powre and euerlasting dignitée Who doth regarde the déedes and actes that here on earth are done And suffers nothing in the worlde at random here to runne But holdes the helme of all himselfe and sterne doth onely guide Though diuers Ministers he hath for euery thing beside He well shall also vnderstande the great affection deare That God doth alwayes beare to man who made his subiectes heare Both birdes and beastes and skalie fishe that in the seas doe swim And gaue him from the skies a minde that most resembled him Nor left him when he wickedly vpon the â—â—ende did waight But threatning Sathan and his traine to mercie tooke him straight Moreouer he shall learne from whence the spring of death and sinne And wretched ignorance of truth did in the worlde beginne And what great force of ours remaynes to deale in vertuous déedes And whence the safe assured hope of righteousnesse procéedes And whence remission of our sinnes Besides he plaine shall sée Examples store of Gods great wrath for such as wicked bée And eke againe the mercy great of God omnipotent Towards them that vertuous are and such as earnestly repent There plainely also shall he sée what things the law doth tell How it condemneth euery man and driueth downe to hell That sinne deserueth dreadfull death and eke the certaine way To please the euerlasting Lorde and him for to obay Moreouer that there are good sprites and aungels faire aboue Sent out from God for mans defence and for their great behoue As vnto them the wicked sprites are deadly enimies There shall he learne that soule of man with bodie neuer dies Nor that the bodie euermore shall kepe the stinking graue But sound and safe at th' ende of the worlde their olde estate shall haue And come to euerlasting life where of the Iudge seuere The fearefull sentence shall they sée and righteous iudgement here There shall the wicked sort receyue theyr iust deserued hire Cast downe into the smokie pitte of dreadfull flaming fire The good exalted to the ioyes of heauen shining bright Shall sée the face of God and liue in passing great delight And more he well shall vnderstande that will of God aboue What honor here he best estéemes and what he most doth loue What orders he accepteth here what dutie eke we owe Vnto the Magistrate the whole estate of mariage shall he knowe But of this worthie treasureâ—great why call I all to minde As if I would the surges tell of seas in raging winde Or number all the glistring starres that in the skies appeare And cast abrode their golden beames when as the night is cleare Or tell howe many thousand leaues in wooddie groues doe lie While as in Autumne Saturne throwes his frostie flakes from hie Or count the number of the eares that through the worlde are séene While as approching Haruest néere the corne forsakes his gréene There shall he finde whatsoeuer doth to husbandmen belong Wherewith to ouerthrow the foe and to instruct the yong Therefore let him at first the bookes of Moyses well applie And all the other Prophetes else in order héedilie And from the fountaynes draw the worde and fetch it from the spring That perfitely he know the minde of God in euery thing But chiefly in the scriptures written by the holy ghost These two the law and Gospell let him alwayes thinke on most Discerning well betwixt them both what doth to eche belong The propertie of euery one their force and vertue strong Least that he hap to deale therein as most men doe this day To make them both agrée in one that differ farre away The lawe destroyes condemnes worketh wrath and vengeance due And showth vs what we ought to doe and what we must eschue Augmenteth sinne and driues men downe into the pit of hell That doe not heare in euery poynt obserue and kéepe it well On the other side the Gospell doth bring euerlasting life And doth appease the wrath of God for sinne and ceaseth strife And thorow Christ forgiueth all that hath bene done amisse And drawth vs from the depth of hell and placeth vs in blisse In giuing ioyes that neuer endes ne shewes how we should liue So much as it the déedes of Christ to vs doth wholy giue And maketh righteous euery one and doth our sinnes deface Restoring vnto sauing health all such as séekes his grace Lo here thou séest a diffrence great that will no vnitée No more than fowle deformed death with life will here agrée Therefore herein our husbandman must seuer them aright Not mingling them togither thus as iust in egall plight Not making Moyses here of Christ or olde Licurgus sowre Nor yet ascribing that to Christ that longs to Moyses powre Let eche of them their office kéepe their time and eke their place Sometime t' is méete the stonie hearts with deadly lawe to chase And to declare the dreadfull plagues that no excuse remaine To wretched men that all their life in wickednesse doe traine A time againe when méete it is of nothing else to speake But graciousnesse and to relieue and comfort vp the weake With swéetenesse great of Iesus milde both necke and hands vnbound From dolefull chaynes of miserie that weyes them to the ground What can be worse than for to kill such as deserue to liue And vnto such as death deserue eternall life to giue Which thing doth alwayes come to passe when all things are not well Discerned as they ought to be and as I earst did tell And though the face of Moyses and our Sauiours countnance bright Must both be bare and open showde and furnisht out with light Yet most of all we ought the name of Christ to magnifie And séeke t' aduaunce aboue the rest his prayse and dignitie For he of euery other thing is finall ende and summe And all things both in heauen and earth by meanes of him are donne And euery thing committed here vnto his holy hande Wherein both health and righteousnesse and death and life doth stande With fauour grace and punishment and whatsoeuer doth lie Created heare vpon the earth or in the heauens hie He is the soueraigne king and guide of chosen people pure The happie priest chiefe head and Lorde and Sanctuarie sure The stedfast stone to cleaue vnto and strongest towre of might The glorious Bridegrome garnished most bewtifull in sight That with his owne most precious bloud did washe and purifie His spouse from euery spot and staine that might offend the eie The onely shepheard bread and light and chiefest maister here In fine the large and welthie horne where all things doth appere Him from the first beginning God did promise for to giue To Adam and his children all that after him should liue A gift that well should pacifie his iust conceyued yre And eke redéeme the damned soules from neuer ceassing fyre Thus taught the holy ghost abrode and Moyses did the same And all the Prophets after him did blase abrode
