Sectio. 2.

The saying of Lu. Cras­sus of Do­mit. Aeno­barbus.IN the time of Lu: Crassus the Orator, there dwelt in Rome a cruell dissembling Hypocrite, one Dom: surnamed Aenobarbus: Of him Lu: the Orator was woont to say, That it was no wonder for Aenobarbus to haue a brazen beard, since hee had an yron face, and a leaden heart.

There bee many now in Rome and out of Rome, that are like Aenobarbus with brazen beards, Suet. in Nerone. yron fa­ces, and leaden hearts: which if their bodies were opened, as the Athenians did Aristomenes, or as the Messenians did Hermogenes, their hearts should bee found pilosa & hijpida, hairie, and full of thornes.

Philost. in vita Antio­ch.And of late wee found many such brazen beards, such yron faces, and such leaden hearts in Britane, as feare not the briars and brambles of Succoth, nor the seruitude and bondage of Ioshua to the Gibeonites, nor the lampes or the pitcher pots of Gedeon to the Medianites. Iud. 8. But it must be gladius Domini & Gedeo­nis nostri, the sword of God, and our Gedeon, that must tame these Tygrish Brutes, Iosh. 9. and not Britanes, whose hearts are in Rome, though their bodies be in England, and though they be not in Rome, Many are absent from Rome, as the Iewes were from Aegipt. yet Rome is in their hearts, for they are absent from Rome, as the Iewes were from Egipt, Corpore, non animo. But when the sunne shineth most cleere, then the Crabbe catcheth the Oyster, they are met and are found.

Policrates bragged so long of his fortunate estate, and good successe, that hee threw his Ring into the [Page 23] sea to trie further his fortune; yet after his Ring was had againe, he was hanged in Mount Mycalus in Per­sia, by Oron [...]es Darius officer.

But Amasis a King in Egipt, Val: max. lib. 6. cap. 9. doubting much of his happinesse and great fortune, wisht that he might tast of some calamitie, and say, Per varias fortunae vi­ces, and not alwayes to flourish in prosperitie.

Croesus iudged himselfe the happiest man vppon earth, Croesus for­got what So­lon sayd. vntill he was taken with his Kingdome by Cy­rus, then hee thought what Solon sayd of such slippe­rie happinesse in this world, Quam vitrea est For­tuna.

Saint Ambrose with some of his friends came vn­to a lodging, Ad Marul­lum lib. 5. cap. 3. where the Host sayd of his good for­tune, and many bragged of their good fortune; some sayd they knew not what calamity was; others knew not what aduersitie was; and others knew not what sicknesse meant. Saint Ambrose made hast, and tooke his friends with him out of the house, and looking backe, saw the house swallowed vp and all them, in­to the earth. Therefore I made hast to come out (saith Saint Ambrose) from such company: and from all such braggers, let all good men beware.

Milo Crotoniates thought his hand as strong as an yron wedge, Gel. lib. 15. cap. 16. which Milo tooke out of a mightie clo­uen Oake, and put his hand in▪ where his hand was so clasped, Milo Croto­niates brag. that he could not take it out, vntill he was of wild beasts deuoured.

Many put out their hands so boldly, that they loose their heads for their hands, and many put their hands as Ieroboam did, 3. Reg. 13. who could not draw backe againe his hand.

[Page 24] Nebuchad­nezar his bragge.Proud Nabuchadnezar that sayd, Is not this great Babilon which I haue built with these hands? He sup­ped as a beast among beasts that night in the fields, and not as the great Nabuchadnezar King of Babilon.

Many such beasts there be, that rather will with the prodigall Sonne feed vpon huskes with swine (as all feeding is which is not fed with the word of God) than to seeke with the woman of Canaan, to be fedde with the crummes that fell from Christs table.

Ruth. 2. Moab.These had rather stay among the Moabites for their Watch-word, Moab ad praedam, than come with Ruth from Moab to Iudah, to gather gleaning of corne in the field of Booz in Iudah.

These had rather serue Moloch with his priests Chae­marims, and to drinke of their puddels, Iere. 2. Chaemarims Moloch his priests. than of the cleere water at Bethel.

These are they that fled for succour to Egipt, to whome are reserued at last, the sword, famine, and pestilence, and these will not be kept from Rome, no more than the Iewes from Egipt.

Ierem. 42. Ieremie could not perswade Israel from Egipt.For all the perswasion of Ieremie, he could not per­swade the children of Israel from Egipt, they would serue the Queene of Heauen in Egipt, and not the God of Israel in Iudah, and though they had one foot in Iudah, they had the other in Egipt.

Like Rochardus King of Frishland, being by Wolfra­nius perswaded to be baptized, hauing one foot in the Font, the other out, asked Wolfranius where went the most part of his predecessors that were not bap­tized? To Hell, Fulg. lib. 3. sayd Wolfranius. Then Rochardus drew his foot out of the Font, and sayd, rectiùs est plures, quàm pauciores sequi. This is the verie an­swere [Page 25] of some papists, and the anchor of their Reli­gion. This was our Fore-fathers Religion, I was brought vp in it, and I will not forsake it.

The Athenians sent to Delphos, to know of Apollo what Religion was best, Heidfiel. ca. 2. de Dijs. and it was answered by an Oracle, That the most ancient Religion was best. Againe being mooued what was the most ancient? it was answered, The Athe­nians sent Embassa­dors to Delphos. the best. The Athenians could haue no other answere by the Oracle, but the best religion was most ancient, and the most ancient, best; a most true saying, truely conceiued.

So Ignatius saith, Mihi antiquitas Christus, cui nolle obedire, Ignatius. exitium est. Yet will they preferre Boniface the third, before Christ; and the Oracle of Apollo before the word of God.

So Paul found when hee came to Athens, Acts. repre­hending their Idolatrie, their Images, their Idols, and their Altars dedicated ignoto Deo, he was called of the Philosophers Spermolegos, a new inuenter of strange Gods; and yet Paul was suffered to speake and to dispute in Athens; but in Rome he was hanged for his speeches against the Idols, and Images; for in Rhodes were three Thousand, seuen Hundred; in Athens as many; in Delphos no fewer; but in Rome were so many, that they seemed Tanquam lapidij populi.

But of these Images and Idols, how they were tended, serued, and worshipped, and with such slight taught by the priests to sweat, to weepe, to reach their hands, to shake their heads, and giue Oracles by priests placed in the hollownesse of these Images. Of this Iosephus saith. lib. 18. cap. 7. in Plut. in Coroliano.

[Page 26]There is an Epigram of Beza of some contention between a Painter and a Baker; the Painter bragged that his hand could set in liuely colors, the Heauens, the Earth, Angels, Gods, and Men. The Baker sayd, He could make loaues of bread; assoone as the Priest touch thē, they are become Gods, whom heauens, earth, men, and Angels must worship. Thou makest God, for the bellies, said the Painter. And thou ma­kest Gods for the eyes, sayd the Baker; A Priest was called for a Iudge, and the Priest was angry both with the Painter & the Baker, to publish so sacred a secret, and said, pictor pingat, pistor pinsat, pastor iussit esse deos. Let the Painter paint, and the Baker bake; the Priest makeeth Gods: For as Rome then was full of Idols and Images made of stones, wood, marble, and iuo­rie: so Rome now is full of Gods, if it bee true that themselues say, Qui creauit me, dedit mihi creare se.

Againe with the like blasphemie in another place, Qui creauit me sine me, Gabr. biel. super Cant. lect. 4. Satyr: 15. creatur mediante me.

The Egiptians, Quibus in hortis suis nascebantur numina, which bragge that they haue Gods borne and brought forth in their gardens and Orchards, as Iuuenal sayth, were not so madde, nor so blasphe­mous

Eras. in Moria.The Diuell meeting with Saint Bernard, told him that he could shew him 7 verses in the Psalmes, Quos qui recitauerit, hee could not but be saued. Bernard would know of the Diuell what were the verses. The Diuell denied that. Thou art a lyer, sayd Ber­nard. I read ouer the Psalmes dayly, The Deuils speech with [...]. Bernard. and if thy verses be there, I read them also. The Diuell (after two denials said) that they were the 7 Psalmes.

[Page 27]So say the papists; Superstiti­ous Papists. if you say dayly fiue Pater no­sters, and fiftie Aue Maria, with the repeating of the Creede three times, which they call Psalterium Mariae, you may doe what you list all that day after; but it must be in Latine to the Virgine Marie, roga pa­trem, iube natum, iure matris impera

For as the Grecians call all Nations barbarous, but such as could speake Greeke.

So did the Romanes call also barbarous all but those that could speake Latine, for at their first say­ling to the Affrican warres, they called the Spaniards, the Carthagenians, and the Affricans barbarous, for that they knew not the Latine tongue.

And so in the time of Cicero they called the Gaules (their next neighbors) barbarous, Cic. ad Q. fratrem. bicause they could not speake Latine.

The like reason haue the Papists, that all Religion is barbarous that is not sayd in the Latine tongue.

The Hebrewes thought both Greekes and La­tines to bee barbarous, and that they ought not to speake nor to write illam sanctam, & sacram linguam, That holy and sacred tongue; For, they sayd, That God himselfe, the Patriarkes, the Prophets, and the Apostles, onely spake this tongue.

The Greekes brags also, that Iupiter spake first the Greeke tongue at Athens.

The Latines bragge, The bragge of the Ro­manes. that the Muses gaue such sweet grace to their tongue, that all the world seeke to learne the Latine tongue.

With such superstitious people, the Diuell is most busie, In vitis pa­trum. and meeting with a deuout Eremite, asked him three questions; The first was, what should be [Page 28] the strangest thing that God made in a little frame? the Eremite answered, A mans Face.

The second question, Where was the Earth high­er than all the Heauens? He and answered, Where Christs bodie borne of the Virgine Marie, Three questions of the Diuell. was ado­red of Angels and Archangels.

The third question, What space was betweene Heauen and Earth? Thou knowest that best, (sayd the Hermite) which wast from Heauen, throwne downe to the earth. Their Bookes are full of these Riddles.

Chrysippus Oracles. Chrisippus that wrote a whole volume of Oracles, some false, some obscure, and some verie doubtfull, Vt interpretes egeat interprete, saith Cicero; yet in re­spect of the Popes Legends, Lib. 2. de Diuinat. and Romane Calender concerning Images, Saints, and Deuils.

Dicaearchus an ancient Philosopher, that gathered all the calamities, Li [...]s. de const. lib. 2. cap. 22. the slaughter, of plagues of warres, of shipwracke, of famine, and especially of the cru­elties of the Spaniards, who slew in India 20 hun­dred myriades of people, yet not equall to the Popes cruelty, if you account their burning and killing, and the second death to goe to purgatorie.

The answere of an Her­mite to a Philosopher. Antonius an Hermite in Egipt, was asked of a Philosopher, How he praied without Bookes? The heauens aboue (saide the Hermite) the Sunne, the Moone, and the Starres are opened Bookes vnto me, there I see, and there I read the wonderfull workes of God, Opera manuum [...]ius annunciant firmamentum.

So Clemens Alexandrinus sayd, that the vniuersall world is a Booke of three leaues, the Heauens, the Earth, and the Seas. In these three leaues are so ma­ny [Page 29] letters as there be creatures. Of these you shall read Psal. 19. Quam admirabilis dominus in operibus suis.

For Saint Bernard was wont to say to his familiar friends that whatsoeuer he read in the Scripture; Bernard his studie. he found the fruits thereof, Meditando & orando in agris & in siluis. Bernard vsed no other Schoole, no con­ference with any man, nisi quercos & fagos.

But such Rebels esteeme not caelestia numina, but terrestria nomina, they way not for prayers.

These Fellowes trust not to prayers, Arist ca. 5 de animal. but to their prey, much resembling the nature of Vultures; of which Aristole sayth, That their nests cannot bee found, yet are they seene flying together, follow­ing the armie two or three dayes, watching for their prey before any armie fight, or any slaughter made.

So these Rebels accompanie together like as these Vultures doe, praesagire caedem, and watch for their prey. They cannot tell how to please the Pope bet­ter, than to doe their best by fier, by sword, to burne, to kill, and yet like Pharoes leane Kine, after they had eaten the other 7 fat Kine, they were neuer the fat­ter, still hungrie for more.

Sectio. 3.

DEmetrius, King Antigonus Sonne, knew not how to certifie King Mythridates of his fathers furie towards him, Plut. in Demetr. but wrote with the point of his speare in letters vppon sands, where the King should come, fuge Mythridates.

[Page 30]These also write vnto their friends, like Demetrius on sands; like Pythagoras on glasses: like Damaratus in wood, and all kind of Ethiop writings, which the Greekes call Topoecon, but all with bloody pennes like Draco, as Demades said.

Plat. in pra­fat. ad Dio­nisium. Plato would not instruct Dionisius the Tyrant to write such letters, vt possint legi, sed non intelligi. As their Scholemasters can furnish their Schollers, they can write, read, and vnderstand all kind of Hierogli­call letters, all kind of writings, though they bee as short as Scitalae laconicae.

Balthazer.But Balthazer with all his Caldean Philosphers could not read the hand writing on the wall, nor vn­derstand what was written, Daniel 5. vntill Daniel told him.

Iohn 8. Gel. lib. 27. cap 9.Neither would the Iewes stay, nor could stay to know what Christ wrote with his finger vpon the ground, for all the secret Cabala.

Caesar writing to his vnder Captaines C. Opium, and B. Cornelium, per notas, by markes and notes, lest his letters should be vnderstood by the Souldiers.

Torquin the proud was sent vnto by his sonne Sextus, to know what he should doe to the Gabians. Torquin brought the messenger to a garden, and with his staffe, altissima papauerum capita decussit, beat and stroke the highest tops of pepper trees.

Dumme stratagems.By this Dumme Stratageme the sonne knew what the father meant, he beheaded the greatest and chie­fest men among the Gabians.

The like Stratagem taught Thrasibulus from A­thens to Periander in Corinth, in spicarum detruncatione by cutting of the eares of corne before Periander seruant in a corne field, Herodot. lib. 7. hee was instructed by this [Page 31] dumme showe to cut off the heads of diuers noble men in Corinth.

These dumme shewes are much vsed, and these obscure writings much practised, which among them are called muta eloquentia, and thus they muse on malice, and glory of mischiefe in their hearts.

