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CHAP. LXXX.
Of Nobility.
THus we find the Original of Nobility to spring from War, a Dignity obtain'd by Butchery, out of the blood and slaughter of the Enemy, and adorn'd with Ensigns of Publick Honour. This was the reason of so many sorts of Crowns among the Romans, Civil, Mural, Obsidional, Naval; so many Military largesses of Bracelets, Spears, Trappings, Chains, Rings, Statues, and Images; from whence the Pedegrees of Nobility took their first rise. Among the Carthaginians they had so many Rings given 'um as they had been present in Fights: the Iberians rais'd about the Sepulchre of the Dead so many Obelisques
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as he had slain Enemies. Among the Scythians, at their Publick Festivals, it was Lawful for none to re∣ceive the Cup that was openly carried about, but they who had slain an Adversary. Among the Macedonians there was a Law, That he that had not slain an Enemy, should be girt with a Headstal or Capistrum, in de∣•ision of his Cowardise. Among the Germans, no man was to Marry a Wife, till he had brought the Head of a slain Enemy before the King. And many times the Indignity which many Persons have thought has been put upon 'um in not being rewarded accor∣ding to the Services which they presum'd themselves to have done in War, had urg'd 'um to take up Arms against their Country: Examples whereof we find in Coriolanus, the Gracchi, Sylla, Marius, Sertorius, Catiline and Caesar. Therefore is we do but Examine the Foun∣dations and first Beginnings of Nobility, we shall find it acquir'd by Perfidiousness and Cruelty; if the growth thereof, we shall find it increased by Mercenary War and Robbery. If we look into the Original of King∣doms and Empires, we shall meet with most Impi∣ous Murthers of Parents and Brothers, Tragical Match∣es, Fathers expell'd from their Kingdoms by their Sons: and therefore let us view a little the Infancy of Nobility, and we shall find it to be nothing but a stur∣dy Power, and robustious Dignity, a Happiness got by Wickedness, and the Inheritance of the worst of Chil∣dren: And that this is apparent, is evident out of Scripture, and no less manifest out of the Ancient and Modern Histories of the Gentiles. For no sooner had Adam at the first Creation of the World begot his First-born Cain the Husbandman, and his other son Abel the Shepherd, but there began a distinction of Power: Abel seem'd to resemble the Commonalty, Cain the No∣bility, who being according to the Flesh proud and cruel, and a Persecutor of him that was according to
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the Spirit meek and gentle, slew his Brother. But the Commonalty was again restor'd in the Birth of Seth, the third Son of Adam; so that Cain was the first Author of Parricide and Nobility together; who contemning the Laws of God and Nature, yet trusting in his own strength, and Usurping Dominion to himself, he built Cities, instituted Empire, and by Law began to curb Men Created free by God, the sons also of the Holy Generation; and to bring them into servitude and subjection, till they themselves contemning the Com∣mand of God, all Flesh soon growing Corrupt, by promiscuous Copulation begat Giants, which the Scripture seems to Interpret, men Powerful in their Time, and famous for their Deeds. And this is the most apt and real definition of Nobility; for these were they that first oppress'd the Weak, advancing themselves by Robbery and Spoil, and glorying in their great Riches, spread the greatness of their Fame by cal∣ling Regions, Rivers, Mountains, Cities, and Seas by their own names; of whom Cain the first Parent, by nature Wicked, enviously and inwardly malitious of God, incorrigible, a treacherous dissembler of his An∣ger, slew his own brother, adding Blasphemy to Par∣ricide. And thus we see the Primitive and most An∣cient Ornaments, the chief Vertues and Embellishments which continue to this very day, whose first Author was the Father of the Gyants whom God destroyed in the Deluge, reserving only Noah a Just Man, of the Generation of Seth. This Noah had three sons, Sem, Ja∣phet, and Ham, who restoring the World after the Flood, according to the Custome of the Ancient Gyants, be∣gan to build Towns and Cities; which is the Reason that from Noah till Abraham the Scripture makes no mention of Just Men: wherefore we are to believe, That all from Noah to Abraham were the Architects of Nobility, that is, of powerful Impiety, Confusion, Pow∣er,
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Warfare, Violence, Oppression, Hunting, Luxury, Pomp, Vanity, and such other marks of Nobility, with which the sons of Noah were stamp'd. Among others Cham, because he was wickeder than the rest, and the first that was disobedient to his Father, therefore he was thought fittest to be the sole Monarch of the World at that time: he begat Nimrod, whom the Scrip∣ture describes to be a mighty Potentate upon the Earth, a mighty Hunter before the Lord, some read it, against the Lord. He built Babylon the Great, and gave the first occasion of the Confusion of Languages; set down Rules how to Govern; distinguishing the degrees of Honour, Dignity, Offices, and Arms. After that, Laws being made to curb the Commonalty, then was slavery and subjection introduc'd, Taxes laid upon the People, Armies were rais'd, and cruel Wars were first carried on. From the same Cham proceeded Chus, from whom the Aethiopians; Misraim from whom the Egyptians; and Canaan, from whom the Canaanites. The most noble and populous Nations, but the wick∣edest, most reprobate, and accursed of God. At length, after some process of time, again God Elected a Just Man, even the Patriarch Abraham, from whose Loyns he might raise to himself a Holy Seed and People, whom he distinguished by the Mark of Circumcision, from the Multitude of all other Nations: he begat two sons, one of his Maid-servant, Natural, the other of his Wife, Legitimate. Ishmael became a fierce Hunter, a Po∣tentate, Prince of the Ishmaelites, giving from his own a lasting Name to his Nation; and God blessed him, and e∣stablished his Grandeur and Nobility upon the foundati∣ons of War & Rapine, saying, And he shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every mans hand a∣gainst him; and he shall dwell in the midst of all his Bre∣thren. But Isaac observing the Religion of his Father, kept his Flock, and had at length by his Wife Rebecca two sons,
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Jacob and Esau; Esau a man whom God belov'd not, red and hairy, a Hunter, a Bowman, and a Glutton, insomuch that for one mess of Pottage he sold his Birthright; he became a Potent Man, and Prince of the Idumeans, receiving for his blessing the fat of the Earth and the dew of Heaven, but to live by his Sword and in servitude. Jacob being a Just Man, an Exile with his Uncle Laban, fed his Uncles Sheep, whose Daughters when he had both earn'd by an Apprentiship of Four∣teeen years for his Wives, he begat of their bodies Twelve Children; and his Name was called Israel, which Name he left to his Posterity the people of Isra∣el. By the names of his Twelve Sons, Reuben, Si∣meon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulon, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Ashur, were the Twelve Tribes of the whole Nation called: But Joseph was sold by his Brethren into Egypt, where he was instru∣cted in all the Learning of the Egyptians, made a most skilful Interpreter of Dreams; which he made use of in Prison. So skilful in Oeconomicks, that by his In∣genuity he found out new ways of increasing the Publick Revenue, and heaping up Riches to himself; whereupon he became a great Favorite of Pharaoh's, being constituted by him Lord and Governour over all Egypt: and of a Slave, was created Noble, after the solemn Custome of Egypt, for the King put his Ring upon his finger, and a Chain of Gold about his neck; clad him with Purple, made him to ride in his Chariot, the Crier proclaiming, That all men reverence and esteem him as one of the chief Nobility. The like manner of ennobling of men we finde the Persians to have used; of which Mordecai the Hebrew ennobled by Artaxerxes in Esther was an Example, from whence the Custome of creating Noblemen has continued to this day among the following Races of Emperours and Kings: of which some of 'um purchase their Nobi∣lity
