of late yeres the Translators and the Prynters of Christes testament and as the Byble is handled nowe in some churches in Englande and namely in westminster I marke also that Dauid in thys psalme wherof I haue made mēcion sayeth .viii. tymes that he was and wolde be in time to come exercised in the lawe of God Yf he were a true man and no lyar thoughe he had sayd it but ones we ought to beleue hym Yf we do beleue hym ye maye se that Dauid the good kynge whyche was so muche exercised in the scripture vnderstandeth the cōmaundement of reading and studyeng the scripture to perteyne to the kynges and gouerners them selues and to their owne persones and not onely vnto their seruauntes and clergye Kynge Salomon as well borne and as noble a man as any is thys daie in Europa and as wyse a man and as wel learned as any coūseller in Englande or els where and therfore knewe the meanyng of the cōmaundement of the scripture to be reade of princes thought not scorne to syt in iudgement in hys owne persone and because he knewe that it was hys office to gyue iudgement vnto his people and that he could not do that of fire well excepte he had great learning and knowlege whē as almightye God offered vnto hym to gyue hym frelye what so euer he dyd axe answered God after thys maner folowyng Thou haste shewed great mercy to Dauid my father and hast ordened me kynge in hys place Nowe Lorde God let thy worde be done which thou promysed vnto my father Dauid For thou haste made me a kynge ouer a great nombre of thy people whyche is as vntellable as the duste of the earth Gyue my wysedome and vnderstandyng that I may go in and out before thy people for what man is able to iudge worthely suche a great nombre as is of thys people God answered fayd vnto hym Because thys hathe more pleased thy herte and haste not axed ryches and substance and honour nether the lyues of them that hate the nether lōge lyfe Thou hast axed wysedome knowlege that thou maist iuge my people ouer the which I made the a kynge wysedome and knowlege ar geuē vnto the I wil gyue the ryches substance honour also Dauid this noble gentleans father in .119 psal desyreth God .xiiii. times to teache him his witnesses his cōmaundemēts but wherfore I pray you that God shulde teach him to saye the .x. cōmaundemēts or to read them onely in diuers tonges Nay for he could say them by herte wel enough But for thys ende sayd he so oft teache me thy cōmaundements that it myghe please God to gyue hym the true vnderstandynge of the scripture that he myght order hys lyfe accordynge vnto hys commaundementes Where vpon seynge that Dauid so wyse a man and so wel learned desyred almightye God so earnestlye and so ofte to teache hym the vnderstandynge of the scripture and exercised hym so muche in it it foloweth that as the true vnderstandynge of Goddes worde is necessary for a prince so it can not be had without prayer great payne labour and exercise Then when as God commaundeth Kynges and Iudges to be learned and learnynge can not be had with out great studye and laboure it appereth very playne that the chief labor that a noble gentlemā shulde be occupied in al the dayes of his life is the studye of scripture and suche other wrytyng as help to the vnderstandyng of the scripture and to the declaracion of the same Lucius the fyrst christian kynge of our lande who sent to Rome for Baptisers preachers and receaued the baptisme of Christ wyth all his after that he had receaued the christian fayth caused many bookes of latin to be translated into hys owne naturall tonge he also parted and bestowed the day and night after this maner he spent eyght houres in studye and in prayer .viii. houres in hearynge of causes and eyght houres in slepynge and in suche necessary thynges as were necessary for his bodye Picus the noble erle of Mirādula sayd a very notable sayeng whyche I wolde al erles noble men shuld marke and beare awaye and it is thys Learnyng is vnto a Yomā mā in the stede of syluer to a gentlemā in the stede of golde and to erles princes in the stede of precius stones Now my lordes and maisters whether is it more mete that we shall folowe the counsell and examples of al wyse philosophers and moste noble kynges that were vnder the lawe of nature and the commaundemēt of holy scripture and the example of all holy and noble kinges vnder the law of Moses and also the saynges and doynges of the best kynges that were vnder the lawe of the Gospel whych thought it necessary for kynges and noble men to be learned euen their owne selues or to folowe the counsel of a sorte of vnnaturall and vnlearned curtely crowes whiche saye that a kynge or a noble mā nede not to be learned but that it is sufficient for him yf that his chauncelers or chaplaines other officers belōging to him be learned for him As farre as I can perceyue ye that are noble men and gentlemen and nowe speciallye ye that are of the Quenes coūsell and are lordes of the parlament had neuer more nede of learnyng then ye nowe at thys present tyme haue For the religion whiche hath ben brought in agayne of late by the myght of goddes worde and hath bene receyued thorowout al thys realme sauyng of a fewe obstinate Papistes hath bē brought to thys perfection that it is now at not onely wyth great labour ieopardye but wyth the deathes of many an honeste and learned man is nowe taken for heresye and false doctrine And yet there is no smale nōbre of them that wyll aduenture bothe lyfe goodes that it is the true religion that was exercised in kyng Edwardes dayes and that it whyche begynneth nowe thorowe out Englande to take place agayne and was alowed in the tyme of the late kynges kynge Henry the .vii. the viii war ryght Papistrye and false learnynge of men onely able to be defended by longe tyme the falsly pretended auctoritie of Christes Churche whych wyl brynge in and set forth none other doctrine then suche as her husbande Christ hathe cōmaūded alowed Thys cōtencion is about no smale matter it is aboute goddes seruice and about the true doctrine religion and worshippyng of God The saluacion and dānacion of many a thousand hangs vpon these matters therfore seyng that God hath made you gouerners vnder the Quene iudges in these matters ye had nede to loke wel vpon the worde of God that ye gyue not sentence against goddes truthe to the destruccion of your owne soules and many thousandes mo The one parte bryngeth forth scripture and the wrytten worde of God and the other parte bryngeth forth lōge customes fathers and the authorite of the Romyshe churche whyche hathe erred
