as farre as Calice I warrant you And thaÌ„ if he wold go on the other side and shewe wher that brybynge iudges were I thynke he shold se so many that there were scant roume for any other Our Lord amende it Well to our matter This Iudge I speake of sayd Though I feare neyther God nor man .c. And did he thynke thus Is it the maner of wiked Iudges to coÌ„fesse theyr faultes nay he thought not so And a man had come to hym called hym wycked he woulde forth wyth haue coÌ„mauÌ„ded him to ward he woulde haue defended him selfe stoutly It was God that spake in his conscience God putteth hym to vtter suche thynges as he sawe in hys herte and were hydde to hym selfe And there be lyke thynges in the scripture as Dixit insipieus in corde suo non est deus The vnwise man sayed in hys herte there is no God and yet if he shoulde haue bene asked the questioÌ„ he woulde haue denied it Esay the prophet sayeth also MaÌ„datio protectisumus We are defended with lyes We haue put our trust in lyes And in an other place he saith Ambulabo in prauitate cordis mei I wyll walcke in the wyckednes of my herte He vttereth what lyeth in his hert not knowne to hym selfe but to God It was not for nought that Ezechiel describeth mans herte in his colours Pranum corhominis et inscrutabile The herte of man is naughty a croked a frowarde pece of worke Let euery man humble hym selfe acknowledge hys faulte and do as saynte Paule dyd When the people to whome he had preached had sayed manye thynges in his commendation yet he durste not iustifye him self Paul would not prayse hym selfe to his owne iustification and therfore wheÌ„ they had spoken those thynges by him I passe not at all sayth he what ye saye by me I wyll not stand to your reporte and yet he was not forward that when he herd the trueth reported of hym he woulde say it to be false but he sayed I wyll neyther stande to your reporte though it be good and iuste neither yet I wil saye that it is vntrue He was bonus Pastor A good shepeheard He was one of theÌ„ qui bene presuÌ„t y t discharged his cure yet he thought y t ther might be a farther thing in him selfe then he sawe in hym selfe And therefore he sayed The Lorde shall Iudge me I wyll stand onely to the Iudgemente of the Lord. For loke whom he iudges to be good he is sure he is safe he is cocke sure I spake of this geare the last daye of some I had litle thaÌ„ke for my laboure I smelled some folkes that were greaued wyth me for it because I spake against Temerarius iudgmeÌ„t What hath he to do wyth iudgmeÌ„t say thei I weÌ„t about to kepe you froÌ„ arrogaÌ„t iudgment Wel I could haue sayd more theÌ„ I dyd and I can saye muche more nowe For why I knowe more of my Lord admirals death syth that tyme then I did knowe before O saye they The man dyed very boldly he woulde not haue done so hadde he not bene in a iust quarell This is no good argument my frendes A man semeth not to feare death therfore hys cause is good Thys is a deceauable argumente He went to hys death boldely ergo he standeth in a iust quarel The Anabaptistes that were brente here in dyuers townes in England as I heard of credyble menne I sawe them not my selfe wente to theyr deathe euen Intrepide As ye wyll saye without any feare in the worlde chearfullye Well let them go There was in the olde doctoures tymes an other kinde of poysoned heretikes that were called Donatistes And these heretikes wente to their execution as thoughe they shoulde haue gone to some Ioylle recreacion or banket to some bealye chere or to a play And wyll ye argue then He goeth to hys death boldely or chearefullye Ergo he dyeth in a iuste cause Naye that sequele foloueth no more then thys A man semes to be a frayed of death Ergo he dyeth euyl And yet our Sauioure Christe was afrayed of death him selfe I warne you therefore and charge you not to iudge theym y t be in authoritie but to praye for them It becometh vs not to Iudge greate maiestrates nor to condemne theyr doinges vnlesse theyr dedes be openly and apparantlye wycked Charytye requireth the same for charitye iudgeth no man but well of euery bodye And thus we maye trye whether wee haue charitye or no if we haue not charitye wee are not Gods disciples for they are knoweÌ„ by that badge He that is hys disciple hath the worke of charity in his breast It is a worthye sayinge of a clarke Charitas si est operatur si noÌ„ operatur noÌ„ est If there be charity it worketh Omnia credere omnia sperare To beleue all thinges to hope all to say the best of the maiestrates not to staÌ„d to y e defending of a wicked matter I wil go farder w t you now If I should haue saied al that I knewe youre eares woulde haue yrked to haue hearde it nowe God hathe brought more to lyghte And as touchyng the kynde of hys death whether he be saued or no I referre that to God onely What God can do I can tell I wyl not denye but that he maye in the twynkeling of an eye saue a man and turne hys harte What he dyd I can not tell And when a man hathe two strokes wyth an axe whoo caÌ„ tel that betwene two strokes he doth repent It is very hard to iudge Well I wyll not go so nye to worke but this I wyl say if thei aske me what I thiâ—ke of hys deathe that he dyed verye daungerously yrkesomlye horryblye The man beyng in the tower wrote certayne papers whiche I sawe my selfe Thei were two lyttleones one to my Ladye Maryes grace and another to my Ladye Elizabethe grace tendynge to thys ende that they shoulde conspyre agaynst my Lorde protectours grace Surely so seditiously as could be· Nowe what a kind of death was thys that when he was readye to laye his head vpoÌ„ the blocke he turnes me to the leuetenauntes seruaunte and sayeth byd my seruaunte spede y e thyng that he wottes of Wel the worde was ouer heard Hys seruaunte confessed these two Papers and they were founde in a shooe of hys They were sowen betwene the soules of a velued shooe He made hys ynke so craftely and wyth such workemanship as the lyke hath not bene sene I was prisoner in the tower miselfe and I coulde neuer inuente to make ynke so It is a wonder to heare of hys subtilitie He made hys pen of the aglet of a poynte that he plucked from hys hose and thus wrote these letters soo seditiouslye as ye haue hearde enforsynge manye matters agaynste my Lord protectours grace and so forth