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with Money, others by Pimping and Pandarism, others by Poyson, others by Parricide: Many by Trea∣son have been advanc'd to Grandeur and great Power, as we observe in the Histories of Euthierates, Philocra∣tes, Euphorbus, and Philager. Many more by Flat∣tery, Detraction, Calumny, and Sycophantry; many by prostituting their Wives and Daughters to Kings; many by Hunting, Rapine, Murther, and Witchcraft, have attain'd the highest degrees of Honour. But let us return to Joseph. He growing great in the house of Pharaob, and having begat his eldest Son Manas∣seh, pufft up with his unexpected Nobility, not with∣out blame, spake too severely in contempt of his Fa∣ther's house and his own Family: God, said he, hath made me forget all my labours and my fathers houshold: For which cause when Jacob blessed the two Sons of Joseph, he set Ephraim before Manasseh. Joseph also, although he were the Son of Jacob, yet by reason of his Nobility contemptible in the sight of God, was not honour'd to have any one of the Tribes bear his name, which was given to his two Sons Ephraim and Manasseh. After this the people of Israel liv'd in E∣gypt, and kept Sheep in the Land of Goshen; but when they grew numerous and populous, they grew also suspected and envi'd by the Potentates and Kings of Egypt, who thereupon thought to oppress 'um with continual hard labour and servitude. They also slew their Male-children, thinking to have quite extirpated them from the Earth: But one of those Children, be∣cause of his Beauty, was preserv'd by the Daughter of Pharaoh, who adopted him for her Son, and call'd him Moses, because she had preserv'd him out of the Water. Moses therefore grew up in the house of the King, and being bred up in all the Learning of the Egyptians, was accounted as the King's Son, was made a great man, and Captain of Pharaoh's Army against the AE∣thiopians;
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but having married the King of AEthiopia's Daughter, he got the ill will of the Egyptian Lords; and being banish'd out of Egypt, fled into Midian, where at a certain Well taking part with certain Dam∣sels against the Shepherds of that Country, for that kindness he had bestow'd on him for a Wise one of those Virgins, the Daughter of the Priest of Midian. At length increasing in Age and Wisdome, and remem∣bring himself to be an Hebrew, he return'd into E∣gypt, and renouncing his Egyptian Honours, encoura∣ged by God, he undertook to be Captain of the Chil∣dren of Israel; and by the assistance of many Miracles carried them out of Egypt: and when the people had sinned against God in making a golden Calf, Moses be∣ing angry, calling to his aid the strong men of the Sons of Levi, commanded 'um, saying, Put every man his sword to his side, go to and fro from gate to gate through the host, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his Neighbour. Now af∣ter he had made this memorable Slaughter of about three, some say three and twenty thousand persons, he bless'd 'um, saying, Consecrate your hands, or ye have consecrated your hands this day unto the Lord, every man upon his son, and upon his brother, that there may be given you a blessing this day; fulfilling what was said by Jacob of his Sons Simeon and Levi, calling them Instruments of Cruelty in their habitations, cursing their wrath, for it was fierce; and their rage, for it was cruel. And thus we finde this signal Slaughter to be the first Original of Nobility in Israel: For after that did Mo∣ses appoint Princes and Captains among 'um, Captains of hundreds, Captains of fifties and tens; famous Warriors & stout Fighters through their Tribes and Fa∣milies: Among whom if there were any that excell'd in valour and strength, him they made their Chief, giving him the power of Judgment and Command. For
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they had no King, but were govern'd by Judges; a∣mong whom Joshua a Nobleman, strong, warlike, a vanquisher of Kings, not fearing any man, after Moses was dead, held the most Supream Command; af∣ter whose death they liv'd under a Democracie, with∣out any Prince or Leader. But growing seditious, fell out one among another, and had almost totally extir∣pated the Tribe of Benjamin, insomuch that there were not above six hundred men remaining. And when they had forsworn to given 'um their own Daugh∣ters, they contriv'd a way to let 'um have four hundred of the Virgins of Jabesh-Gilead, and for the other two hundred they were permitted to take 'um by force from the men of Silo. And thus was fulfill'd the Blessing of Benjamin's Nobility, like unto a Wolf seizing his Prey in the morning, and diving his Prey in the evening. After this they return'd to Aristocracie, and the Government of Princes; among whom Abimelech the natural Son of Gideon, of the Tribe of Manasseh, having slain seventy of his legitimate Brethren upon one stone, obtain'd the Kingdom, and rul'd in Sichem. After this the people universally clamouring for a King, God gave them Kings in his wrath; very few good, very many wicked. For the Lord was angry with them, forewarning them of the high Preroga∣tive of Kings, and the subjection they must suffer un∣der 'um; affirming that Kings would take their Sons and their Daughters, and would make Carters and in∣feriour Servants of 'um; that they would at their own pleasure take their Lands, their Farms, their Men-servants, and their Maid-servants, and employ 'um in his own service; and that as often as the King was wicked and did evil, the people would suffer for his sake. The first King he gave them, was a young man of the Tribe of Benjamin, named Saul, a man of great strength, tall of Stature, insomuch that he was
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higher than any of the rest of the people from the shoulders upwards: and God struck such an awe upon the peoples Spirits, that they esteem'd and reverenc'd him as a sacred Minister of God. This man, before he began to raign, was as innocent as a Childe of one year old; but having obtain'd the Kingdom, he be∣came a wicked man, and a Son of Belial. Therefore God took the Kingdom from Saul, and gave it to Da∣vid the Son of Jesse, of the Tribe of Judah: He from a Shepherd was advanc'd to be King; but then being infected with the contagion of Nobility, he also be∣came a man of sin, Sacrilegious, an Adulterer, a Mur∣therer, though God in his mercy did not quite forsake him. He raign'd at first in Hebron, Ishbosheth the Son of Saul raigning beyong Jordan; after which he raign'd over all Israel in Jerusalem. Nor could he raign in peace neither; for while he was yet alive, his Son Absalon invaded the Kingdom in Hebron; who be∣ing slain, Siba the Son of Bochra rebell'd again: Af∣ter that Adoniah his other Son attempted to gain the Crown, at what time David on his death-bed appoin∣ted Solomon his younger Son, born of Bathsheba the A∣dulteress, to inherit his Throne. He being the first ab∣solute Monarch of the Hebrews, confirm'd himself therein by the Murther of his Brother Adoniah; but being once establish'd, he forsook the ways of God, and •ell to Fornication and Idolatry. His bad Son Reho∣boam succeeded him, a great sinner against God; there∣fore the sole Monarchy of the people was taken from him, ten of the Tribes revolting from his Government, chusing to themselves Jeroboam for their King, a most wicked man of the Tribe of Dan, who poyson'd all Israel, seducing the ten Tribes to Idolatry, setting up Golden Calves in Samaria, that the Blessing might be fulfil'd, saying, Dan shall be a Serpent by the way, an Adder by the path, biting the horse heels, so that his ri∣der
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shall fall backward. As for the Tribe of Judah, it remain'd quite under the Posterity of David, accor∣ding to the Prophesie of Jacob, That the Scepter was not to depart from Judah till the Messiah came. Yet was Judah one of the worst of Jacob's Sons, and one that lay with his Mother-in-Law. His Sons also were most lewd and evil; wherefore the blessing of Power and Nobility was granted to him in the enjoyment of the Scepter, and his blessing to be as strong as a Li∣on. After that the people of Edom and Jobne revol∣ted from the King of Israel, chusing Rulers of their own at their own will and pleasure, and God promis'd to Esau that he should shake off the Yoak. Among all the Kings of Juda and Israel, scarce four were known to be good. At last their Kings and all their Nobility being ruin'd and overcome, the Jews were carried Captive to Babylon. In process of time, God taking compassion of their Calamities, where they erected a king of Popular Government, living happi∣ly under the command of their Priest, and the chief Heads of their Tribes, until Aristobulus the Son of Hircanus took the Regal Diadem, and renewed the Kingdom of the Jews, with the murther of his Mo∣ther and Brothers: To him many Kings succeeded, till at length, under Archelaus an insolent and obscene Ty∣rant, the Kingdom was by the Romans reduc'd into a Province, and last of all wholly ruin'd and laid waste by Vespasian and Titus; the whole Nation being scat∣ter'd over the whole world from that time to this day in a continu'd servitude. All this I thought conve∣nient to repeat out of the Sacred Scripture, to the end I might make it apparent that at the beginning of the world there was no Nobility whose Original was not evil even among the people of God, and that Nobility is nothing else but the reward of publick Iniquity; and by how much the life of a man is most polluted,
