lothsomenesse to breede And to offende the stomacke much as oft they doe in deede Than after reading once or twise no more aboute them stande But giue them to the Spiders Mothes or to the Grocers hande Whatsoeuer is good estéeme it well and kéepe it for thy néede And what is yll dispatch it quite and take thereof good héede But if a controuersie rise amongst the learned men And such as teach the people heare with graue and skilfull pen. If that the matter come to fight by battaile to be tride And that the skirmishe waxeth hote with bookes on euery side Let him a Newter kéepe himselfe neglecting Solons lore And meddle not with any part nor iudgement giue before He well doe vnderstand the case and wayde it perfitelie Regarding no mans person stile nor earthly dignitie Nor giftes of happie fortune here that haue bene delt to men Nor great or little companie of such as follow them Let neyther priuate loue nor hate perswade him any way Nor force him any kinde of thing on eyther part to say Nor kinne nor Countrie mooue his minde to beare his hande awrie And cause the ballance for to swarue and fall vnequallie But frée from all affections let him marke aboue the rest Which of them néerest comes to Christ and followes truth the best And kéepes the perfite rule of fayth and iustly doth agrée With euery thing that in th'apostles volumes written bée For new things no man here may fame and rightly vnderstande The worde of God to such let him assent to giue his hande And beare this alwayes in his minde that scriptures onely must Be they whome godly men are bound vndoubtedly to trust All other wrytings of such force and value ought to bée But onely where with scripture they are found for to agrée Nor must we here regarde nor wey what man the Author bée Of any learning newe nor yet howe great the companée If that he bring not with him still the perfite Bridegroomes sounde And heauenly worde of God vnto the which are onely bounde The heartes of mortall men and which we safely may applie And vanquishe both the gates and raigne of hellishe soyle therebie What thing hath more disperst it selfe through all the worlde so wide What sect hath got so many friendes and followers beside What is more constantly affirmde with sworde and fire defended And thought to come from God as from the loftie skies discended Then that so grosse and foolish law of Mahomet the blinde Whose doltish dreames among themselues contrary oft we finde What shall he doe if number great of people mooue his minde Or generall consent of all the worlde his fansie binde Or stately crownes of Emperours or Diademes of Kings With madnesse shall he runne the way that to destruction beings And doubtfull hanging iust betwixt the earth and heauen tho To hell with crowde and number great of people shall he go Go search the scriptures teacheth hee that from the heauens came Appoynted by the fathers voyce the gouernor of man. He biddes not here the doting fruite of mans deuise to way Nor what the loftie Prince commaundes nor multitude doth say For error springs with mortall men by speciall propertie And blindnesse from the mothers wombe doth all accompanie From which doth neyther Chaynes redéeme nor townes nor princely seat Nor wooll that twise hath earst béene dide in purple poyson great These are the chiefe desires of Pan and Mydas fonde delight And eke the heddie frantike rage of Princes great of might Not onely with the Gentiles lewde who lacke the light deuine But with the learnde and fleshly séede that comes of Abrahams line That now thou néedste not to condemne of Ocean seas so déepe The farthest partes that in Cimmerian mistes and darknesse sléepe For all the earth whereas the Sunne doth cast his countnance cleare Opprest with dreadfull darknesse great and blindnesse doth appeare In matters touching fayth therefore and ioyes of heauen than Let him not trust the iudgement here of any kinde of man. But know that men will alwayes lie with mindes disposed yll Except the holy ghost and worde of God doe guide them still Which whether it be done or not let scriptures here decide Considering well of euery part as Argus throughly eide Except he doth dispise the wordes that Christ did once declare Who doth commaund attentiuely false Prophets to beware The like hath Paule commaunded oft and earnestly doth will So doth the sonne of Zebedey by good and perfite skill But for the iudgement now in bookes and their examining Our Plowman must giue héede to this as to a speciall thing That to no doctor here he binde himselfe continuallie Although the same be learnde and had in estimation hie And of the people honorde much and worshipt for his skill Least by this meanes he be enforst with good to swallow ill And maintaine lies in stéede of troth yea for his maisters sake To wrest and wrie and small account of scriptures for to make But let him kepe his iudgement and reserue his libertée To alowe the things that with the holy sprite agréeing bée And to reiect the lewde and false with malice neuer mooude But onely with the loue of truth which as before I