causes and neuer to haue offred it to the viewe of the world But notwithstanding being ouercome by the importunat request and infagitable desire of my freinds I grauÌ„ted to publish the same as now you see is extant But when I had once graunted to imprinte the same I was in greatter doubt than before fearinge to whome I might dedicate the same so rude and impolished a worke And withall I was not ignorant how hard a thing it is in these daies to finde a Patrone of such books as this which sheweth to euery one his sin and discouereth euery Mans wicked waies which indeed the vngodly caÌ„ not at any haÌ„d abyde but as it were mad-meÌ„ disgorging their stomacks Cum in AuthoreÌ„ tum in codicem plenis buccis dentibus plusquà m caninis rabidè feruntur they rage they fume and rayle both against the AVTHOR and his booke Thus vacillante animo my minde wandring too and fro and resting as it weare in extasie of despaire at last I called to mind your honorable Lordship whose praises haue pearced the Skyes and whose laudable vertues are blowen not ouer the realme of England onely but euen to the furthest costs and parts of the world All whose vertues and condigne prayses if I should take vppon mee to recounte I might as well number the starres in the Sky or grasse of the Earth For for Godly Wysdome and zeale to the truth is not your good Lordship without offence be it spoken comparable with the best For sobrietie affabilite and gentle curtesie to euerie one farre excelling many For your great deâ—otion and compassion to the poore oppressed in all places famous For Godly fidelitie to your Soueraigne loue to the CVNTREY and vertues in generall euerie where most renowmed But least I might obscure your Worthie commendations with my vnlearned penne lytle or no thing at all emphaticall I will rather surcease than further to proceed contenting my selfe rather to haue giuen a shadowe of them than to haue ciphered them foorth which indeed are both infinit and inexplicable In consideration whereof not withstanding that my Booke be simpler baser and meaner than that it may without blushing present it self to your good Lordship being farre vnworthie of such an honorable Personage yet accordinge to your accustomed clemency I most humbly beseache your good Lordship to receiue the same into your honors Patrociny and protection accepting it as an infallible token of my faithfull heart seruice and good will towardes your honorable Lordship For proofe whereof would GOD it might once come to passe that if not otherwyse yet with my humble seruice I might shewe foorth the faithfull and euer willing heart I beare in brest to your good Lordeship protesting before Heauen and Earth that though power want yet shall fidelitie and faithfulnes faile neuer And because this my Booke is subiect my verie good Lord to as many reproches tauntes and reproofes as euer was any litle book for that few caÌ„ abyde to haue their sinâ— detected therfore I haue had the greatter care to commit the same to the guardance and defence of your honour rather than to manie others not onely for that GOD hath made your honour a Lamp of light vnto the world of true nobilitie and of al integritie and perfection but also hath made you his substitute or vicegerent to reforme vices punish abuses and correcte sinne And as in mercie he hath giuen you this power and autoritie so hath he giuen you a hungrie desire to accomplish the same according to his will Which zeal in your sacred brest the LORD increase for euer And as your Lordship knoweth reformation of maners and amendement of lyfe was neuer more needfull for was pride the chiefest argument of this Booke euer so rype Do not both Men and Women for the most part euery one in generall go attyred in silks veluets damasks satans and what not which are attyre onely for the nobilitie and gentrie and not for the other at anie hand Are not vnlawfull games Playes and Enterluds and the like euery where vsed Is not whordome couetousnes vsurie the like daylie practised without all punishment or lawe But hereof I say no more referring the consideration both of these and the rest to your Godly wysdome Beseaseaching your good Lordship to perdon my presumption in speaking thus much for Zelus domini huc adegit me the zeal of my God hath dryuen me heather Knowinge that the LORD hath ordeined you to himselfe a chosen vessell of honour to purge his Church of these Abuses and corruptions which as in a table are depainted and set foorth in this litle booke Thus I cease to molest your sacred eareâ—s any further with my rude speaches most huÌ„bly beseaching your good Lord ship not onely to admit this my Book into your honours patronage and defence but also to persist the iust Defender therof against the swynish crew of rayling ZOILVS and flowting MOMVS with their complices to whome it is easier to depraue all things than to amend any thing them selues Which if I shall perceiue to be accepted of your honour besides that I shal not care for a thousand others disliking the same I shall not only think my self to haue receiued a sufficieÌ„t guerdon for my pâ—â—â—es shalbe therby greatly incoraged if GOD permit hereafter to take in hand some memorable thing to your immortall prayse honour and renowne but also shall daylie pray to GOD for your good Lordship long to continue to his good pleasure and your harts desire with increase of Godly honour reward of laudable vertue and eternall felicitie in the HEAVENS by Iesus Christ. Columna gloriae virtus Your Honors to commaund PHILLIP Stubbes A PREFACE TO THE READER I Thought it conuenient good Reader who soeuer thou art y t shalt read these my poore laboures to admonish thée least haply y u mightest take my woords otherwise than I meant them of this one thing That wheras in the processe of this my booke I haue intreated of certen exercyses vsually practised amongest vs as namely of Playes and Enterludes of dauncing gaming and such other like I would not haue thée so to take mée as though my speaches tended to the ouerthrowe and vtter disliking of all kynd of exercyses in generall that is nothing my simple meaning But the particulare Abuses which are crept into euery one of these seuerall exercyses is the onely thing which I think worthie of reprehension For otherwise all Abuses cut away who séeth not y t some kind of playes tragedies and enterluds in their own nature are not onely of great ancieÌ„tie but also very honest and very commendable exercyses being vsed and practised in most Christian common weales as which containe matter such they may be both of doctrine erudition good example and wholsome instruction And may be vsed in tyme and place conuenient as conducible to example of life and reformation of maners For such is our grosse dull nature that what
attentiue eare Sp. My eares be prest to heare begin when you wil and truely herin you shal pleasur me much for I haue greatly desired to know thorowly the state of y â— LaÌ„d euen a crepundiis as they say from my tender yeres for the great prayse I haue hard therof Wherfore I pray you proceed to the same though I be vnable w t any benefit to couÌ„teruail your great pains yet y e Lord I doubt not wil supplie my want Ph. The Lord our God is a mercifull God a bouÌ„tiful Rewarder of euery one that trusteth in him but yet such is y e magnificency liberalitie of that geÌ„tle sex that I trust I shall not be vnrewarded at their hands if to be called a thousaÌ„d knaues be a sufficieÌ„t guerdoÌ„ for my pains But though it wilbe a corrosiue to their hautie stomacks a nippitatuÌ„ to their tender brests to heare their dirtie dregs ript vp and cast in their diamond faces yet hopeing that they séeing the horrour of their impieties and tragicall abuses laide open to the world for now they sléep in the graue of obliuion wil at the last like good Conuertes and Penitentiaries of Christe Iesus leaue of their wickednes call for mercie at the hands of God repent and amend I will procéed to my intended purpose The Women of Ailgna vse to colour their faces with certain oyles liquors vnguents and waters made to that end whereby they think their beautie is greatly decored but who séethe not that their soules are thereby deformed and they brought déeper into the displeasure and indignation of the Almighty at whose voice the earth dooth tremble and at whose presence the heauens shall liquifie and melt away Doo they think thus to adulterate the Lord his woorkmanship and to be without offence Doo they not know that he is Zelotipus a ielous God and cannot abide any alteration of his woorkes otherwise then he hath commaunded Yf an Artificer or Craftsman shoulde make any thing beloÌ„ging to his art or science a cobler should presume to correct the same would not y e other think him self abused and iudge him woorthy of reprehension And thinkest thou oh Woman to escape the Iudgement of God who hath fashioned thée to his glory when thy great and more then presumptuous audacicitie dareth to alter chaunge his woorkmanship in thée Thinkest thou that thou canst make thy self fairer then God who made vs all These must néedes be their inuentions or els they would neuer go about to coulour their faces with such sibbersawces And these béeing their inuentions what can derogate