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so much the more famous it shall be accompted; the fuller of wickedness, the greater his Glory and Recom∣pence. As Diomed the Pirate, when he was taken, wittily pleaded before Alexander, I, said he, because I rob but with one Ship, am accus'd for being a Pirate: Thou, because thou dost the same thing with a great Navy, are call'd an Emperour: If thou wert single and a Cap∣tive, thou wouldst be a Pirate; if I had an Army at my command, I should be esteem'd an Emperour: For as to the matter we differ not, unless it may not be disputed whether he be not the worst that takes with greatest vio∣lence, who deserts Justice most manifestly, and contemns and breaks the Law. For those whom I fly, thou pur∣suest: those whom I honour, thou contemnest. The hard∣•ness of my Fortune, and the narrowness of my Estate, makes me; thy intolerable Pride, and insatiable Ava∣•rice, makes thee a Thief. If my wilde Fortune would grow more tame, perhaps I might be better; but if thou wert more fortunate, thou wouldst be worse. Alexander admiring the constancy of the man, caus'd him to be •ifted in his Army, that he might lawfully fight and make War, that is, rob and steal. Now to proceed to the Histories of the Ethnicks, I shall from thence also •hew, that Nobility and Greatness is nothing but Im∣probity, Madness, Robbery, Rapine, Homicide, Luxu∣ry; the sport of Hunting and violence arising from principles of disorder, prosecuted more wicked, and always coming to a disastrous end; all which shall be made out from the four famous Monarchies, as also from the success of other more petty Kingdoms. The first Monarchy then after the Flood, was that of the Assyrians, the Founder whereof was Ninus, who first of all not content with the bounds of his own Em∣pire, resolv'd to extend his Dominions as far as he could, made cruel Wars upon his Neighbours, subdu∣•ng all the Eastern Nations, and increasing the vast∣ness
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of his Empire with new Acquests and successful Vi∣ctories. he brought all Asia & Pontus under his subjecti∣on. He also murther'd Zoroastes King of the Bactrians. Ninus had a Wife nam'd Semiramis; she begg'd of her Husband that she might rule onely five days; which being granted her, she took the Regal Ornaments, and seating her self in the Royal Throne, commanded the Guard to kill her Husband; who being slain, she suc∣ceeded him in the Empire, & not satisfi'd with the large extent of her Dominions, she conquer'd Ethiopia, and carried the War into India: she Wall'd Babylon with a most stately and magnificent Wall, and at length is kill'd by her Son Ninus the second, whom she had wic∣kedly conceiv'd, impiously expos'd, and incestuously known. Under these Murtherers the Assyrian Monar∣chy took its original of Grandeur, till extinguish'd by the death of Sardanapalus, a man more vicious and effeminate than any woman, whom Arbactus Prefect of Media slew in the midst of all his Concubines, and taking upon him the Kingdom, translated the Empire from the Assyrians to the Medes, which Cyrus afterwards translated to the Persians, among whom Cambyses his Son, founder of New Babylon, joyning and adding by conquest many Kingdoms to his own, began the second Monarchy, which he confirm'd to himself by the mur∣ther of his Brother and Son. This Empire declin'd under Narsus the Son of Ochus, who being slain by Bagoas the Eunuch, Darius succeeded him; and he being overthrown by Alexander, put a period to the Persian Monarchy, with his life; which the said Alexander, conscious with his adulterous Mother of his Fathers death, and indeed the contriver thereof translated again to the Macedonians. The fourth Monarchy was that of the Romans, the most powerful• and of largest extent: but should we repeat the suc∣cessions of Governments from the building of the
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City, we finde it founded upon most wicked begin∣nings, and maintain'd by as bad principles: Let us therefore observe who were the Founders of this great City. Rome was built by two Twins, Remus and Ro∣mulus, incestuously begot upon a Vestal Nun. Remus at the beginning of his Government was murthered by Romulus, a second Cain; who suffering himself to be call'd the Son of the Gods, having gather'd toge∣ther a Crew of detestable Villains, ravish'd the Daugh∣ters of the Sabines to get themselves Wives; and from them sprung the Off-spring of Roman Giants so for∣midable to all the world. After this, thirsting after the blood of his Father-in-Law, he slew Titus Tatius, a good Old man, and Captain of the Sabines; having drawn him into a League, and associated him into Part∣nership of the Kingdom. These were the Originals of the Roman Empire, which for two hundred forty three years was govern'd by cruel Kings, and ended under Tarquinius the Proud, exil'd for the Rape of Lucrece. And as the Posterity of Cain ended in the seventh Generation destroy'd by the Flood, so these Roman Successors in the Seventh King from Romulus, were driven out of the City by Popular Tumult. Howe∣ver, though the Romans threw off the Yoak of Kingship, yet they could not shake off the Yoke of Servitude. For the Kings being now thrown out, and the Govern∣ment translated into the hands of the Nobility, Brutus a Nobleman was the first Roman Consul chosen. He to establish the Foundations of intended Empire, not onely labour'd to equal Romulus, the first Founder of the City, in Murther, but also to outdo him; for he slew two of his own Sons, and two of his Wives Bro∣thers in the Market-place, after he had caus'd 'um to be publickly whip'd. After this the Government con∣tinued for many Ages, sometimes in the hands of the Nobility, sometimes of the Commonalty, under the
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power and command of sundry Magistrates and pet∣ty Tyrannies; at length under Julius Caesar, a man I cannot say whether stronger in War, or corrupter in Manners; and afterwards under Antonius, a man in∣slav'd to Lust and Luxury, wholly determin'd: After which the whole Command of the Roman Empire fell into the sole hands of Octavianus Augustus. In him began the fourth Monarchy of the World, but not without Murther: for though Augustus was accomp∣ted one of the mildest Princes in the world, yet he put to death a Son and a Daughter of his Uncle Cae∣sar, begot upon Cleopatra, though his Uncle had A∣dopted him, and left him his Heir by Will, not regar∣ding Name, Kindness, Affinity, nor Childhood. And now the Roman Emperours held the Monarchy of the world, among whom behold these Monsters of Cruelty and Impiety, Nero, Domitian, Caligula, Heliogabalus, Ga∣lienus, and others, under whom the whole world was oppress'd, till Constantine the Great having slain Max∣entius, for his Lust and Cruelty hated of the Roman people, was proclaim'd Emperour. He, because he re-edifi'd Byzantium, making her equal with Rome, or else as it were a new Rome, and commanded it to be call'd Constantinople, from his own name, seems to have translated the Roman Empire to the Greeks, and at Constantinople, as Romulus at Rome, assur'd it to himself by the murther of the two Licinii, the Husband and Son of his Sister, as also of his own Childe and Wife. Thus the Empire remain'd among the Greeks till the time of Charles the Great, under whom the name of the Empire onely was remov'd into Germany. And thus far for Monarchies. Let us make inquiry into the beginnings of some other Kingdoms, and we shall finde them founded upon no better principles, nor up∣held by less impiety, nor the occasions of their disso∣lutions less remarkable. I shall omit the Murthers
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of Dardanus, and by what devilish contrivances ha∣ving besotted the Greeks to be his impious accompli∣ces, he laid the Foundation of the Greek Monarchie. I omit the Governments obtain'd by the murthers of their Husbands, as the stories relate concerning the Amazonians. I come to later times, and the verges of our own memories. In Spain, in the time of Theo∣dosius the Emperour, Alarick the Goth was the first that raign'd, at which time the Vandals also possess'd a great part of the same Country. The first King of the Goths that obtain'd the Monarchy of Spain, was S•ytilla, which Roderick the King, because he had ravish'd Julia Daughter of the Prefect of the Province of Tingi∣tana, some while after lost to the Saracens or Moors, who after him possess'd Spain, till Pelagius having again recover'd some places, they were then call'd no more Kings of the Goths, but Kings of Spain, the Seat of the Empire being settled at Leon, until the raign of Ferdinando the Holy, who first call'd himself King of Castile, who having slain his Brother Garsias, by means of that parricide obtain'd the Kingdom of Navarre. Their Brother Romanus, whom their Father had be∣got upon a Concubine, being a warlike and fierce man, became the first King of Arragon. The first King of Portugal was Alphonsus the Son of Henry of Lorain and Terese the Bastard-daughter of Alphonsus King of Castile; A stout man at Arms, who slew five Princes or great Governours of the Saracens in one Battel; which was the reason that the Kings of Portugal carry five Shields for their Arms: yet was this Alphonsus curst and cruel to his Mother, whom because she mar∣ried a second time, he cast into perpetual imprison∣ment, nor could be mov'd to set her free by any per∣swasions, intreaties, prayers, or menaces of Ecclesi∣astical Censure. Thus all the Kingdoms of Spain have been obtain'd by unheard-of Villanies, and held