be content with hir good state but wresteled wyth Gods callinge shee was for that cause turned into a salte stone therefore the scripture doeth name hir as an example for vs to take hede by Ye shall se also in y e secoÌ„de Chapter how that God almightye spared not a nomber of hys Aungels whiche had synned agaynste him to make them examples to vs to beware by He drowned the whole world in the time of Noe and destroyed for sinne the Cities of Sodome Gomorhe And why Fecit eos exemplum iâ—s qui impre forent acturi He made them an example to them that would do wyckedlye in tyme to come If God would not spare them thynke ye he wyll fauour vs Thus maye thys man be an exaÌ„ple to vs. Let vs all subiectes iudge wel of our magistrates in suche matters and be contente wyth theyr doynges loke not to be of the couÌ„saile And thus toke I occasion to speake of him to profyt you therby I besech you so to take it He may be a good warnynge to vs this is the best vse that we can haue of him now I wil go on a word or two in the applycacyon of the parable and then I wyll make an ende To what ende and to what purpose broughte Christe thys parable of the wycked iudge The ende is that we shoulde be continually in prayer Prayer is neuer interrupte but by wyckednes We must therfore walk orderly vpryghtly callynge vpon God in all oure troubles aduersitytyes and for thys purpose there is not a more comfortable lesson in all the scripture then here nowe in the lappynge vp of the matter Therefore I wyll open it vnto you You miserable people if there be any here amongeste you that are oppressed wyth greate men and can get no healpe I speake for youre comfort I wyll open vnto you whyther ye shal resorte when ye be in any distres Hys good wyl is redy alwayes at hande when so euer we shal cal for it And therefore he calles vs to hym selfe We shall not doubt if we come to him Marke what he sayeth to cause vs beleue that our prayers shal be hearde Et deus non faciet vindictam He reasons after thys fashyon Wyll not GOD sayeth he reuenge hys electe and heare theim seyng the wycked iudge hearde the wydowe He semeth to go plainely to worcke he wil leth vs to praye to God and to none but to God We haue a maner of reasonynge in the scholes and it is called Aminore ad mainâ— From the lesse to the more and that may be vsed here The iudge was a tirant a wycked man God is a patrone a defender father vnto vs. If the iudge then beynge a tirante woulde here the poore wyddowe muche more God wyll here vs in all dystresses He beynge a father vnto vs he wyll heare vs soner then the other beynge no father hauynge no fatherly affection Moreouer God is naturallye merciful The iudge was cruell and yet he healped the wyddowe muche more then God wil helpe vs at our nede He sayeth by the oppressed â—um ipso sum in tribulatione I am with him in his trouble His tribulacion is myne I am touched wyth hys trouble If the Iudge then beynge a cruell manne hearde the wyddowe muche more GOD wyll healpe vs being touched wyth oure affectyon Furthermore thys iudge gaue the wyddowe no coÌ„mandment to come to him we haue a commauÌ„demente to resorte to GOD for he sayeth Inuoca mein die tribulationis call vpon me in the daye of thy trybulacyons whyche is as well a commaundemente as Non furaberis Thou shalt not steale He that spake the one spake the other and what so euer he be that is in trouble and calleth not vpon God breaketh hys commaundemente Take hede therefore The iudge dyd not promise the widdowe helpe God promised vs helpe wil he not perfourme it He wyll he wil. The Iudge I say did not promise the wyddowe healpe God wyl geue vs boeth hering and helpynge He hath promised it vs with a dubble othe Amen amen sayeth he verely verely he doubles it QuecuÌ„que pecieritis c what soeuer ye shall are in my name ye shal haue it And thoughe he put of some sinner for a tyme and suffer hym to byte on the brydell to proue hym for there be many begynners but fewe continewars in prayer yet we may not thyncke that he hath forgotten vs wil not healpe vs. Veuiens ueniet non â—ardabit When the healpe is moste nedefull theÌ„ he wyl come and not tarye He knoweth when it shal be best for vs to haue healpe thoughe he tary he wyll come at the last I wyll trouble you but halfe a quarter of an howre in y e application of the parable and so coÌ„myt you to God What should it meane that god would haue vs so dilygent and earnest in prayer Hath he such pleasure in our worckes Many talke of prayer and make it a lyp labourynge Praying is not babling nor praying is not monkerye It is to miserable folke that are oppressed a conforte solace and a remedy But what maketh oure prayer to be acceptable to God It lyeth not in our power We must haue it by an other meane Remembre what God sayed of hys sonne Hic est filius meus dilectus ' in quo mihi bene complacui Thys is my dear son in whom I delyte He hath pleasure in nothynge but in hym How cometh it to passe then that oure piayer pleaseth God Oure prayer pleaseth God because Christe pleaseth God When we praye we come vnto hym in the confydence of Chrystes merytestand thus offerynge vp our prayers they shal be heard for Chrystes sake Yea Chryste wyl offer them vp for vs that offered vp once hys Sacryfyce to God whych was acceptable and he that commeth wyth anye other meane theÌ„ thys god knoweth hym not Thys is not the Missal Sacrifice the popyshe sacrifice to stand at the aultare and offer vp Christ agayne Oute vpon it that euer it was vsed I wyl not saye naye but that ye shall fynde in the olde doctours thys worde SacrificiuÌ„ but there is one generall solution for all the doctours that S. Augustyne sheweth vs. The sygne of a thinge hath ofteÌ„ times y e name of the thinge that it signifieth As the supper of the Lord is the Sacrament of an other thinge it is a commemoratioÌ„ of his death which suffered once for vs bycause it is a signe of christes offering vp therefore ye beares y e name therof And this Sacrifyce a woman can offer as well as a man Yea a poore woman in the belfre a hath as good authoritie to offer vp thys sacrifyce as hath the byshop in hys pontificalibus wyth hys myter on hys heade hys rynges on hys fyngers and Sandales on hys fete And whosoeuer commeth askynge the father remedye in hys necessitie for Christes sake
