haue deceitfully sayd lyke Belials childrē answered that ye woulde goe and worke in your fathers Vineyarde and haue not done it and othersome lyke rebellious haue plainly sayde they would not But what is in this great matter required it onely remaineth that all do repent and returne vnto the Vineyard with the first Sonne For neuer shall ignoraunce excuse any lande or nation as it is plaine in the first to the Romaynes neyther can any people be receiued without the fruit of repentance not onely to acknowledge our sinne to lament them but to amend our liues and to make streight the Lords pathes and to be well garded with obedience vnto God in doyng the workes of righteousnesse in executyng Gods preceptes to the resistyng of Satan and sin But if neyther the meanes of Gods mercyes offered nor his punishement threatned for sinne may not mooue obstinate people to returnyng vnto the Lorde in good earnest and that they will looke for signes lyke vnto the Scribes and Pharises temptyng Christ saying maister giue vs a signe vnto wheme Christe answered The euill and adulterous generation seeketh a signe but there shall no signe be giuen them saue the signe of the Prophet Ionas Insomuch as wee of this age neede to looke after no further signes or wonders then the word of God and daily experience leadeth vnto For Ierusalem and Damasco neuer possessed more greater blessinges then Englande nowe doeth nor none of those Cities neuer enioyed more pompe then London nowe possesseth And it is certaine that Christ preached three yeares in those two famous Cities and the Countreys vnto them adiacent And after fortie yeares Ierusalem was destroyed so long a time dyd God giue vnto them of repentaunce and returning from their froward wayes wherein those people so proudly walked in disobedience And the same God of long tyme hath called his litle flocke of Englande as the remnaunt of Israel by the largenesse of his mercy offered But the same seemeth to haue taken so little effecte as that a great number with the consent of disobedience haue taken occasion by their owne wickednesse to prouoke almyghtie God vnto displeasure in suche lamentable wyse as many are become enemyes and betrayers of their owne soules for which their so greeuous contempt none may escape the punishement As it hath bene declared in all notable punishmentes from the beginning For when the originall worlde perished by water when Sodom and Gomorrha was consumed by fyre And finally when Ierusalem was horribly destroyed doeth any man thinke that all were lyke wicked it is euident that they were not Neuerthelesse although some were young and dyd not know what oppression ment neyther coulde defile them selues with beastly and vnlawfull lustes some were pitifull and gentle of nature and dyd not thirst for the bloud of Christ his apostles But did any in the time of Gods visitation escape the plagues vēgeance which did apprehēd the multitude Let the scriptures witnesse and the histories be considered which plainly doe testifie that by the waters all fleshe in earth at that time dyd perishe Noah and his family reserued That none escaped in Sodome and in the other Cities adiacent excepte Lot and his two daughters And euident it is that in that famous Citie Ierusalem in that last destruction of the same none escaped Gods vengeance except so many as before were dispersed And what the cause was of this Gods seueritie we are forbidden to dispute with God But let all men by these examples learne betymes to flee and auoyde to commit such lyke abominations as the proude contemners of God doe prosecute if the residue list not to bee partakers of theyr plagues And yet the causes are euident for which GOD brought so horrible destruction vppon those Cityes manifestyng that wee shoulde bee subiect without grudgyng vnto Gods will and iudgementes which in them selues are most holy and iust Wherefore it behooueth that we of this age should all humble our selues vnder the mightie hande of God in such wyse as he in his mercy beholding our humilitie may bee mooued to turne away his wrathfull displeasure from vs. For in the originall worlde none was found in authoritie that eyther dyd resist tyranny or oppression that vniuersally was vsed eyther yet that earnestly reprehended the same In Sodome was none found that dyd gainstande that furious and beastly multitude that dyd compasse about and besiege the house of Lot None would beleeue Lot that the Citie should be destroied And finally in Ierusalem was none founde that studied to represse the tyranny of the Priestes and therefore of one vengeance temporall were they all partakers Which examples in sundry places before touched ought to mooue euery one that hath any feelyng iudgement in them selues to the deepe consideration of their dueties in this last age perillous tymes Seeyng it is written that those that doe not labour to their power to correct euill doe consent to doyng of euil And let it not be forgotten howe that Ionas the Prophet was but three dayes in his deliueryng of the Lordes message vnto