periurie he forbiddeth to swear at all to kéepe men from murther he forbids men to be angrie We for a humane constitution doe driue men to the vttermost bound or verie point of manflaughter But so often as there appeareth any probable cause it is the part of charitie to exhort our neighbours vnto those things which the weakenesse of his bodie doth require And if there appeare nâ—… cause yet it is the dutie of christian charitie fauourably to interpret the matter that it might be done with a good minde vnlesse he that wil eate shall shew therin a manifest contempt of the lawes And such as shall contemptuously and seditiously eate any thing that is forbidden by law the ciuill Magistrate doth iustly punish But what euery man may eate in his own house for the health of his bodie it is for Physitians and not for Magistrates to determine But if hereupon also any shall be so wicked as to raise any tumult let him be guiltie of sedition and not he that prouideth for his bodily health not breaking either Gods law or mans law And such is the lenitie and moderation of the Church of Christ that vpon good cause they will of their owne accord stirre vp men to vse such things as the health of their bodie shall require and which their licences or charters wil also arme men against the accusations and backbitings of ill disposed persons It may be called zeale if any man shall deale seuerely with his owne body for euerie man is best knowne vnto himselfe but where is the pietie or where is the charitie of these men who contrarie to the law of nature contrarie to the law of God and contrarie to the meaning of the Church would enforce their weak brother vnto death or to some kinde of disease more cruell than death it selfe But. Your speach makes me to remember a storie of â—…ne Mounsier Eros a learned man and now verie old he would neuer eate any flesh vpon Fridayes nor in Lent and yet by reason of diuerse infirmities that vexed him he had a licence or dispensation from the Bishoppe to eate what hée would This Mounsier Eros for his health â—…ake went on a time to Feruentia and I in kindnesse bare him companie Being come to Feruentia he turned into the house of an old friend of his who had often by letters inuited him thither This friend of his was a man of great wealth and authoritie He came to a fish dinner but Eros began to be verie daungerously â—…icke there was an armie of diseases vppon him the ague the headach vomiting the stone c. This host although he saw his friend in great daunger yet durst not giue him one bit of flesh And why thinke you he saw causes inough why he might lawfully doe it and he had séene the Bishops dispensation but he feared the tongues of men And now the disease was growne so farre vppon him that it was in vaine to giue him any Fish What did Mounsier Eros I know the nature of the man he had rather die then to doe any thing that might procure his friend any enuie But. He shut himselfe into his Chamber and for three dayes togither he liued after his olde maner his dinner was an Egge onely his drinke was water boyled with Sugar So soone as the Ague had left him he took his horse and carried his diet with him Fish What was that But. Almond milke in a Flagon Bottle and Raisins in the Sunne in a Bagge When he came at home he had a â—…itte of the stone and hee kept his bedde for it a whole moneth togither Now because he did eate euery day an Egge at his friends house there followed a horrible rumour after his departure of eating of flesh and in that furious manner it was aggrauated as if he had poysoned teâ—…ne men and this rumor was spread as farre as Paris What doe you thinke to be the fittest remedy against such offences Fish The best remedie that I know is this let them powre all their chamber pots vpon their heads and if they chaunce to méete you stoppe your nose vntill you are past them it may be that so they may be ashamed of their follie But. Certainely Preachers shal doe wel sharpely to reprooue this Pharisaicall impietie But what thinke you of that hoste Fish He séemed to be a wise man who knew full well what Tragedies vpon friuolous occasions would be 〈◊〉 by the foolish people But it is now time to returne from this long digression to our former purpose But. There is no losse of time in this digression it is to the purpose vnlesse perhappes you haue any thing else to adde to that which hath béene sayd already concerning humane constitutions Fish Truly to mée it séemeth that hée is not a right obseruer of mens lawes which doth neglâ—…ct the meaning drift of the lawe-makers for hée that vpon holy dayes abstaineth from handy labour and yet in the meane time is not at leisure to heare Sermons and