felony but also by hys other reason of a woulfe in a lambys skynne all maner of witnesse in euery mater For in euery mater maye it happen that he that semeth a lambe maye be in dede a woulfe and be nought where he semeth good and swere false where he semeth to saye trewe And therfore thys patche of thys pacyfyâ—r concernyng wytnesses euery wysâ— man may bere wyt nesse 〈◊〉 there is 〈◊〉 wyt therin and lesse good wolde growe tâ—erof yf folke wolde folowe hys â—uencyon and make of the lawes a chaunge The .xlii. chapyter ANd in y â— chapyter there that begynneth Statuta queâ—â—â— yt is decreed that yf the bishoppe or othâ—â— enquereâ—â—s of herely se that any great daunger myghte come to the accusoâ—â—s or wytnes of heresye by the great power of them that be accused that then they may commaunde that the names of the accusâ—urs or witnes shal not be shewâ—d but to the bishoppe or enqueroâ—rs or such other lerned men as be called to them and that shall suffyce though they be not 〈◊〉 to the partye And for the more inâ—â—mpnytye of the sayde accusours and wytnesse yt is there decreed that the bysshoppe or enquerours may enioyne such as they haue shewed the names of such wytnes vnto to kepe them close vppon payn of 〈◊〉 for disclosyng that secrete wythout theyr lycenâ— And â—urely 〈…〉 that a man shall be coÌ„dâ—mâ—â—â—d and not knowe the names of tâ—â—m that be causeâ—â— thâ—rof â—nd though the sayde lawe seme to be 〈◊〉 vppon a good consyderaâ—yon for the 〈◊〉 of the accusours and witnes 〈…〉 that that coÌ„syderacyâ—n can 〈…〉 to proue the law reasonable Fâ—r yt semeth that the accusours wytnes myght be saued fro daunger by a nothâ—â— wâ—y and that is by this way If the 〈◊〉 or enquerâ—â—â— drede that the 〈◊〉 and wytnes myght take hurt as is sayde before then myght they shew yt 〈◊〉 the kynge and to his counsayle beseâ—â—â—â—g his grace of helpe in that behalfe to â—â—ue and defende the accusours and witâ—es fro the extort power of theym that be accâ—â—â—d And yf they wolde do so yt is not to suppose but that the kynge wolde sufyciently prouyde for theyr sauegarde But for as myche as yt sholde seme that spyrytuall men somwhat pretende to punyshe hereâ—yes onely of theyr own power wythout callyng for any assystence of the temporal power therfore they make such lawes as may helpe forth theyr purpose as they thynke but surely that is not thâ— charytable way to put the knowledge of the names of the accusours and wytnes fro hym that ys accused for yf he knewe them he myght percase alledge proue so great and so vehement cause of racour and malyce in them that accuse hym that theyr sayenges by no lawe ought not to stande agaynste hym And that spyrytuall men pretende that they onely shuld haue the hole inquyry and pynyshement of heresye yt appereth extra the heretices li. vi cap. Vtâ—inquisitionis perag Prohibemus where all powers and all lordes temporall and rulers be prohybyte that they shall not in any maner â—â—ke knoweledge or iudge vppon heresye syth yt ys mere spyrytuall and he that inquyreth of heresy taketh knowledge of heresy And so the somme called Summa rosella taketh yt titulo excommunicat perag iiij And yf that be â—rew yt semeth then that all instyces of peace in thys realme be excommunycate for they by authoryte of the kynges commyssyone and also by statute enquyre of heresyes And I thynke yt is not in the chyrch to prohybyte that for though yt were so that the temporal men maye not iudge what is heresye and what not yet they may as yt semeth by theyr own authoryte enquyre of yt and informe the ordynarye what they haue founde And also yf a metropolytane with all his clergye and people of his dyocyse fell into heresye yt wolde be harde to redresse yt wythout temporall power And therfore temporall men be redye and are bounde to be redye to oppresse heresyes wheÌ„ they ryse as spyrituall men be And therfore spyrytuall men may not take all the thanke to theym selfe when heresyes be punyshed as though theyr charytie power onely dyd yt for they haue thye fauour and helpe of temporall men to do yt or els many times it wold not be brought aboute The prouysyon of the law that he speketh of was made as appereth vppon a greate cause in the aduoydynge of the great dauÌ„geour y â— myght in some specyall case happen to those by whose meanes heresyes were detected and conuycted But thys lawe thys pacifyer accompteth sore and vncherytable and deuyseth as he thynketh a better But his deuyce ê‘adueÌ„ture though it wolde serue in some one lande wolde yet not serue in some other they that made that law made it as it myght serue moste generally thorow chrystendome where as thys deuise though it myght serue in England myght not haue serued well in many places of Almayne that are peruerted synnys not euyn whyle y â— mater was in a mameryng before the chauÌ„ge was made But surely that lawe and other of olde made agaynste heresyes yf they had bene in Almayne dewly folowed in y â— begynnyng the mater hadde not there gone out at length to suche an vngracyouse endynge And vndowtedly yf the prynce and prelates the noble men of this realme the good peple of the same had not bene dylygent in the tyme of the prince of famouse memory kyng Henry the .iiii. bothe to haue agaynste heresies those lawes of the chyrch kepte wyth whyche thys pacyâ—ier fyndeth now these fautes and also to make greate prouisions agaynst it bysyde it was than very lykely and comynge to the poynt as vtterly to haue subuerted the fayth in thys realme here as it hath done synnys in any parte of Swycherlande or Saxony And also the dowte that this pacyfyer putteth iÌ„ excepcyoÌ„s to be layed by the party agaynst the accuâ—ours or wyâ—nesse syth the knowledge of the party lacketh must be supplyed the more effectually by the iudges to enquyre and enserch by theyr wysedomes whyther any suspycyon of â—â—â—yll wyl or other corrupcyoÌ„ myghte lede the wytnesse or accusers any thyng to depose or do in the mater wherin yf dylygence be by the iudges vsed it wyll be very harde y â— any suche thynge sholde be of any weyghte but they shall here therof and maye consyder the mater accordynge And on the tother syde the reâ—â—â—dy that he deuyseth for the sureiye of the wytnessys sholde not peradueÌ„ture make thâ— men so bold as in a cause of heresy to medle in y â— mater aâ—aynst some maner of man but that they rather wold for 〈◊〉 owne surety kepe theyr owne tonges styll than wyth all the suretye that coulde be founden theym bysyde haue theyr parsons dysclosed vnto the party And as touchynge the 〈◊〉 of thys pacyfyer that the spâ—rytualty pretende â—o that 〈◊〉 man shold haue the enquery and punysshemâ—nt of heresyes the lawes
constanâ—yne coulde stele awaye elâ—ys had neuer any of them any strype or stroke gyueÌ„ them so mych as a â—ylyppe on the forhed And some haue sayde that whan CoÌ„stantyne was goten away I was fallen for anger in a wonderfull rage But surely though I wolde not haue suffred him go if it wold haue pleased hym to haue taryed stylle in the stockes yet whan he was neyther so feble for lacke of meate but that he was stronge inough to breke the stockes nor waxeÌ„ so lame of hys leggys wyth â—yenge but y â— he was lyâ—hte inough to lepe the wallys nor by aâ—y myssehandelyng of his hâ—d so dulled or dased in hys brayn but that he had wytte inough whaÌ„ he was onys out wysely to walke hys waye neyther was I than so heuy for the losse but that I hadde youth inough left me â—o were it out nor so angry wtih any man of myne y â— I spake theÌ„ any euyll word for the mater more then to my porter that he sholde se the stockes meÌ„ded and locked faste that the prysoner stale not in agayne And as for CoÌ„stantyne hym selfe I coulde in good fayth good thanke For neuer wyll I for my part be so vnreasonable as to be angry wyth any man that ryseth if he can whaÌ„ he fyndeth hâ—m selfe that he sytteth not at hys ease But now tell the brethern many meruaylouse lyes of myche cruell tormentynge thâ—t heretykes hadde in my house so farforth that one Segar a boke seller of CaÌ„brydge whyche was in myne house about foure or fyue days and neuer hadde eyther bodely harme done hym or fowle worde spoken hym whyle he was in myne house hath reported syns as I heare say to dyuerse that he was â—ouÌ„deâ—â—o a tree in my gardeyn and thereto to pytâ—ousely beten and yet besyde that bounden about the hed wyth a corde wrongen that he fell downe dede in a swowne And this tale of his betyng dyd Tyndale tell to an old acquaytaunce of his owne and to a good louer of myne with one pyece farther yet y â— whyle the man was in betynge I spyed a lytle purse of his hangynge at his doublette wherin the pore man hadde as he sayde fyue marke â–ª and that caught I quyckely to me and pulled yt from his doublette and put yt in my bosome and that Segar neuer sawe yt after and therin I trow he sayd trew for no more dyd I neyther nor byfore neyther nor I trowe no more dyd Segar hym selfe neyther in good fayth But now when I can come to goodes by suche goodly waâ—s it is no great meruayle though I be so sodaynly groweÌ„ to so great substauÌ„ce of rychesse as Tyndale tolde hys acquayntauÌ„ce and my frend to â—hom he sayd that he wyst wel â—hat I was no lesse worth in money and plate and other mouables then twenty thousande markes And as myche as that haue dyuerse of the good bretherne affermed here neâ—er home And surely this wyll I coÌ„fesse that yf I haue heped vp so myche good to gether then haue I not goteÌ„ the tone half by ryghte And yet by all the theuys murderers and heretyques that euer came in my handes am I not I thanke god the rycher of one grote yet haue they spent my twayn Howe be yt yf eyther any of them or of any kynde of people ellys that any cause haue had byfore me or other wyse any medelyng wyth me fynd hym selfe so sore greued wyth any thyng that I haue taken of his he hadde some tyme to speke therof And now syth no man cometh forth to aske any restytucyoÌ„ yet but hold theyr peace and slacke theyr time so longe I geue them all playn peremptory warnâ—nge now that they dreue yâ— of no lenger For yf they tarye tyll yesterday then come aske so great somes among them as shall amount to twenty thousande marke I purpose to purchace suche a proteccyon for them that I wyll leue my selâ—e lesse then the fourth parte euyn of shrewdenâ—s rather then euer I wyll pay theÌ„ And now dare I say that yf this pacyfyer hadde by experyence knowen the trouthe of y â— kynde of people he wold not haue geuen so myche credence to thâ—yre lamentable coÌ„playnynges as yt semeth 〈◊〉 by some of his Some sayes he doth How by yt what fayth my wordes wyll haue wyth hym in these myne owne causes I can not very surely saye nor yet very greâ—tly caâ—e And yet stande I not in so myche dout of mâ— selfe but that I truste well that among many good honeste men among whych sorte of folke I truste I may â—eken hym myne own worde wold alone euen in myne own cause be somwhat better byleued then wold y â— othes of some twayn of this new bretherhed in a mater of a nother man The. xxxvii chapyter BUt nowe to come to some spyrytuall mens causes agaynst whome there are layde lyke lyes one Symondes a long well knowen heretyke walkynge about the realme way taken not longe â—go by y â— offycers oâ— the right reuerende father my lord bysshoppe of winchester beyng put in a chamber to kepe and brekynge oute at a wyndow hath tolde many of his bretherne syns that he was meruaylousely tormented by the byshoppes offycers in pryson and sholde haue ben murthered therin to and that elles he wolde neuer haue runne his way But he wold neuer syns complayne of his harmes to the kynge or hys counsayle but wyll rather of perfeccyon suffer them al pacyently then 〈◊〉 purâ—ew proue them wyth his forthe commynge agayn wolde god this pacyfyer myght haue thexamynacyon of that mater It wolde peradueÌ„ture do hym great good hereafter to fynde oute the trewth of suche a false heretyques tale And nowe not wythstandynge that the brethern boste myche of his happy scape yet yf he happed to dye or be hanged somewhere there as no man wyste where but they they wolde not let for a nede to say that he scaped not at al but was priuyly kylled in pryson and pryuyly caste away For so sayde some of them by George CoÌ„stantine not onely vppon his fyrst flyght out of my keping but also euen now of late not wythstaÌ„dyng that they well knowe that many marchauntes of our own had sene hym syns laugh make mery at Intwarpe Suche luste haue these blessed bretherne y â— euer talke of faith and sprete and trouth and veryte continually to deuyse and imagyne lyes of malyce and hatered agaynste all those that labour to make theÌ„ good And suche a pleasure hath eyther Fryth hym selfe or els some other false â—olysshe bretherne of his secte For he told one or twayn and caused the bretherne to blowe it ferther aboute that worde was sente hym into the towre that the chauÌ„cellour of London sayde it sholde coste hym the beste bloude in hys body Now whyther Fryth lyed or hys felowes let them draw cut bytwene them For surely where they tell it vnder suche maner as though mayster