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by the same Arts. I omit the Kingdoms of the Bur∣gundians and Lombards, compos'd of the greatest and most famous people of Germany, and begun in Lom∣bardy by Alboynus, in Burgundy by Gondaicus, and in both places maintain'd and propagated by Murther and Bloodshed. Let us view the most Potent Kingdom of the Franks in Gallia, whose first Foundations were laid by Pharamond Son of Meroveus, who coming out of Germany into France, was made King of the Franks; excelling in nothing more than in Cruelty and Fierce∣ness: His Posterity remain'd till the time of Childe∣rick the Third, who for his sloth and libidinous wan∣tonness was depos'd from his Kingdom, and thrust into a Monastery. In his place was Pipin advanc'd, Steward of Childerick's House, who having got the Kingdom for himself and his Posterity by treason, establish'd his own Power by the Murther of Grifo his Brother. His Posterity continu'd to Lewis the Second, Son of Lotha∣rius, who for adulterating his Wife Blanch's bed, was poyson'd by her: at which time Hugh Capet laid vio∣lent hands upon the Scepter; a stout Warrier, and there highly esteem'd by the Parisians; but otherwise igno∣ble, as being the Son of a Butcher. He rebelling a∣gainst Charles the Uncle of Lewis, and right Heir of the Crown, scrapes together a loose Band of debauch'd fellows and Vagabonds, and having got the said Charles into his hands by treachery, thrust him into Prison, and there kept him till he di'd; and thus having most barbarously murther'd his King and Prince, he assum'd the Regal Diadem, changing a Kingdom into a Butch∣ers shop; whose Succession endures to this day. It would be too long and tedious in this place to enume∣rate the Originals of all Kingdoms, and discourse the Histories of all Antiquity. I have in another Volume writ more at large of what I have here but lightly touch'd, where I have painted out Nobility it self in
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its proper Colours and Lineaments; and I have shewed that there never was, nor is any Kingdom in the world, or famous Principality, the Foundations whereof were not built upon Particide, Treachery, Perfidious∣ness, Cruelty, Murther, Slaughter, and other most hor∣rid Crimes, the Arts and Utensils of Nobility, whereof when we see the Head, we may easily conjecture at the monstrosity of the rest of the Members; onely prompt and ready for the Execution of all manner of Vice, Violence, Rapine, Murther, Men-hunting, and Lust. Would any person become Noble, let him be a Huntsman, this is the first step to Preferment; or let him be a mercenary Souldier, and let himself out to commit Murther: This is the true Noble vertue, whereby he that shews himself the bravest and stoutest Thief, shall deserve the greatest Honour and Dignity. He that is a Fool or a Coward, let him buy Nobility with money; for Nobility is often expos'd at the Market: Or if he cannot do that, let him flatter Great men and Princes, Pimp for Noblemens Wives, prosti∣tute his own Wife and Daughter to the Kings plea∣sure, marry the Kings Cast-Mistrisses, or espouse his natural Daughters; and this is the highest Degree of Nobility, for then he becomes embodied to the Root. These are the High-ways, these are the Steps and Lad∣ders by which men most compendiously climb up to the top of Honour. Now they who would appear more magnificent and noble than others, boast themselves to be of the Race of those, which there is no body but would contemn, that is to say, Macedonians, Trojans, Va∣gabonds, Fugitives, and Exiles, infamous for thousands of Crimes and Misdemeanors: and yet forsooth we must magnifie & extol this Nobility, that had such nefa∣rious beginnings. Others deducing their Pedegrees from Whores and Concubines, cover their shame with some Fable, as we read in the Story of Melusina. There are
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others that have had other most wicked Originals, from Incest, Rapes, Fornications, and Adulteries. Thus Baldwin was made Earl of Flanders by Charles the Bald, who had ravish'd his Daughter. For the same rea∣son were those Marquesses of Piedmont, viz. Montfer∣rate, Saluces, Sena, and others, advanc'd by Otho the Emperour. For Kings and Emperours are wont, when they cannot for shame punish an Injury, to honour the Actors with some Title of Dignity. Moreover, there are •our principal Gifts in Noblemen, wherein consists their chief Vertue and Knowledge, if not their onely Happiness: Their first is Rapaciousness, whereby they are taught and instructed to Desire, Gain, and Possess, contrary to all Law and Equity. The second is Plea∣sure, which carries 'um headlong to all Voluptuous∣ness and Luxury. The third is Liberty, whereby, guarded with the powers of Violence, they presume in contempt of the Law, to act according to their pleasures. The fourth is Ambition, which swells 'um to seek advancement beyond their Merit, and to stop at no wickedness or villany while they are in the pur∣sute of vain Honour. Lastly, the compleatness of Nobility is discern'd in these things: if he be a good Hun•sman, if he be cunning in the wicked Arts of Gaming, if he be able to shew his great strength in Drinking, if the force and vigour of Nature become renown'd by his mighty Acts of Venery, if he be addicted to Pride, Luxury, and Intemperance, if he be an enemie of Vertue, or grow forgetful that he was born, and that he shall die. More noble yet, if these Impieties be but successive from Father to Son, and be inculcated into their Youth by great Authorities.
If the Old man be fortunate in Play,
'Tis fit the H•ir should thrive the self-same way.
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These are the signal Vertues of Noblemen. But there is another sort of Industry among the Nobility, where∣in they are most excellent above others, to make them∣selves to be accompted all this while honest and good, famous for Prudence, Liberality, Piety, and Justice; to which end they faign themselves courteous, fair-spoken, affable, making a conspicuous shew of all Vertue: They steep their Speeches in Oyl: they ban∣quet splendidly from house to house, talk freely of State-affairs, observe the opinions of other men, from whence they gather what is good, and ascribe to them∣selves the same of other mens wisdom and prudence: By their covetousness they get an opinion of Libera∣lity, while what they take from one, they give to ano∣ther; bountiful Thieves; and what the Ancients write concerning Sylla, by the injuries which they do to some, they enrich others, being themselves in the midst of all their Rapine. The opinion of Justice and Pie∣ty they procure, by undertaking the differences among poor people, and maintain their causes against the rich sort; but they no longer give assistance to the af∣flicted; but while they can empty the Coffers of the wealthy. For their intention is not to do good to the Poor, but to injure the Rich; which they can more easily do, than do good: And under this pretence of Justice and Piety, sometimes they arrogate to them∣selves the greatest License in the world, on purpose to use violence to Cities and great persons, glorying in their sins like the ancient Giants, and like evil Spirits seeking all occasions of mischief, and then thinking that they do most good, when they do no harm; so be∣having themselves, to be a terrour to all, to be belov'd by none; combining with the wicked and flagitious, oppressing and ruining all persons that put their confi∣dence in 'um. Of whom Aristophanes thus writes, saying, That it is not convenient for a City to breed
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and nourish Lions within it; but if they be of a milde temper, then we ought to be obedient to 'um. The Switzers, formerly oppressed by the tyranny of these Noblemen, slew them all, and extirpated their Race by that memorable slaughter of their Nobles, obtain∣ing a lasting name with the recovery of their liberty, wherein they have happily flourish'd for above four hundred years, the hatred of that sort of Nobility yet remaining among 'um.
