yeeres on Barthelmewe daie in the yere one thousand fiue hundred seauentie and seauen at the Machaunt sailers hall in the Citie of London to the Maior and comcommunaltie of the citie of Yorke one hundred and foure pounds to be lent to foure young men free of the sayde Citie of Yorke fiue and twentie poundes a peece for the space of ten yeeres without paying anie interest for it The foure pounds ouerplus of the hundred four he gaue to the Maior communaltie for their paines The verie same or the like order hee tooke for the deliuerie of one hundred and foure pounds in the yeere of our Lorde 1578. to the Citie of Canterburie in the yeere 1579. to Reading 1580. to the companie of the Marchaunt Tailers 1581. to Glocester 1582. to Worcester 1583. to Exeter 1584. to Sarisburie 1585. to Westchester 1586. to Norwich 1587. to Southamtō 1588. to Lincoln 1589. to Winchester 1590. to Oxford 1591. to Hereford East 1592. to Cambridge 1503. to Shrewsburie 1594. to Linne 1595. to Bath 1596. to Ipswich 1598. to Colchester 1599. to New-castle and then to begin againe at Bristow one hundred and foure poundes the next yeere to the citie of Yorke and so forth to the said cities as before and the same to continue for euer Also this said sir Thomas White gaue to the Maior and communaltie of Couentrie one thousand and foure hundred pounds to purchase lands to the value of three score and ten pounds a yeere which rents he deuised as foloweth First that twelue poore inhabitants of the foresayde citie shall haue paide them foure twentie poundes yeerely the eleuenth daie of March that is fortie shillings a peece for euer Furthermore hee deuised for the space of ten yeres to commence within one yere after his decease to foure pore men of the said Citie forty pounds yerely vz. ten poundes to each of them for nine yeres after the receit therof in free lone And after those nine yeeres were expired to other foure poore men of the same citie for nine yeeres and so from nine yeres to nine yeres for euer At the end of which nine yeeres he deuised that the maior and communaltie of Couentrie for the space of thirtie yeeres shall imploy the said fortie poundes yeerely to two young men of the sayd citie for nine yeres in free lone for euer and so after those nine yeeres from nine yeeres to nine yeeres for euer And after the expiratiō of those thirty yeres the sayd fortie pounds to be delyuered to one yong man of the sayd Citie in free lone for nine yeeres and so from nine yeeres to nine yeres for euer Afterwards he deuised the sayd sum of fortie pounds to bee deliuered to Northampton and to be lent to one young man of the sayde towne for nine yeeres in free lone and so from nine yeeres to nine yeeres for euer And then the next yeere after that to the towne of Leicester as aforesayd The yeere following to the Towne of Northampton as aforesayd The next yere after that to the towne of Warwike as aforesayd And then againe to Couentrie for one yeere and so to the other townes aforesayde one after another for euer But to leaue this worthie person and to hasten vnto others Iohn Alcocke Bishoppe of Elie founded a free schoole at Kingstone vppon Hull and gaue to the same certaine landes for euer King Henrie the sixt built Eaton colledge in the yeere of our Lorde 1443. Our most gracious and dread soueraigne Ladie Elizabeth the Queenes Maiestie that nowe is whom God preserue for euer not onely reedified but also inlarged with greate and ample reuenewes the famous free schoole of Westminster Iohn Collet Deane of Paules founded a goodly free schoole in the Churchyard of Saint Pauls in London called Paules schoole in the yeere 1510. Iohn Tat builte Saint Anthonies schoole in London The Worshipfull Companie of the Marchant tailers built a famous schoole in the Citie of London called the Marchant tallers school anno 1560. Hugh Prise Doctor of the lawe founded a new colledge called Iesus colledge in the yeere 1572. King Bladud founded the Vniuersitie of Stanford and brought Philosophers from Athens thether Besides all which Colledges Vniuersities and schooles of learning we reade almost of infinit Churches Temples Chappels Abbies Frieries Monasteries and other religious houses not onely in England but euen throughout all christendome which they our forefathers I meane haue founded erected to their perpetual praise honor renown But of many heare a few King Ethelbert for the singular zeale hee bare to religion built St Augustines a goodly Church in