prouoked Goddes wrath toward them Godly aduertisementes Let vs learne here our allegyance and duty toward the Kyngethe lawes and ordinaunces of the Realme Psalm l. How Antychryst is knowen what he sawe and harde once at Oxforde Why Chryst vsed rather the example of a wycked Iudge then of a good A brefe rehersal of thinges toched and spoken of in hys thyrde sermon He meaneth y e Annabaptystes for thys is one of their detestable pernicyouse errores How busye y e Deuyll is to hinder y e word sclaunder y e Gospel The deuyl is busi sturring is an euidente argument that this doctryne is true i. Timoth. v Kynges and rulars muste wake and not wyâ—ke and leaue lokynge thorow theyr fyngers A dygnity wyth a charge â— Timothe v To rule wel â–ª what that is â–ª What is double honoure The merye monke of Cambryge Where the preacher doth not hys duty ther the order is not honorable but horryble The entent of vnpreachyng prelates An argument of coÌ„gruans Math. v. A Ayshop angrie with M. L. why because he wold haue y e Kyng make of vnprechyng prelates quondaÌ„mes dominus regnauit The byshops answere to his chaplayn A wyse answer of mayster byshop to his chaplayn Preachers ar Gods instrumenâ—es Though Christe preachyd yet hys sede fel into thre partes He returneth to the Parable Iustice muste be ministered w tout delays What moued the wycked iudge to heare the coÌ„playnte of the wydowe All iudges haue not done theyr dutye at all tymes The lacke of minystracyon of Iustice what Salomon dyd se in hys tyme in Iudges Iudges sat in the gates of the cyty in the hie way Thys was done for the ease of y e people for maiestrates muste be indued w t affabilitie There was bribes and bribers as wel theÌ„ as nowe The teares of the pore whose cause is not accordynge to equity iustice herd cry for veÌ„geauÌ„ce to God An aduertisemente to oure Iudges Dauid was deceyued in puttyng trust in hys iudges when he waxed olde hym selfe AbsaloÌ„ was a bywalker Iudges are honorable necessarye and Gods ordinaunces concernyng their offices The crafte of the deuyll Lest the deuil be behind theÌ„ to make them peruerte Iustice A notable bolde sayinge of Chrisostome If the deuyll wold allowe a man to loke into hel what he shoulde se. Math â–ª iiii â–ª vnpreachinge prelates are wyth the deuyll in hell god saue vs but they be not there a loue for brybyng Iudges are wyth them for companye He returneth to hys fâ—â—mer matter Whi the iudge was forsed then to coÌ„fesse hys faultes Ezechiel described the herte of man Iere. xvii Paule durst not iustyfye hym selfe The truth gettes hatred The argument of suche men as thoughe the Lord admirals cause to be good becausâ— he toke hys death so boldli is coÌ„futed The Anabaptistes howe thei toke their death The Donatistes howe they dyed Iudge not them in authoritye rashlye Charyte is y e cognysauÌ„ce badge of a christen man M.L. sayde not al that he knew coÌ„cerninge the lorde admiralles cause The .ii. lyttle papers which the Lorde admirall wrote in the tower The wordes he spake to the leuetenauntes seruaunt The penne of the aglet of a poynt There is but two states The state of saluacioÌ„ and y e state of daÌ„nacion The seruauÌ„t whyche vttered the secretes of y e two letters is coÌ„mendid of M Latymer The lorde admirall had coÌ„mendations to the kynge before hys death What the Lorde Darsie sayed to maister Latimer in the tower The coÌ„mune cast of al traytours The office duty of subiectes A thing y t happened at Oxforde A pryest robbed of a greate summe of money It is hard to iudge a maÌ„s herte ☞ The byshoppes be stirred them so then that some of them wer neuer so dilygence synce The whore y t coÌ„mitted robbery M. Latimer exhorteth the kynges grace that learned men might be appoynted to such as shall suffer are coÌ„uict persons The whores wordes as she went to execucion Lottes wyfe is our example to content our selues w t our state God spared not hys aungellys The whole worlde was drowned Sodome and Gomor was burned and all for our example Gene. xviii An exhortatioÌ„ to al subiectes not to murmur misiudge nor repyâ—e agaynste the kinges procedynges To what end y e parable of the wycked iudge teÌ„deth To whom in distresse oppression we shall resorte An argumeÌ„t from the lesse to the more we haue a coÌ„maundement to resorte to God why GOD wold haue vs to be diligent earnest in prayer why our praier is acceptable to God Fayth is agreat stat a Dutches. Knowledge of synne is gentell man vsher to Lady fayeth Fayeth is no ankers she 〈◊〉 hath manye a ateÌ„dante vpoÌ„ hyr parson The sodeyne comynge of y e Lorde in the time of Noe and Loth what eatyng drinking is allowed and what is discoÌ„mended What kynde of marying is reproued worthely Stealynge of wardes naye rather of landes Another kind of mariage allâ—â—egth The inueglers of mens doughters are notyd The parentes whyche forse their chyldren to marry whoÌ„ they loue not are worthelye reprehendyd â–ª A daye wyll come shall paye for all I feare it be so litle wyth some meÌ„ that a man can neither fele it not yet se it Oure blessednes commeth of the kepeynge Thys I feare me is soner wyshed then often sene but yet let vs praye Some caÌ„ spell and spi out land and put together faste inoughe but wheÌ„ they read or heare a good lesson that commeth in at one eare and goeth out at the other Marke many caueatis and beware byes The argumeÌ„t of the wycked iudges should induce vs to prayer What maye be wroughte by prayer What maketh oure prayer acceptable to God Oure prayer pleaseth God for Christes sake when we dystruste oure owne merites and trust in hys deseruinges In all oure prayes we muste brynge a present with vs to god and marke wel who it is Coniectures why the ende of the worlde is supposed to be nere at hand As much wickednes vsed in our time as euer was in the time of Noe. M. Latimer returneth to hys former question and to the dissolucion of the same Wether gods people may be gouerned by a Kyng or no. The kynges of the Iewes were elected and choseÌ„ of God i. Regu viii Oure preachynge must be framed accordynge to the persoÌ„s before whom we preache C. Pole the kynges traytor a traytor agaynst kynd and nature M. Latimer lamentes the defection of C. Pole the breche of hys allegiaunce to his liege and Roiale kyng They nede as greately at thys daye as euer they dyd Cardinal Pole vsyth they saye to rede much Saynct Ieromes worckes Rome is called of Ierome the purple hoore of Babylon He meaneth of the boke that C. Pole dyd send to the kynge The scope or state of the boke tendes to disuade the king from his supremicye Well Spoken and lyke a Cardinall â–ª who