Of Nobility.
THus we find the Original of Nobility to spring from War, a Dignity obtain'd by Butchery, out of the blood and slaughter of the Enemy, and adorn'd with Ensigns of Publick Honour. This was the reason of so many sorts of Crowns among the Romans, Civil, Mural, Obsidional, Naval; so many Military largesses of Bracelets, Spears, Trappings, Chains, Rings, Statues, and Images; from whence the Pedegrees of Nobility took their first rise. Among the Carthaginians they had so many Rings given 'um as they had been present in Fights: the Iberians rais'd about the Sepulchre of the Dead so many Obelisques
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as he had slain Enemies. Among the Scythians, at their Publick Festivals, it was Lawful for none to re∣ceive the Cup that was openly carried about, but they who had slain an Adversary. Among the Macedonians there was a Law, That he that had not slain an Enemy, should be girt with a Headstal or Capistrum, in de∣•ision of his Cowardise. Among the Germans, no man was to Marry a Wife, till he had brought the Head of a slain Enemy before the King. And many times the Indignity which many Persons have thought has been put upon 'um in not being rewarded accor∣ding to the Services which they presum'd themselves to have done in War, had urg'd 'um to take up Arms against their Country: Examples whereof we find in Coriolanus, the Gracchi, Sylla, Marius, Sertorius, Catiline and Caesar. Therefore is we do but Examine the Foun∣dations and first Beginnings of Nobility, we shall find it acquir'd by Perfidiousness and Cruelty; if the growth thereof, we shall find it increased by Mercenary War and Robbery. If we look into the Original of King∣doms and Empires, we shall meet with most Impi∣ous Murthers of Parents and Brothers, Tragical Match∣es, Fathers expell'd from their Kingdoms by their Sons: and therefore let us view a little the Infancy of Nobility, and we shall find it to be nothing but a stur∣dy Power, and robustious Dignity, a Happiness got by Wickedness, and the Inheritance of the worst of Chil∣dren: And that this is apparent, is evident out of Scripture, and no less manifest out of the Ancient and Modern Histories of the Gentiles. For no sooner had Adam at the first Creation of the World begot his First-born Cain the Husbandman, and his other son Abel the Shepherd, but there began a distinction of Power: Abel seem'd to resemble the Commonalty, Cain the No∣bility, who being according to the Flesh proud and cruel, and a Persecutor of him that was according to
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the Spirit meek and gentle, slew his Brother. But the Commonalty was again restor'd in the Birth of Seth, the third Son of Adam; so that Cain was the first Author of Parricide and Nobility together; who contemning the Laws of God and Nature, yet trusting in his own strength, and Usurping Dominion to himself, he built Cities, instituted Empire, and by Law began to curb Men Created free by God, the sons also of the Holy Generation; and to bring them into servitude and subjection, till they themselves contemning the Com∣mand of God, all Flesh soon growing Corrupt, by promiscuous Copulation begat Giants, which the Scripture seems to Interpret, men Powerful in their Time, and famous for their Deeds. And this is the most apt and real definition of Nobility; for these were they that first oppress'd the Weak, advancing themselves by Robbery and Spoil, and glorying in their great Riches, spread the greatness of their Fame by cal∣ling Regions, Rivers, Mountains, Cities, and Seas by their own names; of whom Cain the first Parent, by nature Wicked, enviously and inwardly malitious of God, incorrigible, a treacherous dissembler of his An∣ger, slew his own brother, adding Blasphemy to Par∣ricide. And thus we see the Primitive and most An∣cient Ornaments, the chief Vertues and Embellishments which continue to this very day, whose first Author was the Father of the Gyants whom God destroyed in the Deluge, reserving only Noah a Just Man, of the Generation of Seth. This Noah had three sons, Sem, Ja∣phet, and Ham, who restoring the World after the Flood, according to the Custome of the Ancient Gyants, be∣gan to build Towns and Cities; which is the Reason that from Noah till Abraham the Scripture makes no mention of Just Men: wherefore we are to believe, That all from Noah to Abraham were the Architects of Nobility, that is, of powerful Impiety, Confusion, Pow∣er,
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Warfare, Violence, Oppression, Hunting, Luxury, Pomp, Vanity, and such other marks of Nobility, with which the sons of Noah were stamp'd. Among others Cham, because he was wickeder than the rest, and the first that was disobedient to his Father, therefore he was thought fittest to be the sole Monarch of the World at that time: he begat Nimrod, whom the Scrip∣ture describes to be a mighty Potentate upon the Earth, a mighty Hunter before the Lord, some read it, against the Lord. He built Babylon the Great, and gave the first occasion of the Confusion of Languages; set down Rules how to Govern; distinguishing the degrees of Honour, Dignity, Offices, and Arms. After that, Laws being made to curb the Commonalty, then was slavery and subjection introduc'd, Taxes laid upon the People, Armies were rais'd, and cruel Wars were first carried on. From the same Cham proceeded Chus, from whom the Aethiopians; Misraim from whom the Egyptians; and Canaan, from whom the Canaanites. The most noble and populous Nations, but the wick∣edest, most reprobate, and accursed of God. At length, after some process of time, again God Elected a Just Man, even the Patriarch Abraham, from whose Loyns he might raise to himself a Holy Seed and People, whom he distinguished by the Mark of Circumcision, from the Multitude of all other Nations: he begat two sons, one of his Maid-servant, Natural, the other of his Wife, Legitimate. Ishmael became a fierce Hunter, a Po∣tentate, Prince of the Ishmaelites, giving from his own a lasting Name to his Nation; and God blessed him, and e∣stablished his Grandeur and Nobility upon the foundati∣ons of War & Rapine, saying, And he shall be a wild man; his hand shall be against every man, and every mans hand a∣gainst him; and he shall dwell in the midst of all his Bre∣thren. But Isaac observing the Religion of his Father, kept his Flock, and had at length by his Wife Rebecca two sons,
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Jacob and Esau; Esau a man whom God belov'd not, red and hairy, a Hunter, a Bowman, and a Glutton, insomuch that for one mess of Pottage he sold his Birthright; he became a Potent Man, and Prince of the Idumeans, receiving for his blessing the fat of the Earth and the dew of Heaven, but to live by his Sword and in servitude. Jacob being a Just Man, an Exile with his Uncle Laban, fed his Uncles Sheep, whose Daughters when he had both earn'd by an Apprentiship of Four∣teeen years for his Wives, he begat of their bodies Twelve Children; and his Name was called Israel, which Name he left to his Posterity the people of Isra∣el. By the names of his Twelve Sons, Reuben, Si∣meon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulon, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Ashur, were the Twelve Tribes of the whole Nation called: But Joseph was sold by his Brethren into Egypt, where he was instru∣cted in all the Learning of the Egyptians, made a most skilful Interpreter of Dreams; which he made use of in Prison. So skilful in Oeconomicks, that by his In∣genuity he found out new ways of increasing the Publick Revenue, and heaping up Riches to himself; whereupon he became a great Favorite of Pharaoh's, being constituted by him Lord and Governour over all Egypt: and of a Slave, was created Noble, after the solemn Custome of Egypt, for the King put his Ring upon his finger, and a Chain of Gold about his neck; clad him with Purple, made him to ride in his Chariot, the Crier proclaiming, That all men reverence and esteem him as one of the chief Nobility. The like manner of ennobling of men we finde the Persians to have used; of which Mordecai the Hebrew ennobled by Artaxerxes in Esther was an Example, from whence the Custome of creating Noblemen has continued to this day among the following Races of Emperours and Kings: of which some of 'um purchase their Nobi∣lity
