hath said nor can say any thing for himselfe nor this fellow hyred by him as it séemes hath saide any thing to the purpose Then the man that was accused said to the Iudge oh my Lord consider y t truth the innocēts cause as I stand here before God you so I wil not lye neither to God nor you the truth is when I was presented to come before you I knew not the cause thereof whiche being true as God knowes y ◠is here presēt the time is very short as your Lordship al the rest here may veri wel iudge to premeditate procure or practise any such pollicy And as for this mā which y ◠lord I am sure hath sēt on my side I neuer saw him or spake with him in all my life to my remembraunce Therfore my Lord think that I am here as guiltlesse Susan and this man God hathe raised vp instead of Daniel which I doubt not at length but wil be able to counteruaile againste these two false witnesses that are in stead of two wicked Iudges And GOD that is here my perpetual patrone is sufficient and able to counteruaile this my wicked accuser And then as soone as this honest accused man had said these words to the Iudge an other straunge manne came in hastilye and preaced verye muche to speake to the Iudge and saide oh my Lord I feare that here are thrée Wolues determined to deuoure a simple and innocent Lamb. How knowest thou that said the Iudge truly then said the man I was going euen now within this houre thrée or four miles from home about certaine vrgent busines and as I was going I met by chance nay rather by Gods prouidence with one that asked me if I knew suche a man to whome I answered and said that I knew him not but I haue hearde a good report of him to bée both honest godly charitable Wel then said he againe to me he is like to be cast away this daye for hyghe treason against the King What is the cause and who is his accuser saide I and then he declared vnto me the words of treason that he should speake named this man that stands here to be his accuser therein which when I hearde hearing so much good of the man accused and knowing so much euil of the accuser I cut off my néedeful iorney came hither with great spéede to tel a truth and to saue an innocent if by any meanes I may Then saide the Iudge to him thinkest thou that this man that is accused of treason is guiltlesse therin Yea that I do said the fellow or else this his accuser wold neuer haue hyred me to beare false witnesse againste him therin Is this true that thou sayst saide the Iudge yea my Lorde that it is saide the fellowe he cannot well denye it for I am sure halfe a dozen times at the leaste he was very importunate on me to beare witnesse againste hym in thus same matter that he hathe accused him of and offered mée mony therefore largely and vnderstanding partly my néed he thought I coulde no more refuse his mony than he could resist the Diuel when he moued him to mischiefe For if I would haue consented to him herein this good man had not bin so long vnaccused as he is therfore I beséeche your lordshippe to consider wel of it for I am neither desired hyred brybed nor procured to come hither nowe to speake this that I haue saide Tel me truelye saide the Iudge doest thou knowe the man that is accused no sir said the fellow I neuer sawe him in al my lyfe that I wote of but I haue hearde of his good name and honest fame but I knowe his accuser very wel for he offered me money to be a false witnesse against him half a dozen times at the least as I sayde before Did not I tel you saide the Iudge that after thys fume fire woulde followe and then the accused knéeled downe vpon his knées with wéeping teares saying O Lord nowe I perceiue thou hast heard my prayer and performed my petitiō in stead of my accusers two false witnesses thou hast sent me two true witnesses by which two witnesses al throughe thée my truth shall be tryed and their falsenesse shall be founde And then the Iudge saide to the accuser how say you to this sirra here are two witnesses stirred vp by God against your two witnesses procured by the Diuel I perceiue thou lokedst for nothing lesse thā that these two shold haue come hither to declare the truth as they do Wel it is the Lorde our God that hath sent them and none else What canst thou say to this Then said the accuser oh my Lord both these are hyred for mony for the deliuery of this Traytour and for my destruction A vaine excuse saide the Iudge for this mā hath protested before God that he knew not the cause he was sente for when I did sende for him Whiche if it be so it is verye vnlikely that since I layde the matter to his charge he should procure this practise and finde suche friends that he neuer knewe before in so short a time especially séeing he neuer spake nor once whispered to any since his comming hyther but séeing saide the Iudge the trueth of euerye matter oughte to be tryed by the oths of the informers or witnesses therefore I will haue euery one of you in this case deposed And first wil you two that came of your owne motion or rather by God procured as I thinke sweare nowe before the Lorde without malice affection enuie spite hatred or without anye other sinister meanes onelye for truthes sake that this accuser of thys man of high treason againste the King woulde haue hyred you for money to be false witnesses against this accused mā in this same case whereof he nowe is accused Then sayde the same two men to the Iudge yea my Lorde that we wil with all our heartes for as the Lorde knowes the secretes of all our heartes we haue saide nothing nor will saye any thing but onely the trueth Then saide the Iudge to them nowe take youre othes thereof and so they were deposed and sworne then the Iudge bidde them stand aside and commaunded the accuser and his two witnesses to take their othes afore him that the accused man did speake such words of treason wherof they accused him And as they wer taking their othes the one of y ◠witnesses coulde not speake for the Lord did make his tong to swell in his mouth that it was horrible to sée The other witnesse immediatelye fell downe before them stark lame and the wicked accuser was then stroken blind At which sodaine change and righteous stroke of God y e Iudge al the rest wer amazed Then said the Iudge oh wicked wretches did not I warne you of this before do you thinke that God that is all truth wil wincke at wickednesse
It may be that their maisters crueltie may be the occasion of their going and then it were against reason that they shoulde be both vsed cruellye and also made bondslaues OMEN You haue sayd well but if it can be proued that their maisters haue vsed them otherways than they ought or that they haue lackt either meate drincke cloath sufficient lodging or rest then their maister shall forfeyte the fourth part of his goodes which shall be sold and equally diuided among ten of his most poore neighbours that dwell next vnto him and they shall be put to other to serue SIVQILA You make your orders y e straighter that you might haue few offendors But how vse you them that are disobedient and misuse their father and mother after they are twentie yeares of age OMEN If their parents be poore and they poore they receyue on their bare skinne thirtie stripes with a whippe thirtie dayes togither and if they be poore and their pareÌ„ts rich then they shall neuer haue any of their fathers or mothers goods or lands neyther shall their fathers or mothers relieue them or cause them to be relieued with any of their goodes or liuing in paine of for feyture of all that they haue And if the child be riche and the parentes poore then the one halfe of his goods and lands shall be giuen to his parentes to help them with all and the other halfe shall be solde and the money shall equally be giuen and deliuered to tenne of their next poore neighbours children that are most obedient to their parents and that are of most honest behauiour SIVQILA Truly an excellent good order For thoughe they feare not to breaâ—e Gods commandement in disobeying their parents yet whipping the losse of their lands or goods that they haue or the goods and