Abbattes and Byshoppes by simony but the story telleth that thys was the cause He wolde not alowe the Popes doyng and therfore was thryse acursed of the Pope and therfore the chylder coulde not suffer hym to reygne whome theyr father hated The byshop canones and prebendaries of Colon vpon a tyme assayed to brynge all the hole cytie in to theyr bondage For in the yeare of our Lorde .1074 as the hystorye sayeth Episcopus aliquod sibi vsurpauit in vrbe dominum ciuium abutens officio The byshop toke vnto hym vnlawfullye certayne gouerment or lordshippe in the cytie and wrōgfully occupied the office of the cytizenes at whyche tyme it chaunced that a certayne cytizen had a ship whyche the byshop wolde haue taken awaye by force but he wythstode the byshop and gathered the cytie on hys syde The bisshop perceyuyng that the citizenes wolde ryse agaynst hym made a longe sermone vnto the citizens wherein he threatned goddes curse vnto all those that toke parte wyth the forsayd cytizen The citizens beyng sore greued wyth hys vndiscre◠sermone at nyght after folowynge altogether rose vp against the bysshop and burst into the bisshoppes pallace slue diuers there but the bishop fled to Nuice wher as he gathered a great hood and set sodenly vpon the cytie and suffered his soudiers to spoile the cytie and as many as they coulde get they ether cut of theyr heades or put out theyr eyes and so he brought the cytie into hys bondage But afterward the Coleners delyuered them selues from that bōdage And in the yeare of our Lorde .1260 the byshop went about ones agayne to bryng the cytie into bōdage but the cytizes marked him wel and disapointed hym At length for all that two canones had the borow maister to dyner and when he came the canones bad hym go into a fayre chamber Merke the canones of Colones banket wherin was a hongrye Lyon and as sone as he was in they clapte to the dore and let the lyon do wyth the borow maister what he coulde But the borow maister put hys left hande into the lyons throte and wyth the other hande toke out hys dagger and killed the lyon and wythin few dayes after he hanged harde by the cathedral churche the two canones But after that rose suche stryfe amonge them and the byshop that it coulde not be ended vntyll the cytezens wan theyr lyberte wyth the swerde The byshop of Luke in the yeare of oure Lorde .1460 was so desyrus of lordship ouer the cytie that when he coulde not win the cytie hym selfe he procured Charles duke of Burgondye to besege the cytie and when the cytezens sawe that they were not able to make theyr partye good they fell to intreat for peace but the byshop wolde not hear them therfore suffered hys cosin Charles to kyll .xl. thousande men and to drowne .xii. thousande women in the floud Mosa called the Mase Thys practise hath bene so common amonge the vnpreaching prelates of Germany that the Germaynes made thys ryme of theyr ambition and cruelnes The ryme of the germanes against the ambitiō of the clergie Monike nunnē vnd papen Segen rotten vnd apen Vliegē rupen vnd muse horen keuer vnd luse Dardi crygen di ouerhandt vorderuense stede vnd landt That is Mōkes nonnes and papes gotes rattes apes flies caterpillers and myse hores weueles and lyse where they get the ouerhand they destroy both cytie and lande But what nede I ferche exāples farre of out of strāge cuntres when as we haue so many at home reade the practise of prelates and there shal ye fynd what ambitius myndes they beare and how gladly they wold raygne ouer you Call to your remembraunce Thomas Wolsey the Cardinall and bysshop of York and hys handelyng of the nobilite in hys tyme. Loke nowe vpon youre lorde of Winchester your lorde Chaunceler youre lorde President of the counsel is not he a chykkē of the same cok Let al noble me take hede of this lordly pape betyme leste some of them whych can not abyde his vnbearable pryde haue suche a rewarde at hys handes as the duke of bockinggam had at hys father wolfes Wolsei hys hāde The remedy against these lepres biles scabbes scalles lumpes pokkes and cancres whych disbeuty dysgrace the face of the hole nobilite at thys tyme is to dryue these ydle ambitius byshoppes home to theyr bysshoprykes to cause them to preach Goddes worde there truely and to studye your owne selues nyght and daye to get learnyng and vntyl you may be lerned your selues to make good and honest ciuilianes and scripture learned cōmon lawyers and other learned me and no prestes in the meane tyme to be knyghtes and lordes coūsellers Iustices of peace chauncelers and presidentes of the marches and to take your owne of fices vpō you and do them your selues And after that ye be learned your selues ye maye not wythstandynge take as many as ye shal nede vnto you of these forsayd lawyers and learned men But holde in no wyse the bysshoppes from theyr pulpittes leste the vengeaunce of God fall both vpon you and them Vpon you for holdyng of them from doyng of theyr dutye vppon them for not doyng of theyr dutie Yf ye dryue these forsayd falsly named lordes and gentlemen out of your order company and wyll do your offices and duties in your owne persones as almyghtye God wolde haue you to do then shall ye haue iuste honour in thys worlde and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlastyng ¶ The prayer of the prophete Daniel conteyned in the .ix. chaptre of hys boke very necessary for thys troublesome tyme. VVe beseche the o Lorde thou great and fearfull god Baruch 1. that kepest couenāt and mercye wyth them whych loue thee kepe thy commaundementes We haue synned we haue offended We haue bene disobedient gone back yea we haue departed from all thy preceptes and iudgementes We wolde neuer folowe thy seruauntes the prophetes that spake in thy name to our kynges princes to oure fathers and to all the people of the lande Thrano 1. O Lorde ryghteousnes belongeth vnto thee vnto vs pertayneth nothynge but open shame as it is come to passe thys daye vnto euery mā of Iuda and to them that dwel at Hierusalem Yea vnto al Israel whether they be farre or nye thorow out all lādes wherin thou strowed them because of the offences that they had done against thee Yea O Lorde vnto vs to our kynges princes Psal 106 to oure fathers euen vnto vs al that haue offended thee belongeth open shame But vnto thee O Lorde our God perteyneth mercy forgyuenes As for vs we are gone backe from hym haue not obeyed the voyce of the lorde oure God to walke in hys lawes whych he layd before vs 2. Pet. 1. Zacha. 6. by hys seruaūtes the prophetes yea all Israel haue trāsgressed and gone backe from thy lawe so that they haue not herkened vnto thy voyce Deute 27 Leui. 26. Baruch 2 Wherfore the curse othe that is written in the lawe of Moises the seruaūt of God against whom we haue offended is powred vpon vs. And he hath perfourmed hys wordes whych he spake against vs agaynst our Iudges that iudged vs to brynge vpon vs suche a great plage as neuer was vnder heauen lyke as it is nowe come to passe in Hierusalem Yea all thys plage as it is wrytten in the lawe of Moises is come vppon vs yet made we not our prayer before the Lorde our God that we myght turne agayne from our wyckednes to be learned in the veritie Therfore hath the Lorde made haist to bring thys plage vpon vs for the Lorde our God is ryghteous in al his workes whyche he dothe for why Haruch 2 Exo. 12.13.14 we wolde not herken vnto hys voyce And nowe o Lorde our God thou that wyth a myghtye hande haiste brought thy people out of Egypte to get thy selfe a name whyche remayneth thys daye we haue synned o Lorde done wyckedly againste all thy ryghteousnes yet let thy wrathfull displeasure be turned awaye I beseche thee from thy cytie of Hierusalem thy holy hyll And why for oure synnes sake and for the wyckednes of our fathers is Hierusalem and thy people abhorred of al them that are aboute vs. Now therfore o our God hear the prayer of thy seruaunt and hys intercessiō O let thy face shyne ouer thy sanctuary that lyeth waste for the Lordes sake O my God inclyne thyne eare and herken at the leest for thyne owne sake Opē thyne eyes behold howe we be desolated Yea and the cytie also whyche is called after thy name for we do not cast our praiers before the in our owne righteousnes no but onelye in thy great mercies O Lorde heare O forgyue Lorde O Lorde cōsyder tary not ouer longe but for thyne owne sake do it O my God for thy cytie and thy people is called after thy name Amen God sende vs peace and quietnes in Christ and destroy the workes of Antechriste All good people saye AMEN ¶ Imprented at Rome by the vaticane churche by Marcus Antonius Constantius Otherwyse called thraso miles gloriosus
