hie That nothing in the worlde be founde of any maiestie But he possesse and conquere it and therefore doth he wright Himselfe as heyre apparent to the Empire here of right Whereto he hath perswaded Kinges and men of eche degrée Which wonderfull aboue the rest appéereth vnto mée But all men with the name of God he rules and threatens heare And with the same so stops their mouthes that none dare hisse for feare Against that shamelesse wicked face ne bragges he thus alone But vseth his vsurped powre deliuerde him of none He maketh Kinges and giues the crowne to such as serue him best Whereby he gets him trustie men still ready at his hest Who if they waxe vnruly ones or happen to rebell He plucks them from their kingdome straite casts them downe to hell With dreadfull lightning ouerwhelmde and doth discharge anone Their subiectes from alegeance due absoluing euery one If that they attempt with weapon to defende their realme and right Then mooues he other Kings in haste and Princes for to fight And forth he sendes his proper bande and all his force withall So that although the Prince be strong he cannot match them all If leauing warres they list to striue with writing openlye And to commit their cause and right vnto some councell hye In vaine it is no councell sittes without his owne consent Nor may giue sentence otherwise than after his intent And thus poore Prince no remedie but yéelde he must at last And aske forgiuenesse for his faultes and his offences past Most humbly bowing downe his knées or falling on his face And kissing though against his will his féete for hope of grace The stories tell that once there was an Emprour great of might Whose necke was stampt and trode vpon by this deformed spright And vsde with most dispitefull wordes whereby may plaine appere What powre the Pope doth chalenge ouer Kings and nations here That of the Church of Christ he is not head nor Lorde alone But of the vniuersall worlde and subiect vnto none Wherefore such Kings as wisedome haue doe heare and nothing say And dare not moue their lippes against the man that beares such sway But are content to holde their peace and iudge their hap most sweete If once they may attayne to come to kisse his holy féete Ne woulde they doe this same to him that sittes in Turkish feate Nor to the mightiest Prince on earth though he were neuer so greate And better were it sure by much a thousande times to dye Then that such shame shoulde thus redownde vnto such Princes hye But as the Lorde of heauen and earth this same to him they do And whatsoeuer he commaundes they straight are readie to If that he will them warres to make than Armour out of hande They weare and Cities strong they sacke or spoyle some welthy lande They pill and powle and quite deface the faire and plesaunt realmes They waste they ransack distaine eche place with blouddy streames If that he bid them take the life or cast in dreadfull flame The learnde vnlearnd the Lord the meane they straight fulfill the same Ne thinke it lawfull for to spare their parentes in this case Nor kinsemen nere they burne and kill whereas it likes his grace Although they know no cause thereof nor haue not wayde it right Yea though they know that it be naught and onely came of spight Yet his commaundments must be done for thus the father will And doth commaunde that euery lay man be contented still With whatsoeuer he appoyntes not asking how nor whye In things that touch the Church of Rome but let the sentence lye Besides the Courts of euery Prince to him must subiect bée If any happen to mislike that they may francke and frée Appeale vnto the Court of Rome A wonderous powre and might In things that long to God and man to giue a iudgement right But be not thou herein deceyude for this as all the rest Doth smell of gaine which how he gettes he taketh for the best So many things of Kings and Dukes and commons doth he gaine They fréely graunting since for that he giues the heauenly raigne Faire Countries Castles Dukedomes States famous cities large For blessed lyfe he doth receyue as things of little charge For Bishops often vse the ayde of Kings in trifles small But Kings Dukes haue néede of Popes to saue their soules withall What cannot lewde perswasion doe with cloake of godlinesse And more he hath decréede that such as doe his lawes transgresse That all the rest his enimies be who cannot with this porte Both Kings and Emprours ouerthrow much more the poorer sorte Who would not feare the anger of so great and blacke a traine Therefore doe Kings full warely flye and wisely eke refraine From speaking euill of his grace whatsoeuer hath bene donne And farre from such a God and from his lightnings fast they runne Thus in the meane time lyues he safe and frée from euery man Since none he knowes may be his mate nor none aboue him than Nor any that dare with him striue or stoute against him stande He enters league with Princes and with kinges of euery lande With Cities and with people great that liue at libertie And able are to decke the fieldes with lustie cheualrie In fine both wise and ware he is in euery kinde of case If all be still and blessed peace doe reigne in euery place Then straite he stirres and moueth warres and helps the stronger side And will be sure to gaine a fléece whosoeuer lose beside Thus séeking his commoditie with losse of others bloode Sometime himselfe to battell goeth with fonde and frantike moode His Gotish bearde long hanging downe in shirte of mayle arayde Safe shrowded in his Corselet close all gilt and ouerlayde Thus glistering all in armour braue with spoyle and pillage rife He closeth stately townes with trenche and threatneth losse of life Vnto his foes with cannon shot he battereth downe a pace The loftie walles or lying long doth cause them sue for grace And yelde for feare of famine vp their townes and goods withall Then puttes he whome he list to sworde for wordes and trespasse small And so to Rome returneth straite his triumph with him ledde Lo thus vpon the earth doth liue our chiefe and soueraigne hedde Canst thou declare a worthier wight or more excelling grace Then bring him forth peruse the time and searche in euery place Hence sendes he downe his power into the smokie pitte of hell With charmes and solemne ceremonies and dayes agréeing well Where though he cannot cléerely lose the damned soules from chaynes Ne quench the furious firye flames nor ceasse the raging paynes Nor breake the swift still turning whéeles nor kill the dreadfull snakes Yet with his voyce their torments all and gréeues more light he makes So that the wretched soules haue ease whilst certayne howres last Ne burnes the fire nor gnawes
