YF mortall men (so it were for theyr commoditie) wold soo disdaine me, eiect me, and vtterly vndo me, that hath not deser­ued it. I would euen nowe lament my iniury, and their ini­quitie: but whan they euen at thys pre­sent doo driue me, the spring and foun­ten of all felicitie, from them vtterly lost and caste awaye, and cal vnto them the sea of all calamitie, theyr infelicitie, is more to be bewayled than is my iniury, whose ch [...]unces I am enforsed to lamēt and to haue pitie on them, with whom I had rather be angery and misconten­tyd. For why to driue his louer from hym, howsoeuer he driueth or reiecteth hym is vnkindnes [...] to disdaine him that hath deseruid thankes vnthankefulnes [...] and to afflict and vndo the parente and [Page] keper of all men, is a wycked thynge. But semeth not this an extreme demē ­ [...]y and madnes, to thynke them selues vnworthy of so excellent commodityes, the which I doo bryng with me, and for these willynglye to call fo [...] soo cruell a heape of all euylles? It is semelye and mete to be angerye with the euyll: but what other thynge canne we doo than be wayle those, that are soo dryuen and toste with furys? she whyche certenlye are for noo nother cause more to be la­mentid, thā that they lament not them selues, nor for no other cause more vn­happy, than that they perceue not their infelicitie. For it is a certaine grece and steppe to helth, to knowledge the great­nes of hys infirmitie, and sickenes. For yf I peace prays [...]d by the voyce of the Godes and men be the founten, [...]eace. parent nurysher, augmenter and defender of all good thynges, that other the ayer hath or the earth. Yf withoute me there is nothynge flouryshynge no wheres, nothyng sure [...] nothynge pure nor holy, nothynge pleasaunte vnto menne, nor thank [...]full vnto the Goddes. [...]arre. Yf warre [Page] contrarye to a [...]l thynges, be the sede of all euylles. A certen Occean Sea of all naturall thynges, wheresoeuer they be. Yf all flouryshyng thinges through the vice of this, doo putrify, thynges incre­syd doo dye, thynges vnderset doo fall, thynges well and subs [...]ancyall builded do peryshe, and that are swete, waxe so w [...]e. Fynallye yf it be a thyng so far from holynes, that it be a most presente pestylence of al go [...]lynes and religion. Yf there be nothyng more vnfortunate than thys one thyng vnto men, nor no­thynge more hatefull vnto the Gods. I praye the by the immortall Gods. Who shall beleue these to be men. Whoo shal beleue that there is any cr [...]m of wyse­dome in them, that with so greate char­ges, so greate stody, so greate trauell, so many cra [...]esses, soo manye cares, soo many perylles do stody to cast me of, & woulde bye suche a heape of euylls soo dearelye [...] Yf wylde beastes after thys maner woulde despyse me, I woulde beare it more eas [...]lye, and impute thee iniury done vnto me, to nature, where [Page] with the cruell inclination of nature, had done cruellye. Yf I were hatyd of dumme beastes. I would forgeue theyr ignoraunce because that strength of the mynde is denyed them, the which onely canne perceaue my gyftes. O vnwor­thy thinge, and more than prodigious: nature hath creatyd man indued with reason, and that receuyth the wyll and mind of God, beneuolence and concorde and yet I doo soner obtayne a place among wyld beastes, howe wylde and howe brutyshe soeuer they be, than a­monge men. And the confederations of soo manye celestiall circles, albeit theyr motion and power is not all one, yet they contynue and lyue thus manye yeares. The powers of the Elementes stryuynge amonge them selfes, doo de­fend with equall wayte, eternal peace, and they in soo greate a discorde, with a mutuall consente and exchaunge doo noryshe concorde. And howe faythfull a consent and agrement of theyr mem­bres is there in the body of Beastes, and howe readye is theyr mutuall defence? What thing is there more vnlyke than [Page] is the body and the soule; and yet with howe streyte an amitie hath nature bounde these two together, certes the seperation of them declareth it, therfore as life is nothing else, Lyfe. but the societie of the body & the soule, so the helth of al the qualities of the body is concord. Concor [...] The vnreasonable bestes do lyue euerye one in his kynde ciuillye and in good agre­ment. Elephantes doo liue in sondrye flockes Swyne and shepe paster toge­ther. Craynes and Iayes do flye toge­ther in companyes. Storkes the may­sters of pitye haue theyr assembles. Dolphines doo defende them selfes wyth mutuall offices and dueties. The poli­tike concorde that is among Antes and Bees is knowen. But wherto go I forwardes to speake of these thynges, the whiche, notwithstandynge they lacke reason, yet they lacke not perceauyng. Thou mayst knowe, that in trees and herbes there is a certaine amitie. Some be baron, except thou ioyne a male vn­to them, a vyne embraseth an elme, a peach a vine, insomuch that insensable thinges, seme yet to perceaue the bene­fytes [Page] of peace. And as these thynges haue not the powre of perceuynge, soo that they haue lyfe, yet they are borde­rers vnto those thynges that perceiue. What is so brutyshe as the kynde of stones: and yet thou shalt say that they haue the sense of peace and concord. So an Adamant draweth yerne vnto hym, and drawne, doth holde it. There is al­so agrement among y ^e most sauage and wild beastes. The wyldnes of Lyons doth not apere amōg thē selues. A Bore doth not moue nor shake his fy [...]ry [...]uske agaynst a bore. And among Linces ther is peace. A Dragō sheweth no cruelnes agaynst a Dragon. And the prouerbes haue adournyd the concord of wulues. I wyll adde that semeth to be more marueilous, the wycked spirites, throughe whom the concord and peace of those y ^e be in heauen, and of men was first bro­ken, and nowe is broken, are in leage among [...] them selues, and defende that theyr tyranny such as it is, with consent and agrement men onely, whom of all other vnamitie becommeth, the which principallye haue mooste nede thereof [Page] nother nature so myghtye and effectu­ous in other thynges canne accord, nor instruction ioygne together, nor so ma­ny commodities procedyng of concord, vnite them, nor the felynge and expery­ence of so many euyls reduce and bring them to mutual loue and concorde. The figure and forme of all men is [...]ommen, and the selfe same voyce, and wher as al other kynde of beastes do dyffer mooste cheyfely amoug them selues in forme and fashion of bodyes, the vygure and force of reason is geuen and appoynted to man onely, the whych is vnto them and amonge them so commen, that it is commen to no nother beastes, & speache the principall conciler of amitie & frend­shyp, is geuen vnto mā, the sedes of all discipline & vertuous are commonlye grafte in him, a gentle & a meke wytte bending to mutual beneuolēce y ^t which of it selfe deliteth to be beloued, and is plesant to do good vnto other, excepte a mā thrugh euil cupidities & lustes be as it were with Circes medicines cor­ruptid, Circes. & of a man through degenerati­on & going out of kynd be made a beast? Of this certēly y ^e vulgar & cōmō peple [Page] whatsoeuer dothe pertayne to mutuall beneuolence, doo call it humanitie and gentlenes, Nature vnto thys hath ad­dyd teares, [...]eares. a document and experience of an exorable nature, where by yf anye offence perchaunce hath happenyd, or any smale cloude duskyd the clearenes of amitie, they maye easelye be made frendes againe. Lo by howe many rea­sonnes and wayes nature hath taught concorde: And yet not beynge contente with these inticementes of peace, shee would not that amitie should be onely pleasaunt vnto man, but also necessary. And therefore she hath soo parted and diuided the gyftes aswell of the body, as of the soule, that there is no man so wel furnished, but that nowe and than he maye be releuyd and holpen by the of­fyce of the inferiours. Nor she attributh nor geueth not the selfe same, nor yet the lyke vnto all men, that this inequa­litie myghte be made equall throughe mutuall loue and amitie. Diuers thin­ges come forth of diuers countrise, that the very vse of them should teache mu­tuall merytes and deseruynges. Unto [Page] other beastes, she hath attributed ar­mur and helpe, where with they shulde defende them selues, onelye manne she hath brought forth without knowledge and feable, nor noo otherwyse in saue­garde, than by confederations and mu­tuall necessitie. Necessi­tie. Necessitie inuented cy­tyes, and necessitie hath taught the soci­etie and felowshyp that is among them, that they ioynyng theyr strength and power together, should repell the vyo­lence of wylde beastes, aud robbers. For in worldly thynges there is so litle helpe that mankynde euen at the begynnyug of lyfe, hadde peryshed, yf matrymo­nyall concorde had not nouryshed and broughte hym vppe. Nor man shoulde not haue bene borne, and borne euen at the begynnyng of lyfe, should by and by haue peryshed, and lost lyfe: yf the frendly hand of the mydwyfe, and frendely [...] piety of the nurse, had not holpen the in­fante. And nature hath planted vnto thys vse, those vehemente lytle fyers of pyetie, that thee parentes loue euen that, that as yet they haue not sene. And vnto thys she hath added the mutuall [Page] pietie of the chyldren to theyr parents, that theyr imbicilitie and weakenesse myghte mut [...]allye be [...]ubleuatyd and suckeryd by theyr ayde and helpe, and that it [...]yght be vnto all lyke plausible and fauorable, and of the Grekes called mooste aptelye A [...]tipelargosis, that is a mutuall retaliation or compensaty­on of benefyte [...] vnto thys are added the bandes of kyndred, and of affinitie. In some there commeth the symilitude of wyttes, of stodies, and of shape the su­rest rec [...]nciler of beneuolen [...]e. In ma­ny a certen secrete sense and felynge of y ^e mynd, a maruelous great spurge and prouocation to mutual loue and amitie, where at oure elders muche maruelde [...] and ascrybe it to the wyl and powre of God. With thus many arguments na­ture hath taughte peace and concorde. With thus many inticements she hath inuytyd vs vnto her, with soo manye cordes she draweth vs with soo manye thynges, she compelleth vs. And after al these thinges, what effectuous infernal fury to hurt man, these thynges beyng broken, cast a syde, and shaken of, hath [Page] plantyd in the heartes of man this insa­tiable fury of fytynge? And but that the vse and custome doth fyrste take a waye the admiration, and than the sense of the euy [...], who would beleue that these men were indued with reason, that with continuall discord, controuersies, & warres contend and striue among them selues. Finally they trouble and confounde al places, both haloued and prophane with rapine bloude, and ruine. Nor there are no confederations, be they neuer so ho­ly, that can seperate and diuide them fu­riously ragyng agaynst them selues, to the mutuall destruction of them selues. Yea yt nothing had bene put or added vnto it, the commen vocable or name of a man, had bene sufficient for agrement amonge men. But be it so that nature, the which is of great force among brute beastes, profited nothing among men: shall Chryst therfore be of no force, n [...]r powre among chrystians? Let the doc­tryne of nature be of lytle effecte, yet among beastes that haue no vnderstan­dyng, it hath great force and strengthe. But forasmuch as the doctrine of Christ [Page] is much more excellent thā the doctrine of nature, why dothe it not perswade y ^e thynge vnto those that professe her, the which one of al other thinges she moste principally doth coūsel: that is Peace & mutual beneuolence: or at leaste waye, teach him to forget this so wicked & soo cruel madnes of making of war. Whā I here the vocable & nature of man, by & by I rune vnto him as vnto a creature borne properly for my welth, trusting y ^t it shalbe leful for me to rest ther, & whan I here the title of christē men, I make y ^e more hast vnto thē, hauing truely good hope to reigne am [...]nge them. But here amōg these (I am a shamed and loth to speake it) the places of iudicature, y ^e coū sel [...]hamber, y ^e courtes, the tēples do so rumble & sound euerye wher w ^t debates & strifes, that the like is no wheres amōg the Ethnikes. Insomuch y ^t wher as the company of aduocates is y ^e gretest part of the misery & calamitie of mā, Aduo­ [...]te [...]. yet this is but a smale matter & a solitariousnes to the troubles of those y ^t goo to lawe. I behold the Citie, by and by I haue good esperaunce & hope, that there at leaste [Page] waies is good agremēt & concord amōg those y ^t the self same waules do enclose, Cities. y ^e self same lawes do rule and gouerne, & as caryd in one shippe, a commen perill and daunger dothe contayne. But O wretch as I am, y ^• here also doth find all thinges defiled w ^t dissention, & soo, that scarsely it is lefull to find any house, in the which I may haue a place for a fewe dayes. I leue of the vulgar and commen people, Uulga [...] people. the which after the course of the Sea, are drawne w ^t their owne formur and troubelous motions. Now I come vnto the court of Princes, as into a cer­certen port & hauen. Courte No dout (quod I) a­mōg thē there shalbe a place for Peace. For they are more prudent & wise then the cōmen people, they are the eye of y ^e people. Furthermore they are placid in hys stede & rome, that is the docter and Prince of concorde, of whome truely I am commtndyd to all men, but specially vnto these. And al thinges doo promys me well. I see gentle salutatyons, amo­rus, embrasynges, merye banketes, and all other duetyes and offyces of humanytye.

