King Solomons Solace, Title page – Dedication
SCHELOMONOCHAM, OR King SOLOMON his Solace. Containing (among many thinges of right worthy requeſt) King Solomon his Politie, his true Repentance, and finally his Salvation,
Firſt Preſented to the Kinges moſt excellent Maiestie, and afterward publiſhed.
1 King. 10.6.
It was a true word which I heard in mine owne Land of thy ſayinges, and of thy wiſedome.
Eccleſi. 12.10.
The Preacher was yet more wiſe, and taught the people knowledge.
LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Windet 1606.
THE Price and eſtimation OF Solomons Solace.
He that commeth to buy, will peradventure, ſay to him which would ſell it: It is naught: It is naught. Howbeit when he hath bought it, and brought it home, then he boaſteth of his good peny-worth as Pro. 20.14.
foreign.
foreign
foreign
foreign
foreign
foreign
foreign
foreign
foreign
HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE
DIEV ET MON DROIT
foreign
foreign
Salva Deo Regis ſit magno vita IACOBI,
Ʋt ſervet charos divino iure Britannos.
Vincenti Maximo De Rege noſtro Sereniſſimo, eiuſque pro genie clariſſima poema foreign.
A A great red Dragon, with 7. heads & 10. hornd power,
D: Deſign'd of late a ſoveraign Queene quite to deuour:
I Intending eke, that Son to ſtrike, for whom ſhe gron'd
A Affright whereat, to her good God, ſhe timely mon'd.
C Conſpecting then Iehovah this his handmaides greefe
O Omitted not with readie hand, to grant reliefe.
B But firſt, her ſweet Soule he convaighd (as ſeem'd him beſt)
V VntoUnto his princely pallace there in peace to reſt.
M: Moreover, then he Michael with army ſtout,
M Maugre the foe, ſent forth in field, & caſt him out.
A And ſo, that when the tragedie ſhould be effected,
G God it withſtood, & thoſe complots in time detected.
N Now ſith the Dragon ſaw his purpoſe thus prevented,
A And quaild himſelfe, he might have coucht & ſo repē ted.
E: Expecting pardon: but no leſſe he erſt reviv'd,
B Bruite ſtratagems, and quaint deſignes by him cōtriv'd
R Recounting, that loud lowing Buls might pierce deep lorne
I In roiall Lyons heart, and princely Vnicorne
T That ſo, the ſeede right ſoveraigne (amongſt the reſt)
A And all the flowers of this field ſhould bee ſuppreſt:
N Not by the lore of ſacred lawes, or iuſtice right:
N Nor with the dinte of valiant ſword, or open fight
I In manly wiſe: but ſavadgely, with ſtygian flame
A And helliſh hounds, attempted how to forge the ſame
E Enlarging ſo his beaſtly bent, God him there ſtaid,
R Reſtraining him vntounto the ſnare, himſelfe had laide:
E Eſtabliſhing for aie, the ſcepters dignitie
G Giuen rightfully to Iames and his poſteritie.
E Enrich therfore with peace power worſhip & renown
M Moſt mighty God, his grace, his progeny and crown.
foreign.
TO THE MOST MIGHtie moſt gracious and moſt Chriſtian Prince IAMES, by the divine Grace, King of great Brittaine, France and Ireland defendour of the faith &c.