powre and euerlasting dignitée Who doth regarde the déedes and actes that here on earth are done And suffers nothing in the worlde at random here to runne But holdes the helme of all himselfe and sterne doth onely guide Though diuers Ministers he hath for euery thing beside He well shall also vnderstande the great affection deare That God doth alwayes beare to man who made his subiectes heare Both birdes and beastes and skalie fishe that in the seas doe swim And gaue him from the skies a minde that most resembled him Nor left him when he wickedly vpon the â—â—ende did waight But threatning Sathan and his traine to mercie tooke him straight Moreouer he shall learne from whence the spring of death and sinne And wretched ignorance of truth did in the worlde beginne And what great force of ours remaynes to deale in vertuous déedes And whence the safe assured hope of righteousnesse procéedes And whence remission of our sinnes Besides he plaine shall sée Examples store of Gods great wrath for such as wicked bée And eke againe the mercy great of God omnipotent Towards them that vertuous are and such as earnestly repent There plainely also shall he sée what things the law doth tell How it condemneth euery man and driueth downe to hell That sinne deserueth dreadfull death and eke the certaine way To please the euerlasting Lorde and him for to obay Moreouer that there are good sprites and aungels faire aboue Sent out from God for mans defence and for their great behoue As vnto them the wicked sprites are deadly enimies There shall he learne that soule of man with bodie neuer dies Nor that the bodie euermore shall kepe the stinking graue But sound and safe at th' ende of the worlde their olde estate shall haue And come to euerlasting life where of the Iudge seuere The fearefull sentence shall they sée and righteous iudgement here There shall the wicked sort receyue theyr iust deserued hire Cast downe into the smokie pitte of dreadfull flaming fire The good exalted to the ioyes of heauen shining bright Shall sée the face of God and liue in passing great delight And more he well shall vnderstande that will of God aboue What honor here he best estéemes and what he most doth loue What orders he accepteth here what dutie eke we owe Vnto the Magistrate the whole estate of mariage shall he knowe But of this worthie treasureâ—great why call I all to minde As if I would the surges tell of seas in raging winde Or number all the glistring starres that in the skies appeare And cast abrode their golden beames when as the night is cleare Or tell howe many thousand leaues in wooddie groues doe lie While as in Autumne Saturne throwes his frostie flakes from hie Or count the number of the eares that through the worlde are séene While as approching Haruest néere the corne forsakes his gréene There shall he finde whatsoeuer doth to husbandmen belong Wherewith to ouerthrow the foe and to instruct the yong Therefore let him at first the bookes of Moyses well applie And all the other Prophetes else in order héedilie And from the fountaynes draw the worde and fetch it from the spring That perfitely he know the minde of God in euery thing But chiefly in the scriptures written by the holy ghost These two the law and Gospell let him alwayes thinke on most Discerning well betwixt them both what doth to eche belong The propertie of euery one their force and vertue strong Least that he hap to deale therein as most men doe this day To make them both agrée in one that differ farre away The lawe destroyes condemnes worketh wrath and vengeance due And showth vs what we ought to doe and what we must eschue Augmenteth sinne and driues men downe into the pit of hell That doe not heare in euery poynt obserue and kéepe it well On the other side the Gospell doth bring euerlasting life And doth appease the wrath of God for sinne and ceaseth strife And thorow Christ forgiueth all that hath bene done amisse And drawth vs from the depth of hell and placeth vs in blisse In giuing ioyes that neuer endes ne shewes how we should liue So much as it the déedes of Christ to vs doth wholy giue And maketh righteous euery one and doth our sinnes deface Restoring vnto sauing health all such as séekes his grace Lo here thou séest a diffrence great that will no vnitée No more than fowle deformed death with life will here agrée Therefore herein our husbandman must seuer them aright Not mingling them togither thus as iust in egall plight Not making Moyses here of Christ or olde Licurgus sowre Nor yet ascribing that to Christ that longs to Moyses powre Let eche of them their office kéepe their time and eke their place Sometime t' is méete the stonie hearts with deadly lawe to chase And to declare the dreadfull plagues that no excuse remaine To wretched men that all their life in wickednesse doe traine A time againe when méete it is of nothing else to speake But graciousnesse and to relieue and comfort vp the weake With swéetenesse great of Iesus milde both necke and hands vnbound From dolefull