A SERMON Preached at Paules Crosse on Barthelmew day being the 24. of August 1578. Wherin besides many other profitable matters meete for all Christians to follovv is at large prooued that it is the part of all those that are fathers householders and Scholemaisters to instruct all those vnder their gouernement in the vvord and knovvledge of the Lorde By IOHN STOCKVVOOD Scholemaister of Tunbridge Psalme 119. verse 104. By thy precepts I haue gotten vnderstanding therefore I hate all the vvayes of falsehood AT LONDON Imprinted by Henry Bynneman for George Byshop ¶ To the VVorshipfull the Maister the Wardens and Assistantes of the vvorshipfull Companye of Skinners in London IOHN STOCKVVOOD Scholemaister of their free Grammer Schole in Tunbridge wisheth prosperitie in this life and euerlasting felicitie through Christ our Sauioure in the lyfe to come BEeyng my selfe Right vvorshipfull earnestly requested of many that feare GOD and sundry of my friends being laboured by others of the godly to persuade vvith me for the publishing suche doctrine as it pleased God to giue me to vtter at Paules Crosse not long sithence I haue at length yeelded vnto their earnest sute not beeing ignorante hovve manye sharp censures vvill passe vpon this my doing nor yet vvhat diuers iudgements shall be giuē of this my trauell But hovvsoeuer mē iudge or thinke as touching my self I say vvith Paule I passe very little to be iudged of them or of mans iudgement no I iudge not mine ovvn selfe There is a God that iudgeth vvho knovveth my singlenesse in this behalf and that the only marke I shoote at in the putting it to print is his glory and the further profiting of hys Churche and greater edifying of his people for if it pleased him in greate mercie to graunte such successe vnto that vvhyche vvas then spoken by mouth vnto a fevv that they vvere therby instructed to amendmente of life I doubte not but of lyke goodnesse he vvill graunte that the making heereof by vvrighting common vnto manye as it vvill longer and more surely remaine settled in their memories so it vvil also vvorke more frutefully to their putting it in dayly vre and practise And as all the vertues vvhiche are heere sette dovvne to be in Cornelius are suche as ought of euery good Christiā to be follovved so the godly bringing vp of all his family in the feare of the Lorde being on our parts after his example faithfully performed the Lord vvil in like sort blesse this needefull trauell in vs as he did in him Wherfore I am humbly in Christes name to request all your Worships vvith the rest of Cornelius his vertues chiefly to bee carefull to practise this of trayning vp your children and families in the word knovvledge of the Lorde and so shall you haue them godly obediēt gentle trustie and faithfull like as othervvise you vvil find them vvicked vnruly stubborne pickers and stealers vntrue and vnfaithfull Novv concerning my purpose of offering this my simple labour and trauaile such as it is vnto youre vvorships fauourable acceptation there bee many causes and reasons mouing me therevnto but chiefely that this vvay I might leaue vnto the vvorlde a testimonie of a dutifull and thankefull mind for your good vvilles tovvards me in placing me Scholemaister of your free Schole of Tūbridge honorably foūded by that vvorthy Knight Sir Andrevve Iud sometime Lord Maior of youre famous Citie of London and vvorshipfullye and liberally to youre great costes and charges mainteyned against the bad attemptes of those that vvente about to haue made it their ovvn priuate possession vvhiche facte of him the honorable founder and you the vvorthye mainteyners defenders I trust the L. vvill vse as good examples to moue others to do the like for the training vp of youth in the feare of God vvhich dutie I beseech him to grant me faithfully to performe tovvardes youre Schollers vnder my charge to his glory your ioy and cōforte and the benefite of his Church in time to come and that finally according to his good pleasure he vvould long blesse and prosper youre Worships to the maintenance of all good learning godlines Fare you vvel From your free Schole at Tunbridge this .4 of Septem 1578. Your VVorships most humble in the Lord to be commaunded Iohn Stockwood ¶ An Admonition to the godly and gentle Reader THE earnest sute and often calling vpon of certain godly brethren most gentle and friendlye Reader hathe at the length won at my hāds the publishing of this Sermon in print concerning the which I am thus much briefly to admonish thee namely that albeit there be more here set down than in deede was vttered at the Crosse yet was the whole ment there to haue bin spokē had not time cut off so much of it as was hādled at another place in the afternoon Hauing therfore the testimonie of a good conscienc e that herein is nothing auouched which may not