meete ParsoÌ„ they knew him not for they neuer saw him yet he had bin their Parson 20. yeres at the least Omen Such are pope-like parsoÌ„s for they féed their flock neither bodily nor ghostly bicause they wil be sure they wil not fulfil the meaning of Christ in feding his shéepe therfore they doe not loue Christ but at the last terrible daye of iudgemeÌ„t if Christ shal hate reiect theÌ„ bicause they loued him not then seÌ„d theÌ„ into hel fire to burn in torments for euer theÌ„ they wil find that these are déere benefires that it had bin better to haue fedde their flocke than to haue famished their flock wil wish then rather to haue preached to their parishioners without profits than to haue profits of them without preaching but theÌ„ it wil be too late to wil or wish Siuqila Many of our parsons féed their flock a little better for perhaps they wil lie at their benefices 2. or 3. moneths and at an other as long and thus they will be sure to féede them all Omen Yea but not all at once Siuqila I do not say so Omen But who shall preache to the rest of his flocke in his absence Siuqila He fed them so wel before that they may farrye a while he will féede them when hée commeth to them againe whiche perhappes wil be within halfe a yere or a tweluemoneth Omen The Parson will féede his owne bellie oftener I warrant him for he wil be sure to eate once or twice euery day at the leaste for he knoweth ful well that if his bodie should be without food but two or thrée daies it would be in daunger of famishing Then can the Parson thinke that the soules of his flocke can be halfe a yeare or a twelumoneth without foode and not in danger of perishing If the body be sicke neuer so little the Phisition muste be stil with it to giue it suche medicines as is requisite for the health thereof And may the soule then whiche is alwaies sicke for euery sinne that is committed is a sore and sicknesse to the soule be without hir Phisition halfe a yeare or a tweluemoneth the preacher of Gods worde whiche is the onely medicine that healeth the sickenesse of the soule The soule hathe as muche néede of hir dayly foode for feare of perishing as the body hathe néede of meate and drinke for feare of famishing Nay the soule hathe a greate deale more néede to be fed for feare of Spirituall death than the body hathe for feare of worldly death for if the bodye dye for want of foode it shall rise againe yea and liue for euer if it die in Christe but if the soule dye for want of foode it shall die eternally and lie in hel which is called the second death Therefore these Parsons are maruellous carelesse that féede their bodies so diligently which must néedes die at length for all their féeding and suffer their soules and the soules of their flocke for want of féeding to dye euerlastingly which should liue for euer if they would féed them But if such péeuish Parsons should be constrained to féed their own bellies no after with meate and drink Marke this than they féed their flock with Spiritual food then many of your Parsons woulde haue fewer Benefiâ—es than they haue and preach a great deale ofter to their flocke than they do Siuqila You may bée sure of that if that shoulde bée so they would be afrayd to haue one Benefice least they should be constrained to faste when they would faynest féede O madde men more brutish than Beasts and more senslesse than Swine that the loue of their bellies can make them do more for their flock than the loue of Christ can do which hath shed his hearte bloud for them to saue them from Hel and to bring them to Heauen These greate beneficed Parsons doe knowe very wel that one flock of Shéep is ynough and ynough for one Shepherd to loke too and kéepe safely then foure or fiue flocks are too many For if the Shepherd be not daily with his flocke and looke very diligently to them they will quickly go astray and be in danger to be deuoured Nay will not some of them myscarrie be in danger though the Shepherd be still with them yes be sure Then if the Shepherd haue thrée or foure flockes of Shéepe in sundry places he can not be stil with euery flock for though he be continually with one flock yet two or thrée of his flocks must néedes be without a Shepherde which shepherdlesse flockes must néedes goe asâ—ray and many of them in danger to perish For some of those Shéepe perish that haue their Shepherd stil with them then many of them are like to perishe that haue at all no Shepherd with them Thus if one Shepherd be scant sufficient for the kéeping safe of one flocke of Shéepe then one Spirituall Shepherd can be but sufficieÌ„t to kéep one flock of people which is Chrystes Shéepe And if it be requisite that euery flocke of Shéep haue a Shepherd continually to loke to them for feare of the Wolfe then it is much more requisite that euery flocke of Chrystes Shéepe should haue a Spiritual Shepherd or Pastor alwayes with them for feare of the Diuell Very true but howe can that Parson be continually with his flock that hath moe Benefices then one as before is sufficiently proued Omen Surely Siuqila you haue spoken both wisely truly I perceiue if you were of that function as I think you are not you would not burthen your selfe with many benefices Siuqila If I shoulde addict my selfe that way as aduisedly circumspectly as many runnes into it both boldly and rashlye I would rather desire muche learning to féede my flocke than great liuing to pamper my selfe but many now a dayes had rather haue a liuing to loyter thaÌ„ knowlege to preach Wel now let vs leaue our gréedie ParsoÌ„s that haue neuer ynough of spirituall liuings and talke of your Gentlemen that are contente with their owne temporal liuings I praye you sir doe they enhaunce their Rents with you Omen Surelie the Tenantes with vs know not what enhaunâ—ing of Rentes doth meane neither the Landlordes haue anie suche thing in their minde the Lands with vs are no hier rented than they were foure or fiue thousand yeares since Siuqila I much muse therof the ReÌ„ts are maruellously enhaunced with vs. Omen Why shoulde you so it is not to be mused at neuer a whit if your Gentlemen and Landlords were content with a competent liuing temperate féeding and moderate going as ours are then they would enhaunce their Rentes no more thaÌ„ they do but I perceiue that manie of your Gentlemen Landlords haue such ambitious mindes so desirous of honor are so prodigal in spending so excessiue in féeding and so Princely in going that it is no maruel though their auntient rich Farmers and good housekéeping Tenants be