Like the brethren of Policrita being aduertised by their sister, that the Emperour Diognitus her husband did much abuse her, watched the Emperour at a great feast, and came with some company of armed men: slue the Emperour and many of his men, and brought their sister with them, and died for ioy of their victorie at home, that they had killed the Em­peror, and brought their sister to Naxus againe.

This is the very triumphs of the Papists, The Tri­umphs of the wicked. to kill Emperours, Kings, Princes and Magistrates, to please the Pope, and to be Canonized Saints for the same: and to be crowned with Caligulas crownes, which he appointed for his soldiers, but fitter for the Pope, being the successor of Caligula and Heliogabulus, and not of Peter, as they say▪ for they ware solares, sydera­les, & [...] coronas, crownes made like the Sunne, like the Moone, and like the starres: fit crownes for such seditious souldiers and treacherous Priests, that are constellated in heauen for their treachery.

They vsed in Rome in the time of Iulian and Va­lens, Monkes, Friers, and Priestes made at Rome soul­diers. Diacon lib. 12. Hist. both Emperours, to make lawes and decrees, that Moncks, Priests, Friers, and Religious persons, should be ascripti milites souldiers ellected, which called the holy band, sacram cohortem as the Persians called their Mellophori, and the Egyptians their Calisi­ries, sacred souldiers.

[Page 32]Now these Monks and Friers are called in these dayes Iesuits and Seminaries, tygrish and cruell soul­diers, and no maruaile, hauing such terrible beastes caried before them; The Ro­mane eng­signes. as in their ensignes, Dragons, Wolues, Beares, Mynotaurs, and such as were the auncient banners of the Romanes.

They were called draconarij milites, at what time Valens road in great pompe to Rome, Vigit. lib. 2. cap. 13. hauing in eue­ry Romane Legion ten Dragons caried before them in their ensignes.

Others souldiers were called minotauri milites, which was halfe a man, and halfe a beast; the souldi­ers of this monster, were called semi virique boues, semi bouesque viri: it squares well with the names of Iesuits and Seminaries, halfe Priests, halfe Lai men.

Diodor. lib. 2.For as Egyptians had their bull called Apis, their Crocodils, their Serpents caried before them in their battell, which they worshipped as their gods.

Macab. lib. 2. cap. 12.So the Iacobits, and the Iamnites had their gods in their bosomes, when they went to any battel, & so found in their bosomes when they were dead and slaine in the field: and the Iewes imagined they were slaine therefore.

It is to bee doubted, that the Papists haue their Crucifixe, their Crosses, their agnus Dei in any foule fact, or in any treacherous actions they take in hand, imitating Infidels and Pagans, as Silla who had the picture of Apollo, as Scipio had the picture of Iu­piter to animate their souldiers to any hard enter­prise.

These therefore are not well to be trusted, lest they deceiue vs, Iapyges stratagem. as the people called Iapyges in the bor­ders [Page 33] of Italie, who vnder colour of yeelding certaine Townes and Villages, and some number of souldi­ers in pleadges of their submission to Publ: Licinius the Romane Proconsul: these souldiers were placed in the rereward of the armie, hauing agreed, that when these people came to submit themselues on both sides the armie; and also they of the rereward fell suddenly vpon the Romanes, that many were slaine, and the Generall hardly escaped.

These Ismalites are backt with Rome on the one side, Ismalits. with Spaine on the other side: I trust they bee not backt in Britane, for we wish them as the Gre­cians wished to the Persians, to be out of Greece; or as the Romanes wished to the Affricans, to be out of Ita­lie: and so we wish them to bee in Rome, or in Spaine, if they cannot be quiet in Great Britane.

King Philip of Macedon the last, doubting that his souldiers durst not abide the great hoasts of the Sci­thians, appointed certaine horsemen to backe the ti­morous Macedonians, and commanded them not to let one liue that would flee from their company.

But the Britanes being better backt than King Phi­lips armie were, Britanes better backt than the Macedoni­ans. and stronger wald than the Mace­donians, as Iosephus saith, yea, then either Carthage or Africa, & murus maior quo septi Britanni, yet wee may not trust neither Friers, nor Monkes which are now called Iesuits and Seminaries, the onely cause of all sedition and quarrels.

And therefore was Heraclitus requested by some of his friends to make some speech in the pulpit, Heraclitus sermon. to perswade loue, friendship, concord and amitie a­mong the people, being at variance by some sediti­ous [Page 34] persons that loue discord.

Heraclitus knowing the cause of this discord and varience, went vp to the pulpit, and called for a cup of cold water, Plut. de garul. and a handfull of flowre or meale, and mingled it together, and dranke it, and came down without further speech.

Some of his friends said that his sermon was very short, & said it was a dum sermon, yea said Heraclitus, short speeches and dum shewes perswade most, if men vnderstand it; omes seditiones ex luxu nasci, vnderstand that the water & the mingled meale, that I drank in the pulpit, are as much as the words I spake, that all seditions grow of too much wealth and of a­bundance.

There was an old man in Greece, called Cleanthes, which alwaies brauled and chid with himselfe; his neighbor Theodectes asked Cleanthes with whō he so brauld & chid awaies? with an old friend of mine said Cleanthes, which hath a white beard and a graye head.

These gray heads & white beards, which we haue in great Britane, might find their owne falts, as well as Cleanthes did; if they were as carefull of their heads, as Philetas was of his feet, or Cinesias was of his back.

Lib. 6. ca. 33. Rhodiginus writes that one Philetas of Coos, was so light and so little of bodie, that they put lead vnder the soles of his shooes, lest any great wind should haue blowne him from the earth.

Heidfield de monst. ho­minibus.And of another that was so long and so slender na­med Cinesias, that he was bound with strong barkes of Oakes about his backe to keep his bodie streight, lest he should bend and breake his backe.

[Page 35]I wish that our Countreymen had either Philetas lead vnder their shooes to stay in England, or Cinesias corke vnder their backs, to hold vpright their backs in England, for all men see that they goe not about to find out their faults, or to chide with themselues: with Cleanthes for their fault. Neither wil they heare the speech of Augustus, audite me senem, iuuenes.

But they are euer laughing for their own wits & wisdome, Plin. lib. 2. cap. 10. with Democritus in finding out their own destruction, and euer weeping with Heraclitus for their folly when they bring these to destruction.

Archimedes after long studie, if he had found in any hard or difficult conclusion to satisfie his mind, he would for very ioy, cry out in Greeke, [...], I found, I found.

Many doe studie how to find meanes, Archimedes much feared of the Ro­manes. Dinocrates. not as Ar­chimedes to inuent Engines to feare the Romanes from Syracusa ▪ the citie where he dwelt, but like Di­nocrates, who mused how hee might bring mount Atho to the forme and figure of a man, to please their great Alexander.

Some such there be that studie how to bring great mountaines and hie hilles, as low as mould hilles, but they so worke vnder ground, that the ground falles vpon them.

It is written, that Tho: Aquinas was at dinner at Pa­ris with Philip the Frence king, musing long with si­lence, suddenly he so stroke the Table with his hand, and said, ego vici, ego vici: the king asked him what he ment, Aquinas answered and said, Aquinas. an argument to o­uerthrow the Maniches.

I would they should be so occupied to ouerthrow [Page 36] heresies & heretickes, but their heads are fraughted with greater things to ouerthrow Kings and king­domes.

Hiedfield [...]e Gryphis Gram. cap. 26.This Aquinas being a young boy in schoole, was called of his schoole fellowes, bos mutus, ye sayd his schoolemaster when this dumbe oxe begins to lowe totum [...] suo boatu replebit.

Such diuelish scholemasters haue bin, and (I doubt) are in great Britan, that brought vp many such dumb oxen as Aquinas was, to bring vp their children not for their countrey.

Appion. Phaliscus.Such a schoolemasters was Apion in Alexandria, that moued sedition among the Greekes, and the Iewes And in Phaliscu another schoolemaster that brought all the noble mens children being his schol­lers, to Camillus the Romane Consul, that then besie­ged Phalisius.

And such schoolemasters had we (I pray God wee haue not) that bring vp their schollers for Rome, for Spaine, and not for great Britane: in caues and coni­holes, as conicatchers, not onely vnder ground, but on the ground.

Diodor lib. 17. biblio­theca. Olaus mag hist Sepien­tria.It was an exercise in Rome among the sword plai­ers, called exercitium laqueatorū, and after much vsed in war in Finelan, and in many places of the North: these souldiers were called laquearij milites, because they vsed stratagems with ropes & halters, in throw­ing them vp to the wals and forts of the enemies.

Such souldiers were the Spaniards, with their halters and ropes, marching towards England, to hang vs in England our owne natiue countrey: such were the Massacres of Paris, that slue and kild the [Page 37] chiefe men of Fraunce, and such souldiers doe daily come from Rome to Great Britane, to practise this exercise. And these be the souldiers of Pope Leo the 10, which had euer this wicked verse in his mouth, Flectere sinequeo superos Acheronta mouebo.

There be other Souldiers, Three kinds of Captaines ouer the Ie­suites, and Seminaries. called Retiarij milites, exercising and practising feats of Armes, with nets named fitter for priests and preachers, than for Trai­tors and Rebels, which will not lay their nets for small fishing, but for Kings and Kingdomes.

Yet there is the third of Souldiers, called Cunicu­larij milites, these Soldiers are most dangerous, which keepes their Dens and Caues vnder ground, where they haue as many Labyrinths, windings, and tur­nings, with so many subtill and crooked walkes, as the Riuer Maeander hath, Maeandri. which both for the croo­ked wayes, and for their winding and turning about Britane, they may be well called Maeandri.

These three kindes of Captaines haue their mee­ting places, Places for meeting of Traytors. though they be dispersed and scattered; others found, taken, and executed; yet they haue their places prouided for them that escape, to consult againe of further treason.

It was a policie of the Roman Sertorius in Spaine, when hee saw his Armie compassed round about by the enemies, Front. lib. 2. cap. 13. hee counselled his souldiers to flye, and their flight to scatter and disperse; and from the o­ther, to auoide the sword of Q. Metellus, and his Armie, appointing to them a place where to meete againe, where Sertorius the Romane Captaine ap­pointed.

So these Rebels disperse themselues ouer all Eng­land, [Page 38] hauing their meeting places and Synod of con­sultation to take breath, Synode and consultation of Traitors. and to deliberate of their treason, and they that scape are sent for more Iesuits and Seminaries, to supply the rowmes of those that were executed.

These Iesuites vse often times three kinds of stra­tagems, Three stra­tagems of Iesuites. an Egiptian stratageme to pitch their com­bate nigh some marish ground, which they doe co­uer ouer with sea reedes, and in the middest of their fighting they flye, to drawe their enemies to these bogges and marish ground, Egiptian, and there to fall vppon them.

They also vse a Spanish stratageme, which viria­tus the Spaniard vsed against the Romanes, much like to the same of the Egiptians, Spanish, to faine to flye to quabbie places, bogs, and quicke-sands, they know­ing how to escape vppon hard ground betweeene those bogges.

Romish.These Iesuits, these Seminaries vse too many Ro­mish, Spanish, and Egiptian stratagems in their owne Countrey and natiue soyle, against their owne coun­trey men.

I thinke neither the Macedonians, nor the Greeks were so glad to see King Xerxes Palace on fire in Persepolis, as these Traytors would haue reioyced to haue seene such a bone-fier in Westminster Palace.

These bee right Cuniculares milites, that are instru­cted with all kinde of stratagemes by Spaniards, by Romanes, yea, and by Egiptians; these bee they that throw the keyes of Peter into Tiber with Pope Iulian the 2, these be soldiers of Hyldebrandus, which made himselfe Pope, and made Rodolph an Emperor.

[Page 39] Gaza a great stronge Citie, Curtius. [...]. [...]. which Alexander the Great long time besieged, in the middest of his great toyle, The saying of the great Alexander. a Conie started out of a hole, which assoone as the great Alexander sawe, Haec vltima pestis Gazae, these Conie holes shall ouerthrow the strong Citie of Gaza, and so it came to passe.

The like ruine fell to the Vients and Fidenates, Liui. lib. 4. whose Cities were ouerthrowne by such Caues and Dens wrought vnder-ground by Conies.

But we haue such Conies that workes, not onely vnder-ground, Iosh. 10. but also vpon the ground: May not we stoppe their holes as Ioshua did the fiue Kings of the Amorites, which fled from Israel, and hid them in Spelunca vrbis Maceda.

We must either so doe with Ioshua, Apion de bello My­thridat. or as Lucullus the Romane Consull did at the besieging of Tem [...]shi­ra, get Beares and wild beasts, and hiues of Bees, and put them vnto their Dens to fright them, and to skir­mish with them vnder the ground in the darke.

As the Lacedemonians did teach their yong Sol­diers to fight in the darke, To fight in the darke. which was the practise of Iugurth with the Romanes, and the policie of Pompei with King Mythridates to fight in the night time.

Securitie is daungerous, Securitie is dangerous. and negligence amonge Captaines verie perilous. Thrasybulus forgetting to looke to his watch, Amilius probus de vita Thra­sibuli. was taken in his Tent and slaine; he that recouered Athens, and slew the 30 Tyrants a noble Captaine was slaine in carelesse securitie.

Lu: Martius for the Romans in Spaine, and the 2 va­liant Scipioes, after much god seruice for their Coun­trey, for the same fault were betrayed, Liui. lib. 34. taken, and slaine, as Thrasybulus was.

[Page 40]We are not so secure, but they are as resolute; we are not so slacke, but they are as forward, and yet they seeme to be cowching and dormiants, sed non omnibus dormiunt: and therefore King Osyris had the likenesse of a mans eye in his Scepter, to looke and to watch regia pericula.

Front. lib. 2. cap. 8. Camillus perceiuing his Armie slacke, and not wil­ling to goe forward, snatcht an ensigne into his hand, and sayd, You soldiers that meane to follow Camillus, follow me, and withall hee spur'd his horse into the middest of the Volscans, and the Latines his enemies; his souldiers for verie shame followed, and fought desperately, and so got the Victorie

M. Cras­sus the Con­sull.Our treacherous souldiers want no Camillus to lead them, to recouer their old religious flagges and banners, lost here in Queene Maries time; the Ro­mans were not more greedy to recouer their chiefe Ensigne the Eagle, lost in Parthia by M. Crassus the Consull, than these are to winne their banners in great Britane.