him learne better to ken a lorde or els he sayd he wolde whyp hym naked And as they were talkynge sodenlye came rydyng towarde them the sheryffe of Murra all in veluet hauynge a cappe all full of golden agglettes The fool stepped forth to mete him and as soone as he came nere vnto hym he sayd gued day my lord and ye be not a mule Some man wyll saye that the saynge or doynge of a foole is but of smale strēgth to ouer throwe the opinion of many wyttye yonge men whyche describe a lorde or a gentle man onely by costlye apparel To whome I answere Saepe etiam stultus fuit opportuna loquutus That is a fool oft tymes hath spokē thynges to good purpose or in season Dyd not Balaams Asse speake wysely at a certayne tyme Well yf any man be greued that hys opiniō shulde be confuted wyth the sayeng and doynge of a fool let hym chuse one of these two whether he wyll the is whether the fool in thys hys doynge dyd wysely or foolyshly Yf he answer that he played the wysemās parte in takynge and halsyng the mules for lordes then muste he also do so and call al brute beastes mules that are trapped wyth veluet trimmed wyth golde lordes gyue that name whych belōgeth vnto honorable men vnto brute mules Yf he played the ryght foole then is he a foole that taketh and greteth hym for a lorde whych not by learnynge and knowlege but onely by costlye apparel differeth from an other mā Well thus dyd the poore Scottishe foole were it not pytie that manye wyse Englyshe men as they are taken shulde take and gret mules for lordes gentlemē Is it not possible that one mule may at this day cary an other Master Latemer thought so when syr Martin mydas rode to heare master Myles preache sayd when the sermō was done that hys mule was as wel absolued as he And as for buyldyng of costlye houses and trimmynge of them wyth costly hangynges and fayre waynscot manye marchauntes vse to do those thynges better thē many gētlemen do and yet for all that are no gentlemē Therfore these thinges are nether proper offices nor workes of gentlemē nether the seueral tokens whereby a gentleman may be knowē frō an other cōmon mā Then seyng these are nother offices nor workes nor markes belōgyng properly vnto a gentleman I must seke out what is his proper office what tokens he hathe and ought to haue whereby he maye be knowen from the cōmon people The propre office and worke of a ryght noble man is to set forth and defende the true religion of almyghty God to defende the innocentes to ponishe the euel doers and to shewe iustice and iudgement vnto all men that are vnder hys gouerment That the settynge forthe of Goddes worde the mayntenance of the same the destroyeng of al false doctrines contrary vnto it belōgeth vnto a noble man both general commaundemētes and proper examples in the holy Bible do playnly beare wytnes Almyghtye God geueth these commaundementes folowyng vnto all hys people and namely vnto the nobilite and iuges which are the chefe workers of these cōmaundemētes and all suche lyke as pertayne vnto iugement and ponyshynge of horrible trespasses although the cōmons be bounde in executyng of them Deute 7. to ayde them and helpe them Ouerthrowe sayeth almyghtye God the aultares of the heathen breake in peces their ymages and cut downe their groues Deuteronomi vii It is also wrytten Deuterono Deute 18. xviii Yf there by any prophete made frowarde wyth arrogancye that wyll speake those thynges in my name whych I commaunded hym not to speake or wyll speake in the name of other goddes he shal be slayne Who shall se these lawes executed but the nobles and gentlemen Thē belongeth it vnto them to destroye all false and conterfet religion and to destroye all false teachers preachers and to mayntayne the true learnynge of almyghtye God and the preachers of the same We reade in the bokes of the Kynges and Paralipomenon that all the moste excellent and best kynges soone after that they began to reigne dyd mainteyne goddes true religion in puttyng downe of Groues chappels churches wherin false religiō was mayntayned and dyd set forth the true religion and maynteyned the preachers of the same We reade in the same bokes that some of the Kynges besyde that they destroyed ydoles and their tempels dyd also both reade the scripture in the Temple their owne selues and sent out many preachers to preache the true worde of God whiche had bene before their dayes in the tyme of their fathers hyd and vnknowen vnto the folke of God 3. Reg. 15. Asa as it is wrytten in the .xv. chapter of the thirde boke of the kynges whyche dyd it that was ryght in the syght of the Lorde as hys father Dauid dyd before hym toke awaye the effeminate out of the lande and scoured quyte away al the fylth of the ydolles which his fathers had made He remoued also his mother Maachan that she should not be the cheffe in the sacrifice of Priapus and in that place that she had hallowed He also ouerthrewe her denne and brake the moste fylthy ydole burnte it besyde the broke Cedron Thys dyd the good Kynge Asa and he dyd it that was ryghte in the syghte of god But though these thinges had ben good of them selues yet yf they had not perteyned vnto his office or had perteined vnto an other vocacion then to hys God wolde haue ponyshed hym for enteryng into an other mannes office as he ponyshed the Kynge Ozias wyth a perpetual Lepry for entryng into the office of the Sacrificers when he offered vp frankencense vpon the frākencense altare ◠par 26. But the scripture maketh no mention of any ponishment of God that came vpō Asa for puttyng downe of ydoles But it sayeth expresselye that Asa dyd it that was right in the syght of God Therfore it was hys office to put downe ydolles temples and to destroye ydolatrye And it that is said of Asa muste haue place also in other good Kynges whiche did such like thinges vnto these that Asa dyd Iosaphat as the .xvii. Chapter of the seconde boke of Paralipomenon beareth wytnes 2. par 17. was a ryght good man and the Lord was wyth hym Thys Iosaphat after that hys herte had taken boldnes for the wayes of the Lorde toke also out of Iuda the high places and the groues And in the thyrde yeare of hys reygne he sente out of hys princes and ruelers Benail Abdia zacharias Nathanael and Micheas to teache in the cyties of Iuda and wyth them Leuites Semia Nathonia and zabadia wyth other wyth them Belisima and Ioram sacrificers or preestes And they hauynge the boke of the lawe of the Lorde taught the people of Iuda and they wente about into euery cytie of Iuda and taught the people The same Iosaphat as it is written in