Surely it is pittie it should be so suffred there riseth a great inconuenience therby They that should help to ease the poore are an occasion of empouerishing the poore and they that haue their Farmes cheapest do sel their commodities dearest Siuqila It is so they that kéep their corne butter and chéese vnto the laste ende doe saye that were it not for the kéeping of their corne in store with their other profits the markets would be vnserued so that it is for a Common wealth and that therfore they are to be commended Omen Their wordes shewe fairer than their déedes do declare I would say that they meant wel and that they did it for a Common wealth if they did sell then their corne and coÌ„modities by the same price or cheaper as the other sold theirs that first serued the markets or that were driuen to sel soon to serue their necessitie But bicause they sel them dearer it is manifest that they kéep their corne and coÌ„modities so long vnsold rather for their own gaine than for the commoditie of their Countrie Such an enormitie would not be suffred with vs. Siuqila That and many moe are daily permitted with vs. Well thoughe your Countrie excéeds all the Countries in the Worlde for good Landlordes yet we haue diuers as I said before that are so godlie and zealous that they will neyther raise their Rentes neither put out any of their Tenantes vnlesse it be for some great and woorthie cause And amongest all others I will tell you of one whose example I would to God that manie would followe Omen You haue told me of diuers abuses in your Countrie tell me nowe of one good example Siuqila With all my heart I heard it credibly tolde that a noble man with vs of great fame of good report and generally welbeloued had a certaine Tenant who though he hadde his Farme without Fine and by the olde Rent yet prospered but meanely therâ—â— nigh whom or not very farre off diwelled one more gréedie than godlie An excellent example of a good Landlord and more couetous than charitable that went to the owner of thesame Farme who when he came to him saide It may please your Honour to vnderstande that you haue a Farme in such a place and such a man dwelleth in it if you will be so good as to let mée be your Tenante I will giue you thus much for a Fine I can not lette it vnto you sayd the owner of the Farm for there is a Tenant in it alredy whoÌ„ I would be loth to put out Sir said the fellow he is a very yll husband and he doth not thriue on it surely I thinke he either doth not pay you his Rente or else shortly I feare he wil not be able to pay it Trowest thou so said the Lord of the Farme belike he is an il husband for he hath his Farme cheape ynough Wel said the Nobleman come to me such a day and I wil theÌ„ talk further with thée And so the same Caterpiller that desired his neighbours Farme departed After which the said Nobleman sent for his Tenant to whome he said when he was come to him sirra I vnderstand that you are a very ill husbande and can not thryue on the Farme that you haue of me And moreouer that you do not pay me my Rent and that within a while you will not be able to pay it you runne so farre behinde hand I beséech your Honour said the Tenant to credit no further of me than I deserue the truth is I must confesse that I haue not much prospered on it but the same is neither through negligence nor ill husbandry for my stock is much decresed through the death of my Cattell besides many other great losses hindrances that I haue had but as for your Rent what shift so euer I made I thank God I haue alwayes paide it from time to time and neuer haue bene behinde withal nor I trust neuer to be which if you wil not credit your Bailie I am sure will not deny but that he hath at euery Rent day receiued it Then saide the Nobleman if it be so as you say I am the more glad I am sure you payde no Fine for it neither haue I raised your Rente therefore it would gréeue me if you should not thriue on it especially through euil husbandrie As for losses otherways as the death of your Cattel and other casualties you must be coÌ„tent and giue God thanks therfore God can will prosper you better when it pleaseth him wherefore take paciently thankfully what he doth send for pouertie and riches come both from him And if you decay or be empouerished so it be not by your own follie you shal not want aide of mée therfore play the good husband The Lord saue your life said his Tenant Then sayd the Nobleman thou maist sée I haue dealt well with thée for I haue bin offred roundly to displace thée which some would not haue refused And bicause thou shalt be sure this is true come such a day to me and thou shalt heare more but be of good chéer for neither monie nor frendship shall allure me sée thou faile not to be with me as I haue apointed thée Wherwith his pore Tenant was faine and went merily away Omen What followed then procéed on in your tale Siuqila At the day apointed they both came as he willed theÌ„ but before the gréedie Fine-offrer came the poore Tenant was placed priuily behinde a cloth where he might heare what was said And then the Nobleman said welcom my frend hast thou brought me the monie that thou offredst me for a Fine for my Farme to whome he gladly answered Yea sir that I haue to whom the Nobleman saide I perceyue thou knewest I lacked monie so I do in déed it could not come in a better time than now But I pray thée tel me one thing is my Tenante an vnthrist or an yll husband that now hath it Yea truly sir said he he is a very pore man and far behind hand and it is thought he wil not in a whyle be able to pay the Rente I tell you for good wil as you shall finde it If it be so said he I am beholding to thée wel it is méet to haue witnesses at our bergaine and therwith his pore Tenant came from behinde the cloth who heard all that was spoken whom when the other saw he was something amased thinking then that al was not well And then the Nobleman sayde to his Tenante you may sée sirra that I may haue a good fine for my Farme of this man wheras I had none of thée who though he giue me a Fine for it yet hopeth to prosper on it though thou without a Fine canst not prosper theron Besides that this man telleth me that thou arte not able to pay me my Rent nay it should séem that it is vnpayde already Sir saide
to redeeme to be sure that my husbande be not onely saued from death for this facte but also that all our lands and goods may be ours in such order as they were before the offence was committed and also haue a great respecte that this my promise thus secretly performed be not openly vttered To whome the Iudge saide assure your selfe Gentlewoman al this shal be done fear you not which way it shal be I haue deuised alredy Then said she I will be here at your priuie dore to morrow at night whē I will not only brīg you al your Gold but also though sore against my minde will performe the rest of my promise And so the Gentlewoman tooke hir leaue of the Iudge as one that was lifted vp with ioy on the one side and pulled downe with sorrow on the other side Omen Surely that cruell harted and wicked Iudge droue that louing Gentlewoman to a maruelous mischief But procéede I woulde faine heare what followed Siuqila You shal that willingly the Gentlewoman brought the gold at hir houre by such priuie means as she thought conuenient the Iudge receiued both it hir being then something darke so she did lie there al that night with the Iudge to whom he said in the morning before she went frō him now Gentlewomā I thank you And thogh you haue performed your promise very vnwillingly yet you shal wel vnderstand that I wil performe mine most willingly And for that I would as wel haue you to be of good chéere to be quiet in mind as also not to trouble your selfe with any pains or trauel my wil is that you stay at home go not abroad whereas your husband should haue bin executed to morrow in the morning I wil dispatch him send him home to morrow vnto you before