Schollers who were bigge men Which when the Emperour sawe hee smiling saide In good faith Maister Iohn you are no indifferent divider Yes if it like your Highnesse verie indifferent saide he for heere poynting to himselfe and the two great fishes be two great ones and a little one and so yonder reaching his hand towardes the Schollers are two great ones and a little one Idem Wenefridus borne at Kirton in Devonshire after furnamed Boniface who converted Freesel and to Christianitie was wont to say In olde time there were golden Prelats and woodden Chalices but in his time woodden Prelates and golden Chalices Beatus Rhenanus libr. 2. rerum Germenâ—arum Ethelwold the Bishop of Winchester in the time of king Edgar in a great famine solde away all the sacred golde and silver vessells of all his church to releeve the hunger-starved poore people saying That there was no reason that the senselesse temples of God should abound in riches and living temples of the holy-ghost starve for hunger Whenas Kinnad King of Scotâ— a vassall to King Eadgar of England had saide at his Table That it stoode not with the honour of the Princes of this Isle to be subiect to that Dandiprat Eadgar who was indeede but of small stature yet full of courage He vnderstanding thereof withdrew Kinnad privately into a wood as though hee had to conferre with him of some important secret where he offered him the choice of two swords prepared for that purpose with these wordes Now we are alone you may try your manhood now may it appeare who should be subiect to the other retire not one foote backe It standeth not with the honour of Princes to brave it at the Table and not to dare it in the field But Kinad heere-at dismaied desired pardon by excuse and obtained it Malmesburiensis pag. 33. The same king Eadgar having brought into his subiection the aforesaid Kinnad king of Scottes Malcolm king of Cumberland Mac cuis the arch pirate lord of the Isles with Dufnall Griffith Howell Iacob Iudethilâ— Princes of Wales was rowed by them in triumphant manner in his barge vpon the river of Dee at Chester at which time it is reported he saide Then may my successours the Kings of England glorie when they shall doe the like Marianus Scotus Anno 973. When Hinguar of Denmarke came so sodainely vppon Edmund the king of the East-Angles that hee was forced to seeke his safetie by flight hee happened vnhappily on a troupe of Danes who fell to examining of him whether hee knew where the king of the East-Angles was whome Edmund thus answered Even now when I was in the palace he was there and when I went from thence he departed thence and whether he shall escape your handes or no onely God knoweth But so soone as they once heard him name God the godlesse infidells pittifully martired him Vita Sancti Edmundi When Brithwold a noble Saxon marching against the Danes encamped neare Maldon was invited by the Abbot of Elie to take his dinner with him he refusing answered Hee would not dine from his companies because hee could not fight without his companies Liber Eliensis King Canutus commonly called Knute walking on the sea sands neare to Southampton was extolled by some of his flattering followers and tolde that hee was a king of kings the mightiest that raigned farre and neare that both sea and land were at his commaund But this speach did put the godly King in mind of the infinite power of God by whome Kings have and enioy their power and therevpon hee made this demonstration to refell their flatterie He tooke off his cloake and wrapping it round together sâ—te downe vpon it neare to the sea that then beganne to slowe saying Sea I commaund thee that thou touch not my feete 〈◊〉 he had not so soone spoken the worde but the surgâ—ng wave dashed him He then rising vp and going backe saide Ye see now my Lorde what good cause you have to call me a King that am not able by my commaundement to stay one wave no mortaâ—l man doubtlesse is woorthy of such an 〈◊〉 name no man hath such commaund but one King which ruleth all Let vs honour him let vs call him King of all kings and Lord of all nations Let vs not onely confesse bvt also prâ—fesse him to be ruler of the heavens sea anâ— land Polydorus and others When Edric the extorteâ— was deprived by King Câ—ute of the government of Mercia hee impatient of the disgrace tolde him he had deserved better for that to pleasure him hee had first revolted from his Soveraigne king Edmund and also dispatched him Whereat Câ—ute all appalled answered And thou shalt die for thy desert whenâ—â— thou arte a traitour to God and me in killing thy king and my confederate brother His bloud be vpon thy head which hast layed handes