prooude Must onely here respected bée no kinde of man beside Nor loftie hats that earst hath beene with purple colour dide Nor multitudes in number great nor prease of people rife Nor miracles that haue bene ioynde with holinesse of life For since the Apostles worthie time hath not bene knowne to liue A man to whome in euery thing we credite safe may giue For through affections â—f the minde the generall companie That both in Gréeke or Latine write doe often runne awrie And from the perfite path decline and doth the scriptures wrong Inforcing them to other sense than doth to them belong While as they tooke not héede ynough or else too earnest were In things they went about for to perswade or maintaine here Oft times they supersticious things doe teach and fansies vaine That neither with the Gospell doe agrée nor christian raigne Let these be spottes and marks that in thy body fayre appere Yet thinke we them not worthie prayse nor to be made of here As on the other side for these we may not damne the rest That soundly they haue vttred here and Christianly exprest A foolish loue and all to blinde is it when we allowe The manifest deformities and them for good auowe And in a princely hall commend the dung before our face Let euery thing retaine his name his praise and eke his place And let not things contrarie quite haue both one worshipping Nor yet that matters base and vile be sealde with precious ring Wherein they shall constrayned be to trespasse now and than That in this sort addict themselues to any priuate man. But this is not the greatest harme that happeneth thereby In such as to one Author binde themselues continaully There is another greater thing
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
mingled â—â—ill which eâ—â—st they drew and sucâ—te from mothers brest As dreames and superstitioâ—s great and childishe seruice vaine And many lewde vngodly things inuented all for gaine They can not onely Christ regarde while thus the matter standes Nor vnto heauen bring the soules committed to their handes Them lettes the great respect to Rome and eke the Pope their head One of no small account a man of kings and princes dread Besides the great agréement of such as in Pulpets speake A matter hard it is such barres and stoppes of truth to breake And for a man to striue agaynst his profite and his gaine No mischiefe without lucre is nor superstition vaine Wherefore it doth endure and yet is kept vnto this day With tooth and nayle in euery place and maintainde euery way So that the simple people get no kinde of good thereby But nusseled from their youth by these in vile Idolatry What should I tell you how they vse their seruices deuine With mans inuentions all defilde corrupted with the tyme And how they haue set out a booke full of such filthinesse From which to treade an inch awry they count a wickednesse Their doctrine and their dealings all with filth defiled lye And greater hurt the people take than fruit or gaine thereby For not alonely doth the Preacher here the worde declare Vntruly to the people but oft leauing it doth square And spend the tyme about complaints and rayling openly If any haue defamed him or haue not worthily Him honoured If any haue their tythes not duly brought In fine what wrong or iniury agaynst the man is wrought The Pulpet streightwayes rings therof and all the Church doth sound Of raylings and of spitefull wordes his chiefe and greatest ground Amongst them some there are that to the people doe foretell If Springtime Sommer Haruesâ— or the Winter happen well What store of Wheate shall be and of the other courser graine How Mast shall prooue and how the Vine shall yéelde hir fruite againe Besides of warres and sicknesses of plagues and other geare They tell to which the people giue a more attentiue eare By much then if he there should speake of Christ or godlinesse Of fayth good workes or of the lawe and perfite holinesse Some tell againe the Turkes affayres or of the Empâ—ours warres Of Spaine of Fraunce of Venice or of lustie Myllanarres And fill the peoples eares with this till time be finished But most when of the Gospell they yll fauouredly haue red Some part where of their duetie were to see the people taught And to expound it openly then in the dead are brought And beadroll long recited is of euery bodyes name For which they are payde supposing thus to scape the fayned flame Lo this their doctrine is and this is all the care they haue In seruing of th' almightie Lorde whose seruice they depraue Then out of hand to Masse they go and dine in heathnish wise That is not hauing fayth content with olde accustomde guise When dinners done to th'alehouse streight they go as merry as Pyes And tipple with their neighbours there or else some sport deuyes To passe the tyme with Cardes and dice or with some wanton talke Whereas a note aboue them all their tongue doth alwayes walke These also should dispatch their houres and seruice orderly Which they let passe except they sée some worthie company â–ª Abrode into the fieldes they walke themselues for to