the .xix. Chapter of the fornamed boke wēt out vnto the people he sat not playeng at dice and cardes nor dalyeng wyth his maides at home in his chāber nether wente he out only to hūtynge or to se Bearbaytinges but he wente out vnto hys people from Barsabe vnto mount Ephraim and there he cōmaūded them not to pay vntollerable sūmes of money neither to returne vnto the lernynge that they their fathers were brought vp in from their tender yeres and as their fathers foūd taught exercised But he called them agayn vnto the Lorde God of their fathers And he ordeyned iuges of the lande in euery walled cytie thorow out al Iuda Thys good kynge this good noble and gentleman thought that it was hys office to destroye ydolatrye and to sende out preachers to preache the true worde of God and he dysdayned not to go abrode in visitacion hys owne selfe to call hys people agayne vnto the true God from the whyche they had departed and fallen awaye 2. par 29 and. 30 Ezechias the noble kynge whome the spirite of god so greatly cōmendeth rekened it to be one of the principal partes of his kynglye office to destroye all ydolatrye to purge the churche of God and to set for the wyth all diligence the true worde of God And yf thys good and vertuous gentlemā take it to be one of the principall partes of hys office to destroye false religion and to set forthe the ryght and true religion all that are ryghte gentle men and not ydoles and ymages of gentlemen wyll also reken it the principal parte of their office as far as their cōmission wyll serue them to destroye and to put downe ydolatrye and to set out to maynteyne the true religion of God and the ministers of the same All ye then that are ryght gentlemen hear what the holy scripture reporteth of thys noble gentleman Ezechias was .xxv. yeare olde when he entred into the kyngdome of Iuda he dyd it that was pleasaunt in the syght of God In the very fyrst yeare and first moneth of hys reygne he opened the dores of the Lordes house and he repayred them And he brought Leuites and sacrificers and he set them together in the Gast streate And he sayd vnto thē Heare me o Leuites and be you made holy make cleane the house of the Lorde God of youre fathers and take awaye al vnclennes out of the holy sanctuary He brake downe the hygh places burned the ymages and cut downe the groues and brake the brasen serpēt whych Moses made because the chyldren of Israel offered frankincense vnto it Ezechias also wrote epistles vnto al Israel and Iuda to Ephraim and Manasses that they shulde come vnto the house of the Lorde in Hierusalem and to kepe the solēne feast of the Passeouer there Certeyne spedy messengers were sent forthe into al Israel and Iuda wyth the kynges letters at the commaundement of the kynge and his nobilite proclamyng the contentes therof accordyng vnto the kynges cōmaūdement The summe of his letters was thys O ye chyldren of Israel returne vnto the Lorde God of Abraham and Isaac and Israel and he wyll returne vnto the remnauntes whych haue escaped out of the handes of the Assirians Be not ye lyke vnto youre fathers and brethren whyche ran awaye from the Lorde God of their fathers whyche therfore brought them vnto destruccion as ye se Gyue your handes vnto the Lorde and come vnto his sanctuary whych he hath hallowed for euer Serue the Lorde God of your fathers and the wrath of hys great indignacion shal be turned awaye from you c. Thus dyd the good kynge Ezechias thynke that it was the chief parte of his vocacion to destroye ydolatrye and to set forth the true religion The noble and vertuous gentleman kyng Iosias who as the holye worde of God beareth wytnesse dyd it that was ryghte in syght of the Lord and walked in the wayes of hys father Dauid and nether bowed to the ryght hande nor lefte hande toke it to be the moste principall parte of hys office to destroye ydolatrye and to set forthe and to promote the true religion and worde of God And therfore when as he was but a boye of xvi yeres of age As the .xxxiii. Chapter of the second boke of Paralipomenō wytnesseth began to seke the God of his father Dauid and in the twelft yeare of hys reygne that is when he was but twentye yeare olde for he began to reygne whē he was but .viii. yeare olde he clensed Iuda Hierusalem from the hygh places and groues from caste ymages and graued ymages And they destroyed before hym the aulters of Baal and they destroyed the ymages that was set aboue He cut also downe the grauen ymages and the groues and brake them in peces he scattered and strowed the peces vpon the graues of them that had wont to offer And burnt all the sacrificing preestes bones vpon the alters of the ydolles he made cleane Iuda and Hierusalem But also in the cyties of Manasses Ephraim Simeō vnto Nepthalim he destroyed al suche thynges And when he had broken downe the alters the groues and had broken the grauen ymages into peces and had pulled downe al the temples of false goddes in Israel he returned to Hierusalem And in the .xviii. yeare of his reigne when as he was but .xxvi. yeare olde when as the lande was clenged and the temple made clene he sent certayne of his seruauntes to repaire the house of the Lorde his God 2. par 34. And whyles they were aboute that busines Helkias the hyghe sacrificer or preest founde the boke of the lawe whyche was geuen by the hande of Moses in the house of the Lorde and he gaue it vnto Sapha the secretary and the secretary brought it vnto the Kinge and red it before them After that the kynge had hearde the wordes of the lawe he rent hys clothes and commaunded Helkia and diuers other sayeng go your wayes praye vnto the Lorde for me and for the remnant of Israel and Iuda for all the wordes of thys boke that is founde For the hyghe displeasure and angre of almyghtye God hath ben poured vpon vs for not kepynge all the wordes that are contayned in the boke that is founde Then what blynde madnes is it to cōmende gouerners and rulers whyche saye that God hath poured hys vengeaunce vpon vs because we haue not kepte vnwritten tradicions of man I muste nowe my lordes and maisters are you a question as it becommeth the Phisicion to do wyth his patientes and it is thys Yf it had not belōged vnto the kynge and had not bene hys office to se the worde of God set forth that al the people myght read it heare it What nedeth he to haue rent hys clothes what should he haue neded to desyre the hygh preest or sacrificer with other to praye for hym and to sende to a prophetise to
knowe the wyl of God in that matter I thynke then ye wyl answere that because he had reigned .xviii. yeres and had not loked for the holye scripture in al that tyme nether set it out in hys tyme he thought hym selfe gylty and not to haue done it that belōged vnto his office Iosias an honest man and a true man said that God was angry wyth hym because the boke of the Lawe was not sought for and set forth by hym as it was hys office to haue done Yf that be true all Kynges and gouerners as wel as he are boūde to seke for the scripture and to set it forthe or els the wrathe of God shall come vpon them Iosias repented him very sore that the boke was so longe hyd and that he had not sought for it and yf he had not done so as the scripture doth preuely teache vs he shulde haue ben greuously ponished for that the boke was so longe hyd Wherfore it is the office of all kynges and gouerners to seke for the worde of God and to se that it be brought forth into the lyght that al men maye reade it and learne of it what they are bounde to do vnto their Lorde God and to their supperiors here in earth to their neyghbores Then they that other wyl haue the same boke with other of lyke authoritie to be layd vp that no mā shall reade them or wyll not suffre them to be reade in a tonge that the people can vnderstande haue an other spirite then Iosias had Iosias whome all good kynges and gouerners oughte to folowe was so earnest in the settynge out of the holye scripture that he called vnto the temple al the elders of Iuda 2. par 34. and al the people of Hierusalem from the lowest vnto the hyghest and in the presence of thē al hered his owne selfe the boke of the lawe not one pece of it alone as the texte sayeth all the wordes of it Yf that thys had not ben hys office to set forthe the scripture God wolde haue ponished him for goynge beyonde hys