to ioyne with the congregation in the exercâ—…es of Gods worshippâ—… â—…oth neglect the chiefest thing for which the festiuall day was instituted for therefore is one good worke then forbidden that a better might be doone in his stéede but they which leaue their ordinary businesse onely to haunt tauerns and harlots houses to fight and brawle to be great drinkers and riotous c. they are double violaters of the holy festiuall day But. And I knowe diuers which woulde choose rather to die than to minister the Sacrament if by chaunce they had tasted any meaâ—…e that morning or if but one droppe of water while they wash their mouth should chaunce to slippe downe their throate And yet the same persons haue confessed that at the same instant they haue carried some priuy grudge against certaine persons whom they would haue killed if fit oportunitie would haue serued neyther did they make any scruple or doubt to come to the holy table of the Lord with this bloody minde Fishm. And as prepostereus are men in their iudgements concerning vowes There is no vowe more religious than that of baptisme Now he that hath vowed a monasticall life c. and afterward vpon iust cauâ—…e changeth his garment or his place is sought for as if hée had poysoned his father he is apprehended haled and pulled imprisond and bound many times put to death for the honour of his order But they whose life is directly contrary vnto the vowe which they made in baptisme while they giuâ—… themselues wholy to serue mammon their belly and the pompe of this worlde they are had in great accompt neyther are these men charged with the crime of violating their vow neither are they accompted apostataes or back sliders but good christians But. He is punished that being mooued by some vrgent cause dooth sweare a false oath but they that mingle euery third word with a false oath are not punished
is but a seale and a pledge to confirme our faith that doe beléeue and the childes faith when it commeth to yéeres of discretion but Gods grace is not tied to his seales or pledges We are pestered with moe fasting dayes and festiuall dayes than the Iewes were They were more free from their meates than we be for they might all the yéere long eate muttons capons partridges kiddes c. so may not we There was no kinde of garment forbidden them â—…ut linsey woolsey but nowe we must be prescribed what appaâ—…rell to weare of what fashion and colour and 〈◊〉 must weare â—…ilke and who not and many things moe I could 〈◊〉 which makes me thinke that the state of the Ieweâ—… 〈◊〉 saâ—…re better than ours You erre all the way Butcher you erre Christs yoke is not such a thing as you imagine it to be A christian is tied to more things for quantitie and more hard for quality than the Iewes yea and to a sorer punish ment if hée neglect them or contemâ—…e them but a greater force of faith and loue being ioyned vnto them dooth make those things swéete and easie which are by nature most hard and gréeuâ—…us But. But when the Spirite was giuen in the likenesse of sierie tongues it replenished the heartes of the faithfull with a most plentifull gift of â—…aith and loue why was the burden of the Law then withdrawn as it were from weak ones that were ready to sincke as it were vnder a most cruell burden Why dooth Peter being now indued with the holy Ghost call it an intolerable burthen Fish It was abrogated in parte and that for two causes First lest Iudaisme shoulde as it did beginne ouerwhelme the glory of the Gospel Secondly lest through the rigour of the ceremoniall Lawe the Gentiles should be kept backe from Christ among whom were many weake ones who were in daunger of a double inconuenience if some part of the Law had not béene taken away First they might else haue beléeued that no man could be saued without the obseruation of the lawe Secondly they might otherwise perhappes choose rather to remayne still in their Paganisme than to vndergo the yoke of Moses lawe Therefore it was méete to allure and catch those weake ones with a certaine baite of libertie Againe part of the ceremoniall law was then abrogâ—…ted or changed to some other thing in regard of thâ—… who slatly denyed all or any hope of saluation to be in the profession of the Gospel without the obseruation of the 〈◊〉 circumcision sabbaâ—…ths choice of meates and many such things And further that spéech of the holy Apostle saint Peter where he saith the Lawe is an intollerable burden is not to be referred vnto that person which hée then sustayned for to him nothing was intollerable but to those grosse and weake Iewes which not without great yrkesomenesse did bite vpon the shell hauing not as yet tasted the swéete kerâ—…ell of the