sayenge or whether he had a minde to be reformed or noâ—â— and that is a very â—ore way our lorde be more mercyfull to our soules then so greuoâ—â—ely to punyshe vs for euery lyght deâ—aute Thys processe were a prety pyece and somwhat also to y â— purpose yf thys pacyfyers doctoring were a good profe that the spyrytuall iudges knew not this tale before nor wyste what appertayned vnto theyr parte in thys mater vntyll thys pacyfyer taughte them thys greate secrete 〈…〉 Sâ—mma â—osella so 〈◊〉 a boke to fynde so harde to vnderstande that very few men hadde medeled wych it byfore But the tale is not so mych tolde of any pryde to teache them as of cheryte to teache vs to take byleue for trew euery false fayned tale wyth whych any man lyste to bylye them For vppon thys lesson he bryngeth in as you se hys cherycable infamacyon of the clergyes crueltye makynge men wene it were so vnder his fayre fygure of lamentacioÌ„ great pytye that it were yf it sholde be so but yet it is he sayth reported so some saye that it is so But surely some say agayne that lyke as there is nothyng so euyll but that some maye happe to do it so is there nothynge so false but some may happe to saye it And some other saye also that lyke as there is nothyng so false but some man may happe to saye it so can no maÌ„ say any thing so false but some man vnder precexce of pacyfyenge maye happe to repete reporte it For as 〈◊〉 all that gaye reported tale that some ley men say that some spyrytuall men haue 〈◊〉 great desyre to haue men abâ—ured or to hâ—ue extreme punyshement for 〈◊〉 that yf any wyll wytnesse that a man haue spoken any thyng that is heresye though he speke yt but of ignorauÌ„ce 〈…〉 all this tale though he tell ty but as yt were by some spyrytuall men yet is yt tolde to make all laye men wene that those some spyrytuall men were so great a somme that it were some great cause of all this great grudge and dyuysyon whyche he sayth that the temporaltye now hath in this realme agaynste the spyrytualty in maner vnyuersally wherin he maketh yet as I truste in maner an vnyuer sall lye syth I can yet se no such vnyuersall cause lest cause of all in this poynt specyally whyche most specyally as y â— sorest the moste cruell â—eyghnouse poynt in sundry places of his boke this pacyfyer preacheth and preaceth vpon that is to wyt the myshandelynge of men in y â— cause of heresy makyng men wene wyth his heyghnouse handelynge that the spyrytuall iudges in thys realme handeled that thyng so cruelly that all the worlde had cause to wonder and grudge thereat But when all his holsome holy babelynge is done euery maÌ„ may se these thre thynges trew Fyrst that syth in punysshynge of heresyes there is a good while hath ben so litle besynes in all the shyres of Englande and walys bothe about examynacyon and punycyon of heretykes excepte onely London and Essex and those are both in one dyocyse his some spyrytuall men that he wolde haue seme so great â— somme are yet of trouthe so few that he semeth in maner to poynte them wyth his fynger and myght as well in maner reherse theÌ„ euyn by name Secundely of those same some so few yet is there some so lerned to whome the mater moste specyally pertayneth that yf this pacyfyer kepe no more connynge in his breste tâ—eÌ„ he putteth out in his boke as connynge as he weneth yt were he is no more able to reache some one of those the lessons that longe to the mater then he that lerned to spel is able and mete to teache a good mayster in grammer to rede Chyrdely y â— al his whole tale of theyr great desyre of mens shaâ—e or harme of their mishandelynge of men and of vncharitable dealyng is a very false fayned taâ—e and so hath ben all redy proued fouÌ„den in those y â— haue had there surmyse broughte forth vnto the tryall and so shal be prouâ—d agayne I doute yt not when so euer this pacyfyer wyll fall fro y â— babelyng of a generalty wherin he may poiâ—t spyce a false tale wyth suspycyouse wordes and come to the namynge of any one person specyall byfore any folke indyffereÌ„t offer hym self to y â— profe For lette hym come forth name any one whom he wyll and I warrauÌ„t you the dede shall shewe it selfe that the spyrytuall iudges which had the mater in hande were neyther suche as neded of thys pacyfyer to be taught what longed vnto ryght nor were so malycyouse and cruell but that they wolde be as loth as hym selfe to do them rygoure or wronge And he shall fynde whom so euer he wyll name that hath bene eyther punysshed or abiured that the maters whych haue bene layed vnto theym they haue not bene by any subtyle questyons enduced to confesse them but they haue ben both well proued agaynst them and neyther haue bene sleyghte nor lyghte nor so straunge artycles and vnknowen as they myght therin of ignoraunce or symplycyte so sore ouershote theymselfe But where thys pacyfyer speketh of passyons of wyllynge to be reformed surely yf he wyll so lyghtely perdon all passyoÌ„s that he wyll haue no man punysshed for any thynge done or sayd in a passyon than shall hys pytuouse affeccioÌ„ many tymes do mych harme by the takynge awaye of the punysshement wherof y â— fere is ordayned to refrayn the passyoÌ„ and to make other also forbere the lyke for any suche maner passyon For well ye wote men fall in aduowtry thorow such daÌ„pnable passyoÌ„s And by the passyon of 〈◊〉 and angre men fal into manslaughter And by a passyoÌ„ of pryde many a man falleth to treason And by the same passyon also men fall into heresye and sometyme ye wote well fall in a playne fraÌ„sye to And in theyr passyons of heresye they speke vngraâ—yousely contende agaynst the sacramentes and blaspheme our blessed lady and our sauyour hym selfe also horrybly dyspyse y â— holy howsell and make mockes and mowys of the masse rayle on Crystes owne blessed body and bloude in the blessed sacrament wyll thys pacyfyer that all these blasphemouse dampnable heretykes shal be spared for such desperat daÌ„pnable passyons If that way were allowed than were that 〈◊〉 most sure y â— agaynst all the fayth most could rayle and rage For than myghte it be sayd that the man was in a greate passyon Now as for wyllyng to be reformed I dare say that the spyrytuall iudges wold gladly se euery man and therin wolde gladly shewe them all the fauour they coulde but somtyme they can not shewe all the fauour that they fayne wolde For though they maye receyue hym and saue his lyfe at the fyrst tyme yet are they streyghted by the playne law that they
¶ The apologye of syr Thomas More knyght Syr Thomas More knyght to the crysten reders The fyrst chapyter SO well staÌ„d I not I thanke god good reader in myne own conceyte thereby so myche in myne owne lyghte but that I can somwhat with egall iudgement and an euyn yie byholde and coÌ„syder both my selfe and myne owne Nor I vse not to folowe the condycion of Isopes ape y â— thought her own babes so bâ—utuouse so farre passyng in all goodly feature and fauour nor the crow that accompted her own byrdes the fayrest of all the fowles that flew But like as some I se well there are that can somwhat lesse theÌ„ I that yet for all that put oute theyr workes in wrytynge so am I not so blynde vppon the tother syde but that I very well perceyue very many so farre in wyt and erudicyon aboue me that in such mater as I haue any thyng wryten yf other men as many wolde haue take yt in hand as could haue done yt better yt myght myche better haue becomeÌ„ me to let the mater alone then by wrytyng to pÌ„sume any thing to medle therwyth And therfore good reader syth I so well know so many meÌ„ so farre excell passe me in all such thynges as are requyred in hym that myght aduenture to put his workes abrode to stand and abyde the iudgemeÌ„t of all other men I was neuer so farre ouerâ—â—ne as eyther to loke or hope that â—â—ch fautes as in my writyng sholde by myne ouersyght escape me coulde 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of all other men 〈◊〉 forth vnspyed but 〈…〉 both by 〈…〉 perceyâ—â—d 〈◊〉 amoâ—â— so many â—adde breâ—â—erne as I wyâ—â— well wold be â—â—â—oth wyth thâ—Ì„ shold be both sought out and syfted to the vtteâ—most flake of branne and largely theruppon controlled and reproued But yet agaynste all thys â—eare this one thynge recomforted me that syth I was of one poynte very faste and sure that such thynges as I wâ—yte are consonaunt vnto the comen catholyque fayth determynacyons of Chrystes catholyque chyrch are clere confutacions of false blasphemouse heresyes by Tyndale and Barons puâ— forthe vnto the coÌ„trarye any great faute and intollâ—rabâ—e sholde they none finde of such maner sort and kynde as y â— reâ—ders shold in theyr soules peryshe and be destroyed by of whyche poysened fautes myne aduersaâ—yes bokes be full Now then as for other fautes of lesse wâ—yght and tolerable I nothynge douted nor do but that euery good chrysten reader wyll be so reasonable and indyfferent as to pardon in me the thyng that happeth in all other meÌ„ and that no suche man wyll ouer me be so sore an audytour ouer my bokes suche a sore controller as to charge me with any great losse by gatherynge to gether of many such thynges as are wyth very fewe men aughte regarded and to loke for suche exaâ—te cyrcumspeccy on and sure syght to be by me vsed in my wrytynge as except the prophetis of god and Cryste and his apostles hath neuer I wene be founden in any mannes elles byfore that is to wit to be perfyte in euery poynte clene from all maner of fautes but hath alway â—en holden for a thyng excusable though the reader in a longe worke perceyue that the wryâ—er haue as Horace sayth of Homere here and there some tyme fâ—llen in a litle slomber in whyche places as the reader seeth that the writer slept so vseth he of courtesy yf he can not slepe yet for coÌ„pany at the leste wyse to nappe and wynke with him and leue his dreme vnchekked whyche kynde of courtesy yf I sholde shew how often I haue vsed wyth Tyndale and Barons both wynkynge at theyr tolerable fautes and suche as I rather thought neglygently escaped them of ouersyght or foly then dylygently deuysed of wyly falsed or malyce yâ— I wolde adde all those fautes to theyr other then sholde I double in leÌ„gth all my bokes in whyche the bretherne fynd for the speciall faute that they be to longe all redy But all be it that whan I wrote I was as I haue tolde you bolded and encoraged by the comon custume of all indyffereÌ„t readers which wold I wyst well perdoÌ„ and holde excused suche tolerable ouersyght in my wrytyng as men may fynde some in any mannys all moste that euer wrote before yet am I now myche more glad and bolde whan I se y â— those folke whiche wolde faynest fynde my fawtes can not yet happen on them but after longe sekynge and serchynge for them for all theyr bysynesse taken there aboute are fayne to put for fawtes in my wrytynge suche thynges as well consydered shall appere theyr owne fawtes for the fyndynge For they fynde fyrste for a great fawte that my writyng is ouer longe and therfore to tedyouse to rede For whyche cause they say they will neuer onsvouchsaufe to loke theroÌ„ But than say they ferther that suche places of theym as are loked on by those that are lerned and can skyll be soone perceyued for nought my reasons of lytell force For they bost mych that they here somtyme diuers partes of my bokes answered and coÌ„futedfully in sundry of some mennes sermons though my name be forborne than they wysshe me there they saye for that it wolde do theyr hartes good to se my chekes redde for shame And ouer thys they fynde a greate fawte that I handle Tyndale and Barons theyr two newe gospellers with no fayrer wordes nor in no more courteyse maner And ouer thys I wryte they say in such wyse that I shew my selfe suspecte in the mater parciall toward the clergy And than they saye that my wurkes were wurthy myche more credence yf I had wryten more indyfferentely and had declared and made open to the peple the fawtes of the clergy And in this poynt they laye for a sample the goodly and godly mylde gâ—ntle fashyon vsed by hym who so euer he was that now lately wrote y â— boke of the deuisyon bytwene the temporaltye and the spyâ—ytualty whyche charytable mylde maner they say that yâ— I had vsed my wurkes wold haue ben redde both of many mo wyth mych better wyll And yet they saye bysydes â—ll thys that I do but pyke oute pyeces at my pleasure suche as I maye moâ—te easely â—eme to soyle leue out what me lyste and suche as wolde playnely proue the mater agaynste me And so they saye that I vse but crafte fraude agaynst Tyndale For as for â—rere Barons I perceyue by sundry wayes that the bretherhed â—peke myche lesse of hym eyther for that they find hym in theyr owne myndes well and fully answered or ellys y â— they take him in respecâ— of Tindale but for a man of a secunde sorâ—e And that mayâ— peraduenture be bycause he leueth out â—omwhat that Tindale taketh in that is to wyâ— the makynge of mockes and mowys agaynste the masse the blessed sacrament of the aulter But fynally