office as he ponished Ozias But God ponished hym not but alowed hym in doyng so Therfore to set forthe the worde of God was hys office not more then his office nor besyde his office nor against hys office And it that was hys office was and is the office of all other kynges gouerners Thē it is the office or one principal parte of the office of euery kinge gouerner and noble mā to se that ydolatrye be destroyed and that the true worde of God whych is conteyned in the holy scripture be set forthe preached and knowen of al the people that are vnder their gouerment All ye that are vnder the dignitie of a kynge maye not saye that this onlye belongeth vnto kynges and not vnto you for thys belongeth not onlye vnto kynges but also to all that saye sanctificetur nomen tuum hallowed be thy name For al they that wolde haue goddes name hallowed must helpe to destroye suche religion as is against the honour of God and to maynteyne set forthe as muche as lyeth in them the true religion of God Yf that euery priuate man be thus bounde to do as farre forth as hys vocacion and callyng dothe suffer hym muche more are ye my lordes and maisters bounde which receyue and haue your landes and lyuelot chieflye for thys purpose of your Lorde God and are part of the kynges bodye that is to wette hys eyes eares and armes wythout the whyche he is not able alone in the common wealthe to do hys office dutie I thynke that he were a very arrogant kynge that wolde thinke hymselfe better learned and wyser thē the noble seruaūt of God Duke Moses was and yet he as hys father in lawe tolde hym trulye thought hym selfe not able to gouerne hys people alone and therfore he chosed out gouerners and iuges ouer thousandes and some ouer hundrethes and some ouer fyftie and other some ouer ten So when as no kinge is able to do al thinges alone that pertayne vnto hys office euery kinge muste haue noble men vnder hym to helpe hym to do hys office that belongeth vnto hym and to be partakers wyth the kyng in labour and office as they are partakers with hym in honour and lyuelod aboue the cōmon people To whome is it sayd I praye you Vos dij estis Ye are goddes is it sayd onely to kynges or is it also sayd vnto you Yf it be sayd also vnto you then yf you wyll take vnto you suche an honourable name wyth Kynges as to be called goddes that is Iuges and rulers here in goddes stede you must be content to take parte of the office that belongeth vnto that name Therfore ye muste also with the kinge destroye ydolatrie set out goddes true religiō as the noble gentlemē that were vnder kynge Ezechias dyd What other thynges belonge vnto the office of a noble man and specially of a kinge besydes the mainteining of the true religion and the preachers of the same the wordes of Samuel partly tell vs after thys maner Beholde the Lorde hath annointed the vpon thy heritage to be a prince and thou shalt delyuer hys people from the hādes of their enemyes that are rounde about them But there are other places clearer and playner then thys whych declare more plainly the office of a kinge and a noble man 2. par 9. The ix Chapter of the secōde boke of Paralipomenō teacheth vs that it belongeth vnto a kynge and a gouerner to exercise iustice and iugement In the second boke of the kynges and in the .viii. Chap where as Dauid was praised for doynge of hys dutie it is rehersed of hym that he dyd iugement iustice vnto all hys people Esay in the fyrst chapter of his prophesie rebukynge the princes for leuynge of their office and dutie and exortyng them agayne to do their office speaketh these wordes vnto them Audite verbum Domini principes Sodomorum c. Querite ìudicium subuenite oppresso c. That is to say ye princes of Sodom Esay i. heare the wordes of the Lord. Seke iugement helpe hym that is oppressed let the fatherlesse chylde haue iugement defende the wydowe And in the same chapter where as he reproueth them againe for not doyng of their duties sayth thus vnto Hierusalem Principes tui infideles c. Thy princes are vnfaythfull theues felowes they loue al rewardes folow after bribes they gyue no iugemēt vnto the fatherles chyldren and the poore wydowes matter can not cōe in to you where as you are Moses also in the .xviii. of Exodus ordened certayne princes and gentlemen Exod. 18. chused them out of the strongest of the people and he appointed them this office that they shulde iudge the people vnder hym at al tymes and not in the terme tyme alone as it is nowe the maner in Englande Yf any man requyre
to take the goodes of the clergie for the reformyng of it synned in couetusnes fel into the same siknes that the clergie had And so is it now comed to passe that the phisicians whych toke in hāde to heale other mē are fallē into the same syknes thē selues haue nede of phisicians to heale them The same in dryuing out of the aforsayd seuen natiōs brake openly the cōmaundement and rule of the great Phisiciane whych in these wordes Deuteronomi .vii. Deu. 7. gaue this commaundement When as the Lorde thy God shall brynge thee into the lande wherinto thou shalte entre and take possession of shall dryue awaye many nations of people in thy syght the Hethites the Gergeze ets c. thou shalte burne in the fyre their grauen ymages Thou shalte not desyer the golde and the syluer wherof they are made nether shalt thou take vnto thee any thynge of them leste thou stūble or do amisse because it is the obominacion of thy Lord God Nether shalt thou bring any thynge of the ydolles into thy house lest thou be accursed as it is Thou shalte defye it as fylthynes and thou shalt lothe it as dyrte and vnclennes because it is acursed Thys open cōmauudement of God hath our phisicianes of our clergie openly broken For they toke vnto them selues not only al the landes of the heathen al theyr golde and their syluer but also all their ymages their abominable ydoles caryed them home into their houses or at the lest into the kynges house That to put downe ydolatrie for ryches sake and to take the ydoles to a mannes owne proper aduauntage displeaseth God hyghly ye maye learne by the ouerthrowe that the chyldren of Israel had of the cytesyns of Hay and by the death of Acham who was put to death myserably wyth all hys for stealynge of certayne iewels and other ornamētes perteynyng vnto ydoles Iosu 7. Iosue vii and also by the death of the Iewes that fought vnder the Machabees whych after their death were iudged of the churche therfore to haue bene slayne of theyr enemyes because they had taken priuely vnto them selues of the offerynges of the ydoles ye maye se that God toke it for a great synne to take the spoyles of ydoles and ydolaters to a mannes owne selfe because that he ponyshed it twyse wyth death Wherfore it is a greuus synne to destroye ydoles and ydolatrye not for Goddes loue but for theyr spoyles and ryches sake But howe ponysheth God these golde thyrsty phesicians Euen wyth the same sycknes that they went about to take from theyr patientes For God sayeth thou shalt brynge nothynge of theyr ydoles to thy house Deu. 7. Ne tu sias anathema sicus illud est that is leste thou be made accursed and abominations as it is After nowe that the causes of thys dropsye are knowe it foloweth next to be done that I shulde ordeyne a preparatiue When as the disease cōmeth of colde and of the stoppynge the liuer our preparatiue muste be made of suche herbes as are hote bytter therfore as many as wyll be purged of thys euell humour that maketh the dropsye muste take this bitter preparatiue for muche vse of swete