spirite But. Your reasoning is grosse enough or if you will substantiall enough but mée thinkes there are causes enow why their carnall obseruations should be now taken away or at leastwise be left arbitrary to euery mans conscience and discretion Fish Why so But. Oflate I sawe the whole worlde pictured vpon a linnen cloth but very large there I sawe how small that part is which doth purely and sincerely professe Christian religion namely one corner of Europe reaching westward and parte of it towardes the north and a third parte tending but afarre off toward the south and the fourth reaching to the eastward séemed to be Polonia All the worlde besides containeth either Barbarians not much differing from bruite beasts or Schismatiques or Heretiques or all Fish But you sawe not all that part which lieth southward and the dispersed Ilands noted for woorthy christains But. I saw them and I learned that from thence many preys haue bin taken but that christianitie was planted there I heard not Sith therefore the haruest is so great I woulde thinke that this were the best way of all for to plant religion there that as the Apostles tooke away the burthen of Moses Law lest the Gentiles should goe backe againe so now also to alure the weake ones it were fit to remoue the bondage of certaine things without which the world stood well enough at the first and now might continue as wel if there were that faith and charity which the Gospel requireth Againe I sée that there bee many which doe place the chéefest part of piety in the obseruation of places garments meates fasts gestures and singing and by these things do iudge their neighbour against the rule of the Gospel from whence it commeth that when all things should be referred to faith and charity by the superstition of these things both are extinguished And farre is he from the faith of the Gospel that trusteth to such things And farre is hee from Christian charity that for meate and drinkes sake will gréeue his Christian brother whose liberty Christ hath purchased with his blood What bitter contentions doe we sée amongst Christians What deadly reproaches about garments of this fashion or that fashion and about the colour of garments and about meates which the waters yéelde and which the fieldes yéelde If this mischéefe had infected but a few it might be contemned but now the whole world we sée is at deadly centention about them and the like If these things werâ—… taken away or leâ—…t to euery mans discretion wee should liue in greater concord and ceremonies neglected wéâ—… should striue onely to such things as Christ hath commanded and other Nations would the sooner receiue the Christian religion when they should sée it accompanied with such Christian liberty And I hope that he which is now chéefe Bishop Clemens by name which signifieth Mildenesse who is animo pietateque clementissimus both for his nature and godlinesse most milde to that end he may draw al men to the fellowship of the Church will mittigate all those matters which haue hitherto kept backe from imbracing the same And I hope that he will more respect the gaine of the Gospel then the persecuting of his owne right in all points I heare daily complaints of diuers actions and Churches that be gréeued but I hope he will so moderate all matters that héereafter he shall be very impudent that shall complaine Fish And I would to God that all Princes in Christendome would do the like and then I â—…oubt not but that Christian religion which is now driuen into a strait 〈◊〉 florish and spread most happily if the 〈◊〉 nations might perceiue that they were called to the liberty of the Gospel and not to humane bondage and that they should not be exposed to repine and spoile but admitted to be pertakers with vs of happinesse and holinesse when they shall come amongst vs and finde in vs true Christianity christian dealing indéede they wil of themselues â—…ffer more then any loue can
reuisite that holy Uirgin by the sea coaâ—…t called our Ladie of Walsingham that is in so great account in England for about some thrée year 〈◊〉 since I did visite her before Men. For your pleasure sake I thinke Ogyg. Nay for religion sake Men. This religion I thinke you learned when you learned Gréeke Ogyg. No good sir but my wiues mother bound her selfe by a vow that if her daughter did bring forth a sonne aliue I should go in mine owne person and salute St. Iames of Compostella and giue him thankes for it Men. Did you salute the Saint onely in your own name and your mother in law Ogyg. Yea in the name of all my familie Men. Surely I thinke your familie should haue done euen as well if you had neuer gone to salute Saint Iames but I pray