drowned in their owne drowsie dreames so far in fauour with their owne fansies so be witched with their owne wicked witte and so enchaunted with the sorcerie of Sathan that they will beléeue neyther you nor me and no maruell for they will not beléeue Iesus Christ the sonne of God which tels them the same therefore we must be content to be out of credite with thē séeing Christ is cleane out of credit with them And they think they know a better easier and shorter way to heauen than either God doth know or his sonne Christ. Yet a man would thinke that God that made both Heauen earth and is nowe in them both doth know as perfit and as ready a way to heauen as any other it is very like that our sauiour Christ the son of God that was once in Earth and is nowe in Heauen and that passed from earth to Heauen himselfe should know as good neare a way as any man else to Heauen If this be true as it is most true then what detestable doltes what fontasticall fooles and what méere mad men are they that neuer were yet in Heauen nor are neuer like to come there as farre as I sée vnlesse they refuse their owne way that thinkes they know a better waye to Heauen than eyther God or Christ the sonne of God doth But when their awne way that they thinke will leade them to Heauen hath broughte them and tumbled them into the dungeon of Hell then they will crye woe worthe the tyme that they tooke their own way and refused Christs way that they trusted thēselues which knewe nothing and mistrusted Christ weich knew al things and that they did forsake God their most louing Father sled to the fiende their foe and vtter destroyer OMEN They wil so but then it is to late they may call and crie then their hearts out for any mercy they shall find Bicause they would not call vpon God when he wold heare them now he wil not heare them though they cal vpon him I cannot but compare such self-willed and self-wise persons to a certaine foolish trauailer that went to sée a déere friend of his who woulde if he had come to him entertained him verie wel and profited him very much which traueller not knowing the way for that he was neuer there before mette by chance with oue that dwelled thereabout and knewe the way very wel Of whom he enquired the way to his frinds house and then he saide to the traueller if you kéepe the way still on the right hand it wil bring you straight to his house but in any wise take héede that you followe not the waye on the lefte hande for if you doe it will leade you into Woods and Thickets where you will be in very greate daunger to be deuoured of wilde beastes but when the man was gone the trauellour giuing lyttle credite or none to hym that tolde hym the way and pleased more with the fayre beaten path on the left hand than with the small troden way on the right hand and therewith all béeyng more wilfull than wise more rash than reasonable and more carelesse than carefull tooke the way on the left hande which he folowed so far that or euer he was aware he was among the wild beasts who presently deuoured him And thus through mistrusting of him whiche knewe the way and trusting to himselfe that knew not the way he sought his own sorrow and in stead of his good cheare and commodities whiche he should haue had with his friend he made the wilde beastes good cheare with his owne bodye and so for a liking life he gotte a terrible death SIVQILA Yea but whereas this traueller through his follie procured but the death of his bodye if he repented his sinnes and asked mercie of God in Christ yet these witlesse and wilful wretches that walke their own way and refuse Christes way procure their endlesse death both of body and soule in Hel. I pray you sir if I may be so bold to aske you howe are are vnthankefull or Ingrate Persons vsed with you OMEN I cannot wel tel you how for we haue neuer an vnthankefull or ingrate person in all our Countrey SIVQILA Then you are happy you haue not so few of them but we haue as many of them the worlde is growne now to such wickednesse that very few are grateful for benefits past marry many are tongue thankeful vntil the good turne be done but when they haue once got the thing they gaped for they regard him no more than some hungry dogs fawning on a straunger for foode do care for him after they haue filled their bellies Nay perhaps within a while after he will vse his friende as a foe and for his good turne wil do him two or thrée euill turnes OMEN If suche a one were handled as there was one with vs he woulde take héede how to be vnthankeful after as long as he liued SIVQILA Then belike you haue a lawe for the brydeling of ingrate persons OMEN Yea that we haue which if you had and wel executed I thinke there would not be long so many vnthankful with you as there are SIVQILA I praye you forget not to tell me howe that naughty fellow was vsed OMEN There was a certaine good and charitable man did ride homewarde to his house who chaunced to heare one make pitifull groaning and then hée drewe nearer and nearer to the noise and thereby at the laste came to the place where he sawe the same pitifull person saying to him alacke my friende what aylest thou Oh sir said the man as I trauelled this way beyng in perfect