The Popish Kingdome or reigne of Antichrist written in Latine verse by Thomas Naogeorgus and englyshed by Barnabe Googe 2. TIMOTH 3. Lyke as Iannes and Iambres withstoode Moises euen so doe these also resist the truth Men they are of corrupt mindes and lewde as concerning the faith but they shall preuaile no longer For their foolishnesse shall be manifest to all men as theirs was ¶ Imprinted at London by Henrie Denham for Richarde VVatkins Anno. 1570. To the right high and mightie princesse Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of Englande Fraunce and Ireland defender of the fayth and of the Church of England and Ireland on earth next vnder God the supreme gouernour I WOVLD NOT HAVE TAken vpon me most gratious and my redoubted soueraigne Lady to haue brought into englishe this briefe discription of your graces greatest aduersarie though often I haue thervnto beene earnestly required but only of purpose to dedicate it to your maiestie Neither yet woulde I so haue presumed to haue done but that I haue here before seene your graces most gratious accepting of smaller matters The Author so eloquentlye in Latin hath exprest his minde and so plainely and truely hath described the fayned sanctitie of the Romishe religion that nowe so much is boasted of as J cannot but iudge him a present meete for a Queene The translatiō though rude so dealeth with truth as being earnestly hated of the enimies of truth it requireth of necessitie the patronage of so noble a princesse being before in Latin safely defended by the no lesse vertuous than valiaunt prince the Lantgraue of Hess a Prince as well affected in religion as of minde and courage inuincible Most humbly I therfore besech your maiestie to vouchsafe the defence thereof against the wrongefull slaunders of malitious tongues and to pardon according to your accustomed clemencie my bolde attempt in presenting to your highnesse so rude a translation wherein I haue the lesse beene curious bycause it was chiefely made for the benifite of the common and simpler sorte J haue also herevnto ioyned some parte of another booke written by the same Author and entituled The spirituall husbandrie which I long before translated bicause the other being printed seemed something to small in volume God long preserue your most excellent maiestie and alwaies in all daungers as he hath hitherto most wonderfully done so euermore thorow his mightie and mercifull prouidence defend the same to his honor and glorie and the singuler comforte of all your louing subiectes Your Maiesties most humble and faithfull subiect Barnabe Googe B G POST TRISTIA LAETA ▪ ¶ To the right high and mightie Prince Philip by the grace of God Lantgraue of Hesse c. Thomas Naogeorgus his humble subiect wisheth c. THE BEVVTIFVLL LIGHT of the Gospell moste vvorthy Prince hath novve so manye yeares shyned that not vnvvorthily if it so had seemed good to God it might haue dravvne all men to the loue and estimation thereof assvvaged the malice of the chiefest enimies in suche sort as thoughe they could not find in their hearts to embrace it yet at the leastvvyse they shoulde forbeare from their vncharitable slaunders and cruell raylings But bicause they onely doe beleeue as vve reade in the Actes of the Apostles that are before appoynted to saluation So farre of are our aduersaries from vvaxing more gentle or any vvhitte forsaking their crueltie and reprochfull vvordes as novv at length they poure out more boldely and dispitefully the vilest vvordes they can not onely agaynst the poore Preachers but also agaynst theyr doctrine and the very Gospell it selfe For of late came there one abrode vvhose name I vvill not here declare vvho taking occasion of these last vvarres vvith a foolish and slaunderous booke cuttes in peeces teares chides and vvith as yll reportes as may be burdeneth as vvell the Princes as subiectes that bee fauorers of the Gospell and herevvithall full vvisely calles vs againe to Poperie tearming vs Apostatas and forsakers of our fayth But surely he deserueth no aunsvvere as one that except raylinges hath vttered nothing and his Booke that hee vvrote seemes to be vvritten by a man ouerseene vvith vvine hauing no Methode therein but a certaine disordered heape of vvordes and as they say a tale vvithout a head Yet vvoulde I there should be some that should aunsvvere this slaunderer not for his sake but for the vvorthinesse of the religion that vve professe vvhereby hee might perceyue vvith vvhat rashnesse vngodlinesse and malepartnesse he controlles and persecutes the thing he doth not vnderstande For although vve are bound by the vvorde of God to beare and dissemble the iniuries and offences that are done vnto vs yet such things as belong vnto truth the pure doctrine of the Gospell and so to the honour and glorie of God vve ought by no meanes to dissemble but earnestly both vvith vvordes and vvritings to fight agaynst the enimies as vvith great commendation did the auncient Doctors of the Churche agaynst the Heathen and first planters of Herisies for these slaunderers although of such as sufficiently knovve the truth they be but laught at and despised yet doe they infect and not a little abuse the vveake and cause them to mistrust and think the vvorse of the religiō vve teach Therefore eyther for the Doctrine it selfe or else for the vveakelinges that haue but nevvly begonne to taste the truth the vvickednesse and malice of this defamer in calling the gospell that vve preach Turkish and by other hatefull tearmes is to be beaten dovvne and vtterly confuted And here I can not but vvoonder vvith vvhat face hee can thus shamelesly behaue himselfe since it is vvell knovvn he neuer reade any booke of ours vvhereby hee might rightly iudge of our fayth and religion neyther is it reason for the fault and offence of some one Prince or subiect to giue iudgement vpon all But I thinke he learned these slaūders at the Sermōs of some bavvling Friers or other venimous Papistes vvho haue more care for their bellies than for the truth vvherby he thought to be accounted a great Clearke for thundering out his rayling Rethoricke agaynst vs and thinkes it no little glorie if vvith his fonde and ruffianly booke◠he may not ouerthrovv for so great his learning is not and if it vvere ▪ the truth is inuincible but like a flie or a gnat sting and bite vs vvhome it pleaseth him to call Lutherans But I trust there shall some man bee founde that shall aunsvvere the foole as Salomon sayth according to his follye least he should seeme vvise to himselfe I for my part as vvell as leysure vvoulde presently serue haue plainely and truely set forth the chiefe members of the Popish state their fayth their cerimonies and religion though I passe ouer names that euery man may see vvhether they or vve come nearer to the steps of the Apostles and vvhether they be Catholikes or rather vve vvhom they so hate and persecute as Heritikes VVhat
great and in the villages thereby There are that doe such doltish dreames defende maliciously That quight contrary are to Christ and to religion right Which neyther canst thou easily knowe nor well in verse resight Now when these Popish lothsome limmes by no meanes we can sée In life nor in their trauaile here the limmes of Christ to bée Nor can in anye wise imbrace the fonde religion vaine And shamefull orders to the worlde of God contrarie plaine Nor doctrine of so wicked fayth to Christian people giue But rather as the Apostles teach doe simply seeke to liue Reiecting toyes and mans deuice as which we surely know To be detested of that Prince that lightnings downe doth throw We here are called Heritykes and worthie thought to bée Of halter sworde consuming fire and ech extremitée We punisht are our houses sealde or from our countrie farre We banisht be or else opprest at home with ciuill warre Whereas the dreadfull Souldiour doth consume and cleane deuours The goodes that here hath gotten bene by toyle and paine of ours These things these Catholikes attempt when in so many yeares By scriptures sure they cannot plant this foolish fayth of theirs Nor ours with scriptures ouerthrow that now they séeke to make The Prince of hell and Christ to ioyne in one and partes to take For all ashamde they plaine perceyue that long they cannot stande With this religion