noone at the furthest if it be not before therfore play the wise womans part be secret thogh your husband shall be deliuered so quickly shew not your selfe to ioy therfore too sodainely Wherefore kepe your self close in your own house be mery in mind thogh for a shew you seeme to be sad Wel sir said the Gentlewomā as I haue satisfied your desire in an vnreasonable demaund so I wil obey you in this reasonable request And for that I am most sure that my husband shal now haue his life I wish most earnestly that the time were come that he were deliuered Then saide the Iudge that time is not long to morrow you shal haue him safe and sounde with you And thus she departed from the Iudge very merie for the sauing of hir husbands life but yet something sorrowful for the breaking of hir faith to hir husband Omen The ioy of the one did mitigate the griefe of the other she thought long I am sure for the time appointed by the Iudge and was the time for his execution the nexte day after Siuqila Yea the day of his execution too for the next morning about 8 or 9. of the clocke this sorrowful Gentlewomās husband was put to death which after it was done A most cruell deede was ryfe in euery mans mouth And then the saide Gentlewoman standing at hir dore saw one come running in all the haste who seing him comming toward hir so fast was very glad thinking that he came to tel hir of hir husbands life but it fell out otherwayes for he came to tel hir of hir husbands death And when he came somthing nigh hir she said I pray thée what newes is my husbande deliuered deliuered said he no he is executed Executed said the Gentlewoman I am sure thou dost but iest Thē he said you may take it now for iest but shortly you wil find it in earnest Yet the Gentlewoman would not beléeue him shée had such a trust in the treacherous Iudge but this vnlooked for news of hir husbands death did so pintch hir that she could not be quiet til she wer better certified wherevpon she would tarrie no longer in hir house but wente forth to enquire further of the matter and within a little while after not far from hyr house she met with two or thrée of hir friendes that tolde hyr they came from the execution of hir husband saying they wold haue bin loth to tel hir thereof but they were sure she was not ignoraunte of it Oh saide she may I credite you is this true that you tel me yea saide they it is too true Heauie news we had rather haue tolde you otherwayes for we sée him bothe quicke and deade and there was great hast made in the executing of him With that the good Gentlewoman fel sodainely to the ground whom all they had much adoe to recouer and they carried hir home to hir house and so she laie in a traunce for the space of two or thrée houres and knewe no bodie that was about hir but after when she came to hir selfe one of hir friendes that was nie hir saide you haue bene alwayes counted since you were of yeares of discreation to be both wise and godly in the time of prosperitie shewe your selfe so nowe in the time of this your calamitie it is no greate masterie to guide a Shippe in calme weather but it is a waightie matter to rule a shippe in a storme or Tempest therfore nowe guide your selfe with reason and patience in this time of sorrow If your sorrow would gette him againe I would wish you to vse it but séeing that cannot bée I woulde wish you refraine it You maye procure your owne death with griefe but you cannot get his life againe with sorrowe therfore make not two mischiefes of one I wil not saide she I thank you for your good counsel Ah wo worth al treacherous villains said she once this morning I woulde haue laide all my goods to a groate that I shoulde haue had my husbande safe and sound home to me this day before noone but nowe for that you whō I credite haue tolde me that he is dead and that the time is past I was promised to haue him here quitte and aliue my chiefe practise and delight shall be to be reuenged on mine enemie as before al my trauel and labour was to release my frend Haue you such an enemie said the other that his déeds towards you haue deserued death then she being a wise woman loth to make any priuy of hir practise said truly the death of my husbande so gréeueth mée that I speke I wist not what therefore take no holde nor effect at my wordes for I haue no suche enimie I hope if I haue I knowe them not and it is also without my desert And so she pacified hirselfe for that time as well as she coulde Omen This was the vilest and moste treacherous parte of a Iudge or of any other that euer I hearde but I consider his priuie meaning in executing hir husbande for he thought by his death to haue marryed the Gentlewoman
whiche was priuily vttered by the Commissioner who was appointed not onely to sée the marriage celebrated betwéene them accordingly but also the other secreate thing performed in all pointes as the Counsel hadde decréede Whiche Iudgement was carried downe thither where the Gentlewoman dwelled by the saide Commissioner And when the day of the mariage approched the Cōmissioner came into the prison to the same wicked Iudge said that the Ruler and the Counsel had giuen iudgement forasmuch as he had taken a Gentlewomans good name from hir by lying with hir Better than he looked for that he should prepare himselfe in the beste manner he coulde to marrye hir thereby to make hir amendes whiche when the treacherous Iudge heard he was the gladdest mā in the world for that was the onelye thing he desired and the cause why hée executed hir husbande And so he prepared himselfe againste the day appointed to marry hir And then the sayd Commissioner went to the saide Gentlewoman whome when she sawe she was maruelous gladde saying sir you are moste hartily welcome I praye you what iudgement haue my Lords of the Counsel giuen on my behalf against the wicked Iudge mine enimie Forsooth saide he as they thinke a verye good and necessarie iudgement thoughe it be not altogither as you desire but in my opinion it is as wise and righteous a iudgement as can be Well sir said shée though it be not according to my contentation yet I must be obedient knowing being wel assured that they are so wise righteous and godly that they will giue none other iudgement but according to equitie iustice and reason and therefore as I haue promised their Honors whatsoeuer iudgement they haue giuen I muste be content and will It is very well saide of you saide he there is no resisting of them and therefore the more willinglier you take it the better they will like of you I praye you sir saide she what is it thoughe I am loath saide he to vtter it vnto you bicause it will not well like you yet I am enforced to tell you of it bycause the Counsell haue commaunded me Spare not I beséeche you saide she to declare it vnto me for if it be any thing that may moue my mind I am determined to arme my selfe with patience I pray you do so saide he for you shall sée that God at the length will turne all things to the best now thus it is the chiefe Ruler and the reste of the Honorable Lordes of the Counsell haue giuen their iudgement and fully decréed that against suche a day you shall prepare your selfe in most sober and comely wise to be married vnto him for they thinke that the infamie