lands of their pareÌ„ts which they are like to haue feares theÌ„ to disobey or misuse them And the giuing of the disobedient persons goodes in such order makes poore mens children striue to excéede one another in obedience and honest behauior But what if any be rich or wealthy or come to promotion and wil not help or reléeue or succour their Parents driuen to miserie or pouertie OMEN Of truth we haue such a worthy law therefore which hath béene so straightly executed on thrée or foure offenders that neuer any since durst breake the same One example whereof I will shewe you whyche shall be sufficient for your vnderstanding and liking I hope SIVQILA Declare it I pray you OMEN A certaine Merchant man wyth vs being very rich and wealthy brought vp one of his childreÌ„ in learning and other speciall qualities sparing no cost for the trayning him vp for he estéemed him aboue all the reste Who after throughe his witte learning and other excellent qualities grew more and more in estimation and wealth so that at y â— last the King did so fauour estéeme him that he vsed him in his most secrete and waightie affaires whose father the Merchant partly by euil seruants partly by euill debtors but chiefly by great mishap and losses on the Seas ought a great deale more than he was worth and so came sodainely to great pouertie penurie Who hauing none other stay to sticke to than his sonne that was thus highly promoted went to his sonne making a full accompt that he should not lacke at his hands whatsoeuer he néeded Whom when his sonne sawe in such a pore case he did not only refuse to help or reléeue him any thing at all but also thought scorne to take him for his father and gaue him a flat answere that iâ— after he troubled him any more in such sort he would make him fast for flying And so he â—lang away in a fume Wherewith his pore father was in such a perplexitie that he knew not well what to do looking least of all other that this his son would so serue him coÌ„sidering he loued him aboue all y â— reste bestowed more on him than of all the rest and trusted to hym more than to all the reste But béeyng nowe pincht with extreame necessity and taking his sonnes ingratitude so earnestly he was fully determined to complayne to the King being assured that he would heare him speake geÌ„tly iudge according to equitie and performe iudgemeÌ„t spedily SIVQILA Yea but perhaps he might wait there a good while ere he could speake with the King OMEN No truly for coÌ„monly one whole houre togither in y â— forenoone and one other houre in the afternoone the K. sits openly in his gate that any may coÌ„plaine to him there that hath cause for that place time is only for coÌ„plaints SIVQILA If the Kings with â—â— shoulde vse this order it woulde growe shortly to a disorder for there woulde bée so many complaintes that they woulde goe neare to thrust the King out of his Chayre OMEN Yea that is a token that the Rulers Iudges do not execute their Offices truely and diligently in the countrey far from the King For if they did they woulde not go so farre to complaine that might haue equitie neare home But our King is not so troubled for we haue so fewe offenders that we haue few complayners SIVQILA Then procéed I pray you what did the pore Merchant then OMEN He wayted against the nexte day when the King came to sit in the gate with whome he was sure his sonne would come whom as soone as he saw he knéeled humblye before the King and said Oh King what is that son worthy to haue that wil not help nor succour his father being falne from great wealth to pouertie neyther will acknowledge him for his father though his father loued hym moste tenderly bestowed on him liberally brought him vp learnedly To whome the king said wheÌ„ I sée him then I will tel thée what he is worthy to haue And bicause we wish to haue him before vs with spéede we will send one of our seruants for him therefore tell vs where he is Then saide the poore man to the king your Grace shal not néede to send for him for he is here alredy And theÌ„ he pointed to his soÌ„ said This is my vnkind soÌ„ whoÌ„ you haue thus promoted which had neuer come to this if I had not bestowed so much in the bringing of him vp But it is ofteÌ„ séen y â— when y e father doth most for his child y â— child doth least for his father And those childreÌ„ whose parents do paÌ„per most those parents in néed they do succor the lest Then the K. turned to the lord being one of his priuie counsel which was the sayd merchaÌ„t mans son saying how say you my L. is this pore maÌ„ your father y â— you haue refused to succor disdain to take for your father then he said to y â— king I know not whether he be my father or not Indéede said the K. he is a wise child that knowes his own father but is this he
gréeuous infirmitie who thinkes it was harder to be cured than yours and when I knewe that he was a Surgeon I desired him earnestly to sée you who is come hither more at my entreating than at his own desiring To whom the Gentleman saide Syr you are welcome and to make fewe wordes and be plaine with you if you can helpe me of this my intollerable griefe and of thys infirmitie in my legge I will giue you for your labour an hundreth pound and twentie markes yearely during youre life Sir said the Surgeon it is a greate deale too muche it is more than I shall deserue Well content thy selfe said the Gentleman if thou cure me thou shalte haue no lesse And the said Surgeon séeing his legge and perceyuing the cause of his griefe and pain was content to take him â—n cure And so to conclude brieflye he helped the Gentleman with in a shorte space who according to his promise gaue to y â— Surgeon for his labour an hundreth pound and twentie markes yearely as long as he liued Nowe who is it that wyll not beléeue but that it was onely God that ledde as it were by a line this good and charitable Surgeon to this riche man in paine and did not onelye prosper him in curing of hym so spéedily but also opened his hearte to giue him therefore so liberally by cause he was so diligent and willing to go to helpe the poore without mony and refused the rich for much money SIVQ. It was the Lords doings I am sure there are manne richemen with vs that in their paine and gréefe would haue promised as muche more but when they had bin wel they woulde haue giuen a great deale lesse Well I wil tel you another example whiche was with vs. A rich and a poore man chaunced both at one time to sende for a Surgeon which Surgeon preferring goodes before God money before mercie and the riche mans gifte before Gods rewarde without any long pawsing of the matter went to the riche man and refused to goe to the poore man who when he came to the rich man he tooke him in hande and with muche adoe he cured him at the last who gaue the Surgeon a great rewarde for his labour and as the sayde Surgeon was comming homewarde certain théeues met with him who did not onely spoyle him of al the money he had but also wounded him very sore who with very much a doe got home and falling into a consideration with himselfe saide God hath worthily plagued me bicause I refused the poore and went to the riche bycause I trusted to my selfe and mistrusted God and bycause I thought the riche mans payment was better than Gods payment OMEN Here we maye sée the greate difference of the godlye whome God doth blrsse and the vngodly that God doth not prosper The godly Surgeon that refused the rich and went to the poore for Gods sake did inioy great ryches that he neuer looked for and the other SurgeoÌ„ that refused the poore and went to the riche for moneys sake had no good of his money that he was sure of nay it was the cause that he was so hurt and wounded SIVQILA And though this Surgeon was robbed of his money wounded of his body yet I beléeue al that cannot make our Surgeons to go to the poore where they shal haue no mony refuse y â— rich wher they are sure of gret rewards OMEN It is pitie that there are not appointed throughout al your Countrey sufficient skilful and learned Surgeons with necessary yearly stipends