cōsidering of his most excellent wisedome not only the notable decay of Christis true and perfite religion emonges vs but also the intollerable thraldome captiuitie and bondage with the infynite dangers and preiudices whyche we his subiectes continually susteyned by reason of that longe vsurped and abused power whiche the bysshops of Rome were wōt to exercise here in this realme hath nowe of his most godly disposition and by the consente of his nobles spirituall and temporall by auctoritie of the hole parliament determined no longer to suffer the byshoppe of Rome to exercyse any parte of his vsurped iurisdiction here within this realme but clerely to delyuer vs from the same and restore vs agayne vnto our libertie Surely we haue great cause most ioyfully and thankefully to enbrace and accepte the same consideryng that therby no preiudice is done to goddis worde or his ordinaunces For as we haue shewed and declared before it was by princes sufferaunce onely that the bysshoppe of Rome exercised any suche iurisdiction within this realme and not by the authoritie giuen vnto hym by Christe And as for the bysshop of Rome he can not pretende hym selfe no more to be greued or iniuried therwith than any of the kynges officers myght worthily thynke that the kynges byghnes shulde do him wronge in case he shulde vppon good cause remoue hym from his roume and office and committe it to an other And as for vs the kynges faythfull subiectes we shall vndoubtedly receyue and haue thereby syngular welth and commoditie as well spiritually to the edifieng of our soules as corporally to the increase of our substance and richesse The which how moch it was impaired decayed continually from tyme to time by the great exactions of the byshoppes of Rome and suche treasures as wente yerely out of this realme to his coffers for annates annuities and exemptions pardons and suche other vnlawfull exactions we doubte not but all men indued with any witte and zeale to the welthe of this our countrey do right well perceiue and vnderstande and accordingly with hart and minde wil not onely pray for the kynges highnes and his preseruation by whose occasion this lighte came fyrste vnto vs but also firmely and constantly stycke to those lawes wherby we haue so moche ease of wrongfull exactions and abuses and also our prince kyng now enioieth most rightfully his iust title with restitution of his royall and imperiall dignitie and princely gouernance The sacrament of Confirmation WE reade in holy scrypture / how the apostels in the beginnyng of the churche althoughe they dyd certainly knowe and beleue that al suche as had duely receyued the sacrament of baptisme were by vertu and efficacie therof perfitely regenerated in Christ perfitely incorporated and made the very members of his body and had receyued full remission of their synnes and were indued with graces and giftes of the holy goste yet they went vnto the people after they were baptised and so by their prayer and imposition of theyr handes vppon them the holy goste was giuen and conferred vnto them And the sayde people did speake diuerse languages and prophecyed wherby not onely they whiche had receyued baptisme and professed Christ were the better confirmed and established in Christis religion made more constant to confesse the same But also other whiche were out of the churche infideles mighte the soner be reduced by suche gifte and miracle frō theyr errours and be brought in to the right beliefe of Christe and his gospele Whervpon the holy fathers of the primitiue church taking occasion and founding them selues vpon the saide actes and dedes of the apostles and considering also that suche as had ones receyued the giftes and benefites of the holy goste by the sacrament of baptisme might and oftentimes dyd in dede by temptation frailtie or otherwise by theyr owne sinne and malice lose and fall from the same againe dyd vse and obserue as it hath ben hitherto by succession of ages continued that al christen people shuld after theyr baptisme be presented to theyr bishops to the intent that by theyr prayers and imposition of theyr handes vpon them consigning of them with the holy Chris◅ they shulde be confirmed that is to say they shuld receyue suche gyftes of the holy goste as wherby they shulde be so corroborated and establisshed in the giftes graces before receyued in baptisme that they shuld not lyghtly fall againe from the same but shulde constantly reteyne them and perseuere therin and shulde also be made stronger and hardier as wel to confesse boldly and manfully theyr faith before all the persecutours of the same and to resist and fight against theyr gostly ennemies the world the deuil and the fleshe as also to beare the crosse of Christe that is to suffer and susteine paciently all the afflictions and aduersities of this worlde and fynally that they shuld atteyne encreace and abundance of vertues and graces of the holy gost And although men ought not to contemne this sacrament but shuld present theyr children