vpon the Lordes annoynted Some reporte that he saide For his deserts he should be advaunced above all the Nobilitie of England which hâ— câ—mmediately performed advauncing his head vpon the Tower of London Florilegus King Edward the Confessour one afternoone lying in his bedde with the curtaine drawne round about him a poore pilfering Courtier came into his chamber where finding the Kings Casket open which Hugoline his chamberlaine had forgotten to shut going foorth to pay money in haste hee tooke out so much money as hee couldâ— well carry and went away But insatiable desire brought him againe and so the third time when the King who lay still all this while and would not seeme to see beganne to speake to him and bade him speedily be packing For he was well if hee coulde see for if Hugoline came and tooke him there he were not onely like to loose all that he had gotten but also stretch an halter The fellow was no sooner gone but Hugoline came in and finding the Casket open and much money taken away was greatly mooved But the King willed him not to he grieved For saide he he that hath it had more neede of it then wee have This at that time was adiudged Christian lenitie but I thinke in our age it will be accounted simplicitie in the woorst sense Vita Sancti Edwardi This Edward hasted out of Normandie whither his expelled father king Ethelred had fled with him with a great power to recover the kingdome of England from the Danes neere vnto whose forces hee was encamped ready to give them battell But when his Captaines promised him assured victorie and that they would not leave one Dane alive God forbid quoth Edward that the kingdome should be recovered for me one man by the death of so many thousand men It is better that I do leade a private and vnbloody life then be a King by such but chery And therewithall brake vp Campe and retyred into Normandy where he staied vntill God sent oportunitie to obtaine the kingdome without blood Paulus Aemilius Harold as hee waited on the cup of the said king Edward chanced
conioyned and beginne to close together into one in their most antient name of BRITAINE If any would vndertake the honour and precedence of Britaine before other Realmes in serious maner for heere I protest once for all I will passe over each thing lightly slightly a world of matter at the first view would present it selfe vnto him As that the true Christian Religion was planted heere most auntiently by Ioseph of Arimathia Simon Zelotes Aristobulus yea by saint Peter and saint Paul as may be prooved by Dorotheus Theodâ—â—â— Sophronius before the yere of Christ 200. it was propagated as Tertullian writes to places of Britaine â—accessa Roâ—anis whither the Romans never reached which can not be vnderstoode but of that parte which was afterward called Scotland The kingdomes also are most auntient helde of God alone acknowledging no superiours in no vassalage to Emperour or Pope The power of the Kings more absolute than in most other kingdomes their territories very large for the Kings of England beside Ireland have commaunded from the Isles of Orkenay to the Pyrene Mountaines and are de iure Kings of all France by descent The Kings of Scotland beside the ample realm of Scotland commands the 300 Westerne Isles the 30. of Orkney Schetland Also which was accounted a special note of maiesty in former ages the Kings of England with them of Fraunce Ierusalem Naples and afterward Scotland were antiently the onely annointed Kings of Christendome which manner beganne among the Iewes was recontinued at length by the Christian Emperors of Constantinople with this word at the annoynting 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Be holy and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be worthie and from thence was that sacred ceremonie brought to vs and the other kingdomes As for that admirable gift hereditary to the annoynted Princes of this Realme in curing the Kings Evil I referre you to the learned Discourse thereof lately written Neyther would it be forgotten that England in the opinion of the Popes when they swayd the world and their authoritie was held sacred was preferred because it contained in the Ecclesiasticall Division two large Provinces which had their severall Legatinati whereas Fraunce had scantly one That Scotland was by them accompted an exempt kingdome and a Peculiar properly appertaining to the Roman Chappell And which was accompted in that age a matter of honour when all Christianitie in the Counsell Constance was divided into Nations Anglicana Natio was one of the principall and no sub alterne As also that in times past the Emperour was accounted Maior