allowed them for the only helping and curing of the pore that haue no money to help themselues withal SIVQILA It were very wel if it were so but I feare in haste it wil not be so yet commonly in our Hospitals there are suche stipendarie Surgeons for the helping of the pore and miserable wretches there But I praye God that they that can make the best friends and fées be not better attended gently or handled and soâ—er cuâ—ed than the other that are friendlesse and monilesse OMEN Surely if there be any such with you it is pitie they liue SIVQILA Wel I feare there haue bin suche with vs and yet haue lyued without trouble or harme OMEN If suche a fellow were with vs and shoulde vse himself so we should learne him such a lesson that he should not dare doe the like as long as he liued SIVQILA And I dare vndertake for him whatsoeuer he is he would not do it after his death OMEN I wil tel you how suche a spitefull Surgeon a very mony man was handled long since with vs. He was a stipendary Surgeon in an hospital in which hospital was a verye pore man both monilesse and friendlesse that had a great wound on his arme which pore man was committed to this same Surgeon to be cured And thoughe the wound was but a gréene wounde whiche mighte haue béene helped more spéedily and with lesse paine than if it had bin an old sore yet this harde hearted Surgeon applyed vnto hys wound such pinching plaisters both euening morning y â— almost night and day the pore man was in perpetual pain who then with greate griefe of minde said to the Surgeon Oh sir for Gods sake haue some compassion on me heale me with more ease for I am neuer able to abide this Then said y e surgeon you must giue me some mony to buy milder medicines for the house allowes me none other than these to whome the pore patient sayde I hardly beléeue y â— for the chiefe Rulers of the house are so godly that they will allow rather suche things as you thinke méete which haue knowledge than suche as they thinke méete that haue no knowledge Truely if euerye one in this house be cured in thys order as I am they wil rather go out of the house vnhealed than tarry here stil in hope to be healed What said y e Surgeon haue you founde your tong I wil punishe you a little better for your prating then saide the pore man I beséeche you sir vse me rather better than worse and I woulde if I hadde a messenger sende for some money for you Mary said the Surgeon you shal not want for a messenger I will get one that shal doe so much for you and forthwith the sayde Surgeon brought one vnto him how much wil serue youre turne said the patient to the Surgeon a Noble said y e Surgeon muste be the leaste I woulde giue a thousand Nobles sayde the Patient if I had them rather than I would be in these torments and paines I pray you said he to the messenger go to my mother dwelling in such a stréete of this Citie and desire hir if euer she wil doe anye thyng for me to sende mée a Noble presently to gyue to my Surgeon for vntill he hathe it I shal be in such torments that during the same I would gladly
wife with vs for they haue learned S. Paules lessoÌ„ too wel for that knowing that as Christ is the head of the coÌ„gregation so is their husband their head And they remember the promise and vow they made to their husbands at their marriage whereby neither pouertie nor sicknes nor any other trouble can release theÌ„ of their obedience But if they should be disobedieÌ„t their husbaÌ„ds may not beare them SIVQILA What then OMEN Hir husbande must persuade hir with gentlenes SIVQILA But what if that wil not serue OMEN Then the minister there muste persuade hir by y e scriptures to obey hir husband aswel in pouertie as in welth for whose persuasioÌ„s if she wil not ameÌ„d then she shal be compelled to weare such an attyre as is appointed for disobedieÌ„t wiues which wheÌ„ she wears al y e rest of the wiues wil wonder at hir which is the gretest infamy to hir that can be also hir husband shal not be bound to find hir neither food nor raiment vntil she becom obedieÌ„t to him SIVQILA That is a very good way to make them obey if it were but for fear of famishing But I pray you sir what remedy hath the wife if hir husband beat or misuse hir OMEN There be none now y â— beat or misuse their wiues with vs but I will tell you howe one was serued with vs long since that did beate his wife cruelly who was as obedient and louing to him as any could be SIVQILA How I pray you OMEN The woman was so godly and honest that shée tooke it patiently and did neuer complaine on him therfore SIVQILA Who then OMEN Hir neighbors that dwelled next vnto them and wheÌ„ the Ruler of the towne heard of it he sent immediatly both for the husband and the wife and when they wer come before him séeing the wife so pitifully aâ—ayed with strokes he asked the woman if hir husband had beateÌ„ hir in that order who said no then hir neighbors said to the Ruler sir we heard him beate hir so cruelly that we came into him found him beating of hir desiring him then to leaue off but neyther the humblenesse of his wife knéeling to him on hir knées neither our earnest desiring of him could once moue him to leaue beating of hir and then we made such a noise that more company came in so by streÌ„gth we made hym to stay or else I thinke he would haue killed hir Then wheÌ„ the wife that was beaten hearde them say so she knéeled before the ruler and desired him to be good to hir husbande SIVQILA There be fewe women with vs would haue taken their beating so patiently excused their husbands cruelty or entreated for their husband so ernestly nay many of them rather woulde not onely haue complained of their husbandes themselues but perhaps would haue made the thing worse than it was Therfore that woman is worthy to be registred among patient and louing wiues But what said the Ruler then to the â—ore beateÌ„ woman OMEN Forsooth he said thus vnto hir O good womaÌ„ I lameÌ„t thy case thou louest thy husbaÌ„d better thaÌ„ he loueth thée but bicause thou knowest thy duty to thy husbaÌ„d and he doth not know his duty to thée for that I sée thou art godly wise patieÌ„t obedient knowest better how to goÌ„uern thy house thaÌ„ he therfore my iudgemeÌ„t is that y u shalt receiue al pay al be chiefe ruler of thy house and shalte take an accompte of thys thy husbande of all that he shall gette vntil he become a louing husband to thée and doth vse himselfe in all points as a good husbande shoulde do and therefore stande vp and content thy selfe for thus it shall be And then he turned to hir cruell husband and sayd how canst thou loue thy neighbour how is it possible that thou canst loue thy dere friende though he do neuer so much for thée how canst thou loue thy parents or how canst thou loue thy children or any other or how canst thou loue thy superiors or thy soueraine that hatest thy selfe thou thinkest I lye bicause I say thou hatest thy selfe no I do not lye for vnlesse thou hadst hated this woman thy wife which is thy self thou wouldst not thus cruelly without all pitie haue beaten hir for by Christes owne wordes Man and Wife are twoo soules and one body If thou didst sée a man beating one of his hands with his other hande wouldest thou thinke that he loued that hand that he doth so beate for is not that hand part of himselfe then howe can I be persuaded that thou louest thy selfe bycause thou hast thus cruelly beaten thy most louing and obedient wife which is thy selfe and one of thy hands yea and thy better hande to vnlesse thou were better thy selfe And bycause thou hast followed Christs sayings and the Kings commaundement so well which is Do as you would be done vnto it is méete to do vnto thée as thou hast done Therefore I decrée and iudge here that as thou hast vsed thy wife so shalte thou be vsed that is thou shalte be tyed fast to a poste and foure of the stoutest wiues that dwell nexte vnto thée and are most angry wyth thée for giuing suche an euil example to their husbaÌ„ds to vse them so shall beate thée with foure good cudgels till thou be as well beaten as thou hast beaten