Canterburie Hee built also S. Paules Church in London and S. Andrewes in Rochester Cissa built the Abbey of Abingdon and Erkenwald Bishop of London built the Abbeies of Chertsey Barking Ostricke Duke of Glocester founded the Abbey of Glocester Remingus Bishop of Dorchester built a goodly new Church in Lincolne Osmond Bishop of Sarisburie founded the Cathedrall Church of Sarisburie in the yeere 1091. Herbert Bishoppe of Norwich built the Cathedrall Church of Norwich in the yeere 1202. Queen Mathild built the church of the Trinitie within Algate in London in the yeere 1108. One Peter a Priest of Colchurch was the first that built Londō bridge of timber in the yeere 1562. And yet ceased they not heere but other some built hospitalles spittles and almes houses for the poore as namely Walter Brune Citizen of London and Rosia his wife founded the hospitall without Bishops gate in London Iohn Lowkin sometime Maior of London builte a Chappell and an hospitall for the poore at Kingstone vpon Thames he built also the Parish Church of Saint Michael in crooked lane Iohn Philpot Maior of London gaue certaine landes to the chamber of London for which they are to paie seuen pence a peece to thirteen poore persons for euer in the yeere 1379. One William Seuenocke founded in the Towne of Seuen-oke in Kent a freeschoole and twelue almes-houses in the yeere of our Lord 1418. Iohn Clapton Maior of London built a stone bridge at Straitford vpon Auon and also a high waie of foure miles long in the yere 1492. Iohn Milborne builte certaine almes houses by Crochet Friers in London wherein are maintayned twelue poore people who haue theyr dwellinges rent free and two shillings sixe pence a peece the first daie of euery month for euer Nicholas Gibson builte the free schoole in Ratcliffe by London gaue ten pound a yeere to the master and twentie nobles a yeere to the vsher for euer besides hee built there certaine almes houses for foureteene poore people who quarterly receiue vi shillings eight pence a peece for euer Sir Thomas Lupton knight founded a free Schoole and certayne almes houses at Arendale in Northamptonshiere where seuen poore people haue eight shillinges eight pence a peece the quarter for euer Sir Rowland Hill Mercer of London caused a causie or pauement to bee made in the high waie betwixt
and being not able by reason of the iniquitie of the time to finish it it was afterward perfited by Elizabeth wife to King Edward the 4. in the yere of our Lord 1465. Katherine Hall was built by Robert Woodlarke Doctor of Diuinitie and Chancelor of Cambridge by him indowed with cōpetēt possessions Iesus Colledge was conuerted from a Priorie into a Colledge by Iohn Alcocke Bishop of Ely in the yeare of Christ 1502. and by him both reedifyed and also possessed with sufficient reuenewes the rents whereof were afterward inlarged by Sir Robert Reade Knight Doctor Eleston Doctor Royston and Doctor Fuller with others Christes Colledge was first founded by King Henry the syxt who named it Gods house afterward it was translated by the Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond Darby in the yeare of our Sauiour 1505. and called Christs Colledge To this Colledge Edward the 6. conferred one felowship and three schollerships That honorable Knight also Sir Gualter Mildmay and Edmund Grindall late Archbishop of Canterbury were notable contributors benefactors to this Colledge gaue to it annuall pēsions for euer Saint Iohns Colledge was translated from a Priorie into a Colledge by the Lady Margaret Coūtesse of Richmond and Grandmother to King Henry the eyght in the yeare of our Lord 1508. Magdalen Colledge was conuerted frō a house of Monks into a Colledge by the noble Duke of Buckingham in the yeare of our Lord 1519. This Colledge hath since beene greatly repayred and beawtified with goodly buildings by Sir Christopher Wray Knight late Lorde chiefe Iustice of England Trinity Colledge was erected by King Henry the 8. in the yere of our Lord 1546. who gaue vnto it yearely for euer 1300. poūds besides the old ancient possessions Qu. Mary augmēted the same Colledge and gaue to it in lands 338. pounds Sir Gualter Mildmay Knight founded a goodly Colledge called Emanuell Colledge in the yeare of our Lord 1584. The Lady Francis Countesse of Sussex hath also begun the foundacion of a newe Colledge and hath geuen to the same 5000. pound in the yeare of our Lord 1588. But to come to the Vniuersitie of Oxforde and so to make an ende Alfredus