the crowne wyth out doubte I shewed furthermore of his godly educacion He hath suche schole Maiesters as can not be gotten in all the Realme againe Wherfore we may be suer that God blessed this realme all thoughe he curssed the realme whose ruler is a chylde vnder whoÌ„ the officres be clymbynge and gleyynge flurynge scratchyng and scrapynge and volupteously set on banketyng and for the maynetenaunce of theyr volupteousnes go by walkes And althoughe he be yong he hath as good and as sage acounsayle as euer was in England which we may well knowe by their godly procedinges and settynge fourthe of the worde of God Therefore lette vs not be worse then the styffe necked Iewes In kynge Iosias time who beynge yonge dyd alter chaunge and correcte wonderfully the religion it was neuer heard in Iewry that the people repyned or sayed The Kyng is a child This geare wyl not last loÌ„ge It is but one or two mens doynges It wyll not but for a tyme. The kynge knoweth it not Wo worth that euer suche men were borne Take hede lest for our rebellion God take hys blessyng a waye from vs. I entred into the place of the kynges pastyme I tolde you howe he muste passe hys tyme in readynge the boke of God for that is the kings pastime by goddes appoyntemente in the whyche boke he shal lerne to feare god Oh howe carefull God is to set in an order all thynges that belong to a kynge in his chamber in hys stable in hys treasure house These peuishe people in this Realme haue nothynge but the kynge the kinge in theyr mouthes when it maketh for their purpose As there was a doctor that preached the kynges maiestie hath his holy water he crepeth to the crosse theÌ„ thei haue nothynge but the Kynge the kynge in their mouthes These be my good people that muste haue their mouthes stopte but if a man tell them of the kinges proceadynges nowe they haue theyr shyftes and theyr putoâ—â— saying we may not go before a lawe we maye breake no order These be the wicked preachers ther mouthes muste be stopte these be the gaynesayers Another thing ther is y t I told you of Ne eleuetur cor regis etc. The kyng must not be proude ouer his brethren He must order his people wyth brotherly loue and charitie Here I brought in exâ—mples of proude Kynges It is a great pride in kynges and maiestrates when they wyll not heare nor be confortable to the â—ound doctrine of God It is an other kynde of pryde in kynges wheÌ„ they thynke them selues so high so lofty that they disdaine thinke it not for their honour to heare poore mens causes theÌ„ selues They haue claubackes y t say vnto theÌ„ What sir What nede you to trouble your selfe take you youre pleasure hunte Hauke daunce and dallye let vs a lone we wyll gouerne and order the commune weale matters well ynoughe We worth them they haue bene the rote of al myschiefe and destruccion in thys Realme A kynge ought not only for to reade and studye but also to praye Let hym borowe example at Salomon who pleased God hyghlye wyth his peticion desyringe no worldely thynges but wysdom which God did not onely grauÌ„t hym but because he asked wysedome he gaue hym manye mo thynges As ryches honoure and such lyke Oh how it pleased God that he asked wysdomâ— And after he had geueÌ„ him this wisdome he sent hym also occasion to vse the same by a couple of strumpets Here I told an example of a meke kynge who so continued vntyll he came into the company of strange women He herd them not by meanes or by anye other but in hys owne person and I thinke verely the naturall mother had neuer had her own child if he had not herd the cause hym selfe They were â—eritrices Hoores althoughe some excuseth the matter say they were but typplers suche as kepe alehouses But it is but foly to excuse theÌ„ seing the Iewes were such not vnlike but thei had theyr stewes the mayntenauÌ„ce of whordom as they had of other vices One thynge I must here desier you to reforme my lords You haue put downe the Stues But I praye you what is the matter a mended what a uayleth that ye haue but changed the place not taken the whordome awaye God shoulde be honored euery where For the scripture sayth Domini es terra et plenitudo eius The earth and the laÌ„d is the Lords What place shoulde be then wythin a ChristiaÌ„ realme left for to dishonour God I must nedes shewe you such newes as I here For thoughe I se it not my selfe not withstaÌ„ding it cometh faster to me then I wold wyshe I do as s. Paule doth to the CorinthiaÌ„s Auditur in uos stuprum There is such a whordome amonge you as is not amonge the gentiles So lykewyse Auditu I here say hate ther is suche whordome in Englande as neuer was sene the lyke He charged all the Corinthians for one mans offence sayinge They were al gilty for one mans synne if they woulde not correcte and redresse it but wynke at it Lo here may you se how that one mans synne poluted al Corinth A litle leauen as S. Paulle sayeth corrupteth a greate deale of dowe Thys is Communicare alienis pecatis to be partaker of other mens sines I aduertise you in Goddes nanie loke to it I here sai ther is now more whoredome in London theÌ„ euer ther was on the banke These be the newes I haue to tell you I feare they be true Ye oughte to here of it and redresse it I here of it as Paul sayth Aliqua ex parâ—e credo There is more open whordome more stuede whoredome then euer was before For Gods sake let it be loked vpon It is youre office to se vnto it Nowe to my confutacion Ther is a certaine man that shortely after my first sermon beynge asked if he had bene at the sermon that daye answerd yea I praye you sayd he how lyked you hym mary sayed he euen as I lyked hym alwayes a sedicious fellowe Oh lord he pinched me their in dede Nay he had rather a ful bitte at me Yet I comfort my self with that that Christ hym selfe was noted to be a sturrer vp of the people agaynst the Emperour and was contented to be called sediclouse It be commech me to take it in good worth I am not better then he was In the kings daies that dead is a meanye of vs were called together before hym to saye our myndes in certayne matters In the end one kneleth me downe and accuseth me of sedicioÌ„ that I had preached sediciouse doctrine A heauye salutacion and a harde poynt of suche a mans doynge as yf I shoulde name hym ye woulde not thinke it The king turned to me and sayed What say you to that syr