vnto the bishoppe to receyue at his handes the sacrament of confirmation yet it is not to be thought that there is any suche necessitie of confirmation of infantes but that they being baptised and dieng innocentes before they be confirmed shall be assured to atteine euerlastinge lyfe and saluation by the effecte of the sacrament of baptisme receyued The sacrament of extreme vnction AS towching extreme vnction we must vnderstand how according to scripture and the rule and ordre prescribed by the holy apostle saint Iames the catholike churche of Christ hath obserued and minystred this sacrament to such as haue required it in their sickenes and disease of body to the entent that by the workinge of god in ministration therof the sicke man through prayer of the priest the minister and suche as assist him might be releued of his bodely disease and also atteyne pardon and remission of his synnes For saint Iames saith If any be sick among you let him cal for the priestes of the churche and let them pray ouer him annointing him with oile in the name of our lorde and the prayer of fayth shall saue the sycke man and if be be in sinnes they shall be forgiuen him By whiche wordes like as the vse of the sacrament is confirmed and proued so that the churche may well vse the same with assurance that god assisteth the ministration therof So we must also remembre that although helth of body which here is prayed for doth not always folowe yet we shuld not doubte but god ordereth mannes praier therin alwaies to the best as he doth of his infinite goodnes all other prayers that men make who in dede knowe not what they shuld aske ne what is best or moste profitable for them Wherfore albeit we be taught to make all our prayers in a most certayne fayth to atteine our desires according to the generall promise made by god throughe Christe Aske and
lord conceyued great indignatioÌ„ against Hely the chiefe prieste i Reg ii bycause he dyd not duely correcte his two sonnes Ophni and Phinees i Reg. â—iii whan he knewe that they dyd greuously offende god and how in reuenging of theyr fathers negligence and remissenes in correcting of his children almighty god toke from Hely and all his issue and householde for euer the office of the high priesthode how his two sonnes Ophni and Phinees were slayne bothe vppon a day and Hely theyr father brake his necke This example of Hely is necessary for fathers to imprynt in theyr hartes that they may se theyr children well taught and corrected lest they runne into the great indignation of almighty god as Hely dyd and not onely in this world haue confusion but also in the worlde to come haue damnation for the mysorder of theyr children throughe their defaute and they muste not thynke that it is inough to speake somewhat to them whan they do amisse for so dyd Hely to his sonnes and yet our lord was not pleased bicause he dyd not moche more sharply correcte them and se them refourmed but whan wordes wyll not serue the fathers and mothers must put to sharper correction and by such discipline saue theyr soules orels they shall aunswere to god for them And truly they greatly deserue the indignatioÌ„ of god that whan they haue receyued of hym chyldren do not bringe them vp to his seruice but without regarde what coÌ„meth of them suffer them to runne into the seruice of the deuyl Wherfore al fathers ought diligently to consider and remembre how moche and how greuously they offende god and of how many euils they be the cause which either bring vp their children in wantonnes and idelnes and do not put them forthe be tyme to some facultie exercise or labour wherby they may after gette theyr lyuyng or occupie theyr lyfe to the profite and commoditie of the common weale or elles do suffer their chyldren in youth to be corruptid for lacke of good teaching and good bringing vp in the true knowlege of god and of his wyl and commandementes or committe in word or dede such thinges in the presence of their children wherof the yonge tendre hartes of the said children whiche like a smal twygge be inclinable euery way and by fraylenes of youth be inclyned to euyl do take so euyl example and corruption of vices and worldely affections that harde it wyll be for them after to eschue the same This coÌ„mandement also conteineth the honour and obedience which subiectes owe vnto their princes And also the offyce of prynces towardes theyr subiectes For scripture taketh prynces to be as it were fathers 〈◊〉 xlix nurses to their subiectes And by scripture it appereth that it apperteyneth vnto the office of princes to se that the righte religion true doctrine of Christ be mainteined and taught that their subiectes be wel ruled gouerned by good iust lawes to prouide and care that the people common weale maye encreace and to defende them frome oppression and inuasion as well within the realme as without their subiectes aiding them thervnto to se that iustice be ministred vnto them indifferently to here by themselues or by their mynisters beningly al their