englishmen learned to serve strangers, into whose hands God had put them. The Romans The Romans ruled in this land, & had so good liking thereof, that Severus the Emperor after his great victories of the Parthians and Arabians, Severus the Emperor. employed himself here, Fabian the 4 part cap. 61. and for the defence of the Country against the invasion of the Pictes, he caused a wall of Turfs to be made of the length of 122. miles (as Polichronicon witnesseth) and at length in a battle himself against Fulgenius Leader of the Pictes (who invaded the land) he was slain and buried at York. Fulgenius leader of the Picts. The Troyans' The Troyans' under Brute first entered the land, and well liking the fruitfulness thereof, determined here to pitch their dwelling: and by the River of Thames they built a City, which in remembrance of their own Country they called Troynovant: London. and which after was enlarged by King Lud, and was called Luds Town, and which now is called London (as Fabian reporteth.) Thus of the experience, examples, and case of our Country, touching foreign forces and invasion of strangers. If any warning will serve, seeing God hath set up so many warnings & spectacles in the experience of our own cases in our own Country, we should now receive warning, and be wise in such cases, unless we will be still strangers in our own stories and affairs. Let us now look into the case of other Countries also: The experience of other countries in like cases. The Saracens. Heraclis the Emperor. joh. Cuspini. de Caesaribus in vita Haraclii. The Saracens after they had brought their forces into Asia, could never be gotten out till they got Asia themselves. They served first Heraclius the Emperor in his wars (as Cuspini. telleth) and being denied their pay with reproach at the officers hand that was master of the pay, they conveyed themselves into Syria, and seized Damascus, Egypt, and the Countries about, and they subdued Arabia and all Persia. And where at first they came to the aid of the Empire, after they bereft the Empire of all Asia. Heraclius fonded after prophecies, and misconstured a prophesy of the ciunrccised, fearing the jews, but it fell out in the Saracens: and so (as the Abbot of Vrspergen telleth) he was deluded by vain Astrology, Abbas Vrsperg. in hist. Heraclii. and by the Eulichian heretics seduced, The Goths. Valens the Emperor. The foreign forces of the Goths, were first received into the Empire of Valens the Emperor to serve him in his wars, and he made great reckoning of them, Socrates' Eccle. hist. lib. 4. cap. 34. as to be defenders and keepers of the Roman Empire against invasions, and to that intent he placed them in Thracia. After they that for service and aid of the Empire were taken in, to be a wall of defence against invasions, Socrates' Eccle. hist. lib. 4. cap. 35. they made havoc of the lands of the Empire in Thracia. And when they were waxen warm in their place, Thracia would not hold them, but they made war upon Valens the Emperor that placed them in the Empire, Otto. Frisin. Ep. analiam lib. 4. cap. 16. & won the battle of him, and they fired him in a Cottage, where (after the loss of the field) he hide himself. Thus they that offered their service to the Empire, and to be at the Emperor's commandment, ransacked the Empire, and in the end destroyed the Emperor himself. After (as Otto writeth) they grew to two mighty kingdoms, Otto Frifin. Epist. lib. 4. cap. 16. the one called the Ostrogothes, the other the Wisigothes. Thus of the foreigners that the Emperor brought in for defence, he was destroyed himself, and the Empire spoiled. The Huns broke out of Europa (as Albertus affirmeth) under the conduct of Attila into many countries, The Huns. Alber. Kran. in proaemio Wand. Attila. and as a raging Sea overflowed them. Attila after the solemnizing of his marriage, going drowsy to bed, bleeding at the nose, was stifled in his own blood (as Otto reporteth. Otto Frisin. Epist. li. 4. ca 28. ) The Huns after the sacking of so many Country's resiant in Pannonia, were after ward ransacked themselves of Carolus surnamed the Great in his wars, Carolus magnus. which by the space of eight years he made upon them. And (as Albertus saith) the Huns enriched with the spoil of so many Countries, Alber. Kranz. Saxo. lib. 2. cap. 6. became poor, and the Frenchmen (as he saith) which to that time seemed in manner poor, were made very rich. The Wandals tumbled up and down in the world: The Wandals. Alber. Kranz. Wand. lib. 1. ca 31. and after they came into Spain to rest, they removed from thence into Africa thereby. It is very pertinent to this matter we have in hand, to hear how they came into Africa. There was division in Africa between County Bonifacius the old governor there, and Valentinian the Emperor, County Bonifacius Governor of Africa. who would there place a new Bonifacius sent for the Wandales out of Spain for his aid, and assigned them to the Sea coasts for defence against invasions. Gensericus king of Wandales. But Gensericus their king set to keep the Sea coasts, became himself like a raging Sea that overflowed Africa & after Scicelie, Alber. Kranz. Wand. lib. 1. ca 32. he invaded Italy & the very seat of the Empire itself: But by means of rescue sent from Leo the Emperor of Constantinople, he was driven to retire into Africa again. Thus in the division of Africa the Wandals were sent for aid, & joined themselves with one of the parts, and had a part of Africa allotted to them by the Sea coast: but it was not a part or share that would serve them, but they would have the whole. Neither the whole Africa would serve them, but they broke into Scicelie. Nor Scicelie would satisfy them, but they bent their forces upon Italy, and would have devoured the Empire and all. Alber. Kranz. Wand lib. 1. cap. 31. Bonifacius that thought to have made his part strong by them, first set bounds to them in Africa. But what bounds will contain a raging Sea, or wild waves if once they break in? Valentinian the Emperor made a league with them, and set limits to them: but neither league nor limits could hold them, nor Africa nor Scicelie, but they gaped after Italy and the whole Empire. So we see in divisions, how foreign forces of feigned friends that have come for aid of the one part, have (occasion serving them) made invasions in Countries: and not content with their confederates to take a share, have overrun the whole, as we see in the examples of the Saxons and Danes in England, of the Wandales in Africa, the Saracens in Asia, the Goths, Huns, & such other. Thus of the case of our Country in invasions of strangers and foreign forces heretofore, and of other Countries in like case. Now what our refuge and stay should be against such invasions. Our comfort, What our refuge and stay should be against invasions. main stay, and holy anchor against all storms and tempests of such invasions of foreign forces and strangers, should be in the everlasting providence of God, who ruleth over the kingdoms of the earth, and hath set the bounds of the habitations and dwellings of people on earth (which Paul calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) and setteth limits to nations, and marks to the roaring Seas, which they cannot pass. Who sitteth above the water floods, Psal. 29. (as David saith) and remaineth king for ever: whose providence as with a bridle plucketh back the fury and forces of Princes and nations. Psal. 76 At thy rebuke (as the Prophet David saith) O God of jacob, both the Chariot and horse is fallen. And after, the fierceness of man shall turn to thy praise, and the fierceness of them shalt thou refrain. And in an other place: Psal. 46. O come hither (saith he) and behold the works of the Lord, what destructions he hath brought upon the earth. He maketh wars to cease in all the world, he breaketh the bow, and knappeth the spear in sunder, and burneth the Chariots in the fire. Be still then & know that I am God, I will be exalted among the heathen, and I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hostas is with us, the God of jacob is our defence. Thus far David. His providence doth check & control foreign forces and invasions, which like floods are ready to rage over al. And when the plaits are laid he saith, it shall not go forth, neither so come to pass, isaiah. 7. Ahaz king of juda. as he said in the Prophet isaiah of the invasions of the two kings Razin of Syria, and Pechach of Israel, against Ahaz king of juda: Where his providence is the watch and wall, the floods of foreign forces cannot prevail, no more than they did against Asha the godly king of juda, Zarah king of Ethiopia. 2. Chro 14. when Sarach the king of Ethiopia came out against him with an host of ten hundred thousand, and three hundred Chariots. And when Asha joined battle in the valley of Zephota with him, Ashaking of juda. he cried unto the Lord his God: Help us O Lord our God, for we trust in thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. Thou art the Lord our God, and no man shall prevail against thee. And the Lord smote the Ethiopians before Asha and juda, and they were overthrown (as the Scripture saith) that there was none of them left, but were destroyed before the Lord and before his host. Thus the scripture of the invasion of the Ethiopians upon Asa king of juda. And no more than the great multitudes of the Moabitas, and Ammonites, jehosophas. The Moabites, Ammonits, & of mount Seir. and mount Seir could prevail against jehosophat the religious and faithful king, when they joined their forces together, to make invasion upon him: and before the battle struck up, he stood up and said: Hear me O juda, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem. Put your trust in the Lord your God that you may be found faithful. Give credit to the Prophets, 2. Chro. 20. and so shall ye prosper. And their enemies were overthrown with strokes among themselves (as the Scripture saith) and with their own forces consumed themselves. And no more than Sancherib king of Assur, Hezechiab Sancherib. Esay. 37. who with an huge host of an hundred eighty and five thousand (as the Prophet Esay setteth down) could prevail, when he made invasion upon Hezechiah king of juda: who put on sackcloth and went up to the temple to pray to God: and he sent Heliakim & others to the Prophet isaiah, that he should lift up prayer to God for them. And God sent out his Angel that slew the Assyrians host. And after that Sancherib himself also was slain in the temple of Nesrah his God by his own sons Adramalach & Saraser. So notwithstanding the rabble's and multitudes of Sancheribs' host, & the great hurly burly of his invasion, and the roaring out of blasphemous Rabsakeh his Captain against Jerusalem, isaiah. 36. as if it were but a morsel in Sancherib his mouth. God's determination was concerning the execution of his exploit and invasion (as the Prophet saith:) He shall not come into this City, and shall shoot no arrow into it, there shall no shield hurt it, neither shall they cast ditches about it. The same way that he came he shall return, and not come at this City saith the Lord. And I will keep and save the City (saith he) for my own and for my servant David's sake. So far the Prophet. We may see what our refuge & stay should be against foreign forces and invasions, to trust in the merciful providence of God, and heartily to humble ourselves in prayer to God, King Hezechiah. as king Hezechiah and the Prophet Esay did against the roarings of Rabsakeh, and the invasions of Sancherib: And with the godly king Ashah to cry unto God, King Asha. reposing our trust and affiance in his tender mercy and almighty power, when the raging Seas of foreign forces and invasions are ready to break in: As Ashah did when the Ethiopians came mounting as the Ocean Seas to swallow up his land. King jehosophat. And as jehosophat the zealous and religious Prince did: for before he marched with his forces against the Moabites and Ammonites, and them of mount Seir, which came with running camps, like roaring Seas and Gulfs of many wa●ers to overflow and devour his land: first he ●●ustred his people in public prayer and supplication before God, and begged comfort and conduct of God, against the fearful invasion, and committed himself, his estate, affairs, and exploits to the mercy of God, and cried to his people to believe the prophets, and all things should be prosperous to them. God send us such hearts to commit ourselves to the providence & tender mercy of God in such cases, & to humble ourselves in hearty prayers before God, with assured persuasion, trust, and confidence in his help & protection against all forces & invasions of enemies: And that under the covert of the wings of his merciful providence, our Prince and Country may have continual safety, defence, and protection against all invasions and enemies whatsoever. Thus what hath been the state of this Realm in invasions of strangers heretofore, & of other Countries likewise: & what our refuge & stay should be against all foreign forces and invasions. The 12. chief matter. The last is a general warning to all subjects, to shun such vices as hinder true faith to God, and true loyalty to the Prince, which are hypocrisy and a hollow heart to God, and hypocrisy and a hollow heart to the Prince and estate: and perverseness, frowardness, & uncontentment of malcontents, mislikers and murmurers, against the Prince and state. A general warning to all subjects. Touching the first, hypocrisy and a hollow heart to God hinder true loyalty to the Prince: for they that are faithful to God, are also faithful to their Prince. Take example of the Prophet David: Psal. 42. Who was more faithful to God than he? whose soul longed after God, as the Heart desireth the water brooks: and he was so faithful to the person of his Prince, that he was pricked in conscience for cutting off but a piece of the vesture of king Saul, when in the Cave God put him in his hands. How far would he have been from offering any hurt or violence to the person of his Prince? Eliakim. isaiah. 22. Eliakim in the Prophet Esay, is called a father of the house of juda, and the key of the house of David. He was a faithful servant to god, & he was faithful to his Prince for life. And God said of him, I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place, and he shall be the glorious seat of his father's house. A worthy glass of faithfulness to look in. The faithful to God and their Prince shall find it at his hand. True faithfulness shall wear the garland: hypocrisy shallbe under the hatch. Sobna. See the example of Sobna in the same Court of Hezechiah the godly king, and mentioned in the same place of the Prophet: He had a hollow heart to God, and had a hollow heart to his Prince. Will we see him under the hatches? I will drive thee (saith God by the prophet) out of thy place: & before: O thou man, the Lord shall carry thee away into captivity, and shall surely cover thee with confusion. God in Sobna his cause speaketh to all hypocrites like to him of what state soever. God hath a day for them, as he had for Sobna. Be not deceived, God is not mocked saith Paul. Ga. 6. Hypocrisy is mockery in the sight of God: Psal. 2. he that dwelleth in heaven will laugh them to scorn, & give them their portion with hypocrites. There may no hypocrite come before him, as job saith. Of what value is salt when it hath lost his savour & saltness? whereto serveth it, Mat. 5. but to be cast out of doors and to be trodden under the feet of men? Beware therefore we be not the unsavoury salt, or like painted graves, as our Saviour calleth the Pharisees: parieted walls, as Paul calleth Ananias, Mat. 23. Act. 23. 3. Reg. 18. reve. 3. or such as halt on both sides, whom the spirit of God sharply rebuketh by the Prophet Elie: or such as are neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm as the Laodiceans were, whom God threateneth to spew out of his mouth. Though he suffereth such to play their parts as painted pageants for a while, yet if they repent not suddenly he will have a time for them. Ekibolius the Zophist of Constantinople before julian was Emperor, Ekibolius the Zophist. carried himself as an earnest Christian: under julian he became a cruel Apostata and Panim (as Socrates reporteth) and after julian he would be a Christian again. Socrates' eccle. hist. lib. 3. ca 13. And his own conscience accusing him to be unsavoury salt, he cast himself flat on the ground before the Church gate as the people should pass, and cried: Calcate me salem insipidun: Tread on me that am unsavoury salt. Adeo levis & mobilis (saith Socrates) aunt & post julianum fuit: So light & fickle (saith he) both before and after julian he was. If this fickle and flitting we wax in religion, there will be a time for conscience to cry. If we be not utterly cut off from God, and as a dead thing void of life, and if we begin once to feel the spur of conscience, though we cast not ourselves down at the Church door (as he did) for the people to tread on, yet it is high time to cast ourselves down in the inner temple of our conscience before God, with hearty repentance and humble confession unto him, lest if we make no account of conscience and reconciling ourselves to him, suddenly he cast us out as the unsavoury salt. For as he hath a time of mercy & sufferance, so he hath a time also of casting out. Valens, Vrsacius. Valens and Vrsacius Bishops and Captains of the Arrian heresy, followed the sway of the time (as Socrates noteth,) and that part that had the mastery. And after that, by the great council of Sardica, (where 300. Bishops of the West Church were assembled) and by virtue of letters sent from Constantius the Emperor, Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria (removed from his Sea before by practice of the Arrians) was restored to his former estate and place: Valens and Vrsacius not only recanted and offered their recantation to julius the bishop of Rome, Socrates' eccle. hist. lib. 2. cap. 24. but wrote to Athanasius also that they would join themselves in communion with him. But with relapsing & cloaking their heresy, they have left their memory in reproach in the church of God. Euseb. the bishop of Nicomedia, Euseb. Nicomediensis. & after of Constantinople, gave countenance to Arrius heresies so far as he dared, & secretly wrought underhand, but cloaked outwardly & would not be accounted to be of Arrius sect: as in the epistle of the council of Antioch, Socrates' eccle. hist. lib. 2. ca 10. he with other his consorts wrote: Nos neque Arrii assectatores sumus: Neither we (say they) are followers of Arrius: for how being Bishops should we be led of a priest? And after he with others had wrought his will on Athanasius, he wrote to julius Bishop of Rome to be judge in Athanasius his cause. Thus though he used cunning cloaking with men, (as hypocrites have many colours) yet God judgeth the cause. For shortly after the Council of Antioch (where Eusebius then Bishop of Constantinople was chief) this Eusebius died: Socrates' eccle. hist. lib. ●. cap. 10. And the City of Antioch (where the Council was holden) was shaken & torn with earthquakes by the space of one year. Eudoxius. Eudoxius Bishop of Germanicia, and after of Constantinople being of the Arrian sect, likewise carried himself in clouds of hypocrisy to keep the countenance of his estate. Theodoritus eccle. hist. lib. ●. ca 17. And when by Constantius the Emperor he was pressed, he renounced certain Arrian terms as grounds of that heresy, when he saw that he was like to be set on ground touching his estate. But after by his & other his consorts Arrians of Constantius, the aforesaid, Sylvanus & other faithful Bishops were prived of their estates, and he and his complices were a float. julian the Apostata. julian the Emperor called the Apostata for his revolting from the faith of Christ, was montrous in hypocrisy. Before he was Emperor, he would seem to betake himself to an extraordinary & straight kind of life. He took on him as a monk and was shaven to the skin (as Socrates witnesseth) and was made a reader in the Church of Nicomedia. Socrat. Eccle. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 1. And though he had sucked up the poison of paynim, yet with such masks he deluded the world, that after he was Emperor he played his pagentes of Hipocrise still. He called home from exile faithful Bishops which under Constantius the Emperor his predecesser, by practice of Arrians had been banished. Neither yet meant he good faith to them: only he used it as a gaze to serve his turn, for he betrayed the Churches of Christ to paynim. But Christ with whom he had cloaked and counterfeited long, suddenly met with him. When he thought of great victory and triumph in his wars against the Persians, Socrat. Eccle. Hist. lib. 3. cap. 21. suddenly he came to his deaths wound, he witted not from whence or whom: and even then with his blasphemous mouth he yielded victory to Christ, and said: Thou man of Galeb (so he called Christ in reproach) thou hast the victory. And as Christ showed his dreadful judgement on the person of this Emperor, who out of the clouds of hypocrisy broke out to be a persecuting Panim; So likewise he executed dreadful judgement on the bodies and the very bowels of two grand Captains of hypocrisy: Arrius of whom the Arrian heresy hath name, & judas that betrayed him, and on both in manner much of one sort. When Arrius vauncing himself in the streets of Constantinople, Arrius. accompanied with Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia and his retinue, was going to the great Church to be restored into the communion and fellowship of the congregation, and came with countenance from the Emperor, Socrat. Eccle. Hist. lib. 1. cap. 38. as if he had gotten a fair day of the faithful fathers and Bishops, professing the true faith of Christ, suddenly he felt a griping in his conscience and belly, and was forced to withdraw himself, and at his withdrawght to ease himself, he voided with blood his liver, spleen, and entrails and all, as Socrates witnesseth: Who saith that the place of his wondered withdrawght where he voided his bowels, was extant and showed in Constantinople in his time: who was about the year of our Saviour 430. The other Captain of hypocrites and traitors judas that betrayed our Saviour, judas the traitor. after he had the gripings of hell in conscience, he hanged himself, and burst a sunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out, as Peter reporteth his death in the Acts. Act. 1. And these 2. be the grand Captains of hypocrites, which under the banner of hypocrisy displayed, may lead all sects and sorts of hypocrites. Their examples are spectatles of the wonderful judgements of Christ executed upon hypocrites. Cleanse your hearts ye sinners, as james exhorteh. james. 4. Purge your hearts you wavering minded. Let all hypocrites heartily repent and truly turn from their hypocrisy to God in singleness and sincerity of true faith, and as new borne babes, as Peter exhorteth: 1. Pe-. 2. 2. Co. 6. desire the spiritual milk of the soul, which is without deceit. Now in an acceptable time the mercy of God calleth them to repentance. God give them grace in the riches of his mercy according to his blessed will, from hypocrisy to turn to God in true simplicity and sincerity of faith, john. 17. and to be sanctified in the truth, as our Saviour prayeth for his disciples, and to be sealed up of God, as S, 2. Co. 1. Paul saith to the Corinthians. Thus of hypocrisy and an hollow heart to God, his word, and heavenly truth, which hindereth true loyalty to Princes by God's providence placed over Countries and people. Thother vice is hypocrisy and an hollow heart to the Prince and estate, Hypocrisy and a hollow heart to the Prince and estate. with frowardness, perverseness and uncontentment, such as is in malcontents, mislikers and murmurers against the Prince and estate. This vice either groweth out of the root of the other vice, by discontentment in religion, and carrieth itself in clouds of hypocrisy aforesaid: or cometh of discontentment otherwise, and engendereth frowardness and perverseness against the Prince and estate, and eftsoons showeth itself with waywardness, wrangling, murmuring and mutining against the Prince and estate, the public governments and affairs: and when they grow in rankness of speech, they bewray themselves, for their usual time is lydium querulum, whining and repining against the Prince and public estate. As the base birds of the eagle's nest are descried by the continual yelping they make, so they that are not of the right race of true loyalty, are discerned by the continual yelping they make against the Prince and public state, the governments, ministery, and the public affairs. Of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, as our Saviour saith. Speech bewrayeth the mind, and man. Though it be blanched over eftsoons, yet it will break out in the right vain again. As the heart is bend, so words will shoot out. This perverseness in eager malcontents, though it be kept in close prison of the heart for fear to be bewrayed, 4. Reg. 9 yet like jewish jezabel which showed herself out at a window when jehu came to jezrael, she will show herself as out of a window, in her words, behaviour, and practise, and cannot so hem them in, or hide herself, but she will out again. They that have the sickness called Voluulus, Volu●tus. find themselves very unquiet, & cannot rest for inward pain, as one expoundeth the word: And because their entrails are streached, strained & turned out of course, it is called Strophos Heos. Strophos. Heos'. The like sickness this is in mind, their inward affections are not strait, but are wrested and wrenched with perverseness, frowardness and discontentment, that they find themselves very unquiet and tossed up and down in their minds, and outwardly in their behaviour and conversation also. No public government or private government or behaviour, can content them, churlish frowardness will always be wrangling. The froward jews were not satisfied with the great familiarity and courtesy of our Saviour, for they said of him: Ma. 11. Luke 7. Behold a glutton and a great bibber of wine, and a friend unto publicans and sinners. And of John the Baptist, because of his strait life they said: He hath the Devil. And wisdom (saith our Saviour) is justified of her children. Dios. lib. 2. cap. 2. Histrix. Mattheod. in Dios. lib. 2. cap. 2. Anagyris. Euphorbium Mathe. in Dios. lib. 3. cap. 8. Comerina. The perverse and froward are full of quarrels. There is no dealing with the Erinaceus armed with sharp prickels round about. Histrix if it be moved bendeth the body, and shooteth out his sharp pens like darts. Anagyris if it be a little chafed, grievously smelleth. Euphorbium if it be beaten, casteth out hot vapours which stri● into the head of him that beateth it. If Cam●●rin be reaved in a little, it will overcome o●● with foul stench. They that always are churling against the state bend themselves to shoot out some quarrel or other against it: and they that are sharp set and beset with manifold quarrels and wranglings against the state, if they be but touched, are ready to kindle: if they be riven in, they cast out the foul stench of their evil affection and disposition. Good blessings are disgraced by evil humours: And evil humours grow into a settled habit and state called Cachexia, which very hardly is cured. Trimcavellus, de ratio curam lib. 8. cap. 8. Where the gall is overflown, the humours are bitter, as in the sickness called Icteritia, either of the bird of that name, either of the humour of that sort. And where the humours are bitter, sweet things seem bitter and sour to them. So when by perverseness and uncontentment bitter affections overflow, the sweet blessings and benefits of God seem sour to such. Beware of such bitter affections, perverseness & discontentment against the Prince, state, and government, lest it open a door to greater inconvenience, as daily experience showeth, and in examples of holy Scripture we may see. Was not Absalon long a malcontent before he broke out to open treason? Absalon. He feigned himself to be popular, and would say to men of the vulgar sort, Thy matter is good, 2. Sam. 18. but there is none appointed of the king to hear thee. O that I were made judge in the land, that every man that hath matter might come to me that I may do him justice. Thus as a malcontent himself, he eggeth the people to discontentment & mutining against the state and government of king David his father. And after from discontentment he fell to flat treason. So likewise Dathan, Coreh, Dathan, Coreh, and Abyram. Nu. 16. and Abiram, first began with discontentment and misliking, after they fell to murmuring and mutining and at last to open rebellion. Sheba blewe up his trump and said: Sheba. we have no part in the son of Isai, so in disdain he called David. 2. Reg. 20. He was a murmuring malcontent at first, & a rank rebel after. Beware we be not touched with the first, lest happily we be tised on to the later. Where affections are framed, persuasion is half made. The fire flieth to the tow. The match and powder are soon met. Evil affections open a gap to others, to make an entrance into us, to assail us and to lay snares for us, and so they become stumbing blocks to us and bring us to ruin. Take heed therefore they do not carry us on, and be occasions to pluck us into the gulf of great dangers: by custom they grow into an habit as into an other nature, than there is no sense, feeling, or remorse of them: as in the sickness called Hectica Febris when it is grown into an habit and nature, Hectica. jowbertus de curan. sc. lib. 2. cap. 1. and settled in the substance of the body, though they be in dangerous state, yet they lack sense and feeling of grievous pain. Beware that our minds be not possessed with like sickness, whereof though we have not feeling and remorse, by reason it is so rooted and settled, yet it may plunge us into dangerous state. It is good therefore to hearken to the council of the holy Ghost by S. Paul, 1. Thess. 4. 2. Thess. 3. how we should carry ourselves in outward dealings & affairs: That we endeavour ourselves to be quiet and to employ our own business, and not to stake our own, and to be curious in the affairs of others: and as busy bodies (whom likewise the Apostle S. Peter reproveth) to spy and pry in other men's dealings, 1. Pet. ●. & to be as controllers of other men's causes, to put our sickle into other men's corn, to have an oar in other men's matters, to be climbing above our calling, and to put ourselves in great and dangerous actions not appertaining to us. But let every one as he is called so content himself, as Paul exhorteth, using better if God giveth: 1. Cor. 7. and beware that by uncontentment he grow not into bitter affections or eager humours against the Prince and estate, and become unquiet and troublesome in public and private dealings, mingling his speech with gall, and his actions with bitterness: but that he with a quiet mind, keep himself within the precinct of his vocation, and within the limits of affairs and actions belonging to him: lest by aspiring with Adonias, and by venturing, hazarding, and overreaching, he lose himself, and by lifting at burdens too heavy for him, he be crushed of them. God give grace to all Subjects to carry themselves in true faith to God, & true fidelity to their Prince, and to nourish loving and loyal affections in dutiful hearts to their Prince: and to power out hearty prayers and supplications to God for her long life, and the long preservation of her Royal person and prosperous reign over us, to the glory of God, the singular comfort of his Church, and the great blessing of our whole Country. THE Second part, Against Treasons, Rebellions, and such like disloyalties. PSALM VII. Behold he travaileth with mischief (or iniquity) he hath conceived sorrow, and brought forth a lie (or vain thing.) He hath graven and digged up a pit, and is fallen himself into the pit (or destruction) that he hath made: for his travail shall come upon his own head, and his wickedness shall fall upon his own pate. I will give thanks (or praise) unto the Lord according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord the most highest. · DEXTRA · TVA · SUSTENTAVIT · ME · Psal. 63 · MR · IN · JUGIS · AD · RHENUM · FLY · ¶ The Contents, principal points, and chief matters of this Treatise. 1 THE Bishop of Rome is the great Patron and practiser of treasons, rebellions, and such like disloyalties against Christian Princes and Countries, with his adherents, followers, and practisers for him, and by colour of authority from him. In the treatise of this matter I follow this order. 1 What engine he hath used & continually useth in the practice of such things by excommunicating, cursing & banning of princes, & cursing and interdicting of countries. 2 What time chief he began to use this engine of cursing & banning Princes & lands, and practising of treasons, rebellions, and such disloyalties against them. 3 By what means the Bishop of Rome and his followers, do manage & carry on their practices of treasons, rebellions, & such disloialties against christian Princes & Realms. 4 Of the judgements of God upon the cursing and banning Popes. 2 Of the conceiving of treasons, rebellions, and such like disloyalties, by occasion of these words of David in the seventh Psalm, Psal. 7. He hath conceived sorrow. 3 How they travail with their treasons, rebellions, and such like disloyalties and wickedness, by occasion of the words of David in the same Psalm: He travaileth with iniquity (or mischief.) 4 What fruits Traitors, Rebels, and such like bring forth, by occasion of these words of David in the same Psalm: He bringeth forth a vain thing (or a lie.) 5 Of the end of Traitors, Rebels, and such like, by occasion of the words of David in the same Psalm: He hath graven and digged up a pit, & is fallen himself into the pit (or destruction) that he hath made: for his travail shall fall upon his own head, and his wickedness shall fall upon his own pate. 6 Of giving of thanks and praise to God for his righteousness and our deliverance, by occasion of the words of David in the end of the same Psalm: I will give thanks (or praise) to the Lord according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord the most high. Against Treasons, Rebellions, and such like disloyalties. NOw I will bring forth the ugly monster of treason, rebellion, & such disloialties, into the view and sight of all. As the Lacedæmonians were wont to bring forth their slaves and underlings when they were drunken to the open gaze and sight of the people, that all by seeing of them, might abhor the vice that so disfigured man: So I will bring forth the ugly vice, that all may see it, and see into it, that they may shun and loath it. And first I will bring forth & lay open the great Patron & practiser of treasons, The first principal matter. rebellions, & such like disloialties against Christian Princes and Countries: which is the Bishop of Rome his adherents, followers, and practisers for him, and by colour of authority from him. And entreating hereof I will follow this order. 