and this life if once doe come in hande The worde of God the heauenly light and that abrode doe shine The twelue Apostles doctrine and that blessed court deuine Nor good it séemeth yet to them such is their wisdome hie To graunt that they haue erd in any thing or gone awrie For shame it is that learned men and such as famous bée For Mitars and for Crosiar staues amongst the Christiantée Christ nor the Apostles fayth to know that perfit is and iust But to be ledde with dreames of men whome none may safely trust From hence procéedeth all their griefe and all their cruell hate That with effusion of our bloud they stablish their estate And will not here be pacified by any other meanes Except we do alow and like their lewde and monstrous dreames And altogither runne in one like flockes for company To false and wicked worshippings and vile idolatry And knowledge them for Lordes of fayth and rulers of vs all Although they teache no doctrine of the King celestiall Oft hath it bene agréed that eyther part shoulde fréely vse Their owne religion seruing God as best they list to chuse And neyther part the other for to trouble or molest With warres or bookes that Germany might liue in peace or rest But Papistes can no peace abide continually they write And both with wordes and wretched déedes most cruelly doe bite Not onely vs which might perhaps be well enough endurde But also Gods most holy worde and gospell here assurde If tumults on our partes arise or any great ado Or if our men doe armour take being forced therevnto And by the law of armes doe burne and spoyle their enimie And take the pillage of their foes immediately they crie The wicked Gospell worketh this beholde in what a plight These fellowes liue the Deuill brought this Gospell first to light It Turkish is and not the same that Luke wrought long ago And spightfully they slaunder it with many raylings mo As if that any Preacher here did euer this alow Or any did by worde of Christ such crueltie auow They know full well themselues that none of ours did euer teache To vse such violence nor this vnto the people preache Yet with their vile infectiue tongues and mouthes enuenemde tho With poyson that in hellish lakes and Stygian streames doth flo The Gospell of the Lorde they doe most spightfully defame And herewithall the Ministers and Preachers of the same But who can Princes gouerne here or any meanes deuise To kéepe them in from vsing force against their enimies Why doe they not as well diswade their Catholikes and blame Them for their force and crueltie that doe the very same And boldely euery where destroy and euery man molest Yea euen their very friendes at home that faine woulde liue at rest What kinde of Gospell teache those men that euen openly With bitter wordes and bookes perswade men to such cruelty Are these to any man vnknowne doth Fraunce and Italy Not openly declare the same and plainely testify Do not the pulpettes of the Pope perswade this martiall might And pardons euery man hys sinnes that in their quarrell fight But sure the wallet them beguiles that hanges behinde their backe And better others faultes they sée than what themselues doe lacke Accounting here for catholickes themselues and all their traine And others all as heritickes and wicked people plaine Wherefore the chiefest members of this holy popish state Their cerimonies and their dayes they yearely consecrate Their foolish fayth and beastly life I openly doe showe That all the worlde may vnderstande and euery man may know That neyther Christ nor perfit fayth they any whit doe way But onely séeke to looke aloft and boldely for to say That they the booke of Peter are and holy Catholickes And we vnhappie castawayes and cursed heritickes But wherein are they Catholickes bicause they folow here The truth but what they folow and beléeue doth plaine appere So it is that in number they and countries vs excell So mayst thou both the Turkes and Mores call Catholickes as well Herewith I iudge that euery man that hath an vpright heart Doth vnderstande how iust our cause hath béene for to depart From this their monstrous fayth and from their lewde ydolatrée And for to shonne these popish members all of ech degrée As men that neyther Christ doe know nor euer séeke to finde Nor suffer such as woulde but kéepe them still in darcknesse blinde FINIS A Table of the principall matters conteyned in this Booke A ABbot of what Monkes 21 His conditions 22 Abottes their confirmation 6 Absolution how the Papistes vse it 34 Absurdities that the Pope commaunds to be beleeued in the ministring of the Lordes supper 31 Agat the stone 39 Acoluth his office 13 Aduent 44 Aduoutrie a pastime 58 Agatha hir vertue against fire 38 Agnes hir feast 46 Agnus dei 46 Albe 13 Alters their dedication 13 Altars their washing 51 Altars their nūber how they sprang 33 Andrew his feast 55 Aungels about the sepulchre 52 Alsoulne day 56 Anne hir vertue 38 Annates commodious to the Pope 6 Anthonie his helpe 38 Appeales to Rome 24 Appolin the virgin hir vertue 38 Aquisgran 39 Altars annoynted 25 Archbishop of Colin 9 Ascention day 53 An Asse of wood 50 Assumption of the virgin Marie 55 Auarice a common disease with papists 27 Austen his time 47 Ashwednesday 49 Almose to what end giuē to papists Absolution for workes 34 Annoynting of finger head hand 34 B. BIshop his order at the Altar 10.11 Baptisme done in Latine 31
That of the worde of God the sonnes might euermore remaine And men no lâ—nger looke to heare the voyce from starry raigne Nor can the eares of man abide the speach of God to heare As once the Hebrues made afrayde good witnesse well may beare Therefore he mortall doctors vnto mortall men did sende As Moyses Aaron and such men as euer did attende About the seruice of the Lorde and Moyses now in graue They read the people still the lawe and laboured them to saue As Prophets priestes Leuits eke who preacht and alwayes taught For to beware of wicked things and to eschue the naught And to conceyue assured hope in Christ the promised séede Whereby the hearts might healed be which griefe had causde to bléede This was the Prophets office than and this their order iust When Moyses here had yéelded vp his carkasse vnto dust Whose wrytings through the gift of God doe hitherto remaine The very doctrine of the holy ghost appearing plaine We must not weigh them as the worke of mortall men that die But take them as the bookes of God sent downe from heauens hie In like sort must the Gospell here of good men honorde bée For both with all the Prophets olde it iustly doth agrée And with the dreadfull voyce of God it hath confirmed béene Nor any thing repugnant here may any where be séene Therefore the Church did iustly giue the chiefe authoritie Vnto the holy bookes that in the Bible written lie Commaunding that they neuer be abusde by any wight But to remaine for euermore in good and perfite plight As knowing well hir husbandes voyce the ender here of strife And these the certaine instruments of euerlasting life Beside we must estéeme them more than all the Sibylles heare Or all the Oken groues that earst to Ioue were counted deare And thinke that vnto men these bookes sufficient light doth giue Whereby they well may know the will of God and how to liue So that we profite much herein in knowing that we neede Not ransacke other volumes great of fayth or hope to réede For miserablie doth he toyle and tosse his troubled minde That séekes his pleasure where it doth not lie or else is blinde Whosoeuer of pure