disport And viewe the corne or heare some tales to make the tyme more short And least the nightes should seeme to long eche one at home doth kéepe A pleasaunt Dame that in his armes all night doth swéetely sléepe Lo thus they spend their time and on this sort doe alwayes liue The holy Ghost vnto th'elect true godlinesse must giue And euen in their dying houre must Christ to them disclose The meane that saâ—de our fathers long ago as I suppose Whereby they wonderously escapde the darknesse that was then For surely none shall saued be by meanes of these same men Tell on good Muses for the swarmes of Monkes doe yet remaine And not the meanest members of this same most holy raigne These men forsaking cleane the worlde and lothing all things heare Attyre themselues in straunge aray and certaine colours weare And frame themselues a rule to liue and follow euerychone As if so be the rule of Christ sufficed not alone And with their thréefolde solemne â—owes 〈◊〉 the townes they go Or to some desart place 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 people tho And by their proper force they thinke vnto the Skies to clime And scape the euerlasting chaynes of death for deadly crime Whereby they shewe the wickednesse that in their heart doth lie And how they wey not Christ nor yet his famous victorie Moreouer to their owne good workes they arrogantly cleaue And of their merites great they vaunt the people to deceaue And notably they haue deceyude not onely simple men With their hypocrisie but also kings perswading them To buy their merites and desartes of price and value great And how they should be sure to saue their soules and haue a seat Aboue the Starres if they would builde them gorgious houses hie And giue them landes to féede their paunch and fat themselues wherby They might consume their dayes and spend their life at ease and well And striue the Dormowses themselues in sléeping to excell For what thing else doe they regarde or euer doe applie The little children in the stréetes these things can testifie They vaunt how that they worship God and seruice dayly sing And how they pray and often fast an acceptable thing Who doth not wonder at these things and at these trauayles tolde And thinke them worthie of such welth and Dukedoms here to holde As many kings haue giuen them and Dukes in elder dayes A goodly kinde of worship sure and much deseruing prayse While as they chaunt vp Psalmes aloude whereof they haue no skill And pray with lips and not with heart and Church with noyses fill Nor other mens afflictions nowe they way that thus haue sped Who will suppose that they can care that thus in dreames are ded Therefore they are no prayers at all but voyces lewde and vaine As when the hungrie hogs doe grunt that in the sâ—ie remaine But often doe they fast and fleshe and whitmeates bothforbeare So alwayes vsed to daintie faire they count it fasting heare If that two meales they doe not eate the shortest dayes that bée And be not serued at supper with the daintiest meates they sée Such monstrous dinners doe they make that fulnesse doth compell Their girdles for to let at large whiles as their bellies swell Like Horseleaches or lothsome Tickes that swell with filthie blood Great fishes doe they heare deuour who can prepare so good A meale of fleshe or will desire with egges for to be fed While as the Table with such store of fishe is furnished Besides with pleasant Wines they fill themselues
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
and quaâ—â—e amaine Till red about the gilles they looke and belch it vp againe That this may fasting called be both Milo will denie And eke Apitius he that was the Prince of gluttonie And all the Catian schoole and eke the troupe of Iewes beside And of the verie Turkes themselues it will be sure denide These men yet with hypocrisie and cloke of holinesse Haue brought the people Kings and Dukes vnto such foolishnesse That they supposde them chast and good and farre from worldly men In all their déedes and bought good workes and heauen eke of them O strong illusions and deceytes O miserable tyde That brought these men as if there were not ylles ynough besyde But wherefore should they leaue the worlde and flie from companie And hide themselues in Forrestes thus and in the desartes lie Bicause it is corrupted quite and bent to wicked lore Who doth denie But therefore hath it néede a great deale more To haue Phisitions still at hande that good and faythfull bée And able are for euery sore to giue a remedie And not such fellowes as will runne away for lothsomnesse And shaken with the feuer leaue his pacient in distresse In darkenesse liues More néedeth it the light of holy men As Christ sometyme did lighten it and his Disciples then Or doe they thinke that they shall staine their lyfe with companie Where they may leade a Godly life and well themselues applie No flight can this procure but fayth and vertuous pacient minde That can resist the raging stormes of any blustring winde Daniel that dwelt at Babylon and many Iewes beside Whose mindes were