filius Ecclesiae the King of France Filius Minor and the King of England Filius Tertius and Adoptivus And so in generall Councells as the King of Fraunce had place next the Emperour on the right hand so the King of England on the left and the Kings of Scotland as appeereth in an antient Roman Provinciall had next place before Castilâ— The Archbishops of Canterbury who were antiently stiled Archbishoppes of Britaine were adiudged by the Popes tanquam alterius orbis Pontifices Maximi and they had their place in all general Councells at the Popes right foote The Title also of Defensor fidei is as honourable and more iustly conferred vpon the Kings of England than either Christianissimus vpon the French or Catholicus vpon the Spaniard Neither is it to be omitted which is so often recorded in our Histories when Brithwald the Monke not long before the Conquest busied his brain much about the succession of the Crown because the blood Royall was almost extinguished he had a strange vision and heard a voyce which forbade him to be inquisitive of such matters resounding in his eares The kingdome of England is Gods owne kingdome and for it God himselfe will provide But these such like are more fit for a graver Treatise than this I will performe that I promised in handling nothing seriously and therfore I will bring you in some Poets to speake in this behalfe for mee and will beginne with olde Alfred of Beverlie who made this for Britaine in generall which you must not reade with a censorious eye for it is as the rest I will cite of the middle age having heeretofore vsed all of more auntient and better times in an other worke But thus saide he of Britaine Insula praedives quae toto vix eget orbe Et cuius totus indiget orbis ope Insula praedives cuius miretur optet Delicias Salomon Octavianus opes For Scotland one lately in a far higher straine and more Poetically sung these Quis tibi frugifera 〈…〉 Aut aris gravides 〈◊〉 pâ—â—dere 〈…〉 Et nitidos auro monces ferrâ—que rigentâ—â— Deque met allâ—feris manantia 〈…〉 Quaeque beaâ—t alias communia commoda gâ—â—tesâ— For England a very olde Epigrâ—â—â—tist made these with a Prosopopoeia of Nature the indulgent mother to England which doth comprise as much as the best wittes can nowe conceive in that behalfe Anglia terra ferax tibi pax secura quietem Multiplicem luxum merx opulenta dedit Tu nimio nec stricta gelu nec sydere fervens Clementi coelo temperieque places Cùm pareret Natura parens varioque favore Divideret dotes omnibus vna locis Seposuit potiora tibi matremque professa Insula fis â—oelix plenaque pacis â—â—t Quicquid amat luxus quicquid desiderat vsus Ex tâ— proveniet vel aliunde tibi Accordingly it is written in the Blacke booke of the Exchequer that our Auncestors termed England a Store-house of Treasure and a Paradise of Pleasure in this verse Divitijsque sinum delicijsque larem So that not without cause Pope Innocentius the fourth most willingly and especially desired to see Divitias Londini delicias Westmonasterij In these respects to conclude most truely our Lucan singeth of this our countrey The fairest Land that from her thrusts the rest As if she car'd not for the world beside A world within herselfe vvith vvonders blest The inhabitants of Britaine AS all the Regions with the whole worlds frame and all therein was created by the Almightie for his last and most perfect worke that goodly vpright provident subtile wittie and reasonable creature which the Greekes call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his vpright looke the Latines Homo for that he was made of Molde and we with the Germains call Man of his principall part the mind being the verie image of God and a pettie world within himselfe so he assigned in his divine providence this so happy and worthy a region to men of answerable worth if not surpassing yet equalling the most excellent inhabitants of the earth both in the endowments of minde lineaments of bodie and their deportment both in peace and warre as if I would enter into discourse I could very easily shew But overpassing their naturall inclination by heauenly influence answerable to the disposition of Aries Leo and Sagittary Iupiter with Mars