thy wife And thys shall bée done immediatly in my presence for I wil not depart hence vntil I sée this my iudgement fully executed And then presently there was a post sette vppe purposely therefore and the cruel husbaÌ„d was fast tyed thereto and foure of the sayd stoulest wiues came with strong cudgelles by the Rulers commaundement and did beate him lustily that he cryed out again And one of the wiues said to him sirra Do as you would be done vnto and therewith reacht him such a blow that made him to shrinke an other of them saide if strokes be good for your wife they are good for you then she gaue him such a stroke that she made his sides ake the third woman not forgetting hir turne spake not so lowe but that one might well heare hir saying Is it good beating then she reached him suche a remnant that he had a cause to remember hir and the fourth woman for feare of forgetting so swinged him about the shoulders that he conned hir little thanke saying As you like this my friende beate your wife again And when the Ruler saw that he was throughly and wel beateÌ„ he caused him to be lewsed from the poste and said vnto him Now go your wayes home and sée that you suffer the rest of our iudgement to be performed vntill you haue learned what is the duetie of a husband and how to behaue your selfe and vse your wife and I truste you wil remember this lesson Doe as you would be done vnto And then the Ruler departed
that they haue won nothing then may not we thinke them wisâ— that hazarded themselues into thrée great mischiefes for nothing whiche mischiefes are killing hanging and Hell fire For are not many that fight killed and they haue gotteÌ„ their own death for fighting for nothing And haue not they that haue killed bin hanged therfore and so they haue bene hanged for their fighting for nothing and if they haue dyed in enuy and malice as I feare many haue done theÌ„ they haue gotteÌ„ damnation in Hell fire for euer for their fighting for nothing And therfore are not they worthy to be called wise meÌ„ that make such wise matches are such fierce furious fighters OMEN Such fighters know not well what they do for if they did they wold be twentie times aduised ere they did fight once SIVQILA Yea and if they knewe the gaine that they shall haue for fighting in Christes quarrell they would rather fight euery day as long as they liuein his cause than one day in their owne But the fighting of Christs Champions is contrarie to their fighting For they that suffer most are Christs chiefest fighters but they that suffer least they count the best fighters OMEN Yea but they shal neuer get so much good by their reuenging and fighting as Christs souldiours shal gain by their patience and suffering For whereas manye of these stoute worldly fighters gets double death I feare that is this worldly death and the most dolefull death in Hel they that fight for Christes cause are sure for a short death here to haue euerlasting life in heaueÌ„ therfore is a gret differeÌ„ce in euery wise maÌ„s eies betwéen these two kinds of fighters SIVQILA Yea and as greate a difference in that that coÌ„mes of their fighting therfore they that are wise wil take héede how they fight Is it not a straunge thing to consider how preposterouslye manye vse themselues as well in their talke as in their déedes for Christ the son of God the chiefe of al goodnes said to one why calst thou me good meaning of his manhood ther is none good but God TheÌ„ if Christ y â— Sonne of God that was sinlesse most peaceable quiet and louing of all other refused to be called good how dare these sinfull brauling quarelling disquiet hatefull and furious fighters take vpon them to be called good men And what witlesse woodcocks are they that cals theÌ„ good men bicause they fight lustily sticke to it stoutely and would mayme kil desperatly neuer regarding their cause nor their quarel OMEN Are they called good men with you that are stout fighters and will not shrinke SIVQILA In déede they are commonly so called OMEN TheÌ„ surely they nickname them vnlesse euil be good and then must néeds follow that peaceable patiente quiet louing and good men are euil But I thinke there is neuer a good man in déede that wil call them good men Wo be to them sayeth the Prophet Esay that call euil good and good euil theÌ„ woe is to these men that call fierce furious fighters good men for one contrarie is knowne by another For if Christ call the peacemakers blessed and happy then I may safely call the peace breakers vnhappye And suche brawlers and fighters are peace breakers Ergo the fighters are vnhappy and vnhappy men cannot be good men then they must be euill men And thus these lustie cutters and stoute fighters are sufficiently proued to be euill meÌ„ Therfore they haue had a wrong name a great while I pray you sir what law haue you for Drunkards OMEN We haue a very good and straite law for Drunkards but there is neuer a Drunkard with vs to execute the law on For saint Paule sayth That drunkards shall not inherit the kingdome of Heauen SIVQILA It séemes that you do more for Saint Pauls words than many with vs wil do for Christs his Apostles and all the Prophets words OMEN Wel what for the loue of Christ and what for the feare of the law euery one liues very soberly with vs. SIVQILA If there were neither law of God nor law of man that did forbid drunkennesse yet me thinks the reasonable lawe of nature and the temperate drincking of brute beastes without reason were ynough to make vs refrayne excesse drunkennesse Why should not nature with reason teach vs as wel as nature without reasoÌ„ doth teach beasts birds and other sensitiue cretures Beastes birds or other sensitiue creatures wil neuer eate more at that time thaÌ„ is sufficient for them vnlesse sometime through gret hunger who as soone as they féele their stomacks ouercharged they neuer rest vntil they haue auoided al y e which superfluously they haue eaten but Man that God hath created to be now not much inferiour to Angels maketh himself far worse thaÌ„ Beasts For he when he hath eaten more than he is able to disgest he goes not about to â—oyd the superfluitie thereof as beasts do but by by he heaps more vpon more going from baÌ„ket to baÌ„ket which bréeds fore diseases shortneth his life and perhaps brings present death But who euer heard that birdes or beastes do willingly drinke such drinke so much therof at one time y â— they are depriued of their natural seÌ„ses or y â— their wonted vse of their legs lims or body to serue our turne or theirs is taken from theÌ„ consider y e diligent dog or spaniel that waits on his Master most louingly y e horse that serues him so necessarily the cow y â— â—éedes him so plentifully the oxe that labors for him so painfully y e shéep y â— clothes him with his own cote so warmly y e birds that delight him with their singing so merily many other dumb creatures whose néed he hath dayly whether they drinke theÌ„selues so drunk at any tyme y e they caÌ„ neither serue maÌ„ their Maister nor go on their féet no I am sure But many a man y â— are their rulers in whoÌ„ most wit reasoÌ„ shold be fouÌ„d are many times so stark staring drunke yea some almost euery day y â— they can neither stand go speak sée heare nor vnderstande farre more senselesse thaÌ„ y e senselest or brutest beast in the world OMEN Is there with you any that will be so drunke SIVQILA Is there quoth you yea that there are that not a few But if they loued God his word or the health of their own soule as they fauour y e fiend doe diuelish déedos are desirers of their own dreadful daÌ„natioÌ„ they would not drink so déepe as they do Oh if Satan would suffer theÌ„ to coÌ„sider déepely with theÌ„selues when they are sober what gain is got by drunkeÌ„nesse I beléeue the veriest drunkard of al they y â— haue most delight in such detestable drinking would quickly abhorre it spéedily refrain it and neuer after vse it For drunkennesse brings this gain it spends the time vainly it
