The conspiracie of Catiline, written by Constancius, Felicius, Durantinus, and translated bi Thomas Paynell: with the historye of Iugurth, writen by the famous Romaine Salust, and translated into Englyshe by Alexander Barcklaye

¶ To the most mightie, moste excellente, our moste gracious soueraigne lorde Henry the eight, the very Kynge of England, Ireland, and of Fraunce, the true defender of christes faithe, and in earthe supreme heade immediately vnder Christe of the churche of England, his moste hum∣ble seruaunte and chaplaine Thomas Paynell desireth moste hyghe ho∣noure and perfecte felicitie.

WHen I consider how we are bounde by the lawe of god, to be faithful and obedient vn¦to our gouernour, which is so many waies careful for oure welthes, surelye I thynke that all that we can do, to ayde and helpe hym, bothe with bodye, counsayle, goodes and prayer, is but our dutie: than most gracious soueraigne lorde, what manne is he? naye what monstrous beaste, that wolde once thynke to rebell againste, or wylfully dyso∣bey your regall power, lawes, ordinaunces, and ex∣presse commaundementes? yet notwithstandinge, wee haue seene some in oure dayes, so slyppe from god, that they attempted greate thynges agaynste your hyghe maiestye, which by his iuste iudgemente and wyll, re∣ceiued condigne punyshemente. The whiche examples withoute farther authoritie and knoweledge, eyther of holye scripture, or other prophane histories (as me semeth) shoulde abaundauntlye suffice, to teache men to bee euer obediente vnto theire lyege lorde: for it is a thynge of all other mooste euidente and clere, that god wyll not suffer so vnkynde caytiues, so desperate wret∣ches,

anye thinge to preuaile againste his ymage in earthe, a kynge. Where shall we rede in all histories, that rauenous rebelles coulde obteyne againste the soueraigne gouernours? Surelye if euer any possible myghte, Lucius Catiline the Romaine shoulde haue done, for he was in a common weale that hadde manie rulers, of whome some the chiefeste fauored his fac∣cion, he hadde on his syde, that conspired wyth hym, the nobleste of the Senatours: he hadde an armye readie at his hande abroade, in the citye suche aidours confederate with hym, that in maner, no wisedome, power or policye coulde represse: he was therewithall so wyttie, soo wylye, soo subtile, soo full of crafte and deceite, soo diligente and watchefull, soo bolde and har¦die, soo experte and polytike in warre, that he seemed inuincible: yet by the wysedome, prudence, and dili∣gence of a fewe good and vertuous menne, that then ruled the common weale, hee and all his confederates weere ouerthrowen and cleane subdued, as it shall ap∣peare to the readers of thys Catilynes conspiracie, whyche I haue translated oute of latine into Englyshe specially for this intente, that al that be vnlerned maye se, if God among the gentiles, wold not suffer riottous rebelles to ouerrunne rulers & distroye cōmon weales: howe moche lesse then wyll he suffer them to preuayle ageynste a chrysten prynce, his veray image in erthe? Therfore let al mē lerne by this exaumple of Catiline what the ende of them is, that rise against theyr rulers and euermore hatefully abhorre to here speke of this cursed monster, this deadelye poyson in a common

weale, Rebellion: but wyth all wytte, industrie, po∣wer, cunnynge, ryches, wyshe for, laboure for, loue, fauour, and maynteyne Obedience: whereof I wolde write moche more, ne were it, that I speke to your highnesse, which hath gyuen vnto vs so many∣folde occasyons to be moost feythfullye beloued, and moste entierlye o∣beyed. For whose magni∣ficente mayestie, we are mooste derelye bounde, dayly on oure knees to praye god to preserue, ouer vs to reyne as many yeres as Nestor lyued. Amen.