A knowledge for kings, and a warning for subiects conteyning the moste excellent and worthy history of the Raellyans peruerted state, and gouernment of their common wealth: no lesse rare, then strange ... First written in Latine, by Iames Glaucus a Germaine: and now translated into enlgish by VVilliam Cleuer scholemaster. By speciall recorde, this monument was two thousande yeares of antiquity: and so dusked and forworne with age, that being in a plaine writte[n] letter, could scarce be read ... I with my painefull indeuour haue now renewed it into fresh memorye.

¶ How the King put ma∣ny to death, for concealing the vvrytinges that were betweene their forefathers, and the Assyrians, when the Lande was firste purchased: And also of a Prophete that ryseth among the Raellyans, and cryeth out of their Idolatrous Image, the Asse, in which was all their trust: The saide Pro∣phete is put to death, by Hellydorus the King.

HEllidorus hauing squenched the na∣turall reuenge of his fathers death: established his kingdom, & subdued his people to great feare: then they began by lyttle and lyttle, to inquyre after the monumentes and wrytinges that were betweene their forefathers, and the Assy∣rians, for the purchasing of that lande. The secreate inquisitours of the King, handeled the matter in such sorte, from one to another, vntyll the matter was apparant, where and in whose custodie

the wrytinges remayned. As many suffered death for concealing the matter, so many suffered death for the conuaying of them: and he in whose custodie they were founde, suffered a most straunge and strayght death: Thus, as the King coulde gette nothing at their handes tho∣rowe gentlenesse: so he had what he woulde, thorowe croaked crucluesse. And lastlye, they so muche obeyed, and reuerently f〈…〉〈…〉ed him, that Hellydorus could not so soone be named among them: but they would make lowe courtesie, and lowe submyssion of theyr bodyes: the King being bothe in riches and Royall pompe, with great soueraigne feare: in so much that he thought him selfe the sau∣fest king that lyued. In the myddest of these securyties, and blinde knowledge of the eternall goueruaunce from about: hauing no other vnderstanding, saue on∣lye in that dombe Image the Asse, which stoode in the Alsephon: which their forefa∣thers brought from the lande of Scithia: there arose a great Prophete, in the lande of the Raellyans: of what coun∣trey,

nation, stocke, or kyndred he came of, or out of what place, no man vnder∣stoode: This Prophete lyued in a most straight kinde of lyfe, he eate of the greene Figge leaues of the wyldernesse: his garmentes were of a skinne of an vn∣knowne beast: his Orations and outcry∣inges, were not onely for the present wic∣kednesse of the king and the people, but he also tolde them that theyr present de∣struction was harde at hande: that for I∣dolatry and worshipping of a dombe Asse, would cause theyr king to be turned to an Asse: and the kingdome of the Raellyans to be confoūded, and inhabited of another people. The king hearing hereof was sore amazed both at the boldnes, and ear∣nestnes of this Prophet: feared his estate in which he stoode in: knewe not what to doo: for that many opinions, sects and fac∣tions dyd swar••••e in the Lande, thorowe the doctrine of this Prophete: Some of the people dyd not beleeue of this I∣mage, which theyr forefathers brought from the Lande of Scithia: Some of them hated the Ascalon: some of them coulde not abyde to come within the Al∣sephon:

almost none of them coulde abide the King: Such was the estate of the Ra∣ellyans, that of a thousand men, there was a thousand opinions, one contrary to ano∣ther: The king being very desirous to ••alke with this Prophete, sent for him, and intreated of him for that he hard that he was a Prophete, and outeryed of the voyces, and ••••l••hie actions of the Raelly∣ans, woulde declare vnto him, his present estate in which he stoode, with the destruc∣tion that was immynent, and hanging ouer his head: For in deferring his wickednesse, the terrible daye of venge∣aunce woulde be worse: but in the amen∣ding his lyfe, he might become the better lyuer: and teache his people such vertue, as best standeth for the saufegarde of his countreye, to appease the displeasures and angers, that are ready, and at hande for theyr destruction: for howe can we a∣mende those vices, of which we are per∣swaded to be vertues, and no vices.

The Prophete desired the king both to harken to his counsell and warning, that might best sauegard himselfe, and profit his countrey.

The Prophetes Oration vnto king Hellydorus.