sometime King of this land for the zeale he bare to good letters erected the Vniuersitie of Oxford in the yeare of our Lord 872. but some attribute the first building of it to Mempricius before Christ 1015. yeares othersome ascribe it to Vortiger after the birth of Christ 474. yeares King Aluredus or Alfredus whether you will for he was called by both those names built the Vniuersitie Colledge which beeing afterwards almost defaced William Bishop of Durham repaired agayne and gaue to it goodly reuenewes in the yeare of our saluation 1217. Bailiol or Ballioll King of the Scots built Balioll Colledge in the yeare of our Sauiour 1263. and his wife Deruergulla indowed it with yearely reuenewes Gualter de Merton sometyme Lord Chancelor of England built Merton Colledge in the yeare of our Redeemer 1264. and inuested it with great and large possessions Gualter Stapleton Bishop of Exceter built Exceter Colledge in the yere of our Lord 1316. Edward the 2. after the Conquest or as some hould Sir Adam Browne Almoner to the sayde King built Oriall Colledge in the yeare of our Lord 1323. Robert Eglesfield Bacheler of Diuinitie built the Queenes Colledge in the yere of our L. 1340. wherto Edmund Grindall Archbish. of Canterbury besides 100 pound in money which hee gaue in his life time gaue also 20 pound a yere for euer The same Archbishop also at his death gaue to the same Colledge many goodly bookes ten pound in mony to buy chaynes to tye them in besides plate and other iewels of great value William Wiccam sometime Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancelor of Englande built a most stately Colledge called New Colledge in the yeare of our Lord 1375. gaue to it goodly reuenewes The same Bishop also built a goodly Colledge in the suburbs of the Citie of Winchester for the better erudition of youth in good letters Richard Flemming Bishop of Lincolne in the yeare of grace 1420. built Lincolne Colledge and bestowed vpon it lands and possessions which remayne to this day Henry Chichley Archbishop of Canterbury built All Soules Colledge in the yeare of our Lorde 1437. and gaue to it large reuenewes About the same time Humfrey called the good Duke of Glocester built a most famous Schoole called the Diuinitie Schoole wherein he placed a goodly Library of 129. chosen bookes which he had gathered out of the most places in Christendome to his vnspeakable great cost and charges William Wamflet Bishop of Winchester in the yeare 1459. built Magdalene Colledge and gaue fayre lands and goodly possessions to it He built also a good part of Eaton Colledge besides a free Schole at Wamflet in Lincolne shire William Smith Bishop of Lincolne built Brasen nose Colledge in the yeare 1513. Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester erected Corpus Christi Colledge in the yeare 1516. and indowed it with sufficient reuenewes Thomas Wolsey Cardinall Archbishop of Yorke founded a goodly Colledge called Christs Colledge or Christs Church in the yeare 1546. gaue to it many great possessiōs Sir Thomas Pope Knight reedified Trinitie Colledge in the yere 1556. which Colledge was first founded by Thomas of Hatfeild Bishop of Durham for his Monkes and bestowed great possessions vppon it also Sir Thomas White Knight repaired the colledge first begun by Henrie Chichley Archbishop of Cantuburie and called it Saint Iohns Colledge whereto he gaue in reuenues for euer fiue hundred pounds a yeere this he dyd in the yere of Christ 1557. The said sir Tho. White also founded a hall for students called Saint Iohns hall but sometime Glocester colledge which beeing suppressed he bought it with his monie and placed therein a principall and a hundred poore schollers and moe and hauing made great reparations of the same hee adioyned it to Saint Iohns colledge which before he had founded He also erected free schooles at Bristow Reading Moreouer he gaue in his lyfe time two thousand poundes to the citie of Bristow to purchase landes to the value of one hundred and twenty poundes a yeere for the which the Maior and communaltie of Bristow in anno 1567 and so yeerely during the terme of tenne yeeres following shoulde cause to be paide at Bristow one hundreth pounde The first eight hundreth pounds to be lent to sixteene pore young clothiers and free men of the same towne for the space of ten yeeres fiftie pounds a peece they ptuting in sufficiēt sureties for the same And at the end of tenne yeeres the same to bee lent to other sixteene at the discretion of the Maior and communaltie aforesayde The other two hundred poundes to bee imployed for the prouision of corne for the releefe of the poore of the same Citie for theyr readie monie without gains to be taken And after the ende of nine
