A pleasant new nosegay full of many godly and sweet flowers, lately gatheredA pleasaunt newe nosegaye full of many godly and swete floures, lately gathered

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.