watery colde meates make the dropsye Go to the churche and desyre a learned man to make a bytter sermon agaynst couetousnes of the whyche sermon take one good draught fastyng in the mornyng and other an houre before supper wyth an vnce of repentance at eche tyme for the space of fourten dayes and then take .vi. drāmes of the purgation whych maye well be called hiera zachei and it wyll scoure them that haue the dropsye so perfytlye that there shall not remayne one pinte of that thyrst makyng water Yf that it can not be founde redy made in the poticaries shoppes make it thus Luk. 19 Dimidium bonorum tuorum da pauperibus si quem defraudaueris redde ei quadruplum Gyue the one halfe of al thy goodes the poore yf thou hast taken any thynge awaye from any man vniustly restore .iiii. times as much to hym agayne Yf thys purgation be to stronge and to bitter wolde purge to sore then take lesse of it make equale restitution accordyng vnto the value of it that is takē away from any man After that they be thus purged because it is a stronge purgation and a bytter maketh the takers of it very weake and after that a mā is healed ones of thys disease he may lyghtly fall into it agayne I wyll ordeyn and make the water syke a confortatiue and immediatly after also a preseruatiue to saue them that they fall not agayne into theyr olde disease Their confortatiue shall be thys that foloweth hereafter Luk. 19. Math. 3. and. 11. Venit filius hominis quaerere seruare quod perierat Non veni vocare iustos sed peccatores ad poenitentiam Poenitentiam agite appropinquabit regnum celorum Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis onerati estis Math. 11 ego refocillabo vos Sic Deus dilexit mundum Ioh. 3. vt vnigenitum filium suū daret vt omnis qui credit in eum non pereat Ezech. 13 sed habeat vitam eternam Nolo mortem peccatoris sed magis vt conuertatur viuat Nowe wyll I teache you a good triacle or preseruatiue The preseruatiue is thys Non concupisces vxorem fratris tui Exo. 20. non domum non agrum non seruum non an cillam non bouem non asinum vniuersa quae illius sunt Non fitis solliciti quid esuri sitis aut quid bibituri aut quo induamini Math. 6 Primum querite regnū Dei iusticiam eius Pro. 10. hec omnia adijcientur vobis Non patietur Dominus vt anima iusti fame laboret Leunculi penuria fame laborant qui autem do minū inquirunt nullo bono destituūtur Deu. 17 Cum fueris rex constitutus non multiplicabis tibi equos Non habebis vxores plurimas neque argenti auri ingentia pondera Rex iustus erigit terram vir auarus destruit cam Pro. 30. Mendicitatem diuitias ne dederis mihi tribue victui meo necessaria ne forte satiatus alliciar ad negandū dicam Quis est Dominus aut egestate compulsus furer periurem nomen Dei mei Seiunge ab hijs qui questum putant esse pietatem Est autem questus magnus pietas cum animo sua sorte cōtento Nihil enim intulimus in mundum videlicet nec esser re quicquam possumus 2. tim 6 sed habentes alimenta quibus tegamur his contenti erimus Caeterum qui volunt ditescere incidunt in temtationem laqueum in cupiditates multas stultas ac noxias quae demergunt homines in exitium interitum Siquidem radix omniū malorum est auaritia Vos qui diuites estis in
praesenti seculo ne sitis elato animo neque spem ponite in diuitijs incertis sed in Deo viuente qui praebet nobis omnia affatim ad fruendum Benefacite vt diuites sitis bonis operibus Estote faciles ad impertiendum libenter communicantes recondentes vobis ipsis fundamentum bonum in posterum Psa 39. vt apprehendatis vitam eternam Spera in Domino fac bonitatem inhabita terram pasceris in diuitijs eius Delectare in Domino dabit tibi petitionem tuam Nouit Dominus dies immaculatorum hereditas eorum in aeternum erit Inimici vero Domini mox vt honorificati sunt exaltati deficientes quemadmodum fumus deficient Iunior fui Psa 36. senui non vidi iustum derelictum nec semen eius querens panem Psa 118 Iniusti puni entur semen impiorum peribit Inclina cor meum in testimonia tua non in auaritiam I haue wrytten thys in latin for theyr sake that had leuer read their confortatiue and diet in latin then in Englyshe But yf I shoulde leue thys latine not turned into English I wolde be aferde that some vnlearned persones shulde abuse thys my wrytyng as the Popyshe sacrificeyng prestes and the coÌ„mon popyshe sorte of the vnlearned people abuse the physicke of Christ written in latin For when as Christ had made many noble medecines against dyuers diseases and the Apostles and Euangelistes had written the same in Greke and learned men hadde turned them out of Greke into latin some of the coÌ„mon people beleuyng that Christes medicines was very good desyred the prestes to reade vnto them Christes preparatiues purgations confortatiues and diet to their comforte and for the same cause they came euery sondaye vnto the churche But the Popyshe prestes rede ouer the sicke ê‘sons heades Christes aboue named medicines iÌ„ latin as though the bare redynge of the phisicians byll in a straunge tonge shulde helpe the syck men when as they vnderstande neuer one worde thereof And the same prestes nether taught the people howe they sholde vse theyr preparatiue nether theyr purgation nor confortatiue nether dyd they declare what diet the people shulde holde but read the diet other medicines in a strauÌ„ge tonge I wyll therfore make my hole counsell and my other medicines in Englyshe for them that vnderstande no latin and yet I counself them that are sycke in thys disease when as I couÌ„sell them that they daylye reade thys confortatiue and preseruatiue that they loke for no helpe of the only readynge of them but that they shoulde do those thynges that are wrytten not onely heare them or se them or saye them but also order theyr lyfe according vnto the coÌ„fortatiue the foreappointed diet The sonne of maÌ„ came to seke out and to saue that which was lost I came not to call the ryghteous but synners vnto repentaunce Repente you for the kyngdome of heauen is at hande Come vnto me all ye that labour and are ladeÌ„ and I shal refreshe you So God loued the worlde that he gaue hys onely begotten sonne that all whych beleue in hym sholde not peryshe but haue lyfe euerlastynge I wyll not the death of a synner but rather that he conuert and lyue The preseruatiue Thou shalt not desire thy brothers wyfe nor hys house nor hys lande nor hys seruauÌ„t nor hys mayde nor hys oxe nor his asse nor any thynge that is hys Be ye not carefull what ye shal eate nor what ye shal drynke or wherwyth ye shal be clothed Fyrst seke the kyngdome of God and the righteousnes therof al these thinges shal be gyuen you The Lorde shall not suffer the soule of the ryghteous to be greued wyth honger The yonge Lyons are greues wyth penurye and honger but they that searche out the Lorde shall lake nothyng that is good When thou shalte be made a kynge thou shalte not purchace vnto thee many horses thou shalte not haue many wyues nether exceadynge greate weyght of golde and syluer A ryghteous kynge setteth vp the laÌ„de but a couetus man destroyeth it Extreme pouerty nor great ryches gyue not vnto me giue me necessary thinges for my lyuyng leste paraduenture I beyng fylled shal be intysed vnto the deniyng of thee and saye who is the Lorde or I beynge compelled wyth pouerty shulde stele forswere the name of my Lorde God i. timo vi 1. tim 6 Seperate thy selfe from those whyche thynke gaynes to be godlynes for godlynes is great vauÌ„tage when a man is content in hys owne mynde for we brought nothyng into the world nether we can