continuance of our Labours, it being brought unto such a conclusion, as that we have great hope that the Church of England shall reape good fruit thereby; we hold it our duety to offer it to your MAIESTIE, not onely as to our King and Soveraigne, but as to the principall moover and Author of the Worke. Humbly craving of your most Sacred Maiestie, that since things of this quality have ever bene subiect to the censures of ill meaning and discontented persons, it may receive approbation and Patronage from so learned and iudicious a Prince as your Highnesse is, whose allowance and acceptance of our Labours, shall more honour and incourage us, then all the calumniations and hard interpretations of other men shall dismay us. So that, if on the one side we shall be traduced by Popish persons at home or abroad, who therefore will maligne us, because we are poore Instruments to make GODS holy Trueth to be yet more and more knowen unto the people, whom they desire still to keepe in ignorance and darknesse: or if on the other side, we shall be maligned by selfe-conceited brethren, who runne their owne wayes, and give liking unto nothing but what is framed by themselves, and hammered on their Anvile; we may rest secure, supported within by the trueth and innocencie of a good conscience, having walked the wayes of simplicitie and integritie, as before the Lord; And sustained without, by the powerfull Protection of your Maiesties grace and favour, which will ever give countenance to honest and Christian endevours,

against bitter censures, and uncharitable imputa

tions.

The LORD of Heaven and earth blesse your Maiestie with many and happy dayes, that as his Heavenly hand hath enriched your Highnesse with many singular, and extraordinary Graces; so you may be the wonder of the world in this later age, for happinesse and true felicitie, to the honour of that Great GOD, and the good of his Church, through IESVS CHRIST our Lord and onely Saviour.

The best things have been calumniated.

THE TRANSLATORS

TO THE READER

EALE to promote the common good, whether it be by devising any thing our selves, or revising that which hath bene laboured by others, deserveth certainly much respect and esteeme, but yet findeth but cold intertainment in the world. It is welcommed with suspicion in stead of love, and with emulation in stead of thankes: and if there be any hole left for cavill to enter, (and cavill, if it doe not finde a hole, will make one) it is sure to bee misconstrued, and in danger to be condemned. This will easily be granted by as many as know story, or have any experience. For, was there ever any thing proiected, that savoured any way of newnesse or renewing, but the same endured many a storme of gaine-saying, or opposition? A man would thinke that Civilitie, holesome Lawes, learning and eloquence, Synods, and Church-maintenance, (that we speake of no more things of this kinde) should be as safe as a Sanctuary, and out of shot, as they say, that no man gw Béλovs. would lift up the heele, no, nor dogge moove his tongue against the motioners of them. For by the first, we are distinguished from bruit-beasts led with sensualitie: By the second, we are bridled and restrained from outragious behaviour, and from doing of iniuries, whether by fraud or by violence: By the third, we are enabled to informe and reforme others, by the light and feeling that we have attained unto our selves: Briefly, by the fourth being brought together to a parle face to face, we sooner compose our differences then by writings, which are endlesse: And lastly, that the Church be sufficiently provided for, is so agreeable to good reason and conscience, that those mothers are holden to be lesse cruell, that kill their children assoone

Anacharsis with others.

Locri.

Cato the

elder.

Gregory the
Divine.

Nauclerus.

2. Sam. 11.

25

as they are borne, then those noursing fathers and mothers (wheresoever they be) that withdraw from them who hang upon their breasts (and upon whose breasts againe themselves doe hang to receive the Spirituall and sincere milke of the word) livelyhood and support fit for their estates. Thus it is apparent, that these things which we speake of, are of most necessary use, and therefore, that none, either without absurditie can speake against them, or without note of wickednesse can spurne against them.

Yet for all that, the learned know that certaine worthy men have bene brought to untimely death for none other fault, but for seeking to reduce their Countrey-men to good order and discipline: and that in some Common-weales it was made a capitall crime, once to motion the making of a new Law for the abrogating of an old, though the same were most pernicious: And that certaine, which would be counted pillars of the State, and paternes of Vertue and Prudence, could not be brought for a long time to give way to good Letters and refined speech, but bare themselves as averse from them, as from rocks or boxes of poison: And fourthly, that hee was no babe, but a great clearke, that gave foorth (and in writing to remaine to posteritie) in passion peradventure, but yet he gave foorth, that hee had not seene any profit to come by any Synode, or meeting of the Clergie, but rather the contrary: And lastly, against Churchmaintenance and allowance, in such sort, as the Embassadors messengers of the great King of Kings should be

and

furnished, it is not unknown what a fiction or fable (so it is esteemed, and for no better by the reporter himselfe, though superstitious) was devised; Namely, that at such

time as

the professours and teachers of Christianitie in the Church of Rome, then a true Church, were liberally endowed, a voyce forsooth was heard from heaven, saying; Now is poison powred down into the Church, etc. Thus not only

as oft as we speake, as one saith, but also as oft as we do any thing of note or consequence, we subiect our selves to every ones censure, and happy is he that is least tossed upon tongues; for utterly to escape the snatch of them it is impossible. If any man conceit, that this is the lot and portion of the meaner sort onely, and that Princes are priviledged by their high estate, he is deceived. As the sword devoureth aswell one as the other, as it is in Samuel; nay as the great Commander charged his souldiers in a

calumni

ated.

certaine battell, to strike at no part of the enemie, but at
the face; And as the King of Syria commanded his chiefe 1. King. 22.
Captaines to fight neither with small nor great, save_onely 31.
against the King of Israel: so it is too true, that Envie
striketh most spitefully at the fairest, and at the chiefest.
David was a worthy Prince, and no man to be compared to
him for his first deedes, and yet for as worthy an acte as
ever he did (even for bringing backe the Arke of God in
solemnitie) he was scorned and scoffed at by his owne wife. 2. Sam. 6. 16.
Solomon was greater then David, though not in vertue, yet
in power: and by his power and wisdome he built a Temple
to the LORD, such a one as was the glory of the land of
Israel, and the wonder of the whole world. But was that
his magnificence liked of by all? We doubt of it. Otherwise,
why doe they lay it in his sonnes dish, and call unto him
for easing of the burden, Make, say they, the grievous oecoaxbelav.
servitude of thy father, and his sore yoke, lighter. Belike King. 12. 4.
he had charged them with some levies, and troubled them
with some cariages; Hereupon they raise up a tragedie,
and wish in their heart the Temple had never bene built.
So hard a thing it is to please all, even when we please
God best, and doe seeke to approve our selves to every ones
conscience.

The highest
If wee will descend to later times, wee shall finde many
personages the like examples of such kind, or rather unkind acceptance.
have been The first Romane Emperour did never doe a more pleasing C. Cæsar.
deed to the learned, nor more profitable to posteritie, for Plutarch.
conserving the record of times in true supputation; then
when he corrected the Calender, and ordered the yeere
according to the course of the Sunne: and yet this was
imputed to him for noveltie, and arrogancie, and procured

to him great obloquie. So the first Christened Emperour Constantine.
(at the leastwise that openly professed the faith himselfe,
and allowed others to doe the like) for strengthening the
Empire at his great charges, and providing for the Church, as
he did, got for his labour the name Pupillus, as who would say, Aurel.
a wastefull Prince, that had neede of a Guardian, or overseer.
So the best Christened Emperour, for the love that he bare Theodosius.
unto peace, thereby to enrich both himselfe and his subiects,
and because he did not seeke warre but find it, was iudged

Victor.

to be no man at armes, (though in deed he excelled in feates Zosimus.

of chivalrie, and shewed so much when he was provoked)

and condemned for giving himselfe to his ease, and to