[Page]But o vnworthy thing, it was not law­full amonge these to beholde the onelye shadowe of true peace and concorde. Al thinges were coule [...]yd and fayned, and with open factions and secret dissenti­ons and hatredes corruptid. And finally I insomuch do fynde that amonge these there is no seate for Peace, Note. that from hence commeth the sprynges and be­gynninges of al dissention and warres. But whether after thys shall I vnfor­tunate turne me, seing that hope hath soo oftentimes deceuyd me? But Prin­ces are rather mightier then lernid, and are ledde more by cupiditie and lust, thā by the right iudgement of the mynde. I wyll conuey my selfe to the companye of eruditie and learnyd men. Good let­ters make men. [...]earned [...]en. But Philosophy more than men. Diuinitie maketh thē godes. It shalbe lawefull for me thus dryuen aboute with so many circutes to reste a­mong these men. But alas for sorowe, beholde here in like maner a newe kind of warre not so bluddye, but nolesse fo­lyshe and madde. One scole varieth frō a nother, & asthough the truth of thinges [Page] were chaunged, by the place, so certaine decres trauayle not ouer the Sea, certen passe not ouer the Alpes, nor certayne swime not ouer the Rhene: yea in y ^e selfe same vnyuerstie the Logicians maketh warre with the Rhetoricien, & the Di­uine dothe dyscorde with the Lawer. And in the selfe same kynde of professi­on and learnynge, thee Scotysse dothe fyghte with the Tho [...]iste, the Nomy­nale with the Reale, the Platonyst with the Peripatike, in somuch y ^t in most smal matters, they agre not, and often tymes they stryue moste cruelly for a matter of nothynge, vntyll the heat of the dysputacion doth waxe more and more from ar­gumentes to slaunders, and from slaun­ders to buffettes. And albeit the thynge be not doone nother with daggers nor speres, yet with ther poisoned and veni­mouse styles they wounde eche other [...] & with bytynge tethe and tauntes, they teare one another, and one against the o­thers, fame do violētly moue & shake the deadly dartes of theyr tonges. Whether shal I turne me, that so oftē haue prouid that I am deceiued? What remayneth [Page] but onely religion, Religiō. a secrete as it were & a holy anker whose profession, notw ^t ­standing it be the cōmen profession of al christians, yet they do moste peculiarlye professe it with title, apparel, & ceremo­nies, y ^t commenly are commēded by the name of pr [...]istes. These therfore do put me beholding al things in good hope, y ^• there is a hauen prepared for me. [...] The whyte garmentes nobilitatid with my own color, do please me. I se crosses, the tokens & notes of peace. I here the swete name of a brother, the argumēt of a sin­guler charitie. I here the salutations of peace very happy through y ^e ioyful pro­nunciation of thinges, y ^t be to come. I behold & se the communion of al things a colledge ioyned together, al one tem­ple, the selfe same lawes, the quotidian & dayly conuentes. [...] Who doth not trust y ^t here shalbe a place for peace? But O vnworthy thyng, the colledge doth not almost neuer agre with the Byshoppe. Thys is a smale matter, but that they thrugh dissentiō must also be deuided a­mōg thē selues. How many preistes be ther, that are not at debate & strife [...]ith [Page] some other preist? Paule doth iudge it a thing not to be borne, that one christen man shuld go to the lawe with another & should a preist striue with a preist? 1. Cor. 6 & a byshop with a byshop? But perhappes some one will forgeue these mē, because that through long continuaunce & vse, they are come in a maner to the compa­ny of prophane and laye mē, inasmuch as they haue begune to possesse the selfe same thynges with them. Goo to. Let them hardly vse theyr ryght, the which as it were they doo desende by prescrip­tion. Yet th [...]re remayneth one kinde of men, the which are so bounde to religi­on, that yf they woulde desyre it, they can by no meanes shake it of, noo more than a tortuse her house or shell. I shuld hope to haue a place amonge these, but that my hope soo oftentymes frustratid, had taught me vtterlye to despere. And yet because I wyll leue nothyng vnpro­ued, I wyll experiment it and proue it. Thou sekest for an ende of this matter. I departyd from noo men more gladly. For what thynge shoulde I hope for, whan teligion doth not agre w ^t religiō. [Page] There are as many factions, as there are feloweshyppes. The Dominicales are at debate with the Minorities. The Benedictines with the Bernardynes: as many names, so many Religions, so many euen o [...] purpose, diuers ceremo­nies, because that nothing should agre: euery man is pleasyd with hys owne, and hateth & condemneth other mens. The sel [...]e same felowshippe is through factions dyuyded. The obseruauntes speake euyll of the Coletes, and bothe they of the third kynde, [...]he which haue their name of the Conu [...]ntes called Cō ­uentuales, and yet there is no agremēt among them. I nowe as it is mete and mistrusting al thinges, desyred to hyde my selfe in some litle monasterye, y ^t truely and vnfainedly were in quiet. Thys thing I shal saye againste my wyll, the which would to god warre not mooste true. Hetherto I haue found none, that with ciuill, hatred and braulinges was not infected. A shame it is to rehearse what vnprofitable strifes & debates the elder men which are to be fered and re­uerencid for their bearde and cloke sake, [Page] doo excite and styrre of tryfylles & vaine maters. And finally howe greatly lear­nyd they seme vnto them selues, & howe holy. Yet some lytle hope smyled vpon me, that somewheres among so manye Mariages, Mary­age. some maner of place, should be geuen me. For what doth not a com­men house, a commen bed, and commen chyldren prom [...]s? Furthermore y ^• mu­tual lawe of their bodies, so that y ^u shalt rather beleue thē to be one body made of two, than to be two. But that mooste myscheues Eris and contention is also cropen hether, Eris. and through the dissenci­on of theyr myndes diuideth those, that with so many bondes are bounde. And yet I shall soner chaunce to haue a place amonge these, than among those which with so many titles, so many di [...]ers garmentes, so many ceremonies professe or absolute charitie. But finally I desiryd thys that at the least way, a place might be appointed me in the brest of some one man. But yet that chaunsyd not, for the selfe same man dothe stryue and fyghte with hym selfe, reason maketh warre with the affections, and furthermore [Page] affection, whilst pitie draweth one wai and cupiditie a nother, striueth with af­fection. Againe lust swadeth one thing, and anger another, ambitiō one thing, co [...]ituousnes another. And being such men, yet they are not a shamid to be cal­ [...]ed christians, albeit that they do vtter­ly discorde from the thinge that is vnto Chryst most cheyfe and peculier. Con­template and behold his vniuersal life. The lyfe of Christ What other thinge is it, than the doc­trine of concord, & mutual loue? What other thyng doo hy [...] commaundements inculcate and repete, what hys parabl [...]s but Peace, but mutuall charitie? Dyd that noble Prophette Esaias inspyred with the celestiall spirite, and shewing that Chryst the reconciler of al thynges should come: promys that he shoulde be a ruler, or an ouer thrower of Cities? A warrier? A triumpher? Noo no. What then? A Prince of peace, Esa. 9 and because he woulde that he shoulde be notyd and vnderstandyd to be the best of all other: he notyd hym of that thynge, that he iudgyd, the beste of all thynges. Nor it is no maruell that it semed so to Esai­as [Page] whan that Syllius the etnich poet wrote of me in thys sorte and maner. Sillius. Peace of all thinges that nature gaue vnto man is best. Peace. And that mistical poet doth agre vnto thys man sayinge. Psa, 75 [...] His seate is made in peace. He said in peace, not in Hostes. He is a Prince of peace, he loueth peace, he is offended with dis­corde. And againe Esaias calleth peace a worke of Iustice, Esa, 32, mening (if I be not disceyuyd) the selfe same that Paule mente, and he of troubulous Saule, was made peasable, and the doctour of peace, with what brest, with what elo­quen [...] dyd he preferrynge charytye aboue all other gyftes of the spryte, 1, Co, 13 thū ­der oute my prayse vnto the Coryn­thyans? whye shoulde I not glorye to be praysyd of so lawdable a man? He, 13. This manne sometymes callethe hym the God of peace. Collo, 3 [...] In another place he cal­leth hym the peace of God: manifestlye declaryng these two to cleaue and agre among them selues, that there canne be noo peace, where GOD is not pre­sente, nor that God can be there, where peace is not present.