that great Citie of Niniuee That after fortie dayes the same Citie shoulde be destroyed And those people knowyng them selues guiltie of transgression of Gods commaundementes beleeued the Lorde and proclaimed fasting with one accord among them all and put on sackcloth as well the great as the small the rich as the poore The Kyng did cast off his costly aray y t he was wont to weare and put on sackcloth as then the manner was of declaring repentance for he feared God In so much as God beholdyng their contricion in an acceptable tyme turned from his forepurposed destruction which was pronounced to haue fallē vpō that great Citie after fortie daies according to the message of Ionas had not both the King the people bene touched with so zealous affection vnto God his word As they beleeued the Lordes message without any further doubtyng and those people founde fauour in Gods fight As God graunt Englande in rendering of their due obedience to do the like in expressing our vnfeigned repentance by our outward actions for wee can not excuse our selues by ignorance as to say that we want of such like warning For common experience may teache sensible men that if one man receiue a hand writing from an other great credite is giuen therevnto especially when there is fayth and confidence betwixt the partie who sent the writing and the parties vnto whom the same is sent In so muche as euery man and woman ought to examine in them selues what confidence euery one doeth repose in God his written worde and what zealous loue euery one beareth in his heart toward the same And let vs not be vnmindfull that there is a time to laugh and a tyme to weepe a tyme to go forwarde and a tyme to goe backwarde Wherby all are forewarned from goyng backwarde like the frowarde nature of the Sea Crabbe But rather seeing that
THE Triall of Truth wherein are discouered three greate enemies vnto mankinde as Pride Priuate grudge and Priuate gaine which corruptions are the disturbers of â—â—â—â—s cities common weales and peoples Jmprinted at London at the three Cranes in the vintree by Thomas Dawson and Thomas Butter 1580. ¶ To the moste great and highest soucraigne Christe IESVS HAuing written this small Treatise vnder the protectioÌ„ of thee most reuerend most sweete and almightie IESV which I did begin with intention to lyne out and directe a way vnto thee the author of all trueth and goodnesse taking the cause vppon the greatest abuses of the worlde raigning and raging euery where at this day and continuing concluded the same with exhortation of amendemeÌ„t of life according to thine expresse worde and commandements aswell by thine owne selfe pronounced out of thy most sacred mouthe at what time thou wert conuersaunt in this miserable vale and anguished with the iniquities of Ierusulem Corasm Bethsaida the whole land of Iuda yea and all the worlde and continually be fore that by the holy Prophetes which haue bin since the world began whose bookes are so ful of declamatioÌ„ against sinne and like argumentes to exhort the retourning vnto the Lorde with haste and so laborious to prepare the way vnto thee The greatest matter theÌ„ rested in hand to whom I should direct the same who might take the protection in hand of this my woorke to defend it against the maleuolent and malicious worldlings who furnished with all the suggestions of Satan that olde enemy who seaseth nullum non mouere lapidem against thee and thy truthe Resting vpon this consideration I founde the great men of the world were busied the richemen had no disposition the meane men were afearde the simple men might answer me they could not iudge And so not to trouble the great nor to hazard the small I determined to offer the same vnto thee OIESV which I present vnto thy Diuine Maiestie with bowed knees ioyned handes and all simplicitie of mind beseeching thee mercifully to looke vpon mine infirmities who for the multitude of my sinnes am vnworthy to lifte vp mine eyes to thy mercy seate and vnable to imagine any thing worthy of thine acceptance but stayed on the foundation of thy worde wherein it appeareth how thou diddest accepte of the widowes myte and how thou diddest condemne the seruant of sloth for hyding his tallent are sufficient assuraÌ„ces of thy fauourable fatherly and comfortable acceptance to such as with good intent of the fruites of their labour yelde aught vnto thee as sacrifice proceeding from the puritie of hearte whereof thou onely arâ— the searcher vnto whose tuition I doe most humbly submit my self body and soule To the Christian Reader REuerend Reader after it had pleased God to touch me diuers waies to what intent I know not to reforme I hope I coÌ„mitted me vnto the same our eternal God who pronouÌ„ceth himselfe to bee the way the truth the life vnder his protection and fauourable assistance I determined as tyme would giue me leaue to proceed try by my trauel obseruance a straighter course of life for my better proceeding therin for mine own instructioÌ„s I beganne to coÌ„pare make difference betwixt the spirit of truth