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with Money, others by Pimping and Pandarism, others by Poyson, others by Parricide: Many by Trea∣son have been advanc'd to Grandeur and great Power, as we observe in the Histories of Euthierates, Philocra∣tes, Euphorbus, and Philager. Many more by Flat∣tery, Detraction, Calumny, and Sycophantry; many by prostituting their Wives and Daughters to Kings; many by Hunting, Rapine, Murther, and Witchcraft, have attain'd the highest degrees of Honour. But let us return to Joseph. He growing great in the house of Pharaob, and having begat his eldest Son Manas∣seh, pufft up with his unexpected Nobility, not with∣out blame, spake too severely in contempt of his Fa∣ther's house and his own Family: God, said he, hath made me forget all my labours and my fathers houshold: For which cause when Jacob blessed the two Sons of Joseph, he set Ephraim before Manasseh. Joseph also, although he were the Son of Jacob, yet by reason of his Nobility contemptible in the sight of God, was not honour'd to have any one of the Tribes bear his name, which was given to his two Sons Ephraim and Manasseh. After this the people of Israel liv'd in E∣gypt, and kept Sheep in the Land of Goshen; but when they grew numerous and populous, they grew also suspected and envi'd by the Potentates and Kings of Egypt, who thereupon thought to oppress 'um with continual hard labour and servitude. They also slew their Male-children, thinking to have quite extirpated them from the Earth: But one of those Children, be∣cause of his Beauty, was preserv'd by the Daughter of Pharaoh, who adopted him for her Son, and call'd him Moses, because she had preserv'd him out of the Water. Moses therefore grew up in the house of the King, and being bred up in all the Learning of the Egyptians, was accounted as the King's Son, was made a great man, and Captain of Pharaoh's Army against the AE∣thiopians;
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but having married the King of AEthiopia's Daughter, he got the ill will of the Egyptian Lords; and being banish'd out of Egypt, fled into Midian, where at a certain Well taking part with certain Dam∣sels against the Shepherds of that Country, for that kindness he had bestow'd on him for a Wise one of those Virgins, the Daughter of the Priest of Midian. At length increasing in Age and Wisdome, and remem∣bring himself to be an Hebrew, he return'd into E∣gypt, and renouncing his Egyptian Honours, encoura∣ged by God, he undertook to be Captain of the Chil∣dren of Israel; and by the assistance of many Miracles carried them out of Egypt: and when the people had sinned against God in making a golden Calf, Moses be∣ing angry, calling to his aid the strong men of the Sons of Levi, commanded 'um, saying, Put every man his sword to his side, go to and fro from gate to gate through the host, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his Neighbour. Now af∣ter he had made this memorable Slaughter of about three, some say three and twenty thousand persons, he bless'd 'um, saying, Consecrate your hands, or ye have consecrated your hands this day unto the Lord, every man upon his son, and upon his brother, that there may be given you a blessing this day; fulfilling what was said by Jacob of his Sons Simeon and Levi, calling them Instruments of Cruelty in their habitations, cursing their wrath, for it was fierce; and their rage, for it was cruel. And thus we finde this signal Slaughter to be the first Original of Nobility in Israel: For after that did Mo∣ses appoint Princes and Captains among 'um, Captains of hundreds, Captains of fifties and tens; famous Warriors & stout Fighters through their Tribes and Fa∣milies: Among whom if there were any that excell'd in valour and strength, him they made their Chief, giving him the power of Judgment and Command. For
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they had no King, but were govern'd by Judges; a∣mong whom Joshua a Nobleman, strong, warlike, a vanquisher of Kings, not fearing any man, after Moses was dead, held the most Supream Command; af∣ter whose death they liv'd under a Democracie, with∣out any Prince or Leader. But growing seditious, fell out one among another, and had almost totally extir∣pated the Tribe of Benjamin, insomuch that there were not above six hundred men remaining. And when they had forsworn to given 'um their own Daugh∣ters, they contriv'd a way to let 'um have four hundred of the Virgins of Jabesh-Gilead, and for the other two hundred they were permitted to take 'um by force from the men of Silo. And thus was fulfill'd the Blessing of Benjamin's Nobility, like unto a Wolf seizing his Prey in the morning, and diving his Prey in the evening. After this they return'd to Aristocracie, and the Government of Princes; among whom Abimelech the natural Son of Gideon, of the Tribe of Manasseh, having slain seventy of his legitimate Brethren upon one stone, obtain'd the Kingdom, and rul'd in Sichem. After this the people universally clamouring for a King, God gave them Kings in his wrath; very few good, very many wicked. For the Lord was angry with them, forewarning them of the high Preroga∣tive of Kings, and the subjection they must suffer un∣der 'um; affirming that Kings would take their Sons and their Daughters, and would make Carters and in∣feriour Servants of 'um; that they would at their own pleasure take their Lands, their Farms, their Men-servants, and their Maid-servants, and employ 'um in his own service; and that as often as the King was wicked and did evil, the people would suffer for his sake. The first King he gave them, was a young man of the Tribe of Benjamin, named Saul, a man of great strength, tall of Stature, insomuch that he was
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higher than any of the rest of the people from the shoulders upwards: and God struck such an awe upon the peoples Spirits, that they esteem'd and reverenc'd him as a sacred Minister of God. This man, before he began to raign, was as innocent as a Childe of one year old; but having obtain'd the Kingdom, he be∣came a wicked man, and a Son of Belial. Therefore God took the Kingdom from Saul, and gave it to Da∣vid the Son of Jesse, of the Tribe of Judah: He from a Shepherd was advanc'd to be King; but then being infected with the contagion of Nobility, he also be∣came a man of sin, Sacrilegious, an Adulterer, a Mur∣therer, though God in his mercy did not quite forsake him. He raign'd at first in Hebron, Ishbosheth the Son of Saul raigning beyong Jordan; after which he raign'd over all Israel in Jerusalem. Nor could he raign in peace neither; for while he was yet alive, his Son Absalon invaded the Kingdom in Hebron; who be∣ing slain, Siba the Son of Bochra rebell'd again: Af∣ter that Adoniah his other Son attempted to gain the Crown, at what time David on his death-bed appoin∣ted Solomon his younger Son, born of Bathsheba the A∣dulteress, to inherit his Throne. He being the first ab∣solute Monarch of the Hebrews, confirm'd himself therein by the Murther of his Brother Adoniah; but being once establish'd, he forsook the ways of God, and •ell to Fornication and Idolatry. His bad Son Reho∣boam succeeded him, a great sinner against God; there∣fore the sole Monarchy of the people was taken from him, ten of the Tribes revolting from his Government, chusing to themselves Jeroboam for their King, a most wicked man of the Tribe of Dan, who poyson'd all Israel, seducing the ten Tribes to Idolatry, setting up Golden Calves in Samaria, that the Blessing might be fulfil'd, saying, Dan shall be a Serpent by the way, an Adder by the path, biting the horse heels, so that his ri∣der
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shall fall backward. As for the Tribe of Judah, it remain'd quite under the Posterity of David, accor∣ding to the Prophesie of Jacob, That the Scepter was not to depart from Judah till the Messiah came. Yet was Judah one of the worst of Jacob's Sons, and one that lay with his Mother-in-Law. His Sons also were most lewd and evil; wherefore the blessing of Power and Nobility was granted to him in the enjoyment of the Scepter, and his blessing to be as strong as a Li∣on. After that the people of Edom and Jobne revol∣ted from the King of Israel, chusing Rulers of their own at their own will and pleasure, and God promis'd to Esau that he should shake off the Yoak. Among all the Kings of Juda and Israel, scarce four were known to be good. At last their Kings and all their Nobility being ruin'd and overcome, the Jews were carried Captive to Babylon. In process of time, God taking compassion of their Calamities, where they erected a king of Popular Government, living happi∣ly under the command of their Priest, and the chief Heads of their Tribes, until Aristobulus the Son of Hircanus took the Regal Diadem, and renewed the Kingdom of the Jews, with the murther of his Mo∣ther and Brothers: To him many Kings succeeded, till at length, under Archelaus an insolent and obscene Ty∣rant, the Kingdom was by the Romans reduc'd into a Province, and last of all wholly ruin'd and laid waste by Vespasian and Titus; the whole Nation being scat∣ter'd over the whole world from that time to this day in a continu'd servitude. All this I thought conve∣nient to repeat out of the Sacred Scripture, to the end I might make it apparent that at the beginning of the world there was no Nobility whose Original was not evil even among the people of God, and that Nobility is nothing else but the reward of publick Iniquity; and by how much the life of a man is most polluted,
