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…

yet were the multitudes of the rebels never so huge and great, the captains never so noble, politic, and witty, the pretences feigned to be never so good and holy, yet the speedy overthrow of all rebels, of what number, state, or condition so ever they were, or what colour or cause soever they pretended, is, and ever hath ben such, that God thereby doth show that he alloweth neither the dignity of any person, nor the multitude of any people, nor the weight of any cause, as sufficient for the which the subjects may move rebellion against their princes. Turn over and read the histories of all nations, look over the Chronicles of our own country, call to mind so many rebellions of old time., and some yet fresh in memory, ye shall not find that God ever prospered any rebellion against their natural and lawful prince, but contrariwise that the rebels were overthrown and slain, and such as were ⟨p. 590⟩taken prisoners dreadfully executed. Consider the great & noble families of Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, and other Lords, whose names ye shall read in our Chronicles, now clean extinguished and gone, & seek out the causes of the decay, you shall find that not lack of issue & heirs male, hath so much wrought that decay, and waste of noble bloods and houses, as hath rebellion. And for so much as the redress of the common wealth hath of old ben the usual feigned pretence of rebels, and religion now of late beginneth to be a colour of rebellion: let all godly and discreet subjects consider well of both, and first concerning religion. If peaceable king Solomon was judged of God to be more meet to build his Temple (whereby the ordering of religion is meant) then his father king David, though otherwise a most godly king, for that David was a great warier, and had shed much blood, though it were in his wars against the enemies of God:

yet were the multitudes of the rebels neuer so huge and great, the captaines neuer so noble, politike, and wittie, the pretences faigned to be neuer so good and holye, yet the speedie ouerthrowe of all rebelles, of what number, state, or condition so euer they were, or what colour or cause soeuer they pretended, is, and euer hath ben suche, that God thereby doth shewe that he alloweth neyther the dignitie of anye person, nor the multitude of anye people, nor the waight of any cause, as sufficient for the whiche the subiectes may moue rebellion agaynste their princes. Turne ouer and reade the histories of all nations, looke ouer the Chronicles of our owne countrey, call to mynde so manye rebellions of olde tyme., and some yet freshe in memorie, ye shall not fynde that God euer prospered anye rebellion agaynst their naturall and lawefull prince, but contrarywyse that the rebelles were ouerthrowen and slayne, and such as were