chaynes of miserie that weyes them to the ground What can be worse than for to kill such as deserue to liue And vnto such as death deserue eternall life to giue Which thing doth alwayes come to passe when all things are not well Discerned as they ought to be and as I earst did tell And though the face of Moyses and our Sauiours countnance bright Must both be bare and open showde and furnisht out with light Yet most of all we ought the name of Christ to magnifie And séeke t' aduaunce aboue the rest his prayse and dignitie For he of euery other thing is finall ende and summe And all things both in heauen and earth by meanes of him are donne And euery thing committed here vnto his holy hande Wherein both health and righteousnesse and death and life doth stande With fauour grace and punishment and whatsoeuer doth lie Created heare vpon the earth or in the heauens hie He is the soueraigne king and guide of chosen people pure The happie priest chiefe head and Lorde and Sanctuarie sure The stedfast stone to cleaue vnto and strongest towre of might The glorious Bridegrome garnished most bewtifull in sight That with his owne most precious bloud did washe and purifie His spouse from euery spot and staine that might offend the eie The onely shepheard bread and light and chiefest maister here In fine the large and welthie horne where all things doth appere Him from the first beginning God did promise for to giue To Adam and his children all that after him should liue A gift that well should pacifie his iust conceyued yre And eke redéeme the damned soules from neuer ceassing fyre Thus taught the holy ghost abrode and Moyses did the same And all the Prophets after him did blase abrode
the worme nor turnes the whéele so fast For if that Orpheus with his songes Megaeras whip coulde stay And cease the byting of the wormes and hellish paines alay Why shoulde the Pope not doe so much the King of earth and skyes Besides an other kinde of fire to purge he doth deuyse Whereas he raines himselfe alone and showes his force and might From hence he looseth soules and sendes them to the heauens bright With pardons prayers himnes and giftes ne forceth much the same ▪ Although the soules thrée hundred yeares haue burnt in firie flame If at the length some golden showre doe happen for to fall In little space it driues him out and makes an ende of all Whole kinredes loseth he with this and kéepeth from the fyer Whereas his fauour doth extend and wheare he hath his hier Himselfe not Pluto can resist nor all his army blacke Although they striue with clawes to stay or pluck with fleshokes back◠His voyce makes all the fiendes afrayde and from the bottom déepe He hoyseth vp the wéeping soules in blessed ioyes to sléepe What King Apostle Prophet else coulde euer doe this feat There neuer was nor is nor shall be any power so great Moreouer any Wight on earth in robes he passeth cléene If any time in maiestie he listeth to be séene With clothes of purple couerde quite which long about him fall With silke and crimson shining bright and cloth of golde withall Beset with precious stones and pearle that costly India beares Such as no Quéene of Egipt would haue dronk or drawne from eares Aboue all this his triple crowne doth shine and glister bright With beautie lyke of stones arayde of straunge and wondrous sight His Crosier then with double crosse all framde of finest golde May here be séene no siluer shew may any man beholde Except some solemne day require I leaue out here among His chiefest pompe his stately traine and garde in armour strong Their order eke and how they stande their cerimonies swéete With bookes bels their iesture straunge with head with hands féete Besides a number of the lyke which heare were long to tell If that his welth his pride and pompe thou hast regarded well And all his fonde condicions lewde thou shalt not finde his mate On all the earth that more doth séeke the ioyes of worldly state The earth is also holy thought wheresoeuer his féete doe stande And euery thing is holy made that commeth néere his hande Wherefore to Church he neuer goeth but borne on shoulders hye Euen as the sacred Arke whereas the Manna hidde doth lye O Lorde that shame cannot compell these men to come away And that they haue no feare of God nor of the latter day This is the shamelesse forheade of that purple Hore vncleane Wherby she sottes and mockes the worlde without all ende or meane Thou askst parhaps what shift he makes these chargis to maintaine Demaunde no more no Prince nor King nor Emprour heare againe Hath so much siluer in his Chest nor store of golden sommes And of a welthie Peter eke I know not whence he commes He hath the whole inheritance that large and brode doth ly With Cities great and fruitfull soyles and portes and hauens by Eke hath he Rome the Quéene and heade of all the worlde before So that a thousande talentes yearely commeth in or more Besides a greater somme he doth throughout the worlde receaue By selling heauen and pardning faultes and graunting powre leaue And by his Annates much he gettes these termes themselues do faine Which wordes I heare am forcde to vse to shew their vsage plaine The pelting Pals besides doe get and gayne him treasures great The Bishops confirmation lyke and welthy Abbots seat What profite comes by Prebenders when as with bribes they play Eche one to winne where who giues most goeth conquerour away Yea certayne monthes he chuseth out and times in euerie yeare Wherin an others due and right to him belongeth cleare What shoulde I euery thing declare he falsely deales in all And vpon euery morsell fatte his crooked Talentes fall And parte he takes in euery place he huntes for money rounde Both heare amongst the lyuing and such as are brought to grounde That so his chestes may still be full and Golde may alwayes flowe Which vpon furious