more froÌ„ the maiestie of God in his creation For in this dooing they plainly conuince the Lord of vntrueth in his word who saith he made man glorious after his owne likenes and the fayrest of all other terrestiall Creatures If he be thus faire then what néed they to make them fayrer Therfore this their colouring of their faces importeth as by probable coniecture may be presupposed that they think them selues not faire enough and then must GOD néeds he vntrue in his woord And also they deny the Lord to be either merciful or almightie or bothe and so consequently no God at all for if hâ—e could not haue made them faire then is hée not almightie and if hée could and would not then is hée not a merciful God and so euery way they fall in to the finck of offence béeing ashamed of the good creation of the Lord in them but it is to be feared least at the day of Iudgement the Lord wil be ashamed of them in his wrath denounce this heauie and ineuitable sentence condemnatorie against them Departe from mee you cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuil and his Angels I knowe you not I say departe for you were ashamed of mee and of my creation in you Spud. Wherof doo they make these waters and other vnctions wherwith they besmeare their faces can you tel Philo. I am not so skilful in their matters of pride but I holde this for a Maxime that they are made of many mixtures and sundry compounded simples bothe farre fetched and déer bought cunningly couched together and tempered with many goodly condiments and holsome confections I warrant you els you may be sure they woulde not applye them to their amorous faces for feare of harming or blemishing the same Philo. S. Ciprian amongst all the rest saith a Woman thorow painting and dying of her face sheweth her self to be more then whorish For saith hée shée hath corrupted and defaced like a filthie strumpet or brothel the woorkmanship of GOD in her what is this els but to turne trueth into falshood with painting and sibbersawces wheras the Lord saith Thou canst not make one haire white or black In an other place hee saith Qui se pinguunt in hoc seculo aliter quám creauit Deus metuant ne cum dies resurrectionis venerit artifex creaturam suam non recognoscat Those which paint or collour them selues in this world otherwise then GOD hath made them let them feare least when the day of iudgement commeth the Lorde wil not know them for his Creatures Againe Feminae crines suos inficiunt malo praesagio capillos enim sibi flammeos auspicari non metuunt Whosoeuer doo color their faces or their haire with any vnnaturall collour they begin to prognosticate of what colour they shalbe in hel S. Ambrose saith that from the coullouring of faces spring the inticements to vices and that they which color their faces doo purchase to them selues the blot and stain of chastitie For what a dotage is it saith hee to chauÌ„ge thy naturall face which God hath made thee for a painted â—ace which thou hast made thy self If thou béest faire why paintest thou thy self to seeme fairer and if thou be not faire why doost thou hippocrittically desire to séeme faire and art nothing lesse Can those things which besides that they be filthie doo cary the brand of God his cursse vpon their backs for euer make thée to seeme fayrer I could show you the sharp Inuections and grounded reasons of many 〈◊〉 as of Augstine Hierome Chrisostome Gregorie Caluin Peter Martyr Gualter and of an infinite number moâ— yea of all generally since the beginning of the world against this whorish and brothellous painting and coulouring of faces but to auoid prolixitie I will omit them deferring them to further oportunitie for pauca sapienti To a wiseman few woords are sufficient Spud. It must needs be graunted that the dying and coulouring of faces with artificiall colours and vnnaturall Oyntments is moste offensiue to God and derogatorie to his Maiestie for doo they think that the God of all glorie and who only decketh and adorneth the Sun the Moon the Starres and all the hoast of heauen with vnspeakable glorie and incomparable beautie cannot make the beautiful and faire enough if it please him without their
creatures and by the heathen people who are ignorant of the deuine goodnes God be merciful vnto vs. Spud. I pray you rehearse some places out of the woord of God wherin this cursed vice of whordome is forbidden for my better instruction Philo. Our Sauiour Christe in the eight of Iohn speaking to the woman whom the malicionâ—â— Iewes had apprehended in adulterie bad her go her way and sin no more If it had not béen a moste greeuous sin he would neuer haue bid her to sin therin no more In the fift of Mathew he saith who so lusteth after a woman in his hart hath committed the fact alredy and therfore is guiltie of death for the same To the Pharises asking him whether a man might not put away his wife for any occasion Christe answered for no cause saue for whordome onely inferring that whordome is so hainous a sinne as for the perpetration therof it shalbe lawful for a man to sequester him self from his owne wife and the wife from her owne husband The Apostle Paul sayth know you not that your bodyes are the members of Christe shall I then take the members of Christe saith he and make them the members of an whore God forbid knowe yée not that he who coupleth him self with a harlot is become one body w t her flée fornication saith he therfore for euery sinne that a man committeth is without the body but who committeth fornication sinneth against his owne body And in anâ—other place knowe you not that your Bodyes are the temples of the holy ghost which dwelleth within you And who so destroyeth the Temple of God him shall God destory In an other place he saith be not deceiued for neither Whoremonger Adulterer Fornicator incestuous person nor such like shall euer enter into the kingdome of heauen Again Coniâ—gium honorabile est inter omnes Mariage is honorable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled but whooremongers and adulterers God shall iudge In the Reuelation of Saint Iohn it is said that they who were not defiled with women doo waite vpon the Lamb whether soeuer he goeth The Apostle Paul willeth vs to be so far from fornication that it be not once named amongst vs as becommeth Saints with infinit such places which for bréefnes I omit reâ—erring you in the olde Testament to these and such like places namely the 20. of Exodus 20. of Leuiticus Deâ—tronomie 22. Deutro 27. 2. Reg. 11. Leuit. 18. Exodus 22. Num 5. Eccle. 9. Pro. 33. Pro. 7. verse 24. Spud. As you haue now prooued by inuincible testimonies of holy Scripture that whordome is forbidden by the Lord so I pray you shew mée the gréeuousnes thereof by some seuere rare examples of Gods iust iudgement executed vppon the same from the begining Philo. The whole world was destroyed w t water not any liuing thing left vpon the erth saue in y e Ark of Noath for the sin of whordoÌ„ incest brothelry vsed in those daies Sodoma and Gomorra two famous Cities were consumed with fire and brimstone from heauen for the like sin of whordom adulterie and fornication The citie of y e Sichemits man woman and childe weare put to the edge of the swoord for the rauishing of Dina the daughter of Iacob The Lord also tolde Abimelech that if he did not let go vntouched Sara Abraham his wife bothe he and all his housholde should dye the death notwithstanding he did it ignorauntly The very same hapned to Isaac also Iudas vnderstanding that his daughter in law was impregnate and great with childe and not knowing by whom commâ—nded that she should be burned without any further delay Was not Absalon king Dauid his sonne plagued all his life for going into his Fathers Concubines And did not Achitophel who gaue councel so to do hang himself Was not Ruben the first borne sonne of Iacob accursed for going vp to his Fathers bed and lost he not his birth-right his dignitie and primacie ouer his Bretheren for the same Were there not abooue thréescore and fiue thousand men slain for the adulterie doon with one Leuits wife Was not king Dauid punished all y â— daies of his life for his adultery doon with Bersabe Vrias his wife Was not his soÌ„ne Amon for lying with Thamar slain Was not Salomon béeing peruerted with hethen women cast out of the fauour of GOD notwithstanding being otherwise the wisest Prince in all the world Did not Achab at the perswasions of Iesabel his cursed wife falling to Idolatrie and woorshiping of Idolles and deuils suffer moste cruel punishment in this life all his dayes besides what he suffereth now God onely knoweth Were not the Israelite and Madianitish woman both slain by that woorthy man Phinees who ran them both thorow the priuy members with his Iauelin or swoord Was not Sampson brought to a miserable end his eyes beeing bothe put out and he made to be a laughing stock to all men thorow his too much fauouring of wantoÌ„ women Was not king Pharao wunderfully plagued for but intending euil in his hart towards Sara Abraham his wife Did not the Lord slay with a moste gréeuous mortalitie foure twentie thousand of y e Israelites in one day for whordome and adulterie with the women of the Moabites and Madianits By these and such like fearful