what answer did he make you when you thanked him for your sâ—…nne Ogyg. None at all but when I gaue him my present hée séemed to smile and a little to nod with his head and withall reached me this hollow shell Me. Why doth he bestow such gifts rather thaÌ„ other things Ogyg. Because he hath aboundaunce of them the seâ—… being so neaâ—… Mene. A good saint indéede which doth both the parte of a Midwife to women in child bed and is so bountifnll vntâ—… strangers But what new kinde of vowing call you this that one that is idle shoulde enioyne another to labour If you shoulde make a vowe that if you shoulde spéede wâ—…ll in some thinges that you â—…oe about I shoulde fast twice in a wéeke Doe you thinke that I must doe that which you haue vowed Ogyg. I doe not thinke you would doe so although you had vowed it in your owne name for you make but a sport of it to mocke the Saints or to besmeare their mouthes but she is my mother and I must obey her you know the affections of women and it stoode me vpon Mene. If you had not performed hir vow what had béene the danger Ogyg. I confesse that the Saint could not haue sued mée at lawe for it buâ—… heereafter he might peâ—…happes giue but deafe eare to my prayers or sende some calamitie vppon my family and neuer make wordes of the matter you know the fashion of princes great persons wheÌ„ they â—…ake against one Mene. I pray tel me how doth that good man Iames how doth he Ogyg. Much celder and poorer than he was wont to be Mâ—… What 's the cause his old agâ—… I think he be very olde Ogyg. Away triâ—…ler away you knowe that Saints waxe not olde but this new perswasion that is gone ouer all the worlde is the cause that he is not so often visited as hée was wont and if any chaunce to come vnto him they salute him onely but they geue him liâ—…e or nothing thinking that that money were better bestowed â—…on the poore foâ—…s yea and theâ—… will not sticke to saie so too Menâ—… Oh wicked pâ—…rswasion Ogyg. Alas the more is the pittie And therefore so great an â—…postle which was woont to glister all with gold and precâ—…ous stones now standes like a wodden thing hauing scarce tallow candle beâ—…re him Men. That 's great pitty but if it be as I heare I promise you it is very like that all other Saints will be serued with the same sawce Ogyg. T is true indéede â—…r there is an â—…pistle 〈◊〉 which the virgin Mary her selfe hath written of this matter Mene. What Mary is that Og. She that hath her surname of a stone Men. If I be not deceinâ—…d it is shâ—… that is amongst the people of Belgiâ—… Og. The very same Men. To whom did she write Og. The epistle it selfe sheweth that Men. By whom was it sent Og. No doubt by an Angell which when he had written it set it vp in a pulpit where he preacheth to whome it was sent And because you shall suspect no fraud in the matter you shall see the Epistle that was written with the Angells owne hand Mene. Do yâ—…u so well knowe that Angels hand that is secretary to the virgin Mary Og. Why not Mene. How doe you know it Og. I haue read Bedes Epitaph which was giuen by an Angell the formes of the letters doe agrée in all poyntes And I haue read a quittance sent to Saint Giles they all agrée is not this sufficient proofe of the matter Mene. May I not sée it Og. Yes if you will promise me to be secret Mene. As secret as a stone Og. And there be stones nowadayes that are infamous in this respect that they can keepe nothing close Men. Thâ—…n you shall speake to one that is dumbe if you trust not stones Og. Upon that condition I wil reade it vnto you hearken with â—…oth your cares Men. Soâ—… I will Og. ¶ The Epistle of the virgin Mary MAry the mother of Iesus to Glaucoplutus sendes gréeting Whereas you following Luther doe earnestly perswade men that it is more than neede to pray vnto Saints Know that in this respect you are much in my fauour for vntill of late I was euen tyrâ—…d with the wicked complaints and lamentations of mortall men To one woman they came still for euery thing as if my sonne should be still an infant because he is so painted in my bosome and as if he should still be at his mothers becke and as if hée durst deny me nothing that I should demaund of him for feare forsooth that I should deny him my teats when he were a thirst And many times they craue those things of me being a virgin which a shamefast yong man durst scarce demaund of a common harlot and which I am ashamed to commit to writing In the meane time the Merchants Factor being bounâ—… for Spaine commits to my charge the honesty of his concubine And the holy Nunne forsooth hauing cast away hir vaile and ready to runne away commits vnto me the fame of hâ—…r integrity which