1 First I will show what engine the Bishop of Rome hath used & continually useth, in the practice of such things, by excommunicating, cursing and banning of Princes, and cursing and interdicting of Countries. What time chiefly he began to use this engine of cursing and banning Princes & countries, and practising of treasons, rebellions, and such like disloyalties against them. By what means the Bishop of Rome and his fellows, do manage and carry on their practices of treasons, rebellions, and such like disloyalties, against Princes and Realms. Of the judgements of God upon the cursing & banning Popes. Thus the order of my proceeding in this part. The first is, what engine commonly he used and still useth in such practices. The usual engine of Bishops of Rome in managing plaits of treasons. THE usual engine which the Bishop of Rome commonly used and useth still in the managing and carrying on of plaits and practices of treasons and rebellions against Christian Princes, is the excommunicating, cursing, and banning of them, wherein they take on them as if their sentences came from Peter and Paul out of heaven: but they open as it were Hell mouth on earth, by cursing & banning Christian Princes and Realms, and by procuring and practising treasons against the royal persons of Princes, and conspiracies and rebellions against their estates and governments, and perjuries of people against the oaths of their allegiance, and shedding of innocent blood, and such other outrages as we have seen in their plats, but that God hath prevented their practices. Though we have a glass of present memory, and especially in our own Country set before our eyes of such practices, yet by looking into stories of ancient record, we shall see how with this usual engine of excommunicating, cursing & banning, he hath afflicted Christian Princes and Countries heretofore. Henry the fourth Emperor of that name, Henry the 4. Emperor. Io. Cuspin. in vita Henr. 4. of john Cuspinian is praised for a godly Prince, and of such renown in wars, that he fought more battles in his own person, then either julius Caesar, or Marcus Marcellus did, who carried the prize of that praise in the world. Yet he was excommunicated & cursed of three Popes, Gregory the 7. Gregorius. 7. Vrbanus 2. Paschalis. 2. Vrbanus the 2. and Paschalis the 2. And notwithstanding he reigned about fifty years lacking one, and saw the Corpse's of two of the foresaid Popes, notwithstanding their curses. Henry the fifth of that name, Henry the 5. Emper. rebelled against his own father, and deposed him. And Pope Paschal the second, as it were blue up the trumpet to that unnatural and parricidial war, as their own writers, Abbas Vrspergensis. in an. 1105. and the Abbot of Vrsperg. himself termeth it. Yet after, because he would not yield to the Pope's demands and commandments against his prerogative and right, he was excominged & cursed of 3. Popes as his father before him was: Paschal. 2. Gelatius. 2. Calixtus. 2. of Paschal the second, Gelatius the second Calixtus the second. Notwithstanding he reigned as king 20. years, as Emperor 14. years, and saw 2. of the foresaid Popes raked on earth before him while he reigned. Fridericus 1. Imp. Frederick the 1. Emperor of that name, was so valiant and victorious a Prince, that his death in the Country of Armenia in his exploit against the Soulden and the infidels, as the the Abbot of Vrsperg. Abbas Vrspergensis. in an. 1187. Io. Cusp. in vita Frid. 2. saith, was an in estimable loss to Christians: and besides his valiantness in wars, john Cuspinian greatly praised him for a peacemaker at home, and that he began his reign with making peace & reconciling all rancours and revenges: answering to his name therein, which signifieth (as Vrspergensis & Cuspinian noteth) as much as rich of peace. Abbas Vrsperg. in an. 1152. And yet notwithstanding he was such a peacemaker at home, and so valiant a Prince abroad, and ventured and ended his life in the country of infidels, and is so highly commended of the Popes own writers: he was excominged and cursed of three Popes also, Hadrian 4. Alexand. 3. Vrbanus. 3. Hadrian the fourth, Alexander the third, and Vrbanus the 3. and the 4. Pope named Lucius the 3. Lucius 3. predecessor to Vrbanus the third, last named of the foresaid three cursing Popes, began brawls also against Frederick the aforesaid: Abbas Vrsperg. in an. 1176. for pacifying whereof a diet was appointed at Verona, and there in the consultation the Pope died. So this noble Emperor thus commended of the Popes own writers, as the Abbot of Vrspergensis, Otto Bishop of Frising, john Cuspinian, notwithstanding of 3. Popes was cursed down right: The fourth was entered into: circumstance of cursing but he died and notwithstanding the cursing, conspiracies, and bloody broils of the Popes against him, four of them turned up their heels before him. Io. Cusp. in vit. Fried. 1. Abbas Vrsperg. in Chro. And he maugre of their curses, reigned 37. years. The Abbot of Vrsperge. writing of the end of this noble Emperor, cannot contain himself (though he were a pillar of the Pope's side) from giving condign commendations to him. He calleth him a most Christian Prince, triumphant in wars, courageous, courteous, and he commendeth his clemency in vicorie to all sorts. Thus the Abbot himself poureth out praises on him, though the Popes powered out the poison of their curses on him Otto Bishop of Frising so admired and honoured this noble Emp. that he wrat 2. Otto Fris. Epis. de rebus gestis Fried 1 books of the acts of his chivalry, Radevini praepositi, vel canonici supplementum. Merula the mouthi. and being prevented by death that he could not end his story, Radevinus a Canon of his Church, put too a supply of two other books to them. As for mouthie Merula, who in his story of the viscounts calleth this noble Emperor a barbarous Prince, regard is not to be had, for he saith the like of other kings of Germany, Io. Cusp. in vit. Fried. 1. which exelled in piety and clemency, as Cuspinian noteth, and he followeth his common vain which he showeth in carping and biting the learned men of his time, as Philelf Petrarch, Dantes, Valla, Politiam, Beroald and others. His judgement is partial in reporting the stories between the Emperors and the Popes. Merula partial to Pops. And (as Cuspinian noteth) being ignorant of the acts of Frederick, he followeth Plattina and Blondus the Italian writers of stories, and foully falleth eftsoons. Such not only are partial to Popes in writing their stories, but sometimes parties with them: Platina. As Platina was officer to Sixtus the 4. Blondus was belonging & great about Eugenius the fourth, Blondus. in prefatione ad Eugen. in lib. Rom. in stau. to whom he dedicateth his books of Rome restored. But other writers of their own side, as the Abbot of Vrsperg. Otto the Bishop of Frising, Albert Deane of Hauburg, Naucler and others, notwithstanding they are partial on the Pope's side touching Romish religion, and parties with them therein: Yet as enforced by truth, & compelled by conscience to give witness to the noble fame, excellent virtues, and great praises of this Emperor, whom notwithstanding the Pope's persecuted with cursing & banning one after the other, as if the more excellent and Princely qualities were in him, the more the furies of Popes were inflamed against him. Thus of Friderike the first, and how the writers of stories that are partial, and mingle the poison of their partiality with their stories, are to be red with judgement, to discern the story from their partiality. What marvel though we see the Popes to continue their wont course of cursing and banning of Christian Princes, qualified with excellent gifts and Princely virtues? But God hath encountered their cursings, and turned them to blessings, and two of the cursing Popes already have had their pasportes, Pius 5. Gregor. 13. and her Majesty liveth and reigneth: And God grant she may long live and prosperously reign, and see the pasportes of many such practising Popes against her. Fridericke the second Emperor of that name, Fridericus 2. Imp. of Cuspinian is commended for learning and learned writing when his leisure served, Io. Cusp. in vita Frid. 2. and for his skill in divers languages as Latin, Greek, Saracen, French, Dutch: And that he caused sundry translations out of the Greek and Hebrew to be made. Beside he was valiant and victorious in the wars not only in Christendom, but among the heathen. He recovered Jerusalem, Nazareth, joppes, with the confines, of the Soulden of Babylon, as Cuspinian reporteth. And that year he kept his Easter at Herusalem in sumptuous and royal manner (as Vrspergensis telleth.) And with his Crown on his head and in Princely array he showed himself to the people. Abbas Vrsperg. in an. 1229. After he wrote to the Pope of his good success and the joy of Christians: But he cast his letters away, and had no edge to hear of the good news, because of an old grudge he bore to the Emperor. And notwithstanding the employing of his own person in the wars against infidels, the recovery of Jerusalem and the country adjoining, and that he was a wise learned valiant and victorious Prince, yet he was also excominged and cursed of 3. Honorius. 3. Gregorius. 9 Innocent. 4. Pope's: Honorius the 3. Gregory the 9 & Innocent the 4. Pope Celestin that was before Innocent the 4. was a Pope but of .18. days. Thus the more excellent virtues were heaped on him, with victorious success against the infidels, so the more the cursings and rage of Popes was heaped against him. Io. Cuspin. in vita Fried. 2. And notwithstanding their cursings & bannings, God blessed him with great success & victories against the infidels, & against his other enemies, & against all the practices of Popes. He reigned 32. years. as Cusp. accounteth, & overlived 3. Pope's: And Innocent the 4. Io. Cusp. in vita Frid 2. that followed them was fain to pack him into France far from the Emperor's forces. And there being out of his reach. at Lions in a sermon to the people (as Albert. Kranz. telleth) he cried on the Emperor, Alber. Kranz. Saxoniae lib. 8. cap. 12. sited him to make his appearance at Lions before him, and after in process excomminged, cursed, and prived him of the Empire, absolved subjects from their oaths of allegiance, gave power to the electors to choose a new Emp. Thus he set on the Emp. with his usual engine of cursing and banning: Alb. Cranz. Saxo. lib. 8. cap. 13. but he was sure to have the Alps between the Emperor and him, than he banneth and barketh freely. And the Emperor prepared to make his appearance at Lions, and carried with him such a retinue of men of arms, & men in gowns to furnish his appearance in the Council at Lions, that (as Albertus saith) no Emperor since the Roman Empire began either at home or abroad carried the like. But as he was passing the Alps, hearing evil tidings of Henry his son at Parma, he was fain to return fearing the revolt of Italy, else he would have made his answer to the Pope's curse and banning in France, if he would abide his coming. Of this Pope Innocent the Emperor assoon as he heard of his election said, Alber. Kranz. lib. 8. cap. 11. that he had changed a Cardinal friend, for a Pope, a bitter enemy. For being Cardinal he was the emperors friend, but after he was Pope he fell to banning and cursing of him like an incarnate Devil. The Emperor did prognosticate so much of him before, that a Cardinal friend would be turned into a enemy being Pope. And even in that time, God sent a light into his Church against the usurped tyranny & practices of Popes against Princes. Petrus de Vineis. Petrus de Vineis a man of great honour and learning, and near about the Emperor, not only publicly treated the emperors cause against Pope Gegory the ninth in a great assembly, Io. Cusp. in Vita. Fri. 2. and on the great feast and day of the resurrection of our Saviour, but also wrote books in the defence of the emperors cause against the outrage of the Popes. And Pope Innocent the fourth, Platina in vita. Innoc. 4 was fain for answer, to write books of defence in his own cause against him. But God defended the Emperor against the cursing and raging Popes, and. 2 of the Pope's faded with their curses before him, soon died the 3. the fourth fled into France and there fell a cursing afresh: notwithstanding the Emperor reigned about 32. years, Io. Cuspin. in vita Fried. 2. and died by treason of Manfred his base born son, after he was poisoned at Florenzola and upon his recovery, as Cuspinian noteth, and some say that he died at Panorme. Ludouick of Bavar succeeded Frederick surnamed the fair in the Empire. Lodovicuae Bavatus. Cuspinian commendeth him for a courteous Prince, amiable, affable in speech, and gentle in behaviour, and not puffed up with any prosperity: provident and prudent, valiant in wars, Io. Cusp. in vita Ludou. Bauar●. and that would not be daunted in dangers. Thus Cuspinian praiseth his Princely qualities, but notwithstanding he was cursed and banned of three Popes also, John the 22. john. 22. Benedict. 12. Clemens. 6. Benedict the twelfth, and Clemens the sixth. Platina doth name the first john the 23. others account john the 22. to concur in time with Ludouick the Emperor. Benedict the 12. was pricked in conscience of cursing him, In paralipo. rer. memora. additis Ab. Vrsperg. and said for his excuse, that he did, he did provoked of us before, and he would have revoked the curse but that he was coped and kept in against his own liking. Clemens. 6. Clemens the 6. blowed up the fire which Benedict his predecessor would have quenched: And even at the lords supper he cursed the Emperor as Cuspinian writeth: Io. Cusp. in vita Ludou. As judas was at the lords supper that betrayed his master. But notwithstanding the curses of Popes, Ludouick reigned about 37. years as Cuspinian accounteth, Alber. Cranz Saxo. Lib. 8. cap. 22. and he overlived two of the Popes that cursed him, and he died not without suspicion of poison, as Albert. reporteth. Philip the Emperor. Philippe the Emperor about the year of our Lord God 1198. (as Vrspergensis accounteth) is praised of him for a mild and gentle Prince, valiant in wars, at chiof him with good success: yet because he was not currant in the favour of Pope Innocent the third, Ab. Vrsperg. in gest. Phil. first he urged an excommunication of Pope Celestine against him: And after by his practice, and other Emperor called Otto was set up against him: but Philippe by treason ended his life in the end. Then Pope Innocent fell a cursing of Otto also, Otto the Emperor. whom as his darling he had Crowned before. Thus a common practice it is with Popes, to make quarrels to curse Princes, if they stand not in their grace, and be not at their devotions, and if they make not their composition with them. Philip the Emperor. As Philippe the Emperor was 〈◊〉 come to composition with Pope Innocent the third, Abbas Vrsperg. in titulo de bellis Philippi. by Ambassadors sent for that purpose, who promised a marriage between the kings daughter and the Pope's brother's son, for reconcilement of Phillippe to the Pope's grace, as Vrspergensis vowcheth of the report of credible men. Frederick the first Emperor of that name, Frider. the 1. was fain to put a mass of gold into Pope Hadrian his mouth, to make his composition with him by his solicitors, for the recalling of his curse against him, Ab. Vrsperg. ex cremonens. and for reconcilement to him: As the Abbot of Vrsperg out of the Cremonensis called john the Priest rehearseth. Otherwise if suit be not made for reconcilement and composition with them, the common enginne and practise of Popes against Princes is, to draw out the banning blade upon them. As Hornets have their stings, and Scorpians their tails, so the common enginne of Pope's revenge upon Princes, is their excomminging and cursing of them. Saxon Cra● Hist. Dan●s. lib. 14. Saxo the writer of the Danes story sayeth: the bishops revenge is his curse. And the same Pope Innocent the third afore rehearsed, did draw his banning blade upon king john of England: King john of England. Fabian the 7 part in anno 1212. Phil. le Bewa king of Fran. Who was fain 〈◊〉 make his composition with Pandolph his Legate, to pay a yearly fee to the Pope of a thousand marks for the Realms of England and Ireland, and as his feodary to hold the Crown of him. Boniface the eight, did proceed in like sort to cursing and banning of Philippe surnamed the fair, Ro. Gag. in annalibus regum Fran. lib. 7. king of France, but he in the steed of composition, suborned Sarra the Italian, and sent Nogaretus a French man to his aid: and at Anagnia suddenly they surprised the Pope by force of arms, and brought him to Rome where with chafe and grief he died. Gagwine general of the order of the holy Trinity in France, Bonifacius 8 in his story saith of Pope Boniface, that being too proud, he prived Philip of his kingdom, and gave it to Albert Duke of Ostrige, together with the Empire of Germany. And after the same Gagwine had told of the taking of the Pope and of his death, he saith: Such an end of his life had Bonifacius the despiser of all men, who without remembering the commandments of Christ, went about to take away and to give kingdoms at his pleasure: Rob. Gagwins' judgement of Bonifacius 8. when he was not ignorant that he occupied his place on earth, whose kingdom was not of this world and of earthly things, but heavenly. Thus far father Gagwin as they call him, the general of his order. We see the Pope is sent into Christ's school of his own devout disciple, as father Gagwin was: and the birds of his own nest are ready to scratch out his eyes. What treason was this against the Pope's person and power, to say that he remembered not the commandments of Christ, while he went about to take away and to give kingdoms at his pleasure: And yet he calleth himself Christ's Vicar. His kingdom was not not of worldly things but heavenly. Thus father Gagwin who was in the Pope's own bosom for his Religion, yet is a witness against his usurped power, pride, and tyranny in deposing of Princes, and disposing of kingdoms: And turneth them into Christ's school, whose Vicars they profess themselves to be, to learn an other lesson of him, whose kingdom was not of earthly, but heavenly things. Thus of banning Bonifacius his end, and father Gagwines witness against the usurped power of Popes, in taking away and giving the kingdoms of the earth. Paulus 2. Clemens. 5. Paulus the second excomminged and cursed George king of Beme: and Clemens the fift the Venetians, the Florentines, and them 〈◊〉 Luke: and divers other Popes have cursed and banned many other Princes and people. And even yet they blush not in the light of the Gospel to do the like, as they were wont to do in darkness and in the night of gross idolatry and ignorance: they cannot hold themselves, but if Prince's revolt from their vi●due obedience, and he reclaimed from their idolatrous errors, than they fall to managings their cursings & bannings in the names of Peter and Paul, by whose doctrine their usurped power and tyranny is condemned. Thus of the usual enginne of the Bishop of Rome, commonly used of them, in contriving and managing of practices of treason and rebellion, against Christian Princes and Realms, which is their excomminging and cursing of them. The 2. chief point of the first matter. The second point and matter of my first part is, at what time chiefly the Bishop of Rome began to use this engine, of excommunicating and cursing of Princes and Realms, and practising of such treasons, and rebellions 'gainst them. OTto Bishop of Frising a famous writer of Chronicles, Otto Bishop of Frising. and of great account in the Church of Rome in his story writeth, that before Henry the fourth Emperor of that name, he could never find Roman Emperor or king to have been excomminged and cursed of any Bishop of Rome. This Otto by parentage was of the blood imperial by his mother's side: before he was a bishop, Aeneas Syl. in Hist. Austral. he was a Monk by profession, of the superstitious order of Cistertians, & died amongst the Monks of that order in the abbot of Moromond: so that no exception can be taken against his religion, of those that are of the Bishop of Rome's side to disclaim against him. Touching his great skill and experience in stories, he was of great fame and renown for it: and wrote a story from the beginning of the world to his own time. He lived about the time of Frederick the first Emperor of that name, to whom he was near in blood, and he began to write his story, but before his death he could not finish it. Thus of the nobility, authority, religion, and geeat skill in stories of Otto Bishop of Frising. Now let us hear his own words touching the matter we have in hand. Otto Fris. Epis. anna. lib. 5. cap. 35. Lego & relego (saith he) Romanorum regum & imperatorum gesta, & nusquam invenio quenquam eorum ante hunc, a Romano Pontifice excommunicatum vel regno privatum: nisi for●e quis pro anathemate habendum ducat, quod Philippus ad breve tempus a Romano Epipscopo inter poenitentes collocatus, & Theodosius a beato Ambrosio propter cruentam caedem a liminibus ecclesiae sequestratus sit. I read (saith he) and read over again the acts of the Roman Kings and Emperors, and no where I find any of them before (Henry the fourth) to have been excommunicated of the Roman Bishop or prived of his kingdom: except perhaps one say it to be deemed for a curse, Philip. Theodosius. that Philippe of the Roman Bishop was set for a small time in the number of the penitentes, and that Theodosius for a bloody slaughter was of blessed Ambrose sequestered from the ingress of the Church. Thus far Bishop Otto his words. He maketh his avow upon his skill & experience of stories (being a famous writer of them:) that before Henry the fourth he never could find any Rom. Emperor of king excomminged & cursed of any Bishop of Rome, though he had red and red over again their stories. Thus of his authority touching this case. Now let us look into that time, when the bishops of Rome began to adventure such practices against christian Emperors and Princes. reve. 20. It was about the time that Satan was let lose out of his chain, as in the Revelations we read, that Satan was bound of the Angel 1000 years in the bottomless pit, and after that he must be loosed for a little season. Grego. 7. Gregory the seventh Pope of that name, which cursed first Henry the 4. Emperor of that name, was about the year of our Lord. 1072. as Platina the writer of the pope's lives maketh computation, Platina in vita Greg. 7. he was called Hildebrand the monk before. And in the Council of Brixia of 30. Bishops assembled there, Concil. Brixi. he was charged to be Manifestus necromanticus phitonico spiritu laborans, Ab. Vrsperg. in an. 1080. & idcirco à vera fide exorbitans: that is, an open Necromancer, and one that wrought by a Familiar or evil spirit, and therefore is strayed from the true faith. Worm a council. an. 1076 And in the Council of Worms of the Bishops assemble there, he is charged with heinous crimes, with perjuries, with abuse of novelty, with infamy: Ab. Vrsperg. in an. 1074. & at his death at Salern (whether for fear of Henry the 4. whom he had cursed before he was feign to fly) he confessed to a Cirdinall that was familiar with him, that he was set on by the Devil to rear up discord and wars it. Christendom. Io. de Heraul. lib. de statu. eccle. ex Ante. And taking remorse and sorrow for it, commanded him to pray forgiveness of Henry the fourth for him, and that he should release him of the excommunication against him. It is marvel though after a thousand years, the Devil as it were turned lose in the world, began thus to rage in the Roman Bishops, and to curse and ban Christian Emperors and Princes, which so highly were praised for princely qualities and virtues of famous writers of their own side, as before I have rehearsed, about that time, Gregory the 7. called Hildebrand, did as a brand of hell set Christendom a fire, with division, discord, civil and mortal wars. And as Bishop Otto voucheth, in his travel of stories of the Roman kings and Emperors, he could never find any of them excomminged or cursed of a Roman Bishop, before Henry the fourth of this Gregory the seventh was excomminged and cursed as we have hard before. Henr. 4. Grego. 7. Was he not a fit instrument of the Devil to give the on set of such devilish discord, civil wars, rebellions and bloodshed in Christendom: And if we look nearer to the thousand years mentioned before out of the Revelations, after which Satan should be loosed out of his chain, Sylvester. 2. Sylvester the 2. Pope of that name, the great Necromancer, Sorcerer, Platina in vita Syl. 2. and that wrought by the Devil in the Sea of Rome, was then Pope about the year of our Lord 1000 or 1002. as Platina, Charanza, Charanza in summa con. & others set down the account. As if assoon as Satan was let lose out of the bottomless pit and of his chain, to go about to deceive the people which are in the four quarters of the earth (as in the Revelation S. john writeth, reve. 20. ) he did take up his place on earth in the Roman Sea in Silvester the second, who was about the 1000 year after Christ, or two above, as commonly they account. He (as Platina the writer of Pope's lives, and officer to them as Abbot Tritenhemius of him witnesseth, Platina in vita Syl. 2. ) came to be Pope by the help of the Devil: and on this condition, that after death wholly he should be his. After Platina telleth, how at his death the Devil deceived him, by mistaking the word Jerusalem: supposing that he should not die till he came to Jerusalem, but suddenly he was overtaken in a place called Jerusalem, in the Church of S. Cross at Rome. And he telleth also out of one Martinus, that by the clattering of bones and sweat of his grave, Sylvester the 2. his grave. they prognosticate the death of the Pope as the common opinion was. There followed him sundry sorcerers, & necromancers, & wicked Popes in the Sea of Rome, as B●dict the 9, Benedict. 9 who as Platina reporteth, appeared in a monstrous shape after his death, Platina in vita Bene. 9 because of his monstrous life. And in Sylvester the third, Platina in vita Syl. 3. the same Platina saith: the Popedom was come to that state, that he got it that with bribery and ambition could carry it. Beno the Cardinal. Beno the Cardinal reporteth, that from Sylvester the second, to Gregory the seventh, famous sorcerers and enchanters were Bishops of Rome, and that there was strife between Sylvester the second disciples in the devilish art, who should succeed in the place. This Gregory the 7. was reputed also in the Brixian Council, Brixian council. to be a Necromancer, & to work by a Familiar: And before him (as Otto the aforesaid Bishop said) he never could read that any Roman Bishop did excomminge and curse the Roman Emperor and King. Otto Frisin. Episc. So that this practice of Popes against christian Emperors and Princes (according to his vouching) began much about that time, when Satan was loosed from his chain out of the bottomless pit, to go about to deceive the people in the four quarters of the earth: & he took possession about that time in Bishops of Rome in the Sea of Rome, which were necromancers and Sorcerers, as Sylvester the second, and other his successors: amongst them and about those times was Gregory the seventh, Grego. 7. who was the first (as Otto pronounceth of his experience in the Roman stories) that excomminged and cursed a Roman Emperor and king, and prived him of his kingdom. Yet notwithstanding Henry the 4. thus excominged and cursed of Gregory the 7. reigned about 50. years, & saw Greg. the aforesaid cut off with his curses, & Vrban the second likewise that followed him. Thus about that time the Devil let lose, raged in the Roman Sea and Bishops, against Christian Emperors & Princes, with cursing and banning of them, and priving them of their Empires: forgetting that they call themselves his Vicars whose kingdom (as Gagwin the devout father and writer of their own side said) was not of worldly things but heavenly things. Then followed such division and discord in Christendom, and such outrage of rebellion, wars and bloodshed, as Bishop Otto grieving at the very rehearsal thereof saith, Otto Frisin. Episc. ana. li. 6. cap. 36. that a certain Ecclesiastical writer compareth those times to the most ugly darkness of Egypt. And the abbot of Vrsperg saith, that under Hildebrand the Monk, called Gregory the 7. Ab. Vrsperg. in Chron. in an. 1072. (who excomminged and cursed first Henry the 4.) Romana respulbica & omnis ecclesia novis & inauditis scismatum erroribus periclitari caepit: The common wealth of Rome and the whole Church began to be plunged in perils and errors of new schisms, & such as were never heard of before. And the bishops that were present in the Council of Worms, The council of Worms. charge him with abuse of novelty. What marvel when he was the first in Bishop Otto his judgement, which took on him to excomminge & curse a Roman Emperor, & to prive him of his kingdom? And whereas it belonged to the right of the Emperors to confirm the Roman Bishop after he was elected, & before the Emperor's confirmation & ratifying the election, he was not counted right Bishop of Rome: as Cusp. saith, speaking of Grego, Io. Cuspin. in vita Henr. 4. the 7. his time: Mos enim tum erat Pontifices ab Imperatoribus confirmari ut superius saepe annotavimus: For the custom than was, that Bishops (of Rome) should &c: yet this Gregory the 7. The Imperial right to confirm the Bishop of Rome elected contrary to custom & right of the Emperors, rushed into the Roman sea without confirmation of the Emperor: but assoon as he was warm in the sea, he began to curse & ban the Emperor, whose confirmation he should have had, to have been the right bishop of the sea. Thereof began to spring & spread great schisms & divisions in Christendom, when not only the right of the Emperors was violently encroached of the Bishop of Rome, but also he fell a cursing and banning the Emperor, whose confirmation he should have had. What did the Devil about the time (loosed out of the bottomless pit) more desire, The Devil raged by disobedience in the Bishops of Rome. then to tread under feet the ordinance of God, by wilful disobedience & outrage against Christian Princes, by cursing them for whom they should pray, by stirring rebellions & civil wars against them, & setting their own subjects to be contrary to them, & to take a contrary course to the ordinance of God. Thus after 1000 years the Devil did rage in the Roman Bishops against the supreme sovereignties & states in christendom, & showed himself directly contrary in them, to the great ordinance of God. If it were the ordinary right of the Empire to confirm the bishops of Rome (as the continual course & continuance thereof in such a number of his predecessors bishops of Rome, & the witness of their own writers is plain evidence thereof) wherefore should Hildebrand called Gregory the 7. Gregory the 7. an intruder without confirmation of the Emperor. of a Monk & Archdeacon before, intrude himself into the sea of Rome, without confirmation of Hen. the 4. Emperor, & not only rend away the usual right of the Empire, but also rend the Empire and Christendom with rebellions, civil wars, bloodshed, treasons, and such like outrages: and rend the Emperor himself from his Empire & life also, by cursing and banning him, and stirring up his own subjects to rebel against him, and of his life and Empire to bereave him. Thus the Roman Bishop, or rather the Devil raging in the Roman Bishop, turneth the regiment and state of Christendom upside down, and began a contrary course to the right of the Imperial regiment and custom of confirmations heretofore. For to Henry the 4. by his imperial right, the confirmation of Gregory the 7. to be Bishop of Rome, did appertain. Gregory the 7. so far is from recognizing that right, to which so many his predecessors stooped, Gregory the 7. summoneth Henry the 4. to appearance and answer. that as Lucifer mounting about all estates, not only he shaketh his neck out of the colour, but imperiously citeth, and by presumptuous process calleth for the Emperor to make his appearance before him, to put in answer to causes to be objected to him, else unless he stoop to his commands, to whose confirmation hèe should have stooped himself, he should be cursed and prived of the Empire. This was so uncouth and strange attempt, that Otto freely confesseth, he never read the like by any Roman Bishop done to the Roman Emperor and king before. Ab. Vrsperg. in an. 1072. The Abbot of Vrsperg. saith, that because without consent of the king he pressed to be Pope by favour of the Romans, some held that he was not lawfully placed, but that like a tyrant he usurped. Thus the Abbot himself mentioneth the great gall of Gregory the 7. his proud Popedom: which began with presumption, proceeded to cursing, ended with great bloodshed in christendom. Cuspinian also reporteth the same: Plerique (saith he) illum sine regis consensu non agnoverunt legittime electum: Io. Cusp. in vita Hen. 4. after he had noted how the Pope by sundry letters and process had called for the Emperor, he saith: but many did not acknowledge him lawfully chosen without the emperors consent. And yet this is he (in the judgement of Otto Bishop of Frising) who first of any Roman Bishop did excomminge and curse the Roman Emperor or King. Bishops of Rome in the primitive Church. In the time of general counsels. And before Gregory the 7. The Roman Bishops in the primitive Church most of them were Martyrs, after in the time of the ancient and general counsels, the Catholic faith in the blessed Trinity was constantly confessed and maintained of them against the Arrians and other heretics: and of those that succeeded them, and were predecessors to Gregory the 7. none took on them (according to Bishop Otto his protestation) to excomminge and curse the Roman Emperor before. And were there not Emperors of notorious notes and deserts before: some spotted with heresies, and some with other grievous enormities? As for the examples of the Emperors Philip & Theodotius mentioned of Otto, both touching the causes, proceed, actions, & in the judgement of Otto himself, cannot be objected for instances against his former protestation. The Abbot of Vrsperg discoursing the stories of the time, Ab. Vrsperg. judgement of Otto his protestation. stalleth at the protestation of Otto, and first layeth down his words: after where Bishop Otto touched the sore, he layeth to plasters, as a Leech laying to his hand to cure the papal sores, being an Abbot and well willer to the Papal power. Ab. Vrsperg. in chro. tit aenacephaleosis Impe. Conradi. etc. First he saith that Emperors and Princes of certain nations, have been deposed before that time for causes, though not by authority of the bishop of Rome, as Emperors in Constantinople have been. This toucheth not the case of Otto his protestation. The second is, An instance of Grego. 3. an instance concerning the case of Gregory the 3. which caused all Italy to revolt from the Emperor of Constantinople, & excomminged him, and prived him of his kingdom. Touching this instance of Gregory the 3. who was about the year of Christ 731 Platina the writer of pope's lives saith, Platina in vita Greg. 3. that he excominged and prived the Emperor. Cuspinian saith, that he prived him of the communion and fellowship of the faithful: Io. Cusp. in vita Greg. 3. and that he revolted from him, and caused the tributes payable to the Emperor to be yielded to the French: and yielded himself to the obedience of the French, Carrolus Martellus. Carolus Martellus carrying then the Regiment of France, and called Maior Domus as Platina witnesseth. Platina. in vita Zacha. 