letter or two so that words nicking and resembling one the other are appliable to diffrent significations As the Almightie if we may heerein vse sacred authority in ratification of his promise to the seede of Isaac changed Abram ⸫ High father into Abraham that is father of many and Sarai that is my Dame into Sara that is Lady or Dame The Greekes to omit infinite others nicked Antiochus Epiphanes that is the famous with Epinanes that is the furious The Romans likewise played with bibbing Tiberius Nero calling him Biberius Mero So Tully called the extorting Verres in the actions against him Verrens as Sweepe-all So in Quintilian the sower fellow Placidus was called Acidus and of late one called Scaliger Aliger Excellent is that which our countriman Reverend Beda reporteth in his Ecclesiasticall History of England of the cause that mooved Gregory the Great to send Augustine into England On a time as I shewed before when he saw beautifull boyes to be sold in the market at Rome and demanded by what name their Nation was called and they told him English-men and iustly be they so called quoth he for they have Angelike faces and seeme meete to be made Coheirs with the Angells in heaven After when it was tolde him that their King was called Alla then said he ought Alleluya to be sung in that Country to the praise of their Creatour when it was also signified vnto him they were borne in a part of the Kingdome of Northumberland called then Deira now Holdernesse Deira Dei then said he sunt liberandi Laurens Archbishop which succeeded that Augustine was by allusion called Lauriger Mellitus Mellifluus Brith-wald Bright-world Nothelhelme Noble-helme Celnothuâ— Caelo natus all archbishops of Canterbury And such like were framed out of the names of many English Confessours which I omit Arletta the good wench which so kindely entertained Robert Duke of Normandy when he begate of her William the Conquerour as I had rather you should read in others then heare of me was for his honesty closely with an aspiration called Harlot But the good and learned Recorder would say that this name beganne from her and in honour of her was appropriated by the Normans in England to all of her kinde profession and so continueth When Herbert first Bishop of Norwich and founder of the Cathedrall Church there had simoniacally procured that Bishopricke to himselfe and the Abbacy of Winchester to his father they were alluded vpon by the name of Simon in the worst sence in this verse Filius est Praesul pater Abbas Simon vterque Strong and suddaine was that Allusion of Gilbert Folioth Bishop of Hereford who when hee had incurred the hatred of many for opposing himselfe against Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury one câ—â—ed with a lowd voyce at his chamber windowe at mid-night Folieth â—olioth thy god is the goddesse Azaroth Hee suddenly and stowtly replied Thou list fowle feind my God is the God of Sabaoth Hitherto may be referred that which Giraldus Cambrensis reporteth An Archdeacon named Peccâ—tum or Peche a rurall Deane called De vill a Iew travailing together in the Marches of Wales when they came to Illustrate the Archdeacon said to his Deane that their Iurisdiction began there reached to Malpasse The Iew considering the names of the Deane Archdecon limits said by Allusion Marvaile may it be if I scape well out of this Iurisdiction where Sinne is Archdeacon the Divell the Deane and the bounds Illustrate with Malpasse Alexander Nequam a man of great learning borne at Saint Albanes and desirous to enter into religion there after hee had signified his desire writ to the Abot Laconically Si vis veniam sin autem tu autem Who answered as briefly alluding to his name Si bonus sis venias si Nequam nequaquam Wherevpon he changed his name to Neckam Philip Rependum Abbot of Leicester alluded thus vpon the name of Neckam Es niger nequam cùm sis cognomine Neckam Nigrior esse potes nequior esse nequis But hee repaied him with this re-allusion vppon the name of Philipp Phinota faetoris lippus malus omnibus horis c. A London Poet dallied thus with the name of Fustachius when he was preferred from Treasurer of the Exchequer to be Bishop of London 1222. which was thought a great preferment in that age Eustachi nupèr benè stabas nunc benè stabis Ille status valuit praevalet iste tamen Robert Passelve an especiall favorite of Henry the third afterward by a court-tempest so shaken as he was glad to be Parson of Derham in Norfolke was alluded vnto while he was in the Sun-shine by Passâ—le-eau as surpassing the pure water the most excellent element of all if you beleeve Pindar This Allusion was composed to the honour of a religious man called Robertus resolving it into Ros Ver Thus. Tu benè Robertus quasi Ros Ver Thusque vocaris Ros sata ver flores Thus hâ—locausta facit Sic tu Ros Ver Thus geris haec tria Ros sata verbi Ver floris morum Thus holocausta precum Vpon the same another framed this Robertus titulo dotatur triplice Roris Temperie Veris dulcedine Thuris odore Vpon the same name and invention I have also found this Es benè Ros Ver Thus Ros es qùod nectare stillas Ver