cary any thynge out therof but hauyng sufficient fode and clothynge let vs be content therwyth for those that wyll be ryche entre into many temtacions and snares and wycked desyres folyshe and hurtfull whyche drowne men cast them into death daunger and destruction For couetousnes is the roote of all euell You that are riche in this present world be not of an hyghe mynde 1. tim 6 and put not your hope in vncerteine riches but in the lyuyng God whych shall gyue you all thynges plenteously to inioye them Do you well that ye maye be ryche in good workes Be you easy to distribute gladly giuing parte layeng vp for your selues a good foundacion agaynst the tyme to come that ye maye take holde of euerlastyng lyfe Psal 37. Psal 37 Trust in the Lorde and do good and dwel vpon the earth and thou shalt be fed in the ryches of it Delyte or trust in the Lorde and he shall gyue the thy desyre The Lorde knoweth the dayes of the vndefyled and theyr inheritaunce shal be euerlastyng But the enemyes of the Lorde streyght way as they be honored and set vp they fadynge awaye do vanyshe as the smoke I was yonge and am olde and I haue not sene the ryghteous forsaken nor theyr sede beggynge their breade The vngodlye shal be ponyshed and the sede of the wicked shall peryshe Moue my harte vnto thy wytnesses and not vnto couetousnes So farre the preseruatiue After that they be ones perfytly healed they muste not onely vse thys foresayd dyet but they muste also exercise them selues leste they by to muche reste fall into theyr sycknes agayne For thys diet that I haue prescribed after Goddes phisik wyl not helpe except they be exercised in some good workes for the spirite of God sayeth Psal 33. declina a malo fac bonum flie euel do good But your chiefe exercyse shall stande in goynge walkynge and runnyng Exercise ye muste rune wyth Dauid Psal 118 which sayd viam manda torum tuorum cucurri I haue runne the waye of thy coÌ„maundementes ye muste also walke as Dauid sayeth in lege Domini in the lawe of the Lord and ye muste go as the same prophet sayd a virtute in virtutem from one vertue to another Althoughe there be many vertues wherein a
a gētlemā thē a paynted ymage hath of a man The palsey in a natural body cōmeth of colde tough humores whyche are ingendred in the heade by often dronkennes and to muche excesse of meate drynke Yf the age the tyme of the yere and the strength of the patient wyll abyde it the letting of bloud in the begynnyng is very good for the healynge of thys disease but yf it be differred to longe thē is the disease incurable Euē so the spiritual hole palsey ignoraunce when as yonge gētlemen in theyr youth begyn to loyter wyl not learne but wyll rūne a huntyng and haukynge when as they shulde be at theyr booke they muste be let bloude oft tymes in the buttokes for the noble spiritual phisicion Salomon in the .xxii. of the Prouerbes teacheth vs thys remedie against the spiritual palsey Pro. 22. and the recepte of it is thys Stultitia colligata est in corde pueri virga disciplinae fugabit cam Folyshnes or vnlearnednes is bounde together in the harte of a boy but the rode of correction wyll driue it awaye Yf that the disease be so great that nether wordes nor herbes be able to heale it thē we muste accordyng vnto the greatnes of the disease vse remedies made of greater thynges Therfore thys receyte that I wyll apoynte wyll be verye good both to auoyde the disease and to dryue it away after that it hath ben taken of a chylde Recipe virgarum betulce aut salicis manipulum vnum quotidie pueri natibus adhibeatur ad sanguinis vsque effusionem donec conualuerit Plus millies me dicamentū hoc efficax esse probatum est And Salomon in the .23 Pro. 23. of hys Prouerbes sayeth playnlye that thys remedye can not hurte any chylde Noli sayeth he subtrahere a puero disciplinam c. Take not awaye correccion frō a chylde for yf thou beate hym with a rode he shal not dye Thou shalte beate hym wyth a rod thou shalte delyuer hys soule from hel The rod and correction gyue wysedome but the chylde that is suffred to haue his owne wyl shal shame hys mother Thus far Salomon yf this disease be ones healed in the nobilite it shall be the easyer to heale al other diseases whych they haue are in daunger of They that are disposed vnto this dysease or haue it muste vomit out the opinion that the parasites holde that gentlemē nede not to be learned they muste absteyne from to muche wyne and from al excesse of meate and drynke and then by the grace of God they shal be hole Yf thys physyke had ben wel practised L. yeares ago ther had not bene so many sycke in thys palsey as nowe are And they that now for age and by the oldnesse of the sycknesse are incurable myght haue bene easelye holpen But seyng the olde palsey can not be holpen by mannes physyke let vs carye with our prayers al olde ignoraunt men vnto Christ that he may make them fele hys truth and speak of his worde to the glory of God almyghty ¶ Of the Dropsye I Se so manye tokens in many gentlemen in Englande of the dropsie that I muste nedes thinke that there are many gētlemen sycke in that syckenes The cōmon tokēs of all the .iii. dropsies are these To be swelled puffed vp wyth wynde and water and to be excedyng thursty The fyrste kynde called Anasarca is almoste of hole water The seconde kynde called Ascitis is of two partes water and one parte wynde The thyrde parte called Timpanitis is of two partes wynde one of water as some phisicians holde The nobilitie in my tyme haue swelled so muche that nether theyr owne clothes whyche they had wonte to weare nor theyr fathers clothes whych was as byg men as these be wyll not holde thē but they muste haue bygger clothes and more costly garmentes Some swell so great that they can not be content wyth theyr fathers houses whych were as great men as these be for theyr fathers house wyll not holde thē for they bylde wyder houses and mo then theyr fathers dyd for one or two wyll not holde them And some swel so great that all the houses that theyr fathers and they haue buylded wyll not holde them but they muste also haue byshoppes houses and deanes houses parsons houses vicares houses and poore beggers houses called hospitalles And yet they swell so great that all these wyll not holde thē except they amende their maners vntyll they come to hell There is a place greate ynoughe for suche as can neuer get place enoughe for them but eyther by crafte or by compulsion or by frayng of their inferiors or by vnshamefast begging get theyr places and houses from them The other kynde of cōmon tokens that the watersyke haue is an excedyng greate thyrst and so greate that the more they drynke the more they desyre to drynke no drynke is able to quenche their thyrst Suche a thirst haue some of the nobilitie nowe suche one hath some had of late wherfore the nobilite hath now hath had the dropsy Some hauynge landes of theyr owne to lyue on haue peltyngly gone about from courte to court biynge fermes and bargaynes and ouerbyddyng al mē so that pere mē cā get no resonable price of ani ferme or bargaine for thē Sōe are so thirstye of fermes and namely of benefyces that they snatch vp all the reuersions that can be had in a countre though the fermers haue yet .xl. or .l. yeares to come There is one knyght that hathe ten benefices in one shere in hys handes and an other hath .xxii. as credible persones haue tolde me Some are so thyrsty for the fermes of vicarages parsonages that they bagge or bye the aduousons of them of the patrones as soone as they fall they wyll lette none haue the benefice but suche as wyl let them the benefice to ferme wyth house and lande and tythes wyth all that belongeth therto Other drinke vp the glebe lande let the reste alone Some haue by brybery simony and other vnlawful wayes robbed many a poore paryshe in Englande of their parsonages and persones and haue dronkē vp quyte the parsonages for them their heyres for euer wherwyth the churche of Christe had wonte to be fed both bodely and goostly Some newe gentlemen haue dronken vp not onely a great part of byshoppes landes but also haue dronken vp diuers churcheyardes hospitalles chapelles and chauntries to patche and cloute vp theyr lyuynges wyth all because their father lefte them neuer a foote of lande One of the nobilite lawe of late yeares a prety churche wyth a good large churche yarde the same was lorde of the towne there and he desyred the paryshe that they wolde lette hym haue the churche and churchyard promysing them a newe church a new church yarde in an other place the poore tenauntes durste not saye hym naye because he was theyr lorde In