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so much the more famous it shall be accompted; the fuller of wickedness, the greater his Glory and Recom∣pence. As Diomed the Pirate, when he was taken, wittily pleaded before Alexander, I, said he, because I rob but with one Ship, am accus'd for being a Pirate: Thou, because thou dost the same thing with a great Navy, are call'd an Emperour: If thou wert single and a Cap∣tive, thou wouldst be a Pirate; if I had an Army at my command, I should be esteem'd an Emperour: For as to the matter we differ not, unless it may not be disputed whether he be not the worst that takes with greatest vio∣lence, who deserts Justice most manifestly, and contemns and breaks the Law. For those whom I fly, thou pur∣suest: those whom I honour, thou contemnest. The hard∣•ness of my Fortune, and the narrowness of my Estate, makes me; thy intolerable Pride, and insatiable Ava∣•rice, makes thee a Thief. If my wilde Fortune would grow more tame, perhaps I might be better; but if thou wert more fortunate, thou wouldst be worse. Alexander admiring the constancy of the man, caus'd him to be •ifted in his Army, that he might lawfully fight and make War, that is, rob and steal. Now to proceed to the Histories of the Ethnicks, I shall from thence also •hew, that Nobility and Greatness is nothing but Im∣probity, Madness, Robbery, Rapine, Homicide, Luxu∣ry; the sport of Hunting and violence arising from principles of disorder, prosecuted more wicked, and always coming to a disastrous end; all which shall be made out from the four famous Monarchies, as also from the success of other more petty Kingdoms. The first Monarchy then after the Flood, was that of the Assyrians, the Founder whereof was Ninus, who first of all not content with the bounds of his own Em∣pire, resolv'd to extend his Dominions as far as he could, made cruel Wars upon his Neighbours, subdu∣•ng all the Eastern Nations, and increasing the vast∣ness
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of his Empire with new Acquests and successful Vi∣ctories. he brought all Asia & Pontus under his subjecti∣on. He also murther'd Zoroastes King of the Bactrians. Ninus had a Wife nam'd Semiramis; she begg'd of her Husband that she might rule onely five days; which being granted her, she took the Regal Ornaments, and seating her self in the Royal Throne, commanded the Guard to kill her Husband; who being slain, she suc∣ceeded him in the Empire, & not satisfi'd with the large extent of her Dominions, she conquer'd Ethiopia, and carried the War into India: she Wall'd Babylon with a most stately and magnificent Wall, and at length is kill'd by her Son Ninus the second, whom she had wic∣kedly conceiv'd, impiously expos'd, and incestuously known. Under these Murtherers the Assyrian Monar∣chy took its original of Grandeur, till extinguish'd by the death of Sardanapalus, a man more vicious and effeminate than any woman, whom Arbactus Prefect of Media slew in the midst of all his Concubines, and taking upon him the Kingdom, translated the Empire from the Assyrians to the Medes, which Cyrus afterwards translated to the Persians, among whom Cambyses his Son, founder of New Babylon, joyning and adding by conquest many Kingdoms to his own, began the second Monarchy, which he confirm'd to himself by the mur∣ther of his Brother and Son. This Empire declin'd under Narsus the Son of Ochus, who being slain by Bagoas the Eunuch, Darius succeeded him; and he being overthrown by Alexander, put a period to the Persian Monarchy, with his life; which the said Alexander, conscious with his adulterous Mother of his Fathers death, and indeed the contriver thereof translated again to the Macedonians. The fourth Monarchy was that of the Romans, the most powerful• and of largest extent: but should we repeat the suc∣cessions of Governments from the building of the
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City, we finde it founded upon most wicked begin∣nings, and maintain'd by as bad principles: Let us therefore observe who were the Founders of this great City. Rome was built by two Twins, Remus and Ro∣mulus, incestuously begot upon a Vestal Nun. Remus at the beginning of his Government was murthered by Romulus, a second Cain; who suffering himself to be call'd the Son of the Gods, having gather'd toge∣ther a Crew of detestable Villains, ravish'd the Daugh∣ters of the Sabines to get themselves Wives; and from them sprung the Off-spring of Roman Giants so for∣midable to all the world. After this, thirsting after the blood of his Father-in-Law, he slew Titus Tatius, a good Old man, and Captain of the Sabines; having drawn him into a League, and associated him into Part∣nership of the Kingdom. These were the Originals of the Roman Empire, which for two hundred forty three years was govern'd by cruel Kings, and ended under Tarquinius the Proud, exil'd for the Rape of Lucrece. And as the Posterity of Cain ended in the seventh Generation destroy'd by the Flood, so these Roman Successors in the Seventh King from Romulus, were driven out of the City by Popular Tumult. Howe∣ver, though the Romans threw off the Yoak of Kingship, yet they could not shake off the Yoke of Servitude. For the Kings being now thrown out, and the Govern∣ment translated into the hands of the Nobility, Brutus a Nobleman was the first Roman Consul chosen. He to establish the Foundations of intended Empire, not onely labour'd to equal Romulus, the first Founder of the City, in Murther, but also to outdo him; for he slew two of his own Sons, and two of his Wives Bro∣thers in the Market-place, after he had caus'd 'um to be publickly whip'd. After this the Government con∣tinued for many Ages, sometimes in the hands of the Nobility, sometimes of the Commonalty, under the
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power and command of sundry Magistrates and pet∣ty Tyrannies; at length under Julius Caesar, a man I cannot say whether stronger in War, or corrupter in Manners; and afterwards under Antonius, a man in∣slav'd to Lust and Luxury, wholly determin'd: After which the whole Command of the Roman Empire fell into the sole hands of Octavianus Augustus. In him began the fourth Monarchy of the World, but not without Murther: for though Augustus was accomp∣ted one of the mildest Princes in the world, yet he put to death a Son and a Daughter of his Uncle Cae∣sar, begot upon Cleopatra, though his Uncle had A∣dopted him, and left him his Heir by Will, not regar∣ding Name, Kindness, Affinity, nor Childhood. And now the Roman Emperours held the Monarchy of the world, among whom behold these Monsters of Cruelty and Impiety, Nero, Domitian, Caligula, Heliogabalus, Ga∣lienus, and others, under whom the whole world was oppress'd, till Constantine the Great having slain Max∣entius, for his Lust and Cruelty hated of the Roman people, was proclaim'd Emperour. He, because he re-edifi'd Byzantium, making her equal with Rome, or else as it were a new Rome, and commanded it to be call'd Constantinople, from his own name, seems to have translated the Roman Empire to the Greeks, and at Constantinople, as Romulus at Rome, assur'd it to himself by the murther of the two Licinii, the Husband and Son of his Sister, as also of his own Childe and Wife. Thus the Empire remain'd among the Greeks till the time of Charles the Great, under whom the name of the Empire onely was remov'd into Germany. And thus far for Monarchies. Let us make inquiry into the beginnings of some other Kingdoms, and we shall finde them founded upon no better principles, nor up∣held by less impiety, nor the occasions of their disso∣lutions less remarkable. I shall omit the Murthers
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of Dardanus, and by what devilish contrivances ha∣ving besotted the Greeks to be his impious accompli∣ces, he laid the Foundation of the Greek Monarchie. I omit the Governments obtain'd by the murthers of their Husbands, as the stories relate concerning the Amazonians. I come to later times, and the verges of our own memories. In Spain, in the time of Theo∣dosius the Emperour, Alarick the Goth was the first that raign'd, at which time the Vandals also possess'd a great part of the same Country. The first King of the Goths that obtain'd the Monarchy of Spain, was S•ytilla, which Roderick the King, because he had ravish'd Julia Daughter of the Prefect of the Province of Tingi∣tana, some while after lost to the Saracens or Moors, who after him possess'd Spain, till Pelagius having again recover'd some places, they were then call'd no more Kings of the Goths, but Kings of Spain, the Seat of the Empire being settled at Leon, until the raign of Ferdinando the Holy, who first call'd himself King of Castile, who having slain his Brother Garsias, by means of that parricide obtain'd the Kingdom of Navarre. Their Brother Romanus, whom their Father had be∣got upon a Concubine, being a warlike and fierce man, became the first King of Arragon. The first King of Portugal was Alphonsus the Son of Henry of Lorain and Terese the Bastard-daughter of Alphonsus King of Castile; A stout man at Arms, who slew five Princes or great Governours of the Saracens in one Battel; which was the reason that the Kings of Portugal carry five Shields for their Arms: yet was this Alphonsus curst and cruel to his Mother, whom because she mar∣ried a second time, he cast into perpetual imprison∣ment, nor could be mov'd to set her free by any per∣swasions, intreaties, prayers, or menaces of Ecclesi∣astical Censure. Thus all the Kingdoms of Spain have been obtain'd by unheard-of Villanies, and held
