Treatise of the Plague, Title page – Dedication
A shorte learned and pithie Treatize of the Plague, wherin are handled these two questions: The one, whether the Plague bee infectious, or no: The other, whether and howe farre it may of Christians bee shunned by going aside. A discourse very necessary for this our tyme, and country; to satisfie the doubtful consciences of a great number:
Written in Latin by the famous & worthy diuine Theodore Beza Vezelian; and newly turned into English, by Iohn Stockwood, Schoolemaister of Tunbridge.
Jmprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vine-tree by Thomas Dawson, for George Bishop. 1580.
To the right honorable and his very good Lorde Syr Henry Sidney Knight of the moste noble order of the garter, one of the Queenes most honorable priuie Councel, Lorde President of Wales and marchies of the same.
PErusing this shorte and learned treatise of Master Beza (right honourable and my very good Lorde) I thought with my selfe, that I could not be better occupied, then at such times as I had leysure from my other businesse, concerning my publike function, too turne it in too our mother tongue, that it might bee common to those that vnderstande no Latin, for the satisfying of their consciences, which in this argument either hang doubtfull not knowing what too aunswere, or else being led with false persuasions do runne into further inconuenience by casting themselues intoo further perill, then may bee warranted by the worde: or else by sinning both against God and man, in breaking the bandes of christian louelove and charitie. For, concerning the Plague, there are two sortes of men that are of twoo sundry opinions, the one cleane contrary vntoo the other, and both of them starke nought, and greatly to be blamed and reprehended. The one sort vtterly without all exception, affirmeth it too bee vnlawefull by going aside to shunne the Plague, withdrawing themselues and theirs from the danger of infection, and therfore for the maintenance of their wrong opinion do holde that the Plague is not infectious: And the other of to much fearefulnesse and weaknesse, teache it to bee altogether without exception vnlawefull too tarry in those places where the sicknes reigneth; affirming that those which so do, are greatly to bee founde fault withal, as such as by their tarrying, do plainely tempt and prouoke God, being as guilty of their owne deaths, as those that beeing in an house set on fire ouer their heads, had rather tarry still and bee burned, then by going out, too escape the danger and liue. With the one or the other of these persuasions the moste parte of the people are infected, so that they either wilfully cast themselues and theirs intoo present danger, bringing greate hurt and dammage vntoo the common wealth and church of God, many tymes depryuing them of woorthy personages, which might hauehave beene profitable instrumentes in them both: or else vnmercifully and cruelly eueryevery man shifting for himselfe, leaue the rest that are visited without all helpe and comfort, the Magistrat going frō his subiects, the husband flying from his wyfe, the father departing from his children, the Maister not looking vntoo his seruauntes, with many such like vncurteouse and vnchristian dealings, which are so farre of frō beeing meanes to escape the Plague, that cōtrariwyse they doo iustly prouoke God to send the Plague amongst vsus, for the breach of the bandes of christian dutie, louelove, and amitie, which God woulde hauehave vsus most streightly too obserue. And a woonderfull and straunge thing it is, too see howe with all speede and expedition wee packe away at eueryevery small rumour of this bodily infection both high and low in a manner, whereas wee are in no feare at all of receiuing intoo oure soules the spiritual Plague and Pestilence, the infection whereof wee dayly drinke in by keeping company and ioyning friendshippe with the wicked and vngodly, and such as are enimies both vntounto GOD and his trueth, whose societie and felloweship wee ought by all meanes too auoide and shunne: the which because wee doo not, no meruaile if the contagion growe so farre vppon vsus, that wee doo not onelyonly bring our selues, but also others, by our example, into the daunger of euerlasting destruction, the due and iuste reward of sinne, vnlesse GOD in mercy preuent vsus with his grace, that in tyme wee withdrawe our feete out of the snare, and returne vntoo a more neere watch ouer our selues in refrayning too bee partakers with the woorkers of iniquitie, whose familiaritie cannot choose but to bee hurtful and noysome vntoo vsus. But because wee doo more easily see those things which are harmefull too the body, then wee can perceiue those thinges which infect the soule: therefore the Lorde is too bee prayed vntoo, too open the eyes of our vnderstanding, that wee may as well discerne the perilles likely that way to insue vntoo our soules, as this way too oure bodies: and then I doubt not, but wee shal bee so much the more careful for the welfare of our soules before the health and safetie of our bodies, as the punishement prepared for our soules dooth in greatenesse exceede the payne that by sicknesse may happen too our bodies. But too returne againe vntounto the sicknes of the Plague in the time of god his visitation, with the which, some of too much feare and distrust sinne in forslewing of duety, and other some of desperate boldenesse and foolehardinesse offende as much in going beyonde the boundes of duety: in which respect may followe twoo wayes greate inconuenience as hath beene before shewed. In this short treatise are godly and learnedly confuted both the reasons of the one side and of the other, and withall set downe a golden meane which eueryevery one hauing regarde too his place and calling, may without the breache eyther of godlynesse and charitie, safely fololwe, so that hee flye not when hee ought to tarry, neither yet tarry, when as hee ought to flye. Wherefore dayly experience afording too plētifull & lamētable examples of the offending of the greater part in one of these twoo waies before mentioned, at such tymes as God striketh with this rod, I hope it may easely appeare vntoo those that are not wilfully blinded, that as that woorthy and famous instrument in the church of God Theodor Beza hath well deserued of the simpler sorte of the godly that wanted instruction in this behalfe: so likewise the Englishing of the same cannot choose but bee beneficial for the satisfying of no smal number of our countrymen, which in these pointes here debated, remaine yet vnpersuaded. Which small treatise, in the respect of my labour and trauel, indeed but a tryfle, yet in regarde of the Autor, and learned handling in shorte plainnesse the matter not at all vnwoorthy of your H. reading, I hauehave aduentured to set abrode vnderunder your honorable name and protection, to remaine vntounto posterity as an assured tokē of dutiful remēbrance of many your good lordships most honorable courtesies both extended and also dayly continued towardes mee your poore Countryman, euer since these nowe eight yeeres past I was first brought intoo your Honorable knowledge and acquaintance by that both godly and learned M. D. Buckley, who vnfainedly and humbly reuerenceth you in the Lorde in regarde of the louelove vntoo Christian Religion, and the professors of the same with many other commendable vertues beseeming an heroicall personage and godly Magistrate, which too the prayse of GOD, and comforte of his people is manifeste too dwel in you. And albeeit the smalnesse of the discourse might woorthely discourage mee from presuming too present the same vntoo your L: Yet the vehement and longing desire that I hauehave to auoide the suspicion of vnthankefulnesse, a vice most odious both before GOD and man, and heerewithal the setled and grounded persuasion which I hauehave conceaued of your honorable courtesie and clemencie, not disdayning with the Persian King too take in good worth a little water offered him in the handes of a poore man that was not able too bid him drinke in a better vessel, hath bidden mee not at all too doubte of your gentle accepting this little gift, not in regard of any woorthinesse of the same, but in consideration of your honorable nature, which more esteemeth of the vnfeined and dutifull good wil of the giuer, then of the valewe and price of the gift. So praying God by the effectual working of his holy spirit to direct al the actions of your L. too the glory of his name, and benefite of his Churche, I commende your good L. in my dayly prayers vntoo his Fatherly and mercifull protection both now and for euer. From Tunbridge this 2. of Marche.
Your Lordships in al humilitie and duetiful obedience, Iohn Stockwood Schoolemaister of Tunbridge.