alwayes godly bent and faythfull oft were tride Amidst the Gentiles godly liude and serued God arightes So Loth did likewise leade his life among the Sodomites And Ioseph ruled Egypt well obseruing euery iotte Of Moyses lawe and chastly kept his minde from any spotte For if they alter not their mindes that ouer Seas do runne No woodes nor wildernesse shall cause this same for to be donne But rather shall they more infect and worser much shall staine The mindes of men addicted thus to fonde traditions vaine The spirit there oppressed is ne can they lift their eyes Aloft to viewe the way that leades directly to the skyes Besides more worldly mindes they haue and of more wanton chere Than worldly men Nought in the world is done but Monks are there If that the Counsell for the common welth assembled bée They are present there and giue out lawes by their aucthoritée In warres they be on Princes campes they euermore attende And townes of force and Castles strong with weapons they defende If any wedding great be had they are present still at hande If any Church be dedicate they present there do stande Then hath the Comedy all hir partes What should I here resight Their ryot pompe and passing pride and all their fonde delight Which doth declare their wicked mind what helpes their strauÌ„ge aray And crowne shorne downe vnto their eares and houses from the way Since that of Monkes the worlde may learne a worldly life to frame And so is forced and hath no meanes for to eschewe the same It gladly would and seeketh oft of them for to be rid But fast as Burres to wooll they sticke or Sowtars waxe in thrid If they themselues would shun the world far from thence would flie And in the frosen Northren partes would altogither lie A better thing to please the worlde they neuer could inuent Nor any thing deuise that would the people more content But now regarde their threefolde vowes how yll they doâ— agrée And in their life how lewdly they vnméete obserued bée They vowe t'obbay their Abbot or their Prior placed hie Which Abbot if he vertuous be and godlynesse applie As seldome haps and doe commaunde such things as God doth will Why should he not obeyed be and had in honour still We all are bound that at the Font receyue our Christendome To heare such men as truly teach the trade of life to come No vowes we néede or shauen crownes such men for to obay Nor for to chaunge our clothing here to straunge and fonde aray But if he neyther godly be nor godlinesse doe teach But foolish fansies of his owne and mans decrées doe preach Then is it sure a wickednesse to vowe or to obay Such as in bondage bring the heart and teach to runne astray Their whole religion doth consist in singing day and night In rules of life and sundrie lawes and gestures fonde and light As if that God such worship likde deuisde by mortall braine Or rather had not plainely taught that all such stuffe is vaine But wherefore stand I herevpon and wordes in vaine bestowe Since all the popish kingdome here no better things do knowe All men are bound to chastitie but for to shunne the state Of blessed mariage and the bed that is immaculate We then shall be of force when as no lust in vs doth raigne And when no raging heate of flesh doth force our féeble braine But nowe howe chast they liue the boyes in euery stréete can tell And Citizens are sore afrayde when nere to them they dwell What should I other things declare that honest eares and chast Could not abide to heare nor of such lothsome things to tast Why boast they so of pouertie doth vertue herein lie Can none but poore men godly liue and vp to heauen flie When as the poore man hath as many lettes in liuing well As hath the richest man aliue that others doe excell But pouertie they fowly scorne and shamefully deride Aswell in Lordly fare as in their pompe and passing pride And in their vowes and wicked life they plainly doe expresse That neyther God nor man they wey nor any vertuousnesse What if I should their sundrie sortes the better this to sée Vnknowne to men t' is infinit and eke a vanitie So many sundrie sects there are that differ onely heare In rules and ceremonies fonde and wearing of their geare In this they all do iumpe agrée their Popishe trifles vaine And rules of him that first deuisde in order them to traine To set before the will of Christ and through their owne desartes They thinke to scape the pitte of hell and all those painefull smartes But presently I will deuide them altogither héere Into two onely sortes that so they plainely may appéere To such as riche and welthie are and such as beggers bée Appoynted by their rules to begge and by the Popes decrée Those welthie are whom long ago some mightie Princes handes Or Noble man hath graunted here reuenues great and landes Large fieldes with medowes fayre townes parks purlues large With vineyardes great and villages and Castels strong of charge And Earledomes oftentimes for them did carefully prouide And gaue them Lordely liberties and Dukedomes whole beside That throw their praiers lewd desarts they might their soules releue And purge themselues of euery crime