health I sodainly fel sicke I was constrained to lay my selfe downe in this place and nowe what with the great cold I haue taken here and what with my sodain and extreame sicknesse I thinke I shal dye and that within a while vnlesse some good charitable man do reléeue and succour me And to tel the truth I haue neuer a peny in al the world and if I had my heart is so fainte my body so sicke and my legges so weake that I am not able to go from this place to succour my self Which when the pore sicke man had spoken the good and charitable man wept for the griefe of this his pore brother saying good brother bée of good comforte God hath commaunded vs that we must loue our neighboure as our selfe and you are one of my worldly neighbours though I know not where you dwell and therfore I muste do for you as I woulde do for my selfe Christe wils vs Whatsoeuer you would that other should do to you euen so do you to them Now if I were in youre case you in mine I would be glad that you should help me euen so I must be willing to ayd help you now And so doing I do as I wold be done vnto therefore brother help thy self now as as
the lyke was heard of For God his déere and only sonne of a mightie and eternal king in Heauen became a poore and miserable man on Earth and so suffered hunger was as it were an abiect was buffeted mocked scourged crucified and killed and all to saue man that before had lost himselfe whose death dyd disappoint the Diuel of his purpose for whosoeuer repents his sinnes earnestly and beléeues that sinnes shall be forgiuen through Christes death assuredly out of all doubte hée shal be reputed for no sinner but shal be a mēber of Christe and bée an inheritoure of the Kingdome of Heauen wyth Christ. Trauayle into what countrey you will and reade all the Histories in the world and yet you shall neuer heare of the like friendship to this Yet how thankfull and louyng are the most of the inhabitants of the whole Earth to God and to Christe his sonne for this his benefite farre passing all other that is for bringing of vs from the Diuel to God and from Hell to Heauen let vs consider in oure consciences OMEN Truly we do so déepely weigh and consider this greate and inestimable loue of God that euery one with vs doth striue to excéed one another in thankfulnesse to Christ and doe those things that he commaundes vs wherein wée are assured we do most chiefly please him But it is possible in some other partes of the worlde that many that knowes it welynough do neuer a whit regard the goodnesse of God nor the friendship of Christ herein SIVQILA Naye I knowe many that when they haue hearde this maruellous and wonderful mercye loue and kindnesse of God to man yet they haue not once in countenance or tong shewed any whit of thankfulnesse therefore yet if you shoulde not name them Christians they would be angry OMEN Yea but if they be no better louers of Christe than so if they be no more thankefull to Christe than so and if they shewe Christe for his paines no more kindnesse than so truely for all theyr Christian name Christ may happe to say to them Away yée workers of iniquitie I know you not SIVQILA It is a wonderful thing that suche a greate good turne should be out of our minde eyther night or daye But marke the fondenesse of fooles If a man were condemned to death and the King by no meanes woulde pardon or saue hys life vnlesse some great Lorde woulde be contente to lye for him in prison ten yeares fast fettered in irons and lye harde and fare euil as the poorest prisoners of all doe all that while and then if some good and charitable Lord should be content so to be imprisoned for him and then to saue hys life what a clapping of hands would be at that Lorde what commendations would thousands giue to that Lorde what a sort of people would reioyce in that Lord what a number would be desirous to sée that Lorde and what a multitude woulde desire to please that Lord yea though he saued but one mans life and did neuer one of them any pleasure Thē séeing Christe the eternall King of Heauen came downe to thys prison of Earth remayning here thirtie thrée yeares and more and suffered death in his owne person moste vilelye on the Crosse to saue all our lyues that otherwayes had bene damned driuels why doe we not most ioyfully clappe our hands at this King Then why shoulde not euerye one commend this mightie King why should not we all reioyce in this King why should we not desire to sée this King why should not we bée most thankefull to this King why should not all the whole worlde loue moste feruently this Kyng Therefore bicause we doe it not what witlesse sencelesse carelesse churlish wicked and ingrate persons are wée We are farre vnworthy to haue such a friend OMEN Truly I am of your minde but if the mā whose life the Lord had so painfully saued should say afterwards that the sayde Lord did not saue his life but that he by some other meanes of his owne escaped death would not euerye one thinke you that should heare him say so cry out of him and saye it was pittie he had hys life Besides the Lord◠that so saued hym woulde not bée verye well contente with hym SIVQILA And good reason but nowe if this fellowe so saying had