she is determined to prostitute and make common The wicked souldier makes a pitifull crie vnto me and when he is conducted to the slaughter house to filch and piâ—…er then he crieth O blessed virgin giue me a good bootie â—…hen comes the â—…icer and gamster and he crieth fauor me O blessed saint and thou shalt haue part of our winnings And if the dice doe not fauor them then they terme me with reproches and curse me most â—…itterly The couetous worldling that exposeth himselfe to filthy lucre he cryeth send me a plentifull encrease If I deny them any thing straitway they exclaime against me that I am not the mother of pittie The prayers of some others are as foolish as impious the vnmarried woman crieth Mary send me a faire and rich husband the married woman crieth giue me prety children shée that is great calleth to me for a happy deliuerance the olde woman crieth out vâ—…to me that she may liue long without the cough and thirst the dâ—…ating olde man he crieth let me be yong againe the
Philosophers haue written but admit that they be all true which they write yet to bodies that are subiect to diseases oftentimes those things that be of themselues exceeding good prooue very bad We sell kiddes flesh vnto those that are troubled with feuers consumption of the lungs but not to giddy braines Fish If fish-eating be so hurtful as you would make it why doe the magistrates allow vs to sell our wares all the yéere and restraine you from selling of your commodities a good parte of the yéere But. What 's that to me peraduenture that is procured by bad Physitians to the end their gaines might be the more Fi. What doe you tell me of bad physitians why man none are more enemies to fish than they be But. O deceiue not your selfe they doe not that for any loue that they beare you or to the fishes when they can abstaine from them none more religiously they know what they doe well euough they doe therein prouide for themselues and their owne health That which makes many to cough to languish to be sicke is good prouision for them and they like it well Fish I wil not speake for Phisitions let them reuâ—…nge themselues vpon thée as I doubt not but they will if euer thou fallest into their nets It sufficeth me that I haue to defend my cause the good life of our forefaâ—…hers the authoritie of the most approoued Writers the approbation of the reuerend Bishops and the generall custome of christian countries whome if you will condemne all of madnes you may but I had rather be madde with them than soâ—…er with Butchers But. You wil not patronize the Physitian neyther will I be a censurer of ouâ—… forefathers or the common custome I was alwayes woont to reuerence them but not to inueigh against them Fishm. In this respect you are more wary than godlie vnlesse I be deceiued in you Bu. In my opinion it is good for men to beware how they haue to do wiâ—…h such as haue auctority in their hands but I will tell you what I thinke according to that which I read in my Bible that is of the vulgar translation Fish That so of a Butcher you may become a Diuine But. I thinke that the first men so soone as they were created of the moist clay had very healthful bodies which appéereth by their long liuing And further that paradise stoode in a most commodious and healthful ayre And I do thinke that such bodies in such places yéelding on euery side a sweete ayre by reason of the swéete hearbs trées and flowers that there did growe might liue long without any meate and the rather I thinke so because the earth abundaÌ„tly powred forth euery thing of it own accord without the labor of man for the dressing of such a garden was rather to be counted a pleasure than a labour Fish As yet that which you say is likely but go on But Of that great variety of things which came of sâ—…â—…ertile a ground there was nothing forbidden but onely one trée Fish Most true But And that for no other cause but that by their obedioneâ—… they might acknowledge their Lord and Maker And this I thinke that the earth when it was young did bring forth all things more happily and of better iuyce then if doth now being old and almost barren but especially in Paradise Fish Not vnlike what then But Therefore to eate there was of pleasure not of necessity Fish I haue heard so But And to abstaine from tearing or butchering liuing creatures was then a point of humanitie not oâ—… sanctitie Fish I know not that I reade that after the floud to â—…éede vpon liuing creatures was permitted I do not reade that it was forbidden before But why should there bee now a permission granted to eate of them if it were permitted before But Why doe we not féede vpon frogges as well as vpon other liuing