onward in his vnhappy iourney and maye by suche maner and meane of pacyfyenge within short processe be conuayed rounde aboute the realme and leue no place in peace Not y â— I wolde thynke the man that made that boke to be of suche malycyouse mynde as wyllyngly to sowe dyssensyon but that as me semeth he taketh at the lest wise vnware a wronge waye towarde the contrary and that the maner of his handelynge is farre froÌ„ such indyffereÌ„cye as he sholde vse that wolde make a loue day and appease any murmur and grudge of the laye people agaynste the prestes For he sheweth in the progresse of all hys processe that the grudge is borne by the teÌ„poraltye and the causes and occasions therof growen and gyuen in effecte all by the spyrytualtye â–ª whyche handelyng is not as me thynketh very myche indyfferent I lette passe that he which veryly wolde entende to pacyfye swage and appease a grudge wolde as myche as he conuenyentely myght extenuate the causes and occasions of the grudge But yf he wold nedes walke playnly forthe and take no such bye wayes he wold not yet at the leste wyse not accumulate exaggerate the greuys and by all the meanes he myghte make y â— greues appere many great and mooste odyouse Or fynally yf for hatered of theyr fawtes no fauour of theyr persons coulde cause hym to forbere that yet wold he forbere at the leste wyse to seke vppe and reherse causes of grudge before vnknowen vnto the partye whose dyspleasure he wolde asswage pacyfye But now thys appeasoure contrary wyse not onely dothe in all these thynges the coÌ„trary but bryngeth forthe also bysyde all thys some suche fautes mo as yf they were trewe were of the greatest weyghte and telleth theym as though they were trâ—we where they be very playne false in dede But now the good bretherne that boste it laye forthe for a greate token of temperaunce and good mynde towarde the spyrytualty that he forbereth to speke any thyng of y â— great open fawtes that many prestes be openly taken in as thefte robbery sacrilege and murder whereof in soundry shyres of the realme there are at euery sessyons openly fouÌ„den some And yet the moste parte of such fawtes as he speketh of he saith theÌ„ not as of him self nor affermeth theym not for trew â–ª nor as thynges neyther spokeÌ„ by the mouthes of very many but to mytygate the mater wyth he sayth no more but that thus by the clergye some say and some finde this fawte wyth theym and some fynde that and though that many smale sommes make a great what can he do therto can he lette men to speke or is he bounde to stoppe hys earys and here theym not or maye he not tell what he heareth some other saye And yet saye they ferther that he telleth indyfferentely the fawtes as well of the temporalty as of the spyritualty and wolde there shold not be bytwene the temporaltye and the spyrytualtye so myche as any one angry worde And therfore they saye that it can not be possyble that he wrote of any euyll entente syth no man can vse hym self neyther more myldely nor wyth more indyfference nor fynally with more tender cheryte But now to these excuses some other men answere agayne that the leuyng out of felonye sacrylege murder is rather a token of wylynes theÌ„ any forbering or fauour For syth he saw well y â— euery wyse man wolde answere in hym selfe that those greate horryble open euyls of suche desperate noughty wreches were not to be layed agaynst the clergy as the lyke in temporall wreches are not to be layed agaynste the teÌ„poralty he wolde therfore rather seke oute and hepe vppe a sorte of those thynges that myght by hys maner of handelynge sowne in the readers eares to be suche as the temporaltye myghte ascrybe and impute vnto therfore bere a gruge vnto the mayne multitude of the whole clergy and extende in substauÌ„ce vnto euery part And as touchyâ—ge that â–ª he sayth not the thynges as of hym selfe but bryngeth them in wyth a fygure of Some say to that poynt some other say that for that curtesy no man hath any cause to can hym any thanke For vnder hys fayre fygure of some say he maye ye wote well some saye that he so doth deuyse to brynge in all the myschyefe that any man can saye And yet ouer thys wythout hys masker of Some say he saith open faced some of the wurste hym selfe and that in some thynges y â— are as some trewe men saye not trewe Then as touchyng his indyfferency in tellynge the fautes of y â— teÌ„poralty to of trouth among a grete hepe of shrewd fautes rehersed agaynste the clergy for whyche the temporalty myghte yf the thynges were all trewe seme to haue great cause of grudge he reherseth also some fautes of y â— temporalty to as that they be to blame bycause they vse the prestes ouer familyarely and geue them ouer gay gownes or lyght coloured lyuereys one or two such thynges 〈◊〉 as though they might 〈◊〉 mended yet were of no such kynd as the prestes that so be â—elte wyth all haue ben wonte to fynd any cause 〈…〉 How be yt yet in one place to shewe his farther indyffeâ—ency he layeth against them both that the prestes agaynst laye people and laye people agaynste prestes haue vsed to haue euyll language and eyther agaynst other to speke vnsyttynge wordes And ther uppon she sheweth his tender charyte and sayth If all these wordes were prohybyted on bothe sydes â—ppon great payneâ— I thynke yâ— wolde do great good in this behalfe The .xiii. chapyter BUt now good readers yf that yt so were that one â—ounde two men staÌ„dyng to gether wold come steppe in betwene theym and berâ— them in hand they were about to fyght and wold wyth that worde putte the tone preteâ—â— backe with his hande and all to buffer the tother about the face and then go forth and say that he had parted a fray pacyfyed the partyes some men wolde say agayne as I suppose that he had as lyuâ— hys enmy were let alone with hym and therof abyde the aduenture as haue such a frend steppe in betwene to parte theym How be it yf this pacyfyer of this dyuysyon wyl say that this is nothyng lyke the present mater bycause he stryketh neyther parte but onely telleth the tone y â— tother 's fautes or ellys as he wyll saye telleth theÌ„ theyr fautes both yf yt so happeth good readers he found a man that were angry with his wife and happely not all wythoute cause yf this maker of the boke of dyuysâ—on wolde take vpon hym to go reconcyle them agayn to gether and helpe to make them at one and therin wold vse this waye that when he hadde theym both before hym and before all they re neyghbours to then sauynge for some chaung to make yt metâ— for they re persones â—lles he wolde
begynne holyly wyth y â— same wordes in effect wyth whyche he begynneth his indifferente mylde boke of dyuyâ—ion and for an enter into his mater fyrste wolde saye thus vnto them who may remember the state that ye stande in wythout great heuenesse and sorow of hert For where as in tymes passed hath reygned betwene you cherite mekenes coâ—â—orde peace there reygneth now angre and malyce deâ—ate dyuysyon and stryfe whych thynge to se so mysfortune betwene any two crysten folke is a thynge myche to be lamented then myche more to be lamented when yt myshappeth to fall betwene a maÌ„ his wyfe And many good neyghbours gretly meruayle I wysse vppon what causes this great grudâ—e is groâ—en And therfore â—o chenteâ—t that ye man râ—moue y â— causes and amende these maters therby then by the graâ—e of god agree I wyll tell you what I here men saye that the causes be And nowe after holy prologe made go forth and tell them that some folke say the wyfe hath this euyll condycyon and some other saye that she hath that euyll condicyon and yet other some saye that she hath a nother euyll condycyon and so wyth twenty dyuerse some sayes of other meÌ„ say there hym self by the pore woman all the mychyefe that any man could dyuyse to say and among those some thynges peradueÌ„ture trew which yet her husbande hadde neuer herde of byfore And some thinges false also wherof bycause y â— pacyfyer wolde be put vnto no profe he wold not saâ— them as of him felf but bryng theÌ„ forth vnder y â— fayre figure of some say And when he had all sayde then yet at the laste say thus mych of hym self As for these thynges here there I haue herd some other saye whether they say trewe or no the charge be theyrs for me But yet in good fayth good â—yster syth ye knowe that the dyspleasure and grudge that your husbande hath to you is growen vppon these causes I meruayle mych my self that you do vse the same condycions styll I wysse tyll you meke your self ameÌ„de them this anger of your husbande wyll neuer be well appeased Lo wyth suche wordes he voydeth the colour of hys fayre fygure of Some saye eyther by forgetfulnes or els by the playne fygure of foly For whan he sayth of hym self that she kepeth those euil condycyons styll and amendeth them not he sheweth y â— all hys Some sayes be of his owne sayenge though he myghte happely in some of them here some other saye so to bysyde But than yf amonge all these fawtes so myâ—dely rehersed agaynst her he wolde to shewe somwhat of hys indyfferencye tell her husband hys pars verse to and saye But yet forsothe your wyfâ— hath not geuen you so many causes of dyspleasure for nought For I wyll be playâ— wyth you and indyfferent bytwene you bothe you haue 〈◊〉 some thynges towarde her not delte very well nor lyke a good husbande your selfe For thys I knowe my selfe â–ª that ye haue vsed to make her to homely wyth you and haue suffred her to be to 〈◊〉 idle and suffred her to be to â—yche coâ—â—ersaunt amonge her gosseppys and you haue gyueÌ„ her ouer gaye gere and to mych money in her purse and surely tyll you mende all this gere for your part I can not myche meruayle though she do you dyspleasure And sometyme euyll wordes bytwene you causeth debate on bothe sydes For you call her as I here saye cursed quene shrew some saye that she byhynde your backe calleth you knaue cuckolde And I wysse suche wordes were well done to be lefte on bothe sydes for surely they do no good And therfore yf all theâ—e wordes were prohybyted on bothe sydes vppon greate paynes I thynke it wolde do great good in thys byhalfe Now gete you hense as wyfe as a calfe wolde I wene the good wyfe saye to thys good goostely pacyfyer For spake he neuer so myldely and wolde seme neuer so indyfferent though he loked therewyth ryght simply and helde vp also bothe hys handes holyly wolde therwith swere to the woman full depely y â— hys entent were good and that he nothynge mente but to brynge her husbande her at one wolde she thynke you for al that byleue hym I suppose veryly naye nor her husbande neyther yf he were wyse all though he saw some parte of hys tale trewe as none is so folysshe to saye all false that wolde wynne hym credence But byleue the husbande as he lyste I durste be bolde to swere for the wyfe that he shold neuer make her suche a fole as to byleue that he ment to mende the mater wyth rehersynge her fawtys mo then euer her husbande had herd of and some of them false to and than colour all hys tale wyth hys proper inuencioÌ„ of Some say But she wold for his some say shortly sai to hiÌ„ I pray you good maÌ„ Some saye gete you shortely hense For my husbande and I shall agre myche the soner yf no such brother Some say come wythin our dore Now of very trouth thys pacyfyer as some saye goth yet wurse to wurke iÌ„ his boke of dyuisyon then this Some say that we put for a sample bytwene the man hys wyfe For he gathereth fyrst all the causes of dyspleasurys that he can fynde out or dyuyse and dyuerse of them suche as few ley people vnlerned ye fewe of the lerned to had any thynge herd of byfore as are dyuerse of those which he gathereth out of IohnÌ„ Gerson If he saye that he ment as Gerson dyd that he maketh mencyon of them bycause he wolde haue the clergy mende them surely who so for suche good wyll telleth a man hys â—â—wtes vseth to tell hit hym secretely and so dyd IohnÌ„ Gerson hym selfe when he wrote them in latyne not in the vulgare tunge But this pacyfyer coÌ„trarywyse bycause he wolde haue the lay peple both men women loke on them doth translate them into englysh where as IohnÌ„ Gerson wolde not that a man sholde reproche rebuke y â— prelates before the people Also this pacyfyer aggreueth as mych as iÌ„ him lyeth the clergye of englande for vse of the lawes not made by them selfe but be the comon lawys of all chrystendome If he wyll say that he blameth but theyr abuses therof the trouth appereth in some place otherwyse in hys boke And yet syth he proueth that poynt but by a some saye he myght wyth the same fygure laye lyke fawtes in the temporaltye concernyng the lawes of thys realme and proue it in lyke wyse wyth a greate Some saye to And therin he sheweth hym selfe not indyfferent whan he bryngeth in the tone and leueth the tother out And on the tother syde yf he bryng in the tother to thaÌ„ shall he make two fawtes for one For if he handle them as truely as he handeleth these than shall he make two lyes for one And yet bysyde