well by the word be warranted I haue thoughte good to set downe the whole and the rather for that bothe the seconde and thirde partes as well as the firste whiche onely was entreated at the Crosse containe profitable admonitiō for these our times at the whiche although the euill disposed may quarrell and the wicked being galled winche and kicke for I haue not learned to sowe soft pillows vnder their elbows to lull them asleepe in their sinne yet those that are wel giuen and godly minded may I doubt not learne many lessons whiche being putte in practise will tourne to their profite and amendment of liuing As for those that are offended if there be anye suche the cause is not in mee but in themselues whiche if they can see as I praye GOD hartily they maye I hope they wil be careful to reforme such things in themselues as they are here blamed for and their own consciences crieth out vnto them to bee amisse Nay there is no estate or condition of men no not of the verye beste and moste godly but that Cornelius may be a glasse vnto them in which they maye see moste clearely represented such vertues as oughte to bee in a true Christian the wante whereof as it is in a greate manye yea earneste professoures to bee founde so I praye GOD that after the diligent viewe of them in thys glasse howe comelye they are in a true Christian and howe well they doe beseeme a righte godlye man they maye with speede be carefull to expresse them in a godly life and holy conuersation Farewel and make thine earnest and harty prayers vnto GOD to blesse his Churche wyth a riche store of faithful teachers and a moste plentifull encrease of godly learned and diligent Ministers that may open vnto his people the true meaning and vnderstanding of hys holy and heauenly worde and that the people may liue there vnto accordingly for his Christes sake Thy poore brother in Christ IOHN STOCKVVOOD ¶ A Sermon preached at Paules Crosse the .24 of August
vaine shadowes of fathers times and customes but woulde measure the truth of religion by the square of the word which the Lorde if it be hys pleasure graunt them to do 2 Secondly we learne out of this place and by this example of Cornelius in receyuing of true religion not to tarrie vntill the chiefe rulers and Magistrates imbrace it but so soone as God reuealeth it vnto vs presently to take the occasion offered and to followe it otherwise if Cornelius had wayted vpon the Emperours receyuing it he might till this daye haue wallowed in his olde puddle of hethenishe superstition like as in manye cuntries at this time if the people should tarrie the leysure of theyr Princes they muste still remaine in the filth of Popish Idolatrie Those Neutres therefore that if there come an hundreth chaunges are still iumpe of the Princes religion are by this example manifestly confuted Yet hereof doth not followe that if the magistrate commaunde false religion that therefore the subiecte maye with force â—esist but rather offering his body to the pleasure of his Prince for the fréedome â—f his conscience saye with the Apostle Whether it be better to obey God or maÌ„ â—udge you 3 Thirdely in that the holy Ghoste sayth that Cornelius was a religious or deuoute manne is moste apparante that to bée godly and religious apperteyneth not onely to the ministers but also vnto those whome they call secular persons by which also is beaten downe their vaine distinction made betwéene them of the ministerie and the rest of the people the one of them to be termed the Spiritualtie and the other the Temporaltie the one the Cleargie and the other the Laytie whiche difference as it came first from Rome so I woulde to GOD that there it were againe The onlye good it hath done is this namely it hath made a greate manye and that of those principallye whyche are of greatest callings to thinke that it belongeth onlye to those of the ministerie to bée godlye to bée zealous to feare GOD to bée religious as for themselues they néede take no care nor kéepe of anye suche matter but rather wyth gréedynesse followe euerye one that whyche bestâ— liketh his corrupte affection But thyâ— example of Cornelius sayde to be a deuoute and religious man sufficientlye confuteth all those whiche so thinke and withall learneth euerye perticular person that hée muste bée carefull to serue GOD to feare him to worship him to pray vnto him and that religiously deuâ—â—tly and that it is not only the part of euery priuate man so to do but also concerneth as well the Magistrate for Cornelius was a Magistrate therfore hereby is also ouerthrowen the most wicked assertion of the vnpure Atheiste Machiauel who shameth not in most vngodly manner to teach that princes néed make no accounte of godlynesse and true religion but onely to make an outwarde shewe of it for that sayth he is ynough albeit in minde they abhorre it And