you haue receiued by hym Worse than she looked for can be salued by no meanes so wel as by being his wife and to be married vnto him therfore prepare you for it accordingly for there is no remedy but you muste performe this their decrée and iudgement whiche when she hadde hearde she waxed as pale as was possible whereby it appeared that inwardly she was not a little vexed and troubled And wythin a while after she saide shall I nowe marry hym that hathe cruelly killed my louing husbande whom he promised mée to saue and spoiled me of my faith and honestie whiche I can neuer recouer againe to haue the life of my husbande made me to goe to his bed loathfully and can the death of my husbande make me to lye with him willingly Oh I woulde to God that the Counsell hadde not respected so muche mine honestie as to make me doe that I deteste more than death I had rather a thousande times liue in shame than to marry him that is cause of my shame Then said he to hir againe Did not you tell me that you would arme your selfe with patience thoughe I shoulde tell you that did trouble your minde I saide so indéede but when I saide so thoughe all things were not so wel as I would yet I did not thinke that it was so euill as it is to marry him is the thing he moste desireth but to be marryed to him is the thing that I moste abhorre whereby he shall haue a ioyful life that hathe deserued a cruell death but thereby I shall haue a sorrowfull death that oughte rather haue a ioyfull lyfe I hoped that the daye appoynted for his marying with me shoulde rather haue béene the daye of hys death for so shamefully abusing me Well I will obey theyr commaundementes trusting thereby that my sorrowe shall ende and whereas that nighte he thinketh that I shall bée bedded wyth hym I hope that then I shall be buried by my selfe There was neuer a sorrowfuller Bride than I shall be but looke what you haue willed me I will doe it and what the Counsel haue iudged I wyll performe it And then he toke his leaue of hir and departed Omen This was not suche a iudgement as shée looked for nor yet as the wicked Iudge didde hope to haue But didde she come at the daye appoynted to be marryed vnto him Siuqila Yea that she did thoughe it was full sore against hir will for in the same morning he was ready at the churche a good while before she came for if he had béene so vnwilling as she he woulde not haue come so soone as he did And at the laste she came in hir mourning apparell thinking the would weare the same at hir owne dolefull marriage that she did weare at hir husbandes death And so to conclude they were both married togither wherof he was as glad as she was sorrowfull And when they were marryed and as he was aboute to go home with his newe wofull wife the saide Commissioner saide sir you muste stay a little this Gentlewoman youre wife hathe performed all the iudgements that on hir parte are to be done but thoughe you haue done some yet you haue not done al there is one péece yet behinde for you to performe What is that said the Iudge for I wil do it willingly then said the Commissioner not so willingly I beléeue as you were marryed vnlesse you are willing to goe to youre death whereat the Iudge was astonied and then the Commissioner saide to him A wise and worthy iudgement nay there is no remedy the Counsels iudgemente is that immediately after you are married you muste bée executed therefore prepare youre selfe for I muste sée it done presently And as for you Gentlewoman saide he you were beste goe to dinner and not tarry for youre husbande for he hath an other parte to play O saide the Gentlewoman blessed be God that hathe giuen vs suche wise and godlye Counsellours that haue gyuen suche a worthy iudgement the death of my firste husband did not make mée so wofull a Widowe but the death of my seconde husbande dothe make me as ioyful a Widow Here was a sodaine change for whereas before the Bridegroome was mery and the Bride sad
few or none for feare durst haue vsed their fathers in such order and I do not think but that he had some condigne punishment for the same Siuqila He was neither toucht nor trubled therfore nor had any punishment for it vnlesse you cal that punishmeÌ„t to enioy quietly the lands that he so falsely bought with his fathers mony Omen Was that al the harme he had now surely it was great shame that he was suffred either you haue no law for correcting such a fault else the same is not wel executed Siuqila Truly many with vs are so slenderly harde wheÌ„ they coÌ„plaine of such like iniuries and such treacherous parts are so boulstred or borne withal that they thinke it is better to reste quietly with the harme or losse than with further trouble to speÌ„d consume their mony be neuer the nearer yea and perhaps his father would not complaine of his sonne Omen Such notorious enormities shold be redressed such wicked dealers should worthily be punished though the party so misused did neuer coÌ„plain if they were coÌ„mitted in our couÌ„try Siuqila How can that be for if one complaine not howe can he haue remedie Omen Yes welynough for our King hath his most trustie priuie Espials that trauel purposely through his whole Dominions only secretely to learne and search out such notorious misdemeanors who in their own persons reueale secretely to the King all such notable mischiefes as they haue truely learned and surely searched out by their trauel and they do not only giue to the king in writing the names and places where they dwel that so offend but also their names and dwelling places that are so molested misused to which priuy Spials the King giues great liuings and also bountiful rewards Siuqila If such Spials were with vs out of doubt one or other would kill them quickly Omen Yea but how can they kil them before they do know them These Spials are charged on paine of death not to vtter or reueale the cause of their trauell for none but the King him selfe doth knowe them that are appointed for this purpose So that it can not bée knowne vnlesse they reueale it them selues And moreouer these Espials dare not certifie the King of any vntruthe for if they doe they shall die for it therfore it standeth them vppon to learne and search out the matter aduisedly and diligently and to bée of a good and sure ground before they certifie the King thereof And to make the sayde Espials to bée the more diligent in their trauell triall out of such notorious misdemeanours and wicked practises the moe matters that they haue to certifie the King the moe gifts and rewardes they shal haue of the King for the King giueth euery one of them a liberall rewarde for euery such notorious fault practise or misdemeanour that they so declare vnto him And the King him self in his owne person hath the hearing determining and iudging of euery such notorious fact or matter that is informed him by his saide Espials And by these meanes wicked deceiuers and diuelish practisers are iustly punished by the King the opressed and defrauded are reuenged restored and helped thoughe they themselues do not complaine Siuqila What a worthie order and notable policie is this wherby the wicked is punished the innocent helped and truth and equitie defended Surely your Prince is much to be commended