and perfite golde hath founde the fruitfull vaine By which he may to Pelops welth or Craesus state attaine And passe the Arabians riches here and Hermus sandes that shines Will hardly hence be had away to digge in emptie mines And vainely pecke in euery rocke whereas no golde doth lie Where trauaile great must be indurde and nothing got therebie To these therefore let husbandmen their mindes and studie giue Here shall they finde what néedefull is to teach them how to liue No néede is here to vexe the minde with turning many bookes Nor for to gaze on barraine fielde with vaine and ydle lookes Here of the euerlasting worde the knowledge full doth lie That sonne of God and Iesus whome the worlde is saued bie The knowing of whom alonely brings vs to euerlasting blysse And reconciles vs to the father where we did amysse And makes vs heyres of heauen bright this is the treasure which Lay hidden in the ground so déepe and Iewell passing rich For which all worldly substance great is well bestowed here Looke where thou list thou shalt not finde it any other where Leaue searching of the Cesterns and the Fennes and filthie soyles And stinking pondes when as at home the fountaine freshly boyles Here draw of cleare Cristall streames here mayst thou drink thy fill If thirst of euerlasting life and vertue mooue thy will Giue all thy force and minde hereto and all thy wittes applie Moreouer this perswasion doth great profite herein bring When in the scriptures plaine appeares Gods will in euery thing What honor we must giue to him what worship him delightes What maners and what wayes are méete to frame the life arightes Least superstition in our mindes or wicked error spring And least we preach and blase abrode some lewde and hurtfull thing As if the things sufficed not that God himselfe hath tought Or that we thinke by our deuice might better things be wrought Who so beléeues that God hath hid no vertue here nor right Contents himselfe and doth obey the worde with all his might And faynes not any thing himselfe nor followes fancie vaine Nor any gloses blinde of men nor dreames of ydle braine As most men commonly doe vse this madnesse vexeth sore And is a plague that all the worlde doth trouble euermore Without the worde of God eche foole dare frame himselfe away Procuring eke companions to runne with him astray Whom at the first he doth perswade and after doth constraine T' obay his folly as a God that ouer all doth raigne Let not our husbandman be staynde with such vntowarde minde But know the waight of scriptures well where he may easily finde What best is to be done or left least that he wander wide Obaying more the voyce of man than his that all doth guide Thus boldned let him duely reade the scriptures euermore From top to toe and oft reherse that he hath read before And print it déepely in his minde layde vp in safetie there None otherwise than golde or pearles or such like precious gere From whence he largely may disburse to men as cause requires The maner how to please the Lorde and leaue their fonde desires And if perhaps he vnoerstand not all things perfitely Or reade some things that doe declare a great simplicitie Let him beware that tediousnesse nor lothsomnesse him take And force him so the sacred worde of God for to forsake In prophane wryters many things at first doe not appeare But hidden lie and doe deceyue the readers looking neare No maruell then if that the holy ghost declare not all In easie phrase but sometime teach with senses mysticall Accept the plaine and easie wordes and those that from thée flie With haste pursue and drawe them from the darknesse where they lie He blessed is that profiteth both with the hard and plaine And is not feared with the tone nor countes the other vaine But markes the order and the guise of Gods most holy spright And beares with that in euery case and takes his meaning right First shall he knowe the causes true and father of eche thing From whose commaundment and whose worde all kind of things doe spring Created of no substance here the stately framed skies The breathing ayre and weightie earth that in the middle lies The monstrous waues of raging seas that here and there doe flowe And what in sixe dayes worke was wrought for garnishing or showe The wondrous sort of creatures straunge in ayre in seas or landes That haue bene made committed to the powre of Adams handes By this he also well shall learne that in the worlde there is But one all onely Lorde and king whose powre almightie is Who doth of persons thrée consist coequall in degrée In nature Godhed
graces protection vvhose long prosperitie vvith the happie successe of your most noble and renovvmed children I earnestly desire God to preserue From Basill the .20 of Februarie 1553. The Popish Kingdome The first Booke THe straunge disguised shape and faith of popish prowde estate The sundry orders and the dayes they yerely consecrate Good Muse declare my force to weake can not therto attaine Ne can disclose the mysteries of such a matelesse raigne Oft haue we hearde the thundring fame of Scythian sceptor great The Turkes estate and of the Indians farther distant seat The warlyke Parthyans powre beside and stately Persian charge And of the Romanes all men knowes the auncient empire large But these are nothing in respect if any man doe way The farre surmounting maiestie and powre of popish sway Whose Lordship lifteth vp it selfe vnto the heauens hye And all the earth whereon we dwell to him doth subiect lye And all the Deuils déepe in hell at his decrées doe quake So that the thréefolde engyn of the worlde he makes to shake Nor vnaduisedly we speake nor rashly thereof fayne The Pope himselfe doth chalenge this in wordes and writings playne And lustily he doth defende the same with tooth and naile Drawe neare therefore Calliopey and let thy force preuaile And thou Apollo graunt thyne ayde great matters here I sing Whereof the fame blowne forth abrode all Europe makes to ring Guide you my lately verse begunne by perfite path and plaine Disclose the secret mysteries of this so sacred raigne For though it thorowly be knowne and easily appéeres To euery Wight that here hath séene the ende of thirtie yéeres The yonger age yet knowes it not ne children haue it séene That haue bene taught to treade the steppes of Christs religion cléene And what of our posteritie that many yéeres to come Shall not attayne to knowe the fayth nor toyes of stately Rome Being many a hundred myles from thence and dwelling farre away This booke shall well instruct them than and shew them halfe the play If wormes doe not consume it first nor Marchauntes occupye It for enclosing of their wares that they farre hence doe bye Our question first is if from heauen this lustie bloud doe spring And whether thence he slipped downe from that almightie King Or rather from the Stygian flouds he raysde himselfe so hye Created first by Sathan and the spirites that damned lye To be a plague to Christian fayth and vertuous famylie To fill the worlde with troubles broyles and wretched miserie Such as are bent to search the same bring many causes strong And weightie arguments and proues the chiefest here among They from the fruites doe first deriue and long they féede their eies To viewe the monstrous shape that doth from doubtfull parent rise It is not much amisse if that we say he came from hie For Lucifer the Prince of pride and all his companie That now doe trouble all the worlde from heauen downe did fall At his commaundment and