that which is most horrible he affirmeth further that the religioÌ„ of christians casteth them down into too much humilitie abateth al courage and towardnesse and maketh theÌ„ fit to be wronged spoiled wheras the religion of the Gentiles maketh them â—o be of stout courage emboldneth them manly to atchiue great matters yet wyl he forsooth that Princes pretende religion the better to kepe their subiectes within the compasse of their dueties with the feare and reuerence thereof This poyson and a greate deale more suche filth blusheth not this malaperte and pelting Town-cleark of Florence to spew out teaching Princes not to make accountes of religion or godlynesse and yet must this vile beaste in many courtes of other nations be the only Court booke nay the Alcoram and God of Courtiers whose diuellish precepts they put in dayly vre learning to be godlesse The Lord graunte he take no place among oure courtiers and that they rather set before theÌ„ the examples of this our Cornelius of Dauid of Iosias of Ezechias suche like who were all magistrates and godly and religious magistrats and in the scripture highly commended for the same whose factes and déedes vnto godlinesse I humbly exhorte our nobilitie and gentlemen rather to followe than the decrées of thys deceyuer and the furies of this Excetra and venemous serpent vnto Atheisme and vngodlynesse Fourthly Cornelius being a publike Magistrate and openlye professing religion not waying the daunger that thereby might insue vnto him as the displeasure of the Emperoure the losse of his lyuing of hys gooddes and of hys life teacheth all men and amongst the reste noble men boldlye to professe and also expresse religion and godlynesse and not to stande aloofe for feare of displeasure and losse of their honour their roomes and theyr offices as a greate manye nowadayes doe where there is in déede no feare hauing so Godlye a Prince vnto whome nothing can bée more ioyfull than to heare that hyr nobilitye and commons are moste religious and Godly A greate manye in this cleare light of the Gospell in which euerye man vnder his owne vine and vnder hys owne figge trée as the Prophete speaketh maye boldely sitte and reason of the wordes and wayes of hys GOD are notwythstandyng so luke warme or rather in déede key cold that one can not tell what to make of theÌ„ They are very like the thing called SpoÌ„gia the whiche a man can hardely tell whether it haue any life at al sauing that when it is touched it draweth it selfe more closelye togyther and cleaueth a great deale faster to the thing it hangeth on so they all these twentie yeares in whiche the word hath béen preached are notwithstanding so close to themselues that you can not by anye meanes knowe their religion or what they professe nay if such as by their calling it lyeth vpon to trye them and therfore doubting of them wil go about to féele them to sée whether there be in them any life of the word and any knowlege of God méete for a christian then will they indéede play the righte Spongiaes cleane more hardly to theyr rocke of close professioÌ„ shrinking in their selues and wil not stick to say vnto you my religion Sir nay you must pardoÌ„ me therin I kepe that secrete froÌ„ my dearest friend none shal know my conscience but God my self But truely it were greatly to be wished that the Quéenes Maiestie would take order that these Spongiaes of what degrée soeuer they be may be pulled vp froÌ„ this stone of secrete and priuie profession and the rather for that it can not be chosen but that they which deale so closely towards God in this peace of the Gospel must néeds be as hollowe harted towards hir maiesty what soeuer they pretende to the contrarie But these are the warye children they wil beare theÌ„selues warily and wisely as they thinke for feare of a chaunge but the Lorde I trust in blessing hir maiestie with long continuance of reygne
ouer vs will disappoint them of their purpose as hytherto he hath done and cause that before they haue their chaunge they themselues shall first make a change of life with death by one meanes or other In the mean season the Lorde graunt hir fewe of these doubtfull Spongiaes and great store of CorneliaÌ„s such as do boldlye but yet truely religiouslye and deuoutely serue and feare the Lorde For in those doth consiste hir suâ—este safetie and those when so euer she shall haue néede shée shall finde hir trustiest friendes For those that truelye worship God and embrace his religion will no doubte most faithfully serue and obey hir But were it so with vs as it is with manye of our brethren in other Countryes that we coulde not serue GOD truely without the daunger of our liues yet Cornelius who was in the like daunger telleth vs what to doe and so doeth also Daniel wyth Sydrach Misach and Abednago of the whiche he chose rather to be caste