Lu: Silla his sayings to his soul­diers. Lu: Silla finding his souldiers timorous, and feare­full to sight with Archelaus King Mythridates Gene­rall, drew out his sword, and sayd as Camillus sayd, You souldiers that meane to flye to Rome, tell them at Rome, that you left Silla your Generall fighting in the middest of the battell with the enemies in Boetia.

I doubt some treacherous papist, some Rebell will so say in Rome, Treache­rous papists. as Lu: Silla sayd in Boetia, that they left many such Sillaes, and many like Camillus to reuenge the quarrell in Britane.

These be Sagittae volantes in die, These be diuelish arrowes, and in the Diuels hands: these be Daemones [Page 41] meridiani, Acheldama the verie line ouer Rome, and the verie Dae­mon Maeridianus; which with their diuelish deuise thought to make Acheldama of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and that with one shot.

It seemed that euerie Traytor, Many Le­gions of Di­uels. euerie Rebell was led by a Legion of Diuels, and truely they had more Deuils to practise their last stratageme, than the Ro­manes had Souldiers to ouercome Asia, Europe, and Affrica; and yet it was fiue hundred and fiftie yeeres before they could doe it.

But their Arrowes were broken, The ashes of Iuniper. though they were the Diuels Arrowes; their fire was quenched, though it was couered ouer with Iunipers ashes, and their diuellish stratageme found out, though it was inuented by Diuels, that wee may say, and pray with the Prophet, In Chamo & froeno maxillas eorum constringit Deus.

Pau: Aemilius a Romane Consull found the snares of the Boians, Aemil. preuented the snares of the Boians. by flying of multitude of birds in the Etruscan warre, for those fowles fledde in such fright from a thicke wood, that the Consull sent scowt­watch, and found 10 Thousand Boyans in watch for Aemilius and his Romane Armie.

We should finde greater birds in great Britane, if we should send scowt-watch abrode, and yet I stand in doubt, Num. 13. that as Ioshua sent some of euerie Tribe to search the Land of Chanan; at their returne, they would not open the fertilitie of the Land for feare of great men of higher stature, than the Israelites were, lest they should fight with those mightie men, the brood of Enachims, saying, Nuncij cor nostrum terrue­runt, those Israelites feared men more thā God, they [Page 42] had rather returne to Egipt, than otherwise.

Cleonimus Dart.They came from Rome to great Britane, as Cleoni­mus the Athenian with his souldiers, went to Tracaena with a dart in his hand, which hee threw ouer the wals, which had written vpon his dart, that Cleoni­mus came to deliuer the Trocenians from Craterus their enemie; Front lib 4 cap. 7. by this policie Cleonimus wan Trocaena by sedition of the souldiers.

Hanibals policie.The like did Haniball after he had gotten the great Victorie at Thrasymenum, wrote diuers Letters to sundry Cities and Townes in Italy, saying that Hani­ball came from Carthage to Italy, to deliuer Italy from the Romans.

Many vse Hanibals speach and letters, that come in one hand with pardons, indulgences, not onely promising on earth absolution for their treacherie, and murther, but also to be canonized Saints in hea­uen, and in the other hand Cleonimus dart, The Lawes of diuers Kingdomes in punishing Offendors. yea▪ Sauls dart, to throw to King Dauids face: such darts would these cursed Crew throwe to Kinges and Princes faces.

Not what lawes should bee sought for these Re­bels, but what punishment might bee inuented for these Traytors? Antiochus inuented torments to torture the Iewes that would not eate Swines flesh. Phala [...]is had by perillous inuention, a brazen Bull to torment Offendors.

Among the Greekes it was lawfull for any man, to bring such Offenders to Delphos, and there to offer them quicke in sacrifice to Apollo.

Among the Romanes to bring such to the Thea­tors, and there to bee hewd and cut in peeces, Per [Page 43] Gladiatores, the Sword-players.

Among the Persians such should be quick buried, the Massilians had a naked Sword, and a great Vessell full of poyson hanged vp in publicke sight, to terrifie such Traytors.

Sectio. 4.

THemistocles before compared himselfe to a Plantane tree, for that the Atheni­ans vsed it for to shadow them, and to defend them in times of warres with the Persians; so in like sort said Themi­stocles, That Athenians vse him at their pleasure, sometime for their drinking Cup; and sometime for their Chamber pot, and so often vsed him off, and on, Elian. li. 13 de var. hist. to cast him of at their pleasure, and to call him a­gaine at their will, that Themistocles would sometime speake to the Athenians, Illos non laudo homines qui eo­dem vase pro calice, & matula vtuntur; I like not those kinde of people that vseth one vessell, for to drinke out wine of it in the morning, and to make water in it at night.

So vngratefull people were the Athenians, that they wayed for nothing, but for three Monsters of Athens, Noctua populus & draco, so full of flattery and dissimulation was Athens, that euerie one stood in doubt whome to trust.

Many vse such dissembling speaches and counte­nances in great Britane, Fab. lib. 1. like counterfeit Tragedians [Page 44] at Smyrna with their false Solaescismes, holding vp to heauen their bloodie hands, and looking downe to the earth with wicked malicious eyes, longing to see their tree at Rome bring forth such fruits, as the wild Oliue tree did at Megara, a Citie of Achaia in Greece.

The wilde Oliue tree in Megara.There was a Citie in the Market-place a wilde Oliue tree, on which the Captaines and the souldi­ers vsed to hange their armors a long season, that in continuance of time this tree, by hanging on of these armors, bred of it selfe Armors, which was prophe­cied, that when this tree should breed of it selfe Ar­mors for souldiers, this Citie should be destroyed; for this tree was Arbor fatalis.

Dan. 4.There was a great Tree likewise in Babilon, which shadowed all beasts of the field, and on whose boughes all the fowles of the ayre made their neasts, and all the Kings of the earth hanged their Swords, their Targets, their Helmets, and all their Militarie Armors.

The rotten Tree of Rome.But there was a rottē Tree a long time in Rome, Re­ligiosa arbor, on which the Dominick Franciscans, & Benedicts Friars hanged their Caputium, their weeds, and religious garments so long, that this Tree bred more Armors and armed men in Rome, and out of Rome, than the wilde Oliue did at Megara, or the mightie high Tree at Babilon.

But as the fatall Tree of Megara had an end: so the great Tree of Babilon was cut downe, and so the rotten Tree of Rome is as readie to fall downe, for vnder this Tree were more Traytors bredd, more Scysmes, and heresies brought vp, than were Soul­diers at Megara: either beasts or fowles in Babilon. [Page 45] For these hold it a principle or a maxim of their laws, that it was as lawfull to burne a Protestant in Eng­land, as to kill a Tyrant in Greece, and the reward was a like, Spolia opima Ioui, a rich spoyle to their Iupiter.

It was counted great tyrannie in Tamberlane King of Scythia, Tamberlane King of Scythia. to vse Baizates the great Turke (though as great a Tyrant as himselfe) being taken captiue, to carrie him in his tryumph from Countrey to Coun­trey in a Cage, and to feede him like a dogge vnder his table in that Cage. And it is greater tyrannie to feed Turkes, and Tamberlanes to cut our throats in England.

Sapor King of Persia, Oros. lib. 7. cap. 22. after his great Victorie ouer the Romanes, and had taken the Roman Emperour Valerianus, he kept him as his Prisoner, & vsed him as a blocke on his knee for the King of Persia to mount on horse-backe, to the great disgrace of the Romans. These were tryumphs of Tyrants, and not of Kings. The King of great Britane may vse his enemies, as Tamberlane vsed the great Turke, or as Sapor vsed the Romanes.

I remember the tyrannie of Sesostris, Melan. li. 2. Chron. whom the Ethiopians call the Hercules of Egipt, which was ca­ried in a Coach (as Melancthon saith, In curru ex auro lapidibus (que) praeciosis constructo) by [...]ower Kinges in a Charriot wrought with gold and precious stones.

But one of these 4 Kings euer looked back vpon the wheele of the chariot; Sesostris King of E­gipt. & Sesostris asked him, why he so oftē looked back; he said, I look vpon the wheele, how by course, the staues of the whele, are somtimes aboue, & sometimes belowe Histories report, that he [Page 46] dismissed those Kinges, and freed them from such bondage vpon these words.

Plut. in Pomp.Such was the fortune of Tygranes the great King of Armenia, though he had 4 Kings wayted on him at his Table, and ranne sometime as foot-men at his stirrope, Tygranes king of Ar­menia. yet was hee forced to throw his Diademe at Pompeis feet. Thus Fortuna ambiguo vagatur axe.

But the Bishop of Rome which had more Kings and Kingdomes vnder his obeysance, Iud. 1. vseth much more tyrannie, than Tamberlane of Scythia, or Sapor of Persia; Adonibesek. Yea greater tyrannie than Adonibezek, who had 70 Kings feeding like dogs vnder his table, without either toes to their feet, or fingers to their hands; but he had legem Talionis.

Iud. 2.This man of Rome commaundeth his Embassa­dors, as Nabuchadnezar commaunded Holofernes, Ne par [...]at oculus tuus vlli regno, Ashuerus. to make Acheldama of Eng­land and great Britane.

Est. 3.This is that Ashuerus, that willed proude Haman, De populo age quod placet, Doe what thou wilt with the Iewes.

The like condition is betweene the Pope, and his people, who sends his Heraulds abroade, tanquam cursores, with his Buls, and Agnus Dei, pardoning and absoluing all murtherers that will destroy all Kinges and Kingdomes, that are not of his Catholike Reli­gion.

Massakers.This hath beene practised in Fraunce vppon their cheefe Peeres by the Massacres in Paris, and by a Friar in auricular consession of a King. The practise of Papists.

In England vpon the best learned men of England, [Page 47] and vpon our late gracious and renowned Queene, if their often practises (by many pretended) had not fayled them.

And now of late vpon our Soueraigne Lord and King, vpon our Queene, vpon our Prince, and vpon their children, the sacred and stayed anchor of three Kingdomes, and vpon these three Kingdoms it selfe, At illos Deus è Coelo subsannauit.

Is this the Catholike fruit of their Catholike Reli­gion? Is Treason and Murther the profession of Pa­pists? We thanke God with Paul, that hath deliue­red vs from the snares of Sathan, and from the pra­ctise of his fierie Souldiers, and from these Drea­mers.

Caligula that Monster, Caligula his wish. wished but one necke vnto Rome, one Citie that hee might cut it off with one stroke. That proud Haman sought of king Ashuerus, but to destroy the remnāt of one nation, & that vpon one day within a hundred and seuen and twentie Prouinces in Persia. Hamans request.

But these Serpents in one houre with one flame of fier, fully decreed to destroy England, Scotland, and Ireland, three flourishing Kingdomes. Quis non meminisse horret? Who laments not to thinke, much more to haue seene the terror of that day? The in­uenter thereof could not be but a Diuell, and not one Diuell, vnlesse it bee that Diuell which Christ com­maunded exi hominem, whose names was Legio, a le­gion of Diuels. Such a Diuell might draw many Di­uels after him. Catelin. Such a treacherous Catelin had more with him to destroy Rome, rather thā 300 faith­full Fabians to defend it.

[Page 48]Who seeth not the monstrous intentions of these Traytors, after long lurking in many secret Laby­rinths of Britane, where so longe they were hidden, vntill they had decreed to bring their last Pageant of ostentation, The Roman Colossus. not only with their great Colossus from Rome to England, and there to rest; but also with their huge Pyramides from Egipt, to bee buried in England, and to make a Chaos of Great Britane, sometime called Insula fortiū, and to christen it againe after their own name Insula Serpentum, Insula O­phiadum. the Isle of Serpents, which is an Isle in Arabia, where such Serpents breed, that are of 120 cubites long? And yet now in Britane (my heart bleedeth to speake of them) wee finde longer Serpents, Diod. lib. 4. that their bodies bee in Britane, and their heads at Rome, I will not say their heart and hands at Spaine.

These are worse than the Athenians, that had cer­taine Priests named Mantes, which caried Firebrands in their handes, Priests of Athens. and went before the Magistrates of Athens, and threw about their Firebrands in signe of battell between the cities of Greece. These are worse then the Priests of Rome called Faeciales, Alex. ab Alex. li. 5 ca. 7. that went be­fore the Consulls with bloudy darts in their hands, which they threwe towardes the Confines of their neighbours, to pronounce warre.

The Priests of Rome.And these our late Iesuits and Seminaries as Em­bassadors came from Rome with Firebrands, and bloodie darts, not in their hands, but in their harts, to destroy their Countrey and Countrey-men, and glad when they finde meanes by any policie to pra­ctise mischiefe.

But these hellish Harpeis, these cruell Crocodiles [Page 49] worse than Pharoh, that sayd, Quis est Dominus? and worse than the Athiests, that say in their hearts, there is no God. Such double faced Ianus children, such two-fronted Cecrops broode, say with the foole, Non est Deus: who can onely deliuer vs from these that are double-hearted, double tongues, double faced?

Such, the law of God punished, so that fire from heauen deuoured them, The lawes of God. & the earth gaped and swal­lowed them vp aliue.

Such, Lawes for Traytors. the lawes of men amonge all Nations haue punished; as in Athens by Solon; in Sparta by Lycur­gus; and in Rome by so many lawes that tortures, and torments were inuented to punish these tanquam sa­crilegos in patrios lares, Diod. lib. 2. focos, & deos penates.

The Egiptians with long sharpe needles, The lawes in Egipt. The lawes of Greece and of the Macedoni­ans. The Lawes of the Ro­mans. Gibeonites. per singu­la patricidae membra, torment such Offenders; the Grecians threwe such headlong downe from high rockes; the Macedonians stoned them to death.

The Romanes drewe them in peeces, either be­tween fower horses, or 4 boughes of a tree: and yet sayd Cicero, Quae nex tanta, tanto sceleri inueniri potuit.

And should not these false and forsworne Gibeo­nites be punished with seruitude, and bondage, and be reiected from the house of Iudah, as Ioshua vsed them? Iud. 11. And should not these dissembling Giliadites, which could not pronounce Scibboleth, bee vsed as Ieptha vsed the Ephramites at the riuer Iordan. Efframites.

The Tyrant Antiochus gaue them time by tormen­ting the seuen brethren, either to eate Swines-flesh, or to die. 2. Mach. 7. Punishment inuented by Tyrants.

The tyrant Phaleris in like manner torturing them with his frying-panne, and with Perillus his brazen [Page 50] Bull, were not in such a rage, insuch a furie, and that against the rule of reason, so long.