[Page]Lykewy [...]e we rede in holye Write, the Angells of Peace to be called meke and the ministers of God: Psame 103. so that by it selfe it is manifest, whom we ought to take for the Angells of warre. Harken vnto me ye excellent warryers. Beholde vn­der whose ensygnes ye warre. Certes vnder hys, that fyrst sowde dissention & discorde betwene God and man. What calamitie so euer mā doth fele, he ought to ascribe it to his dyssention and dys­corde. A lyght matter it is that certen men do argue that God in holy Wryte, is called the God of Hostes, and y ^e God of vengaunce: For why there is a grete difference betwene the God of Iewes, and the God of Christen men, although that of their owne nature they are one, and the selfe same God. Or yf the olde titles do please vs, go to, let hym be the God of Hostes, so that thou take and vnderstand the sharpenes and front therof to be y ^• consent of vertue, by whose aide and helpe good men destroy vyce. Lette him be the God of vengaunce, Esaie. 1 [...] Reg. 12. soo thou take vengaunce for the correctiō of vice, and dost referre the bloudye occision of [Page] men, wherewith the bokes of the Hea­brues, are replenished, not to y ^e cutting and terynge of men in peces [...] but to thee driuinge awaye of wycked affections oute of the brest and mind of man. But to folowe on that we purposyd. As ofte as the secret and diuine letters do signi­fye absolute felicytye they doo it by thee name of Peace. As Esayas, Esai. 32. my people (sayeth he) shall sit in the beutifulnes of Peace. And another, Psalme 124. Peace (sayeth he) vpon Israell. Againe Esaias doth mar­uell at the feete of those that denunce Peace, that denunce good thynges. Whosoeuer bringeth tidings of Christ, Esai. 52 bringethe tidinges of Peace. He y ^t dy­uulgath warre, diuulgath hym that is mooste vnlyke Chryste. Goo to nowe, What thynge dyd drawe the sonne of God into the Earth, but that he myght [...] reconcile the world vnto the father, and ioygne men amonge them selues, with an indissoluble charitie, and laste of all that he myghte make man hys frende. He was than an Ambasadoure for me, he dyd my busynesses. 1. Psal. Re. 22. And therefore Salomon woulde beare his type and fi­gure, [Page] the which vnto vs is called pea­sable. 1, Psa, Reg, 22 Howe great soeuer Dauid was. yet because he was a warrier, because he was defyled with bloude, 1, Psa, Reg, 22, [...]8. he is not suffered to buylde the house of god. Nor he deseruid not in thys parte, to beare the type and figure of peasable Chryst. Nowe O thou warrier, ponder thys in the meane while, yf warres receauyd & done by the commaundemente of God do prophane men, what shall they doo, whom ambition, anger, & fury doth per­swade? Yf the bloud of Ethnikes, being shed dothe polute the meke kyng, what shall the great [...]ffusion of christen bloud doo? I pray ehe O thou christen Prince, yf thou be truely a christian, beholde the Image of thy Prince, obserue & marke how he entred into his kingdom, howe he proceded, howe he departed hence, & thou shalt easely vnderstande, howe he would haue the to rule, mary that peace and concord might be the some & conclu­sion of al thy care & rule. Dyd the Aun­gells whā Christ was borne, blowe vp their warlyke trumpetes? The Iewes vnto whom war was ꝑmitted, hard the [Page] sounde of the trumpetes. These begyn­nynges were mete and conueniente for those, Leui, 19, to whome it was laweful to hate their enemies. But y ^e Angells of Peace sing another maner of song to the peo­ple of Peace. Do they call men to war? or doo they promys vyctoryes? or try­umphe? Noo. What than at last? They denounce Peace, & the congruences w ^t the oracles of the Prophetes. And they denounce it not to those that breth oute murders and warre, that shewe them selues fearce to battel, but to those whi­che with good wyll are inclinyd to con­cord. Let men culler and say what they wyl to their own destruction & hurt: Yf they loued not war, they would not thus stryue with continuall warres amonge thē selues. Go to. What other thing dyd Chryst him selfe beinge of a good age teache. What other thing did he exprese than Peace? And nowe & than he salutid his Disciples w ^t the good lucke of peace. Peace be vnto you. L [...]c. 24, And he prescribed vnto his y ^e forme of gretinge, as onelye mete & worthi for christē [...]ē. Roma, 1, And y ^e Apostles not obliuious & forgetfull of thys [Page] precepte and commaundement, begyn theyr Epystles with Peace: and wyshe Peace vnto those whom they syngu­larly well doo loue. He wyssheth an ex­cellent thynge that wyssheth helth: but he that dothe desyre peace, desyreth the sume and conclusion of all felicitie. And marke with what solicitude aud care he nowe departyng thys worlde, commē ­deth Peace, the which he so often times in all hys lyfe tyme commendyd. Loue ye (sayth he) one a nother as I haue lo­ued you. Io, 15, And agayne. Io. 14. I geue you my peace, I leue you my peace. Do ye heare what he leueth vnto hys? Doth he leue thē horsses? or a gard? or an Enpeire? or riches? none of al these thyngs. What thā? he geueth peace, he leueth peace, Peace w ^t his frends, Peace w ^t his ene­mies. Now I wold thou shoulst cōsider, what he after the mysticall supper, the tyme of hys death beyng nowe at hand, with those hys laste prayers, desyrred of hys father. I suppose that he whyche knewe that whatsoeuer he demaunded he should obtaine it, Io. 11. would aske no vul­gar nor no commen thynge. O holye [Page] father (saieth he) kepe them in my name that they maye be one as we be. Ioan. 1 [...] See I beseche you, howe noble a concorde C [...]rist doth aske for hys. He sayde not that they maye be of one mind, but that they may be one, nor that after euerye maner, but as we (sayeth he) be one: the which after a most perfect and a vnspea­cable way are the self same. And by the way declaryng that men by this way & meanes onely, must be sauid, yf they a­mong them selues doo nourysh mutual peace and concord. The Princes of this worlde do note and marke theyr men, & speciallye in the tyme of warre, wyth some notable note and signe, that they maye be knowen from other. But see and beholde with what note or badge Chryst hath markyd his: certes with no other thā with the note of mutuall cha, ritie, sayinge. Ioan. 1 [...] By thys badge and note men shall knowe that ye are my dyscy­ples, not yf ye be so or so apareled, not if ye fede vpon thys or that meate, nor yf ye fast onely, nor yf ye swallowe vp soo many psalmes, but yf ye loue one ano­there, nor that after the commen sorte, [Page] but as I haue louid you. The preceptes of the Philosophers are innumerable, and the commaundementes of Moyses and of the kinges are diuers and many, but my precepte (sayethe he) is but one, tha [...] is, that ye loue together. And pres­cribing vnto them one forme of praying dothe he not euen at the begynnynge warne them of a marueilous concorde? Oure father sayeth he, it is the prayer of one, it is the common peticion of all men [...] [...] they are al one house, al one fami­lye, all depend of one father, [...] and howe agreeth it then that they shoulde make continuall warre among them selues? With what mouth or boldnes dost thou call vpon the commen fa [...]her, yf thou thrust thy swerd into thy brothers bow­ells? And nowe because he woulde that this one thing should settell most depe­ly in the myndes of hys, with how ma­ny sygnes, with howe many parables, with howe many preceptes hath he re­petyd the stody of concorde? Iohn. 10 He namethe him selfe a shepherd, and his seruaun [...]es shepe. And I praye you, who euer sawe shepe fight with shepe: Or what shall [Page] woules doo, yf the folde teare one ano­ther? whan the vine doth call hym selfe the rote, and the braunches hys, what other thing doth he expresse than vna­nimitie. It shoulde seme a prodigious thing worthy to be pourgid by sacrifice, if in the selfe same vine one braunche shoulde warre with a nother: and is it not a monstrus thynge, yf a christyan shal fight with a christian? Finallye yf any thing be secret and holy vnto chry­sten men, that should be very holy & depely setteled in their mindes, that Christe in those extreme and last commaunde­ments making as it were his last will & testament deliuerd, commendinge those things vnto his children, y ^• which he de­syred shoulde neuer be forgotten. And what other thing doth he teach, cōmyt, cōmaund, pray or desire in al these thin­ges, but mutual loue amōg his? Ioan. 1 [...] What doth y ^e communion of that holy bread & amiable cup decre, but a certē new & an indissoluble cōcord. But whā he percei­ued y ^e peace coulde not stand where men striued for offices, glorye, riches, & to be reuengid: he doth then vtterly exstirpe [Page] oute of the mindes of his suche affecty­ons and vtterly forbiddeth them not to resist euyll, Math. 5. & if they may he commaun­deth them to do good to those that haue not deseruyd it, Math. 5. and to praye and wyshe them wel, that wishe other that is euil. And seme they vnto them selues to be christians, that for euery light iniury do drawe the greattest part of al the world to war? He commaundeth that a prince should play the minister among his peo­ple, nor that he in no other thing shulde excell other, but that he be better than other, and that he ayde and helpe many. And yet some be not ashamed for a smal accesse and pece of grounde to be addid and annexed vnto theyr territorye, to styrre vp so greate tumultes. He teach it vs to liue with out anye store, after the vse and custome of byrdes & lyllyes. He forbyddeth vs to extend our careful­nes vnto the next day. Math. 9. It is his wil and minde, that all we should depende from heauen. Mat, 19, He excludeth all riche men frō the kingdome of heauen, and yet certen men feare not for a lytle mony vnpaid, the whiche parauenture is not oyinge [Page] nor dewe, to shede somuche humayne bloude. And in these dayes, these seme most iust causes of making of war. And truely Christ doth no nother thing, commaundynge them to learne one certen thing of hym, Mat. 11. to be meke of minde and not fearce: Math. 5, and what he commaundeth the gyft to be left before the aulter, and not to be offerd before thou be in frend­ship with thy brother, dothe he not ma­nifestly, teach vs, that concorde is to be preferd aboue al other thinges, nor noo sacrifice to be thankefull vnto God, ex­cept he commēd it? God refusid y ^e Iewes giftes, a kyd perchaunce or a shepe, the which y ^t they which were at debate dyd offer: & dare christen mē thus makinge war among them selues offer vp that holy sacrifice? Nowe whan he lyketh him selfe vnto a henne, gathering her chyckens vnder her winges, Mat, 13. with howe apte a signe dothe he paynte concorde? He is a getherer, and howe doth it agre, that we christen men shoulde be kytes? To the selfe it pertaynethe, that he is called the corner stone, contayning and ioigning both the walles together: and [Page] doth it not agre that his vicars shoulde moue al the worlde to battell and war, and [...]o [...]gne kingdomes to kingdomes? [...] And they, [...] as they bost them selues, haue that hygh reconciler to their prince, and yet by noo meanes they can be reconcy­led to them selues. He reconcilyd Pilate and Herode, Lu. 23. and yet he cannot brynge hys to concorde. He that was defendyd doth rebuke Peter as yet halfe a Iwe, the whiche in iop [...]riye of hys lyfe was redy to defend hys Lorde and mayster, & commaundyd hym to put vp his swerd: Ihon. 18 and amonge chrysten men, the swerde euen for euerye lyght matter is drawne oute agaynst christians. Woulde he be defendyd with the swerde, that dyinge prayde for [...]he authors of his death? All christen mens letters and bokes, [...]u, 23. whe­ther thou rede the old or the newe testa­ment, do sounde nothyng else but peace and vnanimitie: [...] and all the lyfe of chri­sten men dothe intreate of nothyng else but of warre. What cruelnes is [...]ys more th [...]n bestlye, [...] the whyche with soo manye thynges can not be ouercomde, nor mitygaty [...]. But let them eyther [Page] leue of the glorye of the tytle of christy­anitie, or else expresse the doctryne of Chryst by concorde. Howe longe shall the lyfe striue with the name? Beutify youre houses and your garments with the Image of the Crosse, asmuche as it shall please you: Chryste shall not knowledge noo nother note nor signe, but that that he him self prescribed, that is, the signe of concorde. Actes .1. The Apostles being assembled together sawe him go­inge into Heauen, and getheryd toge­ther they were commaundyd to tary for the celestiall and heauenlye sprite. And he promysyd that he would continually be conuersaunte among those that were assembled, because no man should hope [...]or truste Chryste to be anye where pre­sente in warres. Nowe, what other thing is that fyery and flamyng sprite, than charytye? There is nothyng more commen thā fyer, and fyer without any dammage or losse is kyndled with fyer. Wylt thou knowe that the spyryte is the parente of concorde? Beholde the ende. Actes .4. He sayth that they were al of one harte and mynde.