complaintes and to shew toward them although they offende fatherly pitie And finally so to correct them that be euil that they had yet rather saue them than lose them yf it were not for respect of iustice maintenance of peace and good ordre in the coÌ„mon weale And therfore al theyr subiectes must again on their partes and be bouÌ„de by this coÌ„mandement not onely to honour obey their said princes accordyng as subiectes be bound to do to owe theyr truth fidelitie vnto them as vnto their naturall lordes but they must also loue them as childreÌ„ do loue their fathers yea they must more tendre the suretie of their princes person and his estate than their owne or any others Euen like as the health of the head is more to be tendred thaÌ„ the health of any other membre And by this commandement also subiectes be bound not to withdrawe their said fealtie trouth loue and obedience towardes their prince for any cause what so euer it be ne for any cause they maye conspire against his person ne do any thing towardes the hinderance or hurt therof nor of his estate And furthermore by this commandement they be bounde to obey also all the lawes proclamations preceptes and coÌ„mandementes made by their princes and gouernours except they be against the commandementes of god And lykewyse they be bounde to obey all suche as be in authoritie vnder their prince as farre as he wyll haue them obeyed They must also gyue vnto their prince aide helpe and assistaunce whan so euer he shall requyre the same either for suretie preseruation or maintenaÌ„ce of his person and estate or of the realme or of the defence of any of the same against all persons And whaÌ„ so euer subiectes be called by their prince vnto pryuy counsayle or vnto the parliament where is the generall counsayle of this realme than they be bounde to giue vnto theyr prynce as theyr learnynge wysedome or experyence can serue them the moste faythefull counsayle they can and suche as may be to the honour of god to the honour and suertie of his regall person and state and to the generall wealthe of this hole realme And further if any subiecte shall knowe of any thynge whiche is or may be to the noyaunce or damage of his princis person or estate he is bounde by this commandement to disclose the same with al spede to the prynce him selfe or to some of his couÌ„sayle For it is the very lawe of nature that euery membre shal imploy him selfe to preserue defende the heade And surely wisedome and polycie wyll the same for of conspiracy and treason commeth no goodnesse but infinite hurte damage and perill to the common weale And that all subiectes do owe vnto theyr princes and gouernours suche honour and obedience as is aforesayde it appereth euidently in sundry places of scripture but specially in the epistles of saint Paul Rom. xiii and saint Peter For saint Paul saythe in this maner Euery man must be obedient vnto the hyghe powers for the powers be of god And therfore who so euer resisteth the powers resysteth the ordynaunce of god And they that resyst the ordynaunce of god shall get to them selues damnation For rulers are not feareful to them that be good but to them that do euil Wilt not thou feare the power Do well and thou shalte haue prayse of the same for he is the minister of god for thy welth But yf thou do euyll then feare for he beareth not the sworde without cause For he is the minister of god to punishe the euyll doer therfore you muste obey not onely for the feare of punysshement but also
penance as he had at the firste entrie vnto Christis religion by the sacrament of Baptisme It is also to be noted that confessiō to the priest is in the church profitably commanded to be vsed and frequented for many other good causes specially for this cause that they whiche by custome be drowned in synne se not the abhomination and fil thines therof ne remembre the goodnes of god and want therfore contrition may by a good gostly father be stirred and moued to deteste lament their sinne by declaring vnto thē the word of god in such scriptures as serue for that purpose in suche wyse that not only contrition shal arise in the hart to the pleasure of god but also satisfaction ensue wherwith goddis merciful goodnes shal be cōtēted So that the wordes of absolutiō may be effectually pronoūced to the penitēt of the remissiō of his synnes Fynally it is to be remembred that not withstādynge this waye before described is the ordinary meane for penitent synners to opteine remission of synnes to be reconciled to the fauour of god yet in case there lacke a minister to pronounce the wordes of absolution or in tyme of necessitie whan a sinner hath not sufficient leysure or oportunitie to do the workes of penance before declared if he truly repent him of his sinful life and withal his hart purpose through goddis grace to change amende the same he shal vndoubtedly haue pardon and forgyuenes of all his missedoynges For as saynt Cyprian sayeth Euen in the houre of deathe whan the soule is ready to departe out of the body the