wisely but I praye you Syr what if a pore manne shoulde come as a suter to anye of them will they be contente to talke wyth them presently heare their tale gladly and helpe their sute spéedily OMEN For talking with them presentelye and hearing their tale gladly I am sure they will and if they can conueniently they wil likewise performe their requeste for they thinke it is the most dishonor to them that can be that a suter should go sad from them SIVQILA But what if any of their seruantes throughe disdainefulnesse or spite doe not tell their Lorde Ladye or Maister that suche a suter woulde speake with them being required thereto OMEN Forsooth euery such seruant shall be emprisoned one moneth after and al that while whatsoeuer he sues for shall be denyed him SIVQILA Truely a very good Lawe and order for all stoute and stubborne seruantes againste néedie and simple Suters Then I perceiue séeing they are wyllyng to helpe their Suters in that that is no gaine to themselues then I doe beléeue they wyll not denye to helpe theyr poore Suters in that that hathe béene profyte vnto themselues OMEN You maye bée sure of that for if anye noble manne Lady Knight or Gentleman with vs doe take or borrowe any thyng of any vppon their trust or credite they wyl eyther sende them theyr money at their day or else if they requyre to haue it before their daye standing in greate néede they will make verye harde shifte but they wyll helpe them to it not onely then moste willingly and gently thanking them for the good turn they haue done them in the forbearing of it so long but also will doe them some manifest pleasure therefore if they can and neuer after wil be vnmindful thereof SIVQILA Our Merchauntes and Artificers with vs would giue a good deale that al with vs were such as wold vse their creditors so curteously performe their promise so surely and accept a good turne so thankfully But that was neuer nor neuer wil be yet there are many suche wyth vs I dare boldly affirme Many will speake faire to bring themselues in credite and promise much vntill they cā get it but neyther pay nor kéepe promise when they haue gote it OMEN There was one with vs long since that of a base parentage came to great wealth and promotion who as he encreased in prosperitie decayed in honesty as he augmented in goods so he decreased in goodnes as he abounded in wealth so he abandoned wisedom and therby he became so proud that he had forgot al his old friends and no maruel for he had quite forgot himselfe He was more bold to borrowe than hastie to pay and bicause he was of great welth and lyuing many didde willinglye lend him for that they knew he was able to pay them but his abilitie and fidelitie were farre vnlike he neuer kept touch with his Creditors and he loued them so well that he woulde neuer haue his name out of their Bookes If Promise were paymente hée payde as well as any man for all his paymentes consisted in promises but his Creditors had rather had fewe promises and good payment than many promises and slacke payment So that his credite at first was turned into discredit at last for none would trust him of the value of a groat and why bicause he woulde not only if one asked it threat thē but also many times beat them SIVQILA That was but a homely kind of paymēt the creditors were scantable to liue on it He was a bountifull Gentlemā I warrant you of his owne goodes that was so gréedie of other mens goods belike he kept a good house for the pore He that woulde beate men for asking for theyr owne belike he would beate the pore if they craued oughte of his The common wealth no doubt had a greate commoditie of him Procéede nowe in your tale for I wil aduisedly heare you OMEN Many of his creditors had bin so ofte with hym for asking their owne whō he so threatned and misused that they were so wearie thereof that they let him alone wythal but one among the rest more stout thā the rest more pincht for want of his money than the rest and to whome he ought more than to any of the rest watcht his time and met wyth him thoughe he had rather haue shunned him thā séen him to whome he saide very gently and mildely Sir it is not vnknowne vnto you that you haue ought me a greate deale of money so long that I am muche endebted and endamaged throughe the want thereof If I could as wel spare it as you may wel pay it I woulde be content to suffer you so long againe to kéepe it in youre handes as you haue done But for that you knowe my case doth compell me necessitie doth enforce me and very pouertie doth procure me therfore I aske and craue of you for Gods sake that summe of mony which you owe me And though it be a little to you yet it is a great deale to me whiche small summe if you paye me wil make me to swim but if you withholde it it wil cause me to sinck Therfore my swimming or sinking lyes in your handes trusting that whereas with lending and forbearing of my mony I haue helped you you wil not by withholding of it hinder or hurt me To whom the welthy debter said both frowningly frettingly and furiously away thou varlet haue I nothing else to do than to waite to pay thée money Call you it wayting said the pore man you were verye wol content to waite to receiue my wares why can you not as well bée cōtent to wait to pay me my money Away thou knaue said the gentleman or my fist shal waite on your eare to whom the pore creditor said It were muche against reason to fight with him with youre fiste in whome you haue founde suche friendship and fauour to threate him so furiously that hathe lent you his wares so louingly and to offer to beat him so rashly that hath forborne the money you owe him so long Which vngentle gentlemā before the mā had ful ended his wordes did so hurt and beate him that therby he was lame euer after of one of hys armes And so he went away in a great rage giuing his friendly creditor strokes for siluer euil for good punishement for payment And thys was al that he coulde get on him for that tyme. And then the manne that was thus hurte or beaten as wel as he coulde wente to the nexte Iudge or Ruler to whome he declared all the whole cause and howe he was vsed for asking of his money whyche when the Ruler hearde hée sente for the sayde Gentlemanne immediatelye who came to him presentlye for he durste doe none other to whome he sayd with very great griefe If Gentlemen whose life oughte to be a Lanterne to lighten their inferiours whose lowlinesse ought to
the suter it is for no harme Then you may tell it openlye sayde the Iudge if it bée for good the matter sayde the suter is suche that it may not bée tolde openlye Wyll you sayde the Iudge promise me by your credite and fidelitie that it toucheth nothing this matter nowe dependyng before me and that it requireth such spéede that my hearing of it maye not be delayed Bée well aduised what you doe for I assure you if you shall lye vnto mée you shall haue the law executed on you according to the lie you tell Wherwith the suter stayed and sayde nothyng To whome the Iudge sayd is it not strange that he is now become dumbe that euen now was so desirous to speake If youre matter appertayne not to this I will heare you priuilye if you haue oughte to saye in this your Friends cause speake it openlye At whyche woordes hée would saye nothyng To whome the Iudge sayde then I muste néedes nowe thynke that you meante to offer mée a bribe secretely which you were afrayde to giue openlye and therefore nowe bycause you are like to incurre a mischief whether you speake a lye priuilye or the trueth openlye for that you sée I am not bente to shoote in youre Bowe therefore wiselye as you thinke you holde your peace But euery wise manne maye consider youre sodayne silence doeth shewe youre naughtie and subtile sute And if you will haue me and all the rest here to thinke the better of you vtter here openlye what you woulde haue spoken so priuily to mée Then the Suter sayde Good my Lorde iudge better of mée for my meanyng was not so euill as you make it Then tell oute your tale that I maye take it better Forsooth my Lorde sayd the Suter my wordes to you in secrete should onelye haue bene to desire you to be good vnto this Lord my friend