I neuer remember of the like, that in a whole yere and a halfe, they could not call vpon God, and re­pent of this their determined tyrannie, worse than Esau, Esau. who would haue repented, and sought it with teares, but yet could not; worse than Pharoh, for hee desired Moses to pray to his God for him. Exod. 9. Pharoh. But these refuse all mens praiers, but such as be Catholikes like themselues.

Cain felt his conscience so to afflict him, that hee thought that euerie man that mette him, Gen. 4. would haue killed him, and faine would die, but could not. But these without feeling of any conscience, are worse than Cain, neither fearing God nor man, worse than Esau, for they seeke not to repent with teares; and worse than Pharoh (as I sayd before) who sought Mo­ses to pray for him.

The Sunne stood ouer Gibeon.These (I say) stood to their first longe pretended tyrannie to the very day, most vnhappy for them, and most happie for vs. Dies quem fecit Dominus. Dies solus supra Gabaon, the day of Ioshua when the Sunne stood ouer Gabaon. Iosh. 10. Dayes to be remembred in England, and Scot­land. And Dies Lunae, when the Moone stood ouer Atalon. And Dies Martis, not onely in Scotland, but also in England; which day we should celebrate and solemnize with eternall memorie.

So did Moses set downe the dayes which God commaunded to bee solemnized in memorie of the victories and tryumphes which he had against Pha­roh, 2. Chro. 29. called Paras [...]eua for the which both Ezechias and Iosias proclaimed this feast throughout all Israel from Dan to Berseba, with others, two feasts which were [Page 51] yeerely kept and solemnized at Hierusalem in memo­rie of victories.

So Ioshua remembred his victories ouer 31 Kings with thanksgiuing to the Lord. 2 Chro. 35 So Machabeus in me­morie of his victories of that blasphemous Nicanor Antiochus Generall, 2. Mach. 15. Feasts ought to be kept. and made that day to be solem­nized.

So Mardocheus kept the feast called Phurim, in me­morie of the victorie, Hest. 9. which the Iewes had against the Persians, in all the Cities of Persia.

These are the feasts of thankesgiuing vnto God, and not like such drunken feasts as the Athenians did make in the Moneth of Nouember to honour Bac­chus; A Feast to Bacchus in Athens. neither such feasts as the Thracians had, worse than the Athenians, to honor Dionisius; neither such Feasts as the Egiptians (worse than the Thracians) made to the Image of Priapus. A Feast to Priapus.

In such a drunken Feast to Baall, Dan. 5. What fell to such drun­ken Feasts, to Baall, and to Dagon. Balthazar King of Babilon lost his Kingdome. In such a Feast to Dagon, the house fell vpon the 5 Princes of the Philistins; and in such was Benhadad a drunken King of Syria slaine with 32 Kings in his drunken Pauillion.

Of such drunken Feasts the Prophet saith, That both Priests and Prophets were drunken with wine, and that they fayled in Prophecie, and stumbled in Iudgment. Therfore we must season and temperate our feasts (as Elizeus did the water of Iericho, by casting salt into it.

In Rome and in Italy (as Varro sayth) they farre ex­ceeded the Athenians, the Thracians and Egiptians in such filthy Feasts, vntill by the Senators these kinds of Feasts were banished from Rome and Italy, Per Se­natus consulium.

Sectio. 5.

THE Lampsenians vnderstanding that Alexander the great, Val. max. lib. 2. cap. 3. had fully deter­mined to destroy the Citie of Lampsa­cus, they sent Anaximenes the Philoso­pher Schoolemaster somtime to Alex­ander to intreat for peace. No sayd Alexander, I haue vowed, Anaxime­nes the Phi­losopher to Alexander. that whatsoeuer thou sekest at my hand, I wil denie it thee. Destroy then Lampsachus, said Anaxime­nes, His request being denyed, Lampsachus was saued.

This Embassage was better performed to Alex­ander by Anaximenes, then the Embassage of Aes­chines to King Philip.

This Orator being sent from Athens to King Phi­lip of Macedon, Plut. in De­mosthene. at his returne to Athens, hee much cōmended Philip for his beautie, for his eloquence, and for much bearing of drinke.

Demosthenes tooke vp Aeschines, and sayd, That he made a woman of King Philip for his beautie, a bab­ling Sophister for his eloquence, and a Spunge for his drinking: you should haue done as Demades did, be­ing then as his prisoner, with diuers other citizens of Athens, King Phi­lip repre­hended of Demades for his drunkenesse. seeing Philip crowned with garlands in his robes, and too much reioysing in his drinke of his victories ouer his Captaines and prisoners of Greece; Demades boldly sayd,

Art not thou King Philip ashamed whome Greece made their Generall, like Agamēnon thou to make thy selfe like bibbing Thersites? with such taunts as De­mades made Philip to cast off his crowns, his garlands, [Page 53] and his roabes, and for verie shame to dismisse the poore Greekes his prisoners, with Demades to go free to Athens, and other Cities of Greece.

The like is read of Polemon a gallant Gentleman of Athens, Polemō re­duced from his drun­kennesse by Anaxago­ras. but being drunke, rushed in his drunkenes into Anaxagoras schoole at lector time: he perceiuing that Polemon was beastly & shameles drunken, Anaxa­goras altered his daies Lector to speake of drunken­nesse, in such sort, that Anaxagoras made Polemon as shamefast of his drūkenes, as Demades did king Philip, both made to cast off their Crownes, their Garlands, and their Robes, and to be ashamed of themselues.

Yet M. Antonius made a Booke to defend drun­kennesse, Plin. lib. 14 being reprehended therof by Cicero, which was the onely cause of Ciceroes banishment, M. Anton. hatred to Cicero. and af­terward of his death: another Glutton named Apicius wrote a whole volume De gulae irritamentis.

And for the like speech Cicero vsed, was Hermodorus banished from the Sybarites; with whome the law was, Cic. Tusc. lib 5. that nemo apud nos frugi sit; they banished all kind of Artificers, because they should not trouble them with knocking, hāmering, carting, or any noise to dis­quiet their drinking; The lawe of the Syba­rites. and withal the Sybarites made a law, that no Cock shuld be in their Citie to wake thē from their sleep. These were the Epicures, of whom the Prophet saith, Eadmus, bibamus, cras moriamur.

Of this companie was Philoxenus and Melan­cthus, the one wished a Cranes neck; the other a swans neck, Gel. lib. cap. 2. and either of these two wished to haue tricubi­tale guttur, a throat of 3 cubites long, to haue more pleasure in their long swallowing of their meat and drinke, and yet see and obserue the difference.

[Page 54]The great Alexander, when Ada Queene of Caria had sent him a daintie dish of meat, thought shee should be commended for her cookery, Plut. in Caesare. and pleasant sawce; one sayd to her, Euerie souldier that Alexan­der hath, is a better Cooke, and maketh sweeter sawce, than the Queene of Caria can make.

Cic. lib. 5. Tusc.The like Darius sayd, the great King of Persia, that he neuer dranke better wine in Persia, than that wa­ter which was brought to him by a souldier in his Helmet.

So Ptolomey the first King of that name in Egipt, confessed that he did neuer eat better bread in Egipt, Ptolomey. than that which a shepheard gaue the King out of his scrip.

Cic. Tusc.See the difference betweene three base Epicures, and three of the most mightie Kinges vppon the earth.

I know not which to preferre, Philip of Macedon for his ambition, or Xerxes for his lust and pleasure: King Xerxes appointed pensions, and great rewards for them that were named nouae voluptatis repertores, that could inuent and find out new kinde of delights and pleasures.

King Philip gaue much money to any man that would betray great Cities and Townes, and would after giue those Townes and Cities to those that would betray Countreys and Kingdomes.

Caesar suspecting the faith and promise of the Egip­tians to be flatterie, gaue himselfe to feasting and ban­queting in Alexandria. Thus Caesar fed the Egipti­ans vntill he wan all Egipt.

Diod. lib. 4.So great King Cyrus stratagem was to make his foes [Page 55] become his friendes in lieue off punishment and slaughter, banquets, and playes; so hee pleased the people of Sardenses, and so hee rewarded the rude and barbarous people Arymaspy, and commaunded they should be called Euargetes.

Leontinus Gorgius, being asked what hee thought of a great mightie King? I knowe not sayd Gorgius, whether he be Philip, or Alexander, a Marchant, or a Souldier; for Philip wan all Greece, tanquam Merca­tor, as a Marchant; and Alexander wanne all Asia, tanquam Victor, as a Conquerour; Alexander enqui­red for good Souldiers; Philip sought good siluer.

Like Dionisius the Tyrant, that asked his familiar and dere friend Antiphones, where, & how he might get some money? At Athens sayd Antiphones, where the Statues and Images of Harmodius and Aristogiton are made of pure siluer; for that they kill Pysistratus the Tyrant: that bold speech cost Antiphones his life.

Plutarch recites a Historie of Dionisius barbor, who hearing in his shop many attending their wa­shing and trimming, Three great Tyrants. that Dionisius, Anton: Comodus, and Alexander Pheraeus, and especially Dionisius, and his sonne, was the most cruell Tyrant. Say you so sayd his barbor? Sub cuius iugulo hanc teneo nouaculum: he was hanged for his speech In manibus linguae mors & vita. But Dionisius the Father was slaine by the people, and Dionysius the Sonne expelled out of Scici­lia by Dion a Noble man in Sicilia, by the Councell of Plato.

That was the cause why Philippides the Poet refu­sed to be of King Lysimachus Councell, being in such grace and fauor with Lysimachus, that the King spake [Page 56] with Philippides, Quid vis vt impartiar tibi? nothing said the poore poet, but only this, ne sime consilijs tu­is.

Orontes the Persian being cast out of fauour with king Artaxerxes his father in law, The saying of Orontes. would cōpare the fauour of Princes to Arithmeticians fingers laying downe and taking vp, to make what summe they list: so might that great Philosopher Aratus speake of king Philip when he vomited vp blood, saying, haec sunt regia proemia.

Melanth. in vita Valen­tin. Valentinianus the Emperour, after he had caused his familiar friend Aetius to be slaine, asked another friend of his, whether Aetius deserued death? that I know not said he to the Emperour, but this I know, that you cut off your right hand with your left hand; and it was true, for Valentinianus was slaine by Aetius souldiers.

Lamp. in vita Alex. Seuer.And yet better is an euill Prince hauing good and faithfull subiects, than wicked and false subiects with a good Prince.

Had Saul but tenne such as Samuel, as he had tenne Thousand Doegs about him, no doubt he had obey­ed God, and serued him better, and gouerned Israel wiser.

4. Reg. 12.Had Ioas but few such coūcellors as Iehoida was, he had not been seduced to forsake his God, to neglect his commaundement, and to forget what Iohoida had done for him.

Had Dionisius the Tyrant entertained but Ten such like Plato to tell him true, as he had ten Hundred like Aristippus to flatter him, he had not need to be guar­ded with armed men, and to say to his son, Haec ada­mantina [Page 57] regum vincula, God would haue but tenne good and godly in Sodome, and Sodome should bee saued.

Agamemnon wished but tenne such as Naestor to vanquish all his enemies in Phrygia, and sette the Greekes at libertie to returne to Greece againe.

And yet Saul a wicked King, did many good things by the perswasion of Samuel.

And King Ioas while Iohoida liued, forsooke not God nor his lawes.

And Dionisius the Tyrant abstained from much ty­rannie, Plut. in Dione. by the councell of Plato.

But Saul had not so many Chusai, as he had Achito­phels. Dionisius had not so many Platoes to tell him truth, as he had of Aristippus to flatter him.

Plato asked Dionisius, why he went so guarded? Dionisius answered Plato, Herodot. 7. I told my Sonne a dumme stratageme that Torquinius Superbius told his Sonne Tarquinius Sextus, & what Thrasibulus willed Perian­der to do, In spicarum de truncatione: but all these dam­ned stratagems were to effect tyrannie, as you read before.

But King Antigonus reprehended his Sonne, that handled his Subiects roughly, saying, Doest not thou know Son, that Regnum nostrum est splendida seruitus, that neither armes, strength, nor treasures are so cer­taine and sure to regall Sceptors, as faithfull friends.

So Maximilian the Emperor said in a publick mee­ting with all the Princes of Germanie at Wormatia, Heidfiel. de honore & infamia. cap. 24. where the Duke of Saxon, first preferring his Mettals and rich vaines of the earth; the Duke of Bauaria much commending his stronge and braue Cities and [Page 58] Townes; the Duke Palatine his Wines and fertilitie of his Land; and the Duke of Whitenberg sayd, I can lay my head, and sleepe vpon the lap of any Subiects I haue, id (que) subdio, abrode in the field euerie where, and when I will. Then sayd Maximilian, Huic facile concedite palimam.

I would England might haue so sayd in Queen Eliza­beths time; or now great Britane in King Iames time; is hard to haue it among such as thinke it as sweete a Sacrifice to their Romane Mars, to burne a Prote­stant in England, as in Greece to kill a Tyrant, to please their God Iupiter.

Oxford.And as great a tryumph was it in Oxford, to burne three famous learned Bishops, as it was to Diagoras the Philosopher, to see his three Sonnes crowned at the games of Olympia.

Cranmar.This was prooued in Queene Maries time, when Arch-bishops, Ridley. Bishops, learned men, and all kind of men were burned in all places of England, and yet in all the time of Queene Elizabeth, not a haire of their heads were toucht. But of such Iesuits and Semina­ries, which vnder colour of Religion, became Trai­tors and Rebels.

These forget Hectors verse out of Homer, chiding his friend Polydamus that feared to fight for his Coun­trey, doubting soothsaying, Augurium optimum (said Hector) patriam fortiter defendere.

Iliad. 12.But these Iesuites hold with Pope Iulian the 2, that threw Saint Peters keyes ouer Romes bridge into Ti­ber; and with Pope Hildebrand which threw the Sa­crament into the fire, haue that verse in their mouth, [Page 59] which Pope Leo, Aenead. 7. and diuers other Popes vsed to say, Flectere si nequeo superos acheronta mouebo.

Of such Menedemus the Philosopher sayd, That many went to Athens, that thought themselues wise before they went to Athens, and after a while being at Athens, they thought themselues eloquent Ora­tors: and streight after they thought themselues to be graue philosophers, but at last prooued verie Idi­ots.