that bestoweth himself such liberall giftes to such finders out of faultes wherby all this is accomplished I woulde to God we had such Spials with vs to trauell abroad to learne and search out such Omen By these Espials our King of Mauqsun did so spéedilie and earnestlie helpe a poore wronged Widow to hir right that therfore his fame will neuer be quenched Siuqila I beséech you to tell it for I thinke the time long till I heare it Omen As one of the Kings priuie Espials was trauelling An excellent example of the restoring of a widowe vnto hir right myssused by hir sonne in lawe he spied a poore woman sitting in hir doore spinning who asked hir the way to a towne hée was trauelling vnto and shée tolde him the right way thither which poore woman perceiuâ—ng the man by his spetting to bée drie desired him to drinke a cuppe of hir small drinke whiche he did not refuse but thanked hir for hir gentlenesse And then shée brought him into hir poore house and did sette before him bread and chéese and brought him such drinke as she hadde whereof he did both eate and drinke well And whyles hée was sitting there hée demaunded of the sayde Woman what Countrie woman she was Who tolde him that shée was not borne far from thence And then he asked hir if the got all hir liuing with spinning Yea saide she I thanke God for it for though it bée a poore trade yet it is a true trade But sir said shée though I bee now in such a poore case I haue bene in a great deale better Howe then came you thus empouerished saide he Truly I will tell you sayde shée the whole matter if it were not for troubling of you Nay said he againe it will bée no trouble to mée nor harme to you therefore tell the truth in all pointes as nigh as you can for if I can doe you no good assure your selfe I will doe you no harme Sir I doe not tell it vnto you saide she to the intent to haue any redresse thereby but only to shewe the simple state I am nowe in and the case I was in before concerning prosperitie or worldlie felicitie It was my chaunce when I was not past nine or tenne yeares of age to be caried by a frende of my father and mother a hundreth miles hence at the leaste to be brought vppe with a Gentlewoman who loued me very well bicause I was something obedient and diligente vnto hir whose seruice I chaunged not for any but tarried still with my saide Mystresse vntil shée died I being then about thrée or foure and twentie yeares of age my Maister was made a Knighte whereby his Wyfe was a Ladie at hir death Who a little before hir death sente for hir husbande to come and speake with hir and hée as shée desired came presently vnto hir at whiche time shée toke him fast by the hande and sayde Sir I féele my selfe now so sick that I knowe I shall not long bée your Wyfe and I trust that you can not say but that euer since our mariage I haue bene a true louing and obediente Wyfe vnto you And as I neuer requested any thing of you of any greate importaunce so nowe at my death I praye you graunte mée a boone which you may easilye perfourme And I assure you sir sayde shée it wyll be no euill but good and not to your hindraunce but greately for your profite ioye and quietnesse What is it wyfe sayde he and then I will tell you whether I will or not Nay said
shée I beseech you graunt it mée before it wil be no more harme to you than I haue sayde therefore if euer you loued mée deny me not Which when he hearde hir desire so earnestly knowing also that shée woulde will him to nothing that shoulde hurt or hinder him sayde as followeth Wife for as much as I know that thou loueste mée dearelye and wishest mée well I wyll graunte it thée whatsoeuer it bée if it lye in my power to perfourme Yes sir sayd shée or else I would not demaund you to doe it And nowe this it is I haue broughte vppe a poore Girle a greate whyle and though hir frendes or kinred are vnknowne to you and mée yet I knowe hir good conditions hir honeste behauiour hir modeste manners and hir diligent seruice to bée suche that I estéeme hir a greate deale better therefore though shée bée of a base parentage than though she were a Lordes daughter withoute the same And you are not ignoraâ—te sir that shée hath so vnfaynedlie borne such an affection to you and fauour to mée that shée hath loued our children moste tenderly And for that I shall leaue behinde me two young mootherlesse children and an other that is our eldest sonne of riper yeares whom I beséech God he may be as toward and wel disposed hereafter as he is froward and euil disposed nowe I am much afrayde least the yong babes by a stepmother should bée stepchildren and that when you their father were abrode they should be misused at home And as I haue a gret care for them so I haue no small regarde vnto you A strange sute fearing leaste you shoulde marry one that rather loueth your liuing than your self as you shal bée allured thereto I am sure wherby you should not only muche misse mée for your owne quietnesse and ease but also for the good looking too and well bringing vp of our children And for that I knowe none that will obey you loue you and regard you so muche as I neither make so muche of our children and haue such care of them as I excepte it be this my seruaunte of whose faithfulnesse honestie loue and modestie I haue hadde such trial that it is very harde to finde hir matche therfore my most humble and laste sute vnto you is to marrye this my seruant and Maide after my death at such time as you shal think conuenient and méete which I doubt not but you will doe for that you haue promised mee And then he saide to hir againe For as muche as I haue promised you to perfourme your request I will God willing marrie hir if it be your chance to die before mée And within a whyle after my good Ladie and Mystresse died and then my Maister according to his promise did marrie mée with whom I liued after aboue twentie yeares in great worship quietnesse and wealth whome I so loued and obeyed that hée thought he had his first wife And I brought vp his children so carefully and tenderly that they neuer myssed their owne moother Then sayde the Kings Espiall to whom shée tolde the tale If this be true then you are a Ladie stil for though you haue lost your liuing by some missehappe yet you can not lose your title by any mischaunce A poore Lady sayde she that is faine to spinne for hir liuing And when I had bene married to this worthy Gentleman and Knight more than .xx. yeares God toke him away by a sicknesse that hée hadde to my great griefe and sorrowe yea and to my vtter vndoing as you shall perceiue hereafter For my husbandes eldest sonne who neither estéemed his father nor loued mée after his father was dead brought me by fairs wordes to walke with him into my grounde and when hée hadde me in a little groue of Wood hée stripped mée out of all my cloathes and putte vppon mée suche simple attyre as hée hadde prepared for the purpose and saide a beggar my father founde thée and a beggar hys sonne will leaue thée thou haste hadde pleasure ynough to be a Lady these twentie yeares therfore therest of thy life thou shalt playe the beggar leaste thou forgette from whence thou camest dost thou thinke to haue anye of my fathers liuing no I warraÌ„t thée And as it hath greued