[Page]Remoue the sp [...]it [...] from the bodye, by & by the whole composition of the mem­bers shall fall and decaye. Take Peace awaye, the whole societie of a christyan lyfe doth peryshe. Many diuines doo at this presente affirme, that the celestiall sprite is in fudyd by the Sacramentes: if they preach and say the truth, where is the peculier [...]ffect of the sprite, [...] one hart & one mynde? but yf they be fables, why doo they so great honor vnto these thin­ges? Truelye I haue sayde and spoken these thynges, that christen men should be the more a shamyd of theyr maners, [...] & not that I would remoue or take anye thinge from the Sacramentes. And y ^• it hath pleasyd christen men to be called the church, of what other thing dothe it monyshe vs, [...] but of vnanimitie? What gremente is there betwene hostes & the churche? thys doth sounde a congrega­tion, and that a dissention: yf thon glo­rifye that thou art apart of the Church, what hast thou to do wi [...]h war? Note. Yf thou be remouid from the churche, what hast thou to do with Chryst? Yf the self same house receyue you a [...]l, yf ye haue a com­men [Page] prince, if ye war al for one, yf ye be consecratid & instructed with lyke Sa­cramentes, yf ye enioye lyke gyftes, yf ye be nouryshed with lyke s [...]ipendes, yf the like rewarde be askyd and demaun­dyd, whye doo ye make suche tumultes among you? We see that there is amōg these wycked souldiers, the which being hyred for wages, euen to the minister of slawter, gret concord, and for no nother cause, but that they go to war vnder the selfe same ensignes, and cannot soo ma­ny thynges ioygne those, that professe pietie? Is there nothing done by so ma­ny Sacraments? Baptisme is the com­mon Sacramente of all other, Baptism by thys we are borne againe to Christe [...] and cut of from the wo [...]ld, are grafte in the mē ­bers of Chryste. What thing can be soo much it selfe, as the members of y ^e selfe same body? Of this therfore there is no­ther bond nor fre, Barbariā nor Gr [...]ke, man nor woman: but all are the selfe same in Christe, the which reduceth all thynges vnto concord. A lytle bloud ta­styd on both partes o [...]t of [...]he cup, Note. dothe so ioyne the Scythes, that they tarye [Page] nor delay not to die for theyr frend. [...]mitie. And amitie is a secrete and a bolye thynge among the Ethnickes, the whiche a cō ­men table hath conciled: and shall not that heauenly breade, Note his place for the sa [...]ramente [...]f the [...]ulter. and that mistical cuppe contayne and kepe christen men in loue & amitie, the which Christ him selfe hath ordaynyd, the whiche daylye they doo renewe in the sacrifices? Yf Chryst hath done nothyng there and in these thynges. What nede now so ma­ny Ceremonies? yf he went about a se­rius matter, why doo we asthoughe he had done some light mater, neglecte i [...] Dare any mā be so bold to come to that table the note of amytye, or to the ban­kette of Peace, that preparethe warre agaynste chrystyans, that prepareth to lease them, for whome Chryst dyed, to drawe theyr bloude, for whom Chryste shed his bloude & O brestes more than adamātynes, in so many things ther is societie and felowship, & in life soo inex­plicable debate. The selfe same lawe of birth is vnto al men, & the self same ne­cessitie of age & death. All we haue the selfe same prince of kinde, and the selfe [Page] same author of religiō: we are al rede­med w ^t the selfe same bloud & cōsecratid with the selfe same sacrifices, & noury­shyd with the selfe same sacramēts, and whatsoeuer gift cōmeth of these it com­meth frō the self same founten, & equal­ly it is commē vnto all. We haue al but one church, & the self same reward shall all mē haue. And the celestial Iherusalē wher vnto christē mē do suspire & breth, is namid of y ^e vision of peace, wher of y ^e church in the mene while doth sustayne & bere the figur [...]. And how chaunsith [...]t thā that this doth so gretlye differ frō y ^t ensāple? Hath diligent nature profitid so litle, hath Christe him selfe w ^t all hys cōmaundemen [...]s, with so many miste­ries & signes made nothing perfect? yea euilthinges (as the prouerbe saieth) re­concile those y ^t be euill. The lyf [...] of man. What is more frayle that the lyfe of mā, what is shor­ter? vnto how many infirmities & chaū ­ches is it subiect? And yet seinge it hath more euylls of it selfe than it can well beare or suffer, yet they as mad menne call vnto them selfes the greatest part [...] of all euylles.

[Page]So greate blyndnes dothe occupye the myndes of men, [...] that they see nothing of all these thynges: they are soo dryuen & that hedlyng, that they breke and cutte of al the bandes of nature and of Christ, and of confederations, [...] They fyghte in all places and often, nor ther is no mea­sure nor no ende. Nation with natyon, Citie with Citie, Faction with Facti­on, Prince with Prince is hurt and de­stroyed, and for the folyshenes or am­bition of two men, the which shal short­ly as it were with a feuer peryshe, hu­mayne maters are troubled and torned vpsyde downe. But I wyll leue of the tragydies of the olde warre. Let vs re­pete the Actes of a tenne yeares sense. Among what nation dyd they not fight both by sea and by land moost cruellye? What region whas not moysted & wet with christen bloud? What ryuer, what sea was not infectid and dyed with hu­mayne bloude. O shame, they fyghte more cruellye than Iewes, than Eth­nyckes, than wyld beastes. What war soeuer the Iewes hadde, it was made agaynst straungers, the which christen [Page] men should make against vice, with the which there is now agrement, & warre is made againste men. And yet Gods commaundement led the Iewes to bat­tell. But ambition, Ambiti [...] ̄ (yf thou Iudge thee thinge truely all cullers set apart) dothe violently hale christen men clene ouer­warth: and anger a very euyll counsey­ler, Anger, doth dryue them, and vnsaciate cu­piditie of hauing doth drawe thē. They were busy with foriners, christen men are in leage with Turkes, and amonge them selues they haue warre. The de­syre of glorye most commonly did stirre the Ethnicke tyranes to warre, and yet they dyd soo subdue the Barbarus and wylde nations, that it was expedy­ent for them to be subdude, and that the victor should stody to be fauerd of those that were subdude: And they labord as­much as was possible that the victorye might be with out bloud, that an honest fame and renome mighte be vnto hym that wanne, and the victors benignitye a solace to those that were subdued. But I am shamyd to remember for howe lyght and vayne causes christen princes [Page] prouoke the wo [...]ld to war. The cau [...]e whi pryre is make warre. This prince doth finde out, or fayneth some olde or currupte title, asthoughe it w [...]re some great mater, who should gouerne & rule the kingd [...]me, so that the commoditie & profit of the comē wele were sene vnto. He findethe a faute that some what (I cannot well tell you what) is omyttyd in the confederation and leage of a hun­dred ti [...]les and articles. Thys man is priuatelye offendyd with hym for hys spouse deceytfullye c [...]nueyed away, or for some lyght worde or mery scoffe fre­ly spoken. And ther be (the which thing of all other is most scelerate and wickid) that through a tyrannicall deceyte (be­cause the fele and perceiue their powre, by the concord of the people to decaye, & by their dissention to be stablyshyd) doo subourne and apoynt them, that of pur­pose shall moue war, that they may dy­ [...]ide those that be ioyned, and the more licentiously and frely robbe and spoyle the vnfortunate people. Other there be most nocent, the whiche are nouryshed with the damages and losse of the peo­ple, and in the tyme of peace haue lytle [Page] to do in the commen wele. What infer­nall furis could send in such poysen into a christen hart? Dione [...] ­us. Who hath taught chri­sten men this tyranny? The which nei­ther any Dionisius, nor any Mezentius hath knowne. Mezen­tious They are rather bestes than men, and onely noble by tyranny, nor no wheres noble nor wyse, but to doo hurte and mischefe, nor neuer in ac­corde and agrement, but to oppresse the commen welth. And they that do these thynges, are taken and acceptid for chri­stians, and euery where thus pollutyd approche and come to the holye chur­ches and Aulters. O mooste pestylente personnes, worthye to be into thee ex­treme Ilands exiled. Yf chrysten men be the members of one body, why dothe not euerye man reioyce of other mens felicitie and fortune? Now yf that kingdome whiche bordereth vpon a nother doo floryshe in welth, it is thoughte in a maner to be a iuste and a laweful cause to make warre. For what other thinge (yf we wyll speake the truthe) hathe mouyd, or shall moue soo manye [Page] to teare the kingdome of Fraunce with armes, Fraunce and th [...] high prais there [...]f. but because it is the most flory­shynge of all other? There is no kyng­dome more ample and wyde: nor noo wheres a more noble Senate, no whers a more famous vnyuersitie, no wheres more greater concorde, and for y ^e cause most hyghest in power. The lawes flo­ryshe no wheres so greatlye, Religyon no wheres more vntouchyd nor with y ^e inter medlyng of Iewes as among the Italions co [...]ruptid, nor infectid with y ^e neyg [...]bered of Turkes or Mores as a­mong the Spanierdes, and the Hugari­ens. Germanye (so that I speake no­thynge of the Bohemes) is into soo ma­ny kynges diuided, that there is no ma­ner a face of anye kyngdome. Fraunce onely is as it were an vndesiled flowre of the christian dominion, and as a most sure castell, yf perchaunce anye tempest should aryse, is many wayes inuadyd, and with so many craftes and deceites molestyd, nor for noo not her cause, but that they should be, yf there were in thē any vayne of a christian mynde, mooste fayne and glad of. And vnto these wy [...] ­kyd [Page] dedes they pretende a good and a iust title, thus they past & make awaye, to amplyfy and to enlarge the empeir [...] of Chryst. O monstruous thinge, they thinke that the commen wele of chry­stendome is not wel counseylid nor pro­uided for, excepte they ouerthrowe thee most beutifull and most fortunate parte of christendome. What, that intreating and doing of those thynges, they passe the wyld beastes in cruelnes. All kinde of beastes fyght not, nor the conflictes of beastes ar not as we haue said before, and it is more often to be repetyd & spo­ken of, that they maye the better remē ­ber it, but agaynst a contrarye kynde of beastes. An Adder doth not byte an Ad­der, nor a Lynxe doth not teare a Lynxe in pecys. And agayne, whan they fight they fighte with their owne weapons. Nature hath armid them, mē are borne vnarmyd. O GOD immortall, with what weapens doth anger arme a mā? Christians doo inuade christen men w ^t the ingines of hell. Who canne beleue that gounes were the inuention of mā? Nor they runne not with so thicke, nor [Page] with a multitude soo harde closyd toge­ther to their mutuall destruction. Who euer sawe tenne lyons fyghte with ten bulles? But howe often doo twentye thousand chrystyans fyghte with wea­pons with soo manye chrysten menne? So muche pleas [...]re it is to hurte, and so much pleasure to offende and to drawe oute the bloude of their Brethren. Nor beastes for the most parte fyght not, but whā hunger, or the care of their yong­linges do cause them to rage. But what iniury is there so light vnto christen mē, that semeth not a sufficient and a mete cause and occasyon of warre? Yf thee comminaitye shoulde doo these thinges, they myghte pretende ignoraunce, yf they were youngemen, lacke of know­ledge might excuse them, if they be pro­phayne personnes, the qualitie of thee personne woulde alienate the cruelnes of the dede. But nowe we see that the seede of warre dothe mooste cheyfelye sprynge of those, Note. by whose counsell and moderatyon it was meete and con­uenient, the motions of the people shuld be swagyd. The ignoble and contem­nyd [Page] bulgar people doo buylde excellent Cytyes, and edifyed, ciuylye they doo rule them, and gouernynge them, they inryche them. Gouernours and rulers krepe into those Cytyes, and as was­pes and dorres they secretelye doo con­ueye and stele that, that by other mens industrye and laboure is prouyded and gotten: and that, that of manye is wel hepyd together, of a fewe is ill spente: and that, that is well buylded, is most cruellye broughte to ruyne. Yf they re­member not the olde, lette who so wyll remember with him selfe, the battels & warres that haue bene foughtenne and made thys tenne yeare, and wayinge the causes, he shall fynde that they for the prynces causes haue bene begoune, and endyd with the greate dammage and losse of the people, vnto whome they nothynge pertaynyd. And that, that in tymes paste amonge the Eth­nickes and gentylles was estemyd fyl­thy an hore hedde (as he sayth) to were an helmette, Note. that is nowe laudable and praise worthy among christen men. Naso, An olde souldyer vnto Naso is a fylthye [Page] thing, and vnto these, a warrier of three [...]core and tenne, is an excellent thynge. Yea, nor preistes truelye are not asha­med, whome in time paste, [...]