warres he doth and houses fayre bestowe In building Bridges Temples Towres and costly Chappels fayre In placeing of his kinsemen hie in loftie Lordely chayre In ryo◠pleasure and disporte and sumptuous banketings That long to worldly Princes here and other heathen Kings Which represents some Perses stoute or Craesus full of pride And not like Christes Apostles true or any christian guide Desirst thou for to knowe his trade and steps in liuing right All full of pompe and glorie it is and foolishe vaine delight Such filthie actes I will not tell as Fame doth true reporte Least that I staine my verse and booke in lewde and filthy sorte But now regarde aduisedly in all that hath béene tolde If any thing Apostlelyke or christianlike doth holde Or néere vnto that doctrine pure that Christ himselfe hath tought Or that may holy counted be or Catholike be thought Nothing against the glorie more of God thou canst declare Nor nothing that more filthie séemes than this if we compare Wherefore at this time many bée that thinke and plainely saye That Antichrist possesseth Rome and doth the Bishop playe Wherefore they from his name doe flye and from his fonde decrées His orders doctrine temples and his solemne mysteries None otherwise than from a Beare or Lion in their way And in the morning blesse themselues least that they happe that day To méete some shauen oyled beast or else some other Grome Belonging to the filthye Court and popishe sea of Rome I maruell therefore why that men shoulde call him by the name Of holyest since no man yet coulde holy prooue the same But rather naught The place can not nor yet his chiefe degrée Nor all his ryches pompe or pride can prooue him good to bée Wherefore good Phaebus here declare by Oracle deuine And eke you learned Muses all this matter here define Wherein this man shoulde here be thought Apostolike to bée Or holiest calde we know no cause nor no desart we sée And doe you smile would you that we should know the collour dim Of phrase contrarie and after that in all things iudge of him Thus of this present kingdome here the goodly head I déeme Thou well perceyust but better shouldst if thou at Rome hadst béene And any time continued there and séene him face to face Then shouldst thou wel haue vewde thy selfe his whole comely grace The other pillors of this kingdome now I will declare That beare a sway aboue the rest and chiefe and greatest are Such as this head createth and doth ioyne with him to guide But full and whole authoritie is vnto them denyde The greatest and
begge at all Ne shoulde such ignoraunce of truth vpon the people fall But with the Popish kingdome truth can neuer well agrée Of falshoode it is framde and without falshoode cannot bée Wherefore it deadly hates all those that mutter here of Christ And séeke by truth to please the Lorde and to content the highest And vseth these as instrumentes the knowledge to oppresse Of Christ and for to driue away all perfite godlynesse And not alonely in this case this kingdome they mainetaine No Primate Prince nor king there is but one of this same traine He to his ghostly father takes to whome he doth confesse The secrets of his heart and all his sinnes and wickednesse The which for sundrie endes is to this kingdome profitable For by this practise and these meanes he euermore is able To traine the Primates as him list but chiefely to defende The Popish sea and to resist all such as doe contende Who if they stackering chaunce to stande and wauering doubtfully Then with their sinnes they feare them sore and pardon doe denie Then which no thing more dreadfull is nor hurtfull to the blinde By this besides hys holynesse doth vnderstande the minde And purposes of euery Prince that hereby spéedily He may preuent eche great mishap if ought should runne awry Besides if that the Pope would faine haue money in some place Or any lusty Cardinall or Bishops Lordly grace That may not well redéeme his Pall the pardons out be sent And these be they that chiefely serue to further his intent Nor in the worlde there lyueth not a kinde of men more méete To worke deceytes and to bring in both Golde and siluer swéete Lyke Bulles they roare and voyde of shame they vtter falshoods vaine And boldly striue and Sathan vp they lift to Starres againe Of Flyes they able are to make great Eliphants in sight And popishe state for to aduaunce aboue the heauens bright I thinke there are no kinde of men that profitabler bée Or more in vse for to aduaunce the Popes authoritée By them the common people haue beléeude such shamefull lies And haue bestowde their goodes and all their wealth on vanities Supposâ—ng heauen for to buie and holy mens desartes And euerlasting life to haue allotted to their partes The others well enricht with spoyle doe laugh and get them hence And to their Lordes with praise doe bring their Caskets stuft with pence I here declare not all their déedes nor their deuises lewde What shamelesse shiftes they here haue made what filthye lyfe they shewde What fowle example here they gaue of life abhominable So that it euen did offend themselues the Roomish rable That nothing may be sayde there is but Cowles dare take in hande If in their fansie once it come or with their minde doe stande I rowe with light and slender Ores and not with raging winde Nor for to clense the durty sincke of Augae is my minde Yet here thou hast a little shewe of all this Empire great And séest the members chiefe that doe belong to Popishe seat Whereby thou wiselye mayest discerne the others all that bée For both in lyfe and fayth they all doe wonderously agrée So that I am sure thou shalt not finde amongst them any thing That doth beséeme the flocke of Christ or may to vertue bring But strong illusions and deceytes and euery cursed kinde Of couetousnesse with carelesse life and blouddy beastly minde And