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
rounde And fast vpon his head a crowne of vinie leaues is wounde Then him to Tauerne doe they bring or to some tipling house With lustie traine and vnto him they quaffe and drinke carrouse Who for bicause he pledges none as one that is not drie In his behalfe they pledge themselues and that so handsomly Till mystes before their eyes appears and legges do waxe full weake Their face doth flame their head doth nod scarce a word they speake But if the day be clowdie nowe or giuen vnto raine On him they list not to bestow such honour nor such paine Poore knaue into some ryuer than they cast him cruellie And all to souse him in the streame or durtie let him lie And if this madnesse be not such as may be laught at well What thing should mooue vs for to laugh I surely can not tell The next is Vitus sodde in Oyle before whose ymage faire Both men and women bringing hennes for offring do repaire The cause whereof I doe not know I thinke for some disease Which he is thought to driue away from such as him do please Then doth the ioyfull feast of Iohn the Baptist take his turne When bonfiers great with loftie flame in euery towne doe burne And yong men round about with maides doe daunce in euery stréete With garlands wrought of Motherwort or else with Veruain swéete And many other flowres faire with Violets in their handes Whereas they all do fondly thinke that whosoeuer standes And thorow the flowres beholds the flame his eyes shall féele no paine When thus till night they daunced haue they through the fire amaine With striuing mindes doe runne and all their hearbes they cast therin And then with wordes deuout and prayers they solemnely begin Desiring God that all their illes may there consumed bée Whereby they thinke through all that yeare from Agues to be frée Some others get a rotten whéele all worne and cast aside Which couered round about with strawe and tow they closely hide And caryed to some mountaines top being all with fire light They hurle it downe with violence when darke appeares the night Resembling much the Sunne that from the heauens downe should fal A straunge and monstrous â—â—ght it séemes and fearefull to them all But they suppose their mischiefes all are likewise throwne to hell And that from harmes and daungers now in safetie here they dwell Wheresoeuer Huldryche hath his place the people there brings in Both Carpes and Pykes and Mullets fat his fauour here to win Amid the Church there sitteth one and to the aultar nie That selleth fish and so good chéepe that euery man may buie Nor any thing he loseth here bestowing thus his paine For when it hath béene offred once t' is brought him all againe That twise or thrise he selles the same vngodlinesse such gaine Doth still bring in and plentiously the kitchin doth maintaine Whence comes this same religion newe what kind of God is this Same Huldryche here that so desires and so delightes in fishe Which neuer any heathen God in offring did receaue Nor any thing vnto the Iewes the Lorde hereof did leaue Much folly and iniquitie in euery place they shewe But we the chiefest will declare and write but of a fewe The blessed virgin Maries feast hath here his place and time Wherein departing from the earth she did the heauens clime Great bundels then of hearbes to Church the people fasâ— doe beare The which against all hurtfull things the Priest doth hallow theare Thus kindle they and nourish still the peoples wickednesse And vainely make them to beléeue whatsoeuer they expresse For sundrie witchcrafts by these hearbs ar wrought diuers charmes And cast into the fire are thought to driue away all harmes And euery painefull griefe from man or beast for to expell Farre otherwise than nature or the worde of God doth tell To belly cheare yet once againe doth Martin more encline Whom all the people worshippeth with rosted Géese and wine Both all the day long and the night now ech man open makes His vessels all and of the Must oft times the last he takes Which holy Martyn afterwarde alloweth to be wine Therefore they him vnto the skies extoll with prayse deuine And drinking déepe in tankardes large and bowles of compasse wide Yea by these fées the Schoolemaisters haue profite great beside For with his scholers euery one about do singing go Not praysing Martyn much but at the Goose reioyceing tho Whereof they oftentymes haue part and money therewithall For which they celebrate this feast with song and musicke all Saint Nicholas money vsde to giue to Maydens secretlie Who that he still may vse his woonted liberalitie The mothers all their children on the éeue doe cause to fast And when they euery one at night in senselesse sléepe are cast Both Apples Nuttes and peares they bring and other things beside As caps and shooes and petticotes which secretly they hide And in the morning found they say that this saint Nicholas brought Thus tender mindes to worship Saints and wicked things are taught What should I tell what Sophisters on Cathrins day