Examples of the iustice of God powred vpon these whoremongers adultrers we may learn to know the gréeuousnes of the same and the punishment due to all whoremongers and fornicatours either in this life or in the World to come or els in both for if the Lord deferre the punishment of whordome in this life hée reseruetâ— it for the world to come suffering the wicked to wallow in their sinne and to fil vp the measure of iniquitie that their damnation may be iust And if the Lord lâ—ft not sin vnpunished no not in his most déer Saints what he wil doo in them who dayly crucifie him a new let the world iudge Spud. Now am I fully perswaded by your inuincible reasons that there is no sin greater before the face of God then whordome wherfore God grauÌ„t that all his may auoid it Philo. You haue said true for there is no sinne almost comparable vnto it for besides that it bringeth euerlasting damnation to all that liue therin to the end without repentaÌ„ce it also bringeth these inconueniences with many mo vidilicet it dimmeth the sight it impaireth the hearing it infirmeth y e sinewes it weakneth the ioynts it exhausteth the marow consumeth the moisture and supplemeÌ„t of the body it riueleth the face appalleth the couÌ„tenance it dulleth y e spirits it hurteth the memorie it weakneth y â— whole body it bringeth it into a consuÌ„ption it bringeth vlcerations scab scurf blain botch pocks biles it maketh hoare haires bald pates it induceth olde age in finâ— bringeth death before nature
The Anatomie of Abuses Contayning A DISCOVERIE OR BRIEFE Summarie of such Notable Vices and Imperfections as now raigne in many Christian Countreyes of the Worlde but especiallie in a verie famous ILANDE called AILGNA Together with most fearefull Examples of Gods Iudgementes executed vpon the wicked for the same aswell in AILGNA of late as in other places elsewhere Uerie Godly to be read of all true Christians euerie where but most needefull to be regarded in ENGLANDE Made dialogue-wise by Phillip Stubbes Seene and allowed according to order MATH 3. ver 2. Repent for the kingdome of God is at hande Lvc. 13. ver 5. I say vnto you saith Christ except you repent you shall all perish ¶ Printed at London by Richard Iones â—â—â—â—aij 1583. To the Right Honorable Phillip Earle of Arundell Phillip Stubbes wisheth helth of body soule fauour of God increase of Godly honour reward of laudable vertue and eternall felicitie in the Heauens by IESVS Christ. NOBILITAS Patriae DECVS THE Lord our God right honorable hauing by the power of his word created Heauen and Earth with all thinges what soeuer for the comfort and vse of Man the last of all other euen the sixt daye made Man after his owne similitude and likenesse that in him he might be glorified aboue all other Creatures And therfore wheras in making of other thinges he vsed onely this Woord FIANT be they made or let them be made when he came to make Man as it weare aduysing himselfe and asking councell at his wisdome he said FACIAMVS HOMINEM let vs make Man that is a woÌ„derful Creature and therfore is called in greek MICROCOSMOS a litle world in himself And truely he is no lesse whether we consider his spirituall soule or his humaine body For what Creature is theare vppon the face of the Earth comparable to man either in body or in mind what creature hath a soule immortall inherent in his body but onely Man what Creature can forsee things to come remember things past or iudg of things present but onely man what Creature beareth the ymage of God about with him but Man what Creature is made so erect to behould the Heauens as man What Creature may be likened to man either in proportioÌ„ of body or gifts of the soule And finally what Creature hath the promise of the resurrectioÌ„ glorificatioÌ„ of their bodies of eternall life but onely Man Than seeing the Lorde hath made Man thus glorious and preferred him in euery degree before al other Creatures the Angelicall Creatures set a part it is manifest he hath done it to some end purpose namely that he might be glorified in him and by him aboue all other his works according to the measure of his integritie excellency and perfection And hereby we may learn that it is the will of GOD that we bend all our force to the aduauncing of his glorious Name the edification of his People and the building vp of his Church which he hath redemed with the bloud of his deare Sonne Which thing mee think is notably figured foorth vnto vs in the .25 of EXODVS wher the Lord commaunded Moyses to build him a Tabernacle or howse of prayer to this end and purpose doubtles that therin his lawe might be read his Ceremonies practised Sacrifices Victimates Holocaustes offred and his glorious Name called vppon and obeyed To the erection wherof euery one conferred some what some brought gold some siluer some brasse lead tinne other brought silk purple skarlet and other ornaments and the meanest brought some what namely skins heare sand lyme morter wood stone and such like Euen so right honorable would the Lord haue euery one to conferre some what euen such as he hath to the building of his spirituall howse the Church purchased with the bloud of Christ. Wherfore seeing it is so that euery one is to further this spirituall building to his possible power I haue rather chosen with the simplest and meanest sort to bring though but heyre sand skins lyme morter wood or stones than altogether to contribute nothing Not doubting but that the chief Maister and Builder of this howse Christ Iesus will not dislike but accept of my poore contribution no lesse than he did of the poore wydowes Mite to whom was imputed that she had cast more in Gazophilatium Templi into the treasury of the Temple than all the rest for what she wanted in effect that she supplyed in affect And for that also the Lord our GOD committing his taleÌ„ts to euery one whether more or lesse not onely requireth of vs the same againe simply but also as a straight computist demaundeth interest and gaine of euery one of vs for that not only he is a murtherer a Homicide before God who slayeth or killeth a Man with materiall sword but he also vho may preuent the same and will not And not onely he is guiltie of haynous transgression that committeth any euill really but also he who consenteth to it as he doth who holdeth his peace or he who by any means might auoid it and either for negligence wil not or for feare of the world dare not Therfore albe it that I haue receiued but one poore taleÌ„t or rather the shadow of one yet least I might be reproued with that vnprofitable Seruaunt for hyding my small talent in the Earth not profiting therwith at all either my self or others I haue adueÌ„tured the making of this litle treatise intituled The Anatomy of Abuses hoping that the same by diuyne assistance shall somewhat conduce to the building of this spirituall howse of the Lord. And although I be one most honorable Lord that can do least in this Godly course of life palpable barbarisme forbidding mee so much as once to enter into Wysdomes school yet for that somewil not for feare of losing worldly promotion though in the meane tyme they lose the Kingdome of Heauen Other some dare not for displeasing the world I say for these semblable causes together with the zeale and goodwill I beare vnto my Countrey and feruent desire of their conuersion and amendement I haue taken vpon me the contryuing of this book Which GOD graunt may be with like plausible alacritie receiued as with paines and good will I haue published it for the benefit of my Cuntrey the pleasure of the Godly and amendement of the wicked And I doubt not that as none but the wicked and peruerse whose gawld backes are tutched will repyne against mee so the Godly and vertuous will accept of this my labour and trauaile herein whose gentle fauour and goodwill shall counterpoyse and farre surmount with mee the maligne stomacks and stearn countenances of the other After that I had right honorable fully perfected this booke I was minded notwithstanding both in regard of the straungenes of the matter it intreateth of and also in respect of the rudenesse of my penne to haue suppressed it for euer for diuerse and sundrie