greate mercifull goodnes of god despiseth not penaunce In so muche that than neither the greatnes of sinne nor the shortenes of tyme nor yet the enormitie of lyfe excludeth from the mercy of god if there be tru contrition and an vnfayned chaunge of the harte from synnefull conuersation The these that hanged vpon the crosse asked mercye with a contryte harte and forthwith was made a citezen of Paradise and where as he deserued condemnation punyshement this contrite hart changed his peyn into martyrdome and his bloude into baptisme yet not withstandyng no mā ought vpon hope of goddis mercy stil to continue in sinfull lyuing Like as no man wold be sycke in his body vpon hope to recouer helth For such as wyll not forsake theyr wickednes and yet thinke that god wyl forgyue them be oftentymes so preuented with the iuste plage of god that neither they haue time to cōuert nor grace to receyue the benefitte of forgyuenesse Therfore scripture saith Slacke not to conuert and tourne to god And linger not from day to day For his angre wyll come sodeynly in the time of vengeance he wyll distroy the. Wherfore imbracyng the mercy of god on the one syde and fearynge the iustyce of god on the other side Let vs at no time neyther dispayre mā ought to reson ouer farre nor go about to compasse the will and worke of god by his weake sense and ymagination But we muste without further serching giue firme assent and credence vnto Christis almighty worde by the whiche heauen earth were made not trouble our wittes in labouryng to comprehend the power and might of god but rather stedfastly giuing fayth to his word apply our hole wil and affection to atteine the fruite and profite of this moste holy sacrament towardes our saluation according to th entent of Christis institution Who of his inestimable mercy loue towardes vs willing that we shuld haue perfit hope strēgth comforte and ioy in him and that we shuld haue cōtinuall remembrance of his most dere charitie shewed towardes vs in his death and passion dyd institute this sacrament as a permanent memorial of his mercy and the wonderful worke of our redemptiō a perpetual fode nourishement for our spiritual sustentation in this dangerous passage and trauaile of this wretched life It is therfore necessary that in the vsyng receiuing beholding of this sacramēt we haue harty remēbrance of our most louing dere sauiour Iesu Christe that is to say that we thinke effectuously of his most bitter passiō whiche he being the lord of glory suffred for vs. And to be waile our synnes which were cause of the sayd death passion callyng mekely for grace and the mercy of god which most abundantly is obteined by the vertue merite of the same passion And thinking that our lord which gaue him self in that maner for vs wyll not forsake vs or cast vs awaye but forgiue vs if we truely repent and wyll amende become faithfull seruantes to hym whiche so derely hath bought vs paied for vs neither golde ne yet siluer as sainte Peter saith but his owne precious bloud Wherfore seinge we be so bought i. Pet. i. we muste know that we be not our owne that is to say We may not be at the libertie wildnes of our owne fleshe nor we maye not be seruantes to the worlde nor the deuyl but we must be seruantes to our lord maister Iesu Christ in all obediēce vnto rightwisenes godlines according to his wil cōmandementes Therfore when so euer we shall receyue or vse this holy sacrament we must take hede and haue reuerence to the maiestie therof and beware that we come not vnworthely thervnto i. Cor. xi For as saint Paule saith He that eateth of that heauēly fode or drinketh of the cuppe of our lord vnworthely that is to say without due reuerence faith repentance charitie the feare of god he eateth drinketh his own dānation bicause he putteth no difference betwene the body of our lord and other meates And further truly sense christen men ought to haue remembrāce of god whensoeuer they go to theyr bodely meate or drinke receiue it not without thanckes giuing vnto god as saint Paule saith whether ye eate or drink or whatsoeuer ye do i. Cor. x. do it in the name of our lord Iesu Christ how moch more ought all christen men whan they come to be fed at the table of our lorde and to receiue this blessed and glorious sacrament to haue special entier deuotion with most thāckefull remembrance to god for his goodnes declared towardes vs in the benefite of our redemptiō And therfore amonges other names this sacrament is called Eucharistia that is to saye the sacrament of thankes and blessinge For as moche as it setteth before vs and doth exhibite vnto vs the very price of our redemtion and saluation whiche is the body of our lorde that suffred and died for vs. Furthermore here is to be noted as touching the receyuyng of this sacrament that although our sauiour Iesus Christ at the first institution therof in his supper did minister it vnto his disciples thā present vnder both the kindes of bread wine Yet that fascion maner of ministring is not so necessary to the receyuer excepte it be