Many likewise goe to Rome to see the Pope, Traitors and Rebels are canoni­zed Saints Rome. the Senators, and people of Rome, and as some prooued to be Idiots by going to Athens, so some be prooued to be Serpents by going to Rome, and such Serpents that are Rebels and Traytors in England, are cano­nized Saints at Rome.

Beda our Countrey-man being at Rome, was re­quested by some Schoole-master in a scoffe, to know what meant these foure letters, S. P. Q. R. Beda dis­sembled out the matter, sayd, Stultus populus quaerit Romam, Foolish people seeke to see Rome, yea, too many seek out Rome in England, and too many would willingly build Rome in England.

Such a Schoolemaister was Appion in Alexandria that reioysed to make discord, Appion. and mooue sedition in the Citie, to set the Egiptians against the Iewes, and the Iewes against the Greekes, to expell, to banish both Greekes and Iewes out of Alexandria, to haue Egiptians onely in Egipt, saying, ô beatae ciuitas quae me talem maeruit habere ciuem.

This seditious Schoole-maister Appion was more esteemed in Rome of both the Emperours Claudius and Nero, Ioseph lib. 2 in Appion. in his Embassage for the Egiptians, than [Page 60] Philo that learned Iewe, was on the behalfe of the people of God the Iewes.

Of such Emperours Claudius Iester was woont to to say often to his Maister, that all the good Empe­rours of Rome, might be written vpon a signet of a Ring, and so of good Popes might be sayd, as was of Pius Quintus, when hee dyed Inter tot pontifices tan­tum quinque fuisse pios.

A strata­geme of a Schoolema­ster.Another Schoole-master in Phaliscus, that came to Camillus, and so bragged that hee would and could bring the whole Citie vnto Camillus hand. How said Camillus? Behold, all the Noble-mens Sonnes I yeeld to your hand, and so shall they yeeld the Citie for their Children.

Many such braggers are, and say as a certain Gre­cian did of his Countrey, that the Hebrewes had but one wise man which was Salomon; the Romans had but two wise men Cato and Laelius; but we Grecians haue in Greece seuen. Yea, (sayd another) all the world knew Salomon to be wise; all Rome knew Ca­to and Laelius to be wise; but you Greeks make your selues wise, yet all the world besides call you Chil­dren.

So Asoches a priest of Memphis, spake vnto Solons face, Semper pueriestis graeci.

Aristotle thought it strange, that Socrates was iud­ged by the Oracle to be the wisest man in Greece, Why was Socrates called the wisest man in Greece. si­thence he studied no natural philosophy, but morall. Plato thought that he was so iudged, for that Socrates said, he knew nothing, and sought not by his studie, but to profite his countrey Greece.

And so it seemed by his verse taken out of Homer [Page 61] in euery place, Gell. lib. 14. cap. 16. and in euerie companie by Socrates vsed, aedibus in nostris quae recta aut prauagerantur, for where families are well brought vp, and Cities well gouerned, there the Common wealth must needs flourish.

Socrates prooued wiser by his morall philosophy, than Aristotle did by his naturall philosophie, to tra­uaile and to studie for such naturall causes, as he could neuer attaine vnto, Quae supra nos, nihil ad nos, as in his booke, De caelo & mundo, & de anima, hee much er­red.

For he could neuer finde out the cause, Plin. lib. 4. cap. 9. why the Riuer Euripus should flow 7 times, and ebbe 7 times in one naturall day, and yet for three daies in euerie moneth, neither ebbed nor flowed for that he could not satisfie his mind in finding out the cause thereof, threw himselfe headlong into the Riuer Euripus, say­ing, Quia te non capio, tu me capies.

The like is written of Homer, for that hee could not satisfie himselfe about a ridiculous probleme of Fishers obiected to him, hee also died as Aristotle died.

But this seemeth rather a Fable, than a true Histo­rie, if Gellius may beleeued better than Plinie.

For Aristotle at his death, Theophra­stus succee­ded Ari­stotle in A­thens. being requested by his Schollers and friends to knowe who should suc­ceed him in his place in Athens? he answered, They should know streight; so within a while hee called for a cup of Rhodian wine: after hee had tasted it, Truely, Gell. lib. 13. cap. 5. (sayd Aristotle) this is a verie good sharpe wine: and after a little time called for a cup of Lesbi­an wine, and sayd, both excellent good wines, but [Page 62] the Lesbian wine is more pleasant, than the Rhodi­an. By this gentle meanes, his Schollers knew that he preferred Theophrastus before M [...]nedemus.

But it is neither Rhodian, nor Lesbian wine, vn­lesse it be made of Romane grapes, Papists to Idumeans compared. can delight a Pa­pists tast, for as the Idumeans claimed heritage of Religion from Abraham by succession, so the papists would faine claime succession in religion from Peter, & they will haue none to prooue this but thēselues.

Themisto­cles saying.But as Themistocles being asked whose Oration he would heare? Euen him (sayd Themistocles) that can best set forth my praise, and aduance my fame.

Yet Isocrates repeating an Oration of Demosthenes his Aduersarie at Rhodes, they of Rhodes much de­lighting therein, and much commending the Orati­on that Isocrates made, Isocrates words of Demosthe­nes. though he was an enemie to Demosthenes, was forced against his will to speake to the people, O quid si illam belluam audissetis. What if you had heard the beast himselfe pronouncing his owne Oration.

There was in Iudea a Riuer, that vppon the Sab­bath day did Intermittere cursum, Drus. lib. 2 cap. 32. and was therefore called Sabbation, for that the Riuer standeth still and mooueth not.

And there is a Lake among the Troglodites, which in one day is three seuerall times bitter, and three se­uerall times sweet; and so in one night thrise sweet, and thrise bitter: the philosophers being not able to finde out the cause thereof, Plin. lib. 31. cap. 2. they named the Riuer Lacum insanum, after they longe busied their braines in seeking the same, more than Aiax in his furie bea­ting blockes and bushes, in seeking Vlisses.

[Page 63] Aratus and Eudoxus two great Astrologers boasted and wrote that they (as Augustine sayth) had the number of the Starres; August. li. 16. de ciui­tat. Dei. Esay 40. but God which made all the Stars said to Abraham, aspice caeli stellas & innumera eas, looke vpon the starres, and count them if you can.

Aristotle in his time doth report, that the Mathe­maticians made of the whole Circuit of the earth, Lib. 2. de caelo & mun­do. but 40 Myriades of Furlongs, which is but 50000 Miles; but he that made the Earth said, Quis mensus est terram, who hath measured the earth.

There is nothing so strange, nothing so absurd, but some kinde of philosophers will defend it, and maintaine it. So two of the greatest philosophers in their time, the one saith, That a man might be borne naturally out of the earth. So saith Auicenna, Ho­minem posse produci naturaliter ex terra.

Auerrois held an opinion, that a Mayd might con­ceiue without knowledge of man in a Bath, the words are, Sine viri commixtione in balneo.

And yet not more absurd in philosophie, as the assertion of the papists in their Diuinitie of the pre­sence of Christs naturall bodie.

But the papists which haue as many Gods as the Egiptians had, Plut. de Isi­de & Osi­ride. they must haue as many Sphinxes in temples, as the Egiptians, to expound their Diuinity, being obscure and darke, and full of Oracles, as the Egiptians were.

Euerie priest had in Queene Maries dayes in his own house, such a Corinthian Sphinx, as Cicero char­ged Hortensius to haue, Plut. in vita Ciceronis. who fained that hee vnder­stoode not Cicero, pleading for his Client. That is strange, (sayde Cicero) that you vnderstand not my [Page 64] pleading, hauing Corinthiacam sphingem.

These kinde of Sphinx were woont to tell prettie tales to priests in times past, I meane Hortēsius Sphinx, fewe or none of the Cardinals, but he hath his Co­rinthian Sphinx.

Sectio. 6.

Plu. in The­mist. ARtabanus King Xerxes Generall spake to Themistocles, You Grecians aboue all things esteeme libertie and equa­litie: but to reuerence and adore our King, as the Image of the God of Na­ture, we Persians iudge farre better.

The Egip­tians.The Egiptians haue their heads and beards, and dedicate the haires thereof to God Serapis at Mem­phis, with sacrifice and supplications for their Kings and Gouernours.

The Macedonians vsed to weare the picture of Alexander about their necks as Iewels, and on their fingers as Rings.

The Indi­ans.The Indians so honoured their Kings, that once in the yeere, the Peeres and Nobles of India went to the Riuer Ganges, to offer sacrifice to the Sunne, with a number of blacke Buls, and blacke horses, which colour among the Indians is best esteemed.

The Greci­ans.The Grecians vowed for their Princes and Go­uernors health and long life, to dedicate Statues, and Images to their Gods in their temples, with crownes and garlands.

[Page 65]The Persians and Armenians did honour their Kings, as their Gods.

And no Nation vnder the Sun reuerenced their Kings more than England did, before Titans children came from Rome to Britane, who were taught in Rome mortally to hate Kings, they might not heare of the name of a King.

And it seemeth that these be right Romanes, Alex. ab. Alex. lib. 4. cap. 3. who neuer with Kings could agree, like to the Taprobanes a Nation in India, where none might be King of the Kings stocke, (especially if he had children) lest they should clayme the Kingdome by heritage.

The Priests of Egipt and Ethiop haue a Law and a Custome to elect Kings, and so long he should raigne as pleased the priests. And they had authoritie from their Gods to elect, and depose Kings at their will.

This continued vntill their God of Heliopolis, Diod. lib. 2. cap. 2. Vul­can appeared in a dreame to Sabachus King of Egipt, whome hee warned, either to kill all the priests of E­gipt, and to march ouer their bodies with his whole armie, or to loose his Kingdome. But this idolatrous and superstitious King yeelded his Kingdome vnto priests handes, and they banished the King into Ethiop.

Some Kinges in Europa haue been, and are in the like homage to the priests of Rome, as the Kinges of Affricke haue beene to the priests of Egipt and Ethiop.

This law and custome continued with the priests of Egipt and Ethiop, Ergamenes stratageme. vntill Ergamenes time, who liued in Pto: Philadelphos time, who to auoid this custome, hee fained a great sacrifice to the Goddesse Isis, and [Page 66] commaunded by a straight decree, that all Prophets and Priests of Isis should come to this sacrifice. Er­gamenes by this stratageme slew and burned all these Sacrificers, and left not one aliue.

4 Reg. 10.The like did King Iehu to Baals prophets, and the like Elias did to the false prophets of Achab, and the like did Daniel at Babilon, 3. Reg. 18. The strata­gemes of Iehu. found out the policie, and practise of Nabuchadnezar priest.

These three great stratagems are equall (no doubt) to the Iesuits and Seminaries, though not in number, yet in policie.

And truely farre better sacrifice than the blood of Rams, Goats, Heiffers, and thought to be better farre than that good fire which Agesilaus commended in Greece, when he saw the Vsurers tables burne at A­thens.

Some thought, yea too many agreed to practise Er­gamen [...]s stratageme in England, but I will let passe in silence the terrour and horrour of that day. The terror of the fift day of No­uember. The determinations of these Serpents were such, that neither by Tamberlane the Scythian, neither by Ro­mane Silla, nor by any Turkish tyrannie could be in­uented or practised.

You read in this booke before, how in Asia men caried Serpents on their armes, to driue Diuels and euill spirits from their houses: & in great Britane they carrie Diuels in their hearts, not to driue Diuels out of Britane, but to bring more Diuels into Britane by that Romane Belzebub, as the Diuell confest, when he knew not where to goe, sayd; I will returne whence I came, and brings with him 7 Diuels worse thā him­selfe. So these Serpents go to Rome, & at their returne [Page 67] bring seuen such, and worse from Rome, to great Bri­tane.

While blindnes and ignorance, with superstitious ceremonies were in England, no such stratagemes were vsed, the Diuell slept sound and secure; but now in time of the Gospell, the Diuels bestirre them­selues, with their Priests, Iesuites, and Seminaries.

And where before in Rome a Serpent barked like a Dogge, Alex. ab A­lex. lib. 3. ca. 15. and a Dogge spake like a man at the ouer­throw of Tarquine the proude.

And now in Rome such creeping frogges, that creepes from Rome to England, and croaking in eue­rie corner, in euerie hole, and in euerie ditch, worse than barking Serpents or speaking Doggs. These be Spiritus Daemonum, Apoc. 16. that went out of the beasts mouth in farma runarum, to moue contentions and brawles betweene Kings and Princes of the earth.

I meane not true papists, nor religious Catholikes, but these treacherous Iesuits and Seminaries, Apoc. 16. which doe much resemble those▪ frogges that went forth of the Dragons mouth, croaking in euery place of great Britane, the Messengers of Satan, and the brood of Serpents, to make debates and contention, not as Mimus Roscius did with Cicero, which of them both should excell in their faculties, neither as Aiax did with Vlisses, for Achilles Armour.

These frogges croake for Kings and Kingdomes, and they meane to haue their Babilon againe so to flourish, that neither Semiramis, Cyrus, nor Alexander shall preuaile against it the second time.

These Serpents the broode of the Dragon, bestir themselues to get worke-men and Souldiers to [Page 68] build the wals of their Babilon, and to turne the great Riuer Euphrates again, Front. lib. 3. cap. 7. as their sure defence, I would they had fewer worke-men out of great Britane.

These Serpents, these diuelish dogges, and croa­king frogges will not bee with the bryars and bram­bles of Succoth, nor with the lampes and pitcher pots of Gedeon, but with the sword of God, & our Gedeon.

Manasses. Manasses would not know the Lord to bee God, before he was taken Captiue, and layd in bonds and fetters, by the Assirians.

And Sampson did not fully call vpon God, vntill his eyes were pluckt out by the Philistians.

Nabuchad­nezar. Daniel. 4. Nabuchadnezer knew not God, before he was cast off among beasts to eate with beasts.

Sampson had often reuenged the malice and enuie of the Philistians towards Israell, and hee might haue had more reuenge vpon them, if his wife a Philistian had not opened his probleme, and betrayed him vn­to the Philistians.

Againe Sampson might haue been reuenged of the Philistians before his locks had beene cut off, We are all Nazarites in this point. had it not beene for his wife Dalilah. This Sampson got by marriage of such a heiffer.

Sampsons Heiffer.Surely Sampsons heiffer, doth vexe and trouble many good husbands.