of his truth aboue all other Landes in the world yet is there not a people more abrupte wicked or peruerse liuing vpon the face of the earth Spud. From whence spring all these euills in man for we sée euerie one is inclined to sin naturally and there is no fleshe which liueth and sinneth not Philo. All wickednes mischiefe and sinne doubte you not brother Spud. springeth of our auncient ennemie the Deuill the inâ—eterate corruption of our nature and the intestine malice of our owne hearts as from the originals of all vncleannes impuritie whatsoeuer But we are now newe creatures and adoptiue children created in Christ Iesus to doe good woorkes which God hath prepared for vs to walke in Wherefore wee ought to haue no fellowship with the workes of darknesse but to put on the armour of light Christ Iesus to walke in newnesse of life and to worke our saluation in feare and trembling as the Apostle saith and our sauiour Christ biddeth vs so work as our workes may glorifie our heauenlye Father But alas the contrarie is most true for there is no sinne that was euer broached in any age which florisheth not nowe And therfore the fearfull daie of the Lord cannot be farre of at which day all the World shall stand in flashing fier and than shall Christ our Sauiour come marching in y â— clowdes of heauen with his Taratantara sounding in each mans eare arise you Dead and come to iudgement and than shall the Lord reward euery Man after his owne workes But how little this is esteemed of how smally regarded to coÌ„sider it greeueth me to the very harte and there is almost no life in mee Spud. It is but a follie to greeue at them who sorowe not for them selues Let them sinck in their owne sinne lyue well your selfe you shall not answeare for them nor they for you Is it not writen vnusquisque portabit suuÌ„ onus Euery one shall beare his own burden Anima quae peccauerit ipsa morietur y e soule that sinneth shall dy wherfore surcease to sorow or greeue any more for them for they are such as the Lord hath cast of into a reprobat sence preiâ—dicat opinion preordinat destruction that his power his glorie and iustice may appeare to all the World Philo. Oh brother ther is no christeÌ„ maÌ„ in whose hart shineth scintillula aliqua pietatis any sparke of God his grace which will not gréeue to sée his brethren sisters in the Lord members of the same body coheyres of y e same kingdom purchased with one the same inestimable price of Christ his bloud to runne thus desperatlie into the gulphe of destruction and laberinth of perdition If the least and meanest member of thy whole body be hurt wounded cicatriced or brused doth not the hart and euerie member of thy body feele the anguish and paine of the grieued parte seking endeuouring them selues euery one in his office calling to repaire the same and neuer ioying vntill that be restored again to his former integritie perfection Which thinge in the balance of Christian charity consideratly weighed may mooue any good Man to mourn for their defection and to assay by all possible means to reduce them home again that their soules maie be saued in the daye of the Lord. And the Apostle commandeth vs that we be alter alterius emolumento an ayde and helpe one to an other And that we do good to all men dum tempus habemus whylest we haue tyme. To wéepe with them that weepe to mourne with them that mourne and to be of like affection one towardes an other And common reason aduertiseth vs that wee are not borne for our selues onelie for Ortus nostri partem patria partem amici partem parentes vendicant Our Countrey challengeth a part of our byrth our brethren and frendes require an other parte and our parentes and that optimo iure doe vendicate a third parte Wherefore I will assay to doe them good if I can in discouering their abuses and laying open their inormities that they séeing the gréeuousnes of their maladies daunger of theyr diseases may in time seeke to the true Phisition expert Chirurgion of their soules Christ Iesus of whome onelie commeth all health grace and so eternally be saued Spud. Séeing that so many and so haynous sinnes do raigne and rage in Ailgna as your wordes import and which mooue you to such intestine sorrowe and griefe of minde I pray you describe vnto me more perticularly some of those Capitall crimes and chiefe Abuses which are there frequented and which dishonour the maiestie of God the most as you suppose A particuler description of PRIDE the principall Abuse and how manifold it is in AILGNA PHILOPONVS YOu do well to request me to cipher foorth vnto you parte of those great Abuses and Cardinall Uices vsed in AILGNA for no man in anie Catalogue how prolixe soeuer is able to comprehend the summe of all abuses there in practise And whereas you woulde haue mee to speake of those Capitall or chiefe Abuses which both are deadly in their owne nature and which offende the maiestie of God moste Mée thinke you shake hands with the sworne enemies of God the Papistes who say there are two kindes of sinne the one veniall the other lethall or deadly But you must vnderstand that there is not the least sinne that is committed eyther in thought woorde or déede yea Vae vniuersae iustitiae nostrae si remota misericordia iudicetur Wo be to all our righteousnes if mercie put away they should bee iudged but it is damnable dempta misericordia Dei if the mercie of God be not extended And againe there is no sinne so gréeuous which the grace and mercy of God is not able to counteruaile withal if it bee his pleasure to blot it out for euer So y t you see now there is no sinn so venial but if the mercie of God be not stretched out it is damnable nor yet anie sinne so mortall which by the grace and mercie of God may not bee done away And therfore as we are not to presume of the one so wee are not to despaire of the other But to returne againe to y e satisfying of your request The greatest abuse which both offendeth god moste is there not a little aduaunced is the execrable sinne of Pride and excesse in apparell which is there so ripe as the filthie fruits thereof haue long since presented themselues before the throne of the maiestie of God calling and crying for vengeance day and nighte incessantly Spud. Wherfore haue you inteÌ„ded to speak of Pride the first of all geuing vnto it the first place in your tractation Because it is euill in it selfe and the efficiente cause of euill or for some other purpose Philo. For no other cause but for that I thinke it to bee not onely euill
and damnable in it owne nature but also the verie efficient cause of all euills And therfore the wise man was bolde to call it Initium omnium malorum the beginning and welspring of al euils For as from the roote all natural thinges doe grow take their beginning so from y e cursed roote of pestiferous Pride do all other euilles sproute and thereof are ingenerate Therfore may Pride be called not improperly Matercula origo omniū vitiorū the mother and nurse of al mischief for what thyng so haynous what cryme so flagitious what deed so perillous what attemptso vēterous what enterpriseso pernicious or what thing so offēsiue to God or hurtful to mā in all y e world which mā of himselfe a very Sathanas to maintain his pride withall wil not willingly atchieue hereof wee haue too muche experience euerye day more is the pittie Spud. How manyfold is this sin of Pryde whereby the glorie of God is defaced and his maiestie so gréeuously offended Philo. Pride is tripartite namely y e pryde of the hart the pride of the mouth the pryde of apparell which vnles I bee deceiued offendeth God more then the other two For as y e pride of the heart mouth is not opposite to y e eye nor visible to the sight and therefor intice not others to vanitie sin notwithstanding they be gréeuous sinnes in the sight of God so the pride of apparel remaining in sight as an exemplarie of euill induceth the whole man to wickednes and sinne Spud. How is the pride of y e hart cōmitted Philo. Pride of the hart is perpetrate whē as a man lifting him selfe on highe thinketh of himself aboue that which he is of himselfe dreamyng a perfection of himselfe when he is nothyng lesse And in respect of himselfe contempneth vilefieth and reproacheth all men thinking none comparable to him selfe whose righteousnes notwithstanding is lyke to the polluted cloth of a menstruous woman Therfore the Pryde of the Heart maye bée saide too bée a Rebellious elation or lyftynge vppe of the mynde agaynste the Lawe of God attrybutynge and ascrybynge that vnto himselfe whiche is proper to God onely And although it bee the Lorde Qui operatur in nobis velle posse who worketh in vs both the wil and power to do good Ne gloriaretur omnis caro leaste anie fleshe should boste of his owne power and strength yet Pride with his Cosin germayn Philautia which is Selfeloue perswadeth him y ◠he hath néede of no mans helpe but his owne that he standeth by his own proper strength power and by no mans els that he is al in all yea so perfect and good as no more can be exacted of hym Spud. How is Pride of wordes or pride of mouthe committed Philo. Pride of the mouth or of wordes is when we boast bragge or glorie eyther of our selues our kinred consanguynitie byrth parentage and suche like or when we extol our selues for any vertue sanctimonie of lyfe sincerytie of Godlynes which eyther is in vs or which we pretend to be in vs. In this kinde of Pride as in the other almost euery one offendeth for shal you not haue all in a maner boast vaunt themselues of their Auncetors and progenitors saying crying with open mouth I am a Gentleman I am worshipful I am Honourable I am Noble and I can not tell what my father was this my father was that I am come of this house and I am come of that Wheras Dame Nature bryngeth vs all into the worlde after one sorte and receiueth all againe into the wombe of our mother I meane the bowelles of the earth al in one and the same order and manner without any difference or diuersitie at all wherof more hereafter shalbe spoken Spud. How is Pride of Apparell cōmitted Philo. By wearyng of Apparell more gorgeous sumptuous precious than our state callyng or condition of lyfe requireth wherby we are puffed vp into Pride and inforced to thinke of our selues more than we ought beyng but vile earth and miserable sinners And this sinne