creatures Not because they are forbidden but because we abhorre them And it may be that God in that place doth but admâ—…nish men what meates are fittest for humane â—…rugality and not what he would permit to be eaten Fâ—…sh I am no Soothâ—…sayer But But we reade that so soone as man was created it was said vnto them beare rule ouer the fishes of the sea and the fowles of the aire and all liuing things that moue vpon the earth What vse is there of this dominion if it be net lawfull to eate of them Fish O cruell Maister doâ—…st thou so debarre thy men and thy maides thy wife and thy children but by the same reason thou maiest goe eate thy chamber pot too for thou bearest rule ouer it But But heare againe you prowd Fish monger of other things there is an vse and the name of rule is not in vaine The horse doth beare me on his backe the cammell carrieth packes but of fishes what other vse can there be but to féede vpon them Fish As if forsooth there were not a number of medicines made of fishes Againe there be many things that be made onely for the delight of man who also in the beholding of them may be drawne thereby to an admiration of the Creator Peraduenture you will not beléeue that Dolphines doe carry men vpon their backes But to conclude there be fishes which doe fore-shew a tempeâ—…t to be at hand as the Hedge hog of the sea doe you not want such a seruant at home sometime But Well grant that before the floud it was not permitted to eate of any thing but of the fruites of the earth yet it was no great matter to abstaine from those things which bodily necessity required not and in killing whereof was a shew of cruelty This you will grant me that the féeding vpon lining creatures was permitted from the beginning for the imbecility of mans nature The flâ—…ud brought cold with it and we sée at this day that in colde Countries men are more ginen to eate then in hote and the ouer-flowing of waters did either extinguish or much corrupt the fruite of the earth Fish Be it so What then But And yet aftâ—…r the floud men liued aboue two hundred yeares Fish So I beléeue But Why then did almighty God permit those that were so strong without comparison to eate of all things and afterward reâ—…rained those that were of a farre weaker constitution and shorter time to certaine kinds of meates as he gaue in charge by Moses Fish As if it were for me to giâ—…e a reason of Gods doings But I thinke the Lord did then as Maisters vse to doe who abridge their seruants of their libertie which before they allowed them when they sée that they abuse their Maisters lenity and kindenesse So we take from a horse that is too lusty and vnruly his beanes and â—…ates and giue him but a little hay and then ride him with a sharper bit and sharper spurres Mankinde had shaken off all feare and reuâ—…rence of God and was
a ship left at sea without a guide is tossed of the windes and the waues There were some that went arme in arme to hold by one another and yet so weake they were that they were stil downe and could hardly rise againe Many of them were crowned with oaken leaues A certaine Seignior amongst them playing the foster-father of Bacchus was carried like a packe vpon mens shoulders in that manner as men vse to carry a dead corps his féet vpward and his head downward with his face towards this porters legges lest hée should choke himselfe with vomiting if he had béene vpward he did pitteously bewray the hose and shooes of those porters that came behinde neither was any of the porters sober for the most part they did nothing but laugh but in such sort as any man might easily perceiue them to be besides their wits The fury of Bacchus had so possessed them all and with this shew they went through the City euen in the open day light If these men had but tasted an egge they should haue béene haled to prison as if they had killed their father whereas for loosing the sacred sermon for neglecting the publike worship of God for coÌ„mitting so horrible intemperancy that vpon so holy a day in so publike a manner to the great offence of God and griefe of the godly no man punished theÌ„ no man was angry with them Fish Neuer maruaile much at that for in the middest of the City in Ale-houses that be next vnto the Church vpon Sabaoth daies and other holy daies you shall haue them tipling singing bawdy songs dancing quarrelling and fighting with so great noise and tumult that neither the sermon can be heard nor any holy businesse be performed without disturbance If the same persons should at the same time but mend a shooe or eate a pigge vpon a Friday they should bee seuerely punished for a most deadly sinne And yet the Lords day was chéefely ordained