. 16. God in that bluddye and vnmeke lawe of Moyses, would not they should be defiled wyth anye bloude. Diuines the masters of the christian lyfe, are not ashamyd, the pro­fessours of the absolute religion are not a shamyd. Byshoppes are not ashamyd, Cardinals, and the vicars of Chryst are not a shamyd to be the authors and fyre brandes of that thing, the which Christ so greatly hath derestyd. How doo my­ters and helmetes agree? what hathe a crosyer or a shepe hooke to doo wyth a swerde? what hath the gospell boke to do with a shylde? Howe doth it agre to salute the people with peace, and to stir and prouoke the worlde to mooste tro­belous battells? to geue peace with the tounge, and in dede to sende in warre? Doste thou with the selfe same mouthe, [...] where wyth thou preacheste peasable Chryste laude and prayse warre? Syn­gest thou wyth the selfe same trumpet GOD and Satan? Doste thou couerid [Page] with a coule incite at the holy Sermon, the symple vnto murder the whyche of thy mouth lokydde for the Euangely­call doctryne? Doste thou occupyinge the place of the Apostles, teache that, that is contrarye to the preceptes of the Apostles? Arte thou not aferde, leaste that, that was sayde and spoken of Chrystes messengers (howe goodlye be the fete of those that shewe forthe Peace, Ro. 10. good tydynges. and helthe) be turnyd cleane contrarye? Howe fyl­thy is the tounge of preystes exhorting vnto warre, incytynge to euyll, prouo­kynge to death and murder? Amonge the Romaynes as yet wyckedly religi­ous, he that toke vpon hym to be thee hygh Byshop dyd assure with an othe, as the custome was to kepe hys han­des clene and pure from bloude, and so, that beinge hurte he shoulde not be re­uengyd. Uaspa­ [...]an. And Tytus Uaspacyan an Ethnycke Emperour kept and perfor­myd the faythe of thys othe constant­lye, and it is praysyd of the Ethnycke wryters. But O shamefastnes vtterlye [Page] taken from manne, preystes dedycated amonge Chrysten men vnto GOD, and Mounckes the whiche pretende a further holynes than these, inflame mē to murders and slaughters. And they make of the trumpette of the Gospell Mars trumpet, and forgettynge theyr dignytie, they curse and runne vpp [...] and downe, and suffer all thynges, so they maye styrre vppe warre, and throughe these men, Princes (the whiche perad­uentre woulde be quyte) ar [...] inflamed to warre, by whose auctorytie, it was meete and conuenyente, that they be­ynge in tumultes and stryfe, shoulde haue bene quyet. Yea they them selfes, (the whiche thynge is more prodygy­ous and wonderfull) doo fyghte, and euen for thee selfe same thynges, that the Phylosophers amonge the wycked contemned, the contempt whereof is, peculyer and proper vnto menne apo­stolycall. A fewe yeares synce, whan the worlde was violentlye drawen by a certayne fatall sore and dysease vnto warre: the euangelycall preachers, that is the gray and the blacke Fryers, song [Page] and blewe vp theyr trumpets and kind­led them more and more, that of theyr owne accorde were inclyned to furious­nes. Among Englyshe men, they enco­raged them agaynst the Frenchemen, and amoge the Frenchmen, they harto­ned them agaynste thee Englyshemen, they instygated and prouoked al men to warre. No man prouoked to peace, ex­cept one or two, & for me to haue named them, was vnto them in a maner death. The holy Byshoppes forgettyng theyr dignitie and professyon, ran hether and thether sharpening and troubling most diligently the publyke sores & plages of the world. And on y ^e one part they pricte forwardes Pope Iuly, & on the otherside Kings, as though they were not madde ynoughe of them selfes, to haste & to set forwards the warre, & yet we cloke this manifest madnes w ^t magnificent tytles. To this point a lytel we wrest y ^e lawes, the w [...]itings of good men, & the w [...]r [...]es of Scripture most shamefully, I wil not say wickedli. Yea y ^e thing is almost come to this point, y ^t it is folishnes & wickednes too, once to opē thy mouth against war, [Page] and to prayse that, that is onely praysed by the mouth of Chryste. He semeth to counsell the people very slenderly, and to fauer the prince very litle, that coun­seleth the thing of all other most helth­some, and disswadeth from the thynge of al thinges most pestilent. Now prei­stes doo folowe the Hostes. Byshoppes bere a rule in the Hostes, and leuynge their churches, they do Bellonas busy­nesses. Bellona. Yea warre doth nowe ingender and make preistes, it maketh Byshops, it maketh Cardinales, of the which ho­norable tytles the legate of the campe is had and estemid worthye of the suc­cessours of the Apostles. And it is the lesse to be marueld at, yf they, whome Mars engendred, doo desyre warre. And to thentent the sore should be the worse to be helyd, they culler such wickednes with the figure and face of pietie. The ensignes and standardes haue c [...]osses. The wicked souldier and hyryd for mo­nie to teare & murdre men, doth bere be­fore hym the sygne of the crosse, Of Chri [...] crosse & that, that onely is able to disswade warre, is the sygne of war. O thou wicked souldi­our, [Page] what hast thou to do with y ^e crosse? with these and such mindes and dedes. Dragons, Tigers, and Woules drawe together. Thys signe is his that hathe wonne, not by war, but by death, which sauid and lost not, the whych thing the enemies with whome thou hast to doo, yf soo be thou be a chrysten man, maye most chefely warne the, & how y ^e maiste obtayne the vpper hand. Thou making hast to destroye thy brother, dost bere y ^e ensygne of helthe, and with the crosse dost lese and destroye him, that is sauyd by the crosse. What a thing is this, that men euen from those secrete and reue­rent Sacramentes runne to warre (for these also are brought into the hoste, in the which most specially is representyd the chefest concord of christen men) and drawe theyr nakyd swerdes agaynste their brethren, and make Chryst a loker one (yf he vouchesafe there to be pre­sente) of suche a wycked dede, as of all other is mooste acceptable and gratious v [...]to the wycked spyrites. Fynallye the Crosse of Chryste, whych thyng is most absurde and not to be harde, dothe [Page] shyne and is secrete and holy in both the hostes and battells. What a monstrus thynge is thys? Dothe the Crosse fight againste the Crosse? Doth Chryst make war against Christ? Thys sygne of a chrysten name is wont to feare the ene­mies? Why doo they fight against that, that they adore and worshyppe? I be­s [...]che you, Our lor­des praier what dothe the souldyer pray in these Sacryfyces. Oure Father. O vnshamefaste face, darste thou call hym father, that goest aboute to sleye thy Brother? Halowid be thy name. Howe canne the name of GOD be more dishonestyd than wyth these tu­multes that are amonge you. Thy kyngedome come. Prayste thou soo, that wyth suche aboundaunce of bloud goest aboute tyrannye? Thy wyll be fulfyllyd in Earthe, as it is in Heauen. Hys wyll is to haue Peace, and pre­parest thou warre? Thou of oure commen father desyrest dayly bred, and yet thou dost burne thy Brothers corne, and haddest rather it shoulde peryshe as concernynge thy selfe than profyt hym. Now w ^t what mouth shalte y ^u say thys, [Page] And forgeue vs oure [...]respasses, as we forgeue those that trespasse agaynst vs, that dost make hast to sley thy Brother? Thou that with thy owne peryll doste drawe thy brother into peryl and daun­ger, dost praye, that thou mayst auoyde the daunger of tentation. Thou desy­rest to be deliueryd from euyl, by whose instincte and motion, thou cra [...]tly g [...]ste about to do thy brother al euil & mis [...]hif. Plato denide it to be calde war, Plato. that y ^e Gretians shuld moue agaynst y ^e grekes, it is seditiō saith he. And vnto these, war is sacrete and holy, the which a christy­an for euery light cause, & w ^t such s [...]l­diours & armur, maketh agaynste ano­ther. The lawes of y ^e Ethnickes do cast him sowde in a bagge of leather into a ryuer that doth moyst or wet his swerd with the bloud of his brother. Are they lesse brethren whom Christ hath coplid, than they whome consanguinitie hath ioygned? And yet here is a rewarde for the paracyde. O the myserable chaunce of those that war. He y ^t ouercūmeth is a paracyde, & he that is ouerthrowne, doth peryshe, and yet that notwithstan­dyng, [Page] he because he went about to mur­der his parents, is culpable of paracide. And after all this, they detest and curse the Turkes as wycked personnes and alienate from Chryste, euen asthoughe that they, whan they do these thynges, were chrystyans, or asthoughe a more pleasaunte spectable coulde be exhyby­tyd vnto the Turkes, [...] than yf they sawe them wyth mutuall and lyke weapens kyll them selues. The Turkes doo sacryfyce vnto deuylles, but whan there is noo sacryfyce more acceptable vnto them, than yf one chrystyan sley ano­ther, what other thynge dost thou then but that, that they doo? Further­more the wycked sprytes (whan that he in lyke maner that kylleth, and he that is kyllyd are made a sacrifice) haue a doble sacrifyce, who so fauerth the Tur­kes, or is a frend vnto deuylls, doth oftē tymes offer suche lyke sacrifices. But I longe sense do here what excusys wit­ty and wyse mē shal make to their owne destructiō. They cōplaine that they are compellyd, and drawne vnto warre agaynst theyr wylles. Laye of thys vy­ser, [Page] and excuse, awaye wyth thes [...] coulers, counsell with thy owne breste and conscience, thou shalte fynde that anger, ambition, & folyshenes do drawe the hether, and no necessitie: except par­aduenture thou vnto this ende dost me­sure necessitie, yf in all poyntes it satis­fyth not thy mynde. Carrye these fayre wordes vnto the people, Gal [...]. 9. god is not deri­ded, nor with cullers deceyuyd. And in the mene whyle, solem supplications & processions are made, peace is desirid, & prayd for with gret and loude clamurs, we crye oute with marueilous gret lowinges, graunt vs peace we praye thee: here vs. Shall not god iustly annswere these. Why do ye laugh me to scorne? ye praye me to put of, that wyllynglye ye do call vnto you, ye refuse by prayer [...] that ye are authors of. Yf euery offence causeth warre, who hath not a cause to complayne hym? Mannye thynges chaunce betwene the husbande and the wyfe, the whyche must be wync­kydde at, excepte thou hadst rather that beneuolence and loue shuld be bro­ken. And yf there be anye such sprunge [Page] amonge prynces, what nede is there by and by to be drawne to warre? There be lawes, there be lerned men, there be worshyppefull Abbotes, there be reue­rent B [...]shoppes, by whose helthesume counsell the tumultes of thynges may be composyd and swagyd. Why doo they not rather make these men arby­trers, the whyche they cannet obtayne to be soo vniust vnto them, but that they shall departe with lesse hurt, than they shoulde by the experience and profe of war. Note. There is scacely any peace so eui [...], but that it is better, than the most equal war. First ponder euery singuler thing, that requyreth, or that bringeth in war, and thou shalt perceiue how gret gaine thou shalte haue. The Popes [...]uc [...]ritie The auctoritie of the Pope is mooste excellent, but whan na­ [...]ions and princes do striue tumultuous­ly with wicked warre, and that manye yeares, where is then the Popes aucto­ritie, where is the powre than next [...]n­to Chryste? In thys thynge [...]ertaynelye it shoulde be shewed, yf they were not b [...]wnde with like cupidities. The pope calleth to war, men doo obeye, the selfe [Page] same calleth to peace, why doo they no [...] obey in like maner? Yf they rather desir peace, why did they ioyfully obey Iulye the author of war: Iuliu [...]