1 Wherefore did he revolt from the Emperor of Constantinople, and caused the tributes of the Empire in Italy to be turned to the French: because the Emperor of Constantinople Leo the third of that name had made Proclamations, Leo the third Emperor his proclamations against images. that images should be voided out of Churches and burned, thereof they called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Therefore Gregory the third preferring dead images before the Emperor (who was touching his Imperial sovereignty the lively image of God) revolted from his obeisance, turned the tributes of the Empire to the French, put himself at their devotion, excomminged the Emperor & prived him, saith Platina, the officer to Popes, Abbreviator Apostolicus (as Abbot Tritenhemius termeth him. Ab. Triten. de eccle. scrip. ) But it was a poor priving of the Emperor, when he reigned 24. years, till of God's visitation he ended his life. Till God deprived him of his life, he was not prived of his Empire: yet Platina the writer of the story of Popes, saith, he excomminged him and prived him of his Empire: thus they utter great words, and perform small actions. Io. Cusp. in vit. Leonis 3. Cuspinian telleth out of john the Monk (of whom he borrowed the story) that the bishop prived the Emperor of the fellowship of the faithful. But Bishop Otto far ancienter than Platina or Cuspinian late writers in comparison of him, and who was before the Abbot of Vrsper. Otto Frisin. Episc. lib. 6. cap. 35. also, confesseth that notwithstanding he hath read and read over again the stories of the Roman Emperors and kings, yet he never could find any Roman Emperor and king excomminged of a Roman Bishop, before Henry the 4. of Gregory the seventh. Bar. Platina. Io. Cuspini. Platina was more than four hundred years after Bishop Otto. Cuspinian far later under Maximilian the Emperor. john the Monk out of whom Cuspini. Io. the Monk taketh his report, Otto Frising. Episc. belike is a late writer also. But Otto had read the stories of ancient memories, and out of his reading affirmeth never Emperor to have been excominged of a Roman Bishop before. What manner of excomminging did Gregory the 3. use against Leo the third Emperor of Constantinople: As he excomminged him, so he prived him. He prived him, & yet he kept his Empire during life: he excomminged him, & yet still the faithful not only kept communion with him, but their allegiance to him. So his excomminging, was a putting him out of his communion and company, and of those that were of his obedience therein, because they would not keep company with dead images, the quick with the dead. Therefore he made such stir for the dead among the living in Italy, & revolted from the Empire (which had advanced and fostered the Bishop of Rome in that state) to the French: and bereaved the Empire of the tributes and manage of Italy: and in process so weakened the Empire of Constantinople, The Bishop of Rome weakened & betrayed the Empire. that it became a prey to Turks and Infidels. The Bishop of Rome first pulled it down on his knees, after came the Turks and overran it: when one is down, he is soon overcome. The Bishop of Rome in defence of dead images, displaying the banner of his revolt in Italy from the Empire of Constontinople, and by that means impoverishing it, by taking away of tributes due to it, and weakening the force of it by the revolt of the men, did open as it were the door to the Turk to overrun the Empire. If we look who betrayed the City of Constantinople, Ioh, Io. justinian betrayed the city of Constantinople to Mahomet the 2. justinian of Gen beareth that infamy. If we look who betrayed the Empire of Constantinople, it was the bishop of Rome in effect, by carrying Italy to revolt after him, by despoiling the Empire of tributes, & disfurnishing it of men, by plucking it as it were on ground, by feathering his nest out of the Empire, and by the fall thereof mounting himself in Italy. Thus for answer to the Abbot of Vrsperg to his instance of Gre. the 3. his excomminging and priving Leo the 3 of his Empire. Ab. Vrsper. anacephaleosis Imperat. etc., After that, the Abbot of Vrsperg proceedeth in his answer to Bishop Otto. Such things also (saith he) otherwhere and in our times have been seen to be done, yet though the Roman Bishops do ascribe and take to themselves the doing thereof, we find (saith he) these things to be done by divine judgement, the sins of Emperors so requiring, & Princes and people uniting themselves to resist them. Hear he rippeth up the root, out of which such actions grow: the divine judgement for sins of the Emperors stirring up Princes and people against them, and that the Bishop of Rome doth but take it on, as if he by cursings did cut of Emperors & Princes from their estates, and carved out kingdoms at his pleasure. The Abbot to his former saying putteth two examples, the one of Frederick the first Emperor of that name, Frederick the first. who was excomminged & cursed of the pope's Hadrian and Alexander and other there successors, & yet never lost the Empire. So Philip the son of the same Frederick, Philip the Emperor. notwithstanding the cursings of Celestin the 3. about our time saith the Abbot never lost the Empire. Thus the Abbot voucheth these examples, to show that Emperors and Princes though excomminged of Popes, yet notwithstanding kept their sovereignties, estates, & kingdoms, Emperor's excomminged of pope's keep their empires as Frederick, Philip, and many other. And hereof we have a mirror of the great mercy of God, in the heavenly happy light of his word, Queen Elizabeth. in Elizabeth our Sovereign sent of God, who by divine providence, notwithstanding the cursings of proud Popes, not only keepeth her royal right and seat, but for their cruel curses, hath received bountiful blessings of God, not only showed on her Royal person, but on the whole Realm: Even right as the Prophet David saith: Though they curse, Psal. 109. yet thou shalt bless, they shall arise and be confounded, but thy Servant shall rejoice. God give all subjects grace with true hearts to pray to God, that he will turn their cruel curses, into abundance of blessings on her Royal person and estate, and his Church, and our whole Country. Thus what time chiefly the Roman Bishops began to practise such things against Christian Emperors and princes: of Bishop Otto his protestation: of the Abbot of Vrsperg his answer: & how by divine providence, notwithstanding the cursing of pope's, christian Emperors have kept their sovereignties, estates, and Realms heretofore. The 3. chief point of the first matter. The third chief matter of my first part is, by what means the Bishops of Rome do manage and carry on their practices. THE usual means of their practices is, after their cursing to set on Subjects against their Princes: Greg. 7. Rodol. Duke of Suevia. as Gregory the 7. did set on Duke Rodolph of Suevia, or as Platina noteth, of Saxony, or as Vincentius of Burgundy, or as Cuspinian County of Reinfield, to rebel against Henry the 4. Emperor his Sovereign: and not only subjects, but the son to rebel against his own father, as Henry the 5. Henricus. 5. against Henry the 4. Emperor of the name his own father. In these two examples as glasses set before us, we may see the treachery and practice of the Bishops of Rome against Christian Emperors and Princes. Briefly I will set down the first, touching the rebellion of Duke Rodolph against Henry the 4. The examples of Duke Rodolph and Henry the 5. and his repentance for it. The latter example I will lay forth at large, because it is a notable story to set forth the horrible treasons, unnatural wars, and raging rebellions, not only of subjects, but of the son against his own father & Sovereign Lord, upon pretence of the Pope's excomminging & cursing the father, & for executing of the pope's curse. And therefore in the Pope's cause it is counted piety, though it be joined with treason, rebellion & unnatural outrage against his own father. Touching the first example of Rodulph against Henry the fourth, I will note his setting on, his rebellion, Duke Rodolph his setting on to rebellion. and after his repentance. He was set on to falsify his faith, and to rebel against Henry the fourth, by Pope Gregory the 7. (called Hildebrand the monk before) and to pull him on to this troublesome action with all he sent him a Crown or diadem with this posy or word, Alb. Cranz. Saxo. lib. 5. cap. 7. (Albertus reporting it) Petra dedit Romain Petro, tibi Papa coronam: The rock (that is Christ) gave Rome to Peter, the Pope hath given the Crown to thee. Thus he alured him to traitorous rebellion against his Prince, to whom he had sworn fidelity. Now of his rebellion: Evil chived the Crown that Pope Gregory had sent him. Henry the fourth whom the Pope had cursed, notwithstanding wore and bare the Crown by God's providence given to him. Rodolph that of the Pope received the Crown, could not escape notwithstanding the curse, wrath, and judgement of God in this world, for his perjury, treason, and rebellion against his Prince, but that he repented in the end. So whom the Pope cursed, God blessed: Rodolphos' Rebellion. The sequel of the rebellion. Whom the Pope blessed, God cursed. Touching the sequel of the action in this world, Rodolph with the Pope's blessings sped evil: Henry the Emperor with the Pope's curse won the field. Ab. Vrsperg. in Chro. Rodolph discomfited & having his right hand cut off (as the Abbot of Vrsperg reporteth it) was carried out of the battle to Morisburg, and strait after died. Alber. Kranz. Saxoniae lib. 5. cap. 5. Albert telleth, that he was carried out of the field to Herbipolis wounded in the right hand, whereof he died. Thus of Duke Rodolph his rebellion. Duke Rodolph his repentance. Now let us hear of his repentance. When Duke Rodolph saw the stump of his hand, he said to them that set him on there present: This same is the right hand with which I have sworn fidelity to my Lord. Abbas Vrspergensis. in chro. Behold now I leave my life with his reign. See you to it which made me climb to this place, & should have led me the right way following your advertisements. Thus woefully he moved himself to the Bishops that set him on. Alb. Cranz. Saxo. lib. 5. cap. 7. Albert thus reporteth it, that he sent for the nobles & Bishops of his side to Herbipolis, & elata dextra in astantes, and lifting up his hand (saith he) to those that stood by: Duke Rodolph his doleful moan for his rebellion. this is the right hand, with the which I swore to Henry my Lord, but by your urging so oft, with such evil hap I have fought against him, go, fulfil your fidelity to your king, for I shall go the way of my fathers, so he died. Thus the rueful words of Duke Rodolph repenting his rebellion before the nobles & Bishops of his side. His conscience, not only his right hand was wounded for his perjury, A warning to all. treason and rebellion against his Prince. This may be example to all estates and persons, to keep their hearts and hands true to their Prince according to Gods ordinance, lest God's vengeance fall on their hearts, & heads, as it did upon Absalon the traitors heart, and upon their hand which they lift up against their Prince, as it did upon the right hand of Duke Rodolph, ruefully repenting for it. Thus the example of Duke Rodolph, by whom and how he was set on, of his rebellion and evil success, last of his rueful repentance. Now will I discourse the story of Henry the 5. Henry the 5. his rebellion against Henry the 4. his father. The Order. the treason and rebellion against Henry the 4. his own father. And for the more orderly treating of it, I will refer myself to these chief points: First of his cause and pretence and setting on to this treason and rebellion against his father: Secondly of the unnatural and parricidial war of the son against the father: Thirdly of the taking and deposing of Henry the fourth: Fourthly of his death, and cruelty showed on his corpses: fifthly of the moan and judgement of their own writers of his case: last of all, of the judgement of God on Henry the 5. in the end. Thus the order of my discourse● this story. The first. The cause & pretence of rebellion of Henry the 5. against his father. The first is his cause and pretence and setting on to that horrible treason and rebellion against his own father. The cause and pretence of his treason and rebellion against his own father, was Pope Gregory the seventh, Pope Urban the second, and Pope Paschal the second, their curses on Henry the fourth his father; and withal their priving him of his Empire. What the cause and his desert was, that the Popes thus cursed and prived him, let us hear out of their own writers. The Abbot of Vrsperg. very partial on the Pope's side against the Emperor, noteth this to be the cause: Abbas Vrspergensis. in chro. in an. 1075. Because two Popes of Rome solemnly cited the Emperor to make his appearance at Rome before them, and he came not, and for contempt against them, and because he would not submit himself to them, he was of Gregory the seventh excomminged and cursed, then of Vrbanus the second, after of Paschal the second. Another cause, by Albertus' report is alleged, out of the answers of the Bishop of men's and Worms to the Emperor, when they came to depose him: for Simony in collating bishoprics & Abbacies, which they call the investing of Bishops and Abbates, Alber. Kranz. Saxoniae lib. 5. cap. 20. by the hand of Princes into their royalties they hold of them. Thus as in the right of their imperial prerogatives, The imperial right in investing of Bishops, abbots etc. Emperors have held and continued from the time of Charles the Emperor surnamed the great, and under 63. Bishops of Rome, above 300. years as Cuspinian noteth. And after the thousand year that the Devil was let lose out of the bottomless pit, reve. 20. (as out of the Revelation I have noted) he raged in the Bishops of Rome against the principates of the earth, making a quarrel for investing Bishops and Abbates by ley hand to the royalties of their dignities, which they termed simonical heresy. I will lay down the words of john Cuspinian concerning the cause, Io. Cusp. in vita Hen. 5. who was a man of great authority and a counsellor to Maximilian the Emperor, and though he were of their Religion, yet without partiality layeth down the cause. Discordiae somes erat (saith he) talis: The cause that bread the discord was such. Now 380. years and more from Charles the great, under 63. The case of investiture. for which Popes cursed Emperors. Bishops of Rome, it was lawful for the king to collate Episcopal dignities & Abbatices, by a ring, a rod, which now by authority, custom, & most ancient privileges, by the space of so many years was established. But after Popes ordained, that eccclesiastical dignities or investiture might not of any ley parson be collated, and they were excomminged that were invested in that sort. Hitherto john Cuspinian his words in the story of Henry the fift. Albertus Cranz Deane of Hanburg, Alb. Cranz. Sax. lib. 5. cap. 37. and a writer of their own side, doth thus (speaking of Henry the 5.) lay down his judgement of the case. If (saith he) the Emperor (meaning Henry the 5. who after was cursed of the Pope likewise, for the same cause that he rebelled against his own father) did ask nothing but only the investiture of the lands called the grant of the royalties (the free elections to Churches and abbeys reserved in the vacation) he seemeth to demand right. Thus Albert his words touching the cause of investiture, only he doth not like that the provision for the person shall go with it, for the which he sayeth the controversy was between the kingdom and the priesthood. The Abbot of Vrsperg also speaking of the reconciling of Henry the fifth to Pope Calixtus saith, Ab. Vrsp. in an. 1122. he did relinquish the investiling of Churches, which the Germane kings so long had exercised, and which he purposed never during life to have left, lest thereby he should prejudice the honour of his kingdom. Thus Vrspergensis. And yet otherwhere he raveth against Henry the fourth, Abbas Vrsperg. in an. 1106. for resisting the Pope's censures, and calleth him Nabuchodonezer, and julian, and showeth his evil affected mind to him, and his partiality in writing his story, which of Cuspinian also is noted, Io. Cusp. in vita. Henr. 4. though in religion he be concurring with him. Thus the bishops of Rome, about that time that Satan was loosed out of his chain, made schisms and hurleburlees in Christendom, by encroaching the ancient right of the mperiall prerogative touching the case of investing aforesaid, which continued in the body of the Empire from Charles the great the first Emperor of the West after the division of the Empire, and under 63 Bishops of Rome, and more than 300. years, as Cuspinian noteth. And because Henry the fourth would not yield up this imperial prerogative and the ancient right of the Empire, he was cursed of Gregory the seventh and other Popes, and prived of his Empire: though he continued Emperor about 50 years lacking one, as the Abbot confesseth. And after that ancient right & imperial prerogative thus confirmed by authority, Abbas Vrsperg. in an. 1102. custom and most ancient privileges (as Cuspinian witnesseth) was called simonical heresy. In the Lateran council under Paschal the 2. Paschal. 2. in Lateran council. who cursed Henry the fourth the father, and Henry the fifth the son, for the case of investing, and for their maintaining the Imperial prerogative therein, and who himself had released the investing of Churches according to the right imperial before to Henry the 5. Gerhardus Bishop of Engelesme and Legate in Aquitania said: Ab. Vrsperg. in Chro. anno 1112. that this investing (by Emperors and Princes) was against the holy Ghost and canonical institution, the Council there consenting to it: At what time Pope Paschal there did recant, and retract the release that he had made thereof to Henry the fifth before, and he prayed pardon for it, and prayed them to pray for him. Such conscience he made for releasing of the imperial right to the Emperor. But where was this conscience in their predecessors time under 36. Bishops, from the time of Charles the great? Was it then counted against the holy Ghost and simonical heresy? Wherefore is now the case thus altered? Because (as Cusp. toucheth the quick) post vero pontifices sanxerunt. Io. Cusp. in vita Henr. 5. But after the Bishops of Rome have decreed so, that it is not lawful for any to be invested of any lay man, & they were excomminged that were invested of them. So, as Pope's rule cases, heresies are made. That under so many Bishops of Rome was yielded as the lawful imperial right, now is said to be against the holy Ghost and flat heresy. Henriciana haeresis Wig bertina. Abbas Vrspergensis. in chro. in an 1106. Wigbert. Archbishop of Ravenna. And because they would bring the Emperor's name into public hate, they call it haeresis Henriciana, Henry's heresy, they call it also haeresis Wigbertina, Wigbertes heresy: Because Wigbert Archbishop of Ravenna (after Gregory the 7. was hunted out of Rome by the Emperor for his cursing of him) at the request of the Romans was made Bishop of Rome for him, and by the name of Clemens with great solemnity of many Bishops enthronized: But because he was placed by the Emperor, they have devised an heresy after his name, Ab. Vrsperg. in Chro. in an. 1080. to bring his name also in hate, which they call Wigbertina. So that maketh not on their side, for maintaining their kingdom is called heresy. What intolerable tyranny and monstrous presumption is this of Bishops of Rome, as Lucifer mounted in pride, Prince's praerogatives made heresy of Popes. to take on them to curse and prive Emperors for keeping their ancient right and imperial prerogative, and to make heresy as pleaseth them, where as they swallow up such a number of Idolatrous heresies of theirowne, and they call the doctrine delivered to us out of the lively word of God heresy, and light darkness, & darkness light, & are therefore under the curse of God, isaiah 5. as the Prophet Esay witnesseth. But though they call light darkness, truth error, prerogatives of Prince's heresies, their followers dance after their pipe: as those that are bitten of the venomous spider of Italy called Tarantula (because by Tarentum there is store of them) so soon as they hear the pipe or minstrel, Tarantula they fall a dancing, and cannot leave till they have by dancing digested the poison (which vaporeth out by sweets as Matheolus thinketh: Mathe. in Com. in Dios. lib. 2. cap. 57 ) so they that are bitten with the venomous Spider of Italy, the Tarantula of Rome cannot but dance after the Pope's pipe, and cannot give up and digest the poison of Popery, until God renew them by special grace, & as it were new make and alter them. Thus for what cause Gregory the 7. and other Popes after, excomminged and cursed Henry the 4. Because the Pope of such pretenced quarrel cursed the father, therefore should the son rise in armour & rebel against his own father? God hath made the son himself judge in the cause, for even for the same cause that the father was cursed, & on pretence whereof he took on him the treason & rebellion against his father, he also was cursed of 3. pope's after. And touching the setting on of the son against his father, The setting on of the son against the father. the trumpet of piety was blown up before the son, because he undertook the treason in the Pope's cause, and for executing the Pope's curse on his own father. Therefore as such impiety & outrage against his own father & against the ordinance of God, is blazed out as piety to the Pope & mother church of Rome: So under the pretence and vizard of piety & religion, the treason and rebellion of the son is disguised. Alber. Kranz. Saxoniae lib. 5. cap. 16. Albert Kranz saith of him Multis persuasit filius, sola se pietate in deum terreni patris ad tempus oblitum esse. The son (saith he) persuaded many, that only in respect of piety to god, he had forgotten for a season his father on earth. Otto Frisin. Epis. lib. 7. cap. 8. Otto Bishop of Fris. saith. Rebellionem sub specie religionis, eò quod pater eius a Rom. pontificibus excommunicatus esset aggreditur: Under colour of religion he attempteth rebellion, because his father was excomminged of the Roman Bishops. The Abbot of Vrsperg saith under colour of religion: Patrem excommunicatum privauit regno He prived his father of the Empire being excomminged before. Ab. Vrsperg. in chro. in an. 1124. Let us hear how of the Pope's clergy, he is magnified & set a gog to this unnatural treason and rebellion under pretence of piety & religion. After that he shrunk from his father's side (as Vrspergensis telleth) and raised rebellion against him, Abbas Vrsperg. in chro. in an. 1105. there he professed (saith he) obedience to the sea of Rome, though with treason he rend the Empire and the bowels of nature in his own father that begat him, it is not treason or rebellion any more, but Religion and piety. He condemneth the heresy afore mentioned which they forged against his father, for the which he after the death of his father, was cursed of Popes also. He withdrawed himself into Saxony, which then was a fit place for mutiny and rebellion against his father. Alb. Cranz. Saxo. lib. 5. cap. 17. And at Northuson in Saxony was a meeting appointed of the nobles and people (as Albert telleth) and the Clergy kept a Synod there. Then after he had displayed his banner of treason and rebellion against his father, the Pope's Clergy flocked unto him and hanged about him: and rebellious Ruckard Archbishop of men's, Ruchard Archbishop. of men's. and Geberhardus Bishop of Constans, held a great council of Clergy at Northuson, a fit council for such a practice. This Ruckard (as Otto calleth him) sometime Archchbishop of men's, was banished of Henry the fourth for his disloyalties, & in Saxony he had made mutinies and conspiracies against him, and being an Archrebel and traitor, is now become precedent of this council: whom Henry the 5. by force would have restored to his sea again (as Bishop Otto telleth) but that his father was got within the town with his garrison. Otto. an a. lib. 7, cap. 8. In this council to inflame the son against his father, they admired, extolled, & crowned him with great commendation, as if he had gotten the garland of Religion and piety, by treason and rebellion against his father. They commend him for that he did not intermeddle in their dealing in council, but referred himself to their decrees. And therein, Albertus commendeth his modesty, and Vrspergensis his humility and prudency. So they may have their own scope in counsels, and their doctrines and decrees without check and controlment of Princes, they will extol and magnify them. Alber. Cranz Saxo. Lib. 5. cap. 17. Albert commendeth him for his gravity and prudency above his years, in making answer to demands of subjects made unto him. And to take all advantages of commendations for him, they praise him for his apparel, for his countenance and the protestation of his speech. He was brought forth (saith the Abbot) in abjects apparel: Ab. Vrsperg. in chro. in an. 1105. (abiecto productus habitu) as doleful for his father's case, and with his countenance (as Albert telleth) set to the ground, with gravity he delivered his answers: His protestation he made with tears standing or trickling by his cheeks. The sum of all was this, Henry the 5. his protestation. if his father will be subject to Peter and Pope of Rome, he will yield humble obeisance and allegiance unto him: if not, than rebellion and treason though against his own father, was turned into religion and piety for Peter and the Pope of Rome. This was the sum of his protestation. So in this council, treason & rebellion against his his father was piety to the pope of Rome & in respect of the execution of his curse upon his father. No marvel where Ruckard the rebel was precedent of the council, though rebellion be good religion in respect of the Pope's curse. If one should rake hell for counsels, Treason and rebellion counted piety to the Pope. decrees, and doctrines of Devils, could he bring more seditious & pernicious doctrine against public states, governments, and the ordinance of God? Where there is such a Clergy that clappeth their hands to the son the rebelleth against his own father, how monstrous is the head that by cursing of Princes, setteth the son upon the father, the subject upon the Prince. If there be good nature in us, good disposition to public estates & governments, & true loyalty to our Sovereign, let us shun the solicitors of such devilish suggestions, counsels, and attempts, and abhor the practisers of them. Thus for what cause the Pope's cursed Henry the 4. and on what pretence Henry the 5. rebelled against his own father, how he was set on, and what commendations of the Clergy were cast upon him. The second chief matter of the discourse of this story is, The 2. The paricicidial war. of the unnatural and parricidial war of the son against the father. Their own writers call it a parricidial war, in the which the son rebelleth & took armour against his own father. So the Abbot of Vrsperg (notwithstanding his bitter affection against the father) calleth it a parricidial war. Albertus Kranz entering into the story, Alb. Kranz. Saxo. lib. 5. cap. 16. and stopping at the straungnes thereof saith: The novelty of the thing would cause the reader to be astonished? Quis enim patri rebellantem filium tanto ardore audivit? For who hath heard (saith he) the son with such broil to rebel against his father. Quis iura naturae intercidisse tam penitus commeminit, ut omni existimatione, omni honore, exuatur pater a filio. Who hath remembered the laws of nature so clear to be abolished, that the father of his own son should thus be turned out of all estimation, all honour, and his kingdom. Thus Albert his very bowels are ready to turn in him, when he looketh first into this unnatural rebellion of the son against the father, though otherwise in religion he was current with the Church of Rome. Otto Bishop of Frising, who was a monk of the order of Cistert. before he was Bishop, and lacked not blind affection to Romish religion, reaveth deeper in the outrage of this parricidial war, Videres (saith he) lachrimabiles & miserabiles apparatus, Otto Frisin. lib. 7. cap. 9 cerneres mundum contemptum sui luce clarius prodentem, quod videlicet contra legem naturae, filius in patrem assurgeret: Thou mightest see (saith he) the lamentable and miserable preparation: thou mightest see the world by his effects bewraying his own contempt, because against the law of nature, the son did rise against his father: and contrary to the rule of justice, the soldier did assault the king, the servant his master, and brother stood up against brother, and cousin against cousin, and intended the shedding of his blood, that was near to him in blood. Will not this unnatural and uncouth fact of the world provoke us to the contempt of it? Thus far Bishop Otto of this parricidial war. Bishop Otto his lesson of the contempt of the world. He teacheth us a lesson of contempt of the world, by such monstrous effects and wicked works thereof: he maketh it a School of contempt of the world to us: since the great states and pillars thereof are so out of course, and such unnatural outrage is in it, if we can put on godly affection to learn his godly lesson. This is the fruit of stories, to make them schools of godly lessons, not by words, but by actions and practise set before us. And at the encounter like to have been at men's between the father and the son, the father keeping the City, Ab. Vrsp. in chro. in an. 1105. the son coming with force to assail it, the hearts of the noble men did begin to melt: and they consulted how to stay the outrage of the paricidiall war, in which both nature and civil government warred upon itself. Likewise in the confines of Beme by the river of Danubius, where both the father and the son had pitched, and bickering began, nature began to work in the nobles again, that (as Albert saith) Rem impiam execrati ibant & redibant, detesting the impious work, Alb. Cranz. Sax. lib. 5. cap. 17. they went to and fro to stay the bloody battle. And when the son had passed the river, and the battle ready to strike, as if he felt nature in his own bowels fight a battle within him, he turneth on his own battle, and crieth: what do we, Pater est, Dominus est, Imperator est, qui tendit ex adverso. The battle of nature in the bowels of the son. Impietate plena est si venit victoria tanto miserabilor exitus si vincamur. Nolim parricida esse, si de totius mundi dominio quis pacisceretur. It is (saith he) my father, my Lord, and Emperor, which cometh against us. The victory though it fall to us, is full of impiety, and if we be overthrown, so much more miserable is the end. I would not be a parricide to gain the sovereignty of the whole world. After he willeth them to put swords in sheaths, and let us fight with Counsel (saith he) and not with armour. Thus Albert, how nature fought a battle in the very bowels of the son, when he was ready to join battle with his father. Though nature thus began to bleed in him, when the battle began to join against his father, yet he leaveth not persecuting of him with parricidial war and traitorous attempts so long as life lasted in him: he sacked his father's treasures, he threw his faithful Subjects out of their livings, he betrayed him in his nearest friends, by whose fidelity and force he was most supported. A●h. Kranz. Saxo. lib. 5. cap. 18. At Spires he ransacked his father's treasures: at Ratispon, at Herbipolis, he drove out the faithful Bishops to his father, and set others of his own crew, conspirators in their place. And when his father began to vade, he brought Ruckard the rank Rebel of men's home to his Sea again. Otto Frisin. Episc. li. 7. cap. 8. So the faithful friends of the father went to wrack: as if the course of nature being changed in the rebellion of the son against the father, the civil government followed the same course also. Thus how he betrayed him in his treasures, and in his faithful friends. Now how he betrayed him even in his nearest friends, by whose force chiefly he was guarded and furnished, as Henry Duke of Beme, Henry Duke of Beme. Leopold Marquis of Austria. Otto Frisin. Episc, lib. 7. cap. 9 and Leopold Marquis of Ostrige, whose sister Duke Henry had wedded. And he lured Marquis Leopold to his side, by promising him the marriage of his sister Agnes the widow of Frederick Duke of Suevia. So he betrayed his father in his nearest and dearest friends, & of greatest account: Agnes Duchess of Suevia. and he made his sister and daughter to Henry the fourth the instrument of his practice to betray the father. Thus of his parricidial war and continual persecuting of his father, and the betraying of him in his treasures in his faithful friends and principal peers by whom he was supported. The 3. The 3. chief matter in the discourse of this story is, of the taking and deposing of the father. Let us hear how by treason of the son the father was taken as he was coming to the Council and diet of Princes at men's, The taking and deposing of Hen. the 4. there to have audience of his cause. Thus the father himself telleth it in his letters from Ledes, directed to the states of the Empire, Ab. Vrsper. in chro. in an. 1106. as the Abbot of Vrsperg layeth there down. Because (saith the Emperor in his letters) at the counsel and request of our son, upon faith and security both of my life and honour first received from him, I addressed myself (having a desire thereto) to come to men's into the presence of the Roman Legates and Princes there, Henry the 4. letter to the states. and further to do as they should take order there, so well concerning the state of the Church and honour of the Realm, as for our soul's health also. And thus coming with this obedience, he sticked not contrary to his faith and safeconduit to take us, and even to the brink of death in manner to bring us: And we dare not so to put ourselves into his hands, to be evil entreated by injuries and reproach of him at his pleasure, as heretofore we have been. Thus far out of the letter of Henry the fourth written to the states of the Empire, how he was entrapped by treason of his son, as he was coming to the Council of men's, to have audience and order for his cause. The Abbot of Vrsperg telleth it more smoothly in the behalf of the son, Ab. Vrsperg. in Chro. ●n anno. 1106. as if the Princes fearing the Emperors coming into open presence, lest the people should fall to him, and make tumult for him, by general consent and council persuaded him to resign & send to his son the imperial robes and ornaments, the Cross, the Spear, the sceptre, the globe and crown. Bishop Otto who was of the Imperial house himself, Otto Frisin. Episc. lib. 7. cap. 11. and near about those times, more indifferently reporteth it: How he was committed to a certain castle, & requiring audience, the Princes met him at Inglehelme, & that there by their many words he was advertised, or (saith he) juxta alios circumuentus ac coactus insigniareg ni resignare & filio mittere, Or (saith Otto) as others say, circumvented and compelled to resign the ornaments of estate, and to send them to his son. Thus Bishop Otto. But the father in his letters telleth the flat truth: how he was taken by treason of his son, as he was coming to the counsel of men's to have audience. Thus we may see when treason is a foot, how one treason is on the back of an other, and there is no ho of treasons. Let us hear now how likewise he was deposed. The deposing of Henry the 4. Alb. Kra●●. Saxo. lib. 5. cap. 1●. Albert telleth it thus out of the Chronicle of Germany: Some say (saith he) that being absent he was deprived & deposed from all Imperial honour: and that mandate was given to the Bishops of men's, Colon, and Worms, to go & take from him the Imperial ensigns and ornaments perforce. And when they came into the sight of the elder at Inglehelme (where Charles the great had made a Palace) the bishops showed the mandate of the Council, The order of the deposing of Hen. the 4 out of the Chronicle of Germany. requiring the voluntary he would resign the Imperial ensigns. When he demaded the cause of so rigorous a sentence prono●ced of the Council against him without audience of his cause, they did object against him (as report goeth of them) Simony, in collating of bishoprics & Abbaries. Then said the Emperor, tell me Bishop of men's & you of Colon in the name of the eternal God, what I have taken of you? Henry the 4. cleareth himself of Simony in collating of Bishoprics. They said nothing. Then said the Emperor: Glory be to God on high, that even in this matter we have been found faithful: surely your great dignities would have yielded great gain to our coffers if we had been of the mind. My Lord of Worms doth know, whether for gain, or of our grace inducing it, we have admitted him. Do not O fathers violate your faith & allegiance: suffer a while, & do not end our glory with confusion. We crave a general court of audience. If we must yield, with our own hands we will yield the ensigns to our son. Thus the Emperor's words to the Bishops that came to depose him. The executions & dealings after, Albert telleth in this sort. And when the Bishops withstood and offered violence, the Emperor withdrawing himself a while, The Bishops of men's, Colon and Worms, with violence deposed their sovereign Lord Henry the 4. invested himself in the Imperial robes, & returning: These (saith he) ●●e the Imperial ornaments of estate, these by the goodness of the everlasting king, and election of Princes have been bestowed on me. God is able also in these to continue us, and to hold your hands from the work you intent, although we be now disgarnished of our forces and armies: for supposing ourselves to be in safety, we made no preparation against such violence. But let the fear of God stay you whom piety doth not reclaim: and if you reverence neither, behold we are in presence, we cannot resist your force. The Bishops staggered, The Bishops pluck the crown from the Emperor's head. but after they encouraged one the other to set on the Emperor, & to pluck the crown from his head: and when they had plucked him out of his seat, they turned him out of his Imperial robes & ornaments. The Emperor fetting deep sighs saith thus unto them: God the Lord of revenge see it, & take revenge of the wickedness you commit. I sustain ignominy and dishonour, that never the like was heard before: for the sins of my youth, of the just judge I am punished: you nevertheless shall not be free from sin, because you have falsified your oaths of loyalty: The Emperor compareth his Bishops to judas the Traitor. you shall not escape the vengeance of that just judge, your honour never prosper, your portion be with him that betrayed Christ. But they stopping their ears go back, carrying the imperial robes & ornaments to his son. Thus far the report of the story of the deposing of Henry the 4. out of Alber● who telleth it out of the Chronicle of Germany: for he saith: Haec est narratio nostrorum a●naliū: Who that hath bowels of good nature in him, would he not rue to hear the pitiful plaint of so valiant a Prince to his sworn subjects, that had been advanced to so high dignity of him? He gave ghostly counsel to them, which should have given it to him. But their ears were stopped like the deaf Asps. Psal. 48. They wilfully broke the oath of their allegiance, they laid violent hands on the Royal person of the Prince, they undertook the execution of treason and the Pope's curse upon the sacred person of their prince, by whom they were mounted up in high estate of honour. Thus in the treason and rebellion of the son against Henry the 4. his father, and in the deposing of him in the end, the bishops (which chief should have been faithful and loyal to him) were the principal actors and instruments against him, and took on them the execution of the Pope's curse, and the violent deposing of the Emperor from his Imperial estate. King john of England. Fabian 2.vo. part 7. in anno. 1205, So in king john of England his time, the execution of the Pope's curse upon him and the realm, was committed to the Bishops of London, Ely, Winchester, and Herford, who after they had denounced it against the king & the land, were fain to fly the land. And in that blind time, when the Pope sat in the consciences of simple people to bind and loose, the king by practice of the Pope and popish Prelates was so encountered and wrapped in troubles, that at length he yielded himself to Randolph the Pope's Legate by oath, Fabian 2.vo. part 7. in anno. 1212, to stand to the Pope's order. Finally, he was driven on his knees, to take the crown from his head (as Fabian reporteth it) & to resign it with solemn words into the Pope's hands, and after to resume it as feodary to the Pope (as Fabian telleth) upon a yearly fee of a thousand marks to be paid unto him. So when there is variance in the land, and the Pope is umpire, by cursing of Princes and lands, he fingreth and filcheth gain, and setteth a sale his cursings and blessings again. Popish Prelates are the Pope's hands and bowels in Countries. To whom chief doth he commit the trust of the execution of such things? to popish Prelates. They are as the Pope's hands in countries, they are as the bowels of his own body, and as if their conscience lived of him, they are made actors and instruments eftsoons against their own Princes for him, as in the practice of stories we see. Running to Rome. And if there grow quarrel between the Prince & them, they go round to Rome. The Pope is the umpire: they keep that string for their bow, whatsoever faileth at home. Tho. Becket packed him to Rome against Hen. the 2. Thomas Becket. & returned with authority from the Pope against the Prince. Anselme Archbishop of Canter. Anselme Archbishop of Canterb. sped him to Rome against Henry the first, & at his return held a convocation at London by the authority of the Pope against the Prince. Lanfrank Archbishop of Canterbury. Lanfrank likewise Archbishop of Canterbury, & Thomas of York, pleated the libel of their pre-eminence at Rome under William the conqueror. Abbot Benet Abbot Benet had 5. times been at Rome. Rome was their paradise on earth, to run in pilgrimage to it. The Pope as a God sat in dark consciences, as having Peter's key to bind & lose. The Abbot of Vrsperg who himself had been at Rome & runneth in Romish religion with them, and raileth upon Hen. the 4. for resistance against Popes of Rome, yet he crieth out on Rome for sucking the gain of the world, and saith: Gaude matter nostra Roma, Ab. Vrsperg. in Chro. quia aperiuntur catarractae the saurorun in terra, ut ad te confluant rivi & aggeres nummorum in magna copia: our mother Rome rejoice (saith he) because the sluices and Gulfs of gain are opened on earth, Mother Rome sacketh the treasure of the earth. that streams and heaps of money may come flowing in to thee in great abundance. Thus the Abbot though he were her dear son, yet crieth out on his mother Rome for sucking the treasures of the earth. And now because his mother Rome hath been kept so long fasting from England, & the gulf of her great gain stopped there, not only she is hungered, but with ravening jaws gapeth continually over it, by practice of monstrous treasons and rebellions to pluck it in again. Thus of the taking and deposing of Henry the 4. and of the Bishops that were chief instruments and actors in it. The fourth chief point of the discourse of this story, The 4. The death of Henry the 4. and the cruelty on his corpse. is of the death of Henry the fourth and the cruelty showed on his corpse. After that Henry the Emperor was of the bishops aforesaid thus deposed and despoiled of the robes of estate and the Imperial ensigns, he fled to Limburg, and lighting on a prince a hunting, Alb. Saxo. li. 5. cap. 20. he told him the process of their proceed: who pitying his case, conducted him to Colon with 800. soldiers. After this being toiled and persecuted of his son, and brought as it were to the pits brink, (as in his letters written to the estates of the Empire from Ledes he pitifully complained) he dieth at Ledes. The cruelty showed on the corpse of Henry the 4. Now let us hear the cruelty that was showed upon his corpse: whom they thus persecuted alive, they persecuted also in his grave. The Abbot of Vrsperg telleth, how that the Bishop of Ledes & others that took the emperors part, were reconciled to the Pope, Ab. Vrsperg. in an. 1106. and received into the communion of the Church, upon this condition among others, that they should dig up the corpse of the Emperor buried of them before, The corpse digged up. and without all honour of funeral lay it in an unhallowed place, which decree (he saith) was made with the consent of the Archbishops & Bishops that were there. Alb. Saxo. li. 5. cap. 24. Albert reporteth that the corpse stood in a desert chapel at Ledes, unburied by the space of five years, and after was buried at Spires. Ab. Vrsp. in an. 1106. The Abbot of Vrsperg telleth, how that the Corpse was transported to Spires with consent of the king his son, and there remained without the church unburied by the space of five years. Thus whom they would not suffer to rest while he lived, they would not suffer to rest in his grave also. The Pope's curse ransacketh the graves of the dead: The graves cannot hide their corpses for his cruelty. Wigberts' the Archbishop of Ravenna his corpse digged up. Wigbertes the Archbishop of Ravenna his corpse (because he was set up of Henry the 4. to be Bishop of Rome, for Grego. the 7.) was also turned out of his grave: and the corpses of other Bishops also, which were made of Wigbert, Bishop's corpse cast out of Churches. were cast out of the Churches (as the Abbot reporteth.) This was the persecution of corpses. Death quencheth not the malice of Rome, but she runneth to graves to turn up corpses as if she were mad. Hiaena. As the mad Hiaena turneth up graves (Pliny witnessing it) and rageth in corpses. Mantichorae. Plini. natu. hist. li. 8. cap. 30. Pli. nat. hist. lib. 8. cap. 21. And as the monstrous Mantichora (mentioned of Pliny also) is greedy of man's flesh, even to pluck it out of the graves. But it is zeal (saith Vrspergensis) not malice or cruelty, for speaking of the ransacking of corpses of false Bishops (as he termeth them) out of their graves, he brayeth out In tantum divinae legis subito zelus efferbuit: So greatly (saith he) the zeal of God's law suddenly boiled up. Ab. Vrsperg. in an. 1106. Is it marvel though he call Henry the fourth, julian, Aman, Nabuchodonezer, who calleth the turning of corpses of Princes and Bishops out of their graves, the zeal of God's Law? It is zeal but not according to knowledge (as the Apostle Paul calleth it. Rom. 10. Blind zeal. 1. Cor. 2. ) Blind zeal crucified Christ. If they had known the Lord of glory, they would not have crucified him. Blind zeal continually persecuteth the members of Christ, ransacketh their very graves, and triumpheth over corpses. The Abbot of Vrsperg bringeth in the Church of Rome triumphing with horns on her head to run upon her enemies, and to make the living aghast when they see corpses of the dead turned out of their graves: Ab. Vrsperg. in Chro. jam enim (saith he) exaltatus divinitus ecclesia Romana cornibus, ad incutiendum timorem cunstis usque quaque scismatum membris, etc. Now (saith he) the Church of Rome having her horns by divine power exalted, The horns of the church of Rome set on by the Abbot of Vrsperg. to make all the members of schisms to quake: caused the bones of Wigbert their head (by Henry the 4. placed pope & Archbishop of raven. before) to be cast out of his grave. Thus the Abbot bringeth forth the Church of Rome in her triumph, casting out bodies of the dead out of their graves, to make the living to be afraid of her. As Zedekia the false Prophet made horns of iron, Zedekiah. and said to Ahab the wicked and idolatrous king, 2. Re. 22. with these horns shalt thou push the Syrians until thou have made an end of them. And the false Prophets prophesied: even so, go up to Ramoth in Gilead and prosper, for the Lord shall deliver it into the king's hands. But king Ahab was brought home dead in his Chariot. So the Abbot hath made iron horns for the Church of Rome, to push down all her enemies, and to cast them out of their graves, and they come unto her, as they did to Ahab: go and poosper. The Lord shall deliver all into thy hands: If any Church may wear iron horns and triumph with them, the Chuche of Rome may: as for turning corpses out of graves, none ever might compare with her. Thus of the death of the Emperor Henry the fourth, and the cruelty showed on his corpse. The fift chief point of the discourse of this story is, The 5. The judgement of their own writers. the judgement of their own writers of the case. Otto Bishop of Frising of the Imperial line touching his parentage, and in superstition not (behind for he took Monkery on him, Otto B. of Frising. and among the Monks of Morimond he) died and touching his story for his indifferency in laying it down, he is commended of Aeneas Silvius: Aeneas Silvius in hist. Aust. Historiae (saith he) legem seruavit, ut neque cognatio veritati, neque cognationi officeret veritas: He kept (saith he) the law of story, that nearness of blood should not hinder truth, (because he was near of the Imperial blood) nor truth nearness of blood. This rebellion and outrage of Henry the fift against Henry the fourth his father, Otto Frising. Episc. anna. lib. 7. cap. ●. upon pretence of the Pope's curse, he calleth: Tam inauditum & inhumanum hoc mundi factum: So uncouth and never the like hard of, and unnatural a fact of this world: which may provoke us to the contempt of the world (as he saith) to see such outrage in it. Alb. Kranz. Sax. lib. 5. cap. 16. Albert Deane of Haumburg maketh a wonder of it in the world, and saith: Brethren have made war one against another, and most near friends have fought together: Sed filium (saith he) insurgere patrires est sine exemplo: But the son (saith he) to rise against the father is a thing without example. Thus Albert, as if nature itself were wounded, wondereth at so monstrous a fact, procured and practised under pretence of the Pope's curse, the execution whereof they count piety, though it be treason and rebellion of the son against his own father. The Abbot of Vrsperg with too much partiality and bitterness against Henry the 4. Io. Cusp. in vita Henr. 4. corrupteth the story, and therefore of Cuspinian one of their own religion is reproved: as also Hermamnus Contract. Hermamnus. Blondus. Platina. Merula. Mouthie Merula and such others. The Italian writers of stories, as Blond. Plat. & such others, are 2. great pleasers of Popes, and deliver not the story with such indifferency between Emperors and Popes as they should do, because of the partiality of religion and of their Country, and their entertainment & following after Popes. The fresh fountain Arethusa of Sicily by the salt Sea is counted a strange thing in nature: Italian writers of stories. Arethusa the fountain. And in writing of stories, it strange for an Italian writer of stories to be free from partiality of Popes, being so near them and eftsoons appertaining to them, as Platina and Blondus and such others. Therefore with good judgement they must be red, to sift the corn from the chaff, the story from the partiality of Popes. But the Abbot of Vrsperg though he be not of the Country of Popes, yet because he hath a Pope in his conscience, as rolled on the grounds of Popery, runneth thick with dregs of partiality to Popes, Abbas Vrsperg. in chr. in an. 1106. and so corrupteth the clearness of the story. No marvel though he call Henry the 4. thus cursed of the Popes, an Archpirate, and Arch-heritike. Nabucodonezer and julian. john Cuspinian, who was of Maximilians council, and of their own religion, Io. Cusp. in. vita Hen. 4. praiseth Henry the fourth for an eloquent, liberal, and godly Prince, sharp of wit, and warlike, and lucky in the wars, & that fought more battles in his own person, then either M. Marcellus or julius Caesar the famous warriors in the stories. Thus Cuspinians praises of him. Otto Frisin. Episc. ann. lib. 7. cap. 11. Bishop Otto reporteth the opinions of others touching his alms deeds, and many works of mercy done by him: in respect whereof they think he merited of God (as out of the humours of the darkness of that time they speak) to have the wanton conversation of his youth (wholly he was alive) to be punished with such afflictions in this present world. Thus Bishop Otto delivereth the judgements of others of him. Albert Deane of Hanburg and devout of their side, Alber. Kranz Saxo. Lib. 5. cap. 24. yet can not bury in silence his condign praises: he sayeth he was a noble, a learned, a valiant Prince, of goodly parsonage fit for a king, and that by the space of 50. years kept the sovereignty of the public state, yet he inspergeth him with great vices and pride that would not stoop. Thus Albert's report of him. Touching Pope Gregory the 7. that first cursed him, Abbas Vrsperg. in chr. in an. 1800. Brixiense Con. he is charged in the council of Brixia with heinous crimes, and that he is a Necromansier and that dealeth with a familiar. And the Bishops in the council of Brixia refer themselves to the authority of a council at men's holden against him before. Ab. Vrsperg. in an. 1076. Worma. council. And in the council of Worms, he is likewise charged with great infamies. Otto. Fris. Epis. lib. 6. cap. 35. Bishop Otto sayeth, that he was the first of his knowledge in the Roman stories, that took upon him to excommunicate and curse a Roman Emperor or king. The Abbot of Vrsperg saith, Ab. Vrsperg. in an. 74. that under him the whole Church began to be turmoild with new errors of schisms that never were hard before. In the council of Worms likewise, he is charged that the Church of God through the abuse of his novelties is endangered with so sore a tempest. Abbas Vrspergensis. in an. 1076. Thus the Bishop of his own religion, and writers of his own side report of him, and of the strange evils of schisms and divisions never heard of before, and of the abuse of his novelties. No marvel then though he were the first that undertook the excommunicating & cursing of a Roman Emperor (as Otto voucheth) and rend the whole Church with schisms, and the civil and public state with divisions and rebellions. Bishop Otto when he cometh to the point of the cause, touching the deposing of Henry the fourth from his Imperial state upon the Pope's curse, Bishop Otto suspendeth his judgement passeth it over without interlasing his own judgement and opinion of the proceed thereof, and sayeth: all which things whether they were lawfully or unlawfully done, we do not determine. Thus Bishop Otto kept his judgement in suspense, Otto Frising Episc. lib. 7. cap. 11. touching the proceedings against Henry the fourth, by laying down the story, with profession that he will not lay down any judgement of it. May we not as it were at a loop and hole see the day? So we may sound his judgement by his profession, that he will give no judgement in the cause. If he had liked the Pope's curse and the proceedings against the Emperor, he needed not to be dainty of his judgement, whereof no danger ensued to him, which was so plausible on the Pope's side, and at which the Pope's Clergy (as it were) clapped their hands: But because it was a bone in his conscience to have such outrage done to Princes upon the Pope's curse, he keepeth his conscience clear for giving judgement in the case: though otherwise for his religion right on the Pope's side, the Monks of Morimond Abbey (among whom he died) and the order of the Cistertian Monks (which he professed) might witness. Aeneas Syl. in Hist Austral. If he should lay down his judgement against the Pope in favour of Henry the fourth, he should pluck the Pope and his Clergy upon him. Then Otto one of their own Bishops and a professed Monk of the Cistertians order, Heretics against the Pope. Henry the 4. Wigbert Archbishop of Ravenna. Wekil Archbishop of men's. Abbas Vrspergensis. in chro. in. an 1085. should be an heretic against the Pope also, as Henry the fourth was made an heretke, for opposing himself against the Pope, and Wigbert Archbishop of Ravenna was made an heretic, because of Henry the fourth he was promoted to be bishop of Rome in the place of Gregory the seventh: and as Wekil the Archbishop of men's was called an arch-heretic in the council of Quintiligoburg (as Vrspergensis calleth it) because in holding disputation against Geberherdus Archbishop of Salzburg for Henry the 4. his sovereign Lord, he laid down his reasons of the prejudicing his Sovereign by the Pope, & other Princes: and that he being despoiled of his dominion in Saxoni before Duke Rodolphs' rebellion, was not lawfully to be called, We kill his disputations for Henry the 4. judged, and condemned. They were so nettled with the disputation of Wekill the Archbishop of men's for his Sovereign, that they called an other council at Quintilingoburg: where Otto Bishop of Ostia the Pope's Legate was, Ab. Vrsperg. in chro. in an. 1086. and there Wekill was made an heretic, and called an arch-heretic. This Otto precedent of this Council, was after the death of Gregory the 7. (who died at Salern) made Pope in his place: and then he fell a cursing of Henry the 4. as his predecessor had done. No marvel though he were so apt to coin heresies, and to challenge them to be arch-heretics, which held disputations for the Emperor against the Pope. Trow you what should Otto Bishop of Frising have been in their mouths, Wherefore Bishop Otto leaveth his judgement in suspense. if he had intermeddled his judgement for Henry the 4. against the pope's proceed? Would they not have forgotten his religion, & his monkery of Morimond, & the order of Cistertians whereof he was professed, & he should have been an arch-heretic as Wigbert and Wekil were. Therefore Bishop Otto seeing the danger (though he were of the Imperial house himself) lappeth it up in his own conscience, and saith he will not deal in determining the cause, but layeth down the story. Yet hath he left a loupe-hole to look into his judgement. Thus he qualifieth it with soft words, videntur tamen) saith he) culpandi sacerdotes per omnia qui regnum suo gladio quèm ipsi ex regum habent gratia ferire conantur. Otto Frisin. Episc. lib. 7. in Prologue. Pope's have received their sword of Princes, which they turn on them. Yet (saith he) the Priest's algates seem culpable, which take in hand to strike the kingdom with their sword, which of the grace of Princes they have received. Thus Otto. And lest he should seem to have launched to deep, by and by he layeth to a plaster: except perhaps (saith he) they think to follow David, which first by God's might overthrew the Philistine, and after killed him with his own sword. He dare not bide by it, lest he able for it as the Emperor did. Therefore he frameth an excuse for them out of David's example, who killed the Philistine with his own sword. So they are David's in this construction, and Princes Philistines, which are killed with their own sword, that they gave to them. But howsoever Otto seemeth to hover, and not to give direct judgement in the emperors cause, for drawing himself in suspicion and danger also. And howsoever he gloseth this example for them, they are Philistines in the right intendment, which contrary to God's ordinances strike David's and Princess elected of God, with the sword that of the grace of Princes they have received. Otto pointeth at the sore, but feareth to launch it too deep, in saying: that Popes strike Princes with the sword which they have received of them. The Primitive Church was stricken with the sword of Princes for the faith of Christ: the Pope's Church striketh Princes against the ordinance of Christ with the sword which they have received of Princes. Pope Paschal the second who cursed both the father and the son, Henry the fourth first, Pope Pasc. cursed the father and the son. and Henry the fifth after the death of his father, in the council of Rome saith: the Primitive Church flourished with the blood of martyrs before God, but not before men. After in the end kings, and Emperors, The council of Rome. and Roman Princes were converted. Qui matrem suam ecclesiam sicut boni filii honestaverunt: Who to their mother the Church did honesty and honour in advancing her: Abbas Vrsperg. in a●, 1112. And bestowed lands, revenues, and royalties on her, as Constantine the Emperor and other the faithful: and the Church began to flourish then so well before God as ●●fore men. So far the words of Pope Pachal. He confesseth from whom they ha●● their principalities, and royalties, and the sword, of which Otto speaketh, which they have turned upon Princes, of whom they first received it. Further at the same time Pope Paschal said as Albertus Kranz and the Abbot of Vrsperg reporteth his words much like in effect) Habeat (saith he) matter ecclesiae dona principum, Let mother Church (saith he) have the gifts of Princes, dispense, dispose, and give them to whom lawfully she may & wil Thus far Pope Paschals words. It is apparent by their own confession from whenc they have revenues, royalties, principalities, and their worldly countenance, and the sword mentioned of Otto before. If the donation of Constan. (as they call it) were true (as Laurence Valla a noble Roman with long discourse proveth it to be forged) yet from the Roman Emperor they claim it. Laurence Valla against the donation of Constant. But Gregory the 7. (who cursed Henry the fourth before Paschal the second) setteth Pope Paschal to school, and setteth his conveyance of Rome from Christ, Grego. 7. Alb Kranz. Saxo. lib. 5. cap. 7. as Alb. reporteth the verse which with a Crown he sent to Duke Rodolph, that by rebellion against Henry the ●●●th he should win the Crown and wear 〈◊〉 A fit Champion to give first onset on Emperors (as Otto his opinion is) to curse them, & to strike them with the sword which they have received of them: as an unkind Imp persecuting & plaguing the Empire out of which it sprang. Hederae Anaplexicaulis. Mathe. in lib. 2. Dios. cap. 75. Theophrast writeth of Hedera the jui, that is called Amplexicaulis (Matheolus citing it) because it groweth about trees and girdeth them in: so overgroweth them in the end, that the trees decay, and it flourisheth in the decays of the trees, & as he saith Necat & exiccat ablato alimento, it killeth & starveth (trees) by sucking away their nourishment from them: So Popedom hath been to Thempire: it growed first out of Thempire, & after it hath so overgrown, girded in, & continually sucked the Empire, that it hath starved in manner Thempire, The Church of Rome mounted in the decay of the Empire. Otto. Fris. Epis. lib. 7. in prologo. in respect of the former estate thereof, and flourisheth itself in the decays of it, and by the fall of the ancient Empire, & Emperors it is mounted aloft. Bishop Otto saith, by the decay of Thempire the Church is grown to a great mountain, and began to grow in great state and authority. And before he mentioneth the opinions of some: Non desunt (saith he) qui dicunt deum ad hoc regnum immini volitisse ut ecclesia exaltetur: There lack not (saith he) that say, that therefore God would have the kingdom to de● that the Church should be exalted: thus O●to. They glory of the exaltation of their Church by the decays of the Empire and ruins of Emperors, whom by treasons, rebellions, and outrage of subjects against their Princes, and of the son against his own father, they have overthrown. How doth Antichrist exalt himself, and lift up his horns? (as Vrspergensis spoke of lifting up the horns of the Church of Rome, Ab. Vrsperg. in Chro. by plucking Henry the fourth and faithful Bishops to him out of their graves) doth he not exalt himself by the oppression of the lively word of God, and of Princes and civil governments, and such horrible and monstrous outrages in the world? But Otto lamenteth the great outrages of the world in this exaltation of the Church of Rome. Rome itself was not free from them as the mother of the mischiefs. Otto Frising Episc. lib. 6. cap. 35. For as Otto saith: Roma obsessa, capta, vastata, Papa super Papam etc. Rome itself (saith he) was besieged, taken, ransacked: Pope upon Pope, and king upon king. etc. And because of the number of the great & unnatural outrages of those times of Hen. the 4. and Henry the 5. of which he writeth, he saith: these our times (for of his own experience not only of report, he writeth the story of those times, as very near them himself: for he wrote the story of Friderick the first, under whom he lived and died in great honour) which are thought to be the last times, drawing former sins to their end by the outrage of sins threatening the end of the world. If this he spoke of his time about 4. Outrages of sins a signa of the world drawing to an end. hundred years agone and more, what shall we say of the outrage of grievous sins and practices, and unnatural and monstrous treasons in these latter times, in which the Devil finding his time to be but short, (as S. john saith in the Revelations) striveth to win the mastery of himself, reve. 12. and to exceed himself in contriving and practising bloody treasons and outrages against the Church of God, and Princes set up of God, to be nurses thereof? But our comfort is, 1. Cor. 1. faithful is the Lord, as Paul saith, by whom we are called into the fellowship of his son jesus Christ. And thus he comforteth the Thes. faithful is he which called you, who will also do it. 1. Thes. 5. And feeling experience of this comfort & courage in himself, to Tim. he saith: 2. Tim. 4. the Lord will deliver me from every evil work, & will preserve me to his heavenly kingdom. The hairs of our head are told: our states ever are in his sight, this providence preventeth imminent dangers. There is a monument or memorial book written before him, as Malachi calleth it Zepherziccharon, Mala. 3. for them that fear the Lord, and for them that think on his name. God give us grace with hearty prayer to sue to him, that 〈◊〉 memorial book may continually be before him, for the long and prosperous preservation of Elizabeth our Queen, against all imminent dangers, conspiracies, and treasons at home and abroad whatsoever. The 6. The judgement of God on Henry the 5. for his rebellion and treasons against his father. The sixth of the chief points of my discorse of this story is, the judgement of God on Henry the 5. for his treason and rebellion against his father. Wherein I will note the judgement of God on him touching the cause, touching the cursing of Popes, touching the treason and rebellion of his own subjects, touching his wars, touching his treasure, touching lack of fruit, and touching his own body. First note touching the cause. First touching the cause wherefore his father was cursed of the pope's. It was objected to him of the Bishops that deposed him, (Albert reporting it out of the Chronicles of Germany,) for that he would not yield to Popes the ancient right & prerogative of the Empire, from Charles the great 1. Emperor of the West, continued by the space of 300. years, & under 63 Bishops of Rome, Cuspinian witnessing it.) Touching the investing of Churches, which they called Simony or the simonical heresy, and excomminged those that received such investing of Princes by lay hand as they term it. Henry the 5. Henry the 5. his son after he came to the Empire, maintained the same right and ancient prerogative of the Empire against Popes, and was purposed never during life to leave it, Ab. Vrsper. in chro. in an. 1122. as Vrspergensis noteth, lest he should prejudice the honour of his kingdom. While it was his father's case, he took part with Popes against him: While his father opposed himself against Popes in the defence of the ancient right and prerogative of the Empire, he by practice of Popes, and upon pretence of religion, opposed himself against his father, professed obedience to the Sea of Rome, Ab. Vrsperg. in chro. in an. 1105. condemned the heresy afore said, betrayed his own father, & took arms upon him, and rebelled in the Empire against him. But after by persecution he had worn out his own father by the practice and backing of Popes and their Clergy, and that he was Emperor himself, and it was now his own case, than was the case clean altered. It was heresy no more: it was unlawful obedience to the Sea of Rome, to yield up the ancient right and privileges of the Empire. Then could he send answer by his soldiers to Pope Paschal, that such demands were not to be granted, because it was written, ●●ue to Caesar those things that are Caesar's and to God those that are Gods. Then the case remaining on his conscience, was clean changed. Then he made not conscience to lay violent hands upon Pope Paschal by his soldiers in the Church, and to carry him prisoner into his camp, there to put him in sure guard, ●il by solemn instrument he had yielded up the claim, Alb. Kranz. Saxo. lib. 5. cap. 33. as Albert writeth it. But while it was his father's case, it was heresy in him, & religion in himself to rebel against his father, Otto Frisin. Episc. lib. 7. cap. 8. as Bishop Otto said: Rebellionem sub specie religionis, eò quòd pater eius a romans Pont. excommunicatus esset molitur. Rebellion under colour of religion he attemteth, because his father was excomminged of the Roman Bishops. Religion was the pretence, but ambition of sovereignty, appeareth to be practice as the same Otto saith. Otto Frising. Epis. lib. 7. cap. 9 The 2. note. The Roman kingdom for ambition to reign, was divided not only civilly, but parricidially. Thus Otto touching the cause wherefore he rebelled against his own father. The second note is, of the judgement of God touching the cursings of Popes on him also. Pope Pasc. the 2. which cursed the father, & tyced Henry the 5. the son to treason and rebellion against him, and who to the counsel of men's (where his father required audience) sent his Legates to renew and confirm his old curses against him, after that Henry the 5. Ab. Vrsper. in chro. in an. 1106. Paschal. 2 Gelatius. 1. Calixtus 2. was Emperor, for the same cause and claim, fell a cursing him also, & 3. Popes in a row Paschal the 2. Gelasius the 2. and Calixtus the 2. did set on him with cursing and banning for the same cause. They set their axes to the tree to hue it down, as they did to Henry the 4. before, and others. Their curses were their axes, with which they were wont to hue down Princes. But now they are but blind blasts in the which they do but spend their breath. After Paschal, Gelasius made a fresh assault on him. He was driven to his father's practice. As he set up Wigbert Archbishop of Ravenna to be Pope for Gregory the 7. Abbas Vrsperg. in chro. in an. 1118. Ab. Vrsperg. in an. 1119. so the son set up one Burdinus a Spaniard against Gelatius the 2. who withdrew himself: after whose death Calix. the 2. prosecuted the cause & curse: and Burdinus daily decayed, whom they termed the Idol, because he was set up of Hen. the 5. So as his father was cursed 〈◊〉. Popes, so for the same cause he that for Popes rebelled against his father, was cursed of 3. also. The 3. The 3. note. note is the judgement of God touching the treason and rebellion of his own subjects against him. Ab. Vrsp. in an. 1115. In Saxony where rebellion began first against his father, there also began treason and rebellion against him. And there they fought a battle with him, the bishop of Halbarstat being chief conductor of it. Abbas Vrspergensis. ●n. an. 1116. And as the Archbishop of men's was ringleader of the rebellion against his father, so likewise the Archbishop of men's stirreth the coals & kindleth matters against him. At Colon they were hammering of a practice against him, & when he saw the fire of rebellion thus blown up against him, he struck his sails and vealed his bonnet, and sent Ambassadors to Rome for reconciliation. And being then cumbered with rebellion of the Archbishop of men's and the Saxons, in process he submitted himself to the bishop of Ostia for the Pope, & resigned the investing of churches by ring & rod, the which German kings so long had exercised as Vrsp. saith, ●b. Vrsp. in 2●. 