Reims Against Rome, Title page – Dedication
RHEMES AGAINST ROME: Or, THE REMOOVING OF THE GAGG OF THE NEW Goſpell, and rightly placing it in the mouthes of the ROMISTS, by the RHEMISTS; in their Engliſh Tranſlation of the Scriptures.
Which Counter-Gagg is heere fitted by the induſtrious hand of RICHARD BERNARD, Rector of Batcomb, in the County of Sommerſet.
AT LONDON, Imprinted by Felix Kingſton, for Ed. Blackmore, and are to be ſold at his ſhop at the great South doore of Pauls. 1626.
TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL, AND WORTHILY HONOVRED, SIR RALPH HOPTON, Knight of the BATH, encreaſe of all true happineſſe, euen to that Glory which neuer fadeth.
Right worthy Sir,
I Reade, that in ancient times among the Romanes, thoſe were adorned with the dignity of Knighthood, which had with valorous mindes exerciſed themſelues in the warres, men of courage, and of life honeſt. Theſe ſo qualified, were much honoured, and had many priuiledges granted them by the *Vt fusè docet Claud. Coteraeus. de Priuilegijs, & iure Militum.Ciuill Lawe; their deſerts meriting ſuch an eſteeme and their worth reward due for the ſame. Now, in a Chriſtian Knight what can be more excellent, then by a vertuous life to worſhip the true God, and out of a valorous Spirit to expoſe himſelfe vntounto imminent dangers for his Countries honour and ſafety?
Your dignity you hauehave obtained in the ſeruice of your Soueraigne, to the perill of your perſon, and to your large expences, in maintayning your choice company of Followers, in their diſtreſſes. For this your bounty hauehave I heard them praiſe you worthily, and pray for you heartily. Sure I am, you went out with a reſolute band, and more then ſo, with a Companie, by meanes of good inſtruction, well ordering themſelues. Your glorie ſtandeth not in the iſſue of the deſignement, being ſo warrantable, and honorable; howbeit it lay not in your power to make it proſperous: but in your noble reſolution, wherein you may receiue comfort, *Nam Conſcientia rectae voluntatis max ima conſolatio eſt rerum incommodarum. Cic. Fam. 6. ep. 4.and ſo much the more, hauing ſuch impediments, as might ſeeme able to countermand you otherwiſe to reſolue: as the gray haires of that wiſe Lady, your aged Grandmother, laying it to heart; your louelove of that worthie Lady, your ſecond ſelfe, ſo tenderly affectionated towards you; your ſo high eſteeme and reuerence to your naturall and deare Father, ſo well beloued of his Countrey deſeruedly: whoſe very life, I may ſay, (as Iudah ſpake to Ioſeph, of his Father Jacob, concerning Beniamins returne;) was bound vp in your life, being his only Sonne, the hopefull Heire of ſo great an eſtate.
This threefold cord ſo ſtrongly tying you, beſides the infolded louing twiſts of Vncles and Siſters, could not poſſibly hauehave bin vnlooſed, if Generoſity of Spirit had not bin predominate, and your obliged faithfulneſſe to that euerlaſtingly-renowned name of an afflicted Princeſſe, bin of that commanding power to hauehave preſſed you forward.
As at your departure, for your ſo praiſeworthy reſolution, I did my beſt ſeruice, according to my calling: and as at your returne, I could not neglect my dutie: ſo now hauing ſo good an occaſion againe to expreſſe my truly honoring of you, I deſire you to accept this, as a Memoriall thereof for the time to come. For, though I know my ſelfe by profeſſion to be a Preacher of Peace, yet, indeed, as I euer hauehave, ſo ſtill I cannot but magnifie a valiant mind, and a Martially Spirited Gentleman, eſpecially, if the ſame be accompanied with true piety, the Crown of Knighthood. Of which ſo qualified, the Lord, the God of hoaſts, increaſe the number, in theſe dayes of warlicke imployments. And thus, in all dutifull reſpect, I for this preſent humbly take leaue.
Your Worſhips, to be commanded in Chriſt, RIC. BERNARD. Batcombe, May. 22. 1626.