PHIL. By tribute I understand all payments that are due to the civil magistrates,1 as tenths, fifteens, rents, tasks, subsidies, customs. &c. All these are we bound by Gods commandment to pay without any tumult or grudging, & that not without a cause.2 For seeing that y• high powers take so great pains for to defend us & to keep all that we have in safeguard against the violence of our enemies, again to maintain virtue & to expulse vice, which thing can not be brought to pass without prudent, wise & learned governors, it is expedient that we, which receive these commodities of them, do minister again unto them freely, abundantly, and liberally, what soever they require of us for y• preservation of y• public weal ⟨image 77⟩and maintenance of their dignity. Neither can we deny them this except we will transgress God's precept and fall into the danger of damnation, and show that we be most extreme enemies to our selves.3 For Christ willing to give us an example of this thing, paid tribute him self, and commanded other so to do, saying: Pay that which is due to Cesar unto Cesar, understanding by the name of Cesar every magistrate and temporal power generally.
And that the kings grace may lawfully without any scruple or grudge of conscience take such charges of us as I rehearsed before, and that we ought not once to mutter against his graces pleasure & will in this behalf, it is manifest by these words,4 which god spake unto Samuel: This shall be the law or right of y• king, saith he, that shall reign ⟨image 78⟩over you. Your sons shall he take for his chariots & for horsemen to run before his Chariots, and to be rulers & Captains, to be plough men to till his land, & to be reapers in his harvest, & to make his harness, & such things as belong to his Chariots As for your daughters, he shall take them to be Apothecaries Cooks & Bakers. Your best land & vineyards, and oil gardens shall he take, & give unto his servants. Of your seeds also & vineyards shall he take the tithes, & give unto his Chamberlains & servants. And your servants & your maids & your best young men, & your Asses shall he take, & do his business with all. Of your flocks shall he take the tithes, & ye shall be his servants.
PHIL. By tribute I vnderstand all paymentes that are due to the ciuile magistrates,1 as tenthes, fyftenes, rētes, taskes, subsidies, customes. &c. All these are we bounde by Gods commaundement to paye without ony tumulte or grudgynge, & that not wythout a cause.2 For seynge that y• hygh powers take so great paynes for to defēde vs & to kepe al that we haue in safegarde agaynst the violence of our enemies, agen to mayntayn vertu & to expulse vice, which thynge can not be brought to passe without prudēt, wyse & learned gouernours, it is expedient that we, whiche receaue these cōmodities of them, do minister agayne vnto thē freely, aboundantly, and liberally, what soeuer they require of vs for y• preseruacion of y• publique weale ⟨image 77⟩and mayntenaunce of theyr dignite. Neyther can we denye thē thys excepte we wyl transgresse Goddes precepte and fall into the daunger of damnacion, and shew that we be moost extreme enemies to oure selues.3 For Christe wyllynge to gyue vs an example of this thyng, payd tribute hym selfe, and commaūded other so to do, sayenge: Paye that whiche is due to Cesar vnto Cesar, vnderstandynge by the name of Cesar euery magistrate and temporal power generally.
And that the kynges grace may lawefully withoute onye scruple or grudge of cōscience take such charges of vs as I rehearsed before, and that we oughte not once to mutter agaynst his graces pleasure & wyll ī this behalf, it is manifest by these wordes,4 which god spake vnto Samuell: This shall be ye lawe or right of y• kyng, sayth he, that shall reigne ⟨image 78⟩ouer you. Your sonnes shall he take for his charettes & for horsemen to ronne before his Charettes, and to be rulers & Captaynes, to be plowe men to tyll his londe, & to be repers in his haruest, & to make hys harnesse, & such thynges as belong to hys Charettes As for your doughters, he shal take them to be Apoticaries Cookes & Bakers. Your best londe & vyneyardes, and oylegardēs shall he take, & gyue vnto his seruaūtes. Of youre seedes also & vineyardes shal he take the tythes, & gyue vnto his Chamberlaynes & seruauntes. And your seruauntes & your maydes & your best yonge men, & youre Asses shall he take, & do his busines wt all. Of your flockes shall he take the tythes, & ye shal be his seruauntes.
- 1What is meant by this word tribute.What is ment by this worde tribute.
- 2Note why we ought to pay tributeNote why we ought to paye tribute
- 3Math. xvii. Math. xxii.
- 4i. Reg. viii.