into the Lyons denne than he woulde make prayer to anye other than the true God and they thoughte it better to be thrown into the hote burning ouen than to worship the golden image of Nabuchaâ—nezer For this saying of Christ shal staÌ„d to the ende of the world true He that is ashamed to acknowledge me before meÌ„ I wil bee also ashamed to acknowledge him before my father in the kingdome of heauen But the case is nothing so wyth vs as it was with Cornelius We maye professe religion in safetie he coulde not without daunger we enioy the worde in peace he with persecution we with the liking of oure Prince haue the libertie of our conscience he could not serue God without the displeasure of the Emperor we néede not to feare the losse of life nor goodes he stoode in great hazarde of them bothe and yet in this greate peace prosperitie quiet safetie and libertie we stand vpon such a nice and tender point of sauing honour estimation credite fauour loue and liking that rare is that man that will venter to open his mouth for the furtheraunce of the building of Gods Churche or speake for the preferring of good and godly causes wheras in our own causes if it be for a licence that may tend to oure owne commoditie or that may enrich our owne coffers albeit to the great hindraunce of many others Lorde how will we labour toile trauel go run ride speake sue and sue againe till we haue obtained it which argueth in vs great want of zeale for the glorie of God which he for his Christes sake stirre vppe and kindle in vs We are far vnlike the good Christian Capitaine Terenti who returning with a ioyfull victorie ouer his Princes enimies Valens the Emperour badde aske what benefite he woulde at his hande for his good seruice and he shoulde haue it who hauing before his eies the furtherance of Gods glorie rather thaÌ„ the séeking of his own profite requested that the Christians which had ventured their liues in Gods cause might haue a Churche erected to serue God in aparte from the Arrian Heretikes The Emperour being much moued at this request in greate anger tore his supplication in péeces and threw it on the grounde bidding him aske some other thing that might be for his preferment but he with a heauie countenance gathering vp the péeces of his supplicatioÌ„ aunswered I haue my rewarde I will aske nothing else This was indéede a right Cornelius a deuout maÌ„ one that feared god O that al Princes had store of such Terenties aboute them that did make greter estéem of Gods glorie thaÌ„ accompts of their own gaine and commoditie so shoulde true religion more freshly florishe than in manye places it doth the moste parte being busied about their owne profite whilest it being neglected falleth miserably to decaye and ruine the Lorde for his mercies sake amende it As you haue hitherto hearde of such vertues in Cornelius as did testifie hys inwarde sinceritie towardes God namely his religiousnesse and feare of God so hereafter I wil make plaine vnto you suche outwarde exercises of his as are sufficiet testimonies of his inward godlinesse amongest the which is firste hys godly bringing vp of all his familie béeing the fourth circumstaunce of my first generall point and is contained in these words He feared God with all his housholde whiche coulde not be small he béeyng a Magistrate and Capitayne of suche countenance as you haue heard and therefore his diligence and paines no doubte was excéedyng great which hée tooke in instructing suche a number in the feare and knowledge of the Lorde wherein the holy Ghoste witnessing that they all profyted it appeareth euidently that God did wonderfuly blesse his godlye endeuour and faythfull trauaile by whiche it came to passe that to his great ioy and comforte no doubt he had now a Church in his owne house as euery true worshipper of God in hys feare shoulde labour to haue Thus you sée that Cornelius thought if not inough to be godly himself vnlesse he had his housholde godlye to he was not content himselfe alone to serue God but woulde haue his familie also to doe the like he iudged it his duty as he himselfe was religious so to make holy vnto God all those which were his he would not his selfe alone walke in the wayes of the Lorde and suffer his seruants belonging to his charge to doe what they liste to runne as they say at randone to be at their owne libertie and to liue as strangers from God but would make them partakers of that knowledge whiche he himselfe had learned whiche as it was a matter of greate paine so was it also of no mall daunger the religion of the Iewes being then in a manner vniuersally hated and disdained yea and that whiche more is of the proude and scornefull Romaynes cruellye persecuted But Cornelius was not ignoraÌ„t that it was farre better to please God than men and that the ignorance of his familie shold be laid to