pompe and pleasures great with pride and superstitions vaine And fonde attire with ydlenesse the Princesse of their reigne That where the worde of God doth reigne and Christ is cléerely taught â–ª These people dayly doe decrease and shortly come to naught And both the beggers and the riche are forced hence to flie As pestilences to the sayth and springes of Heresie As slouthfull paunches great vnto the earth a thriftlesse lode Whom long agone did Italie sende out in coastes abrode And spewde them into Germanie as mother of all yll And such hir madnesse is that she newe sectes inuenteth still For lately sent she certaine out of Iesus bearing name Calde for belike of lustie Lordes that lykde the popish game That with the name of such renowme they easily might deceaue The rude and simple people that are soone procurde to cleaue As though they sought the honor here of Christ and worship best The impes of Sathan are they sure no better than the rest For all agaynst our Sauiour Christ are sworne assuredly Both Monkes and shauen Sophisters the supersticious Frie. For fauour and good will that they doe beare vnto the Pope So that of any goodnesse here in them there is no hope These here and there runne vp and downe with double diligence To benifite the Deuill and the Pope and with pretence For to suppresse the Gospell here of Christ and eke his name That lately drawne from darknesse great abrode doth freshly flame But Christ shall shortly them suppresse with all the rifraâ—â—e here His enimies with Maiestie when as he shall appéere Nowe as they something speciall haue so haue they eke againe A number that are common all among this greasie traine By which they couet to be knowne and others to excell With Heathnish ambition wherewith as yet they swell From which they neyther can be drawne by scorne of people made Nor any séemelynesse of state nor comelinesse of trade And first their crownes are shauen all as longeth to their grée And looke as more religious and holier they bée So broder doe they shaue their crownes almost vnto their eares That scarce an ynchebrode hoope of heare about their pate appeares This fansie fonde no Iewes them taught nor yet is published What foolish people in the worlde woulde thus deforme their hed And vnconstrainde the beautie spoyle that comes of nature so Nor thinke it faire with shauen scence amongst th'unshaâ—de to go Sure no man euer sawe the founders of our fayth so shorne No such thing they commaunded here so full of shame and scorne The slouthfull sort long after them found out this foolish guise And ydlenesse as all the rest this mischiefe did deuise But yet I maruell much that they are not ashamde hereat And how they dare in companie put of their cap or hat But hie and holy mysteries they say are signifide And thus they séeke a filthie thing with honest cloke to hide Themselues they count as kings to be of passing great renowne And thus to shewe their dignitie they weare a shauen crowne What dreames will not these doltes deuise that dare in open sight Such things affirme but still to mocke the world they had delight They also all annoynted are euen from the Parson small And poorest Priest vnto the best that rules and gouernes all Obseruing still the Iewish lawe and rytes determined That by the Testament of Christ are quite abolished But all things that they did were then commaunded to be done As figures for to testifie that Christ should shortly come These
hirselfe vnto Shée is the happie starre on seas and port of perfite rest And surest ancour for to stay the ship in seas opprest Shée is the light of all the world and mother here of grace That doth of God forgiuenesse get and doth our sinnes deface Shée kéepeth those that worship hir in heart continually From handes of euery wicked sprite and deuils tyranny And with hir gowne shée couers Kings and Popes and people all From wrath of God and vengeance due that on their heads would fall The gate of heauen eke is shée and euerlasting life The onely life of all the worlde and ende of all our strife Shée is the hope of euery man and chiefe defendresse héere Shée shewes vs Iesus Christ when as before hir we appéere Shée also in the dreadfull howre of death doth vs defende Shée blesseth all the life of man and fortune good doth sende Wherefore to hir in euery place with all their heartes they call Shée helpeth children at their bookes and giues them wits withall Shée helpes yong maides to husbandes both of liuing faire and face Shée helpes the wofull sutor to obtaine his Ladies grace And vnto maryed folkes shée giues faire children here with ioy And in their trauaile kéepes the wiues from daunger and annoy Shée healeth aged men of coughes and shortnesse of their breath And brings them in their latter dayes vnto a happie death Shee helpes the husbandman with séede and â—endes him raine ynough Shée filles his barne with corne and hay and guideth well his plough The shipman séekes hir ayde in seas in daunger great and paine The wandring Marchant trustes by hir to haue his wished gaine The gréedie craftes man trusteth still a good successe to haue By hir that is the Ladie of the worlde and all doth saue To hir they doe commend themselues and all their familie That get themselues beyond the seas for feare of ieopardie What should I euery thing resight in euery matter shée Is callde vpon and alwayes thought the onely ayde to bée Shée is all in all and heares and sées what can be done or thought And gouernes all in euery place where as this fayth is taught Right acceptable vnto God and holiest sure of all The Virgin is whom euermore the worlde shall blessed call Yet neuer ought shée for to haue such estimation héere Nor powre deuine without the worde of God and scriptures cléere For if shée haue such force and can do all that hath béene tolde What doth remaine to Christ the