all the fawtes that he bryngeth in vnder some saye and they say some that him selfe sayeth without any some say be such as some saye that he can neuer proue and some they say be playne and open false By all whyche maner of handelynge it appereth that yf the man meane well hym selfe as by goddes grace he doth than hath some other sotle shrew that is of his couÌ„sayle deceyued him not onely in the mysse framynge of hys mater more towarde diuysyoÌ„ then vnyte but also by causynge hym to plante in here there some suche worde as myghte make hys beste frendes to fere that he greately forced not for the furtherauÌ„ce of the catholyke fayth The .xiiii. chapyter BUt for as mych as the touchynge of y â— boke is here not my priÌ„cipal purpose I wil therfore not peruse it ouer touch euery poiÌ„t therof whyche yf I wolde I coulde I thynke well made men se y â— very fewe partes therof had eyther such cherite or such indiffereÌ„cye â—herin as not onely the new naughty bretherhed bosteth but some good folke also take yt at a superfycyall redynge And yet bycause y â— bretherns boste hath made yt an incydeÌ„t vnto my mater and that some thynges therin are suche as yt is more then necessary that men be well aduysed of them and well fore se what they do in them and leste a better opypynyon of the boke then the mater may bere yf yt be pondered ryght may be occasyon to moue meÌ„ in some great thynges to do no lytle wroÌ„ge to thenâ—â—nt also that ye may se y â— in all that I haue sayde I bylye hym not I shall for a sample of handlynge touch by the waye one or two places of hys And leâ—te folke shold thynke that I pyke oute here there two or thre lynes of y â— wurst I wyll take his fyrst chapiter whole In whyche though all be not noughte nor all false For a very fole were he that wold putforth a boke make all nought and all false euyn in y â— very fore fronte that shall come fyrste to hande yet yf yt be consydered aduysed wel there will I wene euyn in the very fyrste chapyter appere lesse good and lesse treuth to then men at a sodayne shyft in the fyrst redyng ouer do thorowly perceyue Lo thus yt begynneth Who maye remember the â—tate of thyâ— realme now in these dayes wythout gret heuyneâ— and sorow of herte For there as in tymes pasâ—e hath â—eygned charyte mekeneâ— concord and peace reygneth nâ—w enuye pryde â—yuysyon and â—â—ryâ—e and that not onely betwene lay men and laye men but also betwene râ—lygyons and relygyons and alsâ—â—etwene preâ—â—es and religyonâ— that is yet more to be lameÌ„ted also betwene prefiâ—â— and preâ—â—es Some say y â— a man myght here a lytle lament this mannys wyt that weneth yt lesse to be lamented that debate strife shold be bytwene prestes and religyouse persons or bytwene those that are both the partyes relygyouse folke theÌ„ bytwene those y â— are both the partyes prestes For some say that many relygyouse folke be prestes And they y â— so say do say also that as many prestes be relygyouse folke And some say therfore that except this man meane here by relygyouse folke eyther womeÌ„ or chyldren wyth whose varyaunce the temporalty is not very greatly cuÌ„bred or ellys the laye bretherne that are in some places of religyoÌ„ which are neyther so many nor so myche estemed that euer the temporalty was myche troubled wyth they re stryfe ellys bysyde these there falleth no variauÌ„ce lyghtly betwene religyouse relygyouse wherwith the temporalty haue ben offended but yt falleth of necessyte betwene prestes and prestes and theÌ„ the varyauÌ„ce namely suche a varyaunce as thys boke speketh of that is so notable that the temporalty so mych marketh it and hath so great cause to lament yt when yt falleth betwene relygyouse and relygyouse ys a thynge no lesse lamentable then yf yt fell betwene as many prestes when them selfe be both prestes And then yf he meane here by prestes those that are seculare prestes as by his other wordes he semeth to do and so taketh yt for a thyng more to be lamented yf varyaunce fall betwene seculare prestes then betwene those prestes y â— are in relygyoÌ„ then say some men that he sayth somwhat worse And then they y â— so say seme to me to say trew For al be it gret pitye yt is to se stryfe and variauÌ„ce fal betwene any seculare prestes yet is it more pitye to se it fal betwene those prestes that haue also vowed and professed farther somwhat a more strayght renouncyng of all such maner thyng as mater of debate and stryfe do comenly sprynge vppon And therfore this maner of encreace and growing of this mannys oracyon is but a couÌ„terfeted fygure of rethoryque as some men say And in good fayth as for my selfe I se not the reason that moued hym For it were â— very colde skuse to a man lerned that wyll way the hole periodus togyther if he wold hereafter say that he ment by these wordes bytwene prestes and prestes the prestes that are in relygyon For bysyde that a man maye by dyuersâ— thynges well perceyue the coÌ„trary he had yf he so hadde mente lefte than no lamentacyon for any stryfe that happeth bytwene seculare prestes amonge them selfe I can not therfore iÌ„ good fayth diuyne what he sholde mene by that increase endynge in prestes after all the relygyouse but yf he mente to sygnyfye that the state of prestes pofessyng relygyon were a state of lesse perfeccyon by reason of the professyon then is the state of those seculare prestes y â— haue temporall landes of theyr own purchace or enheritauÌ„ce or that ellys serue some chauÌ„tery or lyue vppon trâ—ntallys abrode And surely yf the man thus ment in dede bysydes that he sholde haue sette out hys sentence more playnely his menynge wylâ— but yf he declare it the better mysselyke better men and better lerned to thaÌ„ I he be bothe And sauynge for that poynte whyche is no small mater ellys as for his rules of rethoryke or grammatycall congruyte eyther or ouersight in reasonyng as thynges of no gret weyght wolde not myche vouchsaue to towche For they be suche offences as a man maye fall in and yet be a saued soule as well as though he neuer wrote any wurke at all The .xv. chapyter WHyche dyuysyon hath ben so vnyuersall that it hath ben a great vnquyetnes and a great breche of charyte through all the realme and paâ—te of yâ— hath rysen by reason of a great syngularyte that relygyous personâ— and preâ—â—es haue 〈◊〉 to theyr siate of lyuyng wherby many of theÌ„ haue thought theyr state moâ—â—e perfyte before all other â—nd some of them haue therby eâ—alted theym selfe in they re owne syghte so hyghe that they haue rysen into suche a 〈◊〉 pryde that they haue in maner disdayned
and despysed other that haue not lyued in suche perfeccyon as they thynke they do And of thys hath folowed that some of theym haue hadde vnsyttynge wordes of the other callynge them flatterers dyâ—â—â—mulers and hypocrytes And they haue called the other agayne proude persons couetous vayne gloryoâ—se and louers of wordely delytes and suche other Of some partyculare varyaunce among dyuerse persons of the clergy haue I dyuerse tymes herde as sometyme one person agaynste an other for hys tythes or a person agaynste a relygyouse place for medelynge wythin hys parysshe or one place of relygyon wyth another vpon some suche lyke occasyon or somtyme some one relygyon haue had some questyon and dysputed as it were a probleme vppon thantyquyte or senyoryte of theyr â—â—stytucioÌ„ as by whyche the carmelytes clayme to fetche theyr orygynall from Helias Helizeus And some questioÌ„ hath aryseÌ„ in y â— order of saynt Francisce bytwene the obseruauntes conueÌ„tuallys For as for the thyrde coÌ„pany that is to wyt the coleâ—ams there are in this realme none But yet of all these maters was there neuer as farre as I rede or remember in thys realme eyther so very great or so many suche thynges all in hand at onys that â—uer it was at the tyme noted thorow the realme and spoken of for a great notable fawte of the hole clergy And as for y â— fawâ—es of some party culare partys eyther persons or placys is nothynge that oughte of reason be rekened for the cause of thys diuysyoÌ„ and of thys dyspleasure and grudge of the temporaltye 〈◊〉 the clergye no more than many mo varyaunces growynge dayly in dyuerse tymes and places wyth vnlawfull assembles and greate ryottes also â–ª cause the clergye to grudge agaynste the temporalty And as it is not reason that it so were so that it is not in dede maye well be perceyued by thys For yf it were then must thys grudge of ours agaynste them haue ben a very olde thyng where as it is in dede neyther so great as this man maketh it and growen to so great as it is but euyn of late synâ—e Tindals bokes and Frythes and frere Barons beganne to go abrode And yet all though that it appereth well in hys wordes afterward that those varyauÌ„ces canbe no parte or cause of this diuisyon wherof he maketh his boke yet hath it delyted eyther hym selfe or some sotle shrewes y â— so haue sette hym a wurke to brynge them in to â–ª of a good mynde a fauorable to lay these fawtes to y â— clergyes face bysyde the mater of thys dyuysyon that he taketh in hande to treate of Now the remanauÌ„t wherby somwhat appere thalso that by the encreace of his oracyoÌ„ wyth puttynge in the ende and that is yet more to be lamented also bytwene prefies and prefies he ment to put for the more lamentable strife that variauÌ„ce which falleth bytwene seculare prestes then that that falleth bytwene those that bysyde theyr order of prestehed haue by theyr holy vowys entred into relygyon he handeleth here in suche wyse that he fyrst reprocheth bothe the partys of greate syngularyte whyche bothe relygyouse persones also prestys haue had to theyr statys of lyuynge by whyche wordes he sheweth that eche of them contende wyth other vpon the perfeccyon of theyr two states whyther sholde haue preemynence these prestes that are seculare or those that are relygyouse whych of the bothe hym selfe taketh for the chyef appereth by the pytuouse encrease growing of hys lamentable oracyon Then rebuketh he of y â— relygyouse some that haue apparaunce to be the moste perfyte and beste and sayth that thorow the great syngularyte that they haue to theyr state of lyuynge they haue exalted them selfe in theyr owne syght so hyghe that thâ—y haâ—e rysen into suche a goâ—iely pryde that they haue in maner dysdayned and despysed other that haue not lyued in suche peâ—feccyon as they thynke they do This is a great thyng spoken by gesse bycause among many good vertuouse folke there may fall some by the deuyls meanes into some great gostely pryde as Lucyfer dyd in y â— good coÌ„pany of angelles But thys chaunce of suche chaunge is so olde that these wordes wyll nothynge serue his lamentable begynnynge whyche standeth ye wote well in lamentynge the chaunge from the old vertues of times passed into the new vyces of this tyme preseÌ„t And this vyce is very old reygned most when relygyouse folke lyued beste And veryly the clergye is not all thynge so euyll as he maketh yt yf y â— relygyouse folke lyue nowe so holyly as the temporalty may note that thorow perfytnes of lyuyng the deuyll brynge so many to suche an hygh spyce of pryde But then goth he sorth and setteth theÌ„ to chyde to gether How be it his wordes be so coÌ„founded wyth they and them and other and in the two versys of theyr chydyng his wordes be so vnsewtely sorted that I caÌ„ not perceyue which of the tâ—o partes calleth whiche nor who calleth whome by those names that he sayth the â—one sorte calleth y â— tother nor hym selfe I suppose neyther as the thynge that he neuer knew for trew but thynketh he may boldely tell euery thynge for trewe that any man perceyueth possyble The .xvi. chapyter ANd an other parte of this dyuisyon hath â—ysen by dyuersyties of opynyons that haue ben vpon the authoryties powers and 〈…〉 on of spyrytuall men amonge theym self And vpon these dyuysyons â—ome laye men haue in tyme paste fauored the â—ne 〈◊〉 and some the other wherby the people haue greatly be inquieted Dyuerse opynyons vpon powers authoryties and iurysdycâ—yoÌ„s of spyrytuall men amonge them selfe there happeneth I thynke nowe then to ryse whyle in suche cases eyther parâ—e hath his opynyoÌ„ vpoÌ„ his owne syde But of any great inquyetacyon that y â— people hath had by any suche dyuysyon rysen wythin thys realme or of any lay men beryng theyr fauour some to the tone parte and some to the tother I wene the peple of this realme that feâ—t yt haue forge ten yt yf any suche were yt is so longe a go And surely my self remeÌ„ber none nor I trow no man elles for the â—yme of this .xx. yere wythin whyche tyme or tenne fewer all thys gere is begoÌ„ne wherof he maketh hys dyuysyon And therfore this pyece of his is to my â—â—lynge very coulde The .xvii. chapyter BVt I wote not fully by what oâ— casyon yt is that nowe of late the greâ—t 〈◊〉 of all the laye people haue founde defaulte as well at prestes as religyous so farreforth that yt is now in maner noted through all the realme that there is a great dyuysyon bytwene the spyrytualtye and the temporaltye And veryly yt is great pytye that such a noyse shuld spryng and go abrode In the begynnyng he sayd that dyuysyon reygneth now betwene spyrytuall men and spyrituall meÌ„ And then sayth he here But it reygneth now bytwene spyrytuall men and