me to sée thée in my mothers place all this while so nowe it doth reioice mée to sée thée in these beggars ragges And then I knéeled on my knées and began to speake vnto him but he would not suffer me saying if thou prate to me one word that I like not I wil kil thée therefore if thou wilte haue thy life thou shalte promise and sweare vnto me that thou shalt neuer sue me in any Courte for any landes or liuing here neither shalte thou complaine to anye Iudge of this that I nowe doe to thée and moreouer with as much spéede to goe out of this countrey and that thou shalte not dwell within a hundred miles of this place all whiche if thou wilt not sweare to performe here I wil dispatch thée and hereaue thée of thy life And then I A compelled othe for the safegarde of my life did sweare vnto him that all this I woulde performe and so haue I done euer since vntill this daye for I wente then from thence in all the haste I coulde partly for feare of my life but chiefly for kéeping my othe and here I haue dwelled euer since wythoute complayning to anye Iudge of this greate wrong and iniury he hath done to me and without suing or troubling him for my liuing according to my othe whiche he kéepeth moste wrongfullye and wickedly from me And thus sir saide she thoroughe ministring of talke you know by what occasion I am come to this pore estate yet as wel contented withall saide she as when I was in my greatest prosperitie It is maruel said he that you doe not finde some meanes to get your lyuing or some parte of it Alas sir saide she I neuer looke to haue any of it neither do meane according to my othe to complaine to any Iudge or Magistrate aboute it A constrained othe by Gods lawe and mans lawe is counted as no othe said he therfore I tell you truely if it were my case as it is yours I woulde séeke some remedie to geâ—te it what is the Gentlemans name and where doeth he dwell that thus did vse you saide he And then she tolde him both hys name and the place where he dwelled But I thinke said she he is dead by this time therefore saide shée God forgiue him and I doe Surely sayde hée God wyll blesse you the better bicause you take al these iniuries so patiently And now saide he for youre good refreshing of mée I most hartily thanke you And if it may lye in my power to shewe you any pleasure you shal be as sure of it as you haue giuen me drinke to â—uenth my thirste And it may so chance that I
may do you some vnlooked for pleasure And the Kings Espiall went on his iorny sheâ—to hir spinning Siuqila She little knew good womaÌ„ that he she so curteouslie vsed and to whome shée tolde hir troublesome tale was the Kings appointed Spiall for the learning searching and trying of suche kinde of matters and that God woulde prepare a remedie for hir so soone as he did It was onelie the Lordes working that putte it into his hearte to aske hir the way and that putte it into hir minde to offer him drink God workes al things by maruellous meanes if we would consider it for the helping of the innocent and godly Nowe tell on your tale I pray you Omen This man to whom this pore Lady declared the cause of this hir pouertie made his iorny through that couÌ„trie where she told that hir wicked son in law did dwel And when he came nigh to that place he did not onlie vnderstand learn of diuers perfectly that the same Gentleman was then liuing inhabiting there but also that such a womaÌ„ was his fathers wife married hir being his maid at his wiues earnest desire on hir death bed and al things besides as she had before tolde but whether she went or what became of hir after the Knight hir husbaÌ„ds death they knewe not thinking verily that 〈◊〉 was dead for saide they if she were aliue eyther she woulde haue come or sente ere this for a greate liuing shoulde belong to hir if she were aliue Which being bolted out by them a far off without any suspition he made hast to the Court being very glad that he had such a matter wherof to certifie the King And as soone as he came to the Court watching his time when he might most conueniently talke with the King he went vnto him as he and the rest of his fellows might do most boldely and then with diuers enormities and wicked practises he reuealed the whole storie howe this pore Lady was missused by hir wicked son in lawe and to what pouerty hée brought hir And then presently the kyng sent for this poore Lady whoÌ„ the King vsed curteously after she had tolde him al hir matter and appointed hir to be kepte secretly in the court and gaue hir meate drinke and lodging and bade hir in anye wise that she shoulde tell no bodye wherefore she was there nor declare hir case to any nor yet to vtter what she was And also the King sent for that said GentlemaÌ„ by a Purseuant and for al the Iustices of Peace that dwelled neare him and also for the Iudge that was appointed for that soile Siuqila I am sure the saide Gentleman did not maruell a little what should be the cause that the King did so hastily send for him and also the Iustices of Peace and the Iudge coulde not tel the cause why the King sent for them Omen No they knewe no more thereof than the newe borne babe doth know of his mothers labour When euery one of these were come to the court when the king was certified therof he sent not for theÌ„ all at once but for one of theÌ„ after an other And first the King sent for the said GentlemaÌ„ that had so vsed his mother in law to come before him whoÌ„ the king asked what was his name what was the place where he dwelled TheÌ„ he told both his name also where he dwelled And theÌ„ the king asked him whether his father died before his mother or not he told the king that his mother died before his father did your father marry again said the king after the death of your mother Yea if it like your Grace said he What mind of woman was she said the king a maide or a widowe a Gentlewoman or a base borne forsooth saide the Gentleman she was as I iudge of no highe degrée for she was but my fathers seruaunt and as for hir kinred wée knewe not it séemed by hir attyre at hir firste comming that hir parents were but pore Howe chaunced it that youre father said the King being a Knight and a man of so greate a liuing and good worship would marry his seruant or one of so base a calling Truely saide the Gentleman my mother on hir death bed for the great loue affectioÌ„ she bare to hir desired my father to grant hirone request before she died who thinking she woulde desire no such thing graunted hir that he woulde do whatsoeuer she desired if it lay in his power to performe and then when he had graunted hir she required him to marry hir maide after hir death and so he did performe the promise he made to my mother Then saide the King your father was very good to hir for in one houre he made hir of a pore seruaÌ„t a worshipfull Lady and of a pore maide a rich Mistresse He did so saide the Gentleman Then saide the King Is she dead or aliue I thinke she be dead saide the Gentleman Doe you not knowe perfectly saide the King no I knowe not perfectly but that I surmize for if shée were aliue she woulde come or sende to receiue hir Rentes for hir liuing shoulde be great if she were aliue for my father loued hir so wel that he made hir a Ioynter of more