Moſt mightie and moſt gratious Soveraigne Lorde
IT is certaine, that neither King Solomon ſo paſſing wiſe and famous, nor anie his wordes recorded in Canonicall Scripture, ſo prudent, pithie and full of pietie, need the helpe of humane hand, much leſſe of my poore penne, for the defence of th'one or the authoritie of th'other, having ſo long ſithence (by the beſt iudgement) purchaſed that credit and approbation, which neither the ſerpents envy, nor mās malignity hath or ſhalbe able to anihilate or empeach. Howbeit, ſeing that ſome foreign partly of malice, partly of ignorance, bluſh not to obiect & except againſt either, condemning the one, as profane and damned, and contemning th'other as polluted and perilous. Wherat many remaine ſuſpenſive of both, & others (with my ſelfe) woful for both, as that ſo ſoveraigne a tree ſhould be blaſted & her wholſome fruit reiected: I thought it good, and my dutie, aſwell for the ſtopping of thoſe mouthes, as for the better reſolution of the doubtfull, the ſolace of the penſive, the inſtruction of the ignorant, the honour of the worthie and the glory of the Almighty, to advēture the framing of this Apologetical Dialogue or conferēce, entituled Schelomonocham, or K. Solomons ſolace, and the ſame vnderunder the divine feare and your Graces pardon, to dedicate to your ſacred Maieſtie. Howbeit, this my raſh enterpriſe (moſt gracious Soveraigne) firſt in attemting a worke ſo waightie: then in addreſſing it to a perſonage ſo mightie, convinceth me (in ſome cenſures) of audacious arrogancie: when being farre poorer then Gedeon, & much ſlower tongued then Moſes without compariſon, I ſhould with the former have acknowledged my great impotence, and with the latter have diſtruſted my ſmall eloquence, but with neither of them both have preſumed on your Maieſticall preſence. At the leaſt I ſhould have followed that counſaile of Aeſope to Solon approaching before Craeſus King of Lydia to ſpeak foreign. Thoſe conceites (indeede) might have daunted mee, had I not found ſtrong reaſons to perſwade mee. For firſt beeing a Miniſter of Gods truth (which as I reverence: I ſhoulde alſo defend to my power) and hearing thoſe and other like obloquies divulged not onelyonly in common conferences, but in publike Sermones, I ſhould with them have conſented, and ſo ſinned had I longer pawzed, expecting from others the miraculous birth of thoſe great bellied Mountaines. Secondly, having accompliſhed the worke, and perpending (as the vſuall manner is) to whoſe worthineſſe it ſhould of right be commended, I remembred that ſaying of King Alexander when a little before his death, beeing asked, to whome the Empire ſhould remaine after him? hee anſwered: foreign To the worthieſt: yea I gladly recorded that ready reſolution of our late right Chriſtian Queene of bleſſed memorie, concerning the ſucceſſe of this moſt famous Monarchie; which ſhe ſaid ſhould in right deſcend and come to King Iames then of Scotland; her naturall and lawfull ſucceſſour, and the moſt worthie. Wherein I alſo reſolved and preſumed, knowing well that as your princely power is beſt able to protect: ſo your royall perſon is moſt meete to enioy King Solomons Solace: for that (not only after the philoſophers) rule, and your Kingly adviſe in that learned,Ariſt lib. Mor. 8. Plato. de Leg. 8. godly and ſententious foreign but after the Axiomes of divinity, foreign as is the perſon, ſo ſhould be the preſent: the Argument ſo properly fits the ſame, having for the principall ſubiect, that moſt wiſe, moſt divine, moſt maieſticall, and moſt famous King Solomon the ſonne of King David, the ſame whome Iehovah his God had both promiſed, nominated and appointed to the kingdome of Iſrael before that he was conceived and borne, made moſt prudent, royall and glorious in his throne, and ſet foorth in all thinges as a meete figure of the true Melchiſedek, and Melchiſalem, many yeeres ere hee came into this worlde. Neither might this prerogative bee well tranſferred to any other (in regarde of the ſubiect) without ſome iniurie to your highnes, diſgrace to the thing, and blame to my ſelfe. Thirdly, as I was very willing in this ſort to manifeſt the acknowledgement of my deepeſt debt; namely dutifull love and true alleageance, to your high Soveraignety: ſo was I no leſſe encouraged, when I conſidered that I ſhould preſent my ſelfe & theſe my labours, not before an Egyptian Pharao, as did Moſes, nor before a Lydian Craeſus, as did Solon but (which I vtter with a moſt ioyfull heart) before the Lords annointed, a right Chriſtian