of Apparell as I haue sayde before hurteth more then the other two For the sinne of the heart hurteth none but the Author in whom it bréedeth so long as it bursteth not foorth into exteriour action And the Pride of the mouth whiche consisteth as I haue sayd in ostenting and braggyng of some singular vertue eyther in himselfe or some other of his kinred and which he arrogateth to himselfe by Hereditarie possession or lineall dissent though it be meere vngodly in it own nature yet it is not permanent for wordes fly into the aire not leauing any print or character behinde them to offend the eyes But this sinne of excesse in Apparell remayneth as an Example of euyll before our eyes and as a prouocatiue to sinne as Experience daylye sheweth Spud. Would you not haue men to obserue a decencie a comlinesse a decorum in their vsuall Attyre Doeth not the worde of God commaund vs to do all things decenter secundum ordinem ciuilem decently and after a cyuile maner Philo. I would wish that a decencie a comly order and as you say a decorum were obserued as well in Attyre as in all things els but would God the contrarie were not true For most of our nouell Inuentions and new fangled fashions rather deforme vs then adorne vs disguise vs then become vs makyng vs rather to resemble sauadge Beastes and stearne Monsters then continent sober and chaste Christians Spud. Hathe this contagious infection of Pride in Apparell infected and poysoned any other countrey beside Ailgna suppose you Philo. No doubt but this poyson hath shed foorth his influence and powred foorth his stinking dregges ouer all the face of the earth but yet I am sure there is not any people vnder the Zodiacke of heauen how clownish rurall or brutish soeuer that is so poisoned with this Arsnecke of Pride or hath drunke so deepe of the dregges of this Cup as Ailgna hath with griefe of conscience I speake it with sorow I sée it and with teares I lament it Spud. But I haue heard them saye that other Nations passe them for exquisite brauery in Apparell as the Italians the Athenians the Spaniards the Caldeans Heluetians Zuitzers Venetians Muscouians and such lyke now whither this be true or not I greatly desire to knowe Philo. This is but a visour or cloke to hide their Sodometrie withall onelye spoken not prooued forged in the deceiptfull Mint of their owne braynes For if credit may be giuen to ancient writers the Egyptiās are said neuer to haue chāged their fashion or altered the forme of their first Attire from the beginning to this day as Iacobus Stuperius lib. de diuer sis nostrae aetatis habitibus Pag. 16 affirmeth The Grecians are saide to vse but one kynde of Apparell without any chaunge that is to wit a longe
haue inuested them in silks veluets satens grograins gold siluer what not But the Lord our God foresawe that if he had clothed man in rich and gorgiouse attyre suche is our proclyuitye to sinne he wold haue bene proude therof as we sée it is come to passe at this day God amend it and therby purchase to himselfe his body and soule eternall damnation Spud. Than it seemeth a thinge materiall and of great importaÌ„ce that we resemble our first PareÌ„ts in austerity and simplicity of apparell so muche as maye be possible doth it not Philo. I put no religion in goinge or not goinge in the like simple attyre of our pareÌ„ts Adam Eua as our Papistes Papists no Sorbonists Sorbonists no Atheists atheists no plaine Sathanists do placing all thier religion in hethen garments Romish raggs so that we obserue a meane and exceade not in pride But notwithstanding if we approched a litle nearer them in Godly simplicitie and Christian sobrietie both of apparell and maner of lyuinge we should not onely please God a great deale the more and enritche our Cuntrey but also auoyd many scandals offeÌ„ces which grow daily by our excessiue ryot and ryotouse excesse in apparell For doth not y e apparell styrre vppe the heart to pride doth it not intice others to sinne and doth not sin purchase hell the guerdon of pride Spud. But they say they please God rather than offend him in wearing this gorgiouse attyre for therby the glory of his workmanship in them doth more appeare Besides that it maketh a man to be accepted and esteemed of in euery place wheras otherwise they should be nothing lesse Philo. To think that the Lorde our God is delighted in the splendente shewe of outward apparell or that it setteth forth y â— glory of his Creatures and the maiesty of his kingdom I suppose ther is no maÌ„ at least no perfect christian man so bewitched or assotted For that weare as much as to say that stinking pride filthie sinne tended to the glory of God so that the more we syn the more we increase his prayse and glorye But the Lord oure God is so farre from dilightinge in sinne that he adiudgeth them to eternall Death and damnation that committe the same Than who is he that will take pleasure in vayne apparell which if it be worne but a whyle will fall to ragges and if it be not worne will soone rotte or els be eaten with mothes His wayes are not ourâ— wayes his iudgements not our iudgements as he sayth by his Prophet and wheras they holde that Apparell setteth foorth the glory of his Maiestie in his creatures makynge them to appeare fairer than other wyse they would of themselues it is blasphemously spoken and muche derogateth from y e exellency and glory of his name For saith not God by his prophet Moyses that after he had made all creatures he beheld them all behould they weare and especially maÌ„ the excellentest of all other his creatures whom he made after his own similitude liknesse excedinge good And were all creatures good perfect only maÌ„ not perfect nor faire inough If these their speeches were true which in the fulnesse of their blasphemie they shame not to speake thaÌ„ might we easily conuince the Lord of vntrue speaking who in his sacred word informeth vs that maÌ„ is the perfectest Creature the fayrest of al others y t euer he made excepting the heuenly spirits Angelical creatures after his own liknesse as before O maÌ„ who arte thou that reasonest with thy Creator shall the clay say vnto the potter why hast thou made me thus Or can y â— clay make himselfe better fauored than the potter who gaue him his first stamp proportion Shall we think that stinking pride can make the workmaÌ„shippe of the Lord to seeme fayrer Than why did not the Lord cloth vs so at y e first or at least why gaue he not commaundemeÌ„t in his will testament which he sealed with the price of the bloud of his sonne to cloth our selfes in riche gorgiouse apparel to set forth his glory y e more But away with these dogs hellish haggs who retaine this opinioÌ„ that cursed pride glorifieth God setteth forth or bewtifieth his workmaÌ„shippe in his creatures In vain is it for me to expostulat with them for doubtles noÌ„ hould this but such as be misecreants or deuills incarnate men cast of into a reprobate sence whom I beseech the Lord in the bowels of his mercy either speedely to coÌ„uert that they perish not or els confounde y t they hurte not that peace may be vppoÌ„ Israel Thus hauing sufficiently I trust refelled their false positioÌ„s I leaue them to the Lord beseechinge them as they tender their own saluation linguas coÌ„pescere digitis to stoppe their sacrilegiouse mouthes with ther fingers not to spit against heauen or kicke against the pricke as they do anie longer For the Lord our God is a coÌ„suming fier vpon obstinate sinners shal raine down fire brimston consume them in his wrath This is our portion acquired by sinne Spud. But what say you to the other branch of their conclusion namely that Apparell maketh them to be accepted and well taken in euery place Philo. Amongest the wicked and ignorante Pezants I must néedes confesse they are the more estemed in respect of their apparell but nothing at all the more but rather the lesse amongest the godly wyse So farre of will all wyse meÌ„ be from accepting of any for his gay apparell onely that be he neuer so gallantly painted or curiously plumed in the deceiptfullâ— fethers of pride they wil rather coÌ„temne him a great deale y e more taking him to be a maÌ„ puffed vp with pride and vaine glorie a thing both odiouse detestable to God good men And seeing it caÌ„not stand with the rule of god his iustice to accept or not to accept any maâ— for his apparell or any other externe shew 〈◊〉 deceiptfull vanytie it is manifest that maâ— doinge the contrarie is a Iudas to the truth 〈◊〉 Traytor to iustice an enemy to the Lord 〈◊〉 wherfore farre be that from al good christianâ— and if those that go richely clothed should bâ— esteemed y e rather for their rich apparel thaâ— Ã contrario must those that go in meane anâ— base attire be the more contemned and despised for their pouertie And than should Chrisâ—â—â— Iesus our great Ambassador from the king 〈◊〉 heauen only Sauiour be comtemned for 〈◊〉 came in poore mean array but Christ Iesuâ— is blessed in his pore raggs and all others arâ— coÌ„temned in their rich precious attyre Uâ—â—der a simple cote many tymes lyeth hid greaâ— wisdom knowledg coÌ„trarely vnder braâ—â—◠〈◊〉 somtime is couered great ydiotacy and folly Hereof euery daies successe offreth proofe sufficient more is the pytie Spud.