is in heauen aboue or in earthe benethe or in the water vnder the earth to the entent to do any godly honour and worshyppe vnto them BY THESE wordes we be not forbydden to make or to haue similitudes or ymages but onely we be forbydden to make or to haue them to thintent to do godly honour vnto them as it appereth in the .xxvi. chapiter of Leuiticus And therfore although ymages of Christ and his saintes be the workes of mennes handes only Yet they be not prohibited but that they maye be had and sette vp bothe in churches in other places to the intent that we in beholdyng and loking vppon them as in certaine bokes and signes may call to remembraunce the manifolde exaumples of vertues whiche were in the sainctes whome they do represent And so may they rather be prouoked kindled and styred to yelde thankes to our lorde and to prayse hym and his sayde sayntes and to remembre and lamente our synnes and offences and to pray god that we may haue grace to folow their goodnes and holy lyuyng As for an example the image of our sauiour hangeth on the crosse in the roode or is paynted in clothes walles or wyndowes as an open boke to the intente that besydes the examples of vertues whiche we maye learne at Christe we maye be also many wayes prouoked to remembre his peynfull and cruell passion and also to consyder our selues whan we beholde the same image and to condemne and abhorre our sinne whiche was the cause of his so cruell deathe And farthermore consideringe what high charitie was in hym that wolde dye for vs his enemies and what greate dangers we haue escaped and what high benefites we receiue by his redemption we maye be prouoked in all our dystresses and troubles to rounne for comforte vnto hym And these lessons with many mo be brought to our remembrance by the boke of the roode if we beyng fyrst wel instruct and taught what is represented and ment therby do dilygently beholde and loke vpon it And as our sauiour Christe is represented by this ymage of the roode euen so the holy saintes which folowed him be represented vnto vs by theyr ymages and therfore the said images may well be set vp in churches to be as bokes for vnlerned people to put them in remembrance of those sayntes of whom they maye learne exaumples of faith humilitie charitie pacience temperance and of all other their vertues and giftes of god whiche were in theym for whiche causes ymages may be sette in the churche and ought not to be despised but to be vsed reuerently althoughe we be forbidden to do any godly honor vnto them These lessons shulde be taught by euerye curate to their parrishe And where as we vse to sense the sayde ymages and to knele before them and to crepe to the crosse with such other thinges Yet we wust knowe and vnderstande that suche thynges be not nor ought to be done to the image it self but to god and in his honour although it be done afore the image whether it be of Christe of the crosse or of our lady or of any other saint Against this commandement dyd offende generally before the commynge of Christe all gentiles and people that were of the nation of Israell For they dyd godly honour vnto images and worshipped false goddis some one some an other of the whiche sorte there was a great number For besydes their common goddis euery countrey euery cytie or towne euery house and familye had theyr propre goddis wherof is moche mencion made in authours bothe christen and heathen And these Gētiles though they had knowlege of a very god yet as saint Paule saith they had ydell and vayne fantasies which led them from the truthe where they compted them selues wise they became fooles And agaynst this commandement offended the Iewes many and sundry tymes and almoste continually For not withstandinge that they professed the knowlege and worshipping of the very true god yet they fel to the adoration of ymages idols and false goddes as the holy scripture maketh mention in many places Also all they do greatly erre whiche put difference betwene image and image trustynge more in one than in an other as thoughe one coulde helpe or do more than an other whan bothe do represente but one thinge and sauyng by way of representation neither of thē is able to worke or do any thinge And they also do erre that be more ready with their substance to decke images gorgiousely than with the same to helpe poore christen people the quicke and lyuing images of god whiche is the necessary worke of charitie commanded by god And they also offende that so dote in this behalfe that they make vowes and go on pylgremages euen to the images and there do call vpon the same ymages for ayde and helpe phantasyng that either the image woll worke the same or elles some other thinge in the image or god for the image sake as thoughe god supernaturally wrought by ymages carued ingrauen or painted brought ones in to churches as he doth naturally worke by other his creatures In whiche thinges if any person heretofore hath or yet dothe offende all good and learned men haue great