his charge if through his negligence and slouthfulnesse to instruct them they ran into his ignorance Therefore not weighing the scorne nor persecution of meÌ„ he walketh vprightly in the dischardge of his duetie and faithfully and painefullye teacheth his whole familie to serue and feare the LORD and in the end reapeth the fruite of hys labours namelye the profiting of hys whole housholde in the true feare of the Lorde GOD bounteously blessing his godlye care and Christian trauell We be taught hereby that it is not ynoughe for euerye man to be deuoute and religious and to feare God himselfe vnlesse he also faithfully and diligently laboure to make all his housholde and familie godly and religious to which cannot bee done without muche paine and trauel in diligent instructing them in the word of the Lorde and in the principles of Christian religion whiche duetie as it oughte of all housholders without anye exception be performed so is it almost
committe these sinnes are worthy of death but those also which consent 〈◊〉 to them and I feare me that as many of vs before God shall be founde to consent vnto sinnes as do not punish them if it lye in vs in those that vnder our charge commit them Wherefore as the Lorde hath layde vpon vs euery one for the moste part two persons the one of our general calling to be Christians and the other of that peculiar function that euerye one is appointed vnto so let vs beloued for the Lorde his sake be carefull to discharge them both with a good conscience let vs not do the one and forslow the other let vs not thinke it sufficient to haue led the life of a godly christian and to leaue vndone the perfourmaunce of those duetyes whych in respect of our seuerall callings the Lord loketh for and requireth at our handes for example let not the father thinke himselfe discharged that he himselfe hath liued a Godly man vnlesse hée also haue liued a godlye father that is haue brought vp his children in the instruction and information of the Lorde The householder muste not thinke hys duetie aunswered if for his part he haue walked in the wayes of the Lord vnlesse â—e consider that besides a Christian man â—e is also an householder and a christian householder ought to be whyche also hée â—hall be if he laboure earnestly that hys familie maye serue and feare the Lorde The magistrate must not suppose hymselfe to haue done ynough if priuately concerning himself he haue liued religiously and in the feare of God vnlesse he haue spared no paine nor diligence to bring his subiectes to be godly and religious also The like I say of all callings whatsoeuer and in this respect am moste humblie and reuerentlye in the feare of God to request you right honourable my Lord Maior of this worthy Citie of LoÌ„don wyth the Worshipful Maister Sherifes and Aldermen as the Lord besides the generall callings of Christians the whiche I truste and also hartlye praye that you Godly walke in hath layde vpon you the persons of publike magistrates that you will kepe in your seueral wards a carefull and diligente watche to méete with all suche abuses as highly offende God and are directly againste hir maiestyes lawes amongst the rest these filthy Whordome and beastly Drunkennesse outragious and vnmeasurable Dicing and Carding and horrible prophanation of the LORDE his daye in flocking and thronging to baudie Playes by thousandes whereas they ought to bée occupyed in hearing the worde of the lord For as for Whordome it is coÌ„mon DrunkeÌ„nesse is no deynties in euerye Tauerne Dicing and Cardyng in most of your ordinarie tabling places resorting to Playes in the time of SermoÌ„s a thing too manifest For the other as I haue them by reporte so I wishe them false if they be true I desire to haue them punished with seueritie then shall you shew your selues religious zealous Cornelians in lyuing not onely godlye your selues but also in séeking to bryng others belonging to your charge to be honest vertuous and godlye likewise Thus doing the LORDE wil blesse wyth manye blessings both you and your Citye whyche for Christe hys sake I beséeche him to doe The same sute I am to make vnto all others in authoritye and wythall to tell them that the higher their calling is the higher shal their place bée and greater paynes in Hell if in thys behalfe they omitte theyr duetie For the myghtye men shall suffer mightie tormentes and hée that knoweth hys Maysters will and doeth it not shall be beaten wyth many stripes But bycause I am thus farre entred into thys large and fruitefull fielde of childrens education household gouernment of fathers and householders generally neglected whilest where they should dayly and continuallye teache their children and families out of the worde of the Lorde to feare hym manye of them daylye and nightly are occupyed in Dicing Carding and gaming and yet must