other way Good Lord I can not but wonder at the bountifull liberalitie of our predecessors they built all these edifices and buildings from the ground of theyr owne proper costs and charges without all contribucions or collections that we reade of and yet we can not so much as maynteyne and repayre them except we haue contributions collections and gatherings throughout the realme for euery little Bridge And if there be but a small Bridge to be built from the grounde Iesus what a peece of worke wee make of it yea wee must haue a licence to begge all ouer the land for it or else it will neuer be built So that I verely belieue if we should haue but euen one such a building to make as we haue some in England built by our ancestors Oh it would shake the verie foundations of the common wealth nay I thinke assuredly they would neuer be able to performe it not for that we are not able but for that we are wretched miserable for there is greater riches welth in Englād now Gods holy name be praysed for it than euer there was since the beginning of the world by many degrees and yet we will part with nothing to any good worke so couetous are we and so voyd of that holy zeale and burning charitie which our forefathers had To goe forward Is it not a good work to build Colledges and Vniuersities to erect free Schooles and houses of learning being indeede the very seminaries of all wisdome learning and knowledge for the better education of youth in good letters wheras otherwise ignorance and barbarisme would ouerflow vs And yet notwithstanding all this you shall haue some giddy heads that would haue all Vniuersities Colledges Schooles of learning to be vtterly supprest and ouerthrowne which were euen to pluck the Sunne out of the elemēt the starres out of the skye the Moone out of the heauens for as the world without the one would seeme as it were a confuse chaos palpable darknes so without the other should we be all as dizarts sots and peasants yea very buzzards blockheads little or nothing differing from bruite beasts Nay to wish the ouerthrow of them is to wish the subuersion of the word of God and of religion with a vniuersall confusion of all things For are not Vniuersities and Schooles the way to learning and knowledge Is not learning the way to wisedome and is not wisedome as it were the very fynewes and tendons that hold together the whole body both of the Churche and common-wealth Nay to say more is not wisedome the very life of them both and therefore they that desire the decay of the one doe wish the destruction of the other But yet to wade in this matter a little further Is it not a good worke to erect Hospitalls Spittles and Almes houses wherein all such as be eyther olde aged impotent blind lame halt or otherwise decrepite might be relieued yea I hould it to be one of the chiefest good workes that a man can doe in thys life For doth not Christ accoumpt it done to himselfe whatsoeuer is done to his poore members vpon earth And therefore I pray GOD to rayse vp more such men as may erect mo such houses yea if it were in euery Citie towne and village Then should we haue eyther none or at lest fewer beggers as we cal them amongst vs than we haue according to the cōmandement of God who sayth Let there bee no beggers in Israel that is amongest those that professe the Gospell and religion of GOD whilest those that were olde halt blind or lame should be there harboured and other lustie vagabonds who were able to worke and would not shuld be compelled to worke by seuerity of law And to this end as I would wish moe hospitalls for the reliefe of those that are not able to worke as I haue sayd so woulde I wishe that there were mo houses of correction in euerie shiere one at the least to punish and chase such lusty knaues and queans as goe roagueing about the Countries not laboring at all but liuing vpon filching stealing purloining and pilfering frō others I remember there were certaine motions of late for the erectiō of such houses in euery shire but there is nothing effected as yet Parturiunt montes nascitur ridiculus mus It was too good a work to take place with vs we haue many good motions but few good effects follow God be mercifull vnto vs. But here