deuise Or else the superstitious toyes that Maisters exercise To Andrew all the louers and the lustie wooers come Beléeuing through his ayde and certaine ceremonies done While as to him they presentes bring and coniure all the night To haue good lucke and to obtaine their chiefe and swéete delight The dedication of the Church is yerely had in minde With worship passing Catholicke and in a wondrous kinde From out the stéeple hie is hangde a Crosse and banner fayre The pauement of the temple strowde with hearbes of pleasant ayre The Pulpets and the aultars all that in the Church are seene And euery pewe and piller great are deckt with boughes of gréene The tabernacles opned are and Images are drest But chiefly he that patron is doth shine aboue the rest A borde there standes wheron their Bulles and pardons thick they lay That giuen are to euery one that kéepes this holy day The Idoll of the Patron eke without the doore doth stande And beggeth fast of euery man with pardons in his hande Who for bicause he lackes his tongue and hath not yet the skill In common peoples languages when they speake well or ill He hath his owne interpretor that alwayes standeth by And vnto euery man that commeth in or out doth cry Desiring them the Patrone there with giftes to haue in minde And Popishe pardons for to buie release of sinnes to finde The Priest doth other Priestes procure and willeth euery knaue His harlot for to bring and all the swarme of Bastards that they haue On euery side the neighbours come and such as dwell not nere Come of their owne good willes and some required to be there And euery man his weapon hath their swordes and launces long Their axes curriars pystolets with pykes and darts among The
reprooude at common peoples handes This is the worst they teach men to dispise both goodes and landeâ— And euery other fading thing and worldly vaine delight And onely for to set their mindes vpon the heauens bright For when aboue the rest they séeke for riches gredilie What doe they else but plaine confesse and truely testifie That to no other ende their paynes in teaching this they take Than for to scrape vnto themselues that other men forsake As in Vicenza sometime did a carefull Vsurer The storie is not very long it chaunst this man to heare That in the towne a learned man of eloquence profounde Did preach in euery place abrode where Vsurie was founde Condemning much the vse thereof and eke the filthie gaine To him he comes and gréetes him well and thankes him for his paine And prayse him much for to procéede in blaming of this vice And to disswade the Citizens from filthie auarice Declaring eke the greatnesse of the sinne and wretched state And how that God aboue all other vices this doth hate What torments they shall haue in hell when as the world doth ende And howe they shall be punished that so their money lende Thus while with tedious talke he doth molest the aged man Rehearsing oftentymes the wordes that he before began What mooueth thée quoth he for to desire this thing so much Since thou thy selfe art one of those that it doth chiefly tuch Forsooth quoth he for nothing else but when they all were gone Through your disswasion good I might receyue this gaine alone That now am pestred with the prease and pinched with my shewes None otherwise their déedes report these plowmen all doe vse Whom well thou mayst perceyue to mocke and with the world to play For earthly things they still doe teach to leaue and cast away And for to set the whole delight vpon the heauens hie While as themselues the things aboue estéeming not a flie But leauing farre behinde their backes with all their force and might Do hunt for earthly riches here and foolish fonde delight And looke what people Princes Dukes and mightie Monarches bigge Haue throwne away they chest it vp and giue them all the figge And yet no ende of gayning here deuises fine they haue To spoyse as well the liuing here as those that lie in graue O God forbid our husbandman should labour in this plight And teach the people one thing here and doe contrarie quight Nor let him be addicted thus to lucre and to gaine Nor for to set his heart and minde on wicked treasures vaine Let him content himselfe to liue in slender simple grée That must a Captaine kéepe the field where bloudie battailes bée The simple man whose purse is light dare boldely méete his fo Whereas the riche man feareth from his riches for to go To put his life in ieopardie that now so well is sped Who for to lead a pleasant life and voyde of care and dred Estéemes nothing that doth belong to God nor honestie Comparing gaine what kinde of thing doe we more common sée Who knoweth not that Pluto hath bene alwayes counted heare Of Poets blinded of his sight and full of fainting feare Who so hath any thing to lose and doth it much estéeme Dare not controll the hie estates or such as mightie séeme Nor warne the great man of his fault that runneth here awrie Nor teach him how to doe to God his dutie faythfullie Where as so many Princes dote and sinfull crimes commit Regarding neyther Gods