God let him content himselfe with the same without any alteratioÌ„ or chaunge with praise to his Creator Spud. They hold notwithstanding that it is the pride of the heart which God so muche hateth and detesteth Philo. It is verye true that GOD punisheth the pride of the heart with eternal damnation if they repent not for he will be serued and obyed either with the whole man or els with none Than if he punish the pride of heart with euerlasting damnatioÌ„ he must néeds in iustice punish the pride of Apparell with the like being booth ioyned in one predicameÌ„t of sinne and the pride of apparell much more hurting before the world thaÌ„ the other Also it is manifest that the pride of apparel riseth first from the corruptioÌ„ of the heart as the effects from the cause the fruite from the roote of the trée than if the pride of y e heart which notwithstanding it hurteth not outwardly but is secret betwixt God and himselfe be damnable in it owne nature before God than must it néeds be that the Pride of apparell which sheweth it selfe to the world both offensiue to GOD and hurtfull to maÌ„ and which also is the fruite of the pride of the heart and throweth almost as many as behold it at least as many as followe it into the déep dungion of hell is much more pernicious and damnable than the other Spud. Hath the Lord plagued this sinne of pride with any notable torture or punishmeÌ„t euer from the beginning of the World vnto this day or hath he omitted the reuenge therof as a thing of small force or importance Philo. Most fearfull plagues and dreadfull iudgements of GOD haue in all ages béene powred vppon them that offended herein as all Histories both holy and prophane do beare record For proofe wherof I wil geue you a taste but of a few wherby may appeare how wonderfully the Lord in all ages tymes kinreds peoples hath punished those that thorow pride like wicked recusants and backslyders from God haue rebelled against his maiestie The deuill who before was an Angell in HeaueÌ„ arrogating to himselfe the imperial throane of the maiesty of God was cast downe into the déepth of Hell burning with fire and sulphur for euer Adam desiring to be a God for the serpent tould him he should be as God knowing both good euill was for the sin of Pride throwne downe to the bottome of Hell not onely he but all his posteritie to the end of the World The hoast of Core Dathan and Abiram for their exceding pride in stirring vp mutenie rebelling against their lawfull Magistrate were swallowed vp quick into hell the earth opening her mouth deuouring them withall their complices whatsoeuer The People of Babylon inteÌ„ding to builde a tower whose top should tutche the Skye thinking that if God should drown y e world againe with water they would be sure inough on the toppe of their high turrâ—ts yea they intending to sit with God himselfe if néed weare weare all confounded and a diuerse language put into euery mans mouth that none knew what an other spake And thus were they forced to leaue there building and dispersed themselues abroad vppoÌ„ the face of the earth wherof spraÌ„g the first diuersitie of languages in the world Wherfore when we heare any language spoken we know not it may be a memorandum to vs to put vs in minde of our Pride which was the cause therof Goliah the great Gyant the huge Cyclops and sworâ—e enemy to the Children of Israell for his pride against the Lord was slaine by Dauid the faitfull Seruaunt of the Lord. Antiochus intending to ouerthrowe and sacke Ierusalem to spoile the Sanctuarie and Temple of the Lord and to kill the people of God was for his pride ouerturned in his charet ryding thetherward his belly brust and fil thy wormes crawled out moste lothsomly and in sine beganne so to stinke and swell as neither his Seruants nor he himselfe cold abide his owne sauoure and thus ended his lyfe in great miserie and wretchednesse Nabuchodonosor was for his pride cast out of his Kingdom and forced to eat grasse with wild beasts in the wildernesse King Saule for his pride and disobedience was deposed of his principallitie and Kingly regimente and in the end slewe him self on 〈◊〉 Gelboe most desperately Sodoma and Gomorra were both destroyed with fire brimstone froÌ„ heauen for their sin of pride contempt of the Lord. All the world in the daies of Noah was drowned with vniuersall deluge for pride contumacy of heart King Hezekiahs for his pride in shewing to the Ambassadors of the king of Babylon all his treasure for he sent Messengers vnto him w t gifte lettres congratulatorie for y e recouerie of his helth lost al his iewels tresures riches w t his owne sones also being transported captiues into Babilon K. Dauid for his pride in numbring y e people contrary the wil of god was greuouslie punished and thréescore and ten thousand of his People slaine with a gréenous pestilence for the same King Pharao for his pride against the Lord for he thought him selfe a GOD vppon the Earth and therfore asked he Moyses in derision who is the Lord was drowned in the read Sea with all his hoast The proude Pharisey iustifying himselfe for his pride was reproued of the Lord and reiected King Herode for attiring himselfe in sumpteous aray not ascribing glory to the Lord was strucken dead by an Angel and wormes consumed his flesh immediatly Al these with infinit millions moe in al ages haue perished thorow pride and therfore let not this people think that they shall escape vnpunished who drinke vp pride as it weare swéet wyne féede vppon it as vppon delicious meats and wallowe in it as a filthie swyne doth in the dirtie myrâ— will the Lord punish his peculiare people and elect vessels and let them goo frée Wherfore I wold wyshe them to be warned for it is a terrible thing to fall into y e hands of GOD who is a consuming fire a fearfull God His bowe is bente his arrowes of iudgements are drawen to the head his fire is kyndled his wrath is gone out ready to be powred vppon the contemners of his lawes Tempt not the Lord any longer prouoke not his wrath exasperate not his iudgements towards thée for as mercy procéedeth froÌ„ him so doth iustice also And be sure of it he payeth home at the last For as in mercie he suffreth no good deed to be vnrewarded so in his iust iudgmente there is no wickednes which he leaueth vnpunished And yet notwithstaÌ„ding their wickednesse and pride is such as stincketh before the face of God and maketh the Enemies to blaspheme and speake euill of the wayes of the Lord For say they the men of Ailgna are wicked licentious in all their wayes which easily appeareth
and clothing to be centent for they that will be rich saith he fall into diuerse temptations and snares of the Deuill which drowne Men in perditioÌ„ Dauid saith Man disquieteth him selfe in vaine heaping vp riches cannot tell who shall possesse them Salom. coÌ„pareth a couetous man to him y e murthereth sheadeth innocent bloud Againe Hell and destruction are neuer ful so the eyes of Men can neuer be satisfied The Apostle S. Paule saith neither WhormoÌ„gers Adulterers nor couetous persons nor Extortioners shal euer enter into the Kingdom of Heauen And saith further y â— the loue of monie is y e root of al euil Christ biddeth vs be liberal lend to them that haue néed not looking for any restitutioÌ„ again neuer to turn our face away froÌ„ any poore maÌ„ thaÌ„ y e face of the Lord shall not be turned away froÌ„ vs. By these few places it is manifest how farre froÌ„ al couetousnes y e lord wold haue al cristiaÌ„s to be Spud. Be their any examples in scriptures to shew foorth the punishmentes of the same inflicted vpon the Offenders therin Philo. The Scripture is full of such fearful examples of the iust iudgements of God powred vpon theÌ„ that haue offended herein Wherof I will recite three or four for the satisfying of your Godly mind Adam was cast out of Paradice for coueting that fruit which was inhibited him to eat Giese the Seruant of Elizeus y e Prophet was smitten with an incurable leprosie for y â— he to satisfie his couetous desire exacted gold siluer riche garments of NaamaÌ„ y e K. of Siria his seruant Balaam was reproued of his asse for his couetousnes in going to curse y e Children of Israel at the request of K. Balac who promised him aboundance of gold siluer so to doo Achab y â— K. for couetousnes to haue pore Naboth his viniard slew him and dyed after himselfe with all his progeny a shameful death The SoÌ„nes of Samuel were for their infaciable couetousnes deteined froÌ„ euer inioying their Fathers kingdome Iudas for couetousnes of mony sould the Sauiour of the world and betrayed him to the Iewes but afterward dyed a miserable death his bellye bursting his