1122. & with he thought never to departed withal during his life: reserving this, that the person chosen should by sceptre receive his royalties of him. And Bishop Otto saith, Otto Frisin. Episc. li. 7. cap. 16. that the Romans say this to have been granted to him but in favour of peace & not to his successors. Thus of the judgement of God touching treasons and rebellion of his subjects against him The 4. note The 4. note is of God's judgement touching his wars. God blessed him not in his wars with good success (as Vrsp. doth witness: Ab. Vrsperg. in an 1124. ) where as his father was lucky in wars: and all his life he was drawn in wars. Io. Cusp. in vita Henr. 5. Thus of God's judgement showed in his wars. The 5. The 5. note. note is the judgement of God touching his treasure. As he ransacked his father's treasure in his rebellion at Spires, so he left his treasures he knew not to whom (as Vrspergensis saith: Ab. Vrsperg. in an. 1124. ) he heaped upinfinit treasure he knew not for whom, as the scripture saith, dying without issue himself. Thus of God's judgement touching his treasure. The sixth note is, The 6. note. of God's judgement touching lack of fruit: God blessed him not with fruit, because ●ee rebelled against the bowels out of which he came. The seventh note is the judgement of god in his body. The .7. note. He had a strange disease that hanged upon him called Dracunculi, Alb. Kranz. Saxo. lib. 5. cap. 45. of which he died at Traiect: and at his death he discovered it to the Queen and those that were near to him. Thus of the judgement of God upon Henry the 5. who rebelled against his own father because he was cursed of Popes. The last of the chief matters of the first part is, The last of the chief matters. the judgement of God upon the cursing Popes. GRegorie the 7. Greg. 7. that first cursed Henry the 4. was chased out of Rome by him, fled to Salern, and there miserably died. Bonifacius. 8 Boniface the eight, who cursed Philip king of France, surnamed the Fair, was by a sudden rush of Sarra and others made on him at Anagnia, taken prisoner and carried to Rome, where in sorrow he died. Hadrian 4. After Pope Hadrian at Anagnia, Abbas Vrsperg in chr. De scismate sub●rto. as Vrspergensis testifieth, had denounced the excommunication and curse against Frederik the first Emperor of that name: after a few days he walked forth to take the air, with such of his servants which were about him: and when he came to a certain fountain he drank thereof, and by and by (as it is said) a Flee chopped into his mouth, and stuck in his throat, and by no art of Physic could be rid away, till he gave up the ghost. Thus Vrsperg telleth the cursing Pope his end. Our Saviour said of the Pharisees, that they swallowed Camels & strained gnats. They Popes are the great Pharisees in the church of God now. Mat. 23. They draw Christian Princes thorough their throats, & as gulfs they gape to swallow them up: but suddenly God stoppeth up their pipes, as he sent a Flee to choke up Pope Hadrian in the end. Vrbanus 3. Vrbanus the third Pope of that name being a Milliner, in hate of the Emperor Frede. the first, as Vrsperg. witnesseth, did excommunicate & curse him, because he had plagued & brought under his country for their rebellion against him. Therefore (as the Abbot saith) they called him Turbanum, Abbas Vrsperg. in chr. in an. 1185. because he reared new turmoils & troubles in christendom, in revenge of his country, which for their sundry rebellions was overrun of the Emperor. And the abbot of Vrsperg touching his end saith, Sed Nutu dei percussus interijt: But (saith he) being stricken of God's hand he died: the was a Pope but of one year. Two of the Pope's that cursed Hen. the 4. Henry. 4. Hen. 5. died before him. Two of the pope's that cursed Hen. the 5. died likewise before him. Three pope's that cursed Frede. the first Emperor of that name, Frederick 1. departed this life before him, & the 4. likewise that was but entering into matters against him. Two of the pope's that cursed Fred. the 2. Fred. 2. Emperor of the name, peaked out of the world before him. Two of the pope's that cursed Ludo. Ludouick of Bavare. Themperor surnamed of Bauare, left their curses & corpses behind them before him. And 2. of the pope's continuing their cursed vain against Q. Elizabeth our gracious sovereign, Queen Elizabeth. have been summoned out of this life before the everlasting judge. We humbly beseech the tender mercy of God for their curses to power numbers of blessings on her royal person and estate, & that long she may live & prosperously reign over us, to the utter ruin of Popery, and to the perpetual establishing of God's word and true religion amongst us. The 2. principal matter of this treatise. Of the conceiving of treasons, rebellions, & ● such like disloyalties and wickedness, by occasion of the words of David: He conceiveth sorrow. Of conceiving treasons, etc. FIrst, of the conceiving of them, than what they conceive, sorrow, travail, and wretchedness. By conceiving is signified the secret contriving & compassing their treasons, rebellions, and such like wickedness, because of the secret working of them, as conceiving is the secret work of nature, when the fruit is framed in the womb. Psal. 139. David saith, that he was made secretly and fashioned in the earth: And of the wicked he saith, Psal. 64. they imagine wickedness and practise it, which they keep secret among themselves, every one in the depth of his heart. Psal. 36. And in another place: He imagineth mischief on his bed. And of this imagining, meditating, and prepensing of such wicked facts, their facts are called Zimma, or Mezimmoth, of the word Zaman, that signifieth to meditate or muse. And because out of the root of pride commonly they spring, and of presumption are contrived, Psal. 19 David calleth such wicked facts Zedim, superbias, pride and presumptions, and prayeth to God to keep him from presumptions. Thy judgements (saith he) are far out of his sight: Psal. 10 he saith in his heart, tush God hath forgotten it, he hideth his face, and he will never see it. But suddenly his hand is in their paul, as the word that Paul useth fitly signifieth, 1. Cor. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as some translate it carpit, he catcheth the wily in their wiliness. This is the state of their mind in the conceiving and hammering of their wicked plaits, and framing them as in a forge to fashion them to their purpose. Pli. hist. nat. lib. 8. cap. 36. Pliny writeth that the Bear conceiveth and bringeth forth a lump, and after Lambendo figurat with licking it continually, she fashioneth it like herself. So they conceive their wicked plaits & lumps at first, but after they lay them out in particular practices and by degrees fashion them: As Esay saith: Esay 59 They hatch Cockatrice's eggs, which bringeth forth their own bane, and their works as Spider's webs are contrived with cunning, and soon are swept away. Though the hunting Spider which Dioscorides calleth Lupus, Diosco. lib. 2. cap. 57 cunningly spinneth his webs, and hangeth them out like nets for his prey, yet soon they are gone. So the wicked make cunning gins for other, and warp wily webs, but soon they are gone, Esay 30. and eftsoons they are caught in them their selves. God by the Prophet Esay crieth, Woe to them that take counsel without him, and that take secret advice but not of his spirit, & therefore add sin to sin. Thus God proclaimeth woe to them the contrive secret Counsels to seek help in foreign forces of Egypt, and trust in the shadow of Egypt, as the Prophet saith, and seek not to God for help. Therefore he saith, the trust in the shadow of Egypt shallbe your shame. Such are Counsels which are contrived without the spirit of God, without which counsels be they never so cunningly contrived and carried, cannot prosper. The Prophet noteth how secretly they convey them, & as some expound the words, they cover them with a covering: because the word massecha, some expoundeth a covering: for that their council for help of foreign forces, they think shallbe a covering and succour for them. Some note that the word massecha, signifieth both a covering and council, Massecha, a covering and council. because council is covered in secrecy, and thereof it is called. The Septuagint express it by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which signifieth pacts or contracts: because in contriving their counsels for foreign forces, they make pacts and contracts about them. This may be a fit glass for all that contrive such wicked counsels to look into. First the spirit of God is sequestered from them: then they contrive them and cover them with great secrecy, and their counsels are as coverings, but that by divine providence suddenly they are discovered. And for ●●e managing & practising of them they make pacts and compacts, conspiracies, and confederacies of foreign forces. They bend and bind themselves in wicked vows, devilish oaths, and conjurations for the achieving of them: as they that bound themselves with an oath that they would not eat or drink till they had killed Paul. Act. 23. Novatus. Novatus the ancient heretic, used to bind them by oath that received the holy Communion of him, while they were receiving it, Euseb. hist. eccle. in li. 6. cap. 42. that they should never relinquish and leave his part, and return to Cornelius again: who being the Bishop of Rome then, & after a Martyr for the faith of Christ, maintained the truth against Novatus heresy & schism. Priscillian his sect. Priscillian the Spanish heretic his sect that is called after his name, for concealing their wicked secrets, have this devilish decree among them, August. ad Quod vul. cap. 70. as Augustine witnesseth: jura, periura, secretum prodere noli: Swear, forswear, bewray not secrets. They that are conceived with wicked and devilish things, would hide and cover them deep, as if they would bury them in the bowels of the earth, to hide them from the Almighty God. When they begin once to hide themselves from God, as Adam did when he had sinned they think that their wicked works are hid from God, because they go about to hide and cover them f●●● men. Wherefore dost thou jacob say, (as god by the Prophet Esay saith) and Israel thus speak: Esay. 40. My way is hid from the Lord, and ●y judgement is passed away from my God. Return (saith God) by the Prophet Esay from your departing or falling away, Esay 31. into which so deeply you are fallen. In the conceiving of wicked thoughts, and when they begin to draw deep in them, the more they decline from God by them, the more the devil hath power over their minds, counsels, actions, and the whole course of their life. Then he casteth mists before their eyes, and shutteth them up in their own Counsels as in dungeons of darkness, that they see no light of heaven, and glimce of the grace of God: as when nabal that is the foolish or mad man saith in his heart, there is no God. And in another Psalm: My heart (saith David) showeth me the wickedness of the ungodly, Psal. 14. Psal. 36. that there is no fear of God before his eyes. Thus of the conceiving of treasons, rebellions, and such wickedness, how the spirit of God is sequestered from them, and they cover them deep, and decline and fall away from God. The 2. point of this part. The second point of this part is, that in true judgement they do conceive sorrow, travail, wretchedness. What they do conceive. The vulgar text termeth it sorrow: the Septuagint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, that is, labour or travail: other molestiam, trouble or disquietness: and the word amal that the Prophet useth, signifieth wretchedness, grief, sorrow, labour, weariness. So the word importeth the true nature and quality of such things, as in themselves and in sequel and true judgement they are: for even in the conceiving and contriving of their wicked Counsels & plaits, they shall feel gripings of sorrow, boiling of conscience, & gnawing of unquiet minds: when they would rest, they shall find themselves in many strange moods. As they that in conceiving by reason of a sickness commonly called Pica, Pica. have strange appetites and longings after things, because of the distemperature of their stomachs: Trinka. de rati. curan. lib. 7. cap. 2. so because the state of their minds wholly is distempered, such as are conceived with such wicked intentions have monstrous appetites, longings, aspire, and find themselves in many strange moods: and because of their conceiving and contriving their wicked Counsels, such fruits ensue, they are called by the name of trouble, travail, sorrow, wretchedness, weariness. Thus in true judgement they are, and the word that the Prophet useth giveth us notice of the true nature of the things. God endue us with true judgement to shun such things. Because judgement is corrupt in them that conceive such things, therefore they seem not so to them: for the Devil singeth sweet songs and tunes unto them, till he hath made them sure in his snares. The Fowler hath pleasant calls to bring the foul to his Nets. Hyena the cruel beast, hath a familiar call to call out shepherds by name, Pli. hist. nat. lib. 8. cap. 30. as Pliny telleth, and when they come, she falleth upon them to devour them: So the Devil hath a familiar call in the very bosoms of the wicked, by evil suggestions and counsels, to bring them into his gins to destroy them: he showeth them sweet hanging hopes and lingering expectations in one hand, and in the other he bringeth snares, halters, shame and pain. Therefore if with the eye of true judgement we look into such things, they are rightly (as the holy Ghost calleth them) wretchedness, toil, travail, trouble, sorrow, unquietness, as the nature of the word doth induce. That they seem pleasant and plausible to those that are conceived with them, it is longing of the suggestions of Satan, which are like sweet songs to them, but they turn to sorrow. He transfigureth himself into an angel of light, 2. Cor. 11. as S. Paul saith: And in the humours of the wicked he transfigureth himelfe as he listeth: and by secret suggestions turneth himself into such shapes as he will. But in right judgement the conceiving of such wicked intentions and counsels in them, is like the running of soranses, and spreading of Malanders that cannot stay, Am. Pareu●. li. 12. ca 10. which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: and because they grow into ill qualities and habit, they are called Cacoethe that will not yield to cure: and these are like to fretting cankers and eating Gangrenes, 2. Tim. 2. to which S. Paul compareth the speech of Himenaeus and Philetus. There is no remedy for eating cankers and resolute treasons. Psal. 55. David saith of the churls of Coila that would have betrayed him for the good he had done to them: there is no change with them, or they will not turn and fear God. Can the Ethiopian or man of India (as Hieremie sayeth of the jews hardened in their wickedness) change his hue, Hier. 13. or can the Leopard change his spots? No more can they leave to do evil that are taught, trained and given up unto it. The holy ghost give them grace to be reclaimed from such wicked ways, and direct them with the light of true judgement to fly and shun them. Thus what in true judgement they do conceive, sorrow, trouble, travail, toil, wretchedness, and weariness. The 3. principal part. Of the travailing with treasons, rebellions & such like disloyalties, upon the words of David: He travaileth with iniquity or mischief. Of traveling with treasons WIth a general word is noted and employed all wickedness. The Septuagint translate the word Aven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, unrighteousness: some expound it a vain thing: others mischiefs. Such is the travail of the wicked, when they employ themselves to bring forth their wicked intentions and purposes. In this treatise I will note first what travailing is, The order of this part. than who setteth them on to travail, after how they watch for opportunities and occasions. The first of this part. First, what travailing is: It is a bending of all their wits, abilities, and forces to the uttermost, to put in execution their wicked intentions, What travailing is. and to bring them to pass. As we see when a woman is in travail, she doth all that possibly she can to be delivered of her fruit. And here we may note that the wicked when they are conceived and resolute in their wicked plaits, employ their whole minds and main mights to the uttermost, to put them in execution, and to accomplish them. After that Adonias had conceived in his aspiring mind to sit on David's seat after him, Adonias. 1. Reg. 1. he gate him horses and chariots, horsemen and fifty men to run before him, with other confederates and men of arms, and he thought by such means to carry it, and to be his own car●er, but he miss the garland: Absalon. for god's providence had appointed it to Solomon. Absalon the Traitor to king David his own father, 2. Sam. 15. was long in travail with his treasons: he would the people with fawning flattery, as the scripture setteth him forth. At last he sounded his trumpet, that Absalon was king, and David was down: but God's providence suddenly turned Absalon down, and David continued in the royal seat. Sheba the rebel, Sheba. had gotten a walled town over his head: assoon as joab with the king's host came thither, his head was trilled over the wall, by the counsel of a wise woman the persuaded them. Dathan, Dathan. Coraah, and Abiram. Coraah, & Abiram made a great mutiny against Moses, & began to make themselves strong against him: but while they were in travail of their treason & rebellion against him, suddenly the earth opened, & swallowed them up quick. judas had conference with the Pharisees and Priests for the betraying of his master to them: judas. Mat. 26. after he travailed with his treasons and came with forces by night, with lanterns & weapons, but assoon as they came they reeled back and fell on ground. joh. 18. Before his hand was in the dish with our Saviour at his last supper, Luke 22 & after he had received the sop at our Saviour his hand (as S. john saith) the devil entered into him, joh. 13. & by and by he was in travail with the treason● which he had conceived before. Thus what travailing is. The 2. of this part. Who setteth them on travail. The 2. point of this part is, who setteth them on to travail. After the Devil is entered them as he did into judas, and that they are resolute in their treasons & wicked intents, he mightily & effectually worketh in children of disobedience, as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth, which S. Paul useth. Ephe. 2. Then they fall in travail with them: & if they stay, he will set spurs to them by secret suggestions, affections, & passions: For of mad moods & raging passions, the wicked in the scriptures are called Reshaim: & because they are unstable & cannot stay in one state, as Pagnin voucheth out of R. Abraham. The prophet isaiah compareth them to troublesome Seas that cannot rest. Esay 57 The devil rideth in their humours as horses, & he never leaveth spurring of them with inward suggestions & outward occasions & occurrents, till he set them in travail. They must needs go (as commonly they say) whom the Devil driveth: & he driveth them on in their own humours & passions like horses & mules without understanding, Psal. 31. as David saith, till he bring them to their travail to work his will. When the good spirit was departed from king Saul, 1. Sam. 16. the evil spirit did touse & trouble him (as the scripture saith:) Turbavit cum spiritus malus à domino: the evil spirit sent of God did trouble him: so the evil spirit will be continually troubling & tesing of them on to their travail. Thus of the second note, who setteth them on to travail. The 3. note is, The third of this part. How they watch for opportunities. 1. Sam. 18. how after they begin to travail, they watch for opportunities & occasions. After they fall in travail, they bend themselves to take all occasions & opportunities, as king Saul did against David: he devised to have him slain in the wars of the Philistines, and at home he sought to dispatch him. When David played before him as he sat in his house, the evil spirit being on him, 1. Sam. 19 suddenly in a rage he would have nailed him to the wall with his spear, if David had not shunned the blow & fled from him. He sent murderers to his house to kill him in his bed, but by Michol his wives help, he escaped out at a window. He chased him from wilderness to wilderness, he hunted him from covert to covert as a bird: as some translate the beginning of David's Psalm: Psal. 11. In the Lord put I my trust, how say ye then to my soul that she should fly as a bird unto the hill. For lo, the ungodly bend their bow, & make ready their arrows within their quivers, that they may privily shoot at them which are true of heart. Thus how his enemies bended their forces to do him mischief, 2. Sam. 31. and watch all occasions. And in another Psalm he saith, Psal. 56. They hold altogether, and keep themselves close, and mark my steps, while they lay wait for my soul. And likewise in another Psalm, Psal. 10. He sitteth lurking in thievish corners of the streets, and privily in his lurking dens doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are set against the poor, for he lieth waiting secretly (even as a Lion lurketh in his den) that he may ravish the poor. He ravisheth the poor when he getteth him into his net. Thus far his words. After Saul fell in travail with mischief against him, he sought for occasions to take him at a sudden lift, and to rid him: and he never gave him up, 1. Sam. 31. till in the wars against the Philistines (to whose sword he thought to have betrayed him) he was himself wounded: and after being distressed with devilish despair, furiously he fell on his own sword and killed himself. So his wicked travail turned on himself. It is a notable example to show, how after the wicked fall in travail with their devilish intents, they are ready to take all occasions and occurrentes, within, without, in bed, abroad, to accomplish their prepensed plaits. Cicero. When Catiline and the Conspirators against the state of Rome (while it was as yet heathen) travailed with their treasons and conspiracies, Cicero being then one of their consuls and great governors of the state, complained, that neither his house nor his bed, could be free and safe from their traitorous attempts, and that they would have given him a bloody breakfast in his bed but that they were prevented by a watch and guard provided against them. Isboseth. 2. Sam. 4. Isboseth the son of Saul as he rested on his bed in the heat of the day, Duke Hum. Fabian the 2 part in anno 1447. Cron. Fruct. temp. part 7. Edward 2. was slain of Rechab and Baanah. Humphrey Duke of Gloster and uncle to Henry the 6. and in his minority protector of the land, was found suddenly & strangely dead on his bed. Edward the 2. surnamed of Carnaruen (because he was there borne) as he was fast a sleep in his bed in the Castle of Corf. (as the Chronicle called Fructus Tenpots noteth,) but in the Castle of Barkley as Fabian saith (where he was prisoner) suddenly had a great Table cast on him, therewith to press him to death: Fabian in an 1326. Valentinian the Emp. and by traitorous and cruel means was made away. Valentinian the Emperor was slain by the practice of Eugenius, and treason of those that were of his Chamber. Frederick the second Emperor of that name, as he lay on his sick bed, was stifled with a pillow (as Albert by report of some noteth it) of Manfrid his base son. Peter of Besinguen K. of Cyprus a victorious Prince upon Turks & soldans (as john Froysarth writeth) who took Alexandria in Egypt, Sir john froissart the 3. & 4. book the 40. chap. Triple in Surry, Laias in Armeni, Scitalie in Turkey, with divers others, was traitorously killed in his bed of his own brother called jaquet, by practice of the infidels, who so greatly feared his forces. Albert the Emp. Alber. Kranz. Wan.. lib. 7. cap. 32. Albert the Emperor, as he passed by the bank of the river of Rein slenderly accompanied, was suddenly set on, and slain of his near kinsman john his own brother's son. Aurelius the Emperor as he was on his way, Alber. Kranz Saxo. Lib. 3. cap. 3. Ro. Gag. in an. Re. Fran. lib. 2. was of his own train suddenly slain (as Albertus writeth.) Chilperich king of Soisons in France as he came from hunting slenderly garnished with retinue, was of one Laundris. a noble man of his court, and by counsel of Queen Fredegund his wife at a sudden slain, as he drew homeward near his Palace, Fabian the 5 part cap. 117 as Fabian telleth, but within the court of his Palace according to the French Chronicle, & as he light from his horse. Edward the son of Edgar king of England, after he had lost his retinue in hunting, withdrew himself to the Castle of Corf where Queen Elfride or Estrild his stepmother with Egelredus her young son kept house: Fab. in chro. 6. par ca 117 where being courteously invited to lodge that night, 〈◊〉 courteous manner excusing himself, as he sat on his horse drinking, and the cup at his mouth, of a traitor and murderer suddenly set on by his stepmother, he was stabbed: and when he felt himself stricken, suddenly he set spurs to his horse, King Edward surnamed the martyr. Fabian. in Tab. 6. part. and by riding and much bleeding fainting fell, and his foot hanging fast in the stirrup, was trailed of his horse to a place named Corinsgate, where he was found dead. This Edward was surnamed the martyr: and being induced of a courteous nature to visit his friends (as he supposed) and not suspecting any treason, fell into the mouth of his enemies. Charles of France. Charles king of France surnamed the simple, returning out of civil war with victory on Duke Robert that rebelled against him, Ro. Gag. in an. Re. Fran. lib. 6. was by Hebert Earl of Vermendois in the way of gratulation for his victory, humbly invited to lodge at his Castle of Peron. The king of simplicity not forecasting treason, and overcome with courtesy humbly offered, yielded to his request: and after he was lodged there, and his strength gone from him, than Hebert set on by his wife took the king prisoner, Earl Hebert his treason. Fabian in Chro. 5. part cap. 89. and made him away, that he never came abroad to reign any more. Hengist the Saxon, invited Vortigern king of Britain with his Lords to his Castle called Thongcastle, whither the king with his Lords came, Hengist. Fabian in Chro. 5. part cap. 89. 〈◊〉 the midst of the feast and mirth, a feigned fray began: the Saxons fell on the Lords, and slew them all, and took the king prisoner. A dangerous thing it is for Princes to adventure their royal persons with them of whom they have not undoubted assurance, and in places where they are not guarded with their strengths. The same Hengist fearing the great host of Britons appointed in readiness, made means for a parley and treaty of peace: a day was prefixed on a May day on the plain of Salisbury, and so many Britons for so many Saxons should meet. Thither king Vortigerne came with a certain of Britons in peaceable manner. In midst of the parley, Hengist gave the watch Nempnith your sexes (as Fabian telleth it) that every one should draw his long knife out of his hose, and the Britons were slain like sheep among Wolves; as Fabian saith. The Devil never more raveneth, then under the vizard of friendly parles, meetings, entertainments, courtesies, and such like devices, which he useth as occasions of advantages & opportunities to put placs of high treason in practice. Traitorous and hypocritical hearts are like a deep hell on earth: Queen Ethelburg. always gaping after opportunities to devour them whose destruction they seek. Fab. in chro. 6. par ca 157 Ro. Gag. in an. Reg. Fra● lib. 2. Brightricus the first 〈◊〉 of the west Saxons, was by Ethelburge 〈◊〉 wifle after sundry attempts of treason for making him away, poisoned with many other of his meany. Fredegund Queen of Soisous in France before mentioned, hired and sent two murderers into the camp of Sigisbert king of the Country of Mees or Austracie, (as Fabian termeth it) her brother in law, who awaited for opportunity & advantage, and they slew the king. Queen Fredigond. The same Fredigond that by treason procured the death of king Chilperic her own husband, and of king Sigisbert her husband's brother, inflamed with envy against Queen Brunchild, because she was set up in more favour and honour than she (as Gagwin reporteth it) was conceived with new treasons against her, Ra. Gag. in an. reg. Fran. lib. 2. and fell in travel for the execution of them in this sort: There was an old executioner of murders called Holderick, Holderick the traitor. a fit instrument to undertake her treason, him she sent into Queen Brunchilds Court: he according to the method of masteries in the devils art of practising treasons, first began with flattering and fawning about in the court, as the Scorpion doth fawn with his tail ere he strike: but there he met with as cunning in that art as himself. By his great flattery he grew in suspicion: and being committed 〈◊〉 ●●ture, confessed the whole plat. One might 〈◊〉 that Queen Fred. in plaits of treasons 〈◊〉 peer: Queen Brunchild. but Queen Brunchild king Sigisberts' wife the aforesaid far surpasseth her, & hath won the prize of such plaits & practices from her. She was charged at her death to have been the death of ten Princes. Continually she was traveling with some plat or other: as soon as she was delivered, she conceived and fell in travail again about the execution and practice of her plaits. Notwithstanding outwardly, who was counted so devout as Brunchild, Ro. Gag. in an. Reg. Fran lib. 2. the foundress of many Colleges of Priests & Monks in Burgundy, as father Gag. writeth of her? Thus the Devil under mists of hypocrisy, worketh masteries of murders and treasons against Princes, and under pretence of religion committeth such outrages in the world. And in the travail and execution of their plats, the chief point of practice of masteries in the devils art concerning the execution of such things, is fawning flattery for life and double devilish diligence, servile at all assays to creep into credit and favour, and to win opportunity of the place for execution. Gagwin the general of his order in France, saith, that Holderick mentioned before, Holderick the traitors boldness. was Audax, & assuetus caedibus, bold and draween through many murders. He kept his course aforesaid for the execution of his plat upon Queen Brunchild: but that his cunning was soon encountered there. Cum multis iam diebus (saith Gagwin) consuetudinem familiaritatis apud Reginam Brunchildem assentatiunculis blanditijsque comparasset When (saith he) by the space of many days by flattery and fawning he grew to be familiar and conversant with Queen Brunchild: His fawning flatteries & familiarities at last he began to be blasted with suspicion, when in flattering and currying he went beyond himself, and began to be too broad in it (as Gagwin saith: Blandior indies visus in suspicionem venit. This is the monstrous method of the devils art, and chiefly in these latter days. The serpent. The Asp. The Serpent will crawl into the very bosom, the Asp willbe familiar and play. Plutarch writeth, and Volateran reporteth it out of him, that in Egypt they have familiar Asps at their Tables, Rapha. Vela. lib. 25. Plin. na●. Hist. lib. 10. cap. 74. & they bring them up with their children to eat with them, & to play with them. Pliny reporteth that Plut. telleth of a familiar Asp, bred and fed at a table in Egypt, which had young ones in the house, & that of one of the young, the good man's son of the house was killed. It is not good having & trusting a familiar serpent. Though his poison seem qualified, it is always ready and at sometimes more rank. The Scorpion hath a fawning tail, but a deadly sting: and his tail always waveth waiting all occurrentes and occasions, as Pliny saith, Plin. nat. Hist. lib. 11. cap. 25. Semper cauda in ictu est, ne quando desit occasioni. So the wicked though they fawn never so finely, & gloze never so pleasantly, yet continually they wait for their occasions and opportunities. The murderers that were sent into king Sigisbert his camp of Queen Fredigond to kill him (as Gagwin saith) In familiam regis Sigisberti se insinuamt, Ro. Gag. in an. Re. Fran. lib. 2. did wind themselves into the family of king Sigisbert. This is the first point of their practice in the devils art, by glozing hypocrisy, first to come in place, and after to wait for opportunity. Sobna the hollow hypocrite to king Hezechiah and the state, Esay. 22. was gotten under the wings of the godly king. 2. Sam. 15. Achitophel the traitor was near and a great person about king David. 