than halfe his liuing besides that he left hir worth in goodes aboue two or thrée thousande pounds but she neuer had nor enioyde any of it for soone after my fathers death she went away but howe I knowe not and I neuer hearde of hir since I like you well saide the King that you tell me the truth it séemeth that she had better lucke during your fathers life than she had after his death How long was she married to your father saide the King forsooth saide hée aboue twentie yeares Did your mother leaue anye moe children than you yea saide he she lefte two that were but yong And was she a good mother to you said the King and vsed you and them well Yea very well said he our own mother coulde not haue loued nor vsed vs better It is very strange saide the King that no body could tel neither of hir death nor yet howe she shoulde be conueyed awaye truely saide the Gentlemanne I made as greate search and enquirie for hir as I coulde possibly but I coulde neuer learne what became of hir The most wisest men haue surmised that some did by some wile steale and conuey hir away against hir wil for hir great wealth and liuing and for that she woulde not consent haue killed hir fearing leaste she shoulde bewraye them if they shoulde haue let hir go away from them It may be so saide the King it is verye likely Wel saide the King this is the cause I haue sent for you by my Purseuaunt The King speaketh politikly it was credibly told belike by some that beare you no good will and perhappes doe it rather of malice than of anye good
departe for a while How like you this tale said the King she might wel be a good mother to you but you shewed your self herein a step-childe to hir Did not I saye before that his silence dydde shewe then that eyther he was guiltie of hir death or abused hir in hir life Then saide the King what saist thou to this thou wicked wretche why doest thou not answere for thy selfe Then he saide I beséeche your Grace not to credite this pore woman As thoughe saide the King none is to be beléeued but the riche and none to be discredited but the pore I doe not saye that she is to be discredited for hir pouertie said the Gentleman but I meane that hir pouertie may make hir to be allured with giftes and money to beare false witnesse It is well knowne saide the king that that good Lady thy mother in lawe had neither kith nor kin nighe thée to sue trauel or to search for hir and to boulte out the truth And moreouer canst thou make me beleue that this pore woman durste witnesse a falshode to me or to accuse thée being of so greate liuing and wealth of suâ—â— a crime if it were not true I doe not saye to your Grace that she is hired to beare witnesse against me but that it is very likely that throughe giftes and rewardes she is allured thereto Wherefore I moste humbly beséeche your Maiestie not to beleue that I haue missused my good mother in lawe in this sorte when she was aliue Doest thou thinke saide the King that she is dead I beleue she is dead said he to the King therefore let not me be troubled for that I neuer abused hir as this woman reporseth Siuqila Surely this was verie wittily handled of the King Omen As he beganne very wittily so he ended the same very wisely for he appointed that after the saide pore Lady shoulde putte on hir trimme apparell and shewe hir selfe in suche sorte as she was in hir prosperitie And then the King saide thoughe you refuse this pore woman for a witnesse I trust you wil not refuse a rich Gentlewoman for a witnesse Bring in that Gentlewoman said the King before me And when this pore Lady came in trimme attyre like a Gentlewoman or a Lady before the King the King asked hir if shée knewe that Gentlemanne Yea my moste worthie Soueraigne I knowe hym verye wel saide she Doe you knowe this Gentlewoman said the King to the GentlemaÌ„ Then said the Gentleman verie softely and sorrowfully I knowe hir Doe you knowe hir said the King to the Iudge and to the other Iustices of Peace yea saide they we know hir verye wel for she hathe made vs verye good cheare in hir husbandes time it was verie well bestowed on you saide the King This is a very strange thing saide he the riche and wealthie can not knowe the poore but suche as are rich or equall to themselues And if anye come from wealth to pouerty theÌ„ they quite forget theÌ„ but if they come froÌ„ pouertie to welth then quickly they know theÌ„ This GentlewomaÌ„ is the same woman she was herebefore yet hir trim apparel hath made hir another woman she had the self same face armes and legges that she hath now and yet they knew hir not for that she hath other aparel that she had not before now they knowe hir Well Gentleman I may wel punish you for missusing hir when she was aliue but here afore all this company I acquit you for hir death Though these two women are but one witnesse in déede yet you your selfe haue allowed them for two witnesses For the first that was here you knew not and this gentlewoman that is here you know which argueth plainely that you take them to be two seueral persons And thus they may be as two witnesses against you but this good missused Gentlewoman your mother in Law is the most sufficieÌ„t witnesse that can be brought against you in this case But I praye you Gentlewoman saide the King why did you suffer this iniurie at his hands all thys while forsooth saide she it may please your highnesse to vnderstande that partly I was lothe to vndoe him though he spoyled me of all I hadde and partly I was so scrupulous to kéepe my othe thoughe I was enforced to make it that if it had not bene reuealed by some other meanes than by mine owne procuremente he shoulde neuer haue bene bewrayed for me I know thou sayst true saide the King for if it had not bin boulted out more by my meanes than it was procured by thine thou shouldst haue liued poorely for want of thine owne and he shoulde haue liued Lordlye with that that is thine Then the Gentleman knéeled downe and beganne to excuse himselfe wherewith the King was verye angrie and sayde pratle no more to me said the King thou wouldst haue killed this Gentlewomanne with thy dagger for speaking in hir right and shall I suffer thée to lyue if thou presume before me to excuse thy selfe in wickednesse and wroÌ„g wilt thou vrge me to séeke for further witnesse bring me saide he hither before me all this Gentlemans seruauntes that came vp with him And as soone as they came before the King he asked which of them did dwell with him at the death of his Father or at the time when the Ladye his mother in Law was so sodainely gone And one of them which then dwelled with him saide it maye please your maiestie to vnderstande that at that time I was his seruaunte and wayted on him then sayde the king loke thou tel me truth in that I shal aske thée didst thou knowe nothing of hir departure neyther didst thou sée any thing whereby to suspect thy maister thereof Truely saide his seruante I sawe my maister and hir walke togither out of the house on whome I would then haue wayted but he woulde not suffer me within an houre after I met my maister with some of hyr clothes in his armes which I was sure she did weare when she and he went forth togither And I asked hym what hée had there and where he had left my Lady his mother and he sayde to me agayne what wouldst thou withall knaue she is none of my mother And euery one did mutter of hyr thus soddaine absence at the laste I sayde vnto him sir it woulde be muche for your worshippe to make searche for my Ladye let hyr kindred and friendes searche for hyr sayde he for I wyll neyther goe nor sende out of the dores to looke for hir And this is verye true that I tell your grace but more I know not Thys is ynough saide the King and more than I looked for but not more than God woulde beholde throughe gods prouidence thyne owne man hath tolde such a tale that it hath tryed all that rest to be true With that the Gentlemanne was ashamed and helde downe hys head Nowe sayde the King he holdeth downe hys