This jdolatrous heiffer, doth molest many strong Sampsons; and many wise Salomons, which that good King confessed that it was for his good, that God had humbled him, and then he sayd, Virgatua, & baccu­lus tuus, &c. thy rod and thy staffe hath much com­forted me.

Athalia Sampsons heiffer, a wicked woman, con­strayned [Page 69] her Son Ochosias, to walke in the jdolatrous pathes of Achab.

The marriage of Sampson with Dalilah a Philistian, Iudg. 14. brought Sampson and all Israell to great vexation and troble.

It was a law in Israell, that the Iewes should not marrie out of their own tribe, and being maried they were straigsttly charged and commaunded, to put their wiues away, for the Prophet compared the Iewes to stoan'd Horses, neying on their neighbors wiues and daughters, which horse gaue the Iewes sundrie great fals.

This horse gaue to King Dauid, neying on Vrias wife such a fal, 2. Reg. 11. 3. Reg. 11. that the prophet Nathan told him, Non recedet gladius de domo tua: to Salomon his Sonne, ney­ing on Pharoes daughter, to the losse of ten Tribes of Israel: to the Beniamites, such a fall for the Leuites wife, Iudg. 19. Gen: 38. to the losse of 25000 Beniamites: and to the Sichemites such a fall for Dina Iacobs daughter, to the ouerthrow of themselues, and of their Citie Sichem.

But for prophane Histories, Paris had such a fall for Helene Menelaus wife, to the losse of the greatest number of all the Kings of Asia, and of Greece.

Marcus Antonius for Cleopatra of Egipt, had such a a fall, that hee lost both the Empire of Rome, and the Kingdome of Egipt.

I know that matching in mariage, to be not one of the least causes of good and euil religion in any Com­mon-wealth. Matching in mariage. As the mariage of Esau with forraine and strange Nations. The mariage of Ioram King of Iudah, with King Achabs daughter an Idolater, was the cause of much wickednesse in Israel.

[Page 70]The Law of Moses was, that the Hebrews should match with their owne Tribe. The law of Moses. And therefore Es­dras commaunded the Children of Israell to forsake their strange women.

Nehemias rebuked and punished the Israelites, for not putting away such strange & idolatrous Nations.

Leuit. 24.The blasphemer which was stoned in the wilder­nesse, was the Sonne of an Egiptian, gotten by an He­brew woman.

Gen. 24. Abraham Abraham was so carefull of a wife for his Sonne Isaac, that hee sware his seruant to bring him one of his owne Tribe.

With the like care did Isaac send to Mesopotamia to his brother Laban, to choose him a wife.

Old Tobias.So did old Tobias send his young Sonne Tobias to Medea.

So God appointed such godly womē to these god­ly men, that willingly they forsooke their friends, their kinred, their brethren and sisters, their Parents and country, to come with their husbands to Iudah.

Ruth forsooke her idolatrous Nation the Moabites, and would not, Ruth. 1. though she was sought earnestly to, returne vnto Moab. A blessed woman in the Lord sayd B [...]o [...] ▪ for she became the Mother of many bles­sed kings in Israell, and of one most blessed King, euen the King of Kings.

So Loah and Rachell the wiues of Iacob, became the Mothers of the 12 Tribes of Israell. Gen. 30.

Godly mar­riage.These were godly marriages, for they forsooke pa­rents and friends, to come out of such idolatrous countreys to come into Iudah, to serue God with a strange Nation.

[Page 71]I could wish that there were not in great Bri­tane those that would forsake their natiue soyle to be married in Rome, or in Spaine to serue Images.

Caleb a zealous and earnest Hebrew promised his daughter A [...]san in marriage to him that ouercame that wicked and peruerse Towne Zepheri. The promise of Caleb.

Dissembling Saul promised his daughter Micholl to him that could bring him 200 Philistims skinnes. And two godly and zealous men performed and ef­fected the same, namely Dauid and Othoniel.

So did Clysthenes for his daughter Agarista, who made search throughout all the Cities of Greece for a vertuous youth, learned and wise, fit for his daugh­ter.

And Themistocles was wont to say, Themisto­cles saying. Mallem virum sine pecunia, quàm pecuniā viro i [...]digere, that was his choise.

Yet some philosophers were of opinion like the Papists; that men might haue as many women as they would, for multiplication

So Cato did by his wife Martia, Cato. and Socrates by his wife Zantippa, change them for others, for that they were barrein.

It was not onely the opinion of Chrysippus (whose writings were full of Oracles) but also of Socrates and Plato, Socrates. and other which maintaine Poligamia: but the papists will not allow their Priests Monogamia, but as many Concubines and as many bastards as they list.

Phigius and Eccius, Andr. Frisc. lib. 4. de Eccles. two famous Papists, left written in their bookes behinde them, that Minus peccat Sa­cerdos s [...]ortando, quam vxorem ducendo.

But when Pope Gregorie had found in one of his Fishing-ponds 6000 heads of Infants by his seruants, Sigeb. in Chron. [Page 72] he was forced (with shame) to say with Paul, That it was better to marrie, than to burne.

And when one of the Popes seruants sayd, That it was not so rich a draught, as the poore Milessian Fishers found at Miletum, where they tooke Mensem aur [...]am, which was not fit for any of the Sages of Greece, but onely for Apollo. Yea, (saith his fellow softly to him) this draught is as fit for the Pope, as the other draught was for Apollo.

How many such draughts were drawne in the time of Papissa a woman of Miguntia, Herotimus King of A­rabia had 600 Ba­stards. Gilberta, and not Ioanna an English womā (as Heidfield saith) which bare at one birth more than the Countesse of Flan­ders, who had 365 at one birth; and more than Hero­timus King of Arabia, who had 600 bastards by cōcu­bines; but Gilberta and her Successors so exceeded, that all the world is much trobled with her bastards.

In Rome God Anubis fel in loue with Saturninus wife the onely faire woman of Rome, The mari­age of God Anubis. her husband, her parents, her kinsmen, and friends brought her to the temple of Anubis, where the Feast Lectesternium was prepared, where after the Feast, they left Saturni­nus wife with God Anubis all night, where De: Mun­dus a young Romane Knight was Deputie by means of the priests, for 2000 Drachmeis.

Heidf. de Diuit. cap. 23. The mari­age of M. Antonius, with Mi­nerua. Marcus Antonius comming from Rome to Athens, in all kinde of habites and ceremonies with Thyrsus in his hand, like Dionisius; hee was so reuerenced of the Athenians, that they offered him their Goddesse Minerua in mariage with 1000 talents for her dowry, which was well accepted of the Romane; so that the God Anubis must haue a woman, and the God­desse [Page 73] Minerua must haue a man.

The brood of these great marriages were greatly multiplied in all Countreys by mariages of these two great houses, The Plebe­ans maried with the Patricians. Saturninus wife with God Anubis, and Minerua with M. Antonius; for before that in Rome meane Families were matched with the Patrici­ans in marriage, the Senators and Consuls had the whole gouernment ouer the Romanes; but being strengthened by mariage with the patricians, not on­ly the election of the Tribunes themselues, but of all the Magistrates of Rome, and the whole gouernment of the Romanes, was Per plebem, & Tribunum plebis.

It was euer seene in all common wealths, that the vulgar people by being Magistrates, or being in com­mission, by great countenance, by marriage, by bea­ring and backing them in their Religion, be that Im­manis bellua, the verie Monster among Nations.

A Thistle in Libanon sent to a Cedar tree in Liba­non, saying, Paralip. 25 Giue thy daughter to my Sonne in mar­riage; and there came a wild beast from Libanon, and troad downe vnder foote the Thistle, with a watch­word giuen by the Prophet to Amasias King of Iu­da, for the worshipping of the Gods of Edom, Deos al­batos filiorum Seir.

Vnequall marriage specially in Religion, is like an Oxe and an Asse to drawe vnder one Yoake.

This was the first cause of sedition at Rome, The first se­dition of Rome. in mon­te Ianiculo, betweene the Patricians and the Com­mons, Ob dignitatem natalium.

Hence grewe many seditions, and so many, that it was the ouerthrow of Rome.

For as Philip of Macedon made sale of Greece by dis­cord [Page 74] of Grecians, for such was the mutuall discord of all the Cities of Greece, that King Philip, and his sonne after him, became Ruler of all Greece.

So in Rome for the indignation of marriage of the Cōmons with the Patricians, there grew cōtentions.

And therefore old Osyris King of Egipt, had the likenesse of a mans eye in the vpper end of his Dia­deme, to put the King in remembrance carefully to see to such Monsters cum oculo animi.

This must be be set vpon the Diadem of a Christi­an King, The old Scepters in Egipt, and in Ethiop. a farre surer Scepter, than the Scepters of Babilon with their Lions and Eagles; than the Scep­tors of Egipt with their Dragons and Serpents; than the Diademe of the Persians, the likenesse of the Sun, the Image of fier vpon the horse of Mars. Diod. 2. The ancient Scepters of Persia.

Yet had the old Persians their Scepters carried before them in forma palae, like a spade.

And the ould Egiptians, and the Ethiopians had Scepters Informa aratri, made like a plough.

Some weigh not for spades, but for spoyles; some weigh not for the plough, Abimelechs plough. Iud. 9. vnlesse it be the plough of Abimelech, to sowe salt for corne▪ to make barren, and to destroy the Countrey; or the plough of Catelin, to sowe the seede of sedition, and to reape the fruit of Tribulation; to sowe winde and tempest, and to reape fire and brimstone.

Many sought Pompeis head to please Caesar: Many sought Pyrhus head to please Antigonus: and too many seekes the heads of Kings and Princes, to please that Antichrist of Rome.

Cyrses and Calypso that altered the shape and forme of men vnto Beares, Woolues, Asses, and Apes, could [Page 75] make no stranger metamorphosis of men, than men make of themselues.

And yet Plinie writes, Plin. lib. 18 cap. 43. that the Asse loues so her young Fole, that she neither feares water nor fire, nor any terrour to saue her young one in any danger, for Suos impencissime amat foetus.

There bee a number of christened Asses in the world, that esteeme not so their parents, their chil­dren, nor their Countrey, as these asses doe.

These rather are like to Apes, who euer lickes and kisses, with such toyes and playes, and with such ge­stures, as are fit for Apes.

Iulius Caesar seeing certaine men of Apulia in Rome, carrying Apes vpon their armes playing, as­ked the men, had they no women in Apulia to get children to play withall. Iesuites the Popes Apes. The Pope, the Diuels Ape.

These Iesuits & Seminaries be the Popes Apes, kis­sing his foot, and licking his hands: for as these Iesuits are the Popes Apes, so the Pope is the Diuels Ape, and the Diuell would willingly be Gods Ape.

Sectio. 7.

THey that found Romulus staffe among the scinders of the Capitoll vnburned, Romulus staffe. thought themselues happie; but it was the Romane Scepter, not fit for them: but for the Consuls, which succeeded the Kings of Rome.

They that brought to Dauid Sauls Crown, Saules Crowne. 2. Reg. 1. 2. Reg. 4. thought they had reapt well. They that killed Isbosheth vp­pon his bed, thought they had likewise reapt well, but their rewards were alike.

[Page 76]The Fisher-men of Miletum, thought they had treasure during life without any more fishing, The golden table. when they had drawne in their net, Auream mensam, a rich golden Table; but it was told them, that it was fit for Apollo, and not for Fisher men.

And therfore a philosopher being asked why were philosophers poore? He answered, for telling truth and suffering iniuries.

And being againe asked why were fooles rich? For that (said he) they can dissemble and flatter.

Macrob. in Satur. Cicero was taunted by Liberius Mimus, being by Caesar elected a Senator, sought a place to sit by Cicero in the Senate house, you should sit by mee, but that we sit too streight (said Cicero) together. Laberius an­swered, You cannot sit too streight that hath two seats to sit on, the one with Caesar, the other with Pompey, taunting Cicero for his dissimulation and flat­terie, to both Caesar and Pompey: for Cicero loued Pom­pey, and feared Caesar.

Yet Plato allowed, that dissimulation in Themisto­cles, to promise King Xerxes to betray Greece, Plut. in Themist. to that effect to saue Greece, & to haue Xerxes out of Greece.

Allowed also that dissimulation in Alcibiades to Agis the King of Sparta, to betray Athens to saue Athens.

But dissemblers in their Countrey against their Countrey, are most odious, and yet liue and enioy the benefits of their Countrey.

Cic. lib. 3. de offic. Vlisses which dissemled madnesse in ioyning an Oxe and an Asse vnder one yoake, and sowed salt for corne in his ground, lest he should goe out of his Countrey.

[Page 77] Achilles which dissembled to be a woman, and in a womans apparell; left also he shuld go out of Greece: the one was the only wise man of Greece, & the other the most valiant man of Greece: yet that wise man had rather be accounted a foole, and that valiant man had rather be accounted a coward, before they shuld goe out of Greece, their Country was so sweet vnto them.

In trueth flattering and feining, are good trades in some Courts.

For Lewis the sixt, the Prince King, would haue his sonne that succeeded him, to learne no more la­tine, but this sentence, Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit viuere.

But it was not so in Augustus Court, Sen. lib. 6. de benef. ca. 30 for he much lamented the death of his friend Varus, and being very sad, was asked the cause of his sadnesse; because (said Augustus) I haue none in my Court to tell mee the trueth, but I must goe to poore Phylosophers and Preachers, to seeke and find out trueth.

And some say, Philosophers Priests, and Preachers. that Phylosophers can flatter and dissemble; yea Priests and Preachers; and if Phyloso­phers cannot dissemble, these ambitious masters will learne foules of the aire of Hanno to say, Deus est Han­no, or else in Greeke with Psaphos to say, [...].

These dissemblers and Hypocrites will not onely learne Latin and Greeke, and all kind of tongues, but all gestures, manners and conditions of men: and especially in Courts of Kings and Princes, where such flatterie and dissimulations are practised, that sooner may Hannibal, as Augustus Caesar often said, [Page 78] make a passage through the hard rockes of the Alpes, to come to Italie, then trueth in Court, to come to Kings and Princes eares.

Heidfield de honore & in famia. ca. 24That good Emperour Alexander Seuerus would also often say, veritas minime peruia regum auribus. Dio­genes, when he saw mise creeping for some crums to his table, would say to his friends, behold: Et suos habet parasitus Diogenes, aswell as princes haue their parasites.