1. Reg. 1 Absalon the rebel and traitor, came out of of his own bowels. Adonias his son overreached by aspiring to that was not allotted to him. If the Arrian heretics had not wound themselves into the Court of Constantine the Emperor surnamed the great, Arrians got into courts of Emperors & ●e●r● about them. and into the Court of Constantius his son the Emperor after him, and in to the Court of Valentinian the Emperor and justina the Empress & wife to Valentinian the Emp. the elder of that name, & into the court of Valentinian the younger the son of justina aforesaid and Emperor, they could never have spread their heresies over so many Countries, and so oppress with persecutions the Church of God. Ruff. Hist. Eccle. lib. 1. cap. 11. An Arrian Priest that was a privy practiser of the Arrians heresy, got himself in house and near about Constantia sister to Constantine the Emperor, as Ruffius witnesseth: Vbi multa familiaritas (saith, he) copiam tribuit, paulatim sermonem caepit inspergere, invidiam dicens Arrio generatam: When (saith he) great familiarity offered him opportunity, he began first by little and little, to insperg and sprinkle her with words of his humour, saying, that envy was procured against Arrius. Thus far Ruffinus. We see the first point in the execution of devilish plaits so well against the state of religion, as against the royal persons and estates of Princes, is to wind themselves into familiarity, favour, and credit, & after to attend their purpose. The serpent will first be cruiling and when there is any hole open, he will wind himself in. If those cunning cumpassers should go plain to work as ramping Lions & ravening Wolves on their prey, by and by they would be betrayed. Therefore they do it by circumstance and by crooks. Socrat. Eccle. Hist. lib. 1. cap. 25. This Arrian Priest Chaplain to Constantia aforesaid, was grown into such credit with her, that at her death with special recommendation of him, she put him to Constantine her brother the Emperor. Then the sly Serpent began to crawl into Constantine his bosom also, and was entered so deep into favour and credit with him, that he was the man with Constantine the Emperor in such singular credit and trust, that at his death he put him in trust to convey his testament sealed to Constantius his son and Emperor after him. Socrat. Eccle. Hist. lib. 1. cap. 39 And by that occasion so he won the heart of Constantius, and so wound himself (having opportunity and access at will) into his heart and humours, Ruff. Hist. Eccle. lib. 1. cap. 11. that as Ruffinus saith, he suffered himself to be ruled of him whose desire was to rule al. Then he so plied him after he had gotten the pan by the steel, that he poisoned him with his heresy and many that were near about him. So the Arrian Priest got more by his creeping in the Court & by insperging his humours & heresy there by reason of opportunity & advantages of favour & access, them the whole brood of blasphemous Arrians abroad. Eusebius. Socra. Hist. eccle. lib. 1. cap. 37. Euseb. Bishop of Nicomedia a practiser of that side, had such countenance from the court, that he minaced Alexander Archbishop of Constantinople to procure him to be deposed, unless he would admit Arrians (whose name the horrible heresy doth keep) into the Church, Communion, & fellowship of the faithful. Eudoxius. Theod. Hist. eccle. lib. 2. cap. 26. Eudoxius the Bishop of Germanicia an Arrian, supported by those that were near to Constantius the Emperor, intruded himself to be Bishop of Antioch, with mislike of the Emperor at first, but he salved it by those that were of his side about him: & after tyrannously he thrust himself in to be Archbishop of Constantinople with discontentment of the Emperor. But what dared he not by the support of those that were his complices in the Court? Auxentius the Arrian got to be Bishop of Mil. in the west, Theod. Hist. eccle. lib. 2. cap. 27. by whose practice the princes of the Goths were infected with the Arrian heresy. And never could the Arrians have so hoist up their sails, & so spread themselves in the world, but for practise of those that crept into the Court, Sozo. Eccle. Hist. lib. 6. cap. 23. & credit, & favour of Princes, who by reason of their opportunities & importunities & continual access, were in their eyes & ears to procure assistance and countenance to their sect, & to disgrace & discountenance the zealous professors of true faith. So the travail of the wicked when once they are resolute in errors & plaits of treason, is first for the place & opportunity, after for their purpose: & if they may win the favour of the place, never Roscius could more cunningly play his parts on the Roman Stage where he did excel, them they can manage their plaits of treasons if they may have their course, but that suddenly they are checked from heaven. They can bow to the bent, yield to humours as wax, and frame themselves to all advantages. That the Chameleon hath in nature by changing of so many colours, Volat. li. 25. the wicked have in continual practice by changing all colours of hypocrisy and infidelity. The ravening fish Polipus changeth himself to the colour of the ground where he lieth for his pray. Plin. lib. 9 cap. 19 Ovid met. lib. 11. Morpheus' mutabilities & changes, as Poets describe him, may signify the monstrous mutabilities, changes, and unstabilities of the minds of the wicked, after once they are conceived and fall in travail with their wicked plats. Plin lib. 8. cap. 17. Panthers and pards have spots by nature without in their bodies, but they have spots of hypocrisy, infidelity, and treason in their souls. Serpents have many wreaths, Mathe. de L●b. in obser. hypocrites & traitors have many wiles. Conuoluulus according to the name, windeth and bindeth itself about plants, and plucketh them down. The shuts and springs of the herb called Impia Plinii, Plin. lib. 24. cap. 19 Math. in lib. 4. Dios. cap. 572. doth overgrow the principal stump or stock. Cassutha hath no roots of itself, but liveth on other herbs and loadeth them. When the winding Beathwine is rid from plants, they prosper the better. They are dangerous shouts that overgrowe the stock that nourisheth them: That lack roots of fidelity themselves, will live of them and lad them whom they would bring down. Is is good chiefly for Princes & persons of high estate, to look into their households, and to those that are near to them and about them, to rid from them wicked and unfaithful imphes dangerous to their persons and estate, which would like the shuts of the herb Impia overclime them, or like Cassutha overlay and overlade them, lacking the roots of true fidelity in them. The example of David in looking into his household. The example of the Prophetical king David, may be a mirror principally for all Princes and estates of honour and high callings, in the wisdom of God out of his word, to look unto their estates and households, and those that are near them, and use to be about them, and into their governments: as he layeth down example in himself his own estate, Psal. ●01. household, government. First he looketh into his own estate touching God, by whose wisdom unless he be directed, all will run on wheels headlong. He prayeth therefore to God for understanding: let me have (saith he) understanding in the way of godliness: when wilt thou come unto me. I will walk in my house with a perfect heart: I will take no wicked thing in hand. I hate the sin of unfaithfulness, there shall no such cleeve unto me: A froward heart shall departed from me. Thus how he looketh into his own estate, and prayeth for the conduct of understanding from God to lead a godly life, and maketh profession of the uprightness & soundness of his heart, & that he will cleanse his heart from unfaithfulness and frowardness. Then he showeth from whom he will withdraw his heart and countenance, and whom by his princely power he will suppress. Who so privily (saith he) slandereth his neighbour him will I destroy: who hath also a proud look and high stomach, I will not suffer him. And after he showeth whom he will have in his household. There shall none that work deceit or with a deceitful hand or deceitful person (as some expound the sense) dwell in my house. The word Remiia is expounded of some by the substantive, of some by the adjective. Such are they that contrive crafts, warp wiles, & work by sleight conveyance & legerdemain, to beguile & deceive others. He joineth an other fit mate unto him: he the telleth lies (saith he) shall not tarry in my sight. He detesteth such as pernicious persons in court the are deceitful & liars, 〈◊〉. not. Hist. lib. 9 c●●. 36. who with lies & slanders pray on others with their evil tongues. As Purpura the fish with his sharp tongue pierceth the shells of other fishes & so prayeth on them, so there is no armour of proof of sufficient defence against the lying tongues of such which pierce through all defences of truth. They hoist up the sails of their tongues & say (as the Prophet David describeth them) with our tongues (say they) shall we prevail, Psal. 12. we are they that ought to speak, who is Lord over us. And as Purpura the fish aforesaid hath in his mouth the humour which is the mother of the right orient purple colour, so though they pierce with their tongues as Purpura doth, yet they carry in their mouths such orient colours, with which they so paint out their lies, Plin. lib. 9 cap. 36. Carneades. Plin. nat. lib. 7. cap. 30. as though there were none other truth. Cato said it was hard to find truth when Carneades spoke, because he painted out his own purposes & left truth dim, hardly to be discerned. So hard it is to discern truth, when they speak whose tongues are imbrued with lies. Of such liars the Prophet sayeth, they shall not tarry in his sight. After he hath showed whom he will abandon from his court, he showeth likewise whom he will place & plant: mine eyes (saith he) are to the faithful of the earth that they may dwell with me. Who so leadeth a godly life he shallbe my servant. Thus by the direction of God's spirit, he maketh choice of his household whom he will have near & about him. Valerian the Emperor his Court, Euseb.. eccle. hist. lib 7. cap. 10. of Eusebius is commended as a Church of God, because of the godly & faithful that were in it, till after he relapsed to be an open enemy and persecutor of the Church of God. Epist. ad Phile. Rom. 16. 1. Cor. 16. josua. 24. The houses of Philemon, Priscilla, & Aquila, are commended of S. Paul as little Churches. josua the noble Prince, and the chosen captain of God's people after the death of Moses, setting himself and his household as example to the people, said: I and my house will serve the Lord. And the people provoked and encouraged by his example, said: we will serve the Lord also. Abraham, Isaac, jacob, joseph, and the patriarchs, had the like godly care of their households, to have the godly and faithful dwelling with them. God blesseth Countries & kingdoms, for the godly & faithful that are found in them. Egypt had the great blessing of God under king Pharaoh by the government of joseph, joseph. Gen. 41. jacob. Gen. 46. Daniel 1. and for the receipt of jacob the patriarch and the faithful people of God. God blessed Darius & his kingdom in the chief government of Daniel, and for the faithful servants of God. Dan. 6. Nehemiah. ●. ●●d. 2. Nehemiah as he waited at the cup of Athaxerxes was heavy of heart & cheer for the breaches and ruins of jerusalem the City of God: and God gave him favour thereupon in his suit to his Prince for the people of God: and God blessed king Athaxerxes for him, and the favourable support of his people. Eliakim Eliakim in the court of the godly king Hezekiah, is called a father of such as dwell in Jerusalem, Esay. 22. and in the house of juda. Such are the blessings of God in Courts of Princes and governments of Countries. God bless the Prince, Court and Country, with such godly and faithful Eliakims', daniel's, Nehemies, joseph's: and bless our Prince with long and prosperous reign over us, to the singular comfort of his Church, and our country. We have heard how when the wicked fall to travail with plaits of treasons, rebellions, and such like, they bend themselves to take all occasions, and press into Courts, and wind themselves into favour, and creep into credit to have opportunities and advantages for their devilish intents: and how Princes following the example of David in the wisdom of God. should make their resolutions for choice of faithful and godly persons to be near unto them and about them, and whom they should avoid out of their households. Thus much of the third principal matter, what travailing is, who setteth and whetteth them continually on to travail, & how they bend themselves to take all occasions and advantages for the execution of their wicked plaits. The 4. principal matter After travailing, what fruit such wicked persons bring forth. HE shall bring forth, saith David, a lie or vain thing: Sheker. the word Sheker signifieth a lie: Some expound it, Rem inanem: A vain matter, in respect of the sequel and effect which will deceive them. The Septuagint translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. in respect of the transgression, unrighteousness, excess, & outrage against God's law and man's law, of which sense the Septuagint give occasiion: And in respect of the sequel and success not answering their plaits, but coming to an afterdeale, and disappointing them, they are called lies & vain matters, which sense doth grow out of the Hebrew word. The 1. sense out of the Septuagint. Touching the first sense, if the Devil himself should travail to bring fruit on earth, would he not bring the like iniquity, impiety, transgressions and outrages against the law of God & man? Where such wicked are, there is as it were an hell on earth, Verres hell on earth. as Cicero said of Verres regiment in Sicily: that whether he came because of the troops of wicked that hanged about him, thither came another hell on earth. God bless us from them that bring such troops, and from all troops of traitors, rebels, conspirators, and confedrates against the Prince, estate, god's church, & our country. The second sense springing out of the root of the Hebrew word, The 2. sense out of the Hebrew word and the aptest in that respect & to which I refer my tract or treatise touching it, is, they shall bring forth a lie & a vain matter that will not take effect: but they shall stick in the gap and perish in the breach that themselves have made. Though king Saul had never such deadly food against David, King Saul. & like a wood Lion or wild Panther ran into the woods & wilderness to kill him, yet will it not come to effect: but he had his travail for his pain, & wretchedness was his reward. In the title of this Psalm, in the word Chush the son of jemini, Psal. 7. the Hebrews note Saul to be signified, who is called Chush, Chush. as much to say as an Ethiopian or a man of Ind, Ob immutabilem animi malitiam contra Davidem: as Monster expoundeth it: Monster in scho. in ti. Psal. 7. because of his immutable or unremovable malice against David. As the man of Ind cannot change his natural blackness of hue, so he & such other like to him are called by the name because of the blackness of their malice within, which never can be washed out, unless god power out the clean waters of his spirit (as Ezechiel calleth them) to wash & whiten them. Ezech. 36. But though saul's malice was never so rooted in nature, & that he put himself in arms, & made uproars against David, 2. Sam. 23. and threatened to search him out through all the thousands of juda, yet for all his travail he brought forth but a lie and a vain thing. For David, and faithful & godly Princes, under the protection of God, are guarded and as it were mured and walled in the high and heavenly castle of God's providence, where the Counsels and traitorous travels of the wicked cannot reach them. Car therefore the Saulites and Chushites, The Saulits & Chushits. and men of Ind of England (for they are degendred out of the true kind of their own Country that are such) pluck the crown from Q. Elizabeth her head, Psal. 21. which God hath set on it? As David said of himself, thou shalt set a crown of pure gold upon his head. Psal. 15. Can they undertake the wonderful works of God, to fly on the wings of the wind, Psal. 18. as David saith of God, or move mountains out of their places? Then let them undertake to pluck Princes out of their thrones also. For it is God as job saith, job. 12. that looseth the collar of kings, and leadeth away Princes as a pray, & overthroweth the mighty. As easy it is to move mountains out of their places, as to remove the estates of Princes maintained by the providence of God. Psal. 30. David saith, Thou hast made my mountain so strong, he meaneth his estate maintained and established by the providence of God. He questioneth with the high & traggie hills in an other Psal. wherefore they so skip & leap against God's mountain: Psal. 68 craggy hills against God's mountains. so calleth he the state of God's Church stayed & established in God. So likewise the stayed estate of godly Princes is called, as the Prophet calleth his own Princely estate established of God, which of craggy hills though they vance themselves never so high, Traitors like blind moles are taken in their own trenches. cannot be removed. As blind moles cast hills and make trenches under earth and are taken themselves in them, so they that travail with treasons, are like the blind moles which walk in trenches under the earth, and yet at certain ventes and breaches of their own making, they are descried and taken. Though in their treasons they moil and mine as in work under ground, because of the privity of them (as they conceive of them,) yet as they work trenches under ground, so they cast hills a-above, and in the veutes and breaches of their own works they are bewrayed, and in stead of fruit, they bring forth a lie or a vain thing. Is it not a vain thing for molehilles to rise against mountains? Such is the state of godly Princes in respect of the travail of traitors, rebels, and enemies, that undermine the same. Let them hear therefore the great proclamation of God by the Prophet David: Be still then and know that I am God, I willbe exalted among the Heathen, I will be exalted in th● earth. The proclamation of the spirit of God to traitors & all that encounter the works of God. The spirit of God warneth all Saulites, Chushites, craggy hills, & mole hills against the mountains of God, to be still and quiet, & to desist from wicked attempts of treasons against God, & the encountering of his works. For know they the God willbe exalted on earth, in the kingdoms and great nations on earth. He dispenseth and disposeth the Principates & kingdoms of the earth at his pleasure, as Solomon, Pro. 8. Dan. 7. job. 12. Psal. 76. Daniel, job, and David witness. Therefore all are warned not to intermeddle themselves in the great works of God in Princes & kingdoms, to encounter his work in them, for they shall bring forth, but a vain thing. Leave off therefore (saith the prophet) your enterprises against God, & the great actions on earth, directed, governed, and disposed of him. They expound the word Harphu, dimittite, (conatus) let go your attempts & plaits. The Septuagint expresseth it by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the vulgar by the word vacate, whereof ensueth this sense, that they shall keep themselves quiet, & rid & free themselves from such business & stirs: For the fruit will but defraud them as a vile lie or vain thing. Therefore according to the great warning of God, let all contain themselves within the limits of their callings and be quiet & follow their own business, 2. Thes. ● as Paul exhorteth the Thessa. & not make themselves controulers of cases & actions not incident & pertinent to them, 2. Thes. 3. that they fall not into the note of those busy bodies by Peter reproved. 1. Pet. 4. Thus of the great proclamation of general warning to all, that they oppose not themselves against God's providence & the great actions thereof, considering if they do, there is a God that will overreach & overtake them. Now as we have hard gods proclamation, so let us hear the protestation of the godly & faithful Prince against all enemies to his estate, to which Gods providence hath preferred him. Know ye (saith he) the God hath chosen to himself the good or godly man: The Lord will hear me when I call upon him. Vatablus noteth the word Hasid, Vatablus e● anno. S●●. to be understanded passively, for the man on whom the goodness & mercy is showed: as most thankfullie he doth always recognise the goodness & mercy of God touching himself: & taking his comfort out of God's providence, he layeth out his persuasion & assurance that God hath chosen, & from others dissevered him to this state, & by marvelous means maintained him in it. Both which things are employed in one word Hiphla of the Prophet there used, which signifieth to segregate & dissever, and also to make marvelous before others, as Pagnin noteth. Pagnin 〈◊〉 Thesan. This sense the Septua, following expound the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, mirabilem reddidit, and t●● vulgar, mirificavit: hath made marueilo● and by marvelous works hath maintaine● him. Thus of the comfortable protestation of his estate proceeding of the providence of God, and made marvelous in the judgement of men. Therefore in the same Psalm he warneth his enemies to fall to remorse in their consciences, and closerts, and to offer the Sacrifice of righteousness, and to look for good things of God. Psal. 3 And in the Psalm before, the Prophet moaning himself to God, David his comfort and stay in his state out of the providence of God. when he looketh into the world, wondereth at the number of his enemies: Lord saith he, how are they increased that trouble me, many there are that rise up against me. And by and by he riseth in comfort of God's providence to him. But thou O Lord, saith he, art my defender, a buckler about me, my glory, and the lifter up of my head. I called unto the Lord with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill: Selah, which is an exclamation or shout, noting what an acceptable thing it is to God in distress to call to him for defence. Then as enarmed in heavenly comforts of God's providence, and mounted in courage and resolution against his enemies: David his resolution against his enemies. I will not be afraid (saith he) though ten thousand of people beset me round about. Up Lord (saith he) and help ●e O my god. Thou smitest all mine enemy's 〈◊〉 the cheek bone, thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Then the foot and end of the Psalm is, Salvation belongeth unto the Lord, and thy blessing is on thy people: Noting hereby what a blessed thing it is to recognise this, and to have their comfort and security in God. God hear the doleful move of faithful subjects for Elizabeth our Queen against all the enemies of her royal person and estate, and strike them on the cheek bone, and make frustrate all their forces, and disappoint all their plaits that they may bring forth but a vain thing. Thus how in respect of God's providence the wicked travailing with treasons in steed of fruit bring forth a lie and a vain thing: And how the comfort, courage, and resolution of the security of Princes, is out of the providence and mercy of God. Now how daily experience confirmeth the marvelous works of God's providence in the preservation of the royal persons and estates of Princes placed in their estate by his providence: and how the fruit that Traitors, Daily experience of the marvelous works of God's providence. Rebels, and such like bring forth, is but a lie and a vain thing. Common experience is sufficient evidence hereof, how after the travail of traitors, rebels, and such like, when they look for fruit, Caro Ste. in dictio. hist. & poe. it is but a lie and vain thin in the end. They are cut down before they ripe, before they can fly they fall. For as Poets contriving grave lessons under feigned devices feign of Icarus, to whom Dedalus his Father made wings seared and set on with wax, Icarus Dedalus. warning him that neither he should fly too low, nor mount too near the Sun, lest the wax melt and so he fall. But he notwithstanding could not content himself to fly, but would mount and so fell into the Sea, Not to mount above possibility allotted by God's providence. called of his name the Icarian Sea. Under a feigned devise they carry us to a fruitful and wise warning, to content ourselves with our states and callings, and with that moderate course that God's providence hath appointed us, neither making ourselves more abject, neither mounting above the possibilities by God's providence allotted to us. They that get them wings and fall a mounting, leaving their set course, and forgetting their weakness, as they follow Icarus in folly, so they shall follow him in his fall. Dedalus of Rome maketh wings for Icarus his son. Dedalus of Rome maketh wings for Icarus his son, and he beginneth with them to mount out of the compass of his course, and his plaits and practices are like wings set on with wax, which will melt before the Sun of God's providence, and suddenly he is plunged and overwhelmed in the troublesome Seas of this world. R. Saadia●. Oecolam. in ca 40. Esa. Prophe. R. Saadias reporteth the Eagle once in ten years to mount so near the globe of the Sun, that he singeth his old feathers, & that after they come up new. But dangerous mounting it is, where not only they sing their feathers and consume their worldly goods, but consume their lives and bodies also. It is safe going on foot, as God hath given to man. But if he will needs fly or mount above the possibility of his estate, The Devil prepareth wings for those that will mount. soon cometh he to fall. The Devil as Dedalus will make him wings, but they will melt before the Sun of the eternal providence of God. devilish Dedalus of Rome hath provided wings for many, but in mounting suddenly they are fallen. They fail always in the upshoote, and their fruit is but a vain thing. Cicero saith to Catelin the Captain of the conspiracy against the state of Rome: Fuisti apud Leccam, Thou wast (saith he) at Lecca his house: Catelin & his Consorts night haunts. noting his and other his consorts night haunt and desciphering their plaits and discovering all their practices with their mounting and aspiring minds: but their weak wings fastened on as it were with wax suddenly melted, & the fruit of all their practices was but a lie or vain thing. The secrets of traitors are written in their foreheads. Dan. 15. Balthasar. And all the secrets of their plaits and pacts was by God's providence so laid open, as if they had been written in their foreheads. For he that caused the hand from heaven to write on the wall when king Balthasar was at his banquet, by marvelous means also doth lay open the secret plaits of treasons as if they were set on their foreheads. It is a wonder to see, how when they come before Magistrates and the seat of God's judgement on earth, by their words, gestures, looks, and other signs, they are deciphered. A guilty conscience will show itself. ●. Reg. 9 As jezabel when she had painted herself, showed herself out at a window when jehu the Magistrate set up of God to execute his judgements, came unto jezrael: so guilty conscience though outwardly it be painted with pretence of excuses, yet in countenance, words, and other circumstances, as at a window will show itself, and before Magistrates bewray itself. Cicero of traitors accusing themselves by looks, gestures, etc. Therefore Cicero said of the conspirators against the estate when they came to examination, that they needed none others to accuse them, for by their hanging looks, words, and gestures, they did accuse one another, and betrayed themselves. It is like to grievous sicknesses rooted in the very bones and marrows, which yet by venomous vapours (whose nature is to ascend) show themselves in the faces, foreheads, and highest parts of the infected persons: so the sickness Eliphantiasis, Elephantiasis. because it showeth itself in the forehead like the Lion's rough wrinkled hide or pelt, is called Leontiasis, Leontiasis. Satyriasis. it is called Satyriasis because it showeth itself in the face like the ugly face of satires: So the ugly sickness of treasons though it be rooted in the marrows and bones, yet it showeth itself in their very face and foreheads. Psal. 13●. There is no hiding of them though they could hide them as deep as hell, for even there is the power of God: As David saith: whither shall I go (saith he) from thy spirit, and whither shall I go from thy presence. By marvelous means God bringeth such things to light. Eccle. 10 The birds of the air will bewray them (as Solomon saith) & carry the voice that shall accuse them. Curse not the Prince (saith he) no not in thy thought, neither curse the rich in thy bed chamber: for the foul of the air shall carry thy voice, & that with half wings shall declare it. So far Solomon. By extraordinary and marvelous means, even as though the fowls of the air should carry the voice, God's providence discovereth such things before the facts, and turneth the fruit of them to lies and vain matters. Thus how common experience showeth how the fruit that traitors and such bring forth, is but a lie or a vain thing. The 5. principal matter What is the end of treasons, rebellions, and such like wickedness. David expresseth the end of such wicked persons in these words: He hath made a pit and digged it, and is fallen into the pit that he made: his mischief shall return upon his own head, and his wickedness shall fall upon his own pate. Hitherto the Prophet David. He resembleth the end of such wicked persons, to one that graveth a pit and falleth into it, whose mischief returneth on his own pate. If they would way their wicked plaits in the wisdom of God by his word, they would not dig such pits: for their owned plaits are like pits to swallow them up, as the practice of stories in all ages doth confirm. ●. Sam. 31. Did it not so fall out with the malicious travail of king Saul which drawed his sword on guiltless king David, and by the just judgement of God he died on his own sword and with his own hand? 2. Sam. 18. The Philistines (saith he) according to his first plaits, shall devour him in the wars, and my hand shall not be on him: and after in the Philistines wars, he was so distressed himself, that fearing to be devoured of them, he devoured himself: so he fell into the pit that oee made for other. So Absalon the traitor and rebel against his own father, 2. Sam. 18. without the hand of man was hanged at a tree: the judgement was from heaven, the execution on earth: joab as he hanged, thrust darts into his heart, and his body was cast into a great pit in the wood, and they laid a mighty great heap of stones upon him: So he digged a pit for David, and was cast into it himself. Achitophel the traitor to David likewise had no other hangman but his own hand to hang himself: 2. Sam. 18. his heart was false to his sovereign, his hand was not true to himself. Shebah the traitorous rebel had his head fling over the wall, 2. Sam. 20. & as he divided the head from the members in the civil body, so his head was divided from his own members in his own body, and his wickedness was turned on his head. Act. 1. judas betrayed jesus Christ our master, his body broke, and his bowels ran out. Dathan, Coraah, and Abiram rebelled against Moses, the earth opened & swallowed them up alive. Moses cried before, Depart from the tents of these wicked men, Num. 16 and touch nothing of theirs, lest you perish in all their sins. God grant that Moses cry may be in the hearts and ears of all subjects to her Majesty, that they depart from all Traitors, Rebels, and such like, that they touch nothing of their plaits and practices, Traitors reward. Ro. Gagwin ●n anna. Reg. Franc. lib 2. Holderich the traitor i●●reward. and seeing God's judgement on them, utterly they may shun and detest them. The wickedness of traitors cometh on their own heads, & their mischief on their own pates. What was Holderich the old and rank traitor and murderer his reward, who of Fredegonde Queen of Soisons in France, was hired to murder Queen Brunchild in her Court? He was put to torture and the bastinado. And after he came to Queen Fredegond for her reward: she charging him with cowardice, caused his hands and feet (which in treasons and murders long he had abused) to be cut off, and that was the traitors reward. The two Traitors that of the same Fredegond were set & sent to kill Sigisbert king of Mees or Austrachia (according to Fabian) in his camp, Ro. Cagw. in annali. Fran. ●ib. 2. & awaiting their time, & committing the murder, were hewn of the soldiers in pieces. Edricus the traitor. Edricus surnamed of Stratton was a rank traitor, first to Egelred, after to king Edmond surnamed Ironside, after him to king Canutus the first king of Danes that after Edmond reigned over the land, & to his own country in the invasion of Danes. How ever the Prince changed, Edricus did not change but was a traitor to his Prince, & a traitor to his Country. He was grown in great estate of honour under king Egelredus and under others after. But he could not contain himself in his estate. He turned truth into treason. With many treasons he travailed, and he reaped the reward of his treasons in the end. Because it is a notable example of our own Country, and worthy as a spectacle to be set up to warn all, I will open it more at large. Edricus was from a low state and birth (as Fabian saith) by king Egelredus first advanced to be Duke of Mercia, Fab. in chro. 6. par ca 199 and he committed the conduct and regiment of soldiers unto him. And when upon the king's commandment he had assembled the west Saxons to withstand the entry of the Danes under Swanus their king, and the hosts should join, Edricus sick when he should fight. Edricus feigned himself sick, and fled from his people, to the great advantage and comfort of the enemies. Thus when it cometh to a dead lift, Fabian in Chro. the 6. part cap. 198 Edricus treason in the battle. treason betrayeth al. And under king Edmond called Ironsid, in a battle in Worcestershire (as Fabian telleth it) when the Danes were like to be discomfited, Edricus the traitor pight a dead man's head on a spears head and cried to the English host, Fabian in Chro. the 6. part cap. 240 that it was the head of king Edmond to daunt the courages of English men, and to set the Danes agog upon them. But king Edmond sped him to that part of the field, and so encouraged his soldiers, that he had rather the better than the worse. After Edricus fearing the great courage and good success of king Edmond, and to save his land (as Fabian saith) humbly shued to be received into his grace and favour, Fab. in chro. 6. par ca 204 & swore to be true subject to him. But old treachery would not suffer new sworn truth to take place in him, for after when the hosts of king Edmond and Canutus met at Ashdown Edricus after long sight fled to the comfort of the Danes. Thus fight and flying it was all one with Edricus: for when he should fight, he would flee or be sick, and have some excuse, and with smooth words set forth matters of small importance. Edricus the traitors excuses. His flying out of the battle at Ashdowne, he did so excuse (as Fabian saith) that no man might charge him with any default. He would turn himself unto many excuses: as Poets feign that Proteus king of Egypt would turn himself into many forms, Proteus' king of Egypt. because the manner was of the Egyptian kings, to wear on their heads the forms and foreparts of a Lion, Bull, Dragon, Caro Ste. in dictio Hist. & Poe. or arms of their estate, and sometimes a tree, or fire, or fragrant ointments, and thereof Poets feigned of Proteus that he changed himself into many forms. So Edricus could change himself into many forms of excuses: He was eloquent of speech (as Fabian saith) and false of heart, Fabian in Chro. 6. part cap. 199. and with fair words would blanch out fowl treasons. He was only constant in his inconstance, warbling with a wayward mind, and doubling in dealings of great importance. He practised treason 'gainst his own Country for the Danes, under king Egeldredus and under king Edmond after him. Fabian telleth the report of Guido, King Edmond killed at the withdraught how by his and Edricus his son their treasons, Edmond came to his death. As he sat at the withdraught, Edridus his son awaiting him, struck him with a spear into the fundament, whereof shortly after he died. Then Edricus the father with great haste sped him to king Canutus, Edricus the traitor's head exalted on the highest gate. who then with king Edmond reigned over half the land (for by composition for ending of civil wars the land was divided between them,) and he thought for his tidings greatly to have been exalted. But king Canutus (according to Guido his report) cammaunded his head to be stricken of and pight on a spear, and exalted upon one of the highest gates of London. Chronica Fructus temp the 6. part. Thus according to that story, Edricus was exalted for his treasons which returned to his own head. Though it seem fabulous to Polidore, that Chronica Fructus temporum telleth of king edmond's death and Edricus treason, yet because of the strangeness of the devise I will note it. This Edrick of Stratton invited king Edmond to lodge at his house, and at night as the king should go to his lodging, in the way was set up a beautiful Image, with a bow bend and an arrow in it: and when the king approached to see it, anon it discharged the arrow and shot the king through the body, for it was an engine made for that purpose, to lure the king to the gaze and to slay him. And after that Edricke his report to king Knoght thereof (for Canutus so is called) he abhorred him for his treason, and as a traitor commanded him to be bound and cast into the river of Thames. Thus Chronica Fructus temporum rehearseth the story or the devise in steed of the story as it seemeth to Polidor. Fabian noteth out of Marian the Scot another variety of the story, that king Edmond died at London of natural sickness: for there out of the same Marian he telleth, that after the death of king Edmond, Edricus flattery. Fabian in Chro. 6. par● cap. 205. this Edrick grew in such deep favour with king Knoght or Canut by his sugared words (as Fabian termeth it) and fawning flattery, and glavering glozing (of the which hollow hypocrites make an art in Palaces of Princes and houses of estate) that he advanced him to one of the four regiments of England called Mercia. Notwithstanding