Then sayde the Iudge was not that as muche to saye as to be euill to this poore manne that he misused as hys foe Forsoothe a preatie sute as thoughe thys poore manne had not wrong ynoughe but I that onelye am appoynted by GOD and my kyng to doe hym righte shoulde for your sake doe hym more wrong but truelye if these were the woordes that you meante to speake to mée it had béene better both for my credite if I would haue béene allured and for your honestie if you had meante to seduce mée to haue spoken these woordes openlye rather than secretelye for the secrete talke betwéene vs among all thys company mighte haue bredde a suspition where none was whereas the open telling thereof coulde neuer haue done it Mary I will not say but that I and manye other haue the worse opinion in you in speakyng for your friende in so euill a cause Well here is neuer a witnesse that can tell whether these were the very woordes that you meant to speake to mée in priuitie or not but onely GOD whiche is witnesse good inough and wyll be founde true in hys witnessing when all other shall be founde lyars and though you may now escape the worldlye punishement for lying bicause wée haue no worldly witnesses against you yet assure you you cannot escape the punishement in Hell without repentaunce for lying if GOD bée a witnesse agaynst you who sayeth that Lyars shall haue their portion in the Lake that burnes with fire and Brimstone Well suppose that these were the wordes that you meant to tell mée in secrete which I can hardly beléeue doe you thinke that I woulde doe more at youre requeste for thys Gentlemanne in an euill matter than I woulde at Gods request for this poore man in a good and righteous cause Doe you thinke that you are able to doe mée as muche good for doing of wrong as GOD caâ—ne and will for dooyng of righte beléeue it that list for I will not GOD my heauenlye Father and of all beléeuers that hath made me that protectes me that féedes mée that hath saued mée and hathe prepared for me hys Kyngdome of Heauen after my death the lyke pleasure none other hathe or can doe for me doth saye vnto me and all other Iudges Audite parnos ita vt magnos Heare the small as well as the greate and sayth also Iuste iudicate Iudge iustly or vprightly and you come to me and say which stande as much in néede of Gods helpe as I I praye you to be good vnto this my friende neuer a whit regarding the matter but the man Might not I be thought wise to loose the fauour of GOD for the friendship of you to refuse his good request to performe your euill desire and to loose Heauen for displeasing of GOD to winne Hell for pleasing of you Therefore content your selfe I meane not to goe vnto Hell for the dearest friend I haue in the worlde Therefore you haue offered mée greate losse to endaunger my selfe so for the plasuring of youre frinde as I woulde not wishe to my moste mortall foe What if our worthye and Uertuous Kyng were here nowe and dyd bidde mée himselfe to do iustelye and truelye in thys case doe you thinke that I woulde not doe righte at hys request before I woulde doe wrong at yours Nowe séeyng I woulde doe equitie and righte at an Earthlye Kings desire whiche is mortall and subiecte to deathe you may be sure vnlesse I were more than madde that I will iudge instelye and maintaine Equitie at my Gods request the King of all Kings who is immortall and doth liue raigne and rule for euer But if our king were here at this present and dydde commaunde me to fauoure this wicked Gentlemannes cause shoulde I doe it no I will rather doe righte at GOD my Heauenlye Kynges desire than I will doe wrong at my Earthly Kynges requeste Then séeyng I will doe no wrong at my Kynges requeste whyche may kill mée for disobeying him if hée liste then assure your selfe I will fauour no falshoode nor doe vniustely at your desire which are not able to hurte me if you would Therfore goe your waye and trouble me no more herein your friend shall finde suche fauour as be hath deserued And if you vse me agayne as you haue done I wil vse you then as I haue not done And the sayde Suter wente sorrowfullye awaye and as soone as hée was gone there came in an other with a letter verye hastilye and deliuered it straightwaye to the Iudge whiche the Iudge receyuyng perceyued it weighed very heauye It is verye like to bée a verye heauy matter saide the Iudge for the letter is verie heauy and saide moreouer to theÌ„ fellow that brought it who sent this letter to me Forsooth sayd the fellowe that dyd my Maister and named him goe thy way quickely sayde the Iudge to thy Maister and giue him moste hartie thankes for his louing letter the contents whereof I knowe well ynough therefore bid him in any wise come to me with spéed and tell him like wise
that for his friedlinesse I will showe him what friendshippe or pleasure I can doe in al the world Of whiche gentle aunswere of the Iudge the fellowe was glad and so went for his Maister Which letter the Iudge put into his bosome and woulde not open it And the Iudge paused a while vntil the Gentleman came that sent him the letter and then immediately in came the Gentleman bothe pleasantly and merily that sent him the letter saying I am here my Lord according to your commaundement you are come in good time said the Iudge you are he that I looked for I thanke you for your louing letter Haue you read it then saide the Gentleman no I haue not read the wordes sayde the Iudge but I haue conceiued the contents thereof suche letters are good for blinde men to reade for as long as they can féele with their handes they may scan at these letters well inough I praye you sayde the Iudge to the Gentleman wherefore did you write this letter to mée I béeséethe your Lordshippe to reade it and then you shall knowe saide the Gentleman then sayd the Iudge to him I haue other businesse now than to read your letters you sée I haue a waightie cause in hand here to be dispatched betwéen these two persones and when I haue weyed the matter without partialitie and iudged the cause according to equitie I shal be at the more leysure to peruse your letter Then sayde the Gentleman I beséech your honour reade it before you passâ— in iudgement on this my friend or els your reading of iâ— wil do me no pleasure Then you thinke said the Iudge my not reading of it before will doe this poore man pleasure Nowe I perceiue you haue not onely written this letter to mée on the behalfe of this your friend but also you haue sent therein some bribe which belyke you thought that my handes did so tickle to touche that I would wring with the wrong and flée from the truth But if you so thought you are much deceiued for God whom I feare hath commaunded mée and the King whom I honour hath charged me Iustice in whose seat I sit hath willed me if I wil haue God my mercifull Iudge to defend the innocent to help the wronged fatherlesse and widow and to reléeue the oppressed and to doe nothing but equitie and trueth which wordes of the Iudge when the Gentlemanne hearde hée sodainelye was mute and had neuer a word to say Tell me sayd the Iudge why you sent me this letter then sayd the Gentleman the letter will shewe you whiche I will not craue you to reade before your honor be at leysure Ah sayde the Iudge there is some matter that the mault is mouldy there is some misterie in it that you giue me leysure nowe to reade the letter whiche before you woulde haue me to reade in all the haste you thought before that I was enclined to your purpose but nowe you perceyue I am declined from your purpose Which when the Gentleman hearde he began to mislike the matter and wished the letter in his handes againe but bicause he thought that would not be he meant to make the best shifte he could saying to the Iudge I beséeche youre honoure to peruse my letter when it please you and then if it please your honour to send for me I wil come to you at your commaundement therefore I craue at this time to be gone for I haue verye greate businesse then the Iudge sayde to him séeyng you haue giuen me leysure to reade your letter I will giue you