qùod flore vires Thus quia mente sapis Ros inquam Ver Thus Ros qui dulcedine stillat Ver quod flore nitet Thus quod odore sapit Nam qùod tu sis Ros Ver Thus perhibet tua Roris Temperies Veris gratia Thuris odor Vpon the same name Robertus an other made Robur Thus with this Distiche Tu benè Robertus quasi Robur Thus benè Robur Nam virtute vigâ—s Thus quia mente sapis When Pandulphus the Popes Nuncio came into England a scholler smoothed him with this foolish allusion Te totum dulcor perfundit indè vocaris Pandulphus quid Pan nisi totum Dul nisidulcor Phuâ— nisi fusus id est totus dulcedine fusus One in a dedication alluded vnto Roger an Ecclesiasticall peâ—son in this verse Qui Cleri Rogere Rosam geris annno vati A poore Poet begging of one whose name was Iohn which is in Hebrew The grace of God begged of him by praising his name in this manner Nomen habes non immeritò Divina Iohannes Gratia voce sua conveniente rei Ergo vel gratus summo vel gratia summi Es pro parte meâ casus vterque facit Si summo gratus ergo pietatis alumnus Ergo pauperibus ferre teneria apem Another played vpon the name of Turbervill when practising with the French he plaied false with his Soveraigne K. Edward the first Turbat tranquilla clà m Thomas Turbida Vilâ—a These may seeme over many in so slight a matter yet I will in respect of the persons offer you two or three more to be regarded William Lord Montiâ—y famous for
shee looke heere is one steppe to heaven-ward shewing him a Friers girdle I feare mee quoth sir Thomas Moore this one steppe will not bring you vppe a steppe higher One day when shee came from shrift shee saide merrily vnto him Be merry sir Thomas for this day was I well shriven I thanke God and purpose now therefore to leave off all my olde shrewdnesse Yea quoth hee and to beginne afresh When he was sent prisoner vnto the Tower and the Lievtenant his olde friend received him with a heavy cheere hee sayde Is this the entertainement and good countenance you give your guests when they come to you Why looke man heere are twenty angell nobles shewing him his purse and when this is spent turne me out at doores as a bare gamester and not able to pay for that he takes Hitherto may bee referred his silent answere when at his entring into the Tower one of the Officers claimed for a fee his vpper garment meaning his gowne or his cloke he offred him his cappe Being asked after his condemnation and before his execution whether hee had changed his minde hee saide Yea for I thought to have beene shaven but now seeing I shall die so shortly I will let my beard growe His daughter Roper one day as shee repaired vnto him into the Tower counselled him to recover the Kings favour and his owne former libertie by doing I know not what the which shee saide one of the greatest States of this Realme and a man learned too and his tender friend saide he might doe without scruple of conscience as most of the Nobilitie of the Realme hadde doone not once sticking thereat save onely himselfe and one other man This speach of her hee aunswered with a pleasaunt tale At a Bartholomew faire at London there was an Escheater of the same city that had arrested a Clothier that was outlawed and had seized his goodes which he had brought into the faire tolling him out of the faire by a traine The man that was arrested was a Northerne man which by his friendes made the Escheator to be arrested within the faire vppon an Action I not neere what and called a Court of Pipowders Now â—ad the Clothier by friendship of the Officers found the meanes to have all the Quest almost made of the Northerne men such as had their Boothes standing in the faire who were no sooner departed from the barre and come into the house but the Northerne men were agreed and in effect all the other to cast our London Escheater They thought they needed no were to proove that hee did wrong than even the name of his bare office alone But then was there amongest them as the Divell woulde an honest man of another quarter called Company And the fellow seemed but a seely soule and sate still and sayde nothing they made noreckoning of him but saide We be agreed now come let vs goe and give vp our verdict Then when the poore fellow sawe that they made such hasle and his minde nothing gave him that way that theirs did if that their â—â—ndes gave them that way they saide hee prayed them to tarry and talke vpon the matter and tell such reason therein that â—ee might thinke as they did and when they should so doe be would be glad to say with them or else hee saide they must pardon him For sith â—ee had a soule of his owne to keepe as they had be must say as he thought for his