the spirit of errour hauing collected sundry notes to the intent aforesaid as I passed by iudged theÌ„ ought worth I set theÌ„ down to helpe memory with inteÌ„tioÌ„ to haue brought theÌ„ into fourme to the absoluing of the matter which I had in hand WhervpoÌ„ a friend of myne viziting one at my chamber and finding me so solitary exercised and perusing my notes conceaued so good liking of myne indeuour the discourse therof as hee did not onely intreat me to perseuer therin but afterwards at sundry times very earnestly required me to put the same in print insomuch as after my often denial has importunacy was such that vnlesse I coulde haue bene content to hazard his frieudship beare the greate reproche of ingratitude I might not auoid him and so oppressed yelded graunted Whervnto I did the rather incline considering myne imminent danger surprised with deadly sicknesse ioyned with dispositioÌ„to do some thing plausible to the good In which my meaning by deferring thereof I might haue beene preuented seing the lyfe of man is so vncertaine thus by that necessity ioyned with good wil like the poore farmer who plucketh the frute before it bee seasonable or ripe because he wold bee saide to haue presented of the first frute of the yoÌ„g sapling I was forced to publish this myne abortiue yoÌ„gling ful of faults blemishes in parte wherof as I cannot excuse my selfe so muste I needes impute some fault too the Printer notwithstanding howsoeuer it fal out the giuers mind and not the thing is that which is presented which construction of this my simple labour if I shal receaue at your friendly haÌ„ds in this work that might haue required a workman of greatest skil to haue treated I shal think my self happy ymagining I haue already so done I wil vse no further intreaty heerin then I thinke standeth with good manners which consisteth in fewest woordes vttered with best meaning the frute hereof shal be that al in general may receaue the vse of that which I had written for myne owne obseruance and priuate instruction wherby euery one may be moued to the consider atioÌ„ of their faultes to the dismasquing of theyr yll colloured actions and bee appointed to dewe regarde of the heanenly mansion prepared vnto the rightuouse for their euerlasting coÌ„fort In which respect I called this little booke the Tryal of Trueth leauing the whole contents therof to the worlde and the censure to the good Beseeching the Almighty that it may please him in his mercy to giue vnto euery one that professe his name an vnderstanding hart to the attainment of a true iudgement As that after this our pilgrimage and this life ended we may together be made partakers of the life eternal Edw. Knight ¶ The Tryall of Trueth THree thinges vndid the Romans raigne viz. Young heades Priuate grudge and Priuate gaine as the principall causes of the destruction of that great Empire And I doe greatly lament it whilest I do behold so great euils in this our age raging among the people euery where in such lamentable maner that what true Christian liuing is there not touched w t the due consideration of the deformitte of the people but that if hee had not a flood of teares hee coulde doe no lesse then shed them foorth in the beholding such dayly prouoking and irritating of God too his heauie wrath for theyr so grecuous disobedience and concempt committed against him and his worde As the Prophet Ieremie was mooued and sore greued with the beholding of the sinnes and wickednes of the people committed against God in that former age insomuche as he brake foorth into these speaches All my bâ—nes
for the present and thinges for too come for suche as are to come For thou lackst yet much seeyng thou mayest loue my creature aboue me I haue often drawne nigh vnto thee but neuer vnto the vnrighteous In this also thou art marueilous before the highest in that thou haste humbled thy selfe that thou art had in such honour among the righteous Therefore shal great wretchednes and misery come vppon them that in the latter day dwell in the worlde because they haue walked in great pride And the Prophet Sophony saith Be styl at the presence of the Lord God for the day of the Lorde is at hande Yea the Lorde hath prepared a slaine offering and calleth his guestes thereunto And thus shall it happen in the day of the Lordes slaine offering I wyll visite the Princes the kynges and all suche as weare straunge cloathing In the same day also will I visite all those that tread ouer the thresholde so proudly which fill theyr houses with robbery and falshood At the same time saith the Lorde there shalbe hearde a great crie from the fishe port and a great murder from the hilles Howle yee that dwel in the mylle for all the Merchaunte people are gone and all they which were laden with siluer are rooted out Howe much good men haue beene offended by the beholding of pride appeareth that in the time as it were of ignoraunce in comparison of these wherin Christe is so professed in woordes and more contraryed in deedes It is sayde of Aristotle that on a time