These creeping flatterers like Diogenes mise, at­tend in euery corner for some crums, bending and kneeling at the becke of ambitious & selfe loue ma­sters, I would they were not better fed then Dioge­nes mise were: nor better satisfied then with Helio­gabalus banquet, painted on wood, on stones, on Iuo­rie, and vpon waxe.

But if a man trie these dissemblers, as Alcibiades did, these who alwaies flattered him most, and proue them as Alcibiades did, who told in great secret, and fained a great mischaunce, Polien lib. 1. strata­gem. that he had killed a man, and hid him in his house, and knew not what to do: requested their helpes and councell. All his flatterers forsooke him, sauing one Callias, a true and faithfull friend of Alcibiades, of whom Alcibiades would say, Callias instar omnium.

Notwithstanding, this Alcibiades could flatter his vncle Pericles, yet being a young youth, asked his vncle Pericles why he sighed so often, and seemed so sad? because said Pericles I must yeeld an accompt to the Athenians for much money which I receiued, to build vp a porch to Mineruaes Temple.

[Page 79]Rather said Alcibiades, Alcibiades councell to Pericles. muse how you may not giue an accompt, and be merry, and make much of your selfe.

Too few like Pericles, that thinke how much they are indebted to God, to build his Church, and to maintaine his Seruice: and too many like Alcibiades, carelesse of the Church: though they liue by the Church, and haue honour and dignitie from the Church.

But let the Church be tossed on surging waues of seas, that cannot be remoued: yet shee standeth sure and certaine vpon a rocke: Palinures. though many Palinures were drowned and lay dead vpon the sands, that had no great care, neither to gouerne, nor to be gouer­ned by the Church, and yet they will sit in Moyses chaire.

Saul could dissemble with Dauid; The Church full of hypo­crites. and Absalon with the people of Israel; and the latter Iewes were such dissemblers and hypocrites, that Christ called the Scribes and the Pharises, hidden hypocrites, and false dissemblers▪ the Church were euer full of such hypocrites.

A Romane Gentleman told Alexader Seuerus, that hee was agreeued to see his Court so pestered with dissemblers and hypocrites, and said, I will find out a place to dwell, where no hypocrites be: the Emperour said, where wilt thou goe where no dis­semblers be? thou must goe beyond the Sauromates, and the frosen seas, and yet when thou commest thi­ther, thou shalt find hypocrites and dissemblers.

And though Achilles in Homer exclaimeth out a­gainst such dissemblers, and say, that he hateth them [Page 80] worse thē hel it selfe, that haue two tongues, the one in their mouth, Iliad. 9. the other in their harts: Qui aliud sen­tiunt, aliud loquuntur.

This was sometime a naturall propertie to the Thracians to bee liars and dissemblers, and so to bee taught with their hypocrisie and dissimulations, that it grew to a prouerbe, Thrasica fides, so it was sayd of the Africans, punica fides, and of the Grecians most of all spoken Nunqnam ista natio, saith Cicero coluit fidem, People of no trust, of no faith, that it grew to a very scoffe to the Grecians, Greca mercarifide, to taunt their lightnes and dissimulations.

Cic. ad. At­tic. hist. lib. 1.Of late we robde Thracians, Affricans, and Greci­ans of their properties, that now Cicero may speak of vs as he spake of thē, Quos fugiamus, ignoramus; qui­bus credamus, nescimus; and therefore it is good to follow Epicharmus counsaile, Sis prudens, memento diffidere: sith we dare not trust our friends, our kins­men, nor our countrimen.

This dangerous time seemeth to be that of which the Prophet saith, that the father shalbe against the sonne, and the sonne against the father: the brother against the brother; but though this prophecie was performed in other kingdomes of long time past: yet we ought to doubt & feare some iustice at gods hand for our sinne, and onely for our hypocrisie, dissimu­lations and flatterie: the three greatest Monsters vpon the earth.

Lewis the tenth was wont to bragge of his owne kingdome of France, that it was a kingdome that far exceded al other kingdoms, wanting but one thing. And being requested to know what that was, hee answered Truth.

[Page 81]And therefore Osymantes had his picture painted with his eyes shut, with a tablet of gold about, han­ging about his necke, with this word written there­upon: ( veritas) And hee willed that the Kings of E­gypt his successors, to weare that Tablet in memorie of him.

So did Antigonus, Plut. in Apoph. doubting much to heare trueth among flattering Courtiers went with his Nobles to hunting, from whom the King secretly departed, changed his garments; and wandred like a stranger among countrymen, and lodged in a meane house: and asked as an vnknowen man what was spoken of the King? King Anti­gonus went out of his Court to heare Truth. Of whom he heard, Omnia quae fecerat mala.

The next morning the King being sought for, and found, they brought such princely garments as were fit for a King. Giue said Antigonus these gar­ments, to him of whom, Nisi hac nocte verum de me nunquam audiui.

Torquin the proud, after he was put out of his kingdome, would say, that he neuer knew his friends while he was King in Rome.

Ma. Antonius, surnamed the Philosopher, was most carefull of his good name and fame, willing the truth to be knowen by straungers report, and not by such Courtiers which Constantine the Emperour cals So­rices Palatij, the rats of the Court; or as the Philoso­pher termes them, vermes opum. Many good Kings vsed the like meanes to auoid the one, and to seeke out the other.

For Courts of Kings & Princes cannot be without limping and halting. In Meroe a Kingdome of India, if the Kings were lame, or halt, or in any part of their [Page 82] bodies, his Courtiers by the law in Meroe should be also lame, and halt as the Kings did.

It is histored that in Macedonia in the time of Philip, and in Neapolis, in the time of Ferdinandus, for that these two Kings held their necks a litle on the left side though it was a naturall defect in others, yet in Prin­ces followed and imitated: and yet no longer then these Princes liued.

In the next King, it is cleane altered, for in the time of Alexander the great, for that he had a bush of haire standing vp on his forehead, the Courtiers in Ma­cedonia left to holde their heads awry, after Philip the father, and followed the sonne Alexander: euery Courtier imitating the time with great care and tra­uaile to make their haires stand vp vpon their fore­heads like Alexander, and to be called Opisthocomae, as Alexander, Hector, and Pompei the great were noted to haue beene.

Euseb. li. 1. ca. 11. de vita Con­stant.The Emperour Constantine practized a pollicie to find out sound Christians, and faithfull seruants in his Court, he fained a decree, and commanded all the Christians to depart frō his Court, & cingula Milita­ria deponere. The sound & true Christians left the Em­perour and his Court, and forsooke their credit and militarie dignitie, and esteemed not his Court in re­spect of Christianitie.

The other Christians which the Emperor found, tantum nomine, staied behind, he banished and reuo­ked his decree, A worthie saying of Constantine. and called backe the other: and resto­red them to their former estate with greater credit, saying, Qui suo numini fidi non sunt nec mihi. And so banished those counterfeit Christians.

[Page 83]This sentence squares well with our rebellious brutes and not Britanes, The wish of the wicked men. who were neuer sound to God, faithfull to their Prince, nor true to their coun­trey: but as Caligula wished to Rome, so they wish to England: and as Haman wished to the Iewes, so they wished to the Britanes.

They wish with Midas, that whatsoeuer they tucht, should be gold: and therefore they shall for hunger with Midas starue. They wish for blood, and they shall be satisfied with blood in Britaine, as King Cyrus was in Scithia, or the Romane Consul Crassus was in Parthia.

From such people that so wished, Elias wished to die vnder a Iuniper tree, and among such people wi­shed to know his friends from his foes. So King An­tigonus wished only to know his friends, for his foes he would carefully looke vnto: but the wish of a per­fect Christian is set downe in the Lords Praier, The wish of the godly men. Thy kingdome come, thy will be done, yet we are comman­ded to aske, to praise, and to wish all good and godly things.

Simon wished to haue Christ in his armes, and to embrace his Sauiour before he died.

Saint Augustine wished to haue seene Paul in his face, and also wished to haue seene Christ in his bodie.

Beda wished to see Christ in his eternall and glori­ous bodie in heauen, these wishes are to be wished.

Many haue Christ in their most wicked and blas­phemous tongue, by all kind of lies, swearing, and blaspheming of God.

So had Anam, Acts. 5. and his wife Saphira before Peter [Page 84] that denied the trueth, Et mentiri spiritui sancto.

So had Iulian Apostata, and confessed his impietie and wickednes, by throwing out of his heart blood, saying, Liers and blasphemers vicis [...]i o Galilee: and after such vngodly sort, too many throw their hearts blood, and say, Vincisti veritas.

And what is the end of these rebellious and trea­cherous wishes, is it for gold, and siluer, is it for ho­nour and dignitie, is it for the whole world? O foole said Christ, to winne the whole world, and to loose thy soule.

Sen. epist. 95.Of such fellowes saith Bernard, O gens auara? What is gold, but rubea terra, red earth? What is siluer, but terra allia, white earth? And yet wee esteeme of that vile thing which is below, and but execrements of the earth, more then any thing which is aboue the earth, euen heauen.

Yea, we make much of that which the Indians, E­thiopians, Pagans, and Heathens esteeme as dirt For they vse neither Gemmes, Tertul. de cultu mulie­rum. nor precious stones, but onely in soccis & cal [...]eis, and that in contempt of it.

For with the Ethiopians, their maner was to bind their prisoners with chaines of gold, & their theeues with fetters of siluer.

But the Romanes would not be satisfied▪ before they should haue all, and notwitstanding in short time lost all.

The great Antiochus brought Hanniball to his Treasures, and shewed Hanniball his Gold, his Siluer, his wealth and treasures: and asked Hanniball if that would not please the Romanes, yea said Hannibal it would please the Romans, but not satisfie the Romans.

[Page 85] Rome was euer cōpared to Sodome & Gomorha for beastly intēperancie, Wesellus Groning. as Pope Sixtus the 4, who gran­ted to vse in the three hot moneths, Iune, Iuly, & Au­gust sodomitrie. Compared to Babilon, and so called for her Idolatrie and Pride: and for crueltie and gree­dinesse, compared to Turkes, and to Tyrants.

If the comparison of Rome, with Sodome and Go­morrha, with Babilon, with Turkes, and Tirants will not serue, which most aptly agree with them.

I would also compare thē to Alexanders horse, who feared not the persians phalanges, the Camels of A­sia, not the Elephants of India, and yet feared his own shadowe.

So the Romanes that feared not Asia, Europe, nor Affrica, yet feared their owne shadowes at Rome.

A verie rich man borne in Lydia, and dwelling in Phrygia, hee willed his wife to prouide some great cheere for friends of his; so his wife did.

She couered all places ouer with gold, siluer, Ta­ble, Cupbords, with all kind of golden vessels, wherin for a while he delighted much, but being hūgry, cal­led for his meat: shee layd vppon the table a painted dinner, & a banquet, all maner of fowles, of fish made on stone▪ wood, iuorie, waxe, and paimed the gold and siluer, and garnished it with rich stones.

Pithius waxed angry with his wife, Plut. de claris mu­lier. and called for his meat; His wife answered: This is your meate husband, that you feede night and day vpon. I haue no meat for your friends, but such as you feed on, and with another taunt, said, That he could not liue long that fed on Midas table.

[Page 86]The like banquets made Heliogabalus of eight persons, 8 bald-men, 8 deafe meen, 8 gowtie men, 8 blacke Ethiopians, 8 scoffers, and 8 of the fattest and grossest.

And Heliogabalus commanded all these eights per­sons to bring him 1000 weight of cobwebs, Lamp. in vita Heliog. promi­sing them to be well rewarded.

And being demaunded what to doe. He answe­red, Ex his colligi magnitudinem vrbis Romae.

These gathered and brought Heliogabalus 10000 weights, to whom he made such a banquet for these Eights, as Pytheus wife made for her husband.

Heliogaba­lus banquet. Heliogabalus left these eights at their golden break­fast, and tooke the eight that were burst with him, ad balneum, to bath themselues: and when these eight had done bathing, the Emperor commanded them to goe to breakfast with their fellowes, and hee came himselfe & sat with them, and maruailed they could eat no meat; I pray you come some other time, when your stomackes serue you, I see you can eat no meat, and so let them goe.

And yet both these Feasts were farre better than the Arch-bishop of Mounse: Hatto, Guil. Isen­grin. in Chronol. who in the time of great famine, fained & dissembled some almes, & reliefes to the poore, and cōmanded they should be gathered together into a great barne, vnder colour to bestowe his almes, and relieue them, and being shut in the barne, commanded them to be all burned saying, That these poore people were the Rats of the Countrey.

But this Arch-bishop was by Gods iust iudgment, [Page 87] deuoured and eaten vp with Rats, Heidf. de animal. cap. 9. & Mise▪ this Arch­bishop forgat the plague of Pharo by frogs, lice, and flyes: & forgat the Isle of Cyclades plagued with Rats.

Sectio. 8.

THere bee certaine Iewes in the west parts of India, called Essa [...]i, which will eat no flesh, drinke no wine, nor vse the companie of any women.

There bee also certaine women in Scythia, called Amazones, which by the law of their Countrey, men may not gouerne or dwell with them.

And yet such women did meet together in mount Quirina [...] at Rome in the Court of Heliogabalus the Em­perour, who had Caenaculum Mulierum, and where nothing was done, but by women.

And such did meet sometime in the Court of Salo­mon in Hierusalem, 3. Reg. 11. where was the Court of Pharoes daughter, the Court of the Queen of the Moabites: of the Queene of the Amonites, of Edomites, of Sy­domites: and so many Courts of Queenes in Hieru­salem, that there was no Court of Salomon.

These strange womē did not only put Salomon king of Israel out of Israel, but also the God of Israel, and brought their idolatrous Gods vnto Israel, 7000 that bend not their kindes to Baall. with so many Altars to Idols in Hierusalem, and Mount Oli­uet, that God reioyced to haue reserued yet in Israel 7000 that neuer bowed their knees to Ball.

[Page 88]I would to God wee might so say in England, that wee had but 7000, that bend not their knees, and knocke their breasts to jmages and jdols in their clo­sets, who worship more the Queene of Heauen in bedchamber, than the God of heauen in the church: and the starre of Rempha, more than the starre of Iacob.

Ierem 44.And yet these women in Britane will excuse them­selues, as the women of Israel did in Egypt, that they did nothing but what they sawe their husbands doe. Yet they saw Ieremie stoned to death at Taphnis, Taphnis. for that hee would not be an Idolater, and confesse their beasts and serpents to be Gods.

