The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

What shall subjects do then? shall they obey valiant, stout, wise, and good Princes, and contemn, disobey, and rebel against children being their Princes, or against undiscrete and evil governors: GOD forbid. For first what a perilous thing were it to commit unto the subjects the judgement which Prince is wise and godly, and his government good, and which is otherwise: as though the foot must judge of the head: an enterprise very heinous, and must needs breed rebellion. For who else be they that are most inclined to rebellion, but such haughty spirits? From whom springeth such foul ruin of Realms? Is not rebellion the greatest of all mischiefs? And who are most ready to the greatest mischiefs, but the worst men? Rebels therefore the worst of all subjects are most ready to rebellion, as being the worst of all vices, and furthest from the duty of a good subject: as on the contrary part, the best subjects are most firm and constant in obedience, as in the special and peculiar virtue of good subjects. What an unworthy matter were it then to make the naughtiest subjects, and most inclined to rebellion and all evil, judges over their princes, over their government, and over their counsellors, to determine which of them be good or tolerable, and which be evil, and so intolerable that they must needs be removed by rebels, being ever ready as the naughtiest subjects, soonest to rebel against the best ⟨p. 553⟩Princes, specially if they be young in age, women in sex, or gentle and courteous in government, as trusting by their wicked boldness, easily to overthrow their weakness and gentleness, or at the least so to fear the minds of such princes that they may have impunity of their mischievous doings. But whereas in deed a rebel is worse then the worst Prince, and rebellion worse then the worst government of the worst prince that hitherto hath ben: both are rebels unmeet ministers, and rebellion an unfit and unwholesome medicine to reform any small lacks in a prince, or to cure any little griefs in government, such lewd remedies being far worse then any other maladies and disorders that can be in the body of a common wealth.

What shall subiectes do then? shall they obeye valiaunt, stout, wyse, and good Princes, and contempne, disobey, and rebel agaynst chyldren beyng theyr Princes, or agaynst vndiscrete and euill gouernours: GOD forbid. For fyrst what a perilous thing were it to commit vnto the subiectes the iudgement whiche Prince is wyse and godly, and his gouernmēt good, and which is otherwyfe: as though the foote must iudge of the head: an enterprise very haynous, and must needes breede rebellion. For who els be they that are moste enclined to rebellion, but suche hautie spirites? From whom springeth suche foule ruine of Realmes? Is not rebellion the greatest of all mischeefes? And who are most redye to the greatest mischeefes, but the worste men? Rebelles therefore the worst of all subiectes are most redye to rebellion, as beyng the worst of all vices, and furthest from the duetie of a good subiect: as on the contrary part, the best subiectes are moste firme and constant in obedience, as in the speciall and peculier vertue of good subiects. What an vnworthy matter were it then to make the naughtiest subiectes, and moste enclined to rebellion and all euill, iudges ouer their princes, ouer their gouernment, and ouer their counsellers, to determine whiche of them be good or tollerable, and whiche be euyll, and so intollerable that they must needes be remoued by rebels, beyng euer redy as the naughtiest subiectes, soonest to rebell agaynst the best