he seeing a young man proude who was indued neither with learning nor vertue wherevpon the said philosopher vsed this maner of reprouing I would my self be no better theÌ„ thou thinkst thou art nor my foes to be no worse then thou art indeede Also it is written of one Pambo that when he behelde a woman proude and very costly apparrelled and attired in straunge fashion hee wept and sobbed and being demaunded the cause thereof he answered that there were two things that mooued him so to doe in beholding of the woman The one to see the womaÌ„ so cast away The other for that I that beare the name of a Christian doe not so indeuour with innocency of life too please God as this woman doeth with her gay attyre to please wicked naughtie persons What examples haue beene in former ages of Gods disliking of strangenesse of apparrell It is noted in our Chronicles that in Oxfordshyre neare vnto a Town called Chipping Norton there was founde a Serpence hauing two heades and two faces one face was attyred after the new fashion of womens attyre the other face like the olde array of women and had winges like a Backe or Flindermouse wything that such examples shoulde not be lightly set by for that the same God which was then offen ded by suche abuses committed in that former age is now greeued by the like in this present age But mee thinketh I doe heare some say what hath any man to doe too finde fault or to bee greeued at our libertie is it not lawfull for mee to doe with myne owne what mee listeth if I spende and waste my goods in euyll condition the harme is mine owne To whom I aunswere it is not so lawfull as for exaÌ„ple admit y t some vnruly vnstayed young person hauing of his owne possessions left him by his friendes a house in the middest of the Citie and that suche vntamed person woulde of a vile disposition and desperate maner set fire on his said house at his pleasure to the indangering of the whole Citie were it not needefull and the duetie of euery Christian man notw tstaÌ„ding that he were not an officer in that behalfe too the vttermost of his power to vse the best meanes that in him lieth for the restraining and repressing of so great a daunger as might grow there by speedily to require the reformation to bee prouided for by the gouernours of euery Citie and place where as suche euils are carefully to be looked vnto and preuented as causes mâ—sâ—e necessarie lest the offences come ouer all so to bee partakers of suche plagues as by sufferance might happen as God defend In the explaning of the vanitie of pryde it is written thus in the booke of Wisdome What good hath our pryde doone vs or what profite hath the pomp of riches brought vs Al those things are passed away like a shadow and as a ship that passeth the Sea which when it is gone by the trace thereof may not bee fouÌ„d as a messenger ruÌ„ning before vs. Euen so fareth it with vs miserable Creatures for assoone as we are borne we begin to drawe to our ende The dayes of our life are few and short thou O GOD hast appointed an end whiche I shal not passe naked and bare I came out of my mothers wombe and naked and bare I shall returne againe Truely all men liuing are vanitie whereby wee are admonished that no man shoulde so consume away in sinne and wickednesse shewing nor leauing no token of vertue behinde him Albeit it is a straunge case to be considered howe many of late time haue so farre ouershot them selues too haue their names shut vpp in the Merchantes and Vsurers bookes by bondes and otherwise therby to serue theyr present turnes to the feeding of their vaine delightes In consideration whereof if the parties them selues were aswell touched to discerne theyr owne follies in that behalfe as it is a griefe and sore hearte eating vnto many theyr good friendes it woulde partly or most of all auoyde so great inconueniences as minister grief vnto so many and to some extreeme misery And it is cause of reioysing vnto many riche worldlinges who smile in theyr sleeues to see the world so goe about although suche wyll make the matter very strannge to credite any man that shal in such sort seeke vnto theÌ„ eyther vpon landes or bondes vntyll the neede and necessitie of the partie be wel discouered And so hauing founde the length of his foote hee shalbe fitted with an Instrument of proofe In suche sorte as then the Title of the landes must beâ— brought in question which being skanned some faulte is founde that the price must bee abated tyll at length the partie being caught with the golden and siluer hookes he may goe play theron But in the meane time hee must geue place to suche an owner as that the same was neuer ment to by the forpossessed elders and must bee remooued in one day out of the possessions which his Auncestours had continued in many score yeeres to the vtter impayring of many a one their credites and names of worship To the reformation whereof if all Gentlemen woulde so refourme themselues as to plante in them suche worthy mindes as I haue read the Romane Gentlemen sometimes to haue borne in suche sorte as after the like deformitie sprong vp amongst them the consideration therof did so
