A07402:4
A civil nosegayA ciuile nosgay
A civil nosegay wherein is contained not only the office and duty of all magistrates and judges but also of of [sic] all subjects with a preface concerning the liberty of justice in this our time newly collected and gathered out of latin and so translated in to the English tongue by I.G.A ciuile nosgay wherin is contayned not onelye the offyce and dewty of all magestrates and iudges but also of of [sic] all subiectes with a preface concernynge the lyberty of iustice in this our tyme newly collected and gethered out of latyn and so translated in to the Inglyshe tonge by I.G.
printed for John goodale, 1550printed for Ihon goodale, 1550
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The preface.
COn•iderynge how in these our days GOD hath wrought, and daily worketh such wonderful & blessed things, as by many many years before, the like hath not been seen, nor hard of, goadeth and pricketh me to rejoice and say with that divine phylosopher Plato. Tunc beatus et felix cencendus est totus orbis terrarum cum sapientes efficuntur reges, aut reges efficuntur sapientes. Every man he saith ought then to Judge and think all the world to be blessed and happy when wise men be made Kings, rulers, and governors, or Kings, rulers, and governors, be made wise. The Philosopher, Euripides saith that by the company of wise men Princes be made wise. The root of wisdom is to fear god, and the branches thereof be of long life. No doubt a wise heart, and that hath understanding will abstain from ill deeds, and in works of Justice his ⟨image 2⟩purpose shall prosper, was it not a wonderful act, the great thraldom the intolerable charges and the miserable servitude and bondage that we be exonerated and delivered of, from the babylonicall strumpet, whereby the freedom and liberty of God's word so long sepulted and hidden from us to now come to light. And yet wonderful was that most valiant and victorious succumbing of Frenchmen at Boulogne, and the winning of the same immaculate & maiden town, with sundry overthrows of the Scots. But most wonderful thing of all is the restitution out of bondage to liberty of so rare so mighty so blessed & Beautiful a person, of all people so long optatyd, wished and looked for, whose outward keepers and watchmen this many many years hath ben, Mars, of the inward chamber lune, & of the very privy chamber, Sol, Although the free & benign hart and stomach of the said most gracious personage ⟨image 3⟩was always indifferent to rich and poor yet without great oblation and sacrifice made and done to the said keepers, no man could obtain any benefit, who knoweth not? how that Amorous persons Justice hath this many years been detained, kept, and locked from the people? who could enter in at the street gates (where she was) so fortely barred with iron and shut up with strong locks without reward or bribe / who might come near to the great chamber, unless the custos of the door did feel a portion of silver.