temporall men I am contente to let his but alone and wyll not shote ther at for this ones How be yt surely his but beynge a preposycyon aduersatyue standeth more properly to shote at betwene his two nowes then yt wolde yf yt were turned into some coÌ„iunccyon copulatyue But where as he caÌ„ not fully tell by what occasyon the great multitude haue founde defaute as well at prestes as religyous a maÌ„ nedeth neuer to study for occasyons therof but yf he be so curyouse as to seke for fautes he maye sone fynd inough not onely in prestes and in relygyous but in euery sorte and kynde of temporall people to euer might yet in euery age syth crystendome beganne and may peraduenture yf he serche well fynde some in hym self to So y â— yf there be no nother cause of varyaunce then that they may both spiritualty and temporalty take eche other by the hande like good felowes and agre to gether well inough But yet happeth yt well that this good pacyfyer hath so great pytye that the noyse of this diuisyon shold spryng and go abrode For he to remedy that mater with all and to pul backe the noyse therof and to stoppe vppe clerely the sprynge bycause all shold be hushte and neuer mo wordes made therof hath as ye se put yt oute abrode in prent The .xviii. chapiter ANd some alledge dyuerse caâ—ses why yt shold be so noysed A very fewe folke may sone begynne a noyse of euyll wyll and malyce And a noyse maye sone be borne abrod what so euer y â— mater be with some of symplicite some of light geuynge credence some of a luste vnto talkyng Fyrste they saye that neyther prefâ—es nor religyouse keâ—e the perfeccyoÌ„ of theyr order to the honour of god good example of the people as they shuldâ— do Ueryly they that so saye peraduenture saye not myche vntrewe For I thynke that euery mannys dewty toward god is so great that very few folke serue hym as they shold do And therfore who so prye vpon euery mannys dede so narowly as to spy that faute and fall at variauÌ„ce of greate zele with euery man that doth not to the very poynt and perfeccyoÌ„ euyn all that he shold do shall waxe within a whyle at varyauÌ„ce wyth euery man euery man wyth hym But I suppose they kepe it now at thys day mych what after suche a good metely meane maner as they dyd many of those yeres before in which thys dyuysyon was neuer dremed on And therfore they that saye thys is the cause haue nede to go seke some other But that some of theym procure they re owne honour and call yt the honour of god and rather coueyt to haue rule ouer the people then to profyte the people were there neuer none of these tyll nowe so late as about the begynnynge of thys dyuysyon or be they all such now Amonge Crystes own apostoles was some desyre of prelacye and that wyth some contencyon to There are of oure prelates some suche at thys day now as I pray god that when there shal any new come they maye proue no wurse For of these whaÌ„ they dye yf they waxe not wurse byfore who so shal lyue after theÌ„ may in my mynde be bold to say that englande had not theyr better any day thys .xl. yere and I durste go a good waye aboue to But thys is more by twenty yere and ten sette therto then this diuysioÌ„ hath any thyng be spoken of And that some couet theyr bodyly ease and worldly welth in meate and drynke and suche other more then commenly any temporall man doth This is a very colde cause of thys new dyuysyon to say that there be not now comeÌ„ly so badde men in the temporaltye as there be some in the spirytualtye For whan was it otherwyse not euyn in Crystes owne dayes For Iudas that was one of hys owne apostles was not onely wurse then the comon sorte of all those that loued theyr belyes and theyr ease amonge Crystes dyscyples were they men or women but wurse also thaÌ„ the very wurste in all y â— world bysyde But what cause were thys that the teÌ„poraltye shold nor though thys man saye thus I thynke theym not so vnreasonable that they wold be at debate dyuisyon wyth the hole body of the clergye bycause that some of theÌ„ were wurse then those are that are in a meane comon sorte of noughtynesse amonge them selfe And that some seâ—ue god for a wordely lande and to be magniâ—yed therfore more they for thâ— pure 〈◊〉 of god That same some that so do be some of the most folysh apys that the deuyll hath to tuÌ„ble afore hym and to make hym lawghe when he seeth them take so mych laboure payne for the rewarde of the blast of a fewe mennes mowthes How be it there maye be some suche for all that yet nothynge to the purpose of thys mater For as for the speche of folys is not to be compted for a profe of dyuysyon And amonge wyse men the gesse and contecture that in the clergy there be secretly some very noughte before god whom yet in the syghte of the worlde men take for very good can by no reason be the cause of any grudge toward the spyrytualty wherin maye be bysyde them that are such and so there are in dede many very vertuouse holy men in dede whose holynesse and prayour hath bene I veryly thynke one great special cause that god hath so longe holden his hande froÌ„ geuyng of some sorer stroke vpon the neckes of them y â— are nought care not in the spyrytualty and the temporaltye bothe And yet thys fawte that thys pacyfyer assygneth of seruynge god for lawde is I suppose somewhat amended of late wyll within a whyle if some gere go forward were a way quyte by the helpe and meanys of an other fawte For yf these heresyes that rayle vppon relygyons and call all theyr prayour parerynge and all theyr fastynge foly all theyr holy vowys of chastyte worse then frere Lutherslechery yf these heresyes I saye may grow and go forward as they begynne to grow now and prosper ful pretily in some places then yf those that be of the same secte and of polycy dyssymule it for a season maye in the meane tyme sprede abrode an opynyon in the myndes of menne that of them self mene none harme that the relygyouse people do faste and pray but for lawde they shall wel perceyue wythin a whyle y â— they shall haue so lytell lawd therof that yf there wolde remayne none other cause of thys dyuysyon but bycause they serue god for lawde ye shall haue it soone chaunged of lykelyhâ—d and then shall we shortely agre togyther very well But now good reders consyder I beseche you that yf these causes whyche thys pacyfyer alledgeth vnder the coloure of Some say be causes that myghte moue the temporaltye to be in dyuysyon and
he shall not saye â–ª that I bydde hym tâ—otte about for nought thys shall I profer hym that I wyll bynd my selfe for suerty and fynde hym other twayne bysyde of better substaunce then my selfe that for euery one of these whom he proueth wroÌ„ged hys ordynary or his other offycer by whome the wronge was done shall gyue thys pacyfyer all hys costes done aboute the profe and a reasonable rewarde bysyde And yet now though no man wolde gyue hym nothynge it were hys part perde to proue it for hys owne honestye syth he hath sayde so farre And thys dare I be bolde to offre to se the trouth openly proued After whych well proued onys to be as he sayeth men may be bolde to saye the thynge that they se proued trew therupon yf they lyft to cast suspecte some ferther fere of the lyke ye or of wurse yf they wyl I wyl not let theÌ„ But without any such thyng proued before there wyll no reason nor good conscyence bere it that we shuld suspecte that our prelates and ordynaryes in theyr iudgementes agaynste heretykes vse to do them wrong syth all y â— lawes bothe spyrytuall of the whole chyrch and temporall of this realme haue ordayned full fayth and credence to be gyuen to them therin whyche lawes to contrary now there appereth lytle cause consyderynge that the kynge our souerayne lorde that now is longe mote be hathe in hys tyme as prudentely as vertuousely prouyded for thys realme that it sholde haue suche prelates and ordynaryes as sholde in lernynge wysdome iustyce lyuynge be mete and conuenient therfore as any prynce hath noÌ„ber for noÌ„ber that hath reygned ouer thys realme I dare boldely say thys huÌ„dred yere and sholde in my mynde kepe my selfe a great waye within my boundes all though I wolde sette an other hundred to it But now lettynge thys pyece passe wherin I myght yet saye many thynges mo then I do wolde saue that the bretherne wolde than call me longe and wyll yet peraduenture say that I am scant shorte inough lett vs go ferther and spede vppe thys one chapyter of hys The .xxvi. chapyter ANd many other murâ—â—urs grudges besyde these that be before rehersed be amonge the people mo then I can reherse now but yet aboue all other me thynketh that it is most to be lamented and sorowed that spyrytuall men knowynge these grâ—dges and murmuracyons amonge the people and knowynge also that many lay men haue opynyon that a great occasyon therof ryseth by spyrytuall men and that they do no more to appease theÌ„ ne to order them selfe in no other maner for the appeasyng of them then they do For all that they do therin moâ—â—e commenly is this they take yt that they that fynde defaâ—te at suche abusyons and dysorder loue no prefies therfore they esteme that they do of malyce all that they do to destroye the chyrch and to haue theyr goodes and possessyons theym selfe and therfore they thynke it a good dede to se them punished so that they shall not be able to brynge theyr malyce to effect And therfore haue they punyshed many peâ—sons wihch mych people haue iudged them to do vpon wyl of no loue vnto the people And though spyrytuall men are bounde in thys case for appeasynge of these opynyons in the people whyche be so daungerous as well to syrytuall men as to temporall men that many soules stande in great peryll therby not onely to reforme theym selfe and to leue and auoyde all thynges that gyue occasyon to the people so to offende that may be charyte be omytted and lefte but also to fasâ—e pray weare the heare geue almoyse and to do other good dedes for them selfe and for the people cryenge contynually to our lorde that these dyuysyons may cease and that peace and concorde may come agayne into the worlde yet yt appereth not that they do so but that they rather contynue styll after the olde course pretendyng by confederacyes and worldely polycyes and strayte correcâ—yons to rule the people and that ys greatly to be lamented and yt wyll be harde for theym to brynge yt so aboute But yf they wolde a lytell meken theym selfe and wythdrawe suche thynges aâ— haue broughte the people into thys murmur and grudge they shold anone bryng a new lyght of grace into the worlde and brynge the people to perfecte loue and obedyence to they re superyours And here me thynketh I myght say farther in one thynge and that is this that as longe as spyrytuall rulers wyll eyther pretende that theyr authorite is so hygh and so immedyatly deryued of god that the people are bounde to obaye them and to accepte all that they do and teache without argumentes resystence or grudgynge agaynste them or that they wyll pretende that no defaute is in them but in the people and wyll yet contynue styll in the same maner after the same worldly contenaunce as they do now and haue done late tyme paste the lyght of grace that is spoken of before wyll not appere but that bothe partyes shall walke in this darkenes of malyce and diuysyon as they haue done in tyme paste Hys other murmours grudges that he sayth he cannot now reherse he reherseth after many of theym in hys other chapyters whyche I wyll passe ouer vntowched bothe for that the more parte of them be such as euery wyse man wyll I suppose answere them hym selfe in the redyng and satysfye hys owne mynd wythout any nede of myne helpe therin for that some thinges are there also therin that are very well sayed and some also that be they good or badde I purpose not to medyll mych wythall as are the thynges that towche any lawes or statutes all redy-made be they of the chyrch or of the realme defende theym I am coÌ„tent to do yf I thinke them good But on the tother syde yf I thynke theÌ„ nought albe it that in place and tyme conuenyent I wolde gyue myne aduyce and counsayle to the chauÌ„ge yet to put out bookes in wrytynge abrode amonge the people agaynste them that wold I neyther do my selfe nor in the so doynge commeÌ„de any man that doth For yf the lawe were suche as were so farre agaynst the law of god that it were not possyble to stande wyth maÌ„nys saluacyon than in that case the secrete aduyse and counsayle maye bycome euery man but the open reprofe and redargucyon therof may not in my mynd well bycome those that are no more spyrytuall than I. And surely yf the lawes maye be kepte and obserued without perel of soule though the chaunge might be to y â— better yet out of tyme and place conuenient to put the defawtes of y â— lawes abrode among the people in wrytynge and wythoute any surety of the chauÌ„ge geue the people occasyon to haue the lawes in derysyon vnder whyche they lyue namely syth he y â— so shal vse to do may somtyme myssetake the mater