his worde that guides and gouernes all From heauen eke fell out the floudde that all the worlde did drowne Besides on Sodom came from thence both fire and brimstome downe What if the monstrous sinnes of men wherwith the world did swarme Prouoked God to sende this plague for their deserued harme Men made but small account of Christ Gods worde esteemed vayne Eche heart was then peruersely bent and truth had in disdayne Fayth was not to be founde at all ne loue coulde once be séene And hellish sectes had put to flight the true religion cléene Eche eare was then set open wide to learne deuises mad And ioyde to heare of teachers new though they were neare so bad No difference made of right or wrong none sought the perfite way But euery man with willing minde did yéelde himselfe a pray What maruell was it now if that the almightie gaue them vp And suffred them to drinke their fill of lying errors cup Besides when all was husht and still the chiefe and learned sort Gaue ouer booke and Pulpet quite and gaue themselues to sport Still woondering at the worldly pompe and hunting after gaine Eche one did séeke the others fall with hatred and disdaine The stronger put the weake to worse with ayde of Princely might Thus mallice touchte the high estates who wondered at the spight And muzde what madnesse moude them thus the priestes prelats great Shoulde thus with ciuill warres enuie eche one the others seat Of these disorders lewde and great what iudge you shoulde appéere But stoppes to sounde religion and this present kingdome héere While God th' offences punished of this distempered minde And ouerwhelmde the idle heartes with mistes and darcknesse blinde ▪ For both about one time began the fonde religion vaine Of Mahomet his foolish law and eke the popish raigne Two stubborne hornes to ouerthrowe both fayth and vertuous minde And for to drowne the doubtfull worlde with vice and errours blinde For one thing both of them we sée doe striue for to attaine Which is that no remembrance might of Iesus Christ remaine And that the searching out of truth from men be pluckte away That so in errors thicke and grosse they all may sooner stray Ne shalt thou much amisse affirme if that thou doest declare That God hath plaste them in the worlde as hornes that egall are For this the Pope himselfe presumes and plainely doth decrée And as a Key of fayth doth will that it beléeued bee But for the same we will not striue but easely giue him place Yet neyther can the Pope nor such as him doe here imbrace Denie but many things he hath at Sathans handes béene tought Which both in life and doctrine here he oft hath lewdely wrought But of this wondrous Empire great the heade I now declare Surnamed Pope a name that once to those that meanest weare Amongst the Bishops common was till such time as alone The Romish Bishop chalengde it resisted then of none What coulde they doe now was he great and to be fearde of all Not onely through his earthly force but powre celestiall This Pope doth boast himselfe to haue the keyes of heauen gates And braue in scutchin blaseth them that Kings and high estates And common people bent to lyes may know that none can clime To heauen to be placed there without his power deuine Without his warraunt or his graunt for in his gift doth ly The skies and happie life and whom he list he putteth by And with a worde he hoyseth vp vnto the starry raigne Euen whom he listes and where him likes he casteth downe againe Vnto the bottome deepe of hell he byndes and loseth all Euen as a perfect Marshall of the chiefe and highest hall To great an Empire sure is this and dreadfull power to heare Whereat great Dukes haue trembled and Princes quakte for feare Both noble men and people poore their countnaunce now let fall When as they heard the name of Pope
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
you sooner may the North and South togither tye And ioyne vnto the brittish shore the Persian dignitie Then for to cause their diuers mindes in one for to agrée Nor maruaile when without the light that from the scriptures springs They rashly iudge of hed and ende and order right of things As if a blinde man in the way would make himselfe a guide Or iudge of colours which were fairst or which were better dide It shall not hurt thée much these things though fond in hand to take And lightly to pervse and sée for lyes doe often make The truth to be estéemed more and of more forâ—e to showe Both swéete it is and I allow the cause of things to knowe But such as certaine are and such as no man can denie Of knowledge certaine endes there are and boundes appoynted lie The worde of God must beare the bell and sway in euery thing And next to that such reasons good as wise men here doe bring Must be esteemed as a troth Be circumspect in euery thing if ought thou séekst to finde Concerning heauen world and forme of substance or of kinde Or touching fortune place or hap the elaments and time Of motion thunder winde and snow raine haile or frostie rime Whereof it comes that pleasant dewes in Sommer wettes the spring Or what procures the lightning fierce that pearceth euery thing What makes the fire oftentymes in hellish clowdes to glow Or why the sunne in showre appearing the rainbow streight doth show â–ª Why Moone with fogge is compast oft or how the blasing starre Appeares that oft is signe to men of famine death or warre Wherefore the earth doth tremble so and Cities ouerturne And why that Phoebus oftentimes with thréefolde â—ace doth burnâ— â–ª Besides let him consider well if that a good man may Beleue the distance of the skies to be as they doe say If that the Moone so farre excéede the earth in quantitée Or if the starres so farre aboue the earth in bignesse bée Or if the Lord created more than two of greatest light Or any saue the Sunne that past the Moone in force and might Moreouer land and seas pervse and marke their natures plaine And all that in the earth or ayre or in the seas remaine But for these straunge and forraine things men ought not so to care As for our nearer neighbors much that in vs dwelling are Vnto our proper houses therefore let vs come and sée What wondrous things by natures handes in vs created bée How much we doe excell and passe eche other worldly kinde Whose rulers and correctors here the Lorde hath vs assignde What giftes of minde we doe enioy and what of bodie here What vertuously of vs is wrought and what doth lewde appere These things are first to be perusde that we may perfitely Both knowe our selues and eke the things that are to vs so nie Fond is it to be wise abrode and onely for to sée The outwarde things while as at home like bussards blind we bée But here me thinkes some laste lowte should say to me O how Suppose you sir that méete it is your plowman first to know These things before he till his ground and holy plow doe holde What say you to the Apostles than and to the Prophets olde Where euer finde you that these men were learned in this sort Or who would credite him that any such thing would report Besides but few such plowmen could be got as you desire Whereas the haruest of the Lorde doth numbers great require The time hath ben when men of god without their bookes were taught And diuers sodainely by him to state of Prophets brought So fishers and vnskilfull men by force of holy spright He made the teachers of the world and showes of perfite light Besides a number more of such his mightie hand did frame Not for to breake dame Natures lawes and alter quite the same