honorable audience is written in the .xviii Chapter of S. Luke and there is a certayne remnaunt of it behynd yet The Parable is thys There was a certayne Iudge in a cytye that feared neyther God nor man And in the same cytye there was a wyddowe that requyred Iustyce at hys handes but he woulde not heare hyr but putte hyr of and delayed the matter In processe the Iudge seynge hyr importunitye sayed thoughe I feare neyther God nor manne yet for the importunitye of the womann I wyll heare hyr leaste she rayle vpon me and moleste me wyth exclamations and oute cryes I wyll heare hyr matter I wyll make an ende of it Oure Sauyoure Chryste added more vnto thys and sayed Audite quid iudex dicat et cetera Heare you sayed Christe what the wycked iudge sayed And shall not God reuenge hys eiecte that crye vpon hym daye and nyghte Al though he tarye and dyfferre theym I say vnto you he wil reuenge them and that shortelye But when the sonne of man shall come shall he fynd fayth in the earth That I maye haue grace so to open the remnaunte of thys parable that it maye be to the glorye of God and edifyinge of youre soules I shall desier you to praye In the whyche prayer c. I shewed you the laste daye mooste honourable Audience the cause why oure Sauioure Christe rather vsed the example of a wycked Iudge then of a good And the cause was for that in those dayes ther was greate plentye of wycked Iudges so that he myghte borrowe an example amonge theym well ynoughe For there was muche scarsitie of good Iudges I did excuse the wyddowe also for coÌ„mynge to the Iudge agaynste her aduersary because she dyd it not of malice she dyd it not for appetite of vengeance And I tolde you that it was good and lawefull for honest vertuose folke for Goddes people to vse the lawes of the realme as an ordinari helpe against theyr aduersaryes and oughte to take them as Godes holy ordinaunces for the remedyes of theyr iniuryes and wronges when they are distressed So that they do it charitablye louyngelye not of malyce not vengeablye not couetouslye I shulde haue tolde you here of a certayne secte of herytykes that speake agaynste thys order and doctryne they wyl haue no magystrates nor Iudges on the earthe Here I haue to tell you what I hearde of late by the relation of a credible person and a worshypful man of a towne in thys realme of Englande that hathe aboue .v. C. herytykes of thys erroniouse opinion in it as he sayed Oh so busy the Deuyll is nowe to hynder the woorde commynge oute and to sclaunder the Gospell A sure argumente and an euydent demonstration that the lyght of Gods worde is a borde and that thys is a true doctryne that we are taught now else he woulde not tore and styrre aboute as he doeth whan he hathe the vpper hande He wyl kepe hys possession quyetly as he dyd in the popyshe dayes whan he bare a rule of supremacye in peaceable possession If he reigned now in open relygion in open doctryne as he dyd than he woulde not styrre vppe erroniouse opynyons he woulde haue kepte vs wythout contencyon wythoute dyssencion There is no suche dyuersytie of opynions amonge the Turkes nor amoÌ„g y e Iewes And why For ther he raigneth peaceably in the hole relygyon Christ sayth Cum fortis armatus custodierit atrium et cet Whan the stronge armid man kepeth hys house those thinges that he hath in possessyon are in a quyetnes he doeth enioye them peaceably Sed cum fortior eo superuenerit But whan a stronger than he commeth vpon hym whan the light of goddes word is ones reueled thaÌ„ he is busi theÌ„ he rores then he fyskes abrode and styrreth vp erronius opinions to sclauÌ„der godds word And this is an argumente that we haue the true doctryne I beseche God continewe vs and kepe vs in it The deuyll declareth the same and therfor he rores thus and goeth about to stir vp these wanton headdes and busye braynes And wyll you knowe where thys towne is I wyll not tell you dyrectlye I wyll put you to muse a lyttle I wyl vtter the matter by a cyrcumloqution Wher is it Wher the byshop of the dioces is an vnpreachynge prelate Who is that If there be but one suche in al England it is easi to gesse And if ther were no mo but one yet it were to many by one And yf there be moe they haue the more to aunswere for that they suffer in this Realme an vnpreachyng prealeatye vnrefourmed I remember wel what S. Paule sayeth to a byshop And thoughe he spake it to Timothe beynge a byshop yet I may say it now to the magistrates for al is one â—ase al is one matter Non coÌ„municabis peccatis alienis Thou shalt not be partaker of other mennes faultes Laye not thy handes rashely vpon anye be not hastye in makynge of curates in receyuinge menne to haue cure of Soules that are not worthye of the offyce that eyther canne not or wyl not do theyr dutye Do it not Whye Quia communicabis peccatis alienis Thou shalt be partaker of other mennes sinnes Now me thinke it nedes not to be partaker of other mennes synnes we shall fynd inough of oure owne And what is Communicare peccatis alienis To be partaker of other meÌ„nes euils if this be not to make vnpreaching prealates to suffer them to continue stil in their vnpreachynge prelacye If the kynge and hys councel should suffer euil Iudges of this realme to take bribes to defeate iustice suffer the great to ouer go the poore should loke through his fingers wynk at it should not the king be partaker of theyr naughtynes And why Is he not supreme head of the churche what is the supremacye a dygnytye and nothyng else is it not comptable I thynke it wylbe a chargeable dygnitye whan accompte shal be asked of it Oh what a vauntage hath the Deuyll what entrye hathe the wolfe whan the shepard tendeth not hys flocke and leades theym not to good pasture Saynt Paul doth say Qui bene presunt presbiteri duplici honore digni sunt What is thys preesse It is as muche to say as to take charge cure of soules we say ille preest he is sette ouer the flocke He hath taken charge vppon hym And what is Bene preesse To discharg the cure To rule well to fede the flocke with pure foode and good example of lyfe Well then Qui bene presunt duplici honore digni sunt They that dyscharge theyr cure wel are worthy duble honor What is thys duble honour The first is to be reuerensed to be had in estimacion and reputacion with the people and to be regarded as good pastours A nother honoure is to haue al thynges necessarye for their state mynystred vnto