bowels gushing out Ananias Saphira his wiâ—e for couetousnes in coÌ„cealing part of y â— price of ther laÌ„ds froÌ„ y â— apostles were both slain died a fearful death AchaÌ„ was stoned to death by y â— lord his coÌ„mandemeÌ„t for his couetousnes in stealing gold siluer Iewels at the sacking of Iericho al his goods were burned presently Thus you sée how for couetousnes of mony in all ages Men haue made shipwrack of their consciences and in the end by the iust iudgemeÌ„t of God haue dyed fearful deaths whose iudgmente I leaue to the Lord. Spud. Sâ—eing that couetousnes is so wicked a sin so offensiue both to God Man pernicious to the soule I marueile what moueth Men to followe the same as they doo Ph. Two things moue meÌ„ to affect mony so so much as they do y â— one for feare least they shold fal into pouertie beggery oh ridiculous infidelitie y e other to be aduanced promoted to high dignities honors vpoÌ„ earth And thei see y e world is such y e he who hath moni enough shalbe rabbied maistered at euery word and the vaine title of worshipfull and right worshipfull though notwithstanding he be a dunghill Gentleman or a Gentleman of the first head as they vse to terme them And to such outrage is it growne that now adayes euery Butcher Shooemaker Tailer Cobler Husband-man and other yea euery Tinker pedler and swinherd euery Artificer and other gregarii ordinis of the vilest sorte of Men that be must be called by y e vain name of Maisters at euery word But it is certen that no wyse Man will intitle them with any of these names worshipfull and maister for they are names and titles of dignitie proper to y e Godly wyse for some speciall vertue inherent either els in respect of their birth or calling due vnto theÌ„ but such Titiuillers flattering Parasits and glosing Gnatoes as flatter them expecting some pleasure or benefit at their haÌ„ds which thing if they were not blowen vp with the bellowes of pride and puffed vp with the wind of vainglori they might easily perceiue For certen it is they do but mocke and flatter them with these titles knowing that they deserue nothing lesse Wherfore like good Recusants of that thing which is euill they should refuse those vainglorious Names remembring the words of our sauiour Christ saying be not called Maister in token there is but one onely true Maister and Lord in Heauen which only true Maister Lord God graunt all other may followe bothe in life and name vntil they coÌ„e to perfect men in Iesus Christ. Spud. The people béeing so let vpon couetousnes as I gather by your speeches they be is it possible that they wil lend moâ—ey without vsurie or without some hostage guage or pawn for vsurie followeth couetousnes as the shadowe dooth the bodie Great Vsurie in Ailgna Philo. IT is as impossible for any to borrowe money there for the most part without vsurie loane or with out some good hostage guage or pledge as it is for a dead man to speak with audible voice Spud. I haue heard say that the positiue and statute lawes there doo permit them to take vsurye limitting them how much to take for euery pound Philo. Although the ciuile lawes for the auoiding of further inconueniences doo permit certain sommes of money to be giuen ouerplus beyond or abooue the principall for the loane of mony lent yet are y â— vsurers no more discharged from the gilt of vsurie before God therby then the adulterous Iewes were from whordome because Moyses gaue them a permissiue law for euery man to put away their wiues that would for euery light trifle And yet the lawes there giue no libertie to commit vsurie but seeing how much it rageth lest it should excéed rage further and ouer flowe the banks of all reason and godlynes As couetousnes is a raging sea and a bottoÌ„lesse pit and neuer satified nor coÌ„tented they haue limited them within certain méeres and banks to bridle the insatiable desires of couetous men beyond the which it is not lawful for any to go but this permissioÌ„ of y e lawes argueth not that it is lawful to take vsury no more I say then y â— permission of Moyses argued that whordome adulterie is lawfull good because Moyses permitted them to put a way their wiues for y e auoâ—ding of greater euil for as christ said to y â— Iewes froÌ„ y e begiÌ„ning it was not so so saâ— I to these vsurers froÌ„ the begiÌ„ning it was not so nor yet ought so to be Spud. If no interest were permitted then no
man would lend then how should y e poor doo wherfore the lawes y â— permit some small ouer-plus therin doo very wel Philo. Non faciendum est malum vt inde veniat bonum we must not doo euil that good may come of it yet the lawes in permitting certain reasonable gain to be receiued for the loane of money lent lest otherwise the poore should quaile for without some commoditie the rich would not lend haue not doone much amisse but if they had quite cut it of and not yéelded at all to any such permission they had doon better But héerin the intent of the lawe is to be perpeÌ„ded which was to impale with in the Forrest or park of reasonable and conscionable gain men who cared not howmuch they could extorte out of poore-mens hands for the loane of their money lent and not to authorise any man to coÌ„mit vsurie as though it were lawful because it is permitted Therfore those that say that the lawes there doo allow of vsury licence men to commit it fréely doo slaunder y â— lawes are woorthy of reprehension for though the lawes say thou shalt not take abooue ij.s. in y â— pound x. li in a hundred and so so foorth Dooth this prooue y â— it is lawful to take so much or rather y â— thou shalt not take more then y â— if I say to a man thou shalt not giue him abooue one or two blowes dooth this prooue y â— I licence him to giue him one or two blowes or rather that he shal not giue any at al or if he doo he shal not excéed or passe y e baÌ„ds of resonable mesure so this law dooth but mitigate y e penalty for it saith y â— the party y â— taketh but x. li for y â— vse of an C.li. loseth but y â— x. li not his principal Spud. Then I perceiue if Usurie be not lawful by the lawes of the Realm then is it not lawful by the lawes of God Philo. You may be sure of that For our Sauiour Christe willeth vs to be so far from couetousnes and vsury as he saith giue to him that asketh thée and from him that would borrow turn not thy face away Againe Lend of thy goods to them who are not able to pay thée again and thy reward shalbe great in heauen If wée must lend our goods then to them who are not able to pay vs again no not so much as the bare thing lent where is the interest the vsurie the gaine and ouer-plus which we fish for so much Therfore our Sauiour Christe saith beatius est dare potius quam accipere It is more blessed to giue then to receiue In y â— 22. of Exodus Deut. 24. 23. Leuit. 25. Nehe. 5. Eze. 22. 18. many other places we are forbidden to vse any kinde of vsury or interest or to receiue again any ouer-pluss besides the principall either in money corne wine oyle beasts cattel meat drink cloth or any thing els what soeuer Dauid asketh a question of the Lord saying Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle and who shall rest in thy holy hil wherto he giueth the solution him self saying euen he that leadeth an incorrupt life hath not giuen his mony vnto vsurie nor taken reward against the innocent who so dooth these things shall neuer fall In the â—5 of Deut. the Lord willeth vs not to craue again the thing we haue lent to our neighbor for it is the Lords frée yéer If it be no lawful then to aske again y â— which is lent for it is not the law of good conscience for thée to exact it if thou be abler to beare it then the other to pay it much lesse is it lawful to demaund any vsury or ouer-plus And for this cause the Lord saith let there be no begger amoÌ„gst you nor poore person amongst the Tribes of Israel Thus you sée the woord of God abandoÌ„neth vsurie euen to hel and all writers bothe diuine and prophane yea the very heathen people moued onely by the instinct of nature and rules of reason haue alwaies abhord it Therfore Cato béeing demaunded what vsurie was asked againe what it was to kill a man making vsurie equiualent with murther And good reason for he that killeth a a man riddeth him out of his paines at once but he that taketh vsury is long in butchering his pacient suffering him by little little to languish and sucking out his hart blood neuer leaueth him so long as he féeleth any vitall blood that is luâ—re and gaine comming foorth of him The Usurer killeth not one but many bothe Husband Wife Children seruants famelie and all not sparing any And if the poore man haue not wherewith to pay aswel the interest as the