King, who with King David (a man after Gods own heart) vouchſaveth ſweet audience to the prophet Nathan, though he ſpeak without a parable for the preferment of yong Solomon, and for Iſraels cōmon good, who al ſo with K. Iehoſophat is deſirous to know the wil of God, thogh by the ſimple miniſtery of poore Micheas, & finally which with K. Solomon is contented to heare in his own royall perſon, the pleading of 2. women, though of baſe cōdition. But now becauſe that godly modeſtie (though in the habite of princely magnanimitie) admits not in preſence any ſpeeches diſplaying ſuch your apparant worthineſſe, I lay my hand on my mouth yeelding many thinges to vnwilling ſilence, the which nevertheleſſe, the moſt loving affections of all your true-hearted ſubiects cannot but acknowledge, & willingly proclaime. For we are truly perſwaded, that as Iehovah graced Noah the righteous with many perfections, wonderfully bleſſed David his annointed with an excellent ſpirite and adorned K. Solomon with manifold graces, as wherby (changed into other men) the firſt was miraculouſly preſerved in the great deluge, which drowned the olde world, that he might be made the happy originall of the new: the ſecond powerfully reſcued from the Lyon, the Beare & the hurtfull ſworde, that he might feede the Lords people and Iacob his inheritance: the 3. beautified & bleſſed with an admirable peace that he might build the L. houſe, keep the Lords watch, & do equitie & righteouſnes in the midſt of his people: ſo hath your high excellēcie found & enioyed the like frō the L. that being protected & preſerved by his holy Angels and eſtabliſhed on the Throne of your kingdome, ye are with that provident Ianus who behelde all thinges foreign made worthy the original of a new & proſperous peace, with the ſweet Pſalmiſt, ordained a feeder of the L. inheritance after the diſcretion of your hands; & with that lovely Laemuel, appointed a builder of that holy houſe, a keeper of the watch, and the Executioner of righteouſneſſe and iudgement in the middeſt of your people. And as this is the end of your advancement the Glory of your Throne, the peace of your kingdome, and the ioy of your people: ſo in the ſame, ſhall yee truely confirme the love of GOD to your ſelfe, declare your thankefulneſſe to his Almightines, perform the duty of a moſt Chriſtian Governour, aſſure your good Subiects of your vnfained amitie, embrace their love, retaine their loialty, and publikely expreſſe your right Princely Pietie, for the honour of God, the comfort of his Church, the ioy of your people, the peace of your heart, the ſafetie of your place, the praiſe of your vertue, and the ſalvation of your ſoule: for this is that which (as ſaith the Apoſtle) hath all the promiſes both of this life, and of the life to come. All the which therefore, we dayly deſire of God in our heartie praiers to be confirmed, encreaſed, eſtabliſhed and continued in your ſacred Maieſtie, with the abundance of bleſſings ſo long as the Sunne and the Moone endureth. Thus farre therfore have I adventured on your high perſon and preſence! Moreover, ſeeing your Maieſtie is not wont to blame your obſequious ſervant for profering the ſtay of your ſtirrop, although ye are well able and willing to mount your faire Palfray without any his help, I hope that yee will not much blame mee, if in this happie acceſſe to your royal preſence (after th'example of wiſe Zorobabel ſpeaking before King Darius and the three Princes of Perſia (according to my bounden dutie) I onelyonly remember you of that promiſe and vow made to the King of heaven in the day of your Coronation, concerning the building of Ieruſalem, and the reparation of the Temple. It is well knowne that our late deceaſed Nourſemother, ſo well learned and approved in all princely pietie, did not only repaire and garniſh the Lordes houſe, which before her time lay ruinous and defaced (as King Hezekiah and other ancient benefactors had don in their daies) but having a right good opinion of the faithfull Paſtours and painefull Miniſters of the worde, as ſometimes the noble Sunemitiſh Ladie had of Eliſha the man of God, ſhee was wonderfull careful that they ſhoulde be enhabled to live of the Goſpell, which they preached in their due honour, and therefore ſhee builte (or at the leaſt repaired and appointed) not onelyonly one little Chamber, but many large houſes for them to turne into, compaſſed with ſtrong walles to bee ſecured in, and furniſhed with beddes to reſt on, Tables to eate on, ſtooles to ſit on and Candleſtickes to put light