king that Scepter chiefe doth holde Adde more to this that Popish priestes these fansies fonde do faine Without the Prophets warrant or the Apostles teaching plaine Who séeth not here that they ne doe in God put all their trust That framde the earth and heauen hie with perfite measure iust And that they make no account of Christ who here ascended hie Whereby he might relieue the worlde and all things here supplie They rather in our Ladie trust and still to hir do call If any daunger them oppresse or mischiefe great do fall Hir doe they paint and liuely carue and giue hir prayses tho In Churches hie and euery house wheresoeuer you come or go To hir they weping sob and sigh and howle and mourne and all To hir they certaine prayers giue that here the Course they call And sundrie other seruices but vsed commonly As most of weight the Rosaries do flourish wondrously Deuised first and made by Monkes a kind of men that bée The authors still of wickednesse and all iniquitee They vnder cloke of worshipping the Virgin haue assignde A certaine foolish felowship whom wéekely they do binde To offer vp these Rosaries vnto the Virgin pure And neuer faile this seruice great as long as they indure An other kinde of Monkes there is by office sanctified That nothing haue to doe with Christ nor any Saint beside But serue the Virgin Marie here as onely of hir traine And wisely sure they are aduisde for so they more doe gaine Than if they should account themselues Christes seruaunts here to be And onely labour to aduaunce his name and dignitie True fayth continually is poore and liues in simple case Vngodlinesse procureth gaine and wealth in euery place The Virgin more on solemne dayes appoynted festiuall Is highly worshipt of hir folke and shauen Papistes all Hir Image doe they brauely decke with sumptuous show to sight Hir aultar set about with bowes and Lampes and Candels bright Eche man his Candle present hath that burneth thorow the yeare And Franckensence in euery place doth smoke and singing cleare With Organs in the Church resoundes the people brings in pence And on the aultar offer all with wondrous reuerence Such honors are not here bestowde on Christ in any place He is not thought to do so much nor of so great a grace Or counted of his nature else for to be more seuere Than to vouchsafe to looke vpon our deedes and prayers here Besides they kéepe our Ladyes fast at sundrie solemne tymes Instructed by a turning whéele or as the lot assignes For euery Serten hath a whéele that hangeth for the viewe Markte round about with certaine dayes vnto the virgin dewe Which holy through the yere are kept from whence hangs down a thred Of length sufficient to be toucht and to be handled Now when that any seruaunt of our Ladyes commeth héere And sekes to haue some certaine day by lotte for to appéere This Sexten turnes the whéele about and bids the stander by To holde the thred whereby he doth the time and season try Wherein he ought to kéepe his fast and euery other thing That decent is or longing to our Ladies worshipping Who doth so much for Christ or who for him doth take such paine To whome if that they light a syse his mother hath six againe The second place in euery thing he hath or else the last For no man doth his hole affiaunce here vpon him cast The popish sorte and people all by name doe know him here But all their trust and confidence they set another where Nor onely to the Virgin here they dare themselues commit Nor vnderneath hir sole defence they quietly can sit But vnto other saintes they flye whom God hath long agone Receyued from this present worlde vnto his stately throne That after all their cares and toyles with misery opprest Deliuered from the worlde they might haue euerlasting rest But these men from the skies doe bring them downe to earth againe Depriuing them of rest and putting them to worldely paine For yet they say they carefull are for mortall men beside None otherwise than God or Christ that all the worlde doth guide And that they mediatours are and aduocates for man Before the Lorde and helpe vs here by all the meanes they can Deliuering vs from punishment and our deserued fall And that they heare the prayers of all such as to them call As if that Christ vnable were to doe all this
first the almightie father framde the worlde and mortall kinde In perfite state and yéelding fruite such as himselfe assignde Who wholy gaue themselues to him with all their force and might For first of all within their heartes he sowde a knowledge right And gaue them reason to discerne in euery kinde of thing That in the foming seas or ayre or on the earth doth spring Thus when the passing force of his almightie name did shine He plaste in man a dreadfull feare of his estate deuine Which least it caused fearefull flight or stirde vp deadly hate He ioynde a pleasant loue withall of his excelling state Whereby the feare and reurence of his mightie Maiestée With felowship of feruent loue might safely guided bée For with himselfe he framed man both Lorde of earth and seas And after death to liue with him in euerlasting ease Prouiding him to féede vpon the fruite of euery trée And pleasant hearbes that so he might his carefull mercy sée Who would not with his heart estéeme and loue with all his minde A Lorde so good and gracious and of so gentle kinde Yet least that cause of feare should want and fauour bréede disdaine And to much welth inflame his heart and prick his ydle braine He gaue him one commaundement to barre him of his will That is he should not taste the trée of knowing good or ill Except they would their life forgo and lose these giftes of grace Besides all this he planted in the déepest of their minde That vnto other creatures to of nature was assignde That they ne should with hate pursue their kinde nor ouerthrow But with a friendly faythfull heart