cause to lamente suche errour and rudenes and to put their studies and diligences for the reformation of the same The exposition of the thirde commandement of god Thou shalt not take the name of thy lorde god in vayne IN this commandement god requireth of vs to vse his name with all honour and reuerence Whervppon you shall vnderstande that the right vse of the name of god and the true honour of the same standeth chiefely in those thinges folowinge that is to saye in the constant confession of his name and mainteyning of his doctrine in the ryghte inuocation of him in the gyuyng of due thankes vnto hym as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie For Christ saith Math. x. He that opēly confesseth me before men I shall confesse him before my father in heauen And he that is ashamed of me to confesse my name before men I wylle be ashamed of hym before my father in heauen In whiche wordes Christe teacheth vs not onely to professe the name of god but also boldly and constantly to defend the same and not to swarue from it for any maner of persecution or iniurie We must also in our tribulation and necessitie and in all temptations and assaultes of the deuyll inuocate and cal vpon the name of god for god accompteth his name to be halowed magnified and worshipped whan we call vpon hym in our nede Call vppon me saythe he in the tyme of trouble Psal xlix and I wyll delyuer the Pro. xviii and thou shalt honour me And agayne the wise man saithe The name of god is the most stronge towre the rightuous man runneth to it and he shall be holpen Furthermore we may not seke our own name laude and fame but vtterly avoyde and
all other euyll behauyour of our tongue agaynste our neyghbours whiche all be forbidden by this commaundemente for they be rootes and occasions of murther and other bodely hurte The contrary of all these thynges be commanded by this commandement that is to saye that we shulde with our hartes loue our neyghbours and with our tonges speake well of them and to theym and in our actes and dedes do good vnto them shewyng towardes them in harte worde and dede pacience mekenes mercy and gentylnes yea thoughe they be our aduersaryes and ennemies And that this is the true sence and meanyng of this commandement it appereth by the expositiō of our sauiour Christe in the gospell Math. ◠where he declareth that we shulde neyther hurte any man in dede nor speake of hym or vnto hym maliciousely or contemptuousely with our tounges nor beare malice or angre in our hartes But that we shulde loue them that hate vs say well by them that saye euyll by vs and do good vnto them that do euyll vnto vs. And accordynge to the same sayeng of Christ saynt Iohn sayth also That he that hateth his brother ◠Ioan. iii. is a manqueller It is not forbydden by this commaundement but that al rulers and gouernours as princes iudges fathers maisters and suche other maye for the correction of theym whyche be vnder theyr gouernance vse suche maner of punysshemente eyther by rebukefull or sharpe wordes or by bodyly chastysing as the lawes of euery realme do permitte And not onely they may do thus but also they be bound so to do onles they se reasonable cause to the contrary and offende god if they do it not as is before declared in the .v. commaundement All rulers also muste beware and take hede that in theyr corrections and punishmentes they do not procede vpon any priuate malyce of their hartes or displeasure towardes any man or for any lucre fauour or feare of any persō but that they haue theyr eye and consideration only vpon the reformation amendment of the person whom they do correct or elles vpon the good ordre and quietnes of the common weale so that styll there may remayne in theyr hartes charitie and loue towardes the person they punyshe And lyke as the father loueth his chylde euen whan he beateth him Eeuen so a good iudge whan he gyueth sentence of death vppon any gylty person although he shewe outwardly sharpenes rigour yet inwardely he ought to loue the person and to be sorye and heauy for his offences and for the death whiche he hym selfe by the lawe doth and must nedes condemne him vnto And although inferiour rulers and gouernours maye correcte and punysshe suche as he vnder their gouernaunce yet they maye not punysshe by deathe nor mutilate maime or imprison them or vse any corporall violence towardes theym otherwyse then is permitted by the hyghe gouernour that is to say by the prince and his lawes from whom al suche authoritie doth come For no man may kylle or vse suche bodily coertion but onely princes and they whiche haue authoritie frome princes ne the sayde princes nor any for them may do the same but by and accordyng to the iuste ordre of theyr lawes and ordinances Moreouer no subiectes may drawe theyr swordes agaynst theyr prynce for any cause what so euer it be nor agaynst any other sauynge for laufull defence without theyr princes lycence And it is theyr duety to draw theyr swordes for the defence of theyr prynce and realme whan soo euer