to this end that men might be at leasure to heare the doctrine of the Gospel and therefore are men then forbidden to worke bodily worke that they might be at leasure to informe their mindes with the wil of God Is not this strange peruersenesse of mens iudgements But. Uery strange Now in the fast it selfe which is prescribed in Poperie there be two things one is the abstaining from meate the other is the choise of meates Euery one knoweth the first to be according to Gods commaundement but the other is not onely humane but also contrary to the doctrine of the Apostle howsoeuer we would excuse the matter yet here also by a prâ—…posterous iudgement it is lawfull for the people to suppe and it is no fault in them but to taste of meate forbidden by man and permitted by God his seruants the Apostles is a deadly sin counted What a heinous offence would men account it to receiue the holy sacrament of Christs bodie and blood with vnwashen hands and indeed it is a â—…ault but hâ—… 〈◊〉 little do they feare to receiue the same with anwashen hart and a minde defiled with peruerse and wicked lusts Fish Yea how many Priests are there which woulde rather die then minister the Sacrament in a Cuppe not yet consecrated by the Bishop or in such garments as they vsually weare euery day but amongst these that are so affected how many do we sée which are no whit afraide to come to the holy Table béeing as yet full and foule with the former nights surfetting gurmandizing and drunkennesse It is forbidden by humane constitution that no person that is base borne lame or poreblind shal be admitted to the holy Ministrie and here how strict are wâ—… And yet in the meane time we admit euerie where such as bée vnlearned gamsters drunkards souldiers cutters and ruffians They will say perhaps they know not the diseases of the minde but I speake not of secret defects I speake of such as are more open in the view of al men then the defects of the bodie be Againe there be great ones that make no bones as the saying is of oppressing the liberties and priuiledges of ecclesiasticall persons neither yet of ioyning vnto their own houses such houses as are part of the Churches inheritance and were giuen by the deuotion and liberalitie of godly and well disposed persons for the relieuing of such as are aged and sicke and poore néedy in the Parish And yet they séeme vnto themselues very great Christians if they can rage and play the mad men against such as omit a ceremonie leaue out a Collect or obserue not euerie holy day or holy day euen and the like Bu. Well let them go and leaue them to the Lord who will méete with such hypocrites well inough Let vs now talke of fish and flesh another while Fish With a good will Let vs returne then to our former speach of fasting and fish-eating I haue heard that the lawes of the church do expressely except children old folks sicke persons and weake great labourers women with child giuing sucke and very féeble But. And the same haue I also often heard Fish I haue also heard of an excellent Diuine Gerson I thinke his name is that hath added this that if there bée any cause of the like moment with those which the canons of the Church do except by name that then also the force of the law doth cease For there be peculiar habites of states of mens bodies which do make the restraint of meat more daungerous than an euident disease And there be secret diseases which yet do not appeare which in truth may bée so much the more dangerous And they which compel children or very old folkes or sicke and féeble persons either to taste or to eate fish doe commit a double sinne first against brotherly charitie Secondly against the mind and meaning of the Church which would not haue them wrapped in a law which cannot keepe it without their owne destruction or danger Whatsoeuer Christ did institute he instituted it to the health both of soule and bodie neither can any potentate chalenge vnto himselfe so great power as that by his constitutions he may driue any persons to endaunger their liues As if one by fasting one night should not be able to sleepe and for want of sleepe should be in danger of a frenzie he that shal driue a man to this inconuenience is both against the minde of the Church and against the will of God a murtherer of his neighbor Princes so often as they sée cause do make lawes to punish men by death what they may do I do not define this I thinke I may say that they should deale more safely if they did not punish any by death but for such causes as are expressed in the holy scriptures In heynous crimes the Lord doth call men away from the vttermost bond of circumstance that may leade thereunto as in the case of