a question may be asked whether the building of monasteries priories other religious houses were good workes or no I aunswere that in deed they had a zeale in them but not as the Apostle saith secundum scientiam and they built thē to a good intēt as namely that the seruice and religion of God might bee maintained and continued in them for euer And therefore if they were afterwardes abused as they were in deed as is before remembred and peruerted to another end than was intendended by the first founders of them by a sorte of caterpillers and idolatrous locustes that conuersed in them and poisoned the whole world with the filthie dregges of theyr fornication the fault was in the abusers not in the founders And yet I will not iustifie the founders for their good intents sake neither For a good intent is no good intent excepte it haue his ground and warrant out of the worde of God It is not inough for a man to doo euill and then to saie hee dyd it to a good intent Saul for a good intent as he pretēded as namely to sacrifice to the Lorde kept aliue the best of the cattel cōtrarie to Gods cōmandement but notwithstanding his good intent God cast him of for it and deposed him from his royall dignity telling him that he delighted more in obedience than in sacrifice But howeuer they were built or to what end or purpose so euer sure I am they were pulled downe to a better purpose as beeing in deede the dens of theeues the neasts cels of vipers the dungeōs of dragons the harborows of cocatrices the cages of vncleane beasts And yet as I thank God for the ouerthrowe of them for that they had almost drowned and in short time would not almost but altogether haue drowned the whole world with the filthy puddle of superstition idolatry infidelitie buggerie and sodometrie so could I haue wished that the lands and reuenues of them had ben better imployed as namely to the mainteuaunce of Colledges and schooles of learning to the maintenance of preachers throghout the land to the reliefe and sustentation of the poore and defence of the common wealth and such other good purposes then shoulde not our land haue beene pestered with so many vpstart single-soled Gentlemen as it is But it was the will of God that those thinges which were the bane of his Church and the poison of his children and therefore stood as anathema and accursed before him shoulde
warrant at all out of the worde of God but rather quite contrarie vtterly repugnant shuld merite and deserue the kingdome of heauen and euerlasting life being indeed such as Christ speaketh of In vaine doo they worship me teaching for doctrines the ordinances of men But to conclude this point The Apostle saith whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne but these works of the papists are not of faith and therefore are sin And to proue that they are not of faith I reason thus Whatsoeuer hath not his grounde and warrant out of the worde of God is not of faith but these workes haue not anie ground out of the word of God and therefore are not of faith Therefore would I counsell all Papists to abandon theyr workes especially these which I haue recited to the deuill theyr author from whome they first came and to do those workes which God hath in his holy word commanded and which in mercie but not in merite he hath promised to rewarde at that daie And nowe because neyther they nor anie else shall bee ignoraunt what those good workes bee which God hath commaunded vs to doe in his holy word I will decypher forth vnto them though not all yet some of them in as fewe wordes as I can The 4. Section Containing a description of such workes as the Protestants doo account for good workes and which in deede are good workes and grounded vpon the worde of God Wherein by the waie also is shewed euerie ones dutie in his seuerall calling in this life OVR sauior Christ in the fiue twentith of Saint Mathewes Gospell setteth downe a notable Catologue of good workes amongst which hee accounteth this to be one namely to feed the hungrie to giue drinke to the thirsty to cloath the naked to visite the sicke and those that bee in prison to lodge the harbourlesse and to entertayne straungers and way-faring men This dyd good Abraham well vnderstand and practise who is sayde to haue sate in his tent doore in the heate of the daie of purpose to inuite and call in straungers way-faring men and trauelers to relieue them And therefore when the Angelles came to him in the forme of men he is noted by