vnto my fathers house Wher as oftētimes for the space of three yeeres there appeared vnto me in a thick hedge a goodly and comfortable vision too beholde so louingly and tenderly as euer any man liuing might desire and wishe shewing suche especiall tokens of Gods great goodnesse and mercies towardes mee as I thinke neuer mortall man coulde wyshe the like which I haue euer kept secret to my selfe vntill this present time for mine owne comfort and consolation Now good maisters for Christ his sake geue eare vnto me and continue in prayers still So it is that long after I came heere to London where I was married sithēs which time I assure you I haue offended my Lord and Sauiour Christe Iesus so sore and manyfoldly by committing of such abhominable vsury as I am afrayde I shalbe condemned eternally indeede one great occasion was because I neuer gaue my selfe too prayer as I was woont to doe but spent my tyme in ouermuche worldlinesse for which my conscience did oftentimes accuse mee which striuing within mee brought mee into a marueilous greate feare of minde so that neuer man was in suche a case of long time And in this laste Tearme being in great trouble of minde the selfe same vision appeared vntoo mee againe and put mee in remembraunce of Gods especiall goodnes and graces before offered vnto mee and also in respecte of many other thinges wylled mee too leaue the trouble of the lawe and all the businesse of the worlde Sithēs which time I assure you I haue left of all and so disposed my self to liue with that which the Lorde hath sent me notwithstanding I wyll shew you stranger thinges insomuche that the seconde night after I fel sick of this my present sicknesse being of perfect memory and in my bed broade awake there appeared vntoo mee suche straunge and fearefull thinges which greatly amased mee and put me in a wonderfull feare I cannot tell what I shoulde tearme them or call them but as I remember they were like Puppets which ranne vpp and downe my chamber my bed and vpō my body tossed mee pulled mee stirred mee and so vexed me as I was neuer in my life so troubled shewing me so terrible fearefull sightes that I was almost brought to destruction vtterly so far foorth that I coulde not tell what too doe Yet at the last remembring my selfe calling too minde the wonderfull graces that my Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe had at diuerse and sundry times shewed mee I sayde in my self O good Lord what doe all these thinges meane With that there appeared vnto me my former visiō againe and shewed me in writing all the summes of vsury money which I had receiued in my lyfe time so plainly that I read thē And indeede the summes were true euery man named with whō I had occupied that trade and the seuerall summes shewing mee so plainly euery thing as I assure you I much marueiled at it At the last I made answere too my vision and saide O Lord all these things be true indeede what shall I doe to it Then my vision made mee answere and comforted me very much and commaunded mee too repaye all the Vsury money againe to euery man as hee had shewed me the summes which came vnto 18. hūdred pounds Then he bad me pay again fiftie pound which I had gayned for buying of a house and a hundred and twenty pounds which I had gotten by strangers as Italians and suche like and because I knewe not where the saide strangers dwelt to giue it to good prisoners good men that were in Prisons And maisters I cānot tell of what religiō you be of nor to tel you the trueth I care not to the end too accuse my aduersary the Deuyll So as indeede I haue restored some part already and wil render al God willing and wyll pay all the money gayned by Vsury as my vision commaunded mee and doe so intende God willing to do tomorrowe if I liue so long If not I will desire a speciall friende of myne as my trust is in hym to see the same discharged and presently to paye out the same that my soule may abide no perrill therefore And these thinges haue iustly hapned vnto mee for I assure you I haue not vsed to pray as I was woont to doe nor neuer went to the Church at time of common Prayer because it condemned myne owne conscience for suffering mee to commit suche abhominable sinnes of Vsury and others moste detestable against the wyll of my heauenly Father who of the largenesse of his mercy so manyfold and sundry times did shew me suche euident and singuler tokens of his graces and mercies And thus my visionleft me sithence which time I assure you I haue had asmuch quietnesse as any man can wishe and haue seene such comfortable sightes as neither hearte can thinke nor tongue can expresse And so this reconciled person desired the minister being present to say the vii Psalme Glory bee to God on high and then hee thought to haue died But thē the breath being geuen him he reuiued again and fell to prayer and gaue himself wholy to quietnesse but shortly after he departed this life And as I finde of this one so reconciled