But for to shewe his mightie force and great prerogatiue And that he was not tyed to sleaue of any thing aliue We may not therefore giue our selues to gape for wonders still But as the guise of men requires we must conforme our will Till God do worke in other sorte and other meanes doth giue In sterne and barren wildernesse the Iewes sometime did liue And neyther plowde nor sowde nor reapte in fortie winters space And were not he starke madde that now would looke for such a grace And like an ydle lubber sit and take no kinde of paine With hande nor foote for him or his a liuing for to gaine Or gape to haue the Rauens come or widdow at his néede Who at the bidding of the Lorde Helias once did féede The Riuer great of Iordan once and eke the fearefull seas Through might of God and all on foote the Hebrues past with ease Now néede we when we passe these floods both darke and 〈◊〉 saile And Tiphys eke to holde the helme least on the seas we auaile â–ª Thus are we bound to learne whatsoeuer on earth we knowe or sée That may vnto the honour great of God and glorie bée Ne must they looke for ydlenesse that will be husbandmen Least that the Lorde be tempted so and iustly plague vs then For our contempt and slouthfulnesse example here let bée The franticke Anabaptistes that in any place we sée Who hating bookes and learned artes doe count it vertue graue No skill in any language saue their Countrie tongue to haue And leaping lately from the shop of Shoomakers or such Are not ashamde the Preachers place with greasie handes to tuch Still boasting of the holy ghost and so with passing pride They hedlong throwe themselues to hell and numbers great beside By teaching false and foolish things the Prophets eke deuine Good Moyses first in Pharaos house applyde the Muses nine Before he taught the worde of God or traynde the Iewish hartes And Daniel did refuse the Chaldeans meate but not their artes Paule of a learned Doctor in Ierusalem was tought And not alonely in the scriptures to excell was thought But in the Grecian eloquence and sciences prophane Wherein to be exactly learnde he alwayes had the name With which he better armed put the Gentiles soone to flight And with these weapons of their owne he ouerthrew them quight At Athens with Aratus wordes he gaue them all the foyle And brought agaynst the Creteans witnesse of their natiue soyle A man that hedlong threw himselfe in Etnaes raging flame Amongst the people for to gaine an euerlasting fame What good and honest is among these artes they well may chuse And make them for to serue their turne that vertuously them vse The Egyptians once were robbed of goodes and spoyled vtterly To increase the treasure of the Lorde and his to bewtifie The Gentiles fayth and life we onely are forbidden here And not their worthie sciences and springes of learning clere So that we put them to good vse and profite any wayes Applying them with all our
and worser aye by much They care for no man here beside nor make account of such As painefully doe write or teach especially if hée In any poynt doe swarue and from their maister disagrée Whom onely here they make their God as one that cannot lie Nor be deceyude in any poynt nor euer treade awrie He onely lookes not by the glasse nor shadowes here that lyes But all things openly discernes with more than Lynceus eyes Who if he any thing commend their prayses than excell And looke what he doth here mislike they damne it downe to hell And at an ynche they follow him and iumpe with him they go And euermore as he decrées there mindes are altred tho Of these men canst thou looke for good or faythfull husbandmen Imaginst thou that euer truth can be estéemde of them Or that they can vprightly teach he that from â—â—ftie raigne Of heauen came did not forbid his followers here in vaine No man on earth their maister or their father for to call For why he knewe in euery place were swarmes of doctors all Puft vp with pride by reason of the learning that they had Who chiefly sought for to aduaunce their owne deuices mad And cléerely doe deface the truth and here in euery thing To conquer all mens heartes and them vnto subiection bring Sith cleauing to one maister still doth make men soonest fall We neyther must our parents here nor friendes estéeme at all But onely Iesus as the Doctor chiefe we must obay As one that onely teacheth here the truth and perfite way This was the auncient fathers rule for this the writers newe Haue striuen long and plaine disclosde a lewde and lothsome crewe Of errors blinde wherein great learned men in time did stray Whereat I more doe muse why men should at this present day Allow this rule and vse it boldely towarde euery man When as the workes of writers newe and of the olde they scan Yet as if they in heauen should continually abide Of no man here they will be iudgde nor haue their matters tride But would be thought in euery thing to touch the perfite pinne Whose doings here to bring in doubt or to resist is sinne And taken for a deadly crime that néedeth sacrifice Whatsoeuer they teach must be deuourde with shut and closed eies If that thou doubt and that thy stomacke loth at diuers things Then hatred and defiance straight and hurly burly springs And daungers great doth thée awayte and prison hard at hand And death with cruell torments neare vnto thy head doth stand Thou happie art and eke thy birth hath fortune fauourde right If that thou mayste thy countrie leaue in poore and simple plight And is not this a foolishe rage and madnesse grosse and blinde Yet numbers great of fooles that doe accept this same they finde And binde themselues to all their toyes and farther with them go Estéeming all their dooings here as God had wilde it so Nor any thing herein they doubt and worse than Todes they hate All those that séeme to doubt thereof or speake against their state Euen as a loftie Pine they labour such to throwe to ground And worser than their maisters farre in all things are they found Therefore addict thy selfe to none but gather still the best And things that well agréeing be with worde of God exprest The other to the Doctor leaue or to his foolish bande Nor suffer him in sted of Golde to giue thée durtie sande But though the almightie Lorde hath here deliuered vnto men His holy worde with wryters store and worthie husbandmen Whereby the truth may well be knowne and Christ that doth redéeme And all men ought to learne and reade but chiefly such as méene To take the holy plough in hande and mindes in order bring Yet shalt thou not discerne the truth nor Christ the soueraigne king Except the holy ghost from hie instruct thy féeble minde And teach thée here the perâ—ite path and certaine way to finde Beholde in euery place what store of schooles are to be séene What numbers great of Doctors here whose learning men estéeme What companie of bookes and eke what care to learne and teach Yet emptie standes the Pulpet still and fewe of Christ do preach And fewe regarde to heare of him nothing is pure or cléene Nor of the holy ghost may any steps or path be séene The earthly things are had in price and worldly wisedome vaine But no man séekes the doctrine that belonges to christian raigne From whence procéedes such mischiefe great of God the furie fell It is wherewith he plagues contempt and worlde that doth rebell And doth denie his heauenly deawes to euery studie still And onely leaues the worlde the shell and letter that doth kill Himselfe the kirnell close doth kepe and takes the pith away And