some of theym dyuerse other fastes besyde and they be perdye a great parte of the spyrytualtye The xxâ—ii chapyter â—Hen preacheth this pacyfyer yet farther â—haâ— the ciergye shold were heare He is surely somwhat sore yf he bynde them all thereto but amonge theym I thynke that many do all redy and some whole relygyon doth But yet sayth this pacifyer that yt doth not appere y â— they do so â–ª Ah well sayde But now yf al the lacke stand in that poynt that suche holynes is hydde so that men may not se yt yt shall be from hens forth well done for theym and so they wyll do yf they be wyse vpon this aduertysement and preachyng of this good pacyfyer come oute of they re cloysters euery man into the market place and there knele downe in the kanell and make theyr prayours in the open stretes were they re shyrtes of heare in syght vppon theyr coulys and then shall yt appere and men shall se yt And surely for theyr shyrtes of heare in thys waye were there none ypocrysye and yet were there also good polycye for then sholde yt not pryck them The .xxxiii. chapyter BUt as for all this pacyfyers preachynge the spyrytualty may be contente to take in good worth For peradueÌ„tur if he were knoweÌ„ he were such one as to preche to all the spyrtualtye myghte well become hys personage and yet yf he be but a symple person in dede yet the spyrytualty may meken them selfe accordynge to his good counsayle and admyt his holsome admonycyons But surely this one thynge though the spyrytualtye bere yt and take yt well in worth me thynketh yâ—t that euery good temporal man may very mych misselyke that this pacyfyer in the begynnynge of this his holy preachynge preacheth vppon them to they re sore slaunder fyrst with an vntrew surmyse grounded vppon ymagynacyon after wyth a very playn open lye neyther an ydle lye nor of any good purpose of whyche two kyndes of lyeng saynt Austayn admytteth neyther nother in folke of y â— perfeccyon that thâ—s pacyfyer by his preachyng vsed with such authoryte towarde all the spyrytualtye sholde seme to be but a lye very pernycyouse â—hyche is one of the thynges y â— leste can become any good crysten man For fyrste hy sayth that all that the â—pyritâ—aâ—ty doth to the appeasyng oâ— the peopâ—e is moâ—â—e câ—menly this thâ—t they take yt that they that fynde defaute at abusyâ—nâ— and dysorder of the 〈…〉 that they do yt of maâ—yce all that they dâ— to deâ—troye the chyrche Thys is a goodly â— false surmyse grouÌ„ded as I sayed vppon a cherytable imagynacion But for all this though good temporall men be euyll content wyth suche as are in the spyrytualty nought with whome the good folke of the spyrytualtye be as euyll content as they yet I veryly truste for all thys as I saye that not the temporaltye nor any one good temporal man is for them that are nought amonge the spyrytualtye so dyspleased angry agaynste the spyrytualtye that is to wytte agaynst the corps and body therof that they sholde greately nede to be appeased nor do not laye the fawtes of noughty spyrytuall persons to the rebuke of the hole spyrytualtye no more then they wolde thynke it reason that y â— strauÌ„gers of other realmes so sholde laye the fawtes of euyll temporall folke here to the rebuke of the whole temporaltye y â— they shold grudge and saye shrewdely by vs for them Now yf this pacyfyer wyll saye that it is not lyke wyll saye that we be not sewtely y â— temporaltye and spyrytualty of this realme but that we be mych better for our part then the spyrytualty be for theyrs the temporaltye shall not be dispraysed for me For I trust that though in respecte of the goodnes that goddes benefytes vnto man requyreth of men agayne and in respecte of the constaunce and perseueraunce in vertue that men sholde holde faste and kepe there are fewe or none good in neyther nother parte yet in such kynde of goodnes as the frayltye of our nature suffreth in thys worlde now vp now downe now fallynge by synne now rysynge agayne by grace the temporaltye is good I truste and the spyrytualtye both for all that there lacketh not a sorte of some suche as are very desperate deuylysshe wreches in bothe as no man dowteth but there was a very good chyrche of Cryste in hys blessed apostles dayes yet were there 〈◊〉 many full very nought starke heretykes to therin And as for the dyfference in goodnes bytwen them and vs god knoweth the better the wuâ—se bothe But straungers of other couâ—treys that come hycther and se bothe sauynge some that haue come bothe oute of Fraunce and FlauÌ„ders and haue here be putte in trouble by the spyrytualty for bryngyng in of Luthers gospeâ— other strauÌ„gers ellys I saye whan they haue coÌ„sidered y â— spiritualty of this realme coÌ„pared theâ— in theyr myndes not onely wyth the temporaltye of the same but also wyth the spyrytualtye of theyr owne countreys haue sayed that oure spyrytualtye maye wythout any specyall reproche shewe theyr facys among other folke And therfore that the whole body of y â— spyrytualltye of thys realme is so farre falleÌ„ in the grudge and indygnacyon of the hole temporaltye as thys pacyfyer speketh I neyther se cause why it sholde so nor yet byleue that it is so nor thinke it eyther good or honorable for thys realme that other realmes shold wene it were so But where as thys pacyfyer speketh of appeasyng I pray god that some of the spyrytualtye haue not in some thynges gone aboute ouâ—r myche to appease that sort of pâ—ple by whose meanys they haue thought that all theyr â—isâ—ase hath come those folke â—â—aye of whome by good informacyon they haue had deteâ—ted vnto theym for â—ery starke hereâ—ikes in dede whoÌ„ yt for any fere of suche other folkes false suspycyon spryngynge vppon suche slaunderouse lyes as thys pacyfyer speketh of and grouÌ„deth hys conclusyons vpon the clergy begynne to spare and for any â—ucâ—e causes begyn to slakâ— and be the moâ—e remisse in the callynge â–ª attachyng and craâ—mynyâ—ge and of the ferther oâ—dâ—rynge of heretykes god wyll not fayle to make fall in theyr neckes the dowble slauÌ„der of that from whyche they fle For whan they waâ—e so faynt harted in hys greate cause of repressynge of heresyes and maynteynâ—nge of hys fayth that they forbere theyr dewty for fere of false slaunderouse wordes god wyll than make them fall into the more slaunder by the selfe same meanys by whiche they fle fro the lesse For instede of the false slaunder of euyll men and hereâ—ikes that they fere in the pursewynge god wyll sende them a trewe slaunder and make theym be dyffamed amonge good men catholykâ—s for theyr slacke and remysse handelyng And ferther yf they fall into y â— foly that the prophete reproueth and ceace to call vppon god for
felowes foly myght appere called good worshippefull witnesses vnto theÌ„ And then bycause his lord shyppe perceyued Fryth loth to haue it knowen abrode out of the bretherhed as yet at that tyâ—e that he went about to poysene the realme wyth y â— pestilent heresy agaynst the sacrament my lorde I say sayd vnto hym that yt was nowe to late for hym to thynke that he couâ—â—e kepe close reuoke it Frytâ— qâ—od his lordshyppe ye may and repent yt and so were yt well done ye dyd but kepe it fro knowledge you can not ye be gone nowe so farre For your bokes of this mater haue ben sene abrode in many mennes handes and that so longe that lo here is an answere all redy made vnto yt and shewed hym my boke in prent but of trouth he delyuered yt not vnto hym How be yt sone after he gate myne answere I can not tell of whom and syns haue I herd of late that he sweteth aboute y â— mater a freshe and hathe I here saye the deuylyshe bokes of wyclefe Swynglius frere Huyskyn secretly coÌ„ueyed vnto hym into the toure hath begonne and gone on a great way in a newe boke agaynste the sacrament But the thynge that I tell you this tale for is this I am well enformed y â— he knoweth very wel that I made that answere and yt is not very lykely but that by one or other he hath the boke in prent and of lykelyhed he neuer had yt otherwyse For that was as easy a waye ye wote well as one to wryte it out that hadde it in prent all redy and before yt was prented I know very wel he could neuer get it And at the lest wise I know it well that he knoweth wel ynough that the answere was made by me and yet he dyssymuleth that and faynynge hym selfe not to know who made it but to thynke yt rather that my sayd lord of wynchester made yt then any maÌ„ elles maketh his newe boke as I am very certaynly enfourmed not agaynste me by name but all agaynste my sayde lorde of a solempne pryde that he wolde haue his boke seme a dysputacyon betwene the boy and the byshoppe But there shall not greatly nede suche a byshoppe so lerned as my sayde lorde is to dyspute wyth any suche as Fryth is for fyue suche bokes as that is yf yt be no wyser then was his other or theÌ„ this his new is eyther yf it be no wyser then one telleth me that both can good skyll and hath herd a great part redde nor how so euer he haue handeled it wyse wyll it neuer be while y â— mater therof is so false And therfore wheÌ„ y â— boke shal hereafter be finyshed and happeth to come to myne handes I trust to make almost euery boy able to perceyue the false foly thereof though he couer hys roten frute as close and as comely as euer any costerdmonger couered hys basket But this as I sayde ye may good reders se that as Fryth taketh myne answere fro me whyche hym selfe and euery man elles knoweth well for myne and imputeth yt to the byshop of wynchester it were not myche vnlykely that he wolde when he had herde of a thyng that I had sayd wheÌ„ hym selfe had made yt worse then chaunge yt fro me and impute it vnto maister chauncellour of London The .xxxviii. chapyter WHyche if he do he doth yt not alone For this poynt played also Thomas Philippis of LoÌ„don letherseller nowe prysoner in y â— towre â–ª whom when I was chauncellour vpon certayn thynges y â— I found out by him by thexamynacyon of dyuerse heretyques whome I hadde spoken wyth vppon the occasyon of the heretyques forboden bokes I sent for and when I hadde spoken wyth hym and honestely intreated hym one day or twayn in myne house and laboured about his ameÌ„dement in as harty louynge maner as I coulde when I perceyued fynally the person suche that I coulde fynde no trouth neyther in his worde nor his othe and saw the lykelyhed that he was in the settynge forth of suche heresyes closely a man mete and lykely to do many folke myche harme I by endenture delyuered hym to his ordynary And yet for bycause I perceyued in hym a great vayne gloryouse lykynge of hym selfe and a great spyce of the same spyryt of pryde that I perceyued byfore in Rycharde HuÌ„ne when I talked with him and fered that yf he were in y â— bysshoppes prysone his gostely enymy y â— deuyll myghte make hym there destroy hym selfe and then myght suche a new besynes aryse agaynste mayster chauncellour that now is as at that tyme arose vppon the chauncelloure that was then whyche thynge I fered in Thomas Philyppys somwhat also the more bycause a cosyn of his a â—arbour in Pater noster row called 〈◊〉 IohnÌ„ after that he was â—uâ—spected of heresye and spoken to therof 〈◊〉 the shame of the worlde drowned hym self in a well â— for these 〈◊〉 aduysed by my meanes holpe that Thomas Philips whychâ— all be yt that he saâ—d that y â— clergy â—oued hym not sâ—med noâ— yet very loth 〈…〉 to the byshoppes prâ—â—on was receyued prysoâ—â—r into 〈◊〉 towre of London â—nd yet 〈◊〉 that he 〈…〉 to know how the mater stode whyche knowen and reported to y â— kynges grace his hyghnes as a most vertuouse catholyque prynce gaue vnto Thomas Philippis such answere as yf he had ben eyther halfe so good as I wolde he were or halfe so wyse as hym selfe weneth he were he wold forth wyth haue folowed and not stande styll in his obstynacye so longe as he hath now put hym selfe therby in a nother deper parell Other haue besydes thys complayned that they haue ben vntrewly and vniustely handeled and thys haue they not letted to do after that they haue ben conuycted and abâ—â—red and theyr iuste condemnacyons after theyr open examynacyons and playn and clere proues so well and openly knowen y â— they haue by theyr shamelesse clamoure nothyng goten but rebuke and shame And yet were some of theym yf theyr ordynaryes had ben so sore so cruell as this boke of this pacifyer maketh them fallen agayne in the daunger and parell of relapse And some hath ben herd vppon importune clamour and the cause and handelyng examyned by the greatest lordes temporall of the kynges most honorable couÌ„sayle and that synnes that I left the offyce and the complaynour fouÌ„den in his complaynynge so very shamelesse false that he hath ben answered that he was to easely delt wyth and hadde wronge that he was no worse serued And suche haue these folke euer be fouÌ„den and euer shall For when they fall to a false fayth in herte theyr wordes can not be trew And therfore if this pacifier well thorowly knewe them I bare say he wolde lesse byleue theyr lameÌ„table â—ales theÌ„ I fere me that he hath byleued some in complaynyng vpon theyr ordynaâ—â—es agaynst whome he seâ—â—â—th vppon such folkes