leysure to tary here whiles I haue read the same I sent you worde by your seruaunt that I tooke your letter thankefully and sayde I would doe for you whatsoeuer laye in my power desiring you therevppon to come to me with spéede Whiche when you hearde you thought all that was bright was Byrrall and all that did glister was Gold Which onely was the fetche to fetche you vnto me Therfore if I had not vsed this pollicie you had not come to me spéedily And now séeing you are here you are Welcome but before you go hence you wil thinke your selfe euil welcome as I am not at leysure now to read your letter so you shal not be now at leisure to go therfore I commauÌ„d you to stay vntill I appoint you to depart which gréeued the Gentleman who againe wished the letter in his hand and himselfe at home Then sayde the Iudge Oh wicked world oh traiterous time oh enimy to equity will not this friendship faile y â— so filthily féedes falshood will not these letters be lest that make law thus to languish and wil not these bribes be brideled that bereaue the poore of their benefites Oh enormities that encrease much mischief If wily words may find a witlesse Iudge if great mens letters may leape in fearful Iudges laps and if bribes or gifts be giuen to couetous and gredy Iudges theÌ„ I am sure that Might ouercomes Right then the poore mans cause thoughe right shall bée wrong and then is falshood most sure to flourish Oh poore maymed man if I would haue fauoured false flattering fables if I would haue accepted gentle and friendly letters if I would receiue bribes or rewardes then thy cause had bene cold thy matter had bene marde and thy labour had bene loste But comfort thy selfe there is nothing on the earth that shal trip me froÌ„ y â— truth cause me to winke at wickednes or to iudge vniustly to whom the poore maymed creditor said the Lord wil be mercifull to you therfore and whereas brâ—bing Iudges shal dwel with the diuel godly and vpright Iudges shal dwel in heauen with God whereas Iudges that fauor falshood shal be exempt from gods preseÌ„ce Iudges that maintaine Equitie and Truth shal be alwais in Gods presence and whereas the Iudges that giue wrong iudgement for y â— fauor of their friend shall haue Hell for their portion Iudges that giue iudgement without all partialitte shall haue Heauen for their inheritance Therfore thou worthy Iudge whiche haste God alwayes before thy eyes God will haue thée in Heauen before his eyes â—and as thou respectest neyther the poore nor the rich but onely the truth in this world euen so God which is truth it selfe will regard thée hereafter for doing of truth for euer in the Kingdome of Heauen TheÌ„ said the Iudge to the wicked debter forasmuch as you haue done this youre creditor manifest wrong in withholding his mony from him therfore I iudge according to our lawe that you shall paye hym for euerye moneth since the same was due vnto him so much as the whole debte commeth to This is the lawe you know well inough for Superiors that wil not pay their debt to their Inferiors which I will not mitigate in one point And before al this be paid you will wishe you had payd him his due at the first rather than to pay him
be that suche doubtfull matters may arise sometimes and yet neither partie thinkes that they do other wrong which is méete to be tryed before learned Iudges SIVQ Are the pore constrained with you to go an huÌ„dred or two hundred miles to haue their matters tryed in lawe OMEN No nor the rich neither For as Market townes are appointed somthing nigh to euery parish or village for the ease of y â— people to buy their necessaries so we haue certain Courts Iudges appointed in such order for the tryall of matters and causes for the easie trauell smal expences of the people that none with vs shall néede to go aboue ten miles for the tryall of any matter or cause SIVQILA Surely these two things are very néedful specially for the pore that is that the pore may sue at al times for his right whether he haue mony or no mony and that he may haue his matter tried so nigh his habitation truely it was done of a godly consideration Many are constrained with vs to â—â—oâ— vpon their féet two or thrée hundreth miles and perhappes haue not so much in their purse as wil beare their charges the one halfe of y â— way Is not he like to spéed wel when he commeth to his iorneys end that shal neither haue law nor â—odging without money OMEN It had bin better for him to haue taryed at home SIVQILA Yea and many perhaps are constrayned to go by arresting through surmised matter that ofteÌ„ times by suche a one as wrongfully kéepes their liuing from theÌ„ and onely tyre and trouble them that they the more quietly may kéepe their right from them OMEN There are none such with you I hope SIVQILA Yes more than there are good Iudges with you I beléeue OMEN Oh if suche cruell cut-throtes were with vs they would be so hampered y â— they durst not for their eares oppresse the poore SIVQILA Well if we hadde such good orders and as well kept as you haue wée shoulde not haue so manye oppressours as we haue But sir I beséeche you tell mée doe the matters hang long in youre Courtes before they bée ended OMEN Two monthes is the most which if they be not ended and determined by that time vnlesse there be some great reason to the contrarie he that is the cause therof shal surely pay for it yea if it be the Iudge himselfe SIVQILA Some would be glad with vs if their matter might be ended in thrée yeares I heard one say that he had a matter in tryall in Law aboue eightéene yeares and as far as he saw then it was as nigh the ending as it was at y e beginning There haue two prosecuted the law togither for a Cocke or for a Goose they haue both bin almost vndone and y â— matter vntryed wherby they haue bin enforced wheÌ„ al their money was consumed and spent to haue their matter dayed and ended by arbitrement OMEN What fooles were they they had bene better to haue had their cause dayed and arbitrated before they spent their money than after they spente their money that is the nexte waye to make the Lawyers and Officers riche and themselues poore Which soeuer of them had had the matter iudged by lawe on their side they had gotte but a Cocke or a Goose for his labour SIVQILA Yea and looke whiche of them spent leaste spente aboue twentie pounde and hadde neyther Cocke nor Goose for his labour OMEN Wel by my consent the one of them shall bée a Coakes and the other a Goose. They had bin better to haue eaten the cock or the Goose betwéen them at the first than to spend al that money and put it to dayment at last SIVQILA Surely it is a common practise wyth vs to spende all the money they are able to make in the Law and then to haue theyr matter ended by arbitremente without the lawe OMEN The moe such the moe fooles SIVQILA Our Courts are so costly the fées so greate the expences so muche the delayes so many the trauayle so farre the tryall so long and the obtayning so doubtfull that poore men cannot nor manye wise men dare not begin or prosecute the lawe They had rather take halfe before they begin the lawe than to lay out their money in hope to haue all at the ende of the law Our law with vs passes building which building is founde to be such a priuie théefe that many vnwise builders haue bin muche impouerished thereby For looke what manye thinkes will frame vp the whole will scantly finish the halfe Yet are they sure to haue halfe a house for their money and if they bestow so muche more they are certaine to haue a house But he that goeth to the lawe with vs for the obtayning of his right as he thinkes and makes an accounte that twentie pounde will trye hys matter to the end it may chance cost him an huÌ„dreth pound yea and sell all the houses landes and liuing he hathe and yet go without that that he sues for OMEN It is good reason he should goe without it if hée haue no right to it SIVQILA Euen so it is as good reason he should haue it if it be his right OMEN That is true but me thinkes theyr Lawyers before they haue spente the fourth parte of so much money