"By what meanes came you to the records of these thyngs which you have sett down to have been done in that tyme?"[7]
Then follows an Epistle to the reader, vindicating the book from intending any attack on the present times; thus,
"Gentle Reader, thy frendly acceptance of these loose labors, the accompt of my idle howres, from exercises of greater profit and use, hath moved me, before I proceede any further, to overlooke and overlicke them once againe, as the beare is said to doe her unformed whelpes, and thereby both in portion and proportion to amend the same. I have purposely passed over many imputations, and some secrete sences, which the deepe searchers of our time have rather framed then found: partly upon the science of myne owne conscience, and partly seeing no reason wherefore they should be more applied to this booke then to the originall authors out of which it hath bene gathered, onely one offence I thought meete to meete with, and that is, concerning the rehearsall of certaine oppressions both unusuall and intollerable, and to no profitable purpose and end; which I heare to be hardly thought of and taken, not in regard of any moderate judgment, which may easily perceive how full it lyeth in the plaine path of the history, but for feare of some quarrellous conceites, which may interpret it to be meant of an other tyme (although nothing like) then that whereof it was reported; which in one degree of melancholy further, would imagine the very belles to sound whatsoever hammereth within their heads. For my part I am of opinion, that no imposition at any time have bene either hurtfull to a prince or hatefull to the people, except two qualities do concurre: first, that it be excessive,—secondly, that it be wildly and wastfully expended: for if the one fayle, it never seemeth greevous; if the other, not odious. But if it be both moderate and also necessary; or great, joyned with greatnesse and importancy of neede: it standeth neither with reason nor with religion, for any subject to repine against it. For the prince is a person of authority and trust, to imploy the goods of the people, for their common good, either in maintayning order among themselves, or in repelling the enterprises of their enemies: neyther can they possibly be preserved by the prince, if they withdraw theire owne endeavour and supply. And this the ancient wise men have endeavoured by a fable to make familiare; that all the parts of the body were once offended against the stomacke, for that they saw themselves vexed with perpetuall travayle and toyle, and the stomacke onely, not onely to be idle, but to consume all that they could provide. Hereupon they conspired together, that the hand should no more worke, nor the feete walke, nor the eye looke about, nor the mouth receyve, prepare, and send downe foode: so the stomacke not receyving nourishment, could not impart the same againe to every part of the body: whereby, first they languished and (being neere at the point to perish) at the last perceyved, that both their labour to get, and their liberality to geve, in appearance was for the stomacke, but in deede for themselves. This tale hath bene verified by many truthes, whereof I will rehearse one, and so not exceede the measure of an Epistle. When the Turke came against the city of Constantinople, the Emperour was not able to wage so many souldiers as might stand single upon the walles. Whereupon he often assembled the wealthy citizens, and sometymes went in person to their houses, leaving nothing undone or unsayd which might be of force to stirre in them either piety or pitty, both for the preservation of their country and frends, and for theire owne particuler safeties: but the miserable monymongers, being as loath to take benefit of their gold as if it had not bene their owne, buried it under the ground, and denyed that they were able to make contribution. So either for want or weakenes of resistance, the Turkes soone became masters of the city: who in their first fury set all the streetes on streame with bloud, and afterwards, covetousnes succeeding cruelty, they left no closet nor corner unransacked and unrifled, wherein missing their expected pray, they ripped the bellies and searched the bowels of their wretched captives: lastly they turned up the foundations of many thousand buildings, and there found such infinite masses of mony, as did strike them rather into a maze then into a merveylle, how so rich a city could possibly be taken. I would not wish the like mischance to our like dull and heavy conceyted repyners, which neyther see nor seeke any other thing but only the stuffing of their owne bags, because it cannot happen unto them without a greater and further mischiefe: but I could wish that they might be fitted as once were the Siracusans, upon whom when Dyonisius had imposed a contribution, they murmured and complayned, and denyed that they were able to beare that burthen; whereupon he encreased the imposition and they likewise their complaints, but Dyonisius ceased not to levy it upon them, untill he perceyved them eyther content by being reduced to their duety, or quiete by being drawne drye."[8]
The folowing is the confession of Dr. Hayward, made July the 11th, 1600.
11th July, 1600, at the Courte.
The confession of Doctor Heyward before the Lord Keper, the Lord Admirall, Mr. Secretary, and Mr. Chauncelor of the Eschequer.
"1. He confessed that the stories mencioned in the Archbishop's oration, tendinge to prove that deposers of kings and princes have had good successe, were not taken out of any other cronicle, but inserted by himselfe, but said that after in the history the Bishop of Carlile confuteth the same, but for the confutation the Bishop was committed to the Marshalsea, and the whole parlement concluded against the Bishop's opinion; and in troth in 1. H. 4. the Bishop of Carlile was attainted of treason.
"2. He confessed he had red of a Benevolence in the tyme of Richard 3. and not before, and yet that he inserted the same in the raigne of Richard 2.
"3. He said that as he toke it, the substaunce of the consultation for reducing the Irishe rebell, he had out of William of Malmesbury.
"4. He affirmed that presently after the booke was printed, Woolfe the printer thereof caried the same to the Erle of Essex, and about a moneth after the epistle was taken out.