of with expedycyon Well I saye neyther thys lawe nor the woorde and commaundemente of God moued thys wycked Iudge nor the myserye of thys wyddowe nor the vpryghteousnes of hyr cause nor the wronge whyche shetoke moued hym but to auoyde importunytye and clamoure and exclamatyon he gaue hyr the hearynge he gaue hyr fynal sentence and so she hadde hyr requeste Thys place of Iudgemente it hathe bene euer vnperfecte it was neuer sene that all Iudges dyd theyr dutye that they woulde heare the small as well as the greate I wyll not proue thys by the wytnes of anye priuate magistrate but by the wyseste Kynges sayinge that euer was Vibi subsole sayth Salomō In loco iusticie impietatem et in loco equitatis iniquitatem I haue sene vnder the sunne that is to saye ouer all in euerye place where ryght iudgement shoulde haue bene wickednes as who would saye brybes takinge defeatinge of iustice oppressyng of y e poore Men sente away with wepynge teares wythout anye hearynge of their causes and in the place of equitye sayth he I haue sene iniquitie No equitie No iustice a sore worde for Salomon to pronounce vniuersallye gene rallye And if Salomon said it ther is a matter in it I wene he sayed it not onelye for hys owne tyme but he sawe it both in those that were before hym and also that were to come after hym Nowe comes Esay and he affyrmeth y e same speaking of the iudgementes done in hys tyme in the commune place as it myghte be Westminster hall the gylde hall the Iudges hall the pretpro house Call it what you wyll In the opē place For iudgs at that tyme accordynge to the maner sate in the gates of che citye in the hye way A goodly and Godlye order for to sitte so that the poore people maye easelye come to them But what sayeth Esaye that seditiouse fellowe He sayeth of hys countrey this Expectaui ut facere tiuditium et fecit iniquitatem I loked the iudges should do theyr dutye and I sawe them worcke iniquitye Ther was brybes walkynge money makynge makynge of handes quod the Prophete or rather almyghtye God by the Prophete suche is theyr parcialitye affeccion and brybes They be suche money makers inhauncers and promoters of them selues Esay knewe thys by the cryynge of the people Ecce clamor populi sayeth he And thoughe some a monge theym be vnreasonable people as manye be nowe adayes yet no doubte of it some cryeth not wythout a cause And why Theyr matters are not hearde they are fayne to go home wyth weping teares that fall downe by theyr chekes and ascende vp to heauen and crye for vengeaunce Let Iudges loke a boute them for surely God wyl reuenge his elect one day And suerlye me thynke yf a Iudge woulde followe but a worldelye reason and wey the matter politickelye wythoute these examples of scripture he should feare more the hurt that maye be done hym by a poore wyddowe or a myserable man then by the greateste Gentyll man of them all God hath pulled y e iudges skinnes ouer their heades for the poore mās sake yea the pore wyddowe maye do hym more hurt wyth hyr poore pater noster in hyr mouth then any other weapon and with .ii. or thre wordes shall bryng him downe to the grounde and destroye hys iollitye cause hym to lose more in one day then he gate in seuē yeres For God wil reuenge these miserable folkes that can not helpe them selues He sayth Ego in diei visitationis etc. In the daye of visitatyon I wyll reuenge theym An non ulcisceturanima mea Shall not my soule be reuēged As who shuld saye I must nedes take theyr part Veniens ueniam et non tardabo Yes thoughe I tary and thoughe I seme to linger neuer so long yet I wyl come at the length that shortly And if god spake this he wil perfourme his promise He hath for their sakes as I tould you pulled thē skynne ouer the iudges eares or thys Kinge Dauid trusted some in hys olde age that dyd hym no very good seruece Now if in the people of God there were some folkes that fel to brybing thē what was their among the Heathen Absalon Dauids sonne was a by walker and made disturbaunce amonge the people in his fathers tyme. And thoughe he were a wycked man and a by walker yet some there were in that tyme that were good and walked vp ryghtlye I speake not thys agaynste the Iudges seate I speake not as though all iudges were naught and as thoughe I dyd not holde wyth the Iudges maiestrates and offycers as the Anabaptystes these faulse heretykes do But I Iudge them honorable necessarye and Goddes ordinaunce I speake it as scripture speaketh to geue a Caueat and a warnynge to all magistrates to cause theym to loke to theyr offices for the deuyll the greate magistrate is verye busy nowe he is euer doynge he neuer ceaseth to go about to make thē like hym selfe The prouerbe is Simele gaudet simili Lyke woulde haue lyke If the iudge be good and vpright he wil assaye to deceaue hym either by the subtyll suggestyon of crafty laywers or els by false wytnesse and subtyll vtterynge of a wrong matter He goeth about as much as he can to corrupt the men of lawe to make them fal to brybery to laye burdens on pore mennes backes and to make them fal to periurye and to bryng into the place of iudgement al corruptyon iniquytye and impietye I haue spoken thus much to occasyon al Iudges and magystrates to loke to theyr offyces They had nede to loke about them This geare moued saint Christome to speake thys sentence Miror sialiquis rectorū potest saluari I maruaile saied this doctour if anye of these rulers or greate magistrates can be saued He spake it not for the impossibilitie of the thinge God forbyd that all the magistrates iudges should be condempned but for the difficultye Oh that a man myght haue the contemplation of hell that the deuyl woulde a lowe a man to loke into hel to se the state of it as he shewed all the worlde whē he tēpted Christ in the wildernes Commonstrat illi omnia regna mundi He shewed hym al the kyngedomes of the worlde and al theyr iollytye and tolde hym that he woulde gyue hym all if he would knele downe and worshyp hym He lyed lyke a faulse harlot he could not gyue theym he was not able to giue so much as a gose wynge for they were none of hys to giue The other that he promysed them vnto had more ryghte to them then he But I saye if one were admytted to viewe hell thus and beholde it thorowelye the deuyll wolude saye On yonder syde are punyshed vnpreaching prelates I thynke a man shoulde se as far as a kenninge and se nothynge but vnpreachynge Prealates He myghte loke