to God so I can not learne but that as the number of such are very rare and contrary to many such as God hath suffered to perishe through that sinne as appeareth vnto what miserable end the trade of Vsury brought manye Iewes who occupied the same trade in this lande in former ages in suche wyse as it is affirmed in our chronicles Thatthere were certain Iewes inhabiting in y e Citie of York Insomuch as for some one of theyr profession exacted vpon a Christian for lone of money certaine of the inhabitaunts of the same Citie erected themselues to be auenged in such sort as they distressed all the saide Iewes into a Tower of the Castle there which the Christians assailed and the Iewes proffered money to bee in sauegard but the people woulde not accept it In somuche as it is saide that through the wicked counsell of one of their men of lawe all the saide Iewes so distressed agreed too cut the throates of al theyr wiues and children and to cast theyr dead bodies ouer the Walles vppon the Christians heades which horrible fact they hauing desperately perfourmed the rest not so slayne set fier on the Tower wherin they were and consumed themselues by fire Loe heere a iuste rewarde for so damnable a trade themselues to be the executioners of theyr owne wiues children heaping vengeaunce vpon them selues in a damnable maner So as it is noted 600. Iewes besides theyr wyues and childrē thus miserably dyed And as it seemeth by the story that they vndertooke so too dye for theyr lawe But Englishmen are Christiās then let such do the deedes of christianitie being forbidden by gods lawe and politike lawes haue so ordeined that no man shoulde winne or obtayne a
and wyndowes as a necessary meanes to keepe the infection of the sicke from the sounde euen so assuredly it is a most needful rule and the best preseruatiue agaynste the plague that can be vsed that euery housholder woulde shutte out of their doores The sin wickednes that doth abounde wherewith not onely the people but also sometyme the very ayre is infected with the iniquitie that can by no meanes bee kept downe but will needes breake forth lyke a flaming fire Although all people ought to knowe and remember that the same God that is of power to send health and sicknesse wealth and pouertie doeth commaund all men to flee and auoid sin and to lyue after his commaundements as a perfect rule or direction which God graunt may in time woorke such effect that sinne and wickednesse may so be banished not onely out of London but also out of all partes whereas God is professed as that his name may be truely gloâ—iâ—â—â—d Against the corrupt dealings of retaylers of wares and suche lyke NOtwithstanding that it may be thought sufficient hath bene saide in the former treatise of the euil working of priuate gaine among the people yet the nature thereof will not bee hyd in some retaylors of wares as may more easily appeare in the packyng which many of theÌ„ doe vse with deceites in euery their seuerall professions in the vending of their wares to the abridging of this adage That that realme standeth best wherein most members are prouided for Wherein it is to bee vnderstoode that suche are best to be accounted of that doe best deserue in profiting their countrey with their paynful trauailes which in my simple opinioÌ„ is wel perfourmed by three seueral vocations y t is the husbaÌ„dmaÌ„ which tilleth the grounde and by his diligence as God giueth increase hee from time to tyme letteth no season passe tyll hee haue atteyned the fruite of his painful labour to the comfort of the common welth Secondly the Clothier who by his diligeÌ„ce setteth a woorke a great number of people to the maintenaunce of the countreys where as they are planted and to the profit of the whole realme And thirdly the Merchaunt aduenturer a member that may not be spared for by them the commodities which may best be spared are transported into other countreys and the commodities which to their natyue countrey is moste wantyng that bring they home by way of exchaunge and returne As God hath giuen and distributed to euery Nation and countrey a seuerall blessyng for which England is not the least indebted vnto God aboue any other nation in respect of the large measure of Gods sundry benifites receiued in suche wyse as it may rightly bee saide what is most needfull for the supplye of mans necessity but that England is pleÌ„tifully furnished withall especially of foode for mans sustenance the coÌ„moditie of wooll which beyng transported into cloth or otherwyse accordyng to the lawes of this realme yeldeth great good to most sortes of people for which other Nations can not but thinke them selues to be rightly beholdyng vnto Englande as appeareth by the intercourse sought to be maynteined with Englande by forraine Princes In respecte whereof the felowshyp of the Merchant aduenturers haue alwayes declared theÌ„ selues worthy meÌ„bers As by their sundry careful indeuours them selues haue and doe dailye manifest not only in adueÌ„nturing of their substaunce in the prosecutyng of