principall when soeuer this gréedy cormorant dooth demaund it then sute shalbe coÌ„menced against him out go butter-flies and writs as thick as haile so the poore man is apprehended and brought coram nobis and béeing once conuented iudgement condemnatorie and diffinitiue sentence procéedeth against him compelling him to pay aswel the vsury and y e loane of the money as the money lent But if he haue not to satisfie aswel the one as th'other then to Bocardo goeth he as round as a ball where he shalbe sure to lye vntil he rotte one péece from an other without satisfaction bée made Oh cursed Caitiue no man but a deuil no Christian but a cruel Tartarian and mercilesse Turck darest thou look vp toward heauen or canst thou hope to be saued by the death of Christe that sufferest thine owne flesh and blood thine owne bretheren sisters in the Lord and which is more the flesh and blood of Christ Iesus vessels of saluation coheirs with him of his superiall kingdom adoptiue sonnes of his grace finally saints in heauen to lye and â—ot in prison for want of paymâ—nt of a little drosse which at the day of dome shall beare witnesse against thée gâ—aw thy flesh like a canker and condemn thée for euer The very sâ—ones of the prison walles shall rise vp against thée and condemne thée for thy crueltie Is this looue Is this charitie is this to doo to others as thou wouldest wish others to doe to thée or rather as thou woâ—ldest wish the Lord to doe vnto thée Art thou a good member of the bodie which not onely cuttest of thy selfe from the vine as a rotten brauâ—ch and void lop but also he west off other members fâ—om the same true vine Christe Iesus No no thou art a member of the Deuil a limme of Sathan and a Childe of perdition Wâ—e ought not to handle our bretheren in such sorte for any worldly matter whatsoeuer Wée ought to shew mercie and not crueltie to our bretheren to remit trespasses and offences rather then to exact punishment reâ—erring all reuenge to him who saith Mihi vindictam et
beware for Cain repented yet is he condemned Esau did repent yet is he condemned Antiochus did repent yet is he condemned Iudas did repent yet is he condemned with infinite moe And why so Because their prolonged repentaunce sprange not of faith c. Thus they may sée that euerye light affection is no true repentance And that it is not ynough to say at the last I repent I repent For vnles it be a true repentaÌ„ce indeed it is worth nothing But indeed if it weare so that man had liberuÌ„ arbitrium free wil of himself to repent truely when he wold and that God promised in his word to accept of that repentance it weare another matter But repentance is donum Dei the gifte of God de sursum veniens a patre luminum comming from aboue froÌ„ the Father of light therfore it is not in our powers to repent when we will It is the Lord y t giueth the gift when where to whom it pleaseth him of him are we to craue it incessantly by faithfull prayer not otherwise to presume of our owne repentaÌ„ce when indeed we haue nothing lesse than a true repentance Spud. Than thus much I gather by your words that as true repentance which is a certen inward grief and sorrow of the heart coÌ„ceiued for our sinnes with a hatred and lothing of thesame erueth to saluation thorow the mercie of GOD in Christ so fained repentance saueth not from perdition And therfore we must repent dayly and howrely and not to deferre our repentaunce to the last gaspe as many doo than which nothing is more perilous Philo. True it is for maye not he be called a great Foole that by deferring and prolonging of repentance to the last cast as they say will hazard his body and soule to eternall damnation for euer Wheras by daily repentaunce he maye assure him selfe both of the fauour of GOD and of life euerlasting by faith in the mercy of GOD thorow the most precious blood of his deare Sonne Iesus Christ our alone Sauiour and Redemer to whome be praise for euer Spud. Now must I néeds say as the Wyse King Salomon said all things are vaine and transitorie and nothing is permanent vnder the Sonne the workes of men are vnperfect and lead to destruction their exercyses are vaine and wicked altogether Wherfore I setting apart all the vanities of this lyfe will from hencefoorth consecrate my selfe to the seruice of my GOD and to follow him in his Woord which onely is permanent and leadeth vnto life And I most hartelie thanke the Lord God for your good Company this day and for your graue instructions promising by the assistance of God his grace to followe and obey them to my possible power all the daies of my life Philo. God giue you grace so to do and euery Christen man els and to auoid all the vanities and deceiuable pleasures of this life for certenly they tread the path to eternal destruction both of body and soule for euer to as many as obey them For it is vnpossible to wallowe in the delights and pleasures of this World and to lyue in ioy for euer in y e Kingdom of Heauen And thus we hauing spent the daye and also coÌ„summate our iorney we must now depart beseaching GOD that we may both meete againe in the Kingdome of Heauen there to raigne and lyue with him for euer through Iesus Christe our Lorde to whome with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour glorie for euer more Amen FINIS Flying fame oftentimes lyeth The place wher the Authour hath trauayled Trauailing chargeable The causes that moued the author to take this trauaile in hand The differeÌ„ce betwixt a maÌ„ the hath trauayled and a man that hath not The benefite of a good Companion to trauayle withall A request to auoid offeÌ„ce Ailgna a goodly cuÌ„try The people of Ailgna The liues of the people of Ailgna From wheÌ„ce all euilles spring in maÌ„ We ought to haue no dealing with the workes of the flâ—sh The day of Dome not regarded Euery Man must answer for him selfe The mutuall harmonie of one member with an other No maÌ„ born for himselfe The number of Abuses infinite All sinne in it owne nature is mortall The greatest abuse which offendeth god most is pride Pride the begyning of all euill ECCLES 10. What is it but pride dares attempt it Pride is three fold pride of the hart pride of the mouth and pride of apparell What pride of the hart is PHILAVTIA How pride of wordes or of the mouth is committed How pride of apparel is perpetrate coÌ„mitted A decorum to be obserued Our apparell rather deformeth than adorneth vs. No Cuntrey so drunken with pride as Ailgna Other countreyes not to be blamed though they go in silkâ— veluets and why Other Countryes esteme not so muche of silkes veluets as we do Euery man may weare apparell according to his callinge The nobility may weare gorgiouse attyre and why Maiestrats may were sumptuouse attyre why Not lawfull for priuate subiectes to weare sumpâ—â—ous attyre Hard to know a Gentleman from another by apparell Wherfore the lord made riche ornamentes Wherto riche ornamentes do serue When where and for what cause our appâ—rell was geuen vs. The fall of man by the malice of the deuill Impudenâ— beasts Wherfor our apparell was geuen vs. Mens bodies lyuing sepulchres In our apparell we ought rather to oby necessity than to feed vanity AdaÌ„ his meankind of attire was a â—igne 〈◊〉 mediocrity vnto vs â—n our â—pparell No religion reposed in apparell The fruite of Pride The Lord accepteth no man after his apparell No attyre can make the creature of God seeme fayrer Euery one is to contente him selfe with his creation and to prâ—yse God for it The Lord ouâ— God is a consuming fire to destroy all impenitenâ— siâ—nerâ— The wise will not accept of any after apparell Wisdom not tyed to exteriour pompe of apparell Reuerence due to vertue not to attyrâ— Wherfore man is to be worshiped and had in reuerence Gentilitie without vertue is no geÌ„tilitie The exordium of virtue is the exordium of gentilitie worship and want of the one is the decay of the other No holynes in apparell An argument trimly contryued Vnpossible to take away pride except sumptuouse apparell be taken away also Apparell and pride combined togetheas mother daughter Vnpossible not to be proud of rich attyre The Godly haue euer detested pride of apparell The verie hethen haue coÌ„temned sumptuouse apparell Testimonieâ— of hethen people who derided richâ— attire Virtue is the comlyest ornameÌ„t of all Dioâ—ines his â—suerity The example of a Philosopher deriding the pompe 〈◊〉 World The exaÌ„ple of a Philosopher who spat in the kings face ProbatioÌ„ that the former world hath contemned pompouse attyre Elias Elizeus Samuell The children of Israell Iohn Baptist. Peter The humility and pouertie of Christe vppon earth Superfluitie of apparell With dyuersitie