wrought in hyr When she was brought to punishment she desyred to cōfesse hyr faulte she toke of hyr death that she was giltlesse in that thynge she suffered for and hyr neyghbours would haue borne hyr wytnes in the same She was alwayes an honeste ciuell woman hyr neyghbours woulde haue gone on hir purgacion a greate waye They would nedes haue hir confesse then saith she I am not gylty wold ye haue me to make me gyltye wher I am not Yet for al thys she was a trespasar she had done a greate offence But before I go forward with thys I must first tel you a tale I hearde a good whyle ago a tale of one I saw the mā that tolde me the tale not longe ago in thys auditorye He hath traueiled in mo countries thē one He toulde me that there was once a pretour in Rome Lorde mayre of Rome a ryche manne one of the richest marchauntes in all the cytye sodaynelye he was caste in the castle Aungell It was herde of euerye man whispered in an others eare What hath he done Hathe he kylled anye man No. Hath he medled wyth Alam oure holye fathers marchādice No Hath he coūterfaited our holy fathers Bulles No. For these were hye treasons ▪ One rowned an other in the ear and said Erat Diues He was a riche man A great fault Here was a goodlye pray for that holye father It was in Popes Iulius tyme he was a greate warrioure Thys praye would healpe hym to mayntayne hys warres a ioly praye for our holy father So thys woman was Diues She was a rych womā she had her lādes by the Shiriffes nose He was a gentil man of a long nose Such a cup such a couer She wold not depart from her own Thys Shyriffe was a couetnouse man a worldely man The Iudge at the enpanelyng of the queste hadde hys grauelookes and charged them wyth thys It was the Kynges matter loke well vpon it When it makes for their purpurpose they haue the Kynge the kynge in theyr mouthes Wel some what there was ther was walkynge of angelles betwene them I would wishe that of suche a Iudge in Englande nowe we might haue y e skin hāged vp It were a goodly signe the sygne of the iudges skynne It shoulde be Lotis wyfe to all Iudges that shoulde folow after By thys ye may perceiue it is possible for a manne to answere for hym self and be arrained at the barre neuertheles to haue wronge Yea ye shall haue it in fourme of lawe and yet haue wronge to So it is possible ▪ in a case for a manne that hath in his absence ataintement to haue right no wronge I wyl not saye naye but it is a good lawe for a man to answere for him selfe this is reasonable alowable good And yet suche an vrgente cause maye be suche a respect to a commune wealth that a man may rightlye be condemned in hys absence There be such causes that a man maye in hys absence be condemned but not ofte except they be such cases that the reason of the generall lawe maye be kepte I am prouoked of some to condēpne this lawe but I am not able so it be but for a time and vpon wayghty consideraciōs so that it be vsed rarely seldomly for auoyding distrubaunce in the cōmune wealth such an epiky and moderacion maye be vsed in it And neuertheles it is verye mete and requisite that a man should answere for hym selfe ▪ We must consider the groūd of the lawe for Ratio legis anima legis The reason of the lawe is the soule of the lawe Why what is the reason and ende of the lawe It is thys that no man shoulde be iniured A man may in hys attayntmente haue no more wronge done hym then if he aunswered for hym selfe Ah then I am not able to saye that in no wise and arrainemēt maye be tourned in to attaintement A mā maye haue wronge and that in open iudgemente and in forme of lawe and yet alowed to aunswere for him self and euen so is possible he maye haue ryghte thoughe he neuer aunswere for hym selfe I wyll not say but that the parliament houses both hye and lowe may erre and yet they may do wel christen subiectes must take all thynges to the beste and expounde theyr doynges well althoughe they can not yelde a reason for it except their proceadings be manifestli wicked For though they can not attayne to se for what purpose thynges be done it is no good reasone that they be called euell done therefore And is thys a good argumente he is not alowed to answer for hym selfe in thys place or that place where he wyll appoynte Ergo he is not alowed to answere for him selfe No. He myght haue aunswered the beste he coulde for hym selfe before a greate meanye and haue hadde moe to if he had requyred theym Yea and was commaunded vpon his allegiaunce to speake for hym selfe and to make aunswere but he woulde not nedes he woulde come oute to Iudgemente and appoynte the place hym selfe A manne that answeres for hym selfe at the barre is not allowed hys manne of lawe to answere for hym but he muste aunswere hym selfe Yet in the Parliament althoughe he were not there hym selfe anye frende he had had lyberty to aunswere for him franke and fre I know of the olde manner The tenour of the wryttes is thys Euerye man to speake the best he knoweth of hys conscience for the kynges magesties honour and the wealth of the realme There were in the Paliamente in both houses a great meanye learned men conscionable men wise mē When that man was attainted there and they hadde lybertye ther to say naye to his attayntmente yf they woulde Sure I am the mooste allowed it or else it coulde not haue gone forwarde These premisses considered I woulde haue you to beare such a hert as it be commeth christen subiectes I knowe what men say of me wel ynoughe I could pourge my selfe There is that prouokes me to speake againste thys lawe of attayntemente they saye I am not indyfferente Surelye I woulde haue it to be doone rarely vpon some greate respect to the commune wealth for a uoiding of greater tumulte and peryll Saynct Paule was allowed to answere for hym selfe if Lisias the tribune hadde not plucte hym awaye from shewynge of hys matter it hadde coste hym hys lyfe Where he was saued by the magystrate beynge but a pryuate manne Wyll ye not alowe that some thyng be done as wel for sauyng of the magistrates lyfe It be houes theym of the Parliament to looke wel vpon the matter And I for my parte thyncke not but they dyd well else I should not yelde the dutye of a subiecte Some liken me to doctour Shaw that preached at Pauls crosse that Kynge Edwardes sonnes were bastardes An easy matter for one of the counsell to doctour Shaw did
