The duetie of a faithfull and wise magistrate, in preseruing and deliuering of the eommon [sic] wealth from infection, in the time of the plague or pestilence two bookes. Written in Latine by Iohn Ewich, ordinary phisition of the woorthie common wealth of Breame, and newlie turned into English by Iohn Stockwood schoolemaister of Tunbridge. ...

That the Magistrate before all thinges proclayme a publike repentance. Cap. 2.

BVt some man maye peraduē∣ture say, you so deale, as if y^e whole matter lay in y^e fore∣sight & strength of man, and make no mention of the help of God, on whō hangeth all hope of victorie, especially in so doubtfull a battel: whē as notwithstanding by the iudg∣ment of Mesua himselfe, it is manifest, that in al things which we doe, we ought to set God before, that we may make proofe of all thinges with more safety and boldnes. I an∣sweare, when as I speake of the duetie of a faithfull Magistrate, and beeing my selfe a Christian, deale with Christians, that my meaning is, to haue these two thinges, that is to say, the grace of God, and trauayle of man, so lincked together, that the one be not voyde of the helpe of the other. For Hippo∣crates hath sayd both very well, and verie godlye: It is indeede seemelie, and verie good to pray vnto the Goddes, but yet

man himselfe ought to doe some thing, and withall to call vppon the Goddes? Why so? Because man without God can do nothing, & God without man wil not doe all things. God indeed is boūteous, & man verie poore & needy, whē as he hath nothing which he hath not receiued at his hād, but god loueth to be asked, & y^t mē by this meane should ac∣knowledge their need: wherby we should be driuen to obey him in whom all our happines doth lie. If (saie Moses & Aaron) thou shalt diligently heare the voice of the Lorde thy God, and doe that whiche is right in his eyes, and shall obey his commandementes, and keepe all his statutes, I will sende no griefe vppon thee, whiche I haue sent vpon the Ae∣gyptians, because I am the Lord that healeth thee: but if yee shall not heare me, saith God, and shal not doe all these commaundementes, and if ye shal refuse my statuts, and fulfil not al my precepts, but shal rather make void my couenant, I also will do this vnto you: I will visite you with feare, swelling, and a burninge feuer, whiche shall consume your eyes, and make your lyfe to pyne awaye. Likewise in many other places there is espe¦cial

mention made of the plague, which god eyther threatneth vnto the disobedient, or from the which he promiseth to delyuer the godly: so that there is no doubt, that albeit we vnderstand that euery plague is not the peculyar and proper punishment of GOD, nor yet alwayes immediatelye sent of God, (whiche is a thinge chieflye to bee obser∣ued and marked) but sometymes com∣meth eyther by the course of nature (as hath beene sayde beefore) or through the faulte and neglygence of men: yet what∣soeuer originall and beginning it hath, al∣wayes and beefore all thinges, wee must flye vnto the helpe of GOD, vnto whose myghtie hand wee moste assuredly beleeue all, both sicknesse and health, lyfe and death to be subiect.

Wherefore, when as it is manifest, that this cause also, whiche wee nowe haue in hande, doth especially concerne the Ma∣gistrate, according to his power to preserue his people from the daunger at hande, and from the infection of sicknesse, or to dely∣uer them from the same when it is come: Fyrste of all lette them haue this care, that they them selues turninge earnestly & vnfeignedly vnto God, proclaime vnto

their subiectes vniuersally, and proclaymed, execute a publike repentance, which is wont to be shewed by prayers made both priuatly, and also in the solemn assemblie, & by almes and absteyning, not onelye from meate and drinke, but from all riot, daunsing, and ban∣quetting: after the example of the people of Niniuie, vnto whom when as the Lorde by his Prophet threatned punishement for their sinnes, the king inioyned a fast of 3. dayes, not onelie vnto the men, but also to the bruit beastes, besides other workes of repentance, that by this meanes they might reconcyle God being angrie, vnto them. When as Dauid had transgressed the commandement of the Lorde, there was sent vpon the people so fierce a pestilence, that in the space of three dayes there died 70. thousād persons. With the which plague Dauid being moued, con∣fessed vnto the Lorde his sinne, and by pray∣er obteyned at his hand, that foorthwith all that affliction ceassed. The like is read of king Ezechias, when death was threatned vnto him, yet through earnest turning vnto God, and bitter weeping, his life was pro∣longed by the space of fifteene yeeres. It is also read that in the dayes of Elias, when as the heauens had bin shut vp three yeeres and