the prynce shall commande theym so to do And althoughe princes whiche be the chiefe and supreme heades of theyr realmes do otherwise than they ought to do Yet god hathe assigned no iudges ouer them in this worlde but wyl haue the iugement of them reserued to himselfe and wil punyshe them whan he seeth his time And for amendement of such princes that do otherwise than they shulde do the subiectes maye not rebell but must praye to god whyche hath the hartes of princes in his handes that he so turne theyr hartes vnto him that they maye vse the sworde which he hath gyuen them vnto his pleasure Agaynste this commandement offende al they whyche do kyll mayme or hurte any man without iuste ordre of the lawe and gyueth counsayle ayde fauour prouocation or consent therto And also all they whyche maye yf they wyll by theyr authoritie or laufull meanes delyuer a man from wrongfull death mutulation hurte or iniury and wyll not do it but wyll wyncke therat and dissemble it be transgressours of this commādement And al iudges which seyng no sufficient matter or cause of death or vpon lyght triall without sufficient examination and discussion gyue sentence of death or whan the matter or cause of death is sufficient and the triall good yet delyte in the deathe of the person be transgressours of this cōmandement And lykewyse be all those whiche in causes of lyfe deathe beyng impanelled vpon inquestes do lyghtly cōdemne or endite any person without sufficient euidence examination and discussion of the informations gyuen vnto them And moreouer all those whiche either in such causes do gyue false euidence or information eyther wittyngly contrary to their owne conscience or doubtynge of the truth of those informations or without sufficient examination do promote enforce or mainteine such euidences informatiōs or inditementes do also breake this commandement So do all they whiche wyllyngly do kyll themselfe for any maner of cause for so to doo there can be no pretence of lawfulle cause ne of iust order And therfore he that so dothe kylleth at ones both body and sowle Fynally all they whiche beare hatred and malyce agaynste their neyghbours and eyther malyciousely speake wordes of contempte dyspite checkynge cursynge and suche other or elles publysshe theyr neyghbours offences to theyr sclander rather than to theyr amendemente And generally all they that liue in yre malice enuy and murmuringe at other mens welth or reioysing at other mens trouble or hurt or suche other like they offende all againste this precepte The exposition of the seuenthe commandement of god Thou shalt not cōmitte adultery ALthough this word Adultery doth signifie properly the vnlaufull commixtion of a maryed man with anye other woman than with his owne wyfe or elles of a maried woman with any other man than her owne husbande yet in this commandement it is taken not onely for that but also for all maner vnlaufull copulation betwene man and woman maried and vnmaried and all maner of vnlaufull vse of those partes whiche be ordeyned for generation whether it be by adultery fornication incest or any other meane And in laufull matrimonye a man may breake this commandement and lyue vnchaste with his owne wyfe yf he do vnmeasurably or inordinatly serue his or her fleshely appetite or lust And of such the deuyll hath power as the angel Raphael sayde vnto Thoby Tob. vi They that marrye in suche wyse that they
spiritual or temporal yet do not ther office belōging thervnto be transgressours of this commandemēt And so al they which take wages or fee pretēdyng to deserue it and yet do not in deede as laborers and hyred seruantes whiche loyter and do not applye theyr busynesse And lyke wyse aduocates proctours attourneys counsaylours in any of the lawes whiche sometyme for lyttell payne take moche stipende or by their defaut negligence marre good causes or do any thynge to the hinderance of spedy iustyce for theyr aduauntages do transgresse this commandement Also all ydell vacabundes and sturdy beggers whiche beynge able to get theyr liuynge by labour take suche almes wherwith the poore and impotent folkes shulde be releued and susteyned do offende against this commandement Moreouer all they transgresse this commandement which bye any stoolne goodes knowing that they be stoolne or that bye thynges of theym that haue none authoritie to sell them or alienate them yf they knowe the same And lykewise do they whiche withholde goodes stoolne or that fynde thynges lost and knowinge the owner therof wyll not restore them or wyl not do their diligence to knowe the owner They also whiche defraude theyr hyred seruantes of their due wages and they that borowe anye thynge or reteyne any thyng delyuered vnto them vpon truste and wyll not restore the same agayne And they that vse false weyghtes or mesures or deceytefull wares or sell theyr owne wares at an vnreasonable price farre aboue the iuste value And they that ingrosse and bye vp any kynde of wares holely into theyr owne handes to the intent that they