might perfectly knowe whether theyr Clientes cause were right or wrong which knowne they should perswade theyr Clients to procéede no further SIVQILA Truelye if their Counsellers should doe so as I beléeue many of them toe yet some of their Clientes are so witlesse and wilful that they wil neuer giue ouer vntill their ouerthrowe to their vtter vndoing And some of their Counselers I feare are of such conscieÌ„ce that as long as these sooles can féed them with fées they will procure theÌ„ to procéede saying assure you the matter must néedes go on our side as some that wil clappe their handes to sette dogs togither by the eares not caring so they may laugh if one dog teare out an others throat And those witlesse and wilful fellowes that wil not be aduised by their honest Counsellers but wil néedes procéede in the law to their empouerishing I compare to vnthriftie and péeuishe players at Dice Cardes and other games whose friends cannot dissuade them whose vnskilfulnesse and ouersight in play can not teache them and whose euil lucke can not warne them to ceasse off from play vntill the losse of al their mony must néedes make them to leaue OMEN You haue applyed theÌ„ very rightly but me thinks the suÌ„me that you spake of for y â— trial of one matter is much more than sufficieÌ„t for the triall and ending of ten matters SIVQILA Nay I knew two rich Cobs that went to the law for the triall of a matter betwéene them either of which spent a thousand pound at the least and yet their matter cause was vntryed by the law OMEN I
painefull practises on a Turke or a Iewe nay scantly on a Dogge if he loued hym muche lesse on thy brother whome thou arte bounde to loue as thy selfe My Lorde saide the pore man it séemeth he put me to these great paines to get some money of mée for hée saide to me that if I woulde gyue him some money hée woulde vse mée easely and gentlye and vpon that I sente this messenger that is héere to my mother for a noble to giue him which was his request was it so saide the Iudge to the messenger Yea in déede sayde the messenger but when the Surgeon sawe that I came againe without money he was very angry as it séemed and this poore man moste pitifully desired hym to be good vnto hym and to let him haue some ease but hée answeared hym churlishely and saide when I haue money then you shall haue ease Indéed my Lord said the pore wounded man these were his very wordes and he telleth nothing but the truth What was the cause said the Iudge wherefore he woulde haue a Noble of thée Forsoothe saide the poore man he fayned to me that y â— house did allow him none other medicines than suche as he dressed me withall therfore you must giue me mony said he to buy more milder medicines As thogh saide the Iudge the house allowed no salues but suche as woulde putte pore men to paine and kéepe them long from healing Come hither sit Surgeon saide the Iudge howe like you this geare what can you saye for youre selfe To whom the Surgeon saide nothing but hanged downe hys head and was ashamed Then said the thrée Surgeons sure ly my Lord if he said so he hath shamefully sâ—aundered that famous house and the mercifull Maisters of the same For doubtlesse no Surgeon belonging to the same nor to anye suche other house but are allowed to the vttermoste for any thing which they shall desire or thinke méete for the easy and spéedy curing of their patientes I knowe it is so sayde the Iudge or else these houses might more worthily be named tormentors of men than helpers of men And then hée spake to the pitilesse Surgeon saying what horrible hearte haddest thou to tormente this poore fellowe and to be quiet thy selfe howe couldst thou craue money of hym that had none whiche was more méete to aske thée whiche hadde some What a maruellous displeasure hast thou wroughte vnto this poore fellowe thou haste not onelye tormented hym like a Tyraunte but also thereby haste broughte his wounde into such a case that if it be possible to helpe iâ— yet it will be long a curing Then sayd the Iudge I committe the curing of this pore man into one of youre hands that belongs to that Hospital where this poore manne is allowed to be sut coured and helped Then one of them sayde to the Iudge that was a stipendarie Surgeon of that house I wil be content to do my diligeÌ„ce to him as much as I am able Then sayde the Iudge to him I néede not bydde you vse him wel for here is one mening the cruel Surged ere it be long will teache you how to vse him and also hée wil be a sufficient warning to al other Surgeons hereafter to helpe their patients as quietly as orderly and as spéedily as they may And bycause sayd the Iudge to the wyeked Surgeon thou wouldst haue had a noble of hym to sette him out of paine into ease I Iudge now that thou shalte giue him foure nobles bicause thou didst put him out of ease into paine Saying further to him aunsweare me to one thing that I shall aske thée what is that shorte sentence of Christe that the King commaundes so straightlye to bée kept to whom the Surgeon aunsweared Whatsoeuer you woulde that men shoulde doe to you euen so doe yee to them Then said the Iudge thou hast said wet better than thou hast done Haste thou of thy conscience done to thys pore man as thou wouldst haue bin done vnto if thou hadst bene in the like case No truely saide the Surgeon if thou haddest saide otherwise saide the Iudge euery one here woulde haue thoughte thou hadst lyed And nowe bycause thou hast done vnto this man as thou wouldst not be done vnto therefore thou shalte be done vnto as thou haste done vnto him So that I doe here openly Iudge that the executioner shall giue thée suche a wound on thy arme and in the like place as this poore man hadde at the firste And I commande you that are the other two Surgeons here to dresse him euerye Euening and Morning with suche pintchyng plaisters and extreame corrosiues that he may bée in cruell tormentes and paines eight or nyne houres after euerye dressing and continue thus with him a month at the least mary haue respect in the meane season throughe your good knowledge and discreations to vse the wounde in such order that after it may be perfectly and wel cured and he shal be at the onely costes and charges for the curing of it And if he be not then able to doe it you shal be allowed therfore out of the Hospitall of this Citie where this pore man succored helped and reléeued not thinking they shal be much troubled againe to paye for the cures And also I iudge bycause he did make a manifest lye before my face y â— he shal not speake of thrée moneths after he is perfectly healed vnlesse throughe some vrgent matter he be called or willed to speake before any Magistrate Ruler or Iudge and all that whyle he shall weare on his sléeue an H. and L. whyche signifies a Hurtful Lyar. And this is my full and determined iudgement in no wise to be reuoked and bycause I woulde haue my iudgement herein the more straightly done I wil my selfe sée the wounde made in his arme therefore let the executioner come hither with spéed And when the executioner was come the Iudge forthwith commaunded him to make a wound according to his iudgement in the said surgeons arme and then he committed him to the other twoo surgeons to be vsed and ordered in all pointes according as he before had iudged SIVQILA Truely the cruel cut-throate Surgeon was vsed according to his deserts the pore misused men in your Countrey are maruellous happy that haue suche good and vprighte Iudges that wil encline to neyther hande that wil be allured by neyther friend letter nor bribe that wil heare the pore as wel as the riche and fauoure the matter not the manne and that wil haue al things tryed onelye by trueth and that with spéede and without delay I feare manye pore impatient patients with vs that haue no pence to paye are many times in the like perplexitie but if such orders as you haue were obserued for such with vs they wold be aduised twice ere they vsed their patients so once Wel thoughe all the Phisitions and Surgeons wyth you are so godly charitable and had rather helpe