false complaynyng to haue coÌ„ceyâ—â—â—d thys opynyon that hys 〈◊〉 of dyuysyon sheweth y â— is to wit â–ª that y â— clergy thynke that 〈◊〉 man that speketh agaynst theyr mysseorder and abusyons loueth no prestes and that therfore they haue punyshed many men whyche god forbede were trew For yf yt were surely they that so punysshed any one man for that cause that is to wyt bycause theym selfe conceyue a false suspicyon agaynst hym yt were pytye that they lyued But I thynke in good fayth that the prelates wyll neuer desyre to lyue lenger then tyl this pacyfyer proue that same false tale trew The .xxxix. chapyter I Sayed before that I wolde towche of thys boke and so haue I towched hys fyrste chapyter hole bycause it hath for the fyrste settyng forth the chyefe countenaunce of myldenes and charyte And yet what charyte there is therin whan it is considered I suppose you se. For no parte is there of the clergy that can please hym neyther prelates nor meane seculare prestes nor relygyouse persons not so mych as any one man as you may playnely perceyue by other wordes of hys in other places of hys louing boke And yet among al these fautes I se hym fynde none with them y â— ruÌ„ne out in apostasye but all the fautes be assygned in them y â— abyde in theyr professyon styll Nor I 〈◊〉 not in hys boke any cause of hys dyuysyon to be founden in the sowynge and settynge forthe of these newe sprogen heresyes And yet do they make and nedys muste make wher so euer they come the greatest dyuysyon that can be fyrst in opynyons and contraryouse myndes and afterwarde in feruour of language and contencyouse wordes and fynally yf it go forth long in playne sedycioÌ„ manslaughter and open warre And this faute of these heresies he myght as well haue layed vnto y â— clergye as some of the tother that he so sore speketh of yf he take heresyes for any For lyke as noughty prestes and noughty relygyouse persons haue all waye bene they that do those other fautes whyche vnder the â—ygure of Some say thys 〈◊〉 layeth to yâ—â— charge of the spyrytualty so haue noughty prestes and noughty relygyouse folke beynge amonge the clergye as Iudas was amonge Crystes apostles bytrayed the fayth of Cryâ—te bygonne and sette forth these vngraciouse heresyes as tast as feruently for theyr part as nowghty laye â—olke â—or theyrs and both twayne fyrst corrupte some of theyr company at home and after ruÌ„ne 〈◊〉 in apostasye and putâ—e abrode theyr heresyes in wrytynge And some men saye 〈◊〉 some preâ—ates haue not done all theyr partes in the repressynge and dewe punysshement of them And yet as great fautes as these be and suche as all the tempoaâ—tye sholde be most greued wyth grudge at and therfore shold be moste cause of thys dyuysyon yf there be suche a dyuysyon and that euery defaute that is in any noughtye persons of the spyrytualty be a cause of all moste an vniuersall dyuysyon and grudge of the whole corps of the temporaltye agaynste the whole body of the spyrytualtye yet I saye for all thys the booke of thys pacyfyer layeth no pyece of thys faute vnto the spyrytualtye but rather fyndeth faute cause of grudge dyuysyoÌ„ in the spyrytualty for ouer sore handelynge of them that are heretykes in dede and laboreth to abasshe the ordinaries with obloquy and put them in drede wyth fere of infamy and falsely bereth them in hande that they haue punysshed many persoÌ„s for a wronge suspicyoÌ„ falsely coÌ„ceyued in theyr owne myndes agaynste those whome they punysshed And thus farre hath he gone in his fyrst chapyter In whiche maner all be it I truste in god the man ment hym selfe but well yet I fere me some wyly shrew hath somwhat set hym a wry in the temperyng oâ— hys wordes The .xl. chapyter ANd veryly all be it as I sayd before I purpose not to medle wyth euery parte of hys boke y â— I thynke were well done for hym to amende yet in hys seuenth chapyter hys eyghte which twayne create all of these maters of heresyes for the great weyghte of the mater I shall not forbere to shew you some dyfference and dyuersyte bytwene hys mynde and myne An other occasyon of the sayde dyuysyon hath ben by â—eason of dyuers futes that haue ben taken in the spyrituall courtes of offyce that is called in latyn ex officio so that the partyes haue not knoweÌ„ who hath accused theym and theruppon they haue somtyme ben caused to abiure in causes of beresyes somtyme to do penaunce or to pay great sommes of money for redemynge theâ—of whyche vexacyâ—â— changes the partes haue thought haue come to them by the â—udges and the offycers of the spirituall courte for they haue knowen â—oâ—e other accuâ—ers and that hath caused myche pâ—ople in 〈◊〉 parties of thys realme to thynke great malyce and parcyalyte in the spyrytuall iudges And yf a man be ex officio broughte before the ordynarye for hâ—resye yf he be notably suspected of heresye he muâ—â—e purge hym selfe after the will of the ordynarye or be accursed and that is by the lawe extrade heretiâ—is cap. Ad abâ—sendam And that is thought by many to be a very harde lawe for a man may be susspected and not gylâ—ye and so be dryuen to a purgacyon wythout profe or wythout offence in hym â—r be accursed I wyll in thys poynt of coÌ„uentynge ex officio no ferther speke at thys tyme than concernynge the cryme of heresy For I am in good fayth loth to medle wyth thys boke of hys at all For loth am I any thynge to medle agaynst any other mannys wrytynge that is a catholyke man sauynge that it semeth me veryly that be thys man neuer so good yet if his minde were folowed in thys mater it wold wurke thys realme great harme and no good For surely yf the conuentynge of heretyques ex officio were lefte and chauÌ„ged into an other order by whyche no man sholde be called be he neuer so sore suspected nor by neuer so many men detected but yf some man make hym selfe partye agaynste hym as hys accuser the stretys were lykely to swarme full of heretykes before that ryght fewe were accused or peradeÌ„â—ture any one eyther For what so euer the cause be it is not vnknowen I am sure that many wyll geue vnto a iudge secrete enformacioÌ„ of suche thynges as though they be trewe yet gladly he wyll not or ê‘aduenture dare not be openly a knowen that the mater came out by hym And yet shall he sometyme geue the namys of dyuerse other whyche beynge called by the iudge and examyned as wytnessys agaynste theyr wyllys bothe knowe wyll also depose the trouth and he that fyrste gaue enformacyon also and yet wyll neuer one of them wyllingly make hym selfe an open accuser of the party nor dare peraduenture for hys earys And thys fynde we not onely
demeanure amonge hys neyghbours that they may not bere it yet that the maÌ„ is bysyde so violent and so iubardouse that none of theym dare be a knowen to speke of it wyll there no iudges vppon many secrete complayntes made vnto them wythout makyng the partye preuy who tolde hym the tale bynde that busy troubelouse man to good aberynge I supposeyes haue sene it so to and wrong wold it be sometyme wyth good pore peasyble folke in the cuÌ„trey but yf it were so done amonge And my selfe whan I was chauncellour vppon such secrete enformacyoÌ„ haue put some out of commyssyon â—nd offyce of iustyce of the peace whyche ellys for mych money I wold not haue done and yet yf I were in the tone rome styll they in the tother agayn but yf they be mended wherof I neyther than sawâ— nor yet here any lykelyhed I wolde put them out agayne and neuer tell them who told me the tales that made me so to do But yet wyll peraduenture thys pacyfyer saye that some tyme in some very specyall case he coulde be content that the spyrytuall iudge sholde vpon hys dyscrecyon call one for suspycyon of heresye ex officio but he wolde not haue men comeÌ„ly called but eyther by accusacyon or presentemeÌ„â— in theyr senys or endyghteâ— mentes at the comon lawe I had as lyefe for any thyng that I se that thys pacyfyer sholde say thus By this way that they be called I wolde not haue theym called but I wolde haue them called after suche an order as they myght be sure that than sholde they neuer be called For as for accuse folke openly for heresye euery man hath experyence inough that ye shall seldome fynde any man that wyll but yf the iudge sholde set an offycer of the court therto wythout any perell of expensys than were thys way and that waye all of one effecte And as for presentementes and endyghtemeÌ„tes what effecte wolde come of theym concernynge heresy ye se the profe I trow metely well all redy For thys is a thynge well knoweÌ„ vnto euery man that in euery sene euery sessyon of peace euery sessyon of gaole deâ—yuery euery lete thorough the realme the fyrste thynge that the iury haue gyueÌ„ them in charge is heresye And for all thys thorowe the whole realme howe many presentementes be there made in the whole yere I wene in some seuen yere not one And I suppose no man dowteth but that in the meane tyme some there be I wyll not be curyouse about the serchynge out of the cause why it is eyther neuer or so very selde presented not fyue in fyftene yere But thys I saye that syth some wyll not some can not and none dothe yf he sholde putte awaye the processe ex officio the thynge sholde be lefte vndone and than shold soone after wyth heretykes encreaced multiplyed the fayth be vndone after y â— thorough the stroke of god reuengyng theyr malyce and our neglygence sholde by sedycyon trouble and derth and deth iÌ„ this realme many men both good and badde be vndone And therfore for conclusyon of this pyece my pore aduyce and counsayle shal be that for heresye and specyally nowe this tyme men shall suffer the processes ex officio stande for as many other synnys also as are onely reformable by y â— spyrytuall lawe excepte there be any suche synnys of them as ye thynke were good to growe The .xli. chapyter ANd yt appereth de hereticiâ— li. vi in the chapyter In fideâ— fauorem â–ª that they that be accursed and also partyes to the same offence maye â—e wytnesse in heresy and in the chapiteâ— Accusatus perag licet yt appereth that yf a man be sworne to saye the trouth coâ—cernynge heresy â—s well of hym selfe aâ—â—f other and he fyrst confessetâ— nothyng â–ª and after contrary to his fyrâ—te sayenge he appeleth both hym selâ—e and other yf yt appere by manyfeste tokens that he doth it not of lyghtnes of mynde ne of hatered nor for corrupcyon of money that then his wytnesse in fauour of the fayth shall â—â—ande as well agaynst hym selfe as agaynsâ— other and yet yt appereth euyâ—â—â—ly in the same courte and in the same mater that he is a periured person This is a daungerous lawe and more lyke to cause vntrew vnlawfull men to condempne innocentes then to coÌ„dempne offenderâ— And yt helpeâ—h lyttell that yf there be tokenâ— that yt is not done of hatered nor for corrupcyon of money that yt shulde be taken for somtyme a wolfe may shewe hym selfe in the apperell of a lambe And yf the iudge be parcyall such tokenâ— may be soneâ— accepted then trewly shewed Thys pyece concernynge the testymony of knoweÌ„ euyll persons to be receyued and taken in heresy I haue some what touched in the thyrde chapyter of the thyrde booke of my dyaloge where syth they may rede it that wyll I wyll make here no longe tale agayne therof But well he woteth that heresye wherby a chrysten man bycometh a false traytour to god is in all lawes spyrytuall and temporall both accompted as great a cryme as is the treason commytted agaynst any worldly man And than why shold we fynde so greate a fawte that suche wytnesse sholde be receyued in a cause of heresye as are receyued not onely in a cause of treason but of murder also and of other more syngle felony not onely in fauour of the prynce and â—eâ—estacyon of suche odyouse crymes but also for the necessyâ—e whych y â— nature of the mater wurketh in the profe For sâ—th euyll folke vse not to make good folke of theyr counsayâ—e in doyng of theyr euyl dedes those that are done sholde passe vnpunysshed and molyke be commytted a fresshe but yf they were receyued for recordes to theyr coÌ„deÌ„pnyng that were of theyr counsayle and perteuers to the doynge whyche kynde of folke wyll not let to swere twyse naye before they confesse onys ye yet theyr one ye more trewe vppon theyr bare worde thaÌ„ theyr twyse naye vppon a solempne o the and yet confesse they not so symply but that it is comenly holpen wyth some suche cyrcumstaunces as make y â— mater more clere Now se you well that as hym selfe sheweth the lawe prouydeth well agaynste all lyghte receyuynge of suche confessyon And yet thys pacyfyer sayth that all that helpeth lytle bycause the iudge may be parcyall and the wytnes may be a wolfe shewyng him selfe apparelled in the apparell of a lambe which apperynge in apparell poore men that can not apparell theyr speche wyth apparell of rethoryke vse comenly to call a woulfe in a lambes skynne But what order may serue agaynste suche obieccyons what place is there in thys worlde spyrytuall or temporall of whyche the iudge may not haue some say that he is or at the lest wyse as he sayth here maye be parcyall And therfore not onely such wytnesse sholde be by thys reason of his reiected in heresy treason murder or