eche other friendship show And giue aduice what best to doe and mischiefe how to let Such happie séedes in heart of man at first were déepely set By him that all thing here did frame and thus he left this fielde Of owne accorde his pleasant fruites and good encrease to yéelde But streight the Stygyan Prince that late from skies was hedlong throwne For prowd presuÌ„ptuous mutenie trespas earst vnknowne Both hating God himselfe aboue and all his vertuous déedes Began to frowne and lowre on man and on these pleasant seedes Determining these plantes pluckt vp to sowe contrarie graine And taking on himselfe the shape and cloke of Serpent plaine Our father first he doth perswade to breake the sacred hest That so he might both raâ—e and pluck due feare from out his brest And cease the loue and certaine hope of Gods assistance knowne Whereby the ground disordred might with wéedes be ouergrowne Ne faylde he of his purpose here for why the womans hart Consented streight to tastâ— the 〈◊〉 and gaue hir husband part As ground that long hath lien vntilde is filled eâ—ery where With humblockes thornes and thistles sharpe and other hurtfull gere So was the minde of man opprest with mischiefes fowle and great And harmefull things deseruing death had there abiding seat The knowledge of th' almightie Lorde with darkenesse was disgraste Our iudgement eke in worldly things with blindnesse great defaste Both feare and reuerence due to God were banished cleane away Loue colde and hope of helpe deuine did vtterly decay In place whereof sprang hate and flight contempt of God beside And nothing that was good or right the will corrupt applide If any good desire by chaunce of vertue mooues the minde The force doth streight begin to faile in slouthfull bodie blinde And sinne prouokes to greater crime not suffering them aright To runne their race but mooues agaynst the Lord both day and night Nor néedefull is it much to mooue for of his proper sway Like Lead he alwayes hedlong falles and runnes the hurtfull way Doest thou not sée how leauing God his honour here we giue To trifles vaine and wretched men that on the earth doe liue If that a king that may to day or else to morrow die Receyue vs into fauour great and giue vs honour hie Or if of glistring golde we haue abundaunce in our handes Or haue our bagges with siluer full to purchase Lordly landes Or Iewels great or precious stones or costly rich aray And friendes in number great about vs dwell and beare the sway Or store of lustie souldiors haue to encounter with the fo O Lord how then we looke aloft how stately then we go And thinke our selues in happie case and blest on euery side How fowly doth our filth appéere to him that all doth guide With most men for their God alone the belly here is thought And euery thing as it commaundes is eyther shund or sought Some place a loâ—t on aulters hie the sharpnesse of their wit And some the bodyes force and as a God they worship it But no man laboureth so the will of God for to obay As all men doe for trifles vaine that fade and passe away Of Gods innumerable sort are found by feare and loue And in the meane time he dispisde that reignes and rules aboue What mischiefe can be found but doth from blinded ignorance spring Or what contempt of God to sweare is thought a decent thing With Gods most dreadfull name aboue both men and children play And diffrence none is made betwixt the lawes deuine and lay What God commaundeth to be shund or willeth to be wrought Is to the eares a torment great and dreadfull poyson thought Nor vnto him they seeke for ayde nor confidence they haue But rather séeke to stockes and stones than him that all doth saue No honor to their parents due at any time they pay A hell it is to feele the yoke or maister to obay The minde desires to runne at large and raunge at libertée The bloud doth boyle about the hearts of such as harmed bée And slaughters great attempted are and deadly battayles fought And at the wagging of a straw good lawes are set at nought Beside both vile and beastly loue in euerie place doth raigne That none can kéepe the holy rytes of sacred bed from staine The Harlots eke among themselues their bodyes doe defile Who can declare the shamefull theft and wayes for to beguile That commonly with youth doth spring deceyt doth most delight And swéete it séemes an others goodes to get against all right And looke what wants in doing wrong with force and wretched will Is recompenst with rayling mouth and spitefull language ill The téeth togither gnash and poyson fowle abroade do spit As well agaynst the vnworthie as such as deserued it Discention sowne and lyes abrode in eurye place do raigne And filthie talke and wordes vncleane are vsde of wretches vaine The simple man deceyued still with wordes that fayned bée And from the heart the flattring tongue doth alwayes disagrée As raging seas with boystrous windes do swell aloft and rore And driue the mountaynes of their waues against the rocken shore Euen so the wretched fiend of man both euery day and night Spewes out his filth and ioyes to offende the soueraigne Lord of light