néedes be counted Protestants giue me leaue I beséech you a little to directe my speach vnto those whom in respect of their office it chiefly concerneth to bring vp youth I meane schoolemaisters for among all the diseases that these our days and times are grieuouslye sicke withall there is none wherewith they are eyther more generally or more daungerously infected thaÌ„ with this that the most part of scholemasters like as fathers and house-holders thinke it no parte of their duety to meddle with instructing their schollers and pupilles in the worde of the Lorde principles of christian religion Wheras without the feare of the Lorde there is no wisedome neyther is it possible for youth to go well forwarde in vertue and good manners things as necessarie as learning whiche without these is but a ring of gold in a swines snoute if they bée not trained vp in the knowledge of the word For most true is that in déede golden saying of the Psalmist Wherewithall shal a yong maÌ„ redresse his way in taking heed thereto according to thy worde Hearken hearken all you that be Scholemaisters there is no other meanes to haue your youth to profite in vertue and godlynesse but by taking héede to the worde of the Lorde And what parent is he that setteth hys sonne to schoole but that hée woulde haue him as well godly as learned as well a vertuous childe as a towarde scholler as well instructed vnto saluation as furthered in prophane learning For if there be any that haue other endes in putting their children to schole these being contemned your schooles wer better to be without them than combred wyth them From whence come the generall complaintes of the vngraciousnesse and vnhappinesse of schollers but from this that you neuer teache them theyr dueties out of the booke of the Lorde Some of you thinke ouer muche gentlenesse to be the way and others continual and tyrannicall scourgyng and whyppyng to be the way whereas in déed you are both sortes far and wide out of the waye For the one with too much leuitie encourageth theÌ„ to a leud licenciousnesse and loosenesse of maners the others thinking by cruell and butcherly beatyng to wynne reformation ingender in them such a mislike and lothyng of learning that they abhorre with as deadly hatred the schoole house as we doe those things whiche are moste lothsome and noysome vnto vs I like wel of gentlenesse if it be such as by it manners be not corrupted spilled and on the other side I allowe of reasonable correction so as it be vsed as the laste remedie that is when no other wyll serue But the first the best and the chiefest way is to begin with teaching your youth the feare of the Lorde For that is as Salomon sayth the beginning of Wisdome But you feare peraduenture that it shoulde be to little profite to speake vnto children of religion I heare you and thinke of that you saye as a cloake to hyde your faulte
and couer for your slouthfulnesse rather than a true cause to staye this duetie He that hathe sayd suffer little children to come vnto me and forbidde them not for vnto such belongeth the kingdome of heauen wyl no doubte blesse your labours taken in hande in his feare Beginne therefore at length and trye you shal I warrant you to your comfort sée your youth profite in vertue and godlinesse I would haue you that setting aside all care of religion in your schollers to make it your only profession to reade them prophane Authors shewe me the example but of one person whome eyther Tullie his Offices or Aristotle his Ethickes or Plato his Preâ—eptes of maners euer yet made a godâ—y and a vertuous man I am not against â—he teaching of prophaâ—e writers I â—nowe they haue their vse But I vtterâ—ye misslike youre preposterous backewarde and euerthwarte care in labouâ—ing chiefely about these ommitting that whiche shoulde be formoste namelye inâ—truction out of the worde Take heede â—hat in respecte ye worthily runne not inâ—o the reprehension that oure sauioure Christe vseth towardes the Scribes and Pharises for touching Minte and Annis â—nd Comyn and leauing the weightye â—atters of the lawe as iudgement merâ—e and fidelitie that is for taking much â—aines about trifles and dealing slenderâ—â— and sleightly in matters of greate imâ—â—rtaunce Let the name of God and of his Christe be hearde often in youre scholes let it be familiar vnto your schollers by continuall beating it into theyr heades What though it enter in but softly the water by often dropping pierceth into the harde stone by much heating the strong yron is made softe by often putting into the fire the toughest stéele is made pliant And yet in this comparison the case is far otherwise for we are but the planters and waterers God is he only that giueth the increase Wherfore this duetie of instructing being especiallye commaunded being laboured in wyth reuerence of his holy