he could not keep himself true to his Prince, that had been drawn through so many treasons: for that is rooted in the marrow and bones will not out. He was taken tardy in treason again, and being accused and convicted, judgement was given, & immediately executed: his head cut off, and his body cast into a foul and filthy place. Ranulph saith, Edricus the traitors death. that he was slain by the king's agreement within his Palace at London, & his body with the head thrown after into the town ditch. Whether for his treasons against king Edmond before he died (as some writ) or for his treason against king Knoght after (as others tell) all agree that he died for his treasons, whether his head were exalted on the highest gate of London for king edmond's death, or whether his head and body were cast into the town ditch for treason against king Knoght. Pol. Verg. Hist. Au. li. ●. So his treasons turned on his own head. Polidor telleth how king Knoght after the death of king Edmon● greatly endeavoured himself to banish th●● sons of king Edmond, who (as he saith) departed into Pannonia, and there were well entreated and ended their lives in exile. Chronica Fructus temp. the 6. part. And Chronica Fructus temporum telleth, how that after the death of king Edmond, Edrick aforesaid surprised the sons of king Edmond, and presented them to king Knought to put himself in great favour with him: and that of the king they were sent after to Denmark, from whence by a Dane called Walgar (that pitied them) they were conveyed to the king of Hungary. Saxo Gram. Hist. Danicae lib. 10. Saxon Grammaticus the ancient & famous writer of the story of the Danes, telleth that king Kanutus was very careful not to be touched with suspicion of the death of king Edmond, whom he called Edward. And that some report the king Edmond (whom he calleth Edward) by Kanutus commandment and practice came to his death: and that by his commandment likewise, more grievous execution was done on the traitors, to clear himself of the suspicion thereof: yet notwithstanding (saith he) the same thing did greatly, rack the king's favour in his household & those that were near him. Thus out of Saxo. Fabian reporteth of him, Fab. in Chro. the 6. part cap. 205. that he did so abhor the unnatural treason of the English men that had sworn to be true to the blood of king Edmond, that though by their treasons the Crown wholly was devolved to him and his posterity, yet he had the workers against king Edmond his sons in continual mistrust, whereas they thought they should have been in high favour with him: And as Fabian telleth, he dispatched the more part of them, some by banishment, some were slain, some by God's punishment suddenly died. Canutus loathed traitors though he gained by them. Thus traitors are loathed of them that gain by them, and their treasons turn on the heads of the workers of them. Touching the end of king Edmond his sons, Fabian thus reporteth it out of the opinion of some, that king Canut sent Edmond and Edward king Edmond his sons, to Swanus his brother king of Denmark to be made away. And that he abhorring the deed sent them to Solomon king of Hungary, where Edmond died, and Edward surviving was surnamed the outlaw, because he never returned into England again. Caesar. Caesar was wont of treasons & traitors to say, that he loved treasons but he loved not traitors: he loved treasons to serve his turn, Plutarch in vita Rom. but he shunned traitors as monsters in the civil body, & the would be ready to practise on him that they have proved in others. Plutarch telleth, Plutarcus in Apoth Rom. that the king of Thraci vpbraied him at the table, that from Anthony he had revolted to him. He rouned 〈◊〉 other king that sat by him in the ear, an● sayeth, that he loved treason, but not traitors In like sort king Philip said, Philip. that he love not traitors, but those that would betray meaning though he had his turn served by them he would not trust them. Io. Stub. There was in the time of this Edrick of Sratton, Elfricus. under king Egelred, and when the Danes pressed the land in divers places, an other traitor of great countenance and estate called Elfricus master or Admiral of the king's Navy, Fab. in Chro. the 6. part cap. 197. (as Fabian calleth him) who was bought and sold of Danes against his Prince and Country. When with the king's navy furnished he lay for the Danes to encounter them, he was blinded with bribes, and the Danes had their chase and rechase by sea and land notwithstanding him. Fabian the 6. part. cap. 199. He was by sea like to the scharcrow by land, which standeth with bow bend and the arrow set in the bow, and yet is blind and cannot discharge. Such a watch was Elfrick by sea: the Ports and passages were open to the Danes. Polidore (saith he) was a hot and fierce man, Polidor. Hist. Angl. lib. 7. but the Danes so cooled his courage with corruption, that there was no value in him for his Prince and Country. When he should fight a battle with the Danes by sea, and try for the main chance, than Elfrik fled to the Danes, Pol. Angl. Hist. li. 7. the Navy was dispersed, some taken, some drowned. Thus Elfrick by sea and Edrick by land played their parts in flying when they should fight, and when they were most trusted, betraying their Prince and Country. This Elfrick after his first fight was reconciled to the king again. After he fled the 2. time. Then the king (as Fabian saith) in wreak of the father, commanded the eyes of the son Algarus to be plucked out of his head. Fab. the 6. part cap. 197 Polidor reporteth that when the Danes came not of with their rewards to Elfrick his contentment, he put himself to the mercy of king Eldred or Egelred, to whom (saith he) the king Effossis oculis vitam condonavit: After his eyes were plucked out of his head, pardoned his life. Thus traitors come short of their reckoning, and Gods judgements suddenly overtake them, as they did Elfrick and Edrick. Polidor. Hist. Angl. lib. 7. Because Elfrick was blind, when he should see the king's enemies, therefore the king plucked out his eyes that he should not see his own friends. It was the just judgement of God: revenge suddenly overreacheth the wicked: in the parts they offend, eftsoons they are punished. What marvel, when there were 2. such as Elfrick and Edric● were, though king Eldred or Egildred was fain to flee the land, the Council of the land was bewrayed, the services and provisions betrayed to the Danes, the king driven to forsake the land, & the Danes in peaceable possession reigned over it. Canutus the elder first, Pol. Angl. Hist. li. 7. and Canutus the son after in the English Chronicle (as Polidor saith) falsely called Hardy-Canutus. Polidor nameth before them Stueno called Swanus in the English Chronicle. Saxo Gram. Hist. Danic. lib. 10. Saxon Grammaticus who wrote the story of the Danes 300. years since, telleth how Harald Earl Godwines son rid the Danes of the land, by feasting them with sumptuous entertainment first, and after by setting on them unwares by night: So that way they came in, that way they went out: by treasons they prevailed, and by treasons they were dispatched, as Saxo the writer of their stories noteth. Nothing could satisfy the Danes but the whole land. No honours could satisfy Elfrick and Edrick, that by sea and land king Eldred first laid on them. The Country wolud not contain them, the estates of honour would not hold them. They are like to those that have the hungry sickness called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Appetentia canina (as Galen calleth it) which is a devouring and unsatiable hunger. Galenus de Symp. causis lib. 1. And as greedy stomachs surcharged with surfeits, are overcome and quail and bring the whole body to decay: so their greedy appetits surcharged above strength, bringeth their whole state to decay. The greediness of traitors is like to the sickness Appetentia canina compared to ravening of Dogs, for they would devour Princes and raven Countries if they were powerable, as their greedy stomachs serve them. But look on the ends of them, whom the regiment by sea would not content as Elfrick, nor Dukedom of Mertia by land as Edrick, (Fabian reporting it) the first was made blind by land that would not see by sea, the other was cast into a stinking ditch (as some note) or his head was exalted on the highest gate of London (as others tell of him) who was not satisfied to have his head exalted in the highest estate of honour under his Prince above all subjects in the land. Fabian the 7 part. ca 260. Eight foot of land holdeth him (as in the funeral verse of Henry the second is mentioned) whom beside England, great climates and Countries would not contain. When the gates of England were committed to Elfrick and Edrick, two such capital traitors so corrupted with treasons, no marvel though the Danes not only rushed in, but at length overcame 〈◊〉 land. If they had not fought with gold by traitors in the land, they could not with their iron so have made their way to have won the land. It is an old policy and practice of Danes. Saxon Grammaticus writeth, Saxo Gram. Hist. Danicae lib. 2. when that Frotho the first king of Danes of that name invaded Scotland, and the Englishmen came down to the rescue, he seeing himself like to be overset that there was no trying of it with the iron blade, devised with glittering gold to fight against them. He causeth all the gold that was in his host, and stuff of price, to be strewed over the fields as they should come. And when they fell on their prey and were laden, he fell on them (as Saxo saith) and the Britons with their blood bought their prey. So it hath been the ancient practice of Danes with gold to make their way for their iron: And having 2. such gulfs of gold, as Edrick and Elfrick were, what marvel though the gates of England were set open to them. As they got themselves in by gold, and the infection of treason in the land, so they were (as Saxo their own Countreeman reporteth) at last put out by the pot, Saxo Gram. Hist. Dani. lib. 5. when after great feasting they were overladen. And Saxo confesseth it to be the infection of his Country: Dani (ut patria pace loquar) siccandis certatim calicibus assuescunt: The Danes (saith he) by my own Countries leave be it spoken, are wont to try masteries in making dry cups. Fabian the 6. part. cap. 200. King Edgar brought the Danes to obeisans, and he bridled that vice in them, by making a law against quaffing and appointing cups with nails and marks to restrain that excess, which by example and provoking of Danes began commonly to grow. Thus of Elfrick master or Admiral of king Eldred his Navy, and Edrick the two Capital traitors of the land who betrayed their Prince and Country. And beside them one Almaricus a Deacon of Canterbury (the City of Swanus being besieged 20. Fab. the 6. part ca 200. Almaricus. days) betrayed it to the Danes. This Almaricus had his life saved before by Elphegus Archbishop there, and for recompense he betrayed him and the City also. There is no more ungrateful monster in the world than treason: It will be ready to tear out their throats that have saved their lives. As for benefits they pass through them and wash over them as the seas our the sands and shores, and they nothing the better. One Hugh a Norman of Queen Emma advanced to be Earl of Devonshire, for requital of so great an honour, betrayed Exeter to Swanus king of Danes (as Fabian in his Chronicle telleth) who beat down the walls and brake into the land. Fab. the 6. part ca 198. Sir Andrew of Harkeles. Fab. the 7. part in anno 1321 Sir Andrew of Harkeley for service done to king Edward the second in the Barons wars in taking Thomas Earl of Lancaster and other Barons, was advanced to be Earl of Carlisle. After that he was sent to levy a great power to bring to the king into the North against the Scotes: But he had devoured so much gold of Sir james Douglas of Scotland, Chronica Fructus temp. the 7. part. Fabian the 7. part in an. 1223. (as Chronica Fructus temporum noteth) that he could not come in time to the king's aid at the battle of Beigland Abbay. So the king was like to have been taken at dinner, his host was discomfited, his treasure and great ordinance taken. Then fame began to blow her trumpet, that this was long of Sir Andrew of Harkley his treason. In process the Earl by the kings commission, was arrested of Sir Anthony Lucy, Fabian in an 1224. and (Fabian reporting it out of Gefferie of Mommuth) was arraigned at Cordoile in Wales, Fabian noted before that he was of Edward the second made Earl of Carlisle or Cardoile: Polidor. Hist. Angl. lib. 18. Polidor calleth him Comitem Carleolensem) and there convicted for taking money of the Scotes to betray the king, for which treason he was there, or after other at Westchester or Shrewlburie drawn and hanged, and his head sent to London and set on the Bridge. Chro. Fruct. temp. 7. part. Chronica Fructus Temporum telleth, how he was for his treason first disgraded, his spurs hewed from his heels, his sword broken over him, and then disgarnished of the robes of his estate, Polid. Hist. Angl. lib. 18. and after put in execution. Polidor telleth of a pacte or plat of treason made with Robert king of Scotes by him with his own opinion in the end. Thus Sir Andrew Herkelies treason turned on his own head in the end. Sir Roger Mortimer surnamed of Wigmor, may for his advancement first, Sir Roger Mortimer. Fabian the 7 part in an. 1324. corruption and treasons after, well be joined to him. Under Edward the second being committed to the Tower he made escape, by giving a sleeping drink to his keepers, as Fabian witnesseth. Then he got him into France to Queen Isabella daughter to Philippe Lebew and wedded to king Edward, Polidor Hist. lib. 18. whom king Edward with her son had sent into France to entreat a concord and peace between Charles the French king and him. After the return of Queen Isabella & Prince Edward her son with force of arms, & after the deposing of Edward the 2. in the Parliament holden at London, Fabian in an 1328. Fabian the 7 part in an. 1326. Sir Roger Mortimer (who returned likewise in their retinue) was by the singular favour of Queen Isabella (in whose Court he bore the sway) advanced in the Parliament of Salisbury under Edward the third to be Earl of March: as Sir Andrew the aforesaid was under Edward the second his father preferred to be Earl of Carlisle or Cardoile as is mentioned before. And in the end this Sir Roger of Wigmor was executed for treason against his Prince and Country, as the same Sir Andrew was. But this Sir Roger was mounted far higher in favour in the Court and in the regiment & dealings of estate, and cause of profit that did accrue to the Crown. And he had great troops and routs hanging on him, Chronica Fructus temp. the 7. part. as Chronica Fructus temporum telleth, what a number of knights were retained to him when he was taken. The regiment of the land and affairs of profit, passed through the Queen's hands and his: And the Lords before assigned to have the guiding of the young king, were sequestered, so that alone the rule of the land (as Fabian sayeth) rested in the Queen and the said Sir Roger: Fabian the 7. part in an. 1328. And great things of the realm (saith he) were out of order. But Sir Roger bore himself so high, that at length he plucked both the king and his Council upon him: So that in time by the king his assent, and the means of Sir William Montague, and sir Ralph Stafford, and sir john Nevel and others, he was by a compassed mean (as Fabian termeth it) arrested and taken in the castle of Nottingham, Fabian the 7 part in anno. 1329. where the king and Queen then lay. The keys of the castle were daily and nightly under the ward and keeping of the said sir Roger, as Fabian saith. Chronica Fructus Temporum telleth, Chro. Fruct. temp. 7. part. that the Constable of the Tower led sir William Montague and his company a privy way under earth, even into the Tower where sir Roger was lodged. From thence with sir Simon of Bedford and others he was sent to the Tower of London: And in the end for his privity to the death of king Edward the second the king his father, Fabian the 7 part. in anno. 1330. & for other treasons charged and proved against him in the Parliament at London, he was by authority of the same Parliament (Fabian witnessing it) judged to death. And upon S. Andrew's even next ensuing, at London he was drawn and hanged. He was charged not only with treason against Edward the second the king's father, to have been the means of his most traitorous death, fearing least nature would work in the young king to set him at liberty again, Polidor. hist. Ang. lib. 18. (as Polidore noteth) and because Queen Isabel had written likewise letters of kindness unto him: but also he was charged with treason against king Edward the 3. his son, & against his country, to have been the mean that the Scots escaped from the king at Stanhop park, where they had fallen into the kings danger, ne had been the favour of the said sir Roger then showed to them: & further that an unprofitable & dishonourable peace (as Fabian termeth it) was by his mean concluded between the king and the Scots. For first (as Fabian writing of the Parliament of Northampton saith) the king released to the Scots their fealty and homage: Fabian the 6 part. in anno. 1327. And he delivered to them old ancient writings, sealed with the seals of the kings of Scots & Lords of the land both spiritual and temporal, with many other Charters and patents, by the which the kings of Scots obliged them to be ●eodaries to the crown of England. At which season also were delivered certain jewels, which beforetimes had been won from the Scots, The black cross of Scotland. Chro. Fruct. temp. in Edward ●qe 3. among the which the black Cross of Scotland is specially named. Chronica Fructus Temporun, according to the black darkness of the superstitious time saith, that this black Cross was a full precious relic, which good king Edward conquered in Scotland, & brought it out of the Abbey of Stone. And maketh mention also of the famous Indenture called Ragman, Ragman the Indenture of the homages and fealties of scotland. which the Scots made to king Edward & king Henry his son, in which were contained all the homages and fealties first of of the king of Scotland, & all the Prelates, Earls, and Barons of the Realm of Scotland with their seals set there under, & other charters & remembrances that king Edward and his Barons had of their right in the aforesaid realm of Scotland. Fabian the 7 part in anno. 1327. Of this Indenture Ragman, mention is made also in the article objected to this sir Roger at his arraignment before the judges of the Parliament in London. Thus the said sir Roger for sundry treasons against his Prince & Country, was openly arraigned, condemned, & executed as is aforesaid. And thus of the treasons of Edric of Stratton of Eltrick the Admiral, sir Andrew Hardikel, sir Roger Mortimer of Wigmor, and the execution done on them. To these I will add the notable example of Hebert Earl of Vermandois in France of his treason against Charles king of France surnamed the Simplo, Hebert. & his execution under jews the 5. of the name. And the example of Q. Brunchild in France, Brunchild. & for her treasons the strange execution done on her. Metius Suffetius. And likewise on the murderers of Charles Earl of Flaunders: & on Metius Suffetius, and on two Traitors of the chamber of Frotho king of Danes. Polido And these abundantly may suffice for the ending of this treatise. First touching Hebert his treasons against Charles the Simple, Ro. Gag. in an Reg. Fran lib. 5. then of his judgement and after his execution. This Hebert County of Vermendoys, humbly invited Charles surnamed the simple king of France, to lodge at his castle of Peron, as he returned out of civil wars against Robert the son of Eudo: who contrary to his allegiance had seized certain Cities and holds of the king's inheritance, whom the king had slain in the field. The king surnamed the Simple, casting no perils (though Earl hebert's wife were sister to Duke Robert late slain of the king in the field) vouchsafeth his courteous inviting, and came to lodge with him. After great feasting when the king was lodged, and his strength sequestered from him, Hebert by the setting on of his wife, in revenge of her brother Robert's death, taketh the king prisoner, and maketh him away, that never he was enlarged and reigned again. Thus of hebert's treason against his Prince under colour of inviting him to his castle and lodging him. Now of his judgement under jews the 5. After the making away of king Charles by treason of Hebert, jews the 5. his son reigned in his place. He in revenge of hebert's treason, deviseth this manner of judgement, that Hebert out of his own mouth unwares and in a pretenced case should pronounce sentence of death upon himself. Ro. Gag. in an. Re. Fran. lib. 5. This devise and plat was furnished in this sort. As he sat in council with his Lords in the City of Laon, whither this Hebert was also warned & procured to be present (as Robert Gagwin a famous writer of the French story reporteth it) a suborned Post came thither in English man's array with a letter of haste, praying the king's presence: and being brought to presence he delivered the letter. And at the secret reading thereof by the king his Secretary to him, the king smiled. The Lords, as if his smiling boded good, said: they trusted there was good news out of England. Then he saith that one Herman, as Gagwin telleth it, Fabian the ● part. ca 186. but as Fabian saith, one of his own cousins and especial friends (of England) moved him of a case in his letter, ask his judgement and resolution in it. He proponeth the case among them, to hear their opinions and judgements of the case. The case was of a country or husbandman that invited his Lord to his house, and there murdered him. Say my Lords (saith he) as Gagwin uttreth his speech, what death you deem and judge him worthy of. Theobald of Blois a sage Counsellor first gave sentence: Theobald of Blois his judgement. that though he was worthy of sundry tortures, yet it seemed good to him that the hangman should truss him at the gallows & strangle him with a rope. And after his verdict, all assented to it: and Earl Hebert also accorded to it, Earl hebert's judgement out of his own mouth on himself. and his own sentence was as it were the cord to truss him up. judgement out of his own mouth was given on himself: there remained no more but execution. The Fox was taken in his own case. Thus judgement was contrived in a devised case, and hebert's mouth pronounced judgement of death upon himself. Now of the execution: Suddenly rushed in the crew appointed of the king before, & they caught guilty Hebert, Earl hebert's execution. and according to his own sentence, carried him to a hill without the city of Laon, & hoist him to the Gibbet or gallows: and before the hangman strangled him, Ro. Gag. in an. Re. Fran. lib. 5. the king turned to him (as Gag. reporteth) and said: Thou Hebert art the same countryman that mad'st away my Lord and father, and thy Sovereign in prison & bonds, now according to thy desert, suffer thy deserved death. Thus hebert's judgement was devolved on himself, and his treason against his Prince returned on his own head. May it not be a mirror of god's judgement touching the end & execution of traitors, which entrap others with treasons, & suddenly are trussed up themselves? Little thought Hebert to hang at the gallows at Laon when he came to the king's presence, & to sit with the Lords in council. Little know traitors what suddenly will befall them. God's revenge runneth after them and will suddenly overtake them. He was too subtle for the simple king. As a guest the king came to his house, but as a lamb he fell into the butcher's hands. God seethe not this: Hebert saith in his heart, there is no God to revenge, Psal. 14. as David saith of that Nabal, the is, the foolish & wicked man. His wife will have her revenge of her brother's death. Hebert is the executioner of revenge. See how gods judgement meateth him his own measure. He cometh to Laon as a guest, invited to sit in council: his own mouth unawares giveth judgement on himself: The crew appointed carrieth him away to make him away. As by treason he made away his Sovereign unawares, so by god's justice he is taken unawares, & for his secret treason hath open execution. The hill on which Hebert was hanged, hebert's hill. was after called hebert's hill. Edric. Edric the traitor had his head exalted on a high gate, or his head & body cast into a stinking ditch (as some say.) Elfric had his eyes plucked out. Elfric. Sir Andrew Hardikell. Sir Roger Mortimer. Sir Andrew Hardikell, & sir Roger Mortimer were drawn as traitors to death. God give all grace to be warned by the example of Hebert of France, Edric & Elfric of England, & such like traitors against their Sovereigns, set up by God's providence to reign over countries. Thus of the treason, judgement, and execution of Hebert Earl of Vermandois in France. Now let us briefly tell of the strange execution of Queen Brunchild wife sometime to Sigisbert king of Mees or Austrachia (according to Fabian) for her manifold treasons & murders of Princes of her own blood. Queen Brunchild. She is noted in the story to have been the death of ten Princes of royal blood beside others. She set her own sons and brethren Theodobert and Theodorich on bloody war together, and one to tear out an others throat. And after king Theodobert was slain in the wars by treason, and Theodorich by poison made away, she set up a base of Theodorich called Sigisbert against king Clotare: who discomfited him, and took Brunchild in the field, on whom all the host cried a shameful death (as Gagwin telleth: Ro. Gag. in an. Re. Fran. lib. 2. ) and after she was beaten with a cudgel four times, king Clotare commanded her to be set on a horse and to be carried about all the host, & then by the hair of the head and arms to be tied to the tail of a wild horse, and so to be trailed and drawn to death. And this was the 〈◊〉 judgement and execution of Burnchild king Clotare. Let 〈◊〉 hear likewise of the strange judgement and execution done on the traitors and murderers of Charles Earl of Flaunders at the commandment of jews surnamed the gross king of France. Charles Earl of Flaunders by treason slain in the Church. This Charles was by treason slain in the Church of S. Donatus in Bruges as he was in his devotions, of one Bocardus brother to the Provost of the same Church. Fabian calleth him the Provost of Bruges that was the principal of this treason and murder: Ro. Gag. in an. Reg. Fran. lib. 6. I follow Gagwin the writer of the French story, in reporting of it. Lewes' king of France aforesaid (because Charles was near of blood to him) entered Flaunders, & besieged the Church which the traitors kept as their castle. Bocardus the traitor his death. Bocardus fearing the sequel, stole out for fear, and was taken and put in execution. His eyes were stricken out with a reed, his face was shot in with arrows, and after he was dead he was put on the wheel. To this strange and grievous death was Bocardus the traitor and murderer put to of jews the king of France, in revenge of Charles Earl of Flaunders death his sister's son. Bertopus a traitor and murdererh strange dea●● And one Berropus his consort & mate in the execution of the murder, was by the foresaid king jews his order put to a strange & grievous death. He was hange● 〈◊〉 ●●lowes, and by him a masty or 〈…〉 whom when the hangman smote●● 〈◊〉 Bertopus body hanging by, & rend & tore his flesh, and so Bertopus was baited to death. Thus the most strange and grievous execution of Bertopus for treason & murder, as Gag. master of his order in France, & writer of the French story reporteth it. The other their complices that were taken in the Tower, The execution of other craitors. were thrown headlong from the top of the Tower: & one Isaak which took on him the vow of monkery hoping to escape, was strangled with a rope. Thus of their treason & strange executions. Frotho king of Denmark. Frotho king of Denmark the first of the name, caused two of his chamber convicted of treason against him, to be tied to two great main stones, and to be thrown into the Sea, as Saxo the writer of the story of the Danes, Saxo Gram. hist. Dane lib. 2. saith: Animi crimen annex corporibus mole mulctando. With weight put on their bodies (saith he) he punished the weighty sin of their souls. Tullus Hostilius the 3. Heathen king of the Romans, caused a very strange and grievous execution to be done on one Metius Suffetius for his treason practised in the field against him. Metius Suf. his treason. This Tullus Hostilius fought a battle with certain people in the confines of Rome called Fideriates, Veientes, and Volsci. Metius Suffetus being of his obedience and subjection, was sent for with certain ensigns & ●orces out of Alba, and was present at the battle. And before the battle did join, he warbling with a double heart, got him aloof to the hills, and busied himself among his bands till the battle was fought. And when victory fell to Tullus Hostilius, than he cometh in with fresh bands to gratulate victory to the king. At first the king showed good countenance to him, but after he had assembled his host & environed Metius with his bands, and had made him safe from mutining and resisting, he gave order for the execution of him: which was thus: because he distracted his forces from him, & in the battle betrayed him, his body also should be distracted & dismembered. Titus Livius Deca. de 1. lib. 1. Then (as Titus Livius telleth the story) he caused him to be laid & bound between two Charets, & by horses set to & driven on divers ways, his body was dismembered & his limbs plucked asunder. From so grievous a sight (saith Livius) they turned their eyes. No nation (as he saith) may glory more of milder pains and executions. Thus of the end of Metius Suffetius for his treason against his Prince in the field: as we have hard of K. Frotho also his execution on 2. of his chamber for treason against him. Thus I have opened the examples before mentioned of me for the ending of his part: 〈◊〉 Earl Hebert, Queen Brunchild, Bocardus, Bertopus and others, and two of king Frotho his chamber, & Metius Suffetius the last, which are very pertinent examples to this purpose concerning the end of treasons & traitors in other countries. I joined than to notable examples out of our own country of Edric & Elfric, sir Andrew Hardikel, & sir Roger Mortimer, which after certain examples out of holy scripture and other beside, I have laid down at large. Would God (as Polid. in writing the English story witnesseth) these verses of the Prophet David were as a table always hanging before the eyes of such. Whither then shall I go from thy spirit, Psal. 139. or whither shall I go then from thy presence? If I climb up into heaven thou art there, if I go down to hell thou art there also. And after: If I say peradventure darkness shall cover me, then shall my night be turned to day: yea the darkness is no darkness with thee, but the night is as clear as the day, the darkness & light be both alike. Thus far the Prophet. But while the wicked are contriving their devilish plaits, they clean forget the power & providence of God, till his providence overthrow their plaits, & his power confound the wicked practisers of them, and the saying of the Prophet David be verified in them: He hath graven & digged up a pit, & is fallen himself into the destruction that he made for others. For his travail shall come upon his own head, and his wickedness shall fall on his own pate. Thus of the end of treasons, rebellions, and such like wickedness. Now of the last, The last of the principal parts of this treatise. concerning thanksgiving and praising of God, by occasion of the words of David: I will praise and give thanks unto the Lord according to his righteousness, and will sing praise to the name of the Lord the most high. AS he endeth his Psalm with this, Of thanksgiving and praising of God. so with exhortation to praise & thanksgiving to God, I will end my treatise. And herein I will refer myself to these special points. First, The order. how by David his example we should stir up ourselves to thanksgiving & praising of God. secondly, what a bundant matter of thanksgiving and praising God the bountiful goodness of God hath ministered to us. thirdly the more to stir us up to be thankful to God for the preservation of our gracious sovereign (the good instrument of the manifold blessings of god unto us) what thankfulnesshe hath showed to her faithful subjects of late, & what compassion to her poor people: & what hearts her people should bear to her again: & pray that the mercy of God will long maintain & magnify her, as he did his servant Moses. Fourthly, how God requireth and looketh for thankfulness of us. Fiftly, how it is a sweet comfort of conscience, and good fruit of the grace of God & of christian faith, to show true thankfulness and praising of God for his benefits bestowed upon us. The first. Touching the first, how by David his example we should be stirred up to thanksgiving & praising of God. After the Prophet had mentioned the judgements of god on his enemies, & the wretched end of their wickedness (wherein the great mercy of God in his delivery is employed) by and by he maketh profession of praising & giving thanks to God for his righteousness in his judgements to them, and in them of his mercy to him. One word signifieth to give thanks & praise. Because one word doth signify to give thanks & praise, therefore some expound the word jada to give thanks, some to praise, and both are interlaced the one with the other, & one followeth of the other. No sooner thankfulness is in the heart, but praise is in the mouth. Both flow out of one fountain. A godly heart is the fountain: thanksgiving & praise spring first in it, and issue out of it with outward giving of thanks and praising God. As David giveth us here example, that he will give thanks or praise to god for his righteousness, Psal. 145. & sing to the name of the Lord the most high. The Lord (saith he) is loving to every man, and his mercy is over all his works. His work (saith he) is worthy to be praised and had in honour, Psal. 111. & his righteousness endureth for ever. The merciful and gracious Lord (saith he) hath so done his marvelous works, that they ought to be had in remembrance. Psal. 145. The memorial (saith he) of thy abundant kindness shallbe showed, & men shall sing of thy righteousness. Psal. 62 O congregation or people (saith he) power out your hearts before him, for god is our hope. He calleth upon all estates, high & low to praise God for his benefits. Psal. 148. Kings of the earth (saith he) & all people, Princes and all judges of the world: young men & maids, men & children praise the name of the Lord: for his name only is excellent, & praised above heaven & earth. He shall exalt the horn of his people, all his saints shall praise him, even the children of Israel, even the people that serveth him. Psal. 150. And in the last Psalm & knitting up of the Psalms, he willeth every thing that hath breath to praise the Lord▪ Thus the prophet out of his thankful heart poureth out outward thanksgiving & praising of God: & calleth to the congregation & people of God, and to all of all estates, and to all that hath breath to praise God for his benefits. And he associateth to him those that have thankful hearts to praise God for his benefits, and as a foreman encourageth them. Psal. 34 O praise the Lord (saith he) with me, and let us magnify his name together. And in another Psalm, O come hither & behold the works of God, Psal. 66. how wonderful he is in his doing towards the children of men. And after in the same Psalm: O praise our God ye people, & make the voice of his praise to be heard. Which holdeth our soul in life, & suffereth not our feet to slip. And after at the view of God's blessings privately be stowed on him, he saith: O come hither & hearken ye that fear God, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul. Thus publicly & privately he calleth upon the congregations of God, & all estates, and all that hath breath to praise God● and he calleth on his own soul & all his inward parts, to yield thankful praise to God & not to forget his benefits. God give us grace by the example of this Prophet, both publicly for the public and great benefits of God, and especially for his wonderful works in the late deliveries of our gracious Sovereign, his Church, & our country, with ●●●nkfull hearts to praise & glorify his blessed name. Thus how by the example of the Prophet, we should be stirred up to thanksgiving and praising of God for his great benefits. The second note is, what abundant matter of thanksgiving and praise, the bountiful goodness of God hath given to us. The matter abundantly ministered to us of God is yet but fresh in our remembrance. But nothing sooner slippeth out of our minds then the great benefits of God: Of an unsavoury, forgetful, and churlish clay we come. Are we not of the same mettle by corrupt kind that they were of, of whom the Prophet said: But they forget what he had done, Psal. 78. and his wonderful work that he had showed for them. And in an other Psalm: Psal. 106. But within a while they forgot his works and would not abide his counsel. Of such frail mould we are. Nothing is more to be feared, then lest that frail forgetfulness and carnal security swallow up these wonderful works of God. Carnal security like the Charib of Sicily. As the Charib of Sicily swalloweth all that come on it, so carnal security is as a Charib in us, and swalloweth up all the wonderful works and blessed benefits of God: for without true thankfulness they are all lost, they perish if we heartily praise not God for them, they are cast away if carnal security overcome them. As the Charib hurleth about first that it swalloweth, and after it hath swallowed it, it casteth it out again, so we toss and hurl about in our minds the wonderful works and great blessings of God while they are nue & fresh, but after carnal security and frail forgetfulness swalloweth them up and casteth them clean out of our minds again. Thus fareth it with our frail nature & churlish clay of old Adam, if we be not waked up to hearty thankfulness by the spirit of God. Therefore the spirit of God crieth out by the Prophet to us: Come hither & behold the works of God how wonderful he is in his doing toward the Children of men. Psal. 66. If we look into the late works of God in the wondered deliveries of our gracious Sovereign and his Church and people, how wonderful hath he showed himself in his doings, to us: What abundant matter of thanksgiving and praise hath his mercy ministered to us? One wonderful work cometh in the neck of an other, and one delivery is doubled on the other, that we have daily matter of new songs of thanksgiving and praising of God, Psal. 98. as the Prophet David exhorteth us: O sing unto the Lord a new song for he hath done marvelous things. With his own right hand & with his holy arm hath he gotten himself the victory. And in another Psalm: O sing unto the Lord a new song, sing unto the Lord all the whole earth. Psal. 96. Sing unto the Lord and praise his name, be telling of his salvation from day to day. And after: For the Lord is great and cannot worthily be praised. Thus by delivery upon delivery, and blessing upon blessing, the bountiful goodness of God daily doth minister to us matter of new songs of thanksgiving & praising of his name. It is not Moses that stood up for us in the gap (as the Prophet David saith that Moses stood up in the gap else he would have destroyed them) nor Phinees that stood in the breach to turn away his wrath from us: Psal. 106. and Abraham (as the Prophet Esay saith) knew it not: Esay 63. but it was the blessed advocate of the Church of God (whom S. Steven at his death saw standing at the right hand of his father) and our only mediator Christ jesus, Act. 7. which stood up in the gap and breach before the mercy of God for us. Except that mediator had showed himself at the dead lift and at the very door of death, the deep waters of the proud had even gone over our foul (as the Prophet David saith) And as in the beginning of the same Psalm he sayeth: Psal. 124. If the Lord himself had not been on our side, now may Israel say, if the Lord himself had not been on our side when men rose up against us, they had swallowed us quick, when they were so wrathfully disposed at us: yea the water had drowned us, & the stream had gone over our soul. And after: But praised be the Lord which hath not given us over for a pray unto their teeth. Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the hunter: the snare is broken and we are delivered. Our help standeth in the name of the Lord which hath made heaven and earth. Thus the whole Psalm portrayeth out our case, the rage of our enemies, and our delivery by the tender mercy of God. Psal. 44. We were as sheep appointed to the slaughter (as David saith,) and the butchery and massacre was appointed, and the sword that should have been bathed in our blood. And our gracious Sovereign as the Prophet Hieremie (speaking of the murderers of Anathot which conspired his death saith in his own case) as a lamb should have been brought to the slaughter, Hier. and I knew not (saith Heremie) that they had devised thus against me. And before he saith, that God did show and reveal to him their practices. And in an other place: The Lord (saith he) is with me like a mighty Giant, Hier. 2●. therefore my persecutors shallbe overthrown and shall not prevail. And after he breaketh out in praising & glorifying of God: Sing (saith he) unto the Lord, for he hath delivered the soul of the poor from the hand of the wicked. Thus in the Propthets case, & the conspirators of Anathot against him, the case of our gracious Sovereign is set forth before our eyes. Let us with the Prophet break out in praising of God for the wonderful works of his manifold deliveries. For we have heard of deliveries upon deliveries, & the latter are linked to the first. Psal. 121. Behold he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep (as the Prophet David saith.) The Devil as a ramping Lion gaddeth about and travaileth in his members with treasons upon treasons. 1. Pet. 5. But the fatherly providence of God hath been the watch and guard of the royal person and estate of our Prince, and hath wrought wonderful works of deliveries upon deliveries for her and us. Treason the very imph of the Devil, with which the Devil thus travaileth in this latter age, is like to Hydra the serpent of many heads, Caro See. 〈◊〉 dictio Hist. & P●e. which being cut off spring again. Let us pray that the sword of God's providence may not only cut them off, but so fear them up that they never spring again. Plin. nat. Hist. lib. 8. cap. 55. Plini writeth that the Hare as son as she bringeth forth breadeth again, and before she bring forth she conceiveth again with one under another, and beareth in her belly at once, one with lawn and heir, an other all naked, and he termeth it Superfaetat. So treason in these latter days before it bringeth forth is ready to breed again, and to conceive one upon the other, and would fill Countries with treasons, but that God's providence encountereth them when they are conceived, and frustrateth them and turneth them to a lie and vain thing (as David termeth it.) Though they redoble thick on us, yet we have seen the wonderful works of God in the discoveries and our deliveries redoubled also upon us. Psal. 68 Let us say with David, praised be the Lord daily even the Lord God which helpeth us and poureth out his benefits upon us. He is our God, even the God of whom cometh salvation. God is the Lord by whom we escape death. God shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scaspe of such a one as goeth on still in his wickedness. So far the Prophet David. What abundance of matter of praise and thanksgiving hath the infinite mercy of God ministered unto us in these wonderful works of discoveries of treasons, and deliveries of our gracious Sovereign from them, and his Church, and our Country. He hath sent her help (as David prayeth) from his Sanctuary, Psal. 20. & strenghned her out of Zion. Where are now that thankful hearts in Zion, Psal. 88 whereof David saith: all my fresh springs shallbe in thee. We are the true Zion sanctified to god by his word, sprinkled with the blood of Christ in our hearts by faith and sanctification of the spirit of God, through obedience & sprinkling of the blood of Christ, according to Peter his words. We are the Israel of God (as Paul calleth us) & the true jews by circumcision of our hearts, 1. Pet. 1. that is in the spirit not in the letter, whose praise is of god & not of men (as Paul saith) Jerusalem that is above, Rom 2. Gal. 4. is free (as Paul saith (& is the mother of us al. We are those true jehudei and jews which have their name of confessing and praising of God. For from the root of the word jada which signifieth to confess, praise, and give thanks to God, Pagnin in Thesau. Heb. 13. jehuda (which is the tribe of their kingdom) hath name, & thereof jehudaei the jews have theirs. By him (that is Christ) we offer up (as Paul saith) the sacrifice of praise, that is the fruit of our lips the praise his name. Where therefore is Moses with his song, & the Children of Israel which so thankfully praised God for their delivery from Pharaoh and the overthrow of his host in the red Sea? Exod. 15. Where is Miriam the prophetess and sister of Aaron with troops of women following her with timbrels, dances, and praising of God? Psal. 134 And Aaron with the Levites lifting up their hands in the sanctuary? And Phinees with his zeal? 2. Chro. 20. And the people that praised God for the wonderful work of their deliverance under the godly king jehoshaphat: when the singers went before the host praising God with the Psalm: Psal. 136. Praise the Lord, for his mercy endureth for ever. And after the recital of the great works of God, in the end the Prophet saith: Which remembered us when we were in trouble. And if the tender mercy of God had not remembered us in the late dangers and troubles, Psal. 28 we had been like to them that go down to the pit, as David speaketh. Let us now remember heartily to thank and praise him for his wonderful works of the late deliveries of Elizabeth our gracious sovereign, & his Church, & our Country. Let us awake our dullspirits & frail affections, as David awaketh himself to praise God: Awake my glory (saith he, so he calleth his soul as they note) awake my Lute & Harp, I myself will awake right early. Psal. 57 I will give thanks (saith he) to thee O Lord among the people, I will sing to thee among the nations. For the greatness of thy mercy reacheth to the heavens, and thy truth to the clouds. Thus far the Prophet David. Let us thus awake our souls (if we be the true Zion and sanctuary of the Lord sanctified to him by his blessed word in Christ) to extol, praise, and glorify him for the wonderful works of his great mercies thus magnified and multiplied amongst us. Let Moses bring his song of praises, and Miriam and all godly women their thanks. Let Phinees show his zeal, and the Levites lift up their hearts and hands in thankful praising of God. And all godly people & true subjects, follow the example of the godly and thankful people that under Moses and jehoshaphat extolled and magnified the mercies of God for the wonderful work of their deliverances. We have seen of late deliverance upon deliverance, and the wonderful works of God multiplied upon us. Our hearts are heavy, our mettle dull, our spirits slow to show forth our thankfulness and praising of God. Let us stir up our spirits and souls, as the Prophet David calleth to his soul: Psal. 103. Praise the Lord O my soul & all my inward parts praise his holy name. Praise the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits. Which forgiveth all thy sin and healeth all thy infirmities. Which saveth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with mercy and loving kindness. God give us grace thus to call to our souls, and to stir up our inward parts to praise God for his great and manifold mercies, and namely & especially for the wonderful works of the late discoveries and deliveries of our gracious Sovereign, & the poor Church of God and our Country. Thus what matter of thanksgiving and praise the mercy of God hath ministered to us. The third. What thankfulness our gracious Sovereign and good mother of our Country hath showed to her faithful subjects, and what compassion to her poor people: & what hearts her people should bear to her again, and pra● that the mercy of God will long maintains and magnify her as he did his servant Moses. Touching the thankfulness of so gracious a Sovereign to her faithful subjects carefully trayveling for the preservation and safety of her sacred person long amongst us, I refer myself to her majesties answers extant in public memory and view, to the great comfort and encouragement of all true hearted subjects to her Majesty. Touching her compassion to her poor people, she hath heard their cry, and her motherly heart hath melted with compassion over them. She hath caused exhortation to be published for fraining feastings, and hath sent and appointed that good means and orders be taken and used for the relieving of her poor people in this time of dearth. She hath opened the bowels of motherly compassion unto them, as if she would pluck them out of the mouth of famine, and the gulf of death. If ever any people opened their very hearts and tender bowels of nature to receive their Prince into their very hearts and bowels of tender love, she most justly hath deserved it of us. For she traveleth in continual dangers for us. Her sacred person, sweet life, and royal estate, is continually subject to such imminent dangers and perils for us. In her they seek the spoil and massacre of us, the raven & ruin of our Country, to make it a pray and booty for strangers and enemies. Queen Elizabeth as a mark among Princes set up of God. She is the mark they shoot at. But this is our comfort, that God hath set her as a mark among Princes and in the world, and by his divine providence and power continually magnifieth and maintaineth the mark that he set, maugre all enemies of it. And they that shoot at this mark to strike it down, shoot in a casting bow which laid to the mark doth miss it and shooteth wide from it. Psal. 78. traitors like to the casting bow. The Prophet David compareth the jews to a casting or deceitful bow, for the word Remiia, signifieth deceitful: And all traitors to the sacred person & royal estate of our Prince, may well be compared to the casting bow which shoot at the mark but their bow, will deceive them. Would God that all traitors, rebels, and seditious persons to her royal person and estate, might not only hear that I say, but take it to heart: when they shoot at this mark which Gods providence hath set up and thus magnified, and which in the sight of God is precious by the continual prayer of his Saints: their bow will deceive them, and their own string will strangle them. And it may be said of them (as David said of the jews) they are like a casting or deceitful bow. Esay 77. Would to God they could effectuously remember the qualities and properties of this casting bow: The qualities of the casting bow. for whether they be likened themselves to it (as David likneth the disobedient jews to it) or whether they shoot themselves in the casting bow, & when they aim at the mark they miss and are wide: or whether they are shot themselves out of that casting bow, whose string doth strangle them, and which first doth cast them, and after setteth them up in a contrary kind to be marks & public spectacles & examples to warn all others: either they may well be called the casting bow in respect of themselves, either may be compared to it in respect of their actions, either in respect of the event & consequence may fitly be referred to it. God grant that all may be warned by the examples of such, for they are set up of God's justice as marks & spectacles for the warning of al. God strengthen the princely heart of our gracious Sovereign with heavenly comforts and with an heroical, principal, and n●●rincely spirit, establish her (as king david ●●ayed) that God will establish him with a principal, Psa. 51. The heroical spirit. or princely spirit) as the vulgar translateth the word Nediba because the word Nadib signifieth a Prince, or as some expound it with a free spirit, because the word signifieth both. God strengthen her Majesty with such an heroical, and free spirit. When king David looked into the transitory troubles of the world which came swelling like a Sea on him, and gaping like a gulf to devour him, he cried to God: Psal. 3. Lord how are they increased that trouble me: many are they that rise against me. Thus as if he were floating in the raging Seas, and wallowing among the wild waves he crieth to God. And by and by as though he had got him under the lie shore by casting his eyes on God's providence, he found such cordial comfort that he said: But thou O Lord art a shield about me, my glory and the lifter up of my head. Then with an heroical spirit he saith: I will not be afraid for ten thousand of people that have set themselves against me round about. And in the same heroical spirit he prayeth: Up Lord and help me O my God, for thou smitest mine enemies upon the cheek bone, thou shalt break the teeth of the ungodly. In which heroical confidence in God thus he endeth his prayer: Salvation belongeth to 〈◊〉 Lord, and thy blessing is upon thy people. Thus how David out of blustering winds and stormy Seas, hoiseth his seals into the haven of God's providence, and putteth on an heroical spirit with courage and magnanimity against all his enemies. Was not David a Prince and Prophet most dear to God, David. Godly Prince's deer unto God have been assaulted with traitors and rebels. chosen according to his own heart as the Scripture speaketh? Yet had he not Sheba the rebel, Architophel the traitor, and Absalon his son out of his own bowels that betray- him and openly rebelled against him? Moses may be a mirror to all magistrates and Princes, Moses. who was so high in the love and favour of God: Yet had he Dathan, Corach, and Abyram that rebelled against him. And because we have mentioned Moses, if we look into the wonderful works of God, hath not God sent our good mother and Prince Elizabeth as a Moses to us, to bring us first out of the spiritual Egypt & slavery of our souls, & to conduct us through the wilderness of this wayward world, full of fiery serpents continually stinging us in their kind, as the fiery serpents did sting the Children of Israel in the wilderness? And as God conducted them by Moses through the great and terrible wilderness, Deut. 8. where (as he sayeth) were fiery serpents and scorpions, so what were our case if God had not blessed us with our Moses to conduct us through the weary wilderness of these troublesome and perilous times, in which so many fiery serpents, stinging scorpions, venomous vermin, and malicious enemies are, whose outrage and fury is like to the rank and hot poison of serpents, as the word Chema which David useth doth signify. Thus how God hath made her our Moses to bring us out of the house of bondage, and conduct us through the wilderness of this dangerous world, swarming with so many fiery serpents and stinging scorpions against us. Now how God hath prepared and preserved her to this Princely conduct as he did his servant Moses. Moses had his name because he was drawn out of the waters: for of the word Mosha signifying Extraxit or eduxit, he hath plucked or drawn out he was called Moshe of Pharaoh his daughter, because (saith she) I have drawn him out of the waters. His mother hide him 3. months, and then because of Pharaoh his commandment for the making away of the Hebrews male children as soon as they were borne, she she fearing danger put him in an Ark of reed daubed with slime and pitch, and laid it among the Bulrushes by the rivers brink. Exod. 2. Now his sister stood a far off to wait what would come of him. Then the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash her in the river, and her maids walked by the river side, and when they saw the Ark among the Bulrushes, she sent her maid to fetch it: and (briefly to conclude that the scriptu●● rehearseth more at large) the child wept, and Pharaoh his daughter pitied him (God's providence so providing for him) his sister ran for his mother to be his nurse, and when he grew, his mother brought him to Pharaoh his daughter, and she brought him up as her own, and she called his name Moses, because (saith she) I drew him out of the water. God's wonderful providence in preserving Q. Elizabeth unto and in the royal estate. And hath not our Moses before God set the crown on her head, been at the very brink to perish, & God hath pluked her out of the gulfs of many waters, and out of the month of cruel enemies, and hath made (though not in name, yet in the wondeafull works of his providence) a right Moses of her, by bringing her from the very brink, & wonderfully preserving her to this Princely estate. And since how oft hath he made a Moses of her, by plucking her out of so many greedy gulfs of treasons and conspiracies at home and abroad against her, and of late bringing her from the brink of such imminent dangers & perilous plaits and plunges, by such wonderful works of discoveries and deliveries which we have seen. So that in Moses plucked out of the waters and from the brink to conduct the people of God out of Egypt, we may see a right mirror of our Moses by the wonderful works of God, so oft saved from the brink, & plucked out of the gulfs to conduct his people through the wilderness of this perilous world, amidst the fiery serpents sharp set to sting the people of God at all advantages and occasions. God long vouchsafe her to be his Moses, and continually pluck her out of the gulfs and plunges of all plaits of treasons, conspiracies, and confederacies at home or abroad whatsoever, and wheresoever against her. And as he did magnify his servant Moses in the world, and with wonderful works backed him from heaven in the conduct of his people on earth: So let us hearty pray that with wonderful works of his providence and divine power he will magnify our Moses in the sight of all Princes and people, and show forth the magnificence of his glorious Gospel in her, and back from heaven her princely conduct of God's people on earth, against all enemies, traitors, & conspirators against her Princely person and royal estate whatsoever, and whensoever, that the world may see he hath set her up for a mark, and raised her up for a Moses for the conduct and comfort of the people of God. The fourth. How God requireth and looketh for thankfulness of us. As God commandeth us to call on him in our troubles, and hath annexed a sweet promise to it, so he addeth to it what on our behalfs he requireth of us. The commandment is: Psal. 50. Call on me in the day of thy trouble (so God by the Prophet David commandeth us) and the sweet promise annexed to it is: And I will hear thee. And that he requireth on our behalfs is, thou shalt praise (or glorify) me. Thus the commandment, promise, God rrquireth thankfulness of us. and what he requireth of us. And now for his great benefits and the wonderful works of these late discoveries and deliveries, he requireth and looketh for thankfulness, and praising, and gloryfiing his name for them. When our blessed Saviour had cured and cleansed the ten Lepers, but one of them, and he being a stranger and a Samaritan returned (when he saw himself cleansed) and with a loud voice praised God: and (as S. Luke saith) he fell down on his face at his feet and gave him thanks: Luk. 17. and the same was a Samaritan, And jesus answered and said, were there not ten cleansed? But where are those nine? There are not found that return again to give God praise save only this stranger. And he said unto him, Rise and go, thy faith hath saved thee. Thus S. Luke. As he accepteth the thankfulness of the Samaritan and stranger, so he asketh after the other nine unthankful: Where are those nine? And as we have received the great benefits of God in the wonderful works of these late discoveries and deliveries, so let us be assured he requireth thankfulness of us, and he looketh for us, and calleth after us as by name. Let us return with this poor Samaritane with thankful hearts to praise and glorify his name. He may be a mirror of thankfulness to us, He thought he could not do too much: He fell on his face at his feet, and with a loud voice praised God. His thankfulness was not hid in his heart, but it broke out also in most humble behaviour, and in his loud voice praising God. This Samaritan may set us to school for thankfulness, of whom we may learn with most humble and thankful affections to prostrate ourselves in our hearts before the Majesty of God, and outwardly also to show forth our thankfulness in praising and glorifying of God. The woman that had an issue of blood. The woman that had a grievous issue of blood twelve years, and had bestowed all her living upon the Physicians, and could not be healed of any (as Luke saith) & of many Physicians had endured many things & spent all that she had, Luk. 8. and was nothing amended but rather the worse (as Mark saith) came in the press behind him, Mat. 5. and touched his garment or the hem of his garment (as Matthew and Luke say: Mat. 9 ) for she said, If I touch but his garment I shall be healed. And by and by the fountain or course of her blood was dried up, Mark. 5. and she felt in her body (as Mark saith) that she was healed of the plague. And immediately jesus did know in himself the virtue that went out of him, and he turned himself round about in the press, and said: Luk. 8. who hath touched my garments. And when all denied (as Luke saith) Peter and they that were with him, said: Master the multitude thrust thee and tread on thee, and thou sayest, Who is it that hath touched me. And jesus said, Some one hath touched me, for I have felt virtue to have issued from me. Mark saith, Mar. 5. that he looked about to see her that had done this: but the woman knowing what was done in her, came fearing and trembling, and fell at his feet, and told him all the truth. Luk. 8. And Luke saith, that the woman when she saw that she could not be hid, came trembling and fell at his feet, and told him before all the people for what cause she had touched him, and how immediately she was healed. But he said to her, Daughter be of good comfort, thy faith hath made thee whole: Go in peace. Thus out of the Evangelists I have laid down the story. She thought to have carried it close, and to have stolen it away without open recognizing and publishing of it: But she is called for, and (as Mark saith) he looked about to see her. Mark. 5. Then she came trembling and told all the truth. So virtue is gone out from him in the wonderful works of his heavenly helps and deliverances. And if we do not heartily and thankfully recognise and publish them, he will call for us, as he did for her, and look about for us, if we come not in to make thankful declaration of his great, manifold, and marvelous benefits. Then seeing for his exceeding benefits he looketh for dutiful thankfulness of us, Ephe. 5. Col. 5. let us (as Saint Paul exhorteth) show ourselves heartily thankful unto him for them, and lay them up and lock them up in thankful memory, that carnal security do not swallow them up and by frailty they do not vade away. Thus how God requireth and looketh for thankfulness of us. The fift. The fift and last is, what a comfort it is t●● conscience, and a good witness and fruit of faith, to show our hearty thankfulness to God, and to praise and glorify him for his wonderful works and exceeding benefits bestowed on us. The thankfulness of the faithful is a comfort of conscience & good fruit of faith. Psal. 116. The thankfulness of the faithful, and their praising and glorifying of God for his manifold and great benefits, is a great comfort to the consciences of the godly, & a good witness and fruit of their faith. The Prophet David searching into his own thankfulness to God, saith: What reward shall I give to the Lord for all the benefits that he hath done unto me? I will receive the cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. And out of his thankful heart he calleth others to the consideration and view of God's benefits bestowed on him: Psal. 66 O come hither (saith he) and hearken all ye that fear God, & I will tell you what he hath done for my soul. And he taketh such comfort in his faithful praising and glorifying of God, Psal. 63. that he saith: My soul shall be satisfied as it were with marrow and fatness, when my mouth with joyful lips praiseth thee. Because of the joy & comfort of his heart in praising of God, he calleth his lips joyful in showing forth his joy & shouting as with joy and jubilee, the word Renavoth cometh of the root of the word that signifieth to shout for joy, and they translate the words labiis iubilationum, With lips of jubilee and joy, and shouting for inward joy. And in the same Psalm before, he saith: Thy loving kindness is better than life itself, my lips shall praise thee. As long as I live I will magnify thee in this manner, and lift up my hands in thy name. And touching his thankful remembrance in the same Psalm, after he saith: Have I not remembered thee in my bed, and thought upon thee when I was waking? Because thou hast been my helper, therefore under the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul hangeth upon thee, and thy right hand hath upholden me. Those also that seek the hurt of my soul they shall go under the earth. Thus of his comfort in thankfulness and joyful praising the mercy of God to him, of his thankful remembrance of God, and confidence in his help and mercy. And of the good comfort of conscience, and witness & fruit of the faith of saints David saith: Psal. 149. that the saints rejoice in their beds, and that the praises of God are in their mouths. What manner of praises they are, The praises of the saints. the nature of the word Romemoth doth import, which the vulgar for expressing the sense, translateth Exaltationes, the exaltations, by which are meant the praise with which they exalt & extol the magnificences of the hercules of God to them. And these praises are in their mouths or throats. So they make no dainty of their lips in praising God: but the praises by which they exalt and magnify the mercies of God, are in their throats, which as trumpets sound out in praising of God. Let such praises of God be in our hearts and thrtotes sounding as trumpets with thankful praising of the mercy and benefits of God to us. We are the lively Organs and instruments of praise and the true trumpets of thanksgiving. Sound out the trumpets of thanksgiving, blow up the Cornets of praise, strike up the heavenly haps and Lutes with thankful melody in our hearts and mouths, praising & glorifying of God. Ephe. 5. And as Paul exhorteth the Ephesians: In Psalms (saith he) Hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts. And as he saith to the Colossians, Col. 3. in Psalms, and Hymns, and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to God. Nicol. de Lyra in cap. 3. ad Colos. Amb. in cap. 3. ad Ephe. Nicolaus de Lyra expoundeth the word in grace, in consideration of the benefits of God. Ambrose saith, he hath commanded singing in our hearts to him, lest in favour and regard of men it be done, and so the fruit be lost. This is the true melody of the heart, and the heavenly harmony of thanksgiving and praising God, with Psalms, Hymns & spiritual songs making melody in our hearts to God. And this is the good fruit & witness of faith which the Saints and faithful servants of God do show: the thankfulness and joyful melody of their hearts and mouths in praising of God with Psalms, Hymns, and spiritual songs, & with rejoicing lips in praising of God as David saith. So Moses and the children of Israel praised God for their deliverance from Pharaoh. Exod. 15. Moses. Miriam. So likewise Miriam did with the godly woman that praised God with her for the same delivery. And Deborah the Prophetess, judges. 5. Deborah. Barah. and Barah song praise and thanksgiving to God for the overthrow of Sisera, and their delivery from jabin king of Canaan. 2. Chro. 14. Asa. So Asa the godly king with his people assembled, praised God for their delivery from Zerah king of Ethyopia, which came with such numbers to overrun him. So likewise jehoshaphat the religious and godly Prince with his host, 2. Chro. 20. jehoshaphat. praised and glorified God for their marvelous deliverance from their enemies without stroke of man's hand, whose sword God turned upon themselves. Therefore after the gathering of the pray, the fourth day jehoshaphat and his host assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah, where they gave thanks & blessed the Lord: for Berachah signifieth blessing and giving of thanks. 〈◊〉 ●alley of ●achah. ●. Chro. 20. And the place is called the valle● of Berachah unto this day, as the Scripture saith. As jehoshaphat and his people by then thankful praising and blessing of God in the valley of Berachah, and by the renown and name of that place have left a monument o● their thankfulness, blessing and praising of God for their wonderful deliverance: so what better monument can we present to God for the wonderful deliverances of our gracious Sovereign, his Church, and our Country, than the lively monument of thankful heart's blessing and praising God for them. Howsoever our bodies be dissevered by distance of dwelling & place, yet if in our mind we in e●● & assemble our thankful affections together to pray and glorify God for his wonderful deliverances, it will be as a valley of Berachah of blessing and praising God in his sight. God give all subjects of her Majesty grace, with meeting of thankful minds and assembling of their thankful affections to the praising & blessing of God for these wonderful works of the late deliverances, to arrear up as it were an acceptable monument of their thankfulness unto God, which may be as a valley of Berachah in the sight of God: Luke 2.1. and our blessed Saviour which in the temple beheld those that 〈◊〉 gifts 〈◊〉 ●he treasu●●, & vouchsafed ●●●●●●hly the w●●●es mite offered with so 〈◊〉 will, vouchsafe to look down upon 〈◊〉 ●mall monument of thanksgiving and raising his name, and as the widows mite ●●accepte the same. The glorious majesty 〈◊〉 our God through the tender mercy of our Saviour, vouchsafe mercifully to look ●●nne from heaven upon the good nurse of 〈◊〉 Church, and the mother of our Country, ●ur ●ige & natural Sovereign Queen Eli●abeth his handmaid, and under the wings 〈◊〉 his fatherly providence always to shrewd and preserve her from all her enemies, & from all traitors and conspirators, and from all their plaits and attempts at home and abroad, wheresoever, whatsoever, and of whomsoever, Amen. 1 The Lord hear thee in the day of trouble, Psal. 20. the name of the God of jacob defend thee. 2 Send thee help from the Sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion. 3 Remember all thy offerings, and accept thy sacrifices. 4 Grant thee thy heart's desire, and fulfil all thy mind. 5 We will rejoice in thy Salvation, and triumph in the name of the Lord our God. The Lord perform all thy petitions. FINIS.