A loyal subiects looking-glasse, or A good subiects direction necessary and requisite for euery good Christian, liuing within any ciuill regiment or politique state, to view, behold, and examine himselfe in, that he may the better frame the course of his life, according to the true grounds of the duties of an honest and obedient subiect to his king, and to arme himselfe against all future syren songs, and alluring intisements of subtill, disloyall, dissembling, and vnnaturall conspirators, traitors, and rebels. Collected for the most part out of both olde and later writers, whose names are in the next page set downe. Wherevnto are brieflie added sixe speciall causes of vndutifull subiects disloyaltie. By William Willymat.

CHAP. I.

Concerning Pride, being the first cause of the vndutiful∣nesse of subiects.

THe most writers do agree and consent, and the greatest and most reasons may be alleaged, * 1.1 that the first and chiefest cause of the fall and vnrecouerable o∣uerthrow of some of Gods most glori∣ous angels, wherby they lost their glo∣rious state and so became terrible and most ougly deuils, was pride, whereby they being but crea∣tures began to rebell and to exalt themselues against God their creator. Now the subtill, crafty, cozening, enuious de∣uill, being become a mortall enemie to mans welfore and blessed state, hauing experience in himselfe that pride was a chiefe cause of his owne fall, he ceaseth not to vse the same as an engine or weapon for the ouerthrowing of mortall men in this world, euen to blow them vp with pride, as it were with Gun-power, for as wee see it come to passe, when the enemies lay siege to win or beate downe castels, walles, and the strongest holds, amongst their batteries, for∣ces of shot, and other stratagems and feats of warre, they vse this also as their surest remedie and pollicie, to vndermine them and blowe them vp with traines of Gun-powder: Euen so likewise is it the deuise and pollicie of Satan, among his other traines, to attempt, assault, and blow vp men with pride as it were with Gun-powder. * 1.2 Now this pride con∣sisteth in the great loue and liking of our owne selues, of our owne excellencie & worthinesse, & a disdainfull contempt, and despising of others in comparison of our selues. A fitte instrument is this then for Sathan to worke with in this case: for as the wisedome of God doth teach by Salomon; * 1.3 Onely by pride doth man make contention: which commeth to passe

when as euery man contendeth to haue the preheminence and will not giue place vnto an other. So that that man which hath his heart once insected and poysoned through pride, he can in no wise brooke it to be at commaund, and to submit himselfe willingly (according to Gods ordinance and appoyntment) to the obedience of magistrates, rulers, and gouernours, be they neuer so well worthy of the place. * 1.4 Herehence it oftentimes commeth to passe that Dukes, Earles, Lords, Knights and such like being once possessed with this pride, vpon neuer so light occasions, nay rather ta∣king offences, then tarying vntill offences be iustly giuen, will contenine, disdaine, and vnreuerently and dishonora∣blie vse, yea and oftentimes also conspire against, take vp armes, and seeke the life and bloud, or at leastwise the de∣posing of the Lords annointed, their supreme heads, ordei∣ned and placed in such roomes by God himselfe: and here∣hence likewise it falleth out, that many priuate persons a∣mong the common people will not stick to vilipend, dis∣daine and contemptuously to abuse the inferiour subordi∣nate magistrates, thinking themselues in the pride of their owne hearts, * 1.5 farre better men & more worthy to command and rule, then to be by others (whom they thinke to be worse men then themselues) commaunded and ruled. It is the manner of fishers who vse to take fish with stan∣ding nets in running waters, that looke where they choose a fit place to plant their net in, there round about their net, will they first blunder and muddle the waters, so that thereby their net cannot easily be seene by the fish, then will they goe somewhat higher into the riuer and with their long poulleringe staues will they beate and dash in the streame and driue downe the fish towardes their net, into the which the silly deceaued fish soone shooteth it selfe, and so at vnwares is insnared, by reason that the net could not be seene, the water about it be∣ing before thickened and blundered by raysing vp of the mudde.

Euen this is the case of many subiects in the worlde,

The cunning crafty deuill is the fisher, he sets the net of diso∣bedience to magistrates within the circuite and walke of such as he meanes to catch therin, then he blindes their hearts with pride, so that they therewith hauing their senses and reason darkened, rush forward headlong, the d••uill for∣cing them on a pace in their madde moode, into the nett, which they silye soules neuer perceiue nor consider of till they be surely snared past all helpe of retyring back againe and so are they cast away ere they be aware. * 1.6 O subiects, subiects, of what estate soeuer you be, noble or ignoble, high or low, rich or poore, looke to it in time, beware of this net, take heed of this pride the deuills owne engine: To han∣dle euery particuler poynt of pride would make a larger dis∣course then here now I purpose, let this suffice therfore for so much concerning pride being the first cause of vndutiful∣nes, as it doth or may preiudice loyall subiects duties to higher powers.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The cause of the fall of Angells.
• * 1.2

  Pride wherein it consisteth.
• * 1.3

  Prou. 13.10.
• * 1.4

  Pride and hautinesse of stomack in great mē vvhat vvork they make.
• * 1.5

  The de∣uilles craft and subtil∣ty to in∣snare men through pride and to bring them ther∣by to con∣spiracie & rebellion, described by a simili∣tude of a fisher: blinding & deceiuing the poor•• fishes.
• * 1.6

  A caueat.