the meane season he lent the paryshe a foule euell fauored hole an ende of an olde abbey very strayt narow euell couered and euery daye lyke to fal vpō the poore peoples heades and as for other churche the poore people cā get none vnto thys houre Where is there any good parsonage in Englande but it is ether bought and dronken vp of some gentlemen or els is let to ferme to some gentleman As wyth great honesty and prayse the noble mennes seruauntes had wont to come home to theyr maisters houses wyth hares wylde cattes foxes vpon their backes so wyth muche shame they come wyth tythe pygges by theyr tayles wyth tythe egges and tythe hemp and flaxe Well they that cam from the donghyl muste go thether agayne Nature wyll out although it be holden in wyth forke a whyle as the dauncyng of the ape doth testefye in Esopes fables whych daūced wel vntyl the nuttes were castē abrode in the floure In dede I fynde this dropsy for the moste part alwayes in the crowish stert vppes Crowish stert vp and not so muche in the ryght and olde nobilitie How be it euen some of the stocke of the olde nobilitie haue growen and gone out of kynde and are also sycke in thys common sycknes There was an erle wythin these fewe yeares that had lande good enoughe coulde not quenche hys thyrst therwyth vntyl he had gotten one of the greatest deanryes in Englande and so was made my Lorde deane also But he left to hys successours the lādes vndiminshed and therfore dyd muche better then he shoulde haue done yf he had takē the Deanerye quyte awaye into his owne handes for euer for hym and his heyres Some haue bene so thirsti of late that they drank vp not onlye hole comones and great fyldes but also the very hyghe wayes and the foule puddels in them A certayne felowe of mine which had ben lōge from hys frendes gat leue to go to them and went thetherwarde but when he came wythin a litle of hys fathers house he could fynd no way a lōge tyme into his fathers house the thirsty gentleman had so dronk vp al the hygh wayes there Some haue dronke vp of late hole riuers and meres and fennes whych had wont to be common and wyl not suffer a mā to angle therin nether any man to put a veast there but let them to ferme Some when as they haue dronken vp as muche of the cōmones of abbey landes of byshoppes landes of deanes landes of persones lādes and of beggers landes I meane of hospitalles as wolde serue .iiii. as honest and as honorable men as they be yet for to spare theyr owne drynke at home are not ashamed to begge drynke of suche poore mē as I am When as I had but .74 lib. to spende in the yeare my fyrst frutes yet vnpayd And yet they neuer gaue me a cup of ale vndeserued ī al their lyues I haue yet copies of theyr begging letters here in germany to be witnesses of their shameles beggynge I wolde there were some acte of parlament made agaynst suche valiāt beggers whiche vexe poore men as I was much worse then the lousye beggers do Honest gentlemen that are not syke in the dropsye when as they are verye thyrstye and entre into a cytie they do not lyght and drynke in the fyrst alehouse that they se in the cytie but for sauyng of theyr honestye differ to drynke vntyl they come into an honest in there they drinke as muche as they nede but no more He that is an honeste gentleman wyll leuer suffer great honger and thyrst at home then to earne drinke in the market with sellyng of coles or bere or of bullockes of plowes of shepe or of shepes dōge or of pisse or of suche like vile thinges as some haue done do at thys tyme wyth shame enough yf they were not past shame Buth suche gentlymē as the dropsye hath taken awaye theyr honestye shamefacednesse frō them that they care not howe they get drinke whether it be wyth honour or shame so that they maye haue it while as some gentlemen yea some Knightes and lordes do nowe in Englande not be ashamed to sell oxen shepe bere corne mele malt coles thynges muche vyler then these be Nowe it is euident that there are many of the nobilitie of Englande sycke in the spiritual dropsye let vs se whether it is any perilus disease or no. This dropsye is a disease very harde to heale and kylleth many a man and woman and it bryngeth not onely death of bothe bodye and soule but in the lyfe tyme mocketh men and bryngeth men into false opiniōs The holy scripture sayeth that the spirituall dropsy bryngeth death and euerlastyng damnacion as Paule .i. Corin .vi. 1. Cor. 6 wytnesseth in these wordes Nether theues nether couetous men nether dronkerdes nether cursed speakers where extorcioners or rauen ous men shall haue the heritage of the kyngdome of God He that is syke in the dropsye thynketh that plentye of drynke shall helpe hys disease and that hys drynke shal be turned into bloude and that he shal be noryshed therwyth So is it also in the dropsy that our gentlemen are sycke in They thynke that in heapyng together of muche golde and syluer in gettynge of many fermes in gettynge of many benefyces that their gredye appetite shall therwyth be quenched but they are deceyued For the noble poetes in these verses folowyng affirme the contrary Crescit amor nūmi quamtum ipsa pecunia crescit Quanto plura parasti tanto plura cupis Semper auarus eget quare quia competit vsus Tangere parta timet cur ne minuatur aceruus At primum scelerem matrem quae semper habendo Plus sitiens patulis runatur faucibus aurum Trudis auaritiam Crescit indugeirs sibi dirus hydrops Nec sitim pellit nisi causa morbi Fugerit venis aquosus albo corpore langor The loue of the peny groweth as muche as the pkny groweth The more thynges that thou haste gottē the more thou desyrest A couetous man is euer nedy and why the vse requyreth he is afrayed to touche that whych he hath gotten why because that his heape should not be mynished or made lesse But fyrst thou thurstest downe couettousnes the mother of myschiefe whyche the more it hathe the more golde it gapeth for wyth open iawes and is more thyrsty The cruel dropsye fauourynge it selfe to muche can not put awaye thyrste excepte the cause of the syknes flye out of the veynes the wattery siknes leue the pale body The preacher in the .v. Eccle. 5. cha cōfirmeth the same that the poetes haue sayd A couetous man sayeth he wyll neuer be fylled wyth mony Furthermore as in the bodely dropsye the great plentye of drynke is not turned into bloud nether into any good noryshment of the body but is turned all into water and wynde and the body is neuer