their paynfull affayres with the benifit which by them is brought into their Princes Coffers which is not easily compassed nor without aduenture of their lynes lyke vnto good and profitable Bees who in their trade doe much differ from the idle Drones and such as make great buzzing to the disturbance of the good trauellyng Bees whose inclination vpon examination you shall finde more profitable then the dronishe ones To try all whereof let it be noted how euery company of good Bees being seperated from their hiues in gathering of their prouision far from home who vpon their seuerall returnes againe no one will couet any other hyue but their owne proper and that which is incident vnto them selues neyther should be suffered if they would for that by nature as it shoulde seeme euery company of Bees doeth so holde together in suche wyse as euery one of them doeth in the wynter possesse the fruite of their painefull labour gathered in the somer Being perfourmed by equall labour not without daunger to bee crossed in their trauayle some tyme by one meanes some tymes by an other In so muche as it appereth in the felowship of good Bees that the want of the out is not the prosperitie of the other And that it seemeth that their prouision is gathered by them with an indifferent care Albeit that there are some that doe trauayle further from their home then other some and as there are both great and small so each of them do expresse foorth their goodnes by the yeldyng of their increase In the perfourmaunce whereof the good wil of each one seemeth to be well allowed not onely to the comfort of their own felowshyp but also to euery common wealth whereas they are setled and cherished declaryng theÌ„ selues so worthie to bee accounted of coÌ„trary to Wapses not without euil stinges in the gathering of their badde prouision And that often tymes doeth appeare by the shrewde harme and damage that many an honest man doeth sustayne by dealyng with suche vnprofitable cattayle whose seperation is not onely required from among good Bees but also their company from among meÌ„ Neuerthelesse many of that sort woulde be thought and reputed as good and profitable Bees although no honest bare faced man can well away to haue to doe with that sort From whome it may bee thought that many people in this age haue taken ensample to deale shrewdelye and vniustly with their neyghbours as dayly experience teacheth In somuche as it was a common saying amonge the people not longe sithens that where any one intended to do dammage to any other their Christian brethren or neighbours it was speeched in a barbarous manner thus I warrant you to bee ouertaken with a crooked measure by hauyng to doe with suche a one which God knoweth appereth yet to be too too truly perfourmed by the coÌ„mon practise thereof contrary to this one good insample For the true measuring of corne in all incorporate Cities and Townes in Englande where the true measure is well knowne to be fastened in a certaine place neare vnto the market where as euery one may at their pleasures haue the true vse thereof and not denyed to any which notwithstanding the greatest number of the people in their common buiyng and sellyng doe seeme to haue set a parte to deale in true measure as hardly to bee persuaded to take so litle paynes as once to steppe ouer the way or to their nexte neyghbours doore to the ende to speake or deale in trueth and true measure by reason that the crooked measure is euery where
large a condition as many riche haue And as there are many riche that seeme not to knowe what it is to be riche in God so are there many poore that do abuse their pouertie and as Hypocrites doe deceiue and as it were robbe from the good poore the charitable deuotion of godlye disposed people touched with a pitiful affection vnto all But often it falleth so out that there are some suche as doe declare them selues hypocrite poore that can haÌ„dle their profession in so lothsome a maner as suche are hardly to be discouered because of their decestable vngratious practise vnder the vile cloake of deepe dissimulation in makyng an occupation of their more miserable estates And such ought to bee sifted out of euery common wealth as chaffe from amoÌ„g good corne And the cause to be examined howe euery suche hath growne into so miserable estate which beyng founde to be by any euill practice or behauiour then a condigne punishment to be ministred and to be set to some worke and labour whereby to earne their liuyng and being found to be framed to any goodnesse then suche to be dealt with all according as God hath wrought the lyke effect of late in LondoÌ„ whereas suche are prouided for to the great commendation of the same Citie in relieuyng the lame and impotent and reforming the abuses of such euil persoÌ„s as may not otherwise be reclaimed And that poore childreÌ„ might supply the places which nowe the deuices of turnspits and Dogges doe furnishe And that it should not be lawfull for the parentes of suche children to intice them away being once placed nor to