The defense of the aunsvvere to the Admonition against the replie of T.C. By Iohn VVhitgift Doctor of Diuinitie. In the beginning are added these. 4. tables. 1 Of dangerous doctrines in the replie. 2 Of falsifications and vntruthes. 3 Of matters handled at large. 4 A table generall.

T. C. Pag. 145. Sect. 1.

Unto the Authors of y^e Admonition, saying y^t it is easier to ouerthrow by bribing one mā, than the fayth & pietie of a godly companie, he answereth, that so it should come to passe, that the moe y^t ruled the better estate it should be, and so the popular estate should be the best. But where do the authors of the Admonition say, that the more that rule, the better it is? Is it all one to saye, that the go∣uernment of a fewe of the best is better than the gouernment of one, and to saye, the more that rule the better? If it were to the purpose, it might be shewed bothe by Diuinitie and by Philosophie, which M. Doctor speaketh of, that that estate which he meaneth is not the best, and I haue in a

worde before spoken of, where I declared that the mixed estate is best, bothe by the example of the kingdome of Christ, and also of this our realme.

Io. Whitgifte.

But if this be a g〈1 line〉〈1 line〉od reason agaynst the rule and gouernment of one, that the Ad∣monition vseth, then the moe that rule the better it is, and this is all that I charge thē with. Whervnto you answere not one worde, but dally off the matter, by asking where do the authors of the Admonition say, that the moe that rule the better it is. I might dal∣ly with you in like maner, & say: where doth any man charge them with so saying? yet doth the same necessarily follow vpō their reason. They say not, the gouernment of a fewe of the best, but of a companie: which signifieth many: and why should not this ar∣gument be good? if the gouernment of a fewe godly men be better than the gouern∣ment of one, bicause one is easier ouerthrowne by bribing than moe, then is also the gouernment of many godly men, better than the gouernment of a few, bicause a few may sooner be corrupted than many: and consequently by the same reason, the moe that gouerne the better. This reason you haue glaunced by, and not touched: and yet it enforceth a manyfest absurditie, agaynst the Authors of the Admonition. For it is too absurde to saye that a Popular estate is the best state: neyther will any affirme it, but those which woulde be Popular.

You are neuer able to shew eyther by Diuinitie or Philosophie, that there are moe* 1.1 lawfull kindes of gouernment than thrée: that is, Democraticall, Aristocratical, and Monarchicall, and of these, bothe the Scripture and Philosophie alloweth of the Mo∣narchie, as simply the best.

The gouernment of this kingdome is a right and true Monarchie. Neither do you* 1.2 know what a Monarchie is, when you call it a mixt estate: for that is called a Mo∣narchie, where the chiefe care and gouernment of the common wealth is committed to one, as it is in this kingdome in euery respect.

Notes

• * 1.1

  There are no more lawfull kinds of go∣uernmēt than three.
• * 1.2

  The gouern∣ment of thys realme a true Monarchie.