IF that long continuance hath brought the showers of fruictfulnesse, ouer this whoale countrey: vvhereby you vval∣lowing in such pleasures, and voluptuous ryotof your bodies, doo neglect the bla∣sted my series, that your mindes are darke∣ned vvithall, in the night of ignoraunce: vvhich if your bodies be satisfyed, and your mindes vnquiet, your bodies out of daunger, and your mindes in daunger: your bodies quiet, and your mindes out of quiet: howe can you accoumpt your pleasures happie? your ioyes reastfulnes? for your mindes doo premeditate the ac∣tions of your bodies: yea, your minde is the teacher of your bodies: and that which your minde purposeth, your bodies doo bring the same in action, howe can your bodies do good and perfect affectes, when your minde being full of filthie and lewde endeuours, replenished vvith al defectes:

ignorant of that which it ought to know? howe can your boddies bring in prac∣tise the perfection of goodnesse, or the knowledge of vertue: if your mindes lusting after vvickednesse, do rule your bodies: then vertue is drowned, and o∣uerwhelmed vvith the darknesse of sen∣sualitie.

I tell thee O King, thylande is full of Idolatrie, they knowe not the reache of the hiest gouernaunce. And if they vvorshippe a doltishe God, an Asse: in vvhich is the spirite of lying and er〈21 letters〉〈21 letters〉ror, howe can there be any light, or bright shine of felicitie? for an Idolatrous God, can not rule the minde, although in the blinde purpose of phantasie, that God miraculouslie, can deceaue your minde: for as the highest eternall gouernaunce suffereth your mind to be led: so the same gouernaunce, can both ransacke your minde, and breake your God to a thou∣sande fitters. But if your minde vvere in the knowledge of that eternall gouer∣naunce, as it is not: neither doeth that knowledge come to any, but to those vvhich before are destined therevnto: so

hauing that knowledge: neyther your dombe Asse coulde allude you: nor your manifold vices seduce you to the toppe of vengeance, and mountaine of wrath, and then headlong to throw you to destructi∣on: but such is the practise of the lying spirite of errour, first to blinde you in Ido∣latrie, and in the worship of a false God, which shrowdeth the high pathe of ver∣tue from our eyes: to leade you to wal∣lowing lust, and such filthinesse which the bodie desireth. VVherefore the lying spi∣rite doth first winne and intyce the people to Idolatrie, to the ende they shoulde not knowe any other righteousnesse: vntyll confusion were hotely powred vpon their headdes, least that the true righteous e∣ternitie opening the winges of comfort, shoulde drawe them, from the dongeon of fleshlie vices: which is diffycult to bee done in you, for that you are setled in olde custome and long vsage of wickednesse. I saye, O King Hellidorus, consider howe many troubles haue nearelie touched thy fathers estate, and thine, in this Realme and countreie of the Raellyans▪ how hath••

this come to passe, but onelie for lacke of the ayde and succour of the chiefe eternall gouernment, vvhose breath is able to kyll thee and all the vvhole lande: thou vvylt saie, thou and thy fathers hitherto haue preuailed in all your tribulations: vvyll you attribute the cause hereof, to your owne vvarlilce policie, learning, riches, friendes, great hoastes: but it is not these thinges that haue deliuered you: although these thinges might be instrumentes, that you vvorke by the hiest gouernaunce, did suffer your deliueraunce to be vvrought, for that a heauier, and more intollerable confusion, shoulde ouerthrowe and de∣stroie you: Although thy Father Hellepatrus escaped the handes of the Hircans, yet was he deliuered into the hands of a shamefull harlotte to be poyso∣ned to death: As your dombe Asse is not able to deliuer you, so neither can he helpe you: but the eternall gouernaunce can doo both, that is, helpe you, and deliuer you: the inwarde inuocation draweth repentaunce from the harte, it is vertue that is geuen from aboue, and no man

can repent vvithout this vertue: vvhere the mystes of sinne haue ouerwhelmed this vertue: there the highest gouernance hath no inwarde vvorke, and this being dismembred vvith lewde luste, there is no actuall application: first leaue thy blinde zeale in vvorshipping this Asse, enter in∣to the secreates of thy harte for remorse, adioyne an inwarde speculation, vvhich sheweth a more bryghter lyghte in an howie, then euer thy father, or thou did∣dest see in all your liues before.

The ende of the Prophetes Oration.

