The estate of the Church with the discourse of times, from the apostles vntill this present: also of the liues of all the emperours, popes of Rome, and Turkes: as also of the Kings of Fraunce, England, Scotland, Spaine, Portugall, Denmarke, &c. With all the memorable accidents of their times. Translated out of French into English by Simon Patrike, Gentleman.

IOHN CRISPIN to the Church of Iesus Christ.

SVch as apply their spirites to collect Histories ought to look vnto this principall marke, to propose as in a glasse, the power, wisedome, iu∣stice, and admirable bountie of the liuing and eternall God, to the ende hee may lesse nothing among men, of that which appertaineth vnto him. As indeed he proposeth and setteth out nothing in the world, be it in the person of kings or of such as be of base condition, wherein he meanes not to shew that it is hee which setteth his hands to all things, that men may learne to depend vpon him, to hope for all good things at his hands, and to ho∣nour and tremble vnder his iudgements.

When we see an Historie, that some kingdome hath bin established and brought into good estate, which before was dissipated & diuided: or else that some man hath bene deliuered from some great calamity, and hath recouered some prosperitie: behold heere is a glasse to let them know which reade such things, what good and happie issue they may attend at Gods hands, after long and troublesome calamities, if they trust in him. Againe, if we encounter such an example, that a Common-wealth, which otherwise was of no great force to resist ma∣ny enterprises attempted against it; yet it standeth fast, only making it selfe strong vpon the succours it looked for at Gods hands: behold here a Painter to represent vnto vs liuely, with what wisedome God worketh, breaking the counsels of the proud which abuse their pow∣er, to confound and oppresse such in the middest of which he hath esta∣blished his seate to be honoured.

Moreouer when such witnesses appeare, as the greatnes, force, magnificence, the long spreading & stretching of great Monarchies,

cannot often hinder, but all this hath bin ouerthrowne, or at the least comen to some decay; this is an other portrait which should make vs thinke vpon the admirable iudgements of God raigning, who therein shewe euidently has strong and outstretched arme from aboue: and would giue men to know, that if he can reduce and bring to nothing powers established in so apparant assurance, farre more easily can he ouerthrow euery arrogant and proud head: to the end there may be no humaine creature of what condition or estate soeuer it be, which trembleth not in the consideration of such wonderfull iudgements.

Moreouer, so many chaunges and straunge mutations which the discourse of time bringeth vs, do demonstrate vnto vs what may be the assurance and felicitie of all the frame of the world, and what may be the common condition of men. As indeed there is nothing so well gouerned vnder the Sunne, be it neuer so well ordeined and esta∣blished, which is not subiect to diuers chaunges. We see the Crownes of kings fall downe to the earth: the scepters of Emperours bruised, yea broken in pieces; the glory of Common-weales fade and decaie, but ambitiō, proud ingratitude, insatiable auarice of such as were or∣deined to rule and acknowledged not God, are the cause of such ouer∣throwes and mutations.

But since all men seeke to finde some firme estate wherein they may subsist & stand the reading of such examples should bring them to behold their God who is the firmitie & assurance of all things, and without whom, nothing can remaine firme one minute of time. And as he hath shewed this assurance in the middest of his Church against all tempests and stormes, and against all the assaults & machinations of Antichrists, as is clearly shewed in this present collection, so should this bee the refuge of euery one to finde out that hee would seeke for. The Church may well be shaken, but it can neuer be ouerthrowne: for it leaneth vpon the foundation of the truth of God: It may be tossed by tempests, waues & stormes, but her ancre ascendeth euen to heauen, and is sure held by the hand of him which cannot be remoued out of his place. But contrary, men perceiue not the stormes and tem∣pests which are to settle and sinke the great kingdomes of the world: yet it is so, that without being shaken they fall & vanish away as of thē selues. But the spirituall kingdome of the sonne of God, which is his Church, ought not to be esteemed after the daungers of this present

life: for it is preserued in the middest of the fiercest waues. As is said in Esay 60. Thou shalt haue no more the Sunne to shine by day: neither shall the brightnesse of the Moone shine vn∣to thee: For the Lord shall be thine euerlasting light, and thy God thy glory, and thy Sunne shall neuer goe downe, neither shall thy Moone be hid: for the Lord shall be thine euerlasting light, and the dayes of thy sorrow shall be ended.