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by the same Arts. I omit the Kingdoms of the Bur∣gundians and Lombards, compos'd of the greatest and most famous people of Germany, and begun in Lom∣bardy by Alboynus, in Burgundy by Gondaicus, and in both places maintain'd and propagated by Murther and Bloodshed. Let us view the most Potent Kingdom of the Franks in Gallia, whose first Foundations were laid by Pharamond Son of Meroveus, who coming out of Germany into France, was made King of the Franks; excelling in nothing more than in Cruelty and Fierce∣ness: His Posterity remain'd till the time of Childe∣rick the Third, who for his sloth and libidinous wan∣tonness was depos'd from his Kingdom, and thrust into a Monastery. In his place was Pipin advanc'd, Steward of Childerick's House, who having got the Kingdom for himself and his Posterity by treason, establish'd his own Power by the Murther of Grifo his Brother. His Posterity continu'd to Lewis the Second, Son of Lotha∣rius, who for adulterating his Wife Blanch's bed, was poyson'd by her: at which time Hugh Capet laid vio∣lent hands upon the Scepter; a stout Warrier, and there highly esteem'd by the Parisians; but otherwise igno∣ble, as being the Son of a Butcher. He rebelling a∣gainst Charles the Uncle of Lewis, and right Heir of the Crown, scrapes together a loose Band of debauch'd fellows and Vagabonds, and having got the said Charles into his hands by treachery, thrust him into Prison, and there kept him till he di'd; and thus having most barbarously murther'd his King and Prince, he assum'd the Regal Diadem, changing a Kingdom into a Butch∣ers shop; whose Succession endures to this day. It would be too long and tedious in this place to enume∣rate the Originals of all Kingdoms, and discourse the Histories of all Antiquity. I have in another Volume writ more at large of what I have here but lightly touch'd, where I have painted out Nobility it self in
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its proper Colours and Lineaments; and I have shewed that there never was, nor is any Kingdom in the world, or famous Principality, the Foundations whereof were not built upon Particide, Treachery, Perfidious∣ness, Cruelty, Murther, Slaughter, and other most hor∣rid Crimes, the Arts and Utensils of Nobility, whereof when we see the Head, we may easily conjecture at the monstrosity of the rest of the Members; onely prompt and ready for the Execution of all manner of Vice, Violence, Rapine, Murther, Men-hunting, and Lust. Would any person become Noble, let him be a Huntsman, this is the first step to Preferment; or let him be a mercenary Souldier, and let himself out to commit Murther: This is the true Noble vertue, whereby he that shews himself the bravest and stoutest Thief, shall deserve the greatest Honour and Dignity. He that is a Fool or a Coward, let him buy Nobility with money; for Nobility is often expos'd at the Market: Or if he cannot do that, let him flatter Great men and Princes, Pimp for Noblemens Wives, prosti∣tute his own Wife and Daughter to the Kings plea∣sure, marry the Kings Cast-Mistrisses, or espouse his natural Daughters; and this is the highest Degree of Nobility, for then he becomes embodied to the Root. These are the High-ways, these are the Steps and Lad∣ders by which men most compendiously climb up to the top of Honour. Now they who would appear more magnificent and noble than others, boast themselves to be of the Race of those, which there is no body but would contemn, that is to say, Macedonians, Trojans, Va∣gabonds, Fugitives, and Exiles, infamous for thousands of Crimes and Misdemeanors: and yet forsooth we must magnifie & extol this Nobility, that had such nefa∣rious beginnings. Others deducing their Pedegrees from Whores and Concubines, cover their shame with some Fable, as we read in the Story of Melusina. There are
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others that have had other most wicked Originals, from Incest, Rapes, Fornications, and Adulteries. Thus Baldwin was made Earl of Flanders by Charles the Bald, who had ravish'd his Daughter. For the same rea∣son were those Marquesses of Piedmont, viz. Montfer∣rate, Saluces, Sena, and others, advanc'd by Otho the Emperour. For Kings and Emperours are wont, when they cannot for shame punish an Injury, to honour the Actors with some Title of Dignity. Moreover, there are •our principal Gifts in Noblemen, wherein consists their chief Vertue and Knowledge, if not their onely Happiness: Their first is Rapaciousness, whereby they are taught and instructed to Desire, Gain, and Possess, contrary to all Law and Equity. The second is Plea∣sure, which carries 'um headlong to all Voluptuous∣ness and Luxury. The third is Liberty, whereby, guarded with the powers of Violence, they presume in contempt of the Law, to act according to their pleasures. The fourth is Ambition, which swells 'um to seek advancement beyond their Merit, and to stop at no wickedness or villany while they are in the pur∣sute of vain Honour. Lastly, the compleatness of Nobility is discern'd in these things: if he be a good Hun•sman, if he be cunning in the wicked Arts of Gaming, if he be able to shew his great strength in Drinking, if the force and vigour of Nature become renown'd by his mighty Acts of Venery, if he be addicted to Pride, Luxury, and Intemperance, if he be an enemie of Vertue, or grow forgetful that he was born, and that he shall die. More noble yet, if these Impieties be but successive from Father to Son, and be inculcated into their Youth by great Authorities.
If the Old man be fortunate in Play,
'Tis fit the H•ir should thrive the self-same way.
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These are the signal Vertues of Noblemen. But there is another sort of Industry among the Nobility, where∣in they are most excellent above others, to make them∣selves to be accompted all this while honest and good, famous for Prudence, Liberality, Piety, and Justice; to which end they faign themselves courteous, fair-spoken, affable, making a conspicuous shew of all Vertue: They steep their Speeches in Oyl: they ban∣quet splendidly from house to house, talk freely of State-affairs, observe the opinions of other men, from whence they gather what is good, and ascribe to them∣selves the same of other mens wisdom and prudence: By their covetousness they get an opinion of Libera∣lity, while what they take from one, they give to ano∣ther; bountiful Thieves; and what the Ancients write concerning Sylla, by the injuries which they do to some, they enrich others, being themselves in the midst of all their Rapine. The opinion of Justice and Pie∣ty they procure, by undertaking the differences among poor people, and maintain their causes against the rich sort; but they no longer give assistance to the af∣flicted; but while they can empty the Coffers of the wealthy. For their intention is not to do good to the Poor, but to injure the Rich; which they can more easily do, than do good: And under this pretence of Justice and Piety, sometimes they arrogate to them∣selves the greatest License in the world, on purpose to use violence to Cities and great persons, glorying in their sins like the ancient Giants, and like evil Spirits seeking all occasions of mischief, and then thinking that they do most good, when they do no harm; so be∣having themselves, to be a terrour to all, to be belov'd by none; combining with the wicked and flagitious, oppressing and ruining all persons that put their confi∣dence in 'um. Of whom Aristophanes thus writes, saying, That it is not convenient for a City to breed
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and nourish Lions within it; but if they be of a milde temper, then we ought to be obedient to 'um. The Switzers, formerly oppressed by the tyranny of these Noblemen, slew them all, and extirpated their Race by that memorable slaughter of their Nobles, obtain∣ing a lasting name with the recovery of their liberty, wherein they have happily flourish'd for above four hundred years, the hatred of that sort of Nobility yet remaining among 'um.