doeth not tell vs what he taughte If I were a papist I coulde tell what he sayde I woulde in the Popes iudgemente shewe what he taught For the Byshop of Rome hath in scrimio pectoris sui The true vnderstandyng of Scriptures Yf he call a counsayle the colledge of Cardinalles he hathe authority to determyne the supper of the Lorde as he dyd at y e counsayle of Florence And Pope Nicolas and Byshoppe Langfrancke shal come and expounde thys place and saye that oure Sauioure Christe sayed thus Peter I do meane thys by syttynge in thy bote that thou shalte goo to Rome and be Byshoppe there fyue and twentie yeares after myne ascension And all thy successours shall be rulers of y e vniuersal churche after the. Heare woulde I place also holye water and hollye breade al vnwrytten verites if I were a Papyste and that Scripture is not to be expoundyd by anye priuate interpretacion but by oure holye father and hys colledge of Cardinalles Thys is a greate deale better place then duc in altum But what was Coristes sermon it maye sone be gathered what it was He is alwayes lyke hym selfe Hys fyrste Sermon was peniteÌ„ciâ—m agite Do pennaunce youre lyuynge is naught repente Agayne at Nazareth when he redde in the temple and preached remission of synnes and healynge of woundyd consciences and in the longe sermon in the mount he was alwayes lyke hym selfe he neuer dissented from hym selfe O there is a writer hathe a ioylie texte here and his name is Dionisimus I chaunced to meate wyth hys boke in my Lorde of Caunterberyes lybrarye he was a Monke of the charterhouse I mâ—ruayle to fynde suche a sentence is that authour What taugth Christ in thys sermon Mary sayeth he it is not written â–ª And he addeth more vnto it Euangeliste tantum scripserâ—â—â— de serâ—â—onibus et miraculis cristi quantum â—â—gnonerunt inspirante deo sufficere ad edificacionem ecclesie ad confirmacioneÌ„ fidei et ad salutem animarum It is true it is not written Al hys miracles were not wrytten so neyther were all his sermons written yet for all y t the euaÌ„gelistes dyd wryte so muche as was necessary They wrote so muche if the myracles and sermons of Christ as they knewe by godes inspiracion to be sufficieÌ„t for y â— edifiyng of the churche the coÌ„firmacion of oure fayeth and the health of oure soules If thys be true as it is in dede â–ª where be on wrytteÌ„ verities I meruayle not at the sentence but to fynde it in suche an authour Iesus what authoriti he giues to goddes worde But GOD woulde that suche men shoulde be wytnesse with the auctoritye of his boke wyl they nyll they Nowe to drawe towardes an ende It foloweth in the texte duc in altum Here cometh in the supremicye of the Byshoppe of Rome When oure Sauioure Christ had made an ende of his sermoÌ„ and had fed their soules he prouided for theyr bodies Fyrst he began with the soule Christes word is the fode of it Nowe he goeth to the bodye he hath charge of them boâ—th we must commit the fedynge of the bodye and of the soule to hym Well he sayeth to Peter duc in altum Launche into the depth put forth thy bote farther into the deepe of the water Lose youre nettes nowe fyshe As who shoulde saye youre soules are now fedde I haue taught you my doctrine nowe I wyll confirme it wyth a miracle Lo sir here is duc in altum Here Peter â—as made a greate man saye â—he Papystes and all his successours after hym And thys is deriued of these few wordes Launch into the deepe And theyr argumente is thys he spake to Peter onelye and he spake to hym in the syngulare number ergo he gaue hym such a preeminence a boue the rest A goodly argument I wene it be a sillogismus in quem terra pontus I wil make a like argumceÌ„ Oure Sauioure Christe sayed to Iudas when he was about to betraye hym quod fac citius Nowe whan he spake to Peter there were none of his disciples by but Iames and Iohn but when he spake to Iudas they were all preseÌ„t Wel he said vn ot hym quod sacis fac citius Sped thy busynes y t thou hast in thy head do it He gaue hym here a secret monicion that he knewe what he intended if Iudas had had grace to haue taken it and repented He spake in the singular number to hym ergo he gaue hym some preeminence By like he made hym a Cardynall and it mighte full well be for they haue folowed Iudas euer sens Here is as good a grounde for the Coledge of Cardinalles as the other is for the supremitie of the Bishop of Rome Our Sauiour Christ say they spake onely to Peter for preeminence because he was cheife of the Apostles and you can shewe none other cause Ergo thys is the cause why he spake to hym in the syngular number I dare saye there is neuer a whirrimaÌ„ at Westminster brydge but he can answere to thys and gyue a naturall reason of it He knoweth that one man is able to shoue the bote â–ª but one man was not able to caste out the nettes and therefore he sayed in the plurall nomber larate retia Louse youre nettes and he sayd in the syngular number to Peter launch out the bote why because he was able to do it But he spake the other in the plural nomber because he was not able to conuaye the bote and cast out the nettes to One man coulde not do it Thys woulde the whirry man saye and that wyth better reason then to make suche a misterie of it as no man can spye but they And the cause why he spake to all was to shewe that he wyll haue all ChristeÌ„ men to worcke for theyr lyuynge It is he that sendes foode both for the body and soule but he wyll not sende it wythout laboure He wyll haue all Christen people to laboure for it he wyll vse oure laboure as a meane whereby he sendeth oure foode Thys was a wounderous myracle of oure Sauioure Christe and dyd it not onely to allure them to hys discipleshippe but also for our commoditye It was a seale a seale to seale hys doctrine wyth all Nowe ye knowe that suche as be kepars of seales as my Lorde Chauncelour and suche other what so euer they be they do not all wayes seale they haue a sealynge tyme For I haue herde poore men complayne that they haue bene put of from tyme to time of sealynge tyll all theyr monye were spent and as thei haue times to seale in so our Sauioure Christ had his time of sealinge When he was here in earth wyth hys Apostlees and in the tyme of the primitiue churche Christes doctrine was sufficientelye sealed alredy wyth seales of hys owne makynge what shoulde oure seales do What nede we to