to the Remembrancer can you not call this fellowe yet to your remembrance well bycause you are so obliuious here I discharge you and you shall be my Remēbrauncer no more Though you remember not that this fellow required his Supplication of you yet I trust you haue not forgotten that you haue sent him to prison where he should haue lien stil if I had not béene a better Remembrancer than you I muse who gaue you aucthoritie to caste pore Suters in prison that come vnto vs to complaine of their wrongs and iniuries thoughe you for youre pleasure commaunded him into prison I hope you wil not be angry that I for my pleasure haue commanded him out of prison Then the Remembrancer fel down vpon his knées before the King To whom the King saide Worthy words of a King Ah varlet what heart hadst thou to imprison this poore man that before had great wrong and to séeke his vtter vndoing that was almoste vndone Howe durste thou presume to shop hym vppe in prison to kéepe him from me whose libertie was necessary to complaine vnto me As long as Kings are serued wyth suche the wicked shall bée boldened to oppresse the pore and the poore will be afraide to sue for their owne If thou haste done thus to a poore man being a Subiecte what wouldest thou doe if thou were a Soueraigne You sayde to this poore man you woulde teache hym to controll his Superiors nowe I saye to you that I will teach you to imprison your Inferiors Haste not thou obserued the wordes of Christ well whiche we with all our indeuour haue commaunded to be kept that is Whatsoeuer yee woulde that men shoulde do to you euen the same doe you to them Wouldest thou be content to bée cast into prison for suing for thy right as thou haste done to this man for complayning for hys due the doing of that to him that thou wouldest not haue him do to thée sheweth that thou arte no true Christian but a Sathanist How subtilly wentest thou aboute to cause me to credite thée when thou saidst that none durste be so bolde to vse hym so when thou knewest that thy selfe haddest so vsed him But whereas thou saidst that none durste be so bolde as to doe it nowe it appeareth that thou haste done that that none durst be so bold to do which argueth that thou arte the boldest of all other to imprison pore men wrongfully But séeing you haue béene so bolde as to punish this poore man without a cause then I trust I may be so bolde as to punish you with a cause And firste for that you sayd they were worthy to be whipped that should vse him so according to your owne iudgement my iudgement is that you shall be whipped naked And bicause thou haste lyed thrée seueral times to me therefore thou shalte not speake anye worde of nine moneths that is for euerye lye thrée moneths A wise iudgement of the King of Mauqsun shalte all that while weare on thy sléeue an H. and an L. for a Hurtefull Lyar. And for that this pore man hath bene in close prison seauen dayes at thy commaundement nowe thou shalt be kepte likewise in close prison seauen yeares that is for euery daye a yeare at my commaundement And afterwardes during thy life thou shalte weare on thy backe bosome these words This was the Kings Remembrauncer that imprisoned a poore man wrongfully that complained of his wrong to the King And further I iudge decrée that this pore man shal quietly enioye halfe of al thy whole liuing during his life for his wrongful imprisonment And also I charge commaunde thée vpon paine of death that thou shalt not come at any time within seuen miles of our Courte And then the King rose vp departed al his iudgements were executed performed And euer after the King had euery suters name writtē in a litle note Booke that he kepte for his own remembrance that if the Remēembrancers did not bring him mens Billes or Supplications he might call for them and remember them himselfe Siuqila This worthy and famous fact of the King made not only al other the Kings Remembrauncers after take héede to remember to deliuer pore mens Billes and Supplications to the King but also feared them to commit any of them to prison Omen Yea surely this the Kings seuere iudgement handling of the wicked Remembrancer wrought suche effecte that neuer since any durst delaye pore mens causes and sutes neyther durst trouble them for iustly complayning of any Siuqila What order haue you for suche riche men as cruelly arrest and imprison their pore decayed debters and are not able to pay them that they owe them Omen We néede haue no lawe nor order for suche for there are none with vs that vse their pore debters so Haue you any suche cruell and vncharitable men with you Siuqila Yea that we haue and that no small number and if you wil not beléeue me if you were in our Countrie you could not go at any time into any of our prisons that are for indebted persons but that you should finde such pore decayed prisoners there Omen What vncharitable men are their Creditors that wil suffer them to lye there being not able to pay them by being abroad they might in time be able to pay them either part or al but by lying in prison they bring them to pouertie their wiues to penurie and their children to miserie Suche cruell hearted caitiffes belike meane not to haue Christe merciful vnto them at the laste daye but make an accompte to be pinned vppe or imprisoned in the dungeon of Hel for euer For surely they that will not forgiue their pore brethren their smal debts whiche they maye be able to paye Christe will not forgyue them their greate and wonderfull debtes that they are neuer able to pay Siuqila There are some so cruell and so vengeable wyth vs that they had rather without any thing lette their pore debtors die in prison than to haue halfe their due and to delyuer them out of prison It was my chance to be in a prison one daye and I hearde a pore decayed prisoner that once was very wealthie saye with wéeping teares that he offered his creditors all that he had in the worlde wheresoeuer they coulde finde it or haue it to release him out of prison desiring to haue no more lefte him but the very shirt on his backe Most cruel Creditors to couer his body withal when he shoulde be turned out of prison but they woulde not take this offer but kepte hym in prison stil. Omen Those meant not to be the children of God but were fully determined to be the darlings of the Diuel If that pore man had bin with vs he shold haue bin deliuered whether they woulde or not It is maruel that you haue no order for suche cruell Cut throates especiallye séeing the worde of God is so