may make a scarcenes therof in other mēs handes and sell it againe as they lyste And generally all couetous men whiche by any meanes vnlaufully gette or vnmercifully kepe their goodes from theym that haue nede be transgressours and breakers of this commaundement The exposition of the nynth commandement of god Thou shalt not beare false wytnesse agaynst thy neyghbour BY this commaundement is forbydden all maner of lying sclanderyng bakbyting false reportyng false accusyng euyll counsaylynge and all such mysusyng of our tonge to the hurt of our neighbours whether it be in theyr bodye or goodes Iacob ii◠or in theyr good name and fame The apostle saynt Iames likeneth the tong of a man vnto the bitte of an hors mouth which turneth the hole horse euery way as pleaseth hym that sytteth on the horse backe and he compareth it also to the healme of a shyp whereby all the hole shyp is ruled at the pleasure of him that gouerneth the healme And thirdly he compareth it vnto a sparke of fyer which if it be suffred wyl burne vp an hole towne or citie And surely all these comparisons be verye apte and mete For the tongue of a man no doubt is the chiefe stay of all the hole body eyther to do muche good or to do muche hurt The voyce of the tounge perceth the hartes of hearers and causeth them to conceyue of other men good or euyll opinion It kyndleth or quencheth contentiō It disposeth men to warre or peace and moueth the hearers sundry ways to goodnes or vyce And like as the greate ragious flames that goo from house to house come but of one sparkell whiche in the begynning mought haue ben easily quenched but by neglygence and sufferaunce encreaseth and waxeth so great that no man can resist it And lyke as fire is a greate cōmoditie many wayes if it be well and wysely vsed contrary an vtter destruction if it be suffered and not taken hede vnto Euen so of mans tounge althoughe it be a very small membre of the body yet there commeth excedyng great benefites both to him self and to others if it be wel and wisely gouerned And contrarywyse if no hede be taken thervnto but be suffred to runne at large than it is not one euyll alone but a roote and occasion or rather a heapyng togither of all euyls And bycause that of the tonge commeth so moche good or so muche euyll Therfore by this commaundement is not onely forbidden all euyll vse of the tonge to the hurt of our neighbours but also in the same is commanded all the good vse of the tonge to the benefite of our neighbours as to be true and plaine in our wordes to be faithfull in couenantes bargaines and promyses to testifie the truth in all courtes iugementes and other places to report well of them that be absent to gyue good counsayle and exhortation to all goodnes to dyssuade from all euyl And whan we knowe any man to do amysse not to publyshe his faute to other men to his sclander but rather to admonishe him priuily betwene him and vs and to seke his reformatiō to speake wel by our ennemies to pacifie and set at one theym that be ennemies to excuse them and to answere for them that be vniustly slaundered and generally in all other thynges to vse our tounges in truthe to the wealthe of our neyghbours Agaynst this commandement offende all they which by lying and vttering of false speche deceyue and hurte any man And suche lyers be the deuyls childrē For as saint Iohn saith in his gospell Ioan. viii The deuyll is a lyer and father of lyers And therfore byddeth saint Paule Ephe. iiii That we shulde put away lyinge and speke trouth euery man to his neighbour They also offende againste this cōmandement which be detractours backebiters and sclanderers whom the wiseman doth liken vnto serpentes that priuely byte or sting men behinde Eccl. ◠whan they be not ware therof And surely such men what so euer they pretende go not about to heale and amende theym that do amysse but rather do satisfie theyr owne malyce and sclanderous tongues For lyke as the surgeon that wyl heale a wounde dothe couer it and bynde it that it take no open ayre So yf we intend the amendment of our neighbours fau◠we must not open it abrode to his hurt but we must be sory and pray to god for him so taking him to vs we must priuely counsaile and exhort him And this louyng correction wyll make him beware and take hede that he offende no more But if we tel his fautes fyrst to one and after to an other and charge euery one to kepe counsaile as though we had tolde it to no mo this is no amendment of his faute but a declaration of our owne and a reprehension of our selues in that we vtter forthe vnto other that thyng which we our selues iudge not to be vttered And surely we condemne our selues therin for we shulde fyrst haue kepte it secrete to our selues if we wolde not an other man shulde vtter the same And therfore the wyse man sayth Eccl. xix If thou hast herde any thing against thy neighbour let it dye within the and be sure it wyll not burst the. An in an other place As euyll is be that backebiteth priuely as the serpent whiche styngeth vnwares