. no man scacely obei­ed Leo prouoking to peace & concord. Yf the Popes authoritie be most holy, Cer­tes it ought than to be most in force, as ofte as he prouoketh to that, that christ dyd teache mooste speciallye. But they whome Iulius coulde styrre vnto mor­tall war, Leo. whan Leo that mooste holye Pope prouoking thē by so many menes to christian religion could not do y ^e same do declare that vnder the pretence of the Churche. they haue seruyd their owne lustes and cupidities, so that I saye no­thinge more sharpely. Yf euen from the hearte ye doo hate war, I shall counsell you, howe ye may defend concord. Per­fect peace doth not consiste in affinites, nor in y ^e confederations of men, of thee which we do oftētimes perceiue and se, y ^e wares do rise & spring. The fountens wher out this euil dothe breke, muste be purgid, euil cupidities & desires doo en­gēder these debates and tumultes. And whilst euery mā doth serue & please hys affectiōs, y ^e cōmē wele in y ^e mene seson is [Page] afflictyd and troubled, and yet noo man attaineth the things y ^e he by euil menes and wayes doth desyre. An exhortation vnto princes Let princes be wyse for the profit of the people, and not for their owne profite: and let thē true­ly be wyse, that they maye mesure their maiestie, their felicitie, their riches, their glory wyth those thynges, that truelye and in dede make men greate and excel­lent. Let them be of s [...]che a mynde to­wardes the commen weale, as a father is towardes his familye. A kynge shall esteme and iudge hym selfe greate and noble, yf he commaunde and rule those that be good, and happy, yf he make his fortunate and welthy, and noble, yf he commaunde and gouerne those that are free, and rych, yf he haue rych subiects. And floryshyng, yf he haue Cities that floryshe with perpetuall Peace. And y ^e noble men and magistrates shall ensue and folowe the mynd of the prince, and shall measure all thinges with the cō ­moditie and profite of the commē wele, and by this wayes & meanes they shall far more iustly prouide for their owne commodities. Shall a kynge that is of [Page] this minde, besone mouid to extort mo­nye of his subiectes, to geue it vnto a barbarus and a straung souldier? Shal he driue his to famyne and hunger, to enriche certē wickid Capitaines? Shall he obiecte and cast his subiectes liues to so many daungers? I thincke no. Lette him thus far exercyse his empeire, that he beyng a man, remember that he ru­leth men, a freman, fre men, and at lest, a christen man, christen mē. And in like maner the people shal so far forth honor hym, as it shall seme profitable for thee commen welth, nor a good prince shuld aske, nor exacte no nother thinge. The consent and agremente of the citizens, shal diminishe the cupidities of an euyl Prince. Let the cause of priuate commoditie, be farre of from them bothe. Lette great honor be shewed vnto those that exclude warre, and that by wyt or coun­sell shall restore concord, and that goth aboute by all meanes, not to gather to gether a greate strengthe and force of men and munition, but that there be no nede of them. The which most goodlye act and dede we rede that Dioclitianus Diocli [...] anus, [Page] one among so many empereurs, in hys minde and thought conceyued. But yf warre cannot be auoydyd, yet let it be so vsyd, that the myschyfe thereof maye fall vpon their heddes, that gaue the oc­casion and causes thereof. Nowe the princes make war in sauegard, the cap­tens encrece thereby, the greteste parte of the euills and losses is powryd vpon the husband men and commen people, vnto whom the warre pertayneth not, nor that gaue no cause nor occasion ther of. Where is the wisedome of the prince yf he waye not these thynges? There must a mene be founde, wherby it maye be appoynted that Empeirs chaung not nor as it were walke not vp & downe so often, Note. for the renouation and renuynge of thinges dothe engender tumultes, & tumultes warre. And this may easelye be done, yf kinges children were mary­ed within the borders of their dominy­on, or if it so like him to marye thē to the borderers, for so the hope of succession is cut of frō thē al. Nor let it not be lawful for the prince to alienate or to sell anye part of his dominion, asthough free cy­ties [Page] were priuate lande. For the cities which are rulid by kinges are fre cities, and they which tyrannes ouerpresse doo serue. Nowe by the alteration of suche mariages it chaunsith that he that is borne among Iryshe men, shal sodenlye rule those of Inde: or else he that rulid y ^e Syrians, shal sodenly be kyng of Eng­land, so it chaunseth that neither of thee realmes hath a prince, for whilst he lea­uith the fyrst, of the last he is not know­en, and vnto them he is as a man borne in a nother worlde. And in the mene se­son that he purchaseth y ^e, whylst he ouer cōmeth it, whles he stablisheth it, he cō ­sumeth & destroith the other, & sometime whylst he stodeth to embrace bothe, he scacelye mete to rule one, leseth both. These princes wil once agre what eche of thē ought to rule and gouerne, & y ^• no affinitie shal e [...]ther extend, or diminishe the borders of their dominion once geuē & delyuerd vnto thē, nor no confedera­tions exstirpe nor destroy thē. And euery one of them shal labour and trauell as­muche as he may possible, to adurne his part & portiō, & geuing al his stody & dili­gence [Page] vnto that parte onelye, shall tra­uayle to leaue it enryched with al good­nes and ryches vnto his chyldren. And by this menes it shal come to passe, that in all places all thynges shall floryshe. But amonge them selfes they muste be coupled and confederated not with affynytes, [...]owe [...]rinces [...]ughte to [...] confede [...]yd. nor with factious socyetes, but with pure and syncere amytie, & cheyfly with cōmen and lyke stody of forderyng and encresyng the common welthe. Let him succede the kyng that is eyther next of kyn, or iudged most meete by the suf­frages and voyces of the people, and let it suffyce other to be reputed and coun­ted noble amonge those that be honest. It is a kyngly thynge not to know pry­uate affections, Note. but to esteme al things for the publyke and common vtylytie. Forthermore a Prynce shall exchewe longe peregrenacions, yea he shulde ne­uer wyll ne desyre to passe beynge thee boundes and borders of his kyngdome: and he shal remembre the saying appro­ued by the longe cōsent of worlds. The forhed is more excellent, than is y ^e hinder part. A Prince shal esteme him self to be [Page] enryched not by the takyng awaye of o­ther mens, but yf he encrease his owne. Whan warre must be entreted & spoken of, let hym not call yonge men to coun­sayle vnto whome warre is pleasaunte and swete, because they are vnexperte, Cal none of these to counsell. how muche euyll and myscheyfe it hath and conteyneth: nor those, vnto whome it is profytable that publyke tranquily­tie be troubled: nor those the whiche are nouryshed and made fat with the cala­myties of thee people. He shall call wyttye auncient and olde men, whose mercy and beneuolence is knowen vn­to the countrye. Nor let not war be mo­ued for the pleasure or lust of one or two, the whiche once begonne is not easelye ended. It is a moste peryllous & a daun­gerous thing, except it be taken in hand by the consent of all the people. The occasyons and causes of warre muste euen oute of hande beforetolde and de­clared. But yet certayne must be wyn­ked at, for gentylnes shall inuyte and prouoke gentylnes. Some tymes peace muste be boughte. And yf thou caste what warre shall consume and waste, [Page] and that thou shalte kepe thy Cytizyns from destruction, it shall seme, although thou dyddest bye it full dearelye, to be boughte for lytell. And whan a greate d [...]ale moore, besydes the bloude of thye Cytizyns, shoulde haue bene spente in warre: thou shalte reken howe greate and manyfolde euylles thou exchuidst, and howe muche goodnes thou defen­didst, so shalt thou not repente the of thy expenses and charges. In the meane tyme lette Byshoppes doo theyr offyce and dueties. Lette Preystes be truelye Preystes. Lette Monkes remembre theyr professyon. Let Dyuynes teache that is worthye and meete for Chryste. Let all menne conspyre agaynst warre. Let all menne barke agaynst it. Lette all menne preache, extole and inculcate peace pryuatelye and apertlye. Then yf they cannot brynge it to passe that it be not ended by the swerde, yet certes they shall not approue it, nor be pre­sent thereat, nor that any honoure by theyr aucthorytie be hadde or gyuen too suche a wycked, or to suche a suspecte thynge.

[Page]Let it be suffycyente for those that be slayne in battell, to be buryed in Pro­phayne and vnhallowed grounde. And yf there be any good in this kynd, the whiche surelye are very fewe, they shall not for these thynges be defrauded or lease theyr rewarde. But the euyll and wycked, the whyche are manye, shall not be pleased that thys honours be taken from theym. I speake of these warres that commonlye Chrysten men make agaynst Chrysten men. Nor I meane nor thynke not soo of those, that with a symple and a relygyous stodye, and dylygence doo repell thee vyolente inc [...]rcyons of thee Barbaryens, and with theyr owne peryll defende the publyke and common tranquylytie. Nowe the Trophees and sygnes of theyr vic­toryes, dyed and stayned with the bloud of those, for whose saluacyon Chryste shedde his bloude, are auaunced and set vp in temples among the Images of the Apostles and Martyres: as thoughe that hereafter it be a Relygious worke not to be made Martyres but too make Martyres. It were suffycyente ynou­ghe [Page] that these thynges were kepte in a place of iudgement, or in an arma­ry, for it is not conuenient y ^t any thing defylyd with bloude, shoulde be receuid into the holy churche, the which oughte to be most clene and pure. Preistes con­secratid vnto God shuld not be presente, but to destroye and disanull warre, for if they consent and agre vnto these thyn­ges, and euery where inculke and re­pete the same, it wylbe of greate force & strength. But if this be a fatall disese of mans wyr, that be no meanes it cannot endure with out war, yet let this euyll then rether be shed against the Turkes, How turkes shuld be aluryd to christ. althoughe it were better to alure them by doctrine, good dedes and by the in­nocency of lyfe to Christes religion, thē to inuade them with war. But if war (as I haue sayde) cannot in no wyse be auoided, yet that were a liter & an [...]esier harme, than that christen men should so wickedly make war and be hurt and de­str [...]yde among them selfes. And if mu­tuall charitie do [...] not vnite them, some commen enemye by some meanes or other shall ioygne them, soo that there [Page] shalbe as it were a certayne concorde, althoughe that true concord be absente and lackynge. Finally it is a great part of peace, from the hart to wyll Peace. All such vnto whom peace is plesaunt, do receaue al occasiōs of peace, y ^• things which do withstande it, either they neg­lecte them, or ells they remoue them, & suffer manye thinges, so tha [...] soo greate goodnes may be safe and sounde. They searche the begynnynge and causes of war, the thinges that pertaine to peace, they prayse them, or else they dissemble them, but that that doth tende towards warre, they encrese and make it worse. I am a shamyd to open for howe vayne & tryflynge maters they exci [...]e and stirre greate tragedies, a [...]d howe great tem­pestes doo ryse of so smale sparcles. Thē that greate multitude of iniuryes is re­membred, and euerye man dothe heape on hys owne euills and iniuryes done vnto him, but in the mene space of good dedes there is noo remembraunce, but depe forgetfulnes, soo that thou shalte truelye swere, that they desyre, and co­uette warre.