you sooner may the North and South togither tye And ioyne vnto the brittish shore the Persian dignitie Then for to cause their diuers mindes in one for to agrée Nor maruaile when without the light that from the scriptures springs They rashly iudge of hed and ende and order right of things As if a blinde man in the way would make himselfe a guide Or iudge of colours which were fairst or which were better dide It shall not hurt thée much these things though fond in hand to take And lightly to pervse and sée for lyes doe often make The truth to be estéemed more and of more forâ—e to showe Both swéete it is and I allow the cause of things to knowe But such as certaine are and such as no man can denie Of knowledge certaine endes there are and boundes appoynted lie The worde of God must beare the bell and sway in euery thing And next to that such reasons good as wise men here doe bring Must be esteemed as a troth Be circumspect in euery thing if ought thou séekst to finde Concerning heauen world and forme of substance or of kinde Or touching fortune place or hap the elaments and time Of motion thunder winde and snow raine haile or frostie rime Whereof it comes that pleasant dewes in Sommer wettes the spring Or what procures the lightning fierce that pearceth euery thing What makes the fire oftentymes in hellish clowdes to glow Or why the sunne in showre appearing the rainbow streight doth show â–ª Why Moone with fogge is compast oft or how the blasing starre Appeares that oft is signe to men of famine death or warre Wherefore the earth doth tremble so and Cities ouerturne And why that Phoebus oftentimes with thréefolde â—ace doth burnâ— â–ª Besides let him consider well if that a good man may Beleue the distance of the skies to be as they doe say If that the Moone so farre excéede the earth in quantitée Or if the starres so farre aboue the earth in bignesse bée Or if the Lord created more than two of greatest light Or any saue the Sunne that past the Moone in force and might Moreouer land and seas pervse and marke their natures plaine And all that in the earth or ayre or in the seas remaine But for these straunge and forraine things men ought not so to care As for our nearer neighbors much that in vs dwelling are Vnto our proper houses therefore let vs come and sée What wondrous things by natures handes in vs created bée How much we doe excell and passe eche other worldly kinde Whose rulers and correctors here the Lorde hath vs assignde What giftes of minde we doe enioy and what of bodie here What vertuously of vs is wrought and what doth lewde appere These things are first to be perusde that we may perfitely Both knowe our selues and eke the things that are to vs so nie Fond is it to be wise abrode and onely for to sée The outwarde things while as at home like bussards blind we bée But here me thinkes some laste lowte should say to me O how Suppose you sir that méete it is your plowman first to know These things before he till his ground and holy plow doe holde What say you to the Apostles than and to the Prophets olde Where euer finde you that these men were learned in this sort Or who would credite him that any such thing would report Besides but few such plowmen could be got as you desire Whereas the haruest of the Lorde doth numbers great require The time hath ben when men of god without their bookes were taught And diuers sodainely by him to state of Prophets brought So fishers and vnskilfull men by force of holy spright He made the teachers of the world and showes of perfite light Besides a number more of such his mightie hand did frame Not for to breake dame Natures lawes and alter quite the same But for to shewe his mightie force and great prerogatiue And that he was not tyed to sleaue of any thing aliue We may not therefore giue our selues to gape for wonders still But as the guise of men requires we must conforme our will Till God do worke in other sorte and other meanes doth giue In sterne and barren wildernesse the Iewes sometime did liue And neyther plowde nor sowde nor reapte in fortie winters space And were not he starke madde that now would looke for such a grace And like an ydle lubber sit and take no kinde of paine With hande nor foote for him or his a liuing for to gaine Or gape to haue the Rauens come or widdow at his néede Who at the bidding of the Lorde Helias once did féede The Riuer great of Iordan once and eke the fearefull seas Through might of God and all on foote the Hebrues past with ease Now néede we when we passe these floods both darke and 〈◊〉 saile And Tiphys eke to holde the helme least on the seas we auaile â–ª Thus are we bound to learne whatsoeuer on earth we knowe or sée That may vnto the honour great of God and glorie bée Ne must they looke for ydlenesse that will be husbandmen Least that the Lorde be tempted so and iustly plague vs then For our contempt and slouthfulnesse example here let bée The franticke Anabaptistes that in any place we sée Who hating bookes and learned artes doe count it vertue graue No skill in any language saue their Countrie tongue to haue And leaping lately from the shop of Shoomakers or such Are not ashamde the Preachers place with greasie handes to tuch Still boasting of the holy ghost and so with passing pride They hedlong throwe themselues to hell and numbers great beside By teaching false and foolish things the Prophets eke deuine Good Moyses first in Pharaos house applyde the Muses nine Before he taught the worde of God or traynde the Iewish hartes And Daniel did refuse the Chaldeans meate but not their artes Paule of a learned Doctor in Ierusalem was tought And not alonely in the scriptures to excell was thought But in the Grecian eloquence and sciences prophane Wherein to be exactly learnde he alwayes had the name With which he better armed put the Gentiles soone to flight And with these weapons of their owne he ouerthrew them quight At Athens with Aratus wordes he gaue them all the foyle And brought agaynst the Creteans witnesse of their natiue soyle A man that hedlong threw himselfe in Etnaes raging flame Amongst the people for to gaine an euerlasting fame What good and honest is among these artes they well may chuse And make them for to serue their turne that vertuously them vse The Egyptians once were robbed of goodes and spoyled vtterly To increase the treasure of the Lorde and his to bewtifie The Gentiles fayth and life we onely are forbidden here And not their worthie sciences and springes of learning clere So that we put them to good vse and profite any wayes Applying them with all our