on, with all other meete proviſion and furniture for their ſtudies, functions and fare: the which alſo had happily continued without great breaches vntill the day of her death,foreign. Plat. lib. 1. Ariſtoph. apud Suid. had not ſome (more expert in Simonides Songes, then in Davids Pſalmes) deceived her truſt. But as devouring time decayeth houſes moſt ſtrongly built, and both eſtates in all ages, by occaſions, wax blunt: ſo the Lordes houſe which ſhoulde firſt be reſpected, and thoſe Chambers in the next place which ſhould not bee neglected, were ſo empaired, that as the former needed the regard of the right owner to ſupport it: ſo the latter the wiſdom of the cunning Artificer to edge it. Now, for that the higheſt Power hath not onelyonly appointed your royall Maieſtie next himſelf foreign the principall overſeer and chiefe Artificer of this great worke: But alſo hath already moved your ſanctified minde to conſider ſo religiouſly of the ſame: wee cannot but acknowledge this divine and gracious benefit, with thankefulnes to his high Maieſtie, and a faithfull hope in holy invocation, that your Maieſtie may not onelyonly continue zealous and regardfull of that howſe, but alſo vouchſafe, that thoſe chambers may from time to time bee truely ſurvaighed, kept and repaired with the preſervation of their priſtine and laudable rightes (according to the purporte of your mind of pietie therein well declared) not for Gehezi the Seller, nor for Simon the Buyer, nor for the vnworthie hireling: But for Eliſha that holy man of GOD that ſo the glorie of the LORDE may fill this houſe,2. Chro. 7.1.3. and that the people may bow downe their faces and praiſe the God of Iſrael.
* Finally, for aſmuch as with the regarde of the former, the true foreign and man of merciemercy forgets not the Poore,Neh. 5. Iſa. 57. Act. 4.35. Gen. 1.8. let not my LORD bee angry if after Abrahams example (pleading before the Iudge of all the worlde) I ſpeake yet this once, ſupplicating for the Poore, firſt for the Poore neglected: Secondly for the Poore oppreſſed. Among the former it may pleaſe your highneſſe with Eliſha's hearte to thinke on the honeſt Widowes, the fatherleſſe Sonnes,1. King. 41.2. and virgine daughters of the deceaſed poore Paſtours, who in their life time applying their functions and ſtudies in Divinitie, might not ſo conveniently provide for their owne families, as other men accuſtome to doe: that thereby, the firſt of them by ſome chriſtian contribution may be relieved, the ſecond in Schooles of learning preferred: and the third for meete Mariages endowed: the which in every part may eaſily by your Princely providence bee timely compaſſed. Among the latter, thoſe your poore Subiects may be conſidered, who are iniuriouſly beaten by them which make your publike authority in their handes a ſtaffe of private revenge: that thoſe poore may yet freely plead for themſelves with meete audience (eſpecially then when the caſe toucheth their life, their landes, their gooddes, or good names that ſo King Solomons complaint Eccleſ. 4.1. may not iuſtly be renued: but in regard of your Kingly piety, ſo well approved in thinges paſt, apparant in the preſent, and hoped for in the future (as a right imitator of the King of Glory) King Davids ſweete Song may be dayly modulated: Hee delivereth the Poore, when hee crieth: the needy alſo, and him that hath no helper. Pſal. 72.12. Theſe thinges beeing remembred, the King of merciemercy ſhall reſpect and thinke on your Noble Grace in goodnes.
Thus, moſt humbly acknowledging mine owne audacious attempt, I here proſtrate my ſelfe with my labours at your highnes feete, imploring and craving your moſt gratious pardon and princely protection, that, for my ſelfe this, for my preſent: that in regarde of my faithfull good meaning and dutifull alleageance, this, for the honour of the Subiect ſo worthie eſtimate: and both this, and that of your heroicall Spirite and godly good nature. And I dayly pray vntounto the Almightie in the name of his holy Meſſiah, by the ſweet influence of his Spirite, bountifully to bleſſe, gratiouſly to preſerue, powerfully to defend, and mercifully to maintaine your royall maieſtie, together with your moſt lovely (our Soveraigne Lady) Queene Anna, the moſt noble Prince Henry of excellent hope, and all your moſt Honourable Progenie, to liue, raigne, floriſh, and proſper in the feare of the Higheſt, and in the higheſt felicitie for ever more. Amen.
Your Maieſties right humble and faithfull Subiect in all obedience. IOHN CARPENTER, Miniſter of Gods Word.