lewde dispisers doth dispise and suffers them to stray In worldly trifles fonde and vaine wherewith they féede their flocke Why should he open heauen gates to such as doe not knocke Why should he giue his holy sprite his Christ and giftes deuine To them that neuer aske but with a frowning looke repine Thus men still trusting to their wits while as they séeke to finde The way to heauen with fonde decrees and actes of diuers kinde In sundrie follies drowne themselues and labour all in vaine And hedlong hurle themselues into the flouds of hellish raigne But thou applie thy force and minde and banishe slouthfull ease Spread out the sayles of diligence and trie the learned seas Remember yet the ayde of God and helpe of heauenly light And pray to God continually to giue the heart his spright And to reueale the certaine truth thy minde for to inspire With Christ the sauing health who ought to be thy chiefe desire Thy onely glory and thy talke and in thy minde to lie In setting forth whose honour thou thy learnings must applie These things if that with earnest minde of God thou dost require No doubt but he will helpe thée straight and graunt thée thy desire And fill thy open mouth with foode and precious treasures great Thus hath he promised and likes it well when we entreat Dost thou not sée howe Salomon did greatly him delight In asking neyther goodes nor life but wit and iudgement right Howe much aboue all other men he thereby did receaue Go pray therefore and knocke a pace desire and neuer leaue Thou neuer canst thy selfe desire more earnestly to haue Than he is readie for to giue to such as thus doe craue The blessed giftes of heauenly sprite Thence shall he open wide The secret Celles of sacred bookes and wisedome great beside Wherein the swéetest sight of all may Christ be plainely seene That of the chosen euermore the onely hope hath béene And many mysteries beside of straunge and wondrous kinde Kept still in secret from the worlde that euermore is blinde Which no dispiser lewde may knowe His worde eke will he teach Abundantly and giue a sprite
that earnestly shall preach Who if he giue thée not these things and thou to aske disdaine In learning onely shalt thou not bestow thy time in vaine But what thou speakste shall foolish be vnsauory and vnsweete Disordred eke in euery poynt not hauing hed nor féete Nor Doctor shalt thou counted be but for a trifler vaine A duns a foolish babler and most worthie of disdaine Whose presence voice and foolish wordes no shéepe of Christ will heaâ— That knowes the voyce of Iesus Christ Gods coÌ„maundments clear What profites it forsaking God to be accounted great And with the damned stinking Goates to haue the hyest seat Like as the Iewishe Rabbines haue among the castawayes And as the teachers of the Turkes and many in these dayes That bounce and beate the Pulpet still with lothsome noyce and crie Méete onely for to raile and in the rest not worth a flie A great thing is it in the house of God to drudge and swéepe And seruaunt in the earth to be vnto the chosen shéepe For such a worthie rowme therefore looke well thou worthie bée Requiring God continually to graunt this force to thée To giue thée grace and strength thereto and while thou here dost liue Eschue no trauaile great nor toyle thy minde to labor giue According to thy calling let thy house well furnisht bée Not glistring all with sumptuous plate nor costly Imagerée Nor hangde about with Arras rich nor pleasant Tapestrie Let all Th'assirian furnitures and Phrygian bewtie lie Nor seale thy house with Iuory white nor Marble grauen fine Ne let thy walles with painted Tables of Apelles shine Nor with Parrhasius costly workes nor Euphranors beside These things are méete for Princes great and men addict to pride Who foolish much regarde such â—oyes with loftie swelling minde And little wisedome got thereby not méete for such a kinde Of men as search for heauenly things and scriptures doe applie And of poore Christ do preach the worde and doctrine faythfullie Dresse vp thy house in comely sort but not with great expence Cleane kept and swept perfumed well with pleasant franconsence With berries sweete of Iunyper or in the Sommer time With Lauender or Violets and Roses swéete and fine Or pleasant Lillies white Swéete smelles the wit doth chiefly feede As stinking ayre doth dull the minde and great diseases bréede Let large and faire thy studie be and lightsome euery where Farre placde from any filthie smell no sinke nor dunghill nere No lothsome priuie there aboutes no marshe nor lakes at hande Nor filthie vapours that arise from stinking pooles that stande Here let thy chiefest goodes appeare and bookes in number great Of sundrie sort among the which the best and highest seat The Bible chalengeth of right which many yeares agone Was written by the holy sprite and in the tongues eche one Wherein it hath bene written here Of which the chiefest grace The Hebrue hath and next to it the Chaldean tongue hath place Let not the Gréeke translation want but stand among the rest Which seuentie sundrie men did write at Nilian kings request And which the auncient fathers vsde that Christ of olde did preach And with their vertuous wrytings graue the Christian fayth did teach Then let the worthie Doctors all and famous christian crue That long time since haue written bookes be placde in order due And neâ—t vnto the Bible first let Austine haue his place Who hath among the writers all in Latine chiefest grace Whose pregnant wit found out the truth and syftâ—th all things well Whose iudgâ—ment in detecting frâ—â—de did others farre excell And next to him his auncient friend let Ierome haue his seat Well knowne vnto the world for skill in tongues and wisedome great Who perfite was in euery acte and learned science tho And was not farre behinde in 〈◊〉 to worthie Cicero Let Ambrose also there be seâ— with learned phrase and swéete Whose fatherly heaâ—â— inâ—tructing well doth teach vs what is méete Nor let Hillarius absent bée nor Athanasius great Who alwayes doth with stedfast tongue of pure religion treate Nor both the Gregories that in the Grecian tongue excell Whose glistring beames vnto the world hath erst bene knowne ful wel Let Cyprian eke the Martyr here an handsome place possesse And vertuous Basyll and Chrysostome full of holinesse Whose wordes doe like a fountaine flowe and eke whose worthie wit For eloquence excelles amid whose lappes doth Pitho sit Let Irenaeus haue his place a famous wryter olde Let Origen be placed there and eke Cyrillus bolde And sundrie others mo that doe in Gréeke and Latine write The names of whome it were to long and tedious to resite Take also those that liued next of lesse antiquitée Although for fayth nor vertue they may not compared bée With those so famous fathers olde and though they rudely write Not hauing eloquence alike nor cunning to endite And to fill vp the number let in worthie places stande Such men as in this age of ours haue set their helping hande Whereof thou not a fewe shalt finde that to these Doctor good Full neare haue gone and through the holy ghost haue vnderstood Such things as fewe before haue knowne who not inferior bée In knowledge tongues and eloquence and in diuinitée Vnto those men that wrote of olde for God hath at this time Brought forth such glistring beames of light causde theÌ„ forth to shine And wondrous giftes hath delt abrode as no man can denie That wisedome hath for which we are bounde to yéelde continually Great thankes and prayses