AFter these wordes of the Prophete, the King was verie wrathfull, and full of malyce, suche a boyling heate of veration was kyndled in his harte, that inwardlie he chafed at the Prophet, and at the last brake forth in these wordes.

Thou hast the name of a Prophete: such a bolde talker as thou art, with bu∣sying thy selfe in such thinges, as doo not belong vnto thée, maye worke thy owne wee: thou thinkest to wynne credite, and

get honour in this countrey, among the Raellyans, thou art deceaued in thy owne thought: but take héede lest thou wyn the displeasure & wrath of a king, and so death vnto y^t wretched writhen carcase of thine: For although thou cāst boldly pratle vnto mée, yet I doo not beléeue thy doctrine, nor relygion: so neyther wyll I condempne it, before the Ascalon of the holy Alsephon, disputeth with thée: who is better seene in such matters then my selfe? Forthwith the king commaunded the Prophet to be brought into the Alsephon, where the As∣calon and the Prophete, in the presence of the king and the people talked together.

¶ The Ascalon spake vnto the Prophete after this sort.

PErceyuing the great sedition that is sowen in this Realme, by a false Pro∣phete: the sectes & scysmes increased: that not only it behoueth our soueraigne Lord the King, to looke vnto him selfe: but it standeth vpon my office and duety, to con∣fute such falsities and opinions, in the ho∣nour and glory of this holy Image, which our fathers brought from the land of Sci∣thia, and hath preserued our countrey and

people, with the fruitefull increase of all plenteousnesse: this is necessarye to the people to be spoken: to take héede of such lying fellowes which vndercreepe our go∣uernance: for whosoeuer speaketh against this holye Image, speaketh against the king himselfe: and whosoeuer toucheth the soueraygnty of the king, is a traitour, and worthy to dye. A••ter many of these thun∣dring wordes of 〈…〉〈…〉e Ascalon: the Prophet beganne to speake: the king commaunded to stop his mouth: and the more the king cryed, stop, stop, stop: so the Prophet cryed the more: O wrathfull vengeaunce, that wyll shortly be due vnto the Raellyans: and with mighty force, the Prophete ran vnto the Image, the Asse: and forceable vpon a soddaine, brake it to many péeces: The king foaming, roaring, & crying: hold him, hold him: commaunded the Prophete to be tyed and bound: for that (as he sayde he was some mad fellow out of his wyts. But the people in the lyke maner, were at such contention, that one was ready to kyll another, some belde vpon the relygi∣on of the Image: some helde vppon the doctrine of the Prophete: none of them all loued the king, except the Ascalon: whose

commodytie consisted vppon the sacrifice of the Alsephon. The king and his gary∣son without further iudgement, dyd cutte the innocent Prophete to a thousand pee∣ces: and such was the wickednesse of this tyrannous murther, that he which might haue a hacke at the innocent fleshe of this holy Prophete, thought he dyd good ser∣uyce to that idolatrous Image, and theyr tyrānous king. Euen presently vpon the death of the Prophete, there arose lyght∣nings, tempestes, the fruites of the earth were burnt with wylde fyre: A great fa∣mine did arise thorow out the land: many people thorow the scarcesity thereof my∣serably without compassion dyed. Short∣lye after these verations and troubles: as the Prophetes death not being forgotten, so many continued stedfast and beleeued on his doctrine: for which doctrine, the king vsed great persecutiō thorowout the whole Lande: The death of the Martyrs were in this maner: theyr skynnes were flaine from theyr fleshe: they most quietly & patiently forsaking this lyfe. After the ende of this cruell tyrannous persecuti∣on: he thynking his Lande quite purged & ryd from the blemishes of the Prophetes

doctrine, for that some of them were sub∣dued by death: some by banishment, and some by conuersion: so thinking his king∣dome to be established more surer then e∣uer it was before, grew to his old security & wickednesse of life, deuowred in tyrāny, and drouned in idolatry: for y^t be peeced the broken idolatrous Asse again to worship: thorow which idolatry he was poysoned in the filthy stinch of al horrible vices and corruption that in steede of innocency, cruell tyrannye and all oppression were planted in his ha••te.

Notes

• Securitie 〈…〉〈…〉ne.
• Chastise∣ment for 〈…〉〈…〉e.
• The kings wordes.
• Vnseaso∣nablenes of the wea∣ther causeth scarsitie.
• Persecuti∣on.