[Page]And oftentimes their are pryuet mat­ters of princes, the which cōpel y ^e world to war. But the cause why that warre shuld be takē in hand, should be publike and more thā euident. But whā ther is no cause they faine causes of dissentiō a­busing y ^e vocables of coūtris & regions to y ^e nourishmēt of hatreds, & noble men do nourishe & encrese this error of y ^e folyshe people, & abuse it to their owne profyte and commoditie, & certē preistes also doo nourishe these things. The englishe mā is enemi vnto y ^e french mā, for no nother cause, but y ^t he is a french mā. The eng­lyshe mā for no nother cause doth hate a Scot, but bicause he is a Scot. The Germaine is at debate with the frenchman, the Spaniarde w ^t them bothe. O ouer­wartnes. The vaine vocable of y ^e place disioyneth men. Why shuld not so ma­ny thinges rather reconcile thē? Thou Englishe man dost hate a french man, why dost not thou a man, rether be wel­willyng vnto mā? a christian man vnto a christian. Why can so voyde and soo lyght a matter do more with these men, than so manye bandes of nature, or of [Page] Chryst? The place doth seperate and di­uide mens bodies, but not theyr minds [...] In times past the Rhene separatyd the french man from the Germaine, but the Rhene doth not separate a christian frō a christian. The mountens pyrines dy­uide the Spaniardes from the Italiens, but the same diuide not the communion of the Churche. The Sea diuideth eng­lyshe men from frenche men, but it dy­uideth not the societie and felowshyppe of relygyon. Paule the Apostle disday­neth to here these voyces among christē men. 1. Cor. [...] I am Apollos, I am Cephas, I am Paules disciple. Nor he suffereth not wycked names to diuide Chryste recon­cylynge all thynges: and we iudge the commen vocable and name of a country to be a graue and a wayghty cause why one nation should bende towardes the destruction of a nother. Nor thys surely vnto somme mennes myndes is not suffycyente, for thou doste here that shrewdelye and of purpose they doo seke occasyons of debate and dyuysyon, they dyuyde Fraunce and those thynges wyth vocables, the whyche nother [Page] sea, mountens, nor true names of regi­ons diuide. Of French men they make Germaines, that throughe the felow­shyppe of the name, amitie shoulde not growe and encrece. Yf a Iudge in odi­ous actions, as of diuorse, doth not lightlye receyue theyr controuersies, nor ad­mit euery probation, why do these men in a thinge of all other most odious, ad­mit euery vayne and lighte cause? But let them rather thinke and take the ma­ter as it is, that thys worlde is the com­men countrye of all men. Yf the tytle of the countrye do reconcile all men, borne of the selfe same elders, yf affynytye of bloude makethe frendes, yf the churche be one famyly and equallye commen to al men, yf the selfe same house do couple and ioygne frendshyppe, it is mete that wyse and witty men should hange and cleue to thys parte. Thou sufferest and berist sume thynges with thy father in lawe, and for noo nother cause but be­cause he is thy wyues father, and beryst thou nothynge wyth hym that in fe­loweshyppe of relygyon is thy brother? Thou forgeueste many thinges for the [Page] propinquintie and nighnes of kindred, and forgeuest thou nothing for the af­finite of religion? Truely ther is no bād that bindeth more streyghtlye, A very [...] sure hād. than the sodalitie and felowship of Christ. Why is that thing onely before our eies, that doth exulcerate and hurte the harte? Yf thou fauer peace thinke thus rether, in thys he hath hurtyd me, but at other tymes he hath often profited me: or by some other mans impulsiō he hath hin­dred and hurted me. And as they that call men to concorde laye the causes of dissention that were betwene Agamē ­non & Achilles (as Homere doth write) to the Godes Aten, Aten. so let those thinges that at no time can be excusyd, be impu­tyd to desteny, or yf ye will, to some euyl God, and let hatred be translatyd from men into these thinges. Why are they wyser to their owne destruction, than to defende felicitie? why are they more quicker of sighte to euill, than to good? They that are sumwhat more wyse doo or euer they go aboute any priuate ma­ter, delyuer, consyder, and loke aboute them: but they, theyr eies beynge clo­sid [Page] and shut vp, cast them selues hedling into warre, namely whan it is once be­gunne, it cannot be auoydyd, yea of a litle, it is made great, and of one, many, and of an vnbluddy, a bluddy, and chefely whan that thys tempest doth not af­flicte and punyshe one or two, but in lyke maner incloseth al men. Yf the cō ­men people do lyghtly waye these thin­ges, yet it is the princes and the nobily­ties parte to ponder and way them. It is the preistes parte by al meanes to sta­blyshe these thinges, and to laye them vnto the wyllynge and vnwyllynge, they wyll cleue and take place, yf they be harde in all places. But doste thou make warre? Fyrste beholde what ma­ner a thing peace is, and what war is. What profytte Peace bryngeth, and what [...]uyll and disprofite warre bryn­geth, and so shalte thou perceaue whe­ther it be expediente to permytte and chaunge peace for war. Yf it be a thing to be marueylde at, a kyngedome flory­shynge euerye where with all thynges, with cities wel builded, with feldes wel [...]anerid & tild, with verye good lawes, [Page] with moste honest disciplines, w ^t moste holy maners: thinke with thy selfe, yf I make war, this felicitie shalbe troubled by me. On the other syde, if thou at any time hast sene the ruine of Cityes, the­stretes decayed & broken, the churches consumyd with fire, the feldes desolate, The frutes of warre. and this miserable spectacle and syghte, as it is, is sene, thinke this to be y ^• frute of warre and battell. Yf thou thinke it greuous to bring into thy country such a scelerate and fylthy company of hiryd souldiours, to nouryshe & fede thē with the dammage & losse of thy Citizins, to serue them, to slatter them, yea and to commit thy selfe & thy helth to theyr ar­bytriment, loke that thou thinke this to be the condition of war. Yf thou abho thefte, warre dothe teache it, yf thou de­test paracide, that is learnt in war. For howe shal he feare beyng moued to sley one, that hyrid for so light a stipend doth sleye and murder soo manye? Yf the neglectynge of the lawes be mooste presente pestilence of a cōmen wele, The neglecting of Lawes. the lawes in y ^t time of war, shal kepe silēce, yf thou esteme adultery, incest & filthier [Page] thinges than those to be fylthye, war is the mayster of all these thinges. Yf im­pietie and the neglecting of religion be the spring of al euills, The spring of [...]l euils. these thyng [...]s by the tempestes of war are ouerthrown [...]. Yf thou iudge the state of that comenwele to be euill, wher they that ar worst may doo most, in war they that are most scelerate and most euyll, do reygne. Note. And theyr workes whome in time of Peace thou woulst crucify and hange vppe, in war are chefest and most regardid. For who canne better lede an armye be by­wayes, than an exercised thefe? whoo shall more strongelye robbe other mens houses, or spoyle Churches, than a brea­ker downe of walles, or a sacrilegious person? Whoo shall more coragiouslye smyte hys enemye, or with his swerde drawe oute hys bowells, than a swerd player, or a paracide? Who is so meete to set Cities a fyer [...] or ingentes of war, than he that is a burner of houses? who shall so wel contemne the perils of flu­des and seas, as a pirate exercised with long robbery? Wilte thou manifestlye knowe & see, howe wicked a th [...]ng that [Page] warre is, marke and consider those wel that doth make it. Note. Yf vnto a religious prince nothing should be more acceptid than the helth and welfayre of his sub­iectes, this man most speciallye shoulde hate war. Yf it be a princes felicitie to rule & gouerne his daughters, he muste most chefely embrace peace. Yf we shuld principally wyshe vnto a good prince, that he might rule those that were best, he must nedes detest warre, where outeflo with the pumpe of all impietie. Yf he thinke al y ^t his citizins do possese to be hys, he be all menes must nedes auoide war, y ^e which, so that it chaūce happely, doth consume all mens substaunce, and the thing that hath bene purchasid and gotten by honest artes and menes, must be spent vpon a cruel sorte of hang mē. Now they most diligētly must way this thinge, that euery mans one cause doth flatter hym, and that euery mans hope doth please hym, and whan it is moste often very euil, yet vnto him that is mo­uyd it semeth most right and equal, and this doth often times deceiue thē. But faine the cause to be most iust, faine the [Page] ende of the war to be moste profitable & prosperous: cast with thy selfe the incō ­modities wher with the war was made and the cōmodities the which thou hast obtaynyd and gotten by the victory, and marke whether to wynne be of so gret a valure. The in­commodities of warre. An vnbludlye victorye dothe scacely chaunce at any time. And nowe thy men be polutid w ^t humaine bloude. Besides this, count the losse of maners and publike discipline, the which with no vtilitie and profite can be restoryd. Thou consumest thy tresure, y ^u spoildst thy people [...] y ^u dost burdē those y ^t be good, thou dost stir & prouoke the vnhonest to myschife, nor after that y ^e war is fyny­shed y ^• reliques thero [...] ar not by & by pa­cifide. Handy craftes, & occupations do decaye, the exchaunges & resortinge to­gether of marchaūtes are shut vp. And to inclose thy enemy, y ^u art compelde to exclude thy s [...]l [...]e frō many regions and countries. Peace makethe al things commen. Before the war, al regions & countryes that borderd vpon the were thine, for peace by y ^e exchaūge of things make al thinges cōmen. See & beholde how gret a thing y ^u hast done, the domi­nion [Page] whiche is chefelye thine, is nowe scacely thine. And to besege a litle town how many ingents of war & tentes are nedeful? And to ouerthrow a very town nedes must y ^u make & build a coūterfete, but yet thou mightest with lesse charge haue builded a very towne. And to lette thy enemy to comforth y ^u as a banyshed man frō thy countrye, dost slepe vnder y ^e cope of heauē. It would haue cost y ^e lesse to baue buylded newe walles, than to batter & throwe thē downe with bom­bardes and ingentes of warre, that are buylded. Here I dare not rekē ne counte what sommes of monye haue rune tho­rowe the exactors, receuers, and Cap­tens fingers, y ^• which is no smale part. And if thou shulst reuoke & call euerye singuler thing to the iuste accountes: I willingly wold suffer thou shulst euerye where eiect me, if y ^u find not that peace mighte haue bene boughte for the halfe parte of the expensis. But if thou shulst remit any part of iniurye, thou woulste repute thy selfe to be of a smale corage. Yea there is noo probatyon more certenne of an abiecte, Note. and of an [Page] vnkyngly mynde, than to be reuenged. Thou thynkest that sumwhat it should diminyshe thy maiestie, yf hauyng to do with some Prince bordering vpon the, & perchaūce thy kinsman, or affyne, & that in times past had done for the, thou shulst remytte parte of thy ryghte. [...] But howe muche more abiectly doste thou dyspyse thi maiesty, whan that now & than thou shalt be compelled to please the Barba­rus cōpanyes & vylest dregges of all sce­lerate & myscheuous persons, the which shall with golde neuer be fylled nor sa­tisfyed? whyles that thou as meeke and with prayers doste sende Ambasadours vnto the Cares a most vile & hurtful people? [...]ares. whylst thou cōmittest thy life, & thy peoples goods & substaūce to