decrées nor lawes of man a whit And such great store of husbandmen vpon their Courts attend How chaunceth it that none of them doe mooue them to amend Or tell them that they doe amisse but rather flatter still Or passe their time with silence dumme not speaking good nor yll Assuredly the hope of Golde and pleasant princely fare And loue of men constrayneth them hereof to haue no care Our husbandman must here dispise both riches worlde and strife And neyther weigh the Princes wrath nor hazarde of his life Of Iesus still respecting most the honor and the welth His owne estate and office greate and peoples sauing helth If that the common people rude through couetous desire Runne hedlong in the deuils chaines to euerlasting fire What goulfe of torments doth remaine for learned men that preach And most of all for welth and graine with gréedie hande doe reache The learned bent to any vice in madnesse doth excéede And runne with greater sway and swing to euery wicked déede Their folly eke appeareth most when as they doe offende And vnto hell with swiftest pace themselues they alwayes sende Example of this wretched crime and of the vengeaunce dewe Doth Iudas giue that hung himselfe and eke the king that slewe Yong Polidor for money sake a lyke example méete Is he that once was hoyst aloft and hanged by the féete Whose hed was downewarde thrust by force into Pactolus great Bethsaydas brood with fearefull wordes doth Simon Magus threat Desirous for to buy with golde the giftes from heauen sent Whereby he might be sooner riche who after Sathan went. Let loue of Golde therefore be shunde and gréedie thirst of gaine Least Plowmen bring themselues and others both to endlesse paine Besides let lust and daintinesse be clearely cast away With fowle excesse of meate and drinke and Persian prowde aray Which things who séekes for to maintaine no liuing great must lacke Offendeth aye the people much and kéepes the Gospell backe Let dronkennesse be farre from hence and loue of pleasant wines Which both decay the force and witte and vnto vice inclines Nor let them oft the Tables vse of great and welthie men Least they through daintie fare be thought to fawne and flatter them And to betray the precious truth for oft it haps thereby Their mouthes stopt vp they dare not speake the truth vnfaynedly But as I would our husbandman these foresayde faults should shunne So will I not aduise that he to vice contrary runne Ne prayse I life in ryot spent nor like I slouens guise Nor sauage life with vesture fonde in most vnséemely wise Such as abide the voyce of such as them haue well aduisde Like Demea rude or Timon he that all the worlde despisde I like not daintie Aâ—istip nor beastly Cinicks sort Nor tables of the Sybaritâ— nor yet king Porus port As prowde is he that féedes on rootes and goth but poorely clad And oftentymes asmuch desires in honor to be had As Persian Prince arayde with golde and glistring in the eie Or yet Lucullus vsing still to fare so daintilie All superstition hatefull is excesse deserueth blame If any way to much thou doest thy minde and fancie frame Democritus I doe condemne nor Crassus doe I prayse Let measure be obserude and kept in euery thing alwayes With meane contented kéepe thy selfe and therein most delight For vertue placed there doth lye as Homer well doth wright A haynous cryme by publicke fame
hath toucht mine eares of late A piteous thing for to beholde and miserable state Whersoeuer the worthie name of Christ hath bene reputed hie There whoremongers in euery place and harlâ—ts swarming lie Aduoutryes fowle and shamefull actes doe rage in euery place In tauernes hie wayes stréetes and eke amid the Market place Whereof good christian people should not once declare the name Much lesse abide or haunt the thing allowing well the same Nor onely on the people doth this sinke of mischiefes light Who scarcely knowe the will of God nor how to serue him right But chiefly on their guides and on the husbandmen profest Who know the Lords commaundments well and brag aboue the rest In things belonging vnto God in all dominions wide Most skill to haue and terme themselues the maisters chiefe beside O shame with tongue not to be toucht and fowle iniquitée Beholde thy husbandmen O Christ if that it lawfull bée To call them thine that nowe doe folde and roll themselues within Thy sacred name as lothsome Apes in princely Lions skin Aufidius maners vse and in Sardanapalus guise Doe leade their life and alwayes passe their time in pleasure so As Chratis did Semiramis and Xerxes long a go As men that neuer trayned were nor fostred in thy lawe Or knewe thy dreadfull worde deuine or stoode thereof in awe Or brought vp in the bosome of thy chaste and sacred folde But in the Capraean Iles whereas Tiberius built his holde Where from their tender youth they vse to drinke and reade the while The bawdie booke of Sotades and Eelephantis vile What country is there in the world where Christ his name is knowne And Popish lawes by tyranny hath earst bene euer sowne What Colledges can you report what Cities