The assurance then of the Church ought not to be considered ac∣cording nor in regard of things present, because it is established in God and feareth no chaunges: For God is her light: so that she hath no need to borrow any brightnesse from either Sunne or Moone. And although the faithfull be not depriued of the commodities of this pre∣sent life, but rather there is nothing either in heauen or earth which God hath not created for the loue of them: seeing he hath a particu∣lar care of them: yet is there one thing much more excellent which the children of God do enioy; namely the heauenly light: which from all times hath bene cast on it. We must then lift vp our spirits vnto God, who gouerneth all both aboue and below, and not attribute any thing to Fortune, as prophane men doo: heereunto men pretend to bring all the faithfull.

Therefore hither men come not to feede the spirit of foolish cu∣riositie, or here to learne any thing to babble with vaine ostentation, or to take pleasure to heare a well adorned language: and assoone as the eyes are taken from off the booke, all fruite of that reading is lost: but there is neither fact, nor chance, nor issue, which euery man oght not to borrow for himselfe. If he finde that some vertuous and well liuing man hath bene well beloued of God and honoured of men, that vertue ought to be vnto him as a flame to lighten his heart, that fol∣lowing such a man he may come to a like felicitie. If contrary he en∣counter and light on one who for his vices fell into some greeuous in∣conueniences, it is an example to serue him for a bridle, that hee do not precipitate and throw himselfe headlong into the same ditch: and aboue all, such as haue great dignities and are called to doo great things, so much more as their ruine is daungerous, so much more also ought they to be carefull to looke how faithfully they acquite them∣selues in their charge committed vnto them.

But well hath one said, that The Historie is a treasure which

should neuer depart from the hands, wherwith men being aided▪ may more commodiously handle their affaires like to such as they finde re∣gistred in histories: seeing that almost alwaies alike causes happen and come to passe This small aduertisement may profit, if it light not vpon crooked and brutish spirits, vnto whom this labour will not be profitable, but onely vnto such as with an honest pleasure will ioyne a good desire to carry an humble reuerence to all the workes of God.

But then O Church of God, seeing all things come and are done for the loue of thee, it is good reason that thy litle estate (or rather glasse of thy condition & of that thou hast endured since the comming of thy espouse) be dedicated and consecrated vnto thee. On the one side thou shalt know the heretikes, schismatikes, mockers & contem∣ners, with the tyrants and violent oppressors which haue done vnto thee a thousand euils: but on the other side thou shalt see Iesus Christ the stronger: who hath not declared himselfe thy head for a world or two: but for euer a protector of thine. And now is there any vnder∣standing that can cōprehend, & lesse tongue to expresse what he hath done for thee in these last dayes: when from thy renting and treading vnder foote we see so many children each where of so fruitfull a mo∣ther. O admirable bountie! O indicible ioy and consolation, to see the meruailes of the Lord in these last times: Let vs pray that hee will continue that hee hath begun and aduanced, to his glory and honour. So be it.

Thine in the Lord, Iohn Crispin.

Notes

• The true end of histories.
• For what pur∣poses changes do serue vs.
• A glasse for the comfort of such as be afflicted.
• A glasse for them of Ge∣neua.
• A glasse to cō∣template the incomprehen∣sible iudge∣ments of God.
• Things here below subiect to changes.
• The causes of changes and mutations.
• The alone Church of God remai∣neth firme.
• The Church may be sha∣ken, but not ouerthrowne.
• The conditi∣on of the king∣domes of the world.
• The Church of God is sub∣iect to change
• The heauenly light peculiar to the childrē of God.

  How exam∣ples written in histories are to be taken.
• Examples of prosperitie.
• Examples of aduersitie.
• The aduer∣ti••••me••t that we h••u•• ••y like histories.