name and maiestye he wil vndoubtedly blesse and further it Nowe is the time that you may do good forslewe it not Whilest your schollers be yong you maye frame them as you will. The softe waxe will receyue any print whereas the harde will take none yong sciences will be bowed whiche waye you wyl haue them whereas the groweâ— trées wyll rather breake than bende Loke what licoure a vessell is seasoneâ— wythall when it is newe it will kepâ— a smacke thereof when it is olde And teache a childe while he is young what wayes he shall walke and he will not forgette it when hee commeth vnto yeares This thing doe the Papistes of our time full well vnderstande And therfore haue their picked scholemaisters priuately to nousel vp their children in their houses in the Popes religion that they may tast and smel therof when theyr parentes be dead and rotten And great pittie it is that the Quéenes enimies should be permitted such libertie For by thys meanes are many towarde gentlemen otherwise vtterly marred spoiled Howe I pray you falleth it out the you haue at thys day in this lande many yong gentlemen not aboue 24. yeres olde at the most that are more obstinate and stubborne Papistes than their fathers they wyll â—ome at no Church at no Sermons wheÌ„â—s their parents will do both And if at aâ—y time there be processe out for them â—rom hir maiesties high CoÌ„missioners â—hey finde one meanes or other to haue â—ackling of it and then forsooth they must in poste ouer into Fraunce to learne the language wheras in déed their voyage is not so much to learne the French tong as to withdrawe themselues from punishement of law and there at liberty to heare wheÌ„ they please a Latin Masse And for my parte I wishe that al the Papistes in Englande without they repent togither with al the rest of hir Maiesties enimies were in Fraunce or some other place of bannishmente without hope euer to returne againe and so should our countrey be in more quiet and safetie But of thys that I haue sayd it euidently appeareth that wheras in respect of their yeares being not past .24 they were at the beginning of the princes reigne capable of no religioÌ„ and now be stiffe necked Papists it can not be chosen but they must haue it by the education of Popishe scholemaisters or Popishe parentes or both togyther And no maruell For we haue in manye Gentlemens houses and also in the houses of others in the countrey of hygher callyng the swéepings of the Vniuersities I meane suche rotteâ— Papistes as by the broome of godly discipline as vnprofitable duste haue bin swéeped out thence are entertayned in the Countrey in priuate houses to teach their children And there they be as safe as the Foxe in his borow For who dare be so bolde as once to enquire wherein they instruct their schollers besides this there are huddled togyther olde Popyshe persecuting Masse Priestes in some houses foure in some thrée in some two in some one and they forsooth vnder pretence of seruing in seuerall offices as some stewardes some Caters and so forth peruerte whole famylies For can it possibly be otherwise that themselues Papistes and vnder Papistes hauing the gouernement of youth as men chosen for the purpose shoulde teach any other than Papistrie I would to God we coulde learne by the example of the Turke to vse one pollicie in a good cause which he practiseth in a bad The maner of the Turke is to take froÌ„ such Christians as are vnder his tiranny their childreÌ„ so soon as they come to yeres of discréetion and to put them wher they may be taught his Mahumetish religion that afterwardes they maye the more faithfullye serue him So I say doe I wish that the children of our Papistes so soone as they be capable of lerning might be taken from them they notwythstanding paying for their educatioÌ„ and be coÌ„mitted vnto the gouernement of godlye teachers that woulde learne them the feare of the Lord or if their education be permitted to be in the houses of theyr parentes that order may be taken that none haue the teaching of them but such as be well knowen to be zealous in religion for these Papistes how soeuer they outwardly pretende loue they do indéede kyll how soeuer they woulde séeme to cherish they do in déed corrupt and spill They resemble very fitly the herbe Colocynthis whiche a man might iudge by the outwarde appearaunce of it in clasping with hys strings of his roote other herbes that grow next vnto him that he would sucker them but indéede as many as he toucheth they neuer prosper So for al the world fareth it with those whiche come within the embracings of Popishe Scholemaisters thoughe they make a faire shewe of doing them good yet doe they indéede infecte them that they will be the worse for it as long as they liue Wherefore I earnestlye praye the honorable and worshipful of hir Maiesties highe commission to cause