soule as they must for theirs When they heard this they were halfe angry with him What good fellow quoth one of the Northerne men whare wannes thou Be not we eleaven heere and thou but one all alone and al we agreed whereto shouldst thou sticke Whates thy name gud fellow Maisters quoth he my name is called Company Company quoth they now by my troth good felow play then the gud companion come thereon foorth with vs and passe even for gude company Would God good maisters quoth the man againe that there lay no more weight thereon But now when we shall hence and come before God and that hee shall send you vnto heaven for doing according vnto your conscience and me to the divell for doing against mine al passing at your request heere for good company now By God Maister Dickenson that was one of the Northerne mens names If I then shall say vnto you al againe Maisters I went once with you for good company which is the cause that I goe now to hell play you the good felowes now againe with mee as I went then for good company with you so some of you go now for good company with me would you goe maister Dickenson Nay nay by our Lady nor never a one of you all And therefore must you pardon me for passing as you passe for the passage of my poore soule passeth all good company In the like sence he vsed often to say That he would never pinne his soule at another mans backe not even the best man that he knew that day living for he knew not whither he might hap to carry it When one came to him to signifie that hee must prepare himselfe to die for hee coulde not live he called for his vrinall wherein when hee had made water hee cast it and viewed it as Physitions vse at last hee saide soberly That hee saw nothing in that water but that he might live if it pleased the King When he was in prison and his bookes and papers taken from him he did shutte his chamber windowes both day and night saying When the wares are gone and the tooles taken away we must shut vp shop When he went to death a certaine woman offered him a cuppe of wine which he refusing saide Good woman Christ in his passion drunke gall and no wine When he was to mount the scaffold hee saide to one of the Shiriffes men I pray thee helpe mee vp as for comming downe I take no care When the hangman according to his manner desired him to pardon him his death hee answered I doe forgive thee with al my heart but one thing I wil tel thee thou wâ—â—t never have honestie in cutting off my head my necke is so short NOw we have done with sir Thomas Moore his owne Apothegmes which have come to my handes I will transcribe out of his workes a few Tales or call them what you please A poore man found a priest over familiar with his wife and because he spake it abroad and could not prove it the priest sued him before the Bishops Officiall for defamation where the poore man in paine of cursing was commaunded that in his parish Church hee should vppon the Sonday at high Masse stand vp and say Mouth thou liest Whereuppon for fulfilling of his penaunce vp was the poore soule set in a pew that the people might wonder at him and heare what hee sayde and there all aloude when hee had rehearsed what hee had reported by the priest then hee sette
matched in our age which was written in the time of King Henry the 6. ouer the entrance into the Reccipt at Westminster to admonish accontants to be circumspect in entring as Ianus with his two heads and as vigilant in ending Exchequer accounts as Argus with his hundred eyes Ingrediens Iani rediture sis aemulus Argi. RYTHMES RIming verses which are called Versus Leonini I know not wherefore for a Lions taile doth not answere to the middle parts as these verses doe began in the time of Carolus Magnus and were onely in request then and in many ages following which delighted in nothing more then in this minstrelsie of meeters I could present you with many of them but few shall suffice when as there are but few now which delight in them In the praise of Miles Earle of Hereford was this penned in respect he was both martiall and lettered Vatum ducum gloria Milo cuius in pectore Certant vires studia Certat Hector cum Nestore Virtutum priuilegia Mente geris corpore Teque coronat arbore Mars Phoebi Phabus propria Walter de Mapes Archdeacon of Oxford who in the time of King Henry the second filled England with his meriments confessed his loue to good liquor with the causes in this maner Mihi est propositum in taberna mori Vinum sit appositum morientis ori Vt dicant cùm venerint Angelorum chori Deus sit propitius huic potatori Poculis accenditur animi lucerna Cor imbutum nectare volat ad superna Mihi sapit dulcius vinum in taberna