great of name What villages in Christendome or townes of any fame Wherein the husbandmen themselues from harlots do refraine Where as no great examples fowle of filthie lust remaine That scape with lesser punishment and easlier delt withall Than those that breake a light decrée in lawe or statute small The hyer sort abuse themselues and liue so voyde of shame That iustly can they not controll the meaner for the same And dare such beastes the blessed worde of God to others breake And both in bodie and soule defilde of holy scripture speake May such disguised wretches full of vice and sinfull crime To any man presume to giue the sacraments deuine Who could Autolycus or else his crasie father beare Or Cacus or Voranus if they should them plainly heare Disswading men from frawde and theft who would not all to breake Both Pulpet and the Tables quite in hearing Caine to speake And to entreate of brothers loue or else to chastest trade Of life to heare the mother of Orestes mad perswade Aristo or Pasiphae of shamefastnesse to tell Or weryed with the vse of men yet not contented well The wife of Caesar great that past in order last of all The shamelesse threshold of the stewes and hatefull harlots hall Farre of from hence you godly men depart and go in hast Among the seruaunts of the Lorde go séeke for maners chast Whom pure religion best becomes the giftes of God deuine Receyue not at such filthie handes nor of such beastly swine More wholesome is the streame by much that from the fountaine cleare Doth runne than that which durtie standes in lake defiled heare The Lorde himselfe cannot abide yll men to handle heare His holy worde who once forbad the deuill witnesse cleare The like did Paule who of hir tale the Prophetesse did breake And would not suffer Phoebus Mayde the certaine truth to speake Looke you likewise you suffer not such plowmen as you know With any open filthinesse or wicked vice to flow The swine can neuer wholsomely of holy matters speake No more than can the Lapwing lewde with fowle and durtie beake Here therefore let our plowmen learne to liue in chastitie And to restraine the raging force that in his flesh doth lie For Gospels sake least from the same he driue men quite away With filthie life and from the loue of Christ him selfe doe stray And vnderneath the dreadfull waues of worldly pleasures runne From whence he neuer can escape what néede soeuer come But if he cannot leade his life in perfite chastitie But féeles himselfe a subiect still to fleshly frailtie And flameth euermore with lust then let him take the holde Of mariage as a remedie that scriptures haue him tolde And chastly therein leade his life among the vertuous crue This libertie doth God alow and men haue thought it due No fault it is t' obay the order of the holy spright But rather reason good and most according vnto right Thus all things well prepared thus that hereto néedefull bée Instructed eke in euery arte and learned qualitée With good conditions furnished in minde and bodie cléene For filthinesse must banisht be when scriptures must be séene Then vnto this let him applie his witte with all his might To finde the chiefest séede to sowe by which in better plight Himselfe also may dayly wax Canst thou not truly tell What Garner for to séeke for this or in what secrete Cell What fields to ouerlooke whereas the knowledge doth remaine Of Christ And vertuous life without which all things else are vaine Giue care vnto the maister great discending downe from hie He willes vs for to search what doth in holy scriptures lie The volumes fiue of Moyses and the Prophetes all beside In them to heare the tongue and voyce of him that all doth guide And for to learne what thing is good and méete for vertuous men And eke what things are yll and nought and to be shoonde of them So that we neuer néede the ayde of deuils here to craue Or heathens helpe or for to call the sprite from stinking graue T is sure these Prophets neuer did their owne deuises teach Nor mens decrées but euermore the worde of God did preach Hereby appeares howe much we ought their writings for to wey What credite eke we ought to giue vnto their wordes alway That God by them doth vtter here who dare his name dispise Or yet his worde by whome is rulde eche thing in earth or skies First therefore let vs here perswade our selues assuredlie Who thinke with God to liue and dwell aboue the heauens hie That God will haue vs to esteeme whatsoeuer the Prophetes olde Inspired with the holy ghost in auncient time foretolde As if himselfe with sacred voyce the wordes pronounced had Long time agone by Aungels mouth he spake to good and bad And many things himselfe declarde in that most happie tide When as the worlde was not so yll and he but fewe did guide Before that Amrams sonne was borne while as the Hebrues all Were sore oppressed in the lande where Nilus floud doth fall But when they were deliuered thence then Moyses streight did write His volumes fiue the Prophets eke put out their workes to light
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