more, and that it raigned not a drop, where∣upon folowed a miserable dearth of victuals that at the prayer of Elias, this scarci∣tie was recompensed with sodaine plentie. Hitherto may worthilie be referred the com∣mendable fact of the most honorable prince, D. Philip the Landgraue, whose publik wri∣ting concerning this matter, turned by mee into latin, I haue thought good to set down, as the perfect patterne of a faithful and wise Magistrate, for all men to follow: and thus it is in Englishe: Wee woulde haue it knowen to all and singuler our subiects, howe wee are giuen to vnderstande, that the infectious sicknes of the plague doth sore rage rounde about in places, neare vnto our dominions, insomuch that it is to be feared, that it will come also into our Territorie and Countrie, and assault our subiectes. For as much therefore as without all doubt, such a Plague is a pu∣nishment for sinne, wee doe all men to vnderstand, that first of all the turne ear∣nestly vnto God, & desire of him pardon for their faulte: Secondly, that they vse them selues moderately in eating and drinking, & put their trust in God, who is the onely and true Phisition for our

griefe. Wee haue also of our louing minde to doe good vnto our subiectes, called together our Phisitions, and com∣maunded them to take aduice, and by common consent to consulte and pre∣scribe remedies, as well for the poore as the rich, wherwith next after the calling vpō of God, euery one may preserue & defende himselfe against this deadly and infectious disease, or if he be taken with it, howe hee should order himselfe, and bee healed, as by order is plainely in this our writing set downe: according vnto the direction whereof, let euery one af∣ter his power gouerne himselfe: but that aboue all thinges, that hee knowe howe hee ought to trust in God, who is our onely aide in troubles, and sted∣fastly to cleaue vnto him, &c. These are the woordes of the most vertuous and gentle Prince: the rest which appertaineth vnto the order and kindes of the medi∣cines, I will not heere expresse. Last of all, of a like testimonie of Godlinesse, and loue towardes his Citizens, our Magistrate also in the yeere 65. when as our Citie was visited with the Plague, gaue commande∣ment vnto all the Ministers of his Church,

that they shoulde often call the people to re∣pentance, to the dueties of charitie one to∣wardes another: to bee short, that they shold diligently and dayly exhore them to the loo∣king vnto the health of them and theirs, ac∣cording to the rule prescribed & published by me at his commandement. For they did acknowledge that which the Apostle saide, to be most certaine & true: God is faithful, & will not the death of a sinner but that he should turne and liue. The whiche thing hee plainely proued, when as he gaue his only begotten sonne vnto death, and that vnto the death of the crosse for our sakes. Also S. Iohn teacheth vs, that wee should not sinne: and that if we sinne, we haue an aduocat with the father, who maketh intercession for the whole worlde. In these most praise woorthie examples shine foorth, and are shewed not only a true care of the magistrat towards his subiects, but also especiall godlines towards God, and fruits of the truth of the Gospel. Through the fol∣lowing & steps of the whiche, euery one for his part also ought to be stirred vp & strēgth∣ned to pray vnto god, & vndoutedly beleeue, y^t it appertaineth also vnto him, which Christ said vnto y^e sick of y^e palsie: Son be of good

cheare, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee: Also to the Leper, I will that thou be healed, be thou cleane.

Notes

• Obiection.
• Answeare.
• Lib. 1. de In∣som.
• He held of ma∣nie godes like an Heathen.
• Leuit. 26.
• Num. 14. Deut. 28. Ezech. 5. 14 2. King. 2. The first and chiefe remedy.
• The Nini∣uites.
• 2. Chro. 20.
• Ezechias.
• Elias.
• The Procla∣mation of Phi∣lip the Land∣graue.