Quà m quod aqua miscuit praesulis pincernn Suum cuique proprium dat natura munus Ego nunquam potui scribere iciunus Me iciunum vincere posset puer vnus Sitim iciunium odi tanquam funus Vnicuique propriumdat natura donum Ego versus faciens vinum bibo bonum Ft quod habent melius dolia cauponum Tale vinum generat copiam sermonum Tales versus facio quale vinum bibo Nihil possum scribere nisi sumpto cibo Nihil valet penitus quod iciunus scribo Nasonem post caelices carmine praeibo Mihi nunquam spiritus prophetiae datur Nisi tunc cùm fuerit venter bene satur Cum in arce cerebri Bacchus dominatur In me Phoebus irruit ac miranda fatur The infirmity and corruption of our nature prone to sensuality he acknowledgeth thus Via lata gradior more iuuentutis Implico me vitijs immenor virtutis Voluptatis auidus magis quam salutis Mortuus in anima curam gero cutis Mihi cordis grauitâs res videtur grauis Iocus est amabilis dulciorque fauis Quicquid Venus imperat labor est suauis Quae nunquam in mentibus habitat ignauis Quis in igne positus igni non vratur Quis in mundo demorans castus habeatur Vbi Venus digito iuuenes venatur Oculis illaqueat facie praedatur This lustie priest when Pope Innocent the third forbade the Clergie their wiues became Proctor for himselfe and them with these verses desiring onely for his fee that euery priest with his sweet hart would say a Pater noster for him Prisciani regula penitùs cassatur Sacerdos per Hic et Haec olim declinatur Sed per Hic solummodo nunc articulatur Cum per nostrum praesulum Haec amoueatur Ita quidem presbyter caepit allegare Peccat criminaliter qui vult seperare Quod Deus iniunxerat faeminam amare Tales dignum duximusâ—fures appellare O quam dolor anxius quà m tormentum graue Nobis est dimittere quoniam suaue O Romane pontifex statuisti prauè Ne in tanto crimine moriaris caue Non est Innocentius immò nocens verè Qui quod facto docuit studet abolere Et quod olim inuenis voluit habere Modò vetus pontifex studet prohibere Gignere nos praecipit vetus Testamentum Vbi nouum prohibet nusquam est inuentum Praesul qui contrarium donat documentum Nullum necessarium his dat argumentum Dedit enim dominus maledictionem Viro qui non fecerit generationem Ergo tibi consulo per hanc rationem Gignere vt habeas benedictionem Nonnè de militibus miliâ—es procedunt Et reges à regibus qui sibi succedunt Per locum à simili omnes iura laedunt Clericos qui gignere crimen esse credunt Zacharias habuit prolem â—t vxorem Per virum quem genuit adeptus honoreâ— Baptizâ—uit enim nostrum saluatorem Pâ—reat qui teneat nouum hunc errorem Paulus caelos rapitur ad superiores Vbi multas didicit res secretiores Ad nos tandem rediens instruensque mores Suas inquit habeat quilibet vxores Propter haec et alia dogmata doctorâ—â— Reor est mâ—lius et magis decorum Quisque suam habeat et non proximorum Ne incurrat odium iram eorum Proximorum faeminas filias neptes Violare nefas est quare nil deceptes Verè tuam habeas haâ— delâ—â—les Diem vt sic vltimum tutius expectes Ecce iam pro clericis multum allegaui Nec non pro presbiteris plura comprobaui Pater noster nunc pro me quoniam peccaui Dicat quisque presbiter cum sua suaui Mery Michaell the Cornish poet piped this vpon his pipe for mery England but with a mocking compassion of Normandy when the French vsurped it in the time of K. Iohn Nobilis Anglie pocula prandia donat et aera Terra iuuabilis et sociabilis agmine plena Omnibus vtilis Anglia fertilis est et amaena Sed miserabilis et lachrimabilis absque cateruà Neustria debilis et modo flebilis et quia serua He begged his exhibition of King Henry the third with this distich Regie rector miles vt Hector dux vt Achilles Te quia sector melle â—vector mel mihi stilles The same Michael highly offended with Henry of Aurench the kings Poet for disgracing Cornwall thought to draw bloud of him with these bobbing times Est tibi gamba capri crus passeris et latus apri Os leporis catuli nasus dens et gena muli Frons vetulae tauri caput et color vndique Mauri His argumentis quaenam est argutia mentis Quod non a monstro differs satis hic tibi monstro If you please to heare a solemne plea at Reasons barre betweene the Eye the Heart runne ouer this which a contriman of ours made in time of king Henry the 3. Quisquis cordis et oculi Non sentit in se iurgia Non nouit qui sunt stimuli Quae culpae seminaria Causam nescit periculi Cur alternant convitia Cur procaces aemuli Replicent in se vitia Cor sic affatur oculum Te peccati principium Te fontem te stimulum Te mortis voco nuntium Tu domus meae ianitor Hosti non claudis ostium Familiaris proditor Admittis aduersarium Nonnè fenestra diceris Quod mors intrat ad