shamefull tale is somwhat shamelesse dare I say and somwhat is it folysh to syth he saith therwith that those whyche thus wyll do haue yet amonge many other great gyftes of god pacyeÌ„ce sobernesse temperaunce and cunnynge to For I am sure yf they haue that condycyon that they be so affeccyonat vnto euery euyll preste that they can so euyl bere y â— disprayse of his opeÌ„ knoweÌ„ vnthriftynesse that they wyll do the lesse towarde hys amendement bycause ley men mych abhorre his lewdenesse this pacyfier maye be pacyent I wyll not say nay may peraduenture haue myche connynge to but surely eyther is this pacyfyer not very sober or hath hys brayne otherwyse somewhat out of temper if he take them as he calleth them for pacieÌ„t folke or for temperate eyther The .xliiii. chapyter ANd yet to brynge the spyrytualty in y â— more hatered to make the name of the spyrytualtye the more odyouse amonge the people thys pytuouse pacyfyer in dyuerse places of hys booke to appease this dyuysyon withall alledgeth agaynst theym that they make greate confederacyes amonge theym to make maynteyne a parte agaynst the temporaltye and by suche confederacyes and worldely polycyes and strayt correccyoÌ„s to rule the people and punysshe them and kepe them vnder And thys poynte he bryngeth in here and there in dyuerse places sometyme wyth a some say and somtyme wyth a they say and sometyme he sayeth it hym selfe And I wote not well yf he hated the spyrytualtye in dede as some saye he doth and yet I truste he doth not what more odyouse thynge he myght say what any one kynde or sort of peple is there iÌ„ this realme husbande men artyfycers marchauntes men of lawe iudges knyghtes lordes or other but that euyll dysposed people myght begyn agaynst them a sedycyouse murmure castyng abrode a suspicyouse bablynge of gatheryng and assemblynge and rownynge and talkynge and fynally coÌ„federynge togyther and yet all such suspycyouse bablyng not worth a fether al togither when it were well coÌ„sydered But in sundry places mych he harpeth vppon the lawes of the chyrche as though the spyrytuall lawes whyche the spyrytualty here haue made were a grete cause of this dyuysyon And than dyuerse of the lawes that he speketh of be lawes not prouyncyall made by the clergy here but the lawes vsuall thorow the whole chyrch of Cryst wherof the makynge maye not be â—ayed to theym nor men are not therfore so vnreasonable thoughe those lawes were lesse good thanne the greate wysedome of thys pacyfyer coulde deuyse as to be angry for them with our clergy that made them not but haue be bounde to kepe them And as for dyffamyng them with the abuse of those lawes towarde cruelty as he bothe in hys boke there is no great cunnynge in the makynge of that lye For euery â—ole that lyste maye deuyse and laye y â— lyke to some other folke whaÌ„ he wyll Now as for theyr assembles and comyng to gether to the makynge of theyr lawes and constytucyons prouincyall thys pacyfyer to laye those for any confederaeyes that sholde be now a cause of this so sodayne a late grudge deuysyon were a very farre fette inuencyon For settynge a syde the dysputacyon whyther those constytucyons be so vnreasonable as thys pacyfyer wold haue them semeâ— thys thyng suffyseth agaynst hym y â— there is not I thynke veryly any one prouyâ—cyall coâ—styâ—ucyon that he speketh of that was made or to any maÌ„nys gryefe or grudge put in execucyon in the tyme of any of all y â— prelates that are now lyuyng And how could than any of them be any such 〈◊〉 or cause of thys late sprongeâ— dyuysyon But I suppose he calleth those assemblynges at theyr conuocacyons by the name of confedâ—racyes For but yf he so do I wote nere what he meanâ—th by that worde And on the tother syde yf he so do for aught that I se he geueth a good thynge and an holsome an odyouse heyghnouse name For yf they dyd assemble ofter and there dyd the thynges for whyche suche assembles of the clergy in euery prouynce thorow all crysteÌ„dome from the begynnynge were instytute and deuysed mych more good myght haue growen therof then the long dysuse can suffer vs nowe to perceyue But as for my dayes as farre as I haue herd nor as I suppose a good parte of my fathers neyther they came neuer to gether to coÌ„uocacyon but at the request of the king and at theyr suche assembles concernynge spyrytuall thynges haue very lytle done wherfore that they haue ben in that great necessary poynt of theyr dewty so neglygent whyther god suffer to growe to a secret vnperceyued cause of dyuysyon and grudge agaynste theym god whome theyr suche neglygence hath I fere me sore offeÌ„ded knoweth But surely this hath in my mynde ben somewhat a greter faute in y â— spyrytualty then dyuerse of those fautes whyche vnder his fygure of some say thys pacyfyer hath made very great in his boke But surely yf this pacyfyer 〈◊〉 those assembles confederacyes I wolde not greatly wyshe to be confederate wyth theym and theyr assocyate in any suche confederacyes For I could neuer wyt theym yet assemble for any great wynnynge but come vppe to theyr trauayl labour coste payn tary and talke cetera so gete them home agayne And therfore men nede not greatly to grudge or enuy them for any suche confederacyes The .xlv. chapyter BUt what fautis so euer this pacyfyer fynde in the spyrytualty yet of his tender pytye he hath euer a specy al eye to se that they shold not rygorousely mysse handele such good men as are suspected or dedected of heresy And therfore where as in other places he hath shewed byfore y â— they haue punyshed many men of malyce for onely spekynge agaynst theyr mysseorder and abusyons now he coÌ„meth in the viâ—i chapyter leste bysyde theyr malyce they myghte happen to punyshe them also for theyr owne ignoraunce therfore he teacheth the spyrytuall iudges one great poynt coÌ„cernyng heresye and sayth It is a comâ—n opinion among docâ—ourâ— that none is an heretyke for that onely that he erâ—eth but for that he defendeth opynatynely his errour And therfore he that erreth of sympâ—ycyte maye in no wyse be sayde an hereâ—â—que And Summa Râ—â—ella in the tytâ—e â—ereticus in principâ—â— sayth that a man may erre and meryte therby and he putteth this example If a symple vnlerned man heare the preachynge of his byshoppe that preacheth happely agaynste the fayth and he byleuâ—th yt wyth a redy mynde to obay this man 〈◊〉 and yet he erreth but that is to be vnderstande where ignorauÌ„ce any thynge that is heresy though 〈◊〉 speke yt onely of an ignorannce or of a pussyon or yf he can by interrogatorye◠〈◊〉 questyonâ— be dryuen to confesse any thyng that is prohybyted by the chyrch anon they wyll dryue hym to abiure or hold hym atteynted without examynyng the entent or cause of his
can se for al his holesome couÌ„sayle no cause to chaunge those iudges that are all redy but to leue them styll and theÌ„ serueth that diuyce of nought And on the other syde yf he meane that y â— kynges hyghnesse shal suffer none to be iudges in cause of heresye that hath any spyce at all eyther of pryde or of couercyse or any loue at all vnto this worlde heretyques may syt styll and make mery for a lytle season whyle men walke aboute and seke for suche iudges For yt wyll not be lesse theÌ„ one whole wekes worke I wene both to fynde such and to be sure that they be suche And yt wyll be somewhat the more harde bycause that where as men wolde haue went soneste to haue founde them there this pacifyer hath put vs out of dout that there shall yt be merurylous harde to fynde any one of them that is to wytte in aâ—y parte of the spyrytualty prelates seculer presâ—es or relygyouse persons any one or other For he sayth playnely that haue they neuer so many vertues bysyde yet yt wyll be hard to fynd any one spyrituall man but that he is so infected with desyre and affeccyon to haue the worldly honour of prestes exalted that he is thorowe suche pryde farre fro suche in differeÌ„ce equyte as ought muste be in those iudges thaâ— this pacyfyer assygneth whyche muste haue no spyce of pryde couetyse nor loue towarde the worlde And then syth in all the spyrytualtye yt wyll be as he sayth harde to fynde any one yt wyll be ye wote well twyse as harde to â—ynde twayne and yet be they to few for all y â— realme though they were made iustyces of Ayer Nowe yf it wyll be so harde to fynde any one suche in the spyrytualtye I can scant beleue but that it wold be somewhat a do to finde many such in the temporaltye eyther specyally not onely suche but those also that y â— kyng myght be sure to be suche bysydes y â— there must be thaÌ„ many chauÌ„ges and many newe deuyses of lawes for y â— mater bycause fewe temporall men be suffycyently lerned in those lawes of the chyrche by whych that mater hath bene accustumed to be ordered before And happely yf any such men be so suffycyentely lerned yet is it possyble that those men whiche are so lerned are not those y â— are so pure and clene frome euery spyce of pryde couetyse worldely loue And therfore were y â— heretykes lykely thus to make mery a good whyle before there sholde be foundâ— good iudges for them Now as for the â—other poynt that bysshoppes sholde not arreste them thys wolde also helpe to the surety of innocentes as frome any trouble of suyt so wyll it also ferther yf neyther bysshop nor kynge arrest them And in lyke wyse wyll it saue innocentes from y â— trouble of all false endyghtementes yf no man shold be neyther for no felony arrested nor endyghted neyther But than thys waye wold not well serue for the tother syde that wylfull offenders sholde not passe vnpunyshed And therby syth it wold helpe wylfull offendours to passe wythoute punysshement it myghte happe to punyshe innoceÌ„tes more sore than shold the trouble of suyâ— wrongfull arrestyng do But yet is thys pacyfyer not so fauourable towarde folke suspected of heresye as to take away the power of the bysshoppe for euer of arrestynge them and to dryue the ordynaryes for euer to suecytacyons agaynst heretykes and processe of excommunycacyoÌ„ but wyll haue he sayth the bysshoppes power of arrestyng no lenger suspended than as longe as spyrytuall men haue that greate desyre to cause meÌ„ abiure or to haue them punysshed for heresye as though he had wel proued that they haue so bycause he sayth that some men saye so But now yf Some say be no suffycyent profe than is hys tale losâ—e For than he sheweth no cause why that power of theyrs shold in any cause be more supended now than in any tyme here before â—nd on y â— toâ—her sâ—de yf some saye be a good profe than the suspendynge wyll be as long as a â—â—pryuyng for euer syth there shall neuer be any tyme â—n whyche there shall lake one or other some say to say more than â—routh yet is he content at the last lest euery man myghte spye the perell of hys deuyce to â—empere hys deuyce in suche wyse that tyll the spyritualty â—aue lefte theyr cruell desyre 〈◊〉 â—â—â—urynge and punyshyng folke for heresye they sholde not be suffred to arreste folke for euery lyght suspycyon or euery complaynt of heresye How be it he graunteth that where one is openly and notably suspected of heresy and suffycyeÌ„t recorde and wytnes agaynste hym and bysydes all that a dowte that he wold fle wherby he myghte enfecte other than he graunteth it conuenyent that he sholde be arrested by y â— body And therin he bryngeth in the ClemeÌ„tine and the statute by whych the ordynaryes haue power to arreste folke for suspycyon of heresye and wold as farre as I perceyue haue the kynge â—eforme theÌ„ after his deuyce But yet syth which is a lyght suspycyon and whyche is an heuy and whyche is a lyghte complaynte and whych is an heuy and whyche is an open sâ—spycyon and whyche but a preuy and whyche suspycyon is notable and whyche is not notable whyche wytnesses bâ— suffycyent and whyche be not suffycyeÌ„t be thynges that must be wayed by the spyrytuall iudges and vpon theyr wayenge of y â— mater for lyght or heuy must folow the arre 〈◊〉 of the party or the leuynge of the arreste we be come agayne as in a mase to the poynt where we beganne that be the mater gâ—â—ate or smale leste all the whyle they 〈◊〉 cruell they sholde iudge 〈◊〉 heuy and smale greate theyr arrestynge of any at all muste be suspended fro them and sende them to sue by cytacyon tyll menne se that same mynde of theyrs of desyrynge mennys abiuracyon and punyshement vtterly chaunged and ceace that is to saye tyll there be no man left that wyll so myche as saye that some men saye that they haue not lefte that mynde yet make a lye agayne of them than as those some haue done that haue so sayde all redy to syr IohnÌ„ some saye now And longe wyll it be I warraunt you ere euer all suche folke fayle And therfore syth in the meane season by thys pacyâ—yers good deuyse heretykes may go vnarrested I can not byleue that yf hys waye were folowed it wold be any good mene to make that wylfull offenders in heresye sholde not passe vnpunyshed as fast as bothe in the ende of thys chapiter and the tother before also â–ª he calleth vppon the kynges hyghnes and hys counsayle and hys parleament to loke vppon thys mater after hys good aduertysemeÌ„t and neuer ceace tyll they brynge it to effecte I lytle doute but that yf the kinges hyghnesse do as I doute not