the holy Ghost to haue intreated them nay to haue compelled them to eate meate with him in his house Good father Lot dyd the very same watching in his dores or gates to harbour poore straungers and therefore when the Angells came into Sodome like strangers pilgrimes hee compelled them in some sort to enter into his house and to take such lodging and entertaynment as the countrey would yeeld and his state was able to affoord And hereby many as the Apostle noteth haue receyued Angels into theyr houses at vnawares in the formes of men But now adayes there are many that are so farre off from this kinde of liberality towards poore strangers or beggers as we call them that they wyll shut vp their gates when there is any meate or drinke stirring And which is too bad I haue knowne some that haue caused the poore to be whipped away from their gates Again othersome althogh of great reuenews because they wil not keepe hospitality nor relieue the pore at home they will geue vp house and eyther go soiorne table with some friend or els take a chamber in some city or town where they will kepe no house at all but with a man a boy and it is wel if that too liue both meanely basely and obscurely to the blemishing steyning of their worship credit for euer Euen they whose lands and possessiōs are worth peraduenture 500. pounds a yeare yea it may be 1000. pounds a yeare whose parēts ancestors kept 20. or 40. mē in a liuery mainteind great hospitality to the reliefe of all the cuntrey about them euen they I say wil not stick to do so And yet wil all their reuenews scarse serue to maynteyne this small port withall notwithstāding that they so racke their lands rayse their rents exact such fines and incomes as they make twentie times so much more of their liuings now as their forefathers did in times past Now if it be demanded how they carrying so low a saile can spende so great reuenues which were wont to maintayne so many score and to releeue so many thousandes of poore soules I aunswere They spende it as I suppose for the most part either in sumptuous apparel gorgeous buildings both which are at this daie too rife in England if it pleased God or els in feasting and banketting in roieting and gourmandizing besides other chamber workes which I blush to name For as the Apostle sayth it is a shame once to speake of those things which are done of them in secrete God turne their heartes and giue them grace to contayne themselues within themselues to mayntaine hospitalitie for the releefe of the poore and to vpholde that porte worship and credit which their forefathers dyd Our sauiour Christ saith that a cup of cold water giuen in his name shall not bee lefte vnrewarded at the later daie And the Apostle Paul commendeth hospitalitie as one of the works of mercie calling it in many places a sweete smelling sacrifice pleasaunt and acceptable to God Alasse let them consider wherefore dyd God giue them such great store of riches and large possessions in this lyfe aboue theyr fellows brethren was it not to doo good with them and to helpe those that haue neede Let them knowe it was not giuen them to misspend in ryot and excesse in pride in gluttonie or dronkennesse in whooring no nor in hawking and hunting nor in anie other such kinde of vanitie No no it wyll not goe for payment at the daye of iudgement when it shall be sayd vnto them redde rationem villicationis tuae come geue accoumpt of thy Stewardship I woulde wishe them therefore to learne euen of the vniust Steward spoken of by our Sauiour Christ to make them friends of the wicked mammon And surely to bend my style to all in generall I would councell all men to studie to be more carefull and diligent in doing of good workes to feede the hungrie to cloth the naked to harbor the harborlesse to visite them that be sicke and in prison and to doe to all men as hee would wishe all should do to him if he were in like condicion Say not as Saint Iames noteth the rich mercilesse men of hys tyme to haue sayde I haue not for you now come agayne an other tyme God send you comfort and so they geue them nothing themselues notwithstanding in the meane tyme flowing nay ouerflowing with the aboundance of all things Saint Augustine tells vs that looke what apparrell we haue in our presses what clothes in our chests what garments in our warderobes more than we weare on our backes they are sayth this holy Father none of ours but the poores and to withhold them from them hauing neede is to robbe