their faith that haue neyther consideracion nor ho­lynes. But yf peace shal beseme to haue any iniqitie, beware y ^u thinke not thus, this I lease, [...] but I bi peace so much. For a subtiler disputer shal say, I wold yf the thing perticulerly pertained vnto me, sone graūt it. I am a prince & whether I wil, or ni [...], I rule y ^e cōmon welth. He shal not litely cōmense nor begyn war, that [Page] loketh vpon nothing els, but that is publyke, but truly we se the contrary, & that al causes of war be nouryshed and fed of those things, that pertaine nothing vnto the people. Wilte thou defende this or that part of thy dominion, what is this vnto the people? Thou w [...]lt be reuēged vpon him that hath forsaken thy daugh­ter, what is this to the common welth? to expende and way these thinges, & to forese them, is the point of a very wyse man, & of a noble Prince. Who at any tyme hath ruled more at large, or more nobly or gloriously than Octauius Au­gustus? Augu­stus. Atis also desyred to giue vp and resygne his Empere, Atis. yf he had sene any other Prince more profitable for [...]he cō ­mon welth. This sayinge of a certayne Emperour is of noble Authors mery­toryously & worthely praised. My chyl­dren, saith he, shal spare me, if any other can better gouerne and coūsell the com­mon welth. These good wyls & myndes the hethen shewe vnto the cōmon wele. But as cōcerning Christes religiō, chri­stē princes esteme christē people so litel, Note. that eyther they wil with the most gre­uous [Page] destruction of the worlde reuenge their cupidites & lustes, or els fulfil thē. Nowe I doo here certaine other in this wise say the contrary, deniyng thē selfs to be in sauegard, except th [...]i may sharp­ly repell the violence of y ^e wicked. Antoni­ [...]i. Why were not the onely Antonini the meke & the Philosopher among the innumera­ble Emperous of Rome, inuaded? but bicause no man ruleth more surely than he, Note. that is prest & redy to giue that ouer, that he gouerne [...]h for a cōmon welth, & not for him selfe. And yf nother y ^e s [...]nse of nature, nor y ^e respect of pietie shal no­thinge moue you, nor yet so great cala­mitie, certes y ^e shame of a christen name shal reduce your mindes to cōcord. How great a porcion of the world do christen men possesse? And yet this is that Cytie sytuated vpon the highe mountaine, & made a spectacle both vnto god & man. But what shall we thynke, that y ^e ene­mies of a chrysten name do meane and speake, what infamie they vomyte oute agaynst C [...]rist, whan they se [...]hat chri­sten men do stryue amonge them selfes for lighter matters than the Et [...]nikes, [Page] more cruelly thā the wicked, with more cruell ingents of war thā they? Whose inuencion was the bumbarde & gunne, Go [...]nes. was it not the inuēcion of christen men? And that the thinge might be more dis­dained, they name them by the names of the Apostles, & their Images are gra­ued vpon them. O cruell derision. Shal Paule the continuall exhorter of peace, cast ani deuelishe ingent of war against a christ [...]n man? Yf we desyre to bringe the Turkes to Christes religion, let vs fyrst be christianes. Nor they shal neuer beleue it, yf they se the thyng that christ aboue al thinges doth moste detest, to be no wherse more cruellye vsed, than a­mong christen men. And that Homere y ^e Ethnike doth much maruyle at among Ethnikes, whan that there is a societie of pleasaunte and sweete thinges, as of slepe, meate, drynke, of daunces, and musyke, and that of vnlucky war there is no socyetie, and this is moste true a­mong theim, vnto whom thee name of war ought to be abhominable. Rome that furious warrier in times past, ha [...]h [Page] sene at certen tymes her temple of Ia­nus spard and shut vp. Ianus temple. And howe dothe it agre that amonge you, there are noo dayes vacant from war? With what boldenes shall ye preache Christ the au­thor of peace vnto thē, whan that ye w ^t continuall dissention do stryue amonge youre selues? And nowe what mynde & corage thinke you, that youre discorde doth adde and geue vnto the Turkes? There is nothinge more esye, than to ouercome those, that are at debate. Wil ye be fearefull vnto them? Be at vnytie and concorde, why doo ye willyngelye thinke your selues vnworthye of the io­cundite and pleasure of thys presente lyfe: and wyll ye fall from the felicitye that is to come? [...]he life of man. The lyfe of man of it selfe is subiecte to many mysfortunes, concorde shall remoue a great parte of the moles [...]iousnes & grefe, whilst that w ^t mutual officis the one either doth com­forte, or else doth helpe & aide the other. Yf any good thing chaūce, it shal cause the concord to be the sweter, & the more common, whilst one f [...]end geueth parte vnto his frend, & awe willer reioyseth [Page] for his welwyllers sake. Howe vayne thynges are they & howe sone shal they peryshe, for the whiche their is suche a tumulte among you, dea [...]h vnto al men is at hand, Deathe. aswell vnto kings as vnto y ^e commen people. What tumultes shal a vile wretch styr vp, y ^e shortly after shall vanishe a way as it were smoke? Eternitie is at hād. Wherto serueth it to striue and laboure for these thinges like vnto shadose, asthoug thys life were immor­tal. O miserable wretches, y ^t beleue not that fortunate & happy lyfe of the good, nor hope not for it, shameles personnes that promyse thē selues y ^e same to be the waye and iorneye from the wars, whā y ^t the life of the good, The lyfe of the good. is no nother thing than a certen vnspecable communiō of fortunate and happy soules, seyng that nowe that thing shal fullye & perfectlye chaunce, that Christ so diligently prayd hys heuēly father for, that they mighte be so ioined together, as he was ioyned vnto hys father. Ioan. [...] And howe canne it be mete for this high cōcord, except that in the mene while ye asmuche as ye maye do, thinke vpon it. And as an Angel is [Page] not sodenly made of a stinking glutten, euen soo a companion of Martyres and Saintes is not sodenly made of a sang­uinolēt and bluddy warrier. Go to, ther is shed inough, yea more thā ynough of christē bloud, & yf y ^• be litle, of humaine bloud, we haue furiously ynough strouē mutually to destroy eche other. We he­therto haue done sacrifice ynough to the furis & to hell, we haue long ynough fed the Turkes eies, y ^e fable is endid. At the leste wyse at length let vs a [...]ter the my­seryes of the warres to longe borne and sufferde, waxe wyse, whatsoeuer he­therto hath bene done vndiscretelye and folyshely, let it be imputyd to the deste­nye and necessitie of thynges. Let thee obliuiousnes and forgetfulnes of thee euylls that be past, the whiche in tyme past haue pleasid prophane men, please chrysten men, and here af [...]r geue your diligence with commen counsells to the stody of peace. Uerye good coū ­ [...]ll. Aud soo geue your stody and diligence, that it maye soo be made and bounde, not with bandes made of flaxe, but with adamantyne and sure bandes, that it neuer be broken. I call [Page] vnto you O ye princes, at whose becke and commaundement the matters and busynesses of men most cheyfelye do de­pende, and that among men do bere the Image of Chryst: Knowledge the voice of your prince calling vnto peace, esteme that all the worlde weryid with longe warre, doth desyre thys of you: yf it dis­please any manne, it is ryght and mete to geue and to attribute it to the pub­lyke and common felycitye of all men. It is a greater and a watyer matter, thā that maye be neglectyd for lyghte cau­ses. I cal vnto you O ye preists cōsecra­tid vnto god, expresse & declare that w ^t al your stody, that ye knowe to be mooste thankeful vnto god, & re [...]oue that, that is [...]nto him most hatyd. I call vnto you O ye diuines, preache y [...]u the Gospell of peace, sing continuallye peace vnto y ^e people. I call vnto you O ye Byshopes, that in ecclesiasticall dygnytye doo ex­cell other, see that your aucthoritie be of powre and force to bynde Pea [...]e wyth eternall band [...]s. I call vnto you that are pryuate Magestrates, that youre wyll be an ayde and an [Page] helpe to the wysedome of kynges, & to y ^e mercy and iustice of Byshoppes. I con­fusely call vnto you that are named by the name of a christen name, that ye w ^t cōsentyng mindes do conspire and con­sent vnto this thing. Shewe you here of what powre that y ^e concorde of the mul­titude is, against the tyrannye of the no­bles. Unto this let al men bringe toge­ther al that euer they haue. Let eternall thinges ioygne them, whom nature w ^t so many thinges hath ioygned, & Christ with manye mo. Let euerye man with cōmen stodies do, that equallye pertay­neth to the felicitie of al men. Al things do inuite vs to this. Fyrst y ^e sense of na­ture, The thinges that in [...]yteih vs to peace. & (as I may sai) humanitie it selfe. Furthermore Chryste the Prince & au­thor of al humaine felicitie. And besides al these thinges, so many cōmodities of peace, and so many calamities of war. Unto this the mindes of princes, incli­ninge to concorde, God as it were euen nowe inspiringe them, doo call vs. Be­hold that peasable and meke Leo, Leo, play­ing the part of the vicar of Christ, hath desployde and set forth his ensigne vn­to [Page] all men inuityng vs to peace. Yf ye be true shepe, folowe youre pastore. Frances the most christen french king, Fr [...]ncis. not by title onely, doth call vs, y ^t which is not greuyd to by peace, nor in noo place hath any regarde of his maiestye, so he may prouide and helpe the cōmen and publike peace, teachynge thys to be truely a noble and a kynglye worke, to do well for man kinde. Here vnto doth that most noble prince Charles a yonge man of an vncorrupt indole and signy­fication of vertue, Charles. doth call vs. Nor the Emperoure Maximilian dothe not ab­hore thys. Maximi­lyan, Kynge Henrye the .viii. Nor that noble kinge Henry of Englande dothe not refuse it. It is mete that all other shoulde wyllynglye ensue and folowe the ensample of soo greate and myghtye princes. The most part of y ^e people detest war, & praye for peace. A fewe whose wycked felycytie doth depend of y ^e publike infelicitie, doth wishe for war, and whether it be righte or no that theyr dishonestie should be of more valure and force, than the wyll of all good men, iudge you. Ye se that he­therto there is nothinge done by confe­derations, [Page] nothing auaunsid by affini­ties, nothing by violence, nothing by re­uengyng. Nowe on the other side proue what placabilitie & benificence may do, war soeth warre, & vengaunce draweth vengaunce. Nowe grace shall engēder grace, and benefite shalbe inuityd by be­nefite, and he shal seme moste kinglye y ^• graunteth & forgoeth most of his right. It succedeth not y ^• is done by humaine stody. But Chryst him selfe shal prosper godlye counsell, the which he being au­thor and gide shal see to be receiuid. He shalbe present & fauorable, he shal helpe vs, and fauer the fauerers of y ^e thinge, that he so greatly fauerth, & publike vti­litie, shal ouercome priuate affections. And whilst peace is prouydyd for, and euerye mannes fortune made better, Princes kyngdomes, yf they rule those that be good and religious, and raygne more by lawes, than by armes, shalbe amplifide: the dignitie of noble menne greater and trueer, the quie [...]nes of prei­stes more tranquill, the quietnes of the people more plentiful, & their fertilytye more quiet, and the name of Chryst to [Page] the enemies of Christes crosse more ferefull. And finallye euerye one shalbe to [...]che other, and al vnto all louynge and pleasaunt, and aboue al thinges thankefull vnto Chryst, whom to haue plesid, is the hiest felicitie.