They also saw Esay cut in the middest with a Sawe in Hierusalem, in the idolatrous time of Manasses.

Plin. lib. 8. Plinie writeth, that in furthest part of India breed many Monsters, and that in Affrica the Mother and the Nurse of strange Serpents: of one Serpent (among others) I read of that which kept the Riuer Bagrada, that much spoyled and destroyed the Romane Ar­mie, then vnder Atillus Regulus the Romane Gene­rall, Regulus. of which the Affricans were glad

But in time this Serpent was slaine, and his skinne sent to the Senators for a wonder, for it was in length 120 foot. The skinne of this Serpent bred so many Serpents in Rome, that Rome filled all Europe with Ser­pents.

And wee haue found of late too many in great Britane, whose hearts were Pilosa & Hispida (as is sayd before) yea double-hearted Britanes, one to Rome, the other to Spaine, but none to their owne Country. Vae duplici cordi, like Partridges of Paphlago­nia.

[Page 89]Such Monsters are more monstrous, Monsters. than those of which Plinie writes in the furthest part of India.

Of which some haue heads like dogges that doe alwayes barke to moue sedition and mutanies; Plin. lib. 6. cap. 30. some with long eares to their feete; such can heare from Spaine, and from Rome, to Britane.

There be some other Monsters, whose feet are so broad, that when they lye vpon their backs, the sha­dowe of their feet doth not only couer themselues from the raine, heat, or tempest, but also couer them that be in their companie.

Too many such Monsters are to bee found euerie where. And yet (sayth the same Author) that there is one kinde of Monster more strange in India, India. which haue no heads, but a great huge eye in the middest of their breasts, who can see further than Strabo Lincius that sawe the shippes of Carthage, from Lelibium in Cicilia. But these can see from the north to the south, and from the south, to the north.

But we must not looke for fire from heauen, as Eli­as had in mount Carmell vpon King Achabs captaines; 4. Reg. 1. neither must we looke for fierie Charriots, and fierie armed men, 4. Reg. 6. as Elizeus had at Dothan against King Benhadad; Elizeus. Daniel. But we may well doe as Daniel did in Ba­bilon, to seeke, and finde out the print of the feete of Baals Priests, and of their wiues and children.

So we may well trace out these Traitors, and seek to finde the footing of these Iesuites and Seminaries, and being found, there is no way to helpe this, but by paring their feete lesser, their eares shorter, their eyes out, and their heads off, vnlesse prayers helpe it.

These be farre worse than the Iebusites, Hethites, [Page 90] and Cananites, which were left in Iudah, as needels to pricke them, and as Goads to sting Israel.

These Serpents, these Monsters, the verie brood of Satan, seeke not onely in the Land of Hus to de­stroy Iob and his children, but in the Land of great Britane to destroy King Iames, his Queene, his chil­dren, and their Countrey. Hinc rubent eorum vestes, sanguine Sanctorum, The brood of Satan. as Britane, Fraunce, and Germanie can testifie with the blood of more thā 100 thousand Christians, whom they slew and burned to feed that Monster Mino-Taurus, not of Creet, but of Rome, not with the blood of the Athenians, to please Andro­geus, but with the blood of Britanes; not with their forraine enemies blood, but with the blood of the best learned men in Europe.

The Serpent in Paradise.The Serpent in Paradise promised Adam, if hee would eat of the Apple, immortality. And the Ser­pent Satan promised our Sauiour Christ▪ al the world (which was giuen him as hee saide) if Christ would worship him.

The Roman Serpent.The Pope promiseth Kingdomes on earth, and Kingdomes in heauen; for he saith, Heauen is his, and he hath the keys of Heauen deliuered to him onely, and whome he bindeth or looseth on earth, the same shalbe bound or freed in heauen; and with this Ser­pent for money, a man may haue some place in hea­uen, or some Kingdomes vpon the earth.

The Heauen of Heauens is the Lordes, and the Earth hee gaue to the children of men. And conti­nuance of Kingdomes and Periods of Empires are from God, and not by Oracles and Dreames, as Hea­then Princes did obserue.

[Page 91] Astiages King of Assiria was much disquieted vp­pon a dreame, Mandanes dreame. that the Mother of Cyrus, and his daughter Mandanes sawe, that she made such an vrine that ouer flowed all Asia. And Cyrus thought to bring Scythia vnto Persia vpon his mothers dreame: and his Grandfather Astiages thought to haue both Scythia, Persia, and also Cyrus life from Cyrus.

Alexander the Great, for that hee dreamed that Hercules reached his hand ouer the wals of Tire, Alex. lib. 3 cap. 26. hee doubted not but that hee should bring India to ioyne with Asia, Alexanders dreame. and yet it was 7 yeeres before these two great Captaines (though Hercules was within Tire, and Alexander without) wanne Tire.

So many dreamers are in these our daies, that dreame to see some handes ouer Rome, some ouer Rhemes; Dreamers of Rome. that haue such confidence in these handes, that these seeke to bring Rome, Rhemes, and Spaine to­gether by Images, or imagination to Britane.

So superstitious people are euer light of beliefe, that the Greeks thought, Plut. in Thes. and the Athenians affirmed to haue seene Theseus many yeeres after his death, to goe before the Greeks, against the Barbarians.

The Romanes were informed by Castor, and Pol­lox against the Macedonians, and other Kingdomes of their Conquests and victories.

The Machabees saw a Horse-man all in gold ar­med, shaking his speare against the Syrians, Lib. 2. ca. 3 to war­rant the Iewes of the victorie.

The Iesuits and Seminaries dream, that they haue many Hercules, many Alexanders, reaching ouer the Seas to them, laying siege to England all the Queenes time 45 yeres, and to great Britane 4 yeres.

[Page 92]I wish that these Dreamers were sould to some Ismalite, or to some Egyptian that doe nothing in great Britane, but dreame; and by their dreames worke mischiefe.

Val. max: de miracu­lis.The Image of Iuno appeared to one of Camillus souldiers, and willed the Romanes to banish the E­gyptian God Serapis out of Rome, and that Iuno then (said she) would come to Rome.

There bee some Dreamers in England, that if they might haue the God of Israel banished out of Great Britane, they would haue Images and Idols in his place.

The Image of Minerua appeared to Augustus Phi­sitian, and told him how hee should heale his Master of his sicknesse.

Diogenes, of all the Gods, could not thinke well of Esculapius Image, for that the Phisitians make gaine of mens goods, and sell mens liues for mony, which the Romanes most esteemed.

Some Images of Diuels appeare to these Fire­brands of Hell, to banish heretikes and heresies (as they terme it) out of great Britane.

Tho: Aquinas an Arch-papist, being sent for to come to Innocentius the thirde, The bragge of Innocent the third. beholding diuers heapes of gould in the Popes gallerie, and being amazed at the sight thereof; the Pope sayd to Aquinas, nei­ther the primatiue Church of Rome, neither Peter could shew so much gold, when he said, Aurum & argentum non est mihi.

Then sayd Aquinas, beatissime pater, the Church of Rome at this time, Aquinas an­swere. nor your Holinesse can say, Surge & ambula, as Peter could.

[Page 93] Aquinas then should not haue wondred to see so much gold in the Popes gallerie, sithence his tri­bute, his pension, his reuenewes by marchandize, by any kind of sale, Ignis, thura, coronae, praeces, caera & coe­lum, venale Romae, as Mantuan saith.

They forgat what Peter (their founder as they say) sayd to Simon Magus, Act. cap. 8. that would haue bought of Peter, Simon Ma­gus. that which the Popes of Rome sell to others, namely the gifts of the holy Ghost, Pereas cum pecunia tua.

They forgat also what Paul sayd to Elimas the sor­cerer, Act. 13. who would haue perswaded Sergius Paulus frō the faith of Paul, Elimas the Sorcerer. O thou Sonne of the Diuell, and enemie of mankinde, behold the hand of the Lord is vpon thee, and thou shalt be blinde for a season.

But these vents or sales of offices, of Magistrates, and of marchandize, was euer as common in Rome, as the sale of ecclesiasticall promotions, Bishopricks, and of the Popedome it selfe, and being Popes, made sale of Crownes and Kingdomes.

So Hildebrand that made himselfe a Pope, Hildebrand and made Rodulphus an Emperour, to whome hee sent a verie rich Diademe with this sentence written about it, Petra dedit Petro, Petrus diadema Rodolpho.

The pope lookes for pensions of all Kinges, and specially of Christian Kings, yea, rather a tribute due vnto him, per legem post liminij in great Britane.

The Turke would haue claymed a pension or tribute due vnto him of the Emperours of Ger­manie.

The Kinges of Persia vnder colour of pensions, [Page 94] would haue their forces in many places of Asia, but they were resisted.

And Philip of Macedon first by pension, after by policie, Plut. in Ly­sand. got Greece vnto Macedonia.

But it was by Paulus Ematius gotten from Macedo­nia to the Romanes.

These be stratagemes of forrein states one against another: but this should not bee in the Bishops of Rome, Palauor. in vita Al­phons. as they say of Peters successors: they rather should do as Alphonsus King of Arragon, being asked what hee left to himselfe, saying, that hee gaue all his wealth to his learned poore friends and to such god­ly men? Euen that which I gaue (said Alphonsus) I leaue to my selfe in store.

Clemens the 5 a little before he died, being in a great agonie, In speculo. Pontif. sayd to his friends, Now I shall know that, of which I long doubted; whether there were another life after this.

I would rather preferre Adrian the heathen Em­perour before these two Christian Popes, El. Spart. who in the like extasie spake to his soule trembling, Tremula & vagula quae nunc abibis in loca? Now poore soule whether wilt thou goe? wee are not to wonder at Adrian the Emperour so to say and doe, when Pope Clemens so doubted, and where his soule should goe.

Scen. lib. 3. de gest. Alphons.And Zisca Imperator Hussitarum, being moo­ued of his souldiers how he would be buried, com­maunded them to flay and take his skinne off him be­ing dead, and to giue his bodie to wilde beasts, and to make of his skinne a militarie drumme, that his e­nemies that feared his sight aliue, might feare the sound of his skinne being dead.

[Page 95]This Emperours buriall was much like to resolute Pope Siluester, Polyd. lib. 5 de rerum inuent. who sought by oracles of diuers, how long he should liue? was answered, Diu, si cauer et Hie­rusalem (if he kept from Ierusalem in Iudah) yet hee happened to say a Masse vpon an Altar called Hieru­salem, confessed his fault, and commaunded his bo­die to be drawne by two horses, and where the hor­ses stayed, there to be buried.

Many happen to die by chance, whose cause is doubtfull, Hugo de a­nim. clas. vnknowne, and hidden; many die by in­firmities, whose causes are apparant; & many by age, whose causes are present, so doth an old writer set downe; but some die neither by chaunce, nor by infirmities, nor by age, but die for want of grace to liue longer, that now if Theophrastus had liued, hee would not haue accused nature, for the short time of a mans life, for that he sayd, Men died when men be­gan to be wise, Theophra­stus. cum incipimus sapere, morimur: but now Theophrastus would haue sayd, Men die before they begin to liue well.

These be like Phisitians, who after they kill many in many Countreys, yet are they free, and at their libertie to goe euerie where without punishment. These may laugh and sing at burials for their gaines, when others weepe and mourne for their losses.

I remember a historie in Plinie, Plin. lib 28 cap. 3. that an Embassador came from Cypris to Rome, his name was Exagon, who among other monuments, he saw the Consuls bring certain vessels full of Serpents: Exagon. Exagon thinking that the Romanes thought him to be fearefull, willed the Consuls to throw him among those Serpents, which so lickt and winded round about this Exagon, that he [Page 96] came laughing from the Serpents to the Consuls.

This was a great terrour to the Romanes, and yet was a stratageme, that Haniball taught the Romanes, and to all the Kings of Asia against the Romanes.

But the Romans like the Cappadocian, who after the Viper bit him, A Cappado­cian. they looked as they did at Paul for the like, when the Cappadocian would die, but the Cappadocian liued, and the Viper died; such haps sometime happen.

But as I sayd of Romane Marcellus, and Fabius: so likewise I pray vnto God, that there be not many such Exagons in great Britane, that these Serpents and Vipers may licke and winde about them, to the de­struction of their Countrey.

These be not like Lazarus doggs that licked their Masters soares for loue; Lazarus dogges. but like Acteons dogges that deuoured their Maister.

Like Ioab that killed Abner embracing him in his armes.

And like Iudas the Traitor, that kissed his Master, and straight betrayed him. There were neuer so many dumb dogs, as now be biting, & not barking.

These be Lemures nocturni, and alwayes conuer­sant with vs in our houses, like Lares domestici, that can and may deceiue vs, because wee trust them, are now become Tortuosi Serpentes, which came after long lurking in their secret Labyrinths, Per mille Mae­andros, to plague their Countrey.

But yet now they are much frighted with Ierobo­am, who doubting least the Kingdome of Israel shuld returne to the house of Dauid, by meanes of the mul­titude of people which went to offer sacrifice at Ieru­salem, [Page 97] builded Rama [...], and other stronge holds, and made two golden Calues to entice Israel to Idolatrie.

These Iesuites and Seminaries haue hornes ready made, and they promise their Maister the Pope, as Zedechia did to Achab victorie, and say, Hijs venti­labis Britanniam donec deleas eam. And if that faile, Ba­lacke shall cause Balaam for reward, to curse Britane with Bookes and Bels.

So did Golias curse Dauid in the name of his Gods. 1. Reg. 17.

The Bishop of Rome did vse to baptize, and name Bels, Heidfield. de tempore. and annoint the same; by the sound of which Bels, they coniure Diuels from their houses, terrifie their enemies, purifie the ayre, curse and excom­municate whome they list.

Raimerus the 5 King of Arragon published, that he would make such a great Bell, that all Spaine should heare the sound of it.

Some of his noble-men iesting and scoffing at this Bell, lest it should be like the cursing Bell of Rome, des­pised the same speech. But they were apprehended and commanded by Raimerus to be put to the sword, saying, Nescit vulpecula cum quo laudat.

The like punishment had many that spake against the Bels and Buls of Rome.

Surely we shall neuer be able to end this quarrell, or make a lawe, as Elias did with Achabs Prophets, and as Daniel did with Nabuchadnezars priests, and so execute the lawe according to their composition, which was effected by the commandement of these two great idolatrous Kings, the one at the brooke Kyson, the other at Babilon.