to his name and well to vse them here To our behoofe and profite great and not for to dispise Them as the custome is of olde in shamefull sort and guise Wherewith the things that in our daies are found and brought to light Though neuer so good we do contemne with lothsome appetite On th' other side the fashions olde and such as farre be â—et With willing armes we doe receyue and most by them we set This spitefull custome cast away and let vs here embrace Gods blessing sent from hie and workes of men so full of grace Nor mooued be if any thing therein amisse doe séeme Or fancie such as ought of vs to be reiected cléene What wryter scriptures here except could euer yet be found That hath not erde in any poynt from doctrine pure and sound We all in many things offende and sundrie things deceaue When darkely placde the perfite sâ—use the minde doth not conceaue Among these writers here deserues the chiefe and highest seat Erasmus he that learned was in euery science great The Iewell of our time and glorie great of Germanie By whome we safely may contende and haue the victorie With all the Italians Spaniards French and such as English bée In these most learned workes thou shalt be sure for to attaine To knowe whatsoeuer Christians good haue thought or heathen vaine Next vnto him let sundrie other good men haue their place Shut no man
out that taketh paynes to fill the worlde with grace â–ª What Countrie man soeuer he be or in what time he liue Yea what soeuer name the worlde to him doth vse to giue So shalt thou well be furnished of counsaile learnde and good That may declare what néedefull is for to be vnderstood Of Christ of fayth and hope whereby thou well mayst answere giue In euery doubt as one that still about the Lorde doth liue Let not the whip of Ierome feare nor force thée to refraine For in the worlde he vttered hath his dreames and fancies vaine From reading of the heathens workes and of Philosophie Sometime for recreation sake thy minde a while applie In Aristotles bookes to search the sense and phrase obscure And whatsoeuer Plato here hath left in writing pure Or Plutarch Euchide Xenophon or Ptolomae the graue As touching Mathematicals or maners written haue Let here the Lawyers present be and also them withall The Popes decrées rescriptes and such as Decretals they call A méete and worthie place is due to Poets here of right As vnto vertuous mindes and men inspirde with holy spright Let Galen and Hippocrates be placed neare to thée And other famous Doctors that in phisicke skilfull bée â–ª Let Tullie that excelles in Latine tongue haue here his seat The father swâ—ete of eloquence and guide of dutie great Let Plinie and Demosthenes and valiant Caesar hie Isocrates and Seneca be placed worthylie Ioyne here withall in companie the storie writers olde Such as haue written liues of men and actes of Princes tolde â–ª Who able is eche writers name in verse for to resight Who in rehearsall of so great a number would delight But such as holde the sacred Plowe must not be ignorant Of any Author but with them be alwayes conuersant Learne of the honiemaking Bées about the Medowes flie And sucke the pleasant iuice that doth in euery flowre lie Of euery thing are arguments and reasons to be brought Not onely out of bookes and out of things that nature wrought But euen from the handicraftes of base and vile degrée That husbandmen may haue no time vnoccupide to bée What should I shew how great a gaine pleasure hence doth spring For first of all assuredly it is a worthie thing To haue so many learned mates and swéete companions here And such a learned Senate as aboute thée shall appere To whome thou mayst for counsell come in any doubt of thine That eyther longs to worldly state or vnto things deuine In silence they remaine if ought thou wouldst not forth to flie And truth is tolde thée plaine and nothing vttred there by flattrie Them shalt thou haue that can their part in weightie matters play And such againe as mirth can mooue and sorrow driue away Thus shalt thou willing maisters haue that present still shall bée Who if thou wilt shall teach if not they will not trouble thée Hereby thou shalt eschue the prease of common people vaine Nor pleasure shalt thou take in rude assemblies to remaine Thou shalt both spare thy pursse and eares and kéepe a quiet minde Nor shalt sustaine the vile reproch of such as be vnkinde Nor shalt thou be constraynde to looke vpon thy frowning so Nor driuen for to heare the ribaulds tongue at large to go No malice wrath nor wretched loue shall purchase thée disease No gates of noble men shut vp from thée shall thée displease â–ª The doubtfull cases of the lawe shall neuer mooue thy minde Nor strife that here in trifles vaine the brawling people finde Thou shalt no whit regarde the steps of hie estate to clime Nor shalt thou be with Dice vndone nor cast away with wine Thou shalt as in a Paradice enioy thy libertie And walke amongst the flowers swéete of white and purple die The worlde thou shalt dispise and onely ioyes of heauen embrace And follow here the doctrine true of Christ in blessed case FINIS Iohn 14. 1. Corin. 1. Actes 4. D. 22. omnes D. 21. In nouo D. 22. omnes Sacro sancta Pope Con. D. 95. Esto D. 10. Quoniam Greg. in Re. D. 12. Non decet praecipius 9. q. 3. aliorum contra 1. q. 1. vt euidenter D. 22. omneâ— Sacro sancta 17. q. 4. nemini 24. q. â— quoties Rogamus 9. q. 3. patet cuncta nemo D. 12. Si Romanorum 17. q. 4. nemini D. 19. Sic omnes D. 40. Si pâ—pa 9 q. 3 nemo Sequent Extra de concess pro. proposuit Extra de apellari Vt debitus 3. q. 6. Hoc quippe C. de rei uend li. 5.2 q. 6. Decreto D. 19. Sic omnes Si Romanorum sequentibus D. 11. Hoc vestrae D. 11. Nolite 24. q. 1. Rogâ—mus D 11 Hoc vestae D. 19. Sic omnes D. 63. tibi D. 17. Synodum nec licuit Extra de offi D. 96. Bene quidem in scripturis D. 10. Suscipitis D. 93. Si inimicus Ratio diui â–ª 600000. Con. 1. q. 1. Quicquid statuimus Gratia q. 3. Vendentes Chn. D. 100. Nouit D. 40. Non Loca Ante omnia Cardinalles Rational diuinor D. 19. Enim vero Bishoppes D. 84. Peruenit D. 25. PrimuÌ„ D. 36. Qui. Si quis 12. q. 2. Gloria 16. q. 1. Quoniam Con. 11. q. 1 Te quidem 12. q. 1. Clericus sequentibus Con. D. 88. episcop per latum Con. D. 42. episcopus Tharchbishoppe of Coleyne The Bishop of Herbipolis 8. q. 1. Qui episcopatum D. 36. Si quis D. 84. peruenit 2. q. 7 â–ª Non. omnes D. 45. Quid autem Suffragans Giuing of orders Consistories Officialles Cannons Quier men Curtisans Parsons Monkes Rich Monks Abbottes Mendicanter Common things Annoynted Surplesse wearâ—â—s Immunities Single life D. 27. Presb. D. 28. Ass. D. 31. Si Laicus Sacerdotibus Couetous Catholike fayth Popish fayth Baptisme The supper Others Penance Refuge The worship of the virgin Marie worship of saintes Reliques Helpâ— Pilgrimages Merites Pardons Tables and Images Belles Ratio diuino Holy water Munkry Funerals Con. 26. q. â— Si quis Non obâ—er Quis. q. 2. Nos planet Sed illud q. 5. Non liceat Aduent Christmasse daye Saint Steuen Saint Iohn â—â—â—rmasse Newyeares day Twelfe day Saint Agnes Candelmasse Blase Shrouetide Ashwednesday Lent. Care sunday Palme Sunday Maundy Thursday Good friday Easter eue Easter day Procession weeke Ascention day Whitsunday Corpus Christi day Saint Vrban Vitus Iohn Baptist Saint Huldryche Assumption of the Virgin Marie Martyâ— Nicholas Catheryn Andrew Church holyday All soulne daye Churches Funerals Prayers Charmes Holy dayes Stewes Deut 2â— 1. Cor 5.6.7.10 Heb. 13. Gal. 5. Ephe. 5. 1. Thes 4.