departe tyll they had continued the full terme of yeares for which such were bound and theÌ„ to make choyce what facultie suche will folow for their better prouision of liuyng accordyng to their towardnesse For it is written if one of thy brethren among you bee poore within any of thy gates in the land which the Lorde thy God giueth thee Thou shalte not harden thine heart nor shut too thine hande from thy poore brother But open thine hand vnto him leÌ„d him sufficient for his need which he hath and beware that there bee not a wicked pointe in thine heart that thou wouldest say The seuenth yeare the yeare of freedome is at hand and therfore it greeueth thee to looke on thy poore brother giuest him nought and hee then crye vnto the Lord against thee and it bee sin vnto thee but giue him and let it not greeue thine hart to giue vnto him Because that for this thing y e Lord thy God shal blesse thee in all thy workes and in all that thou puttest thine haÌ„d too The laud shal neuer be w tout poore And therfore I commauÌ„d thee saying thou shalt open thine hande vnto thy poore brother that is needy and poore in the lande If thy brother an Ebrew sell him selfe vnto thee or an Ebruesse and serue thee sixe yeares the seuenth yeare thou shalt let him goe free from thee when thou sendest him out free from thee thou shalt not let him go away emptie but shal giue him of thy sheepe of thy corne and of thy wyne and giue him of that wherewith the Lord thy God hath blessed thee And remember that thou wast a seruant in the land of Egypt the Lord thy God deliuered thee thence and therefore this thyng I commaund thee this day And the same God hath commaunded children to doe their dueties with diligence As it is written in Saint Paul to the EphesiaÌ„s in his first Epistle Children obey your fathers mothers in the Lorde that is the first coÌ„maundemeÌ„t that hath any promise that thou mayest be in good estate and lyue longe in the earth and ye fathers moue not your children vnto wrath but bryng them vpp with nurture and information vnto the Lord. Seruants be obedient vnto your earthly maisters with feare and trembling in singlenes of your hearts as vnto Christ not with seruice in the eye sight as men pleasers but as the seruauntes of Christ dooyng the will of God from the hearte with good will seruing the Lord and not men And remember that whatsoeuer any man doeth that shall he receiue again of the Lord whether he be bound or free For with God there is no respecte of persons And to the ende that euery one in generall both men and women should haue a due consideration of the benifites done vnto mankinde in his first creation God hath placed mankinde here vppon the earth makyng him capable of reason with his eyes so framed as in the course of this mortall lyfe euery one both riche and poore high and low Publican and Pharisie should not be forgetfull of the wonderfull omnipotencie of God in our beholding the Heauers with the ornamentes thereof Where the Sunne the Moone and the Starres doe all obserue their course in due order to the end to put all mankynde in remembraunce of our obedience wherevnto wee were framed in our first creation which benifite of creation as it was and is denied to all other creatures besides who as they are voyde of reason whereof and wherefore they were made and created So do they take their turnes in commyng vppon the earth and passyng agayne without any further memory to be had of any of them But man ought not to be ignoraunt that seeyng almightie God hath dealt so bouÌ„tifully with him as to make him Lorde ouer all other creatures in obeying him So is man him selfe bounde to the more strickter fourme of obedience vnto God for so many and sundry his benefites receiued whereby all mankynde is admonished that forasmuch as all other things are ordeyned for the necessitie and vse oâ— man so should man be more carefull for the thinges apperteyning to the hungering of our sinfull soules then for the feedyng and pampering of our carnall and mortall bodyes which in Spanishe is so rightly applyed where a man is called Vmbra which by interpretation is a shadow which notwithstanding daily experience teacheth that a more estimation and care is had for so vnstable a bodye neglectyng the prouision of our soules which â—ught to be prouided for and esteemed aboue all the Iewels in this miserable worlde And thervpon Christ in his rebuking the Scribes and Pharisies sayeth thus Woe be vnto you yee Hypocrites for ye make clean the outward side of the cup of the platter but within they are full of brybery and excesse Thou blinde Pharisie clense first that within the cuppe and platter that the outside of them may bee cleare also Wo be vnto you Scribes and Pharisies ye Hypocrites for ye are like vnto paynted Sepulchers which indeed appeare beautifull outwarde but within are full of dead mens bones and of all filthinesse Euen so are there many in this age who do seeme outwardly to be righteous and so would bee reputed and taken but within are full of all fainednesse and iniquitie Vpon