bene more worthye to be hanged than saued in suche a sorte then what vile varlets are they and what are they worthy to haue that wyll by all the meanes they may blotte out the merite of Christe that onelye with sheading of hys bloude hath saued them and vs al saying they can be saued eyther by their own merits or by some other meanes whereby they turne out Christ for no body which hath done al in all OMEN These are the most vile and ingrate persons that can be in my iudgement they are not worthy to lyue on the earth muche lesse in Heauen They are more méete to bée firebrands in Hel. And I can tel them one thing that Christ will not thinke very well of them that deface his death that he spent for their life that darken his déedes to defend their owne dreames and do robbe him of his glory to extoll their owne fancies SIVQILA Such vnkinde and ingrate wretches I feare are reserued to greater tormentes and painefuller punishements than anye that be on earth vnlesse they repente in tyme lay holde on Christ in tyme and be thankeful to God in time OMEN Doubtlesse Angratitude is a vile vice and more worthy to be punished than many thinkes for SIVQILA And as God doeth detest ingrate persons so he doth fauour them that be thankful as I will shew you by a rare example There was an honest Gentlemen sodaynly had his Thumbe striken off with the shotte of a Gunne whiche when he perceyued straightway he knéeled downe and sayd my Lord and God I thanke thée for if thou of thy goodnesse hadst not preserued mée I might as well haue bin killed with this shot as to haue lost my thumbe with thys shot therfore blessed be thy name thou knowest better than I what is méete for me thou doest all things for the best to them that loue thée And within a certaine tyme after thys gentleman was taken prisoner and was appointed to bée hanged the next daye after and bicause they would make him sure for flying he was manacled to one of his enimies and as God would on the same hand that lackt the thumb But in the night perceyuing him that was manacled with him to sléepe verye soundly he pluckte his hande throughe the manacle which he could neuer haue done if hée had had hys thumbe And so by such shift as he made he escaped And thus by Gods greate goodnesse the losse of his thumbe was the sauing of his life OMEN We may sée how God doth preserue them that do please him SIVQILA Yea and suffers them to perish that are vnthankfull to him as may appeare by
ment to buy so the buying Pastors and Ministers now bycause they haue bought they meane not to giue SIVQILA Some haue Spirituall liuings giuen them fréely yet vse theÌ„ as euill as the rest and are rather fléesers than féeders of their flocke OMEN Then the fault was in the giuer before he had iuste tryall of them but the Bishoppe in more faulte for admitting them before he had true knowledge of their lerning maners and conuersation But if the patron that doth present the Bishop that doth admitte and the Parson that is presented and admitted did déeply consider what a deare price Christ hathe payde for our Soules what endlesse tormentes euery lost Soule shall suffer the continuall entertainement that suche Bishops and Patrons shall haue in Hell at the Diuels handes for presenting admitting and suffering such blinde bussardes or carelesse pastors and the continuall chéere besides the howling gnawing and gnashing of téeth prepared in Hell for euery such Parson Pastor or Minister the Patron then I thinke woulde not present so quickly the Bishop would not admit so vnaduisedly nor the Parson or Uicar would not so rashly enter into such a dangerous office for all the earth nor the whole treasure thereof SIVQILA And haue they this consideration with you OMEN Yea I warrant you for as I tolde you before none are chosen into the ministerie but they are well tryed and approued to be godly well learned of a pure honest conuersation and vertuous liuing and euery such Minister doeth consider that the bloude of euerye soule within hys charge that shall perishe throughe his defaulte that is for lacke of good teaching or through want of reprouing or by his euill example of liuing shall be required at his handes And euery Parson or Uicar with vs doe likewise consider that he shall aunswere for euery Soule so perished through the negligence of the minister by hym so permitted in hys cure And all the Bishoppes with vs are so holye godly and vertuous that they weigh and consider that they shall answere for euery soule that is perished within their Bishoprike throughe the defaulte of anye Parson Uicar or Pastor there by them admitted SIVQILA O most happy countrey that hath such blessed Bishoppes O most blessed people that haue such precious Pastors if all Bishoppes Pastors and Ministers had such a consideration as they haue there would not be such gaping snatching procuring wayting suing flattering crowching writing riding poasting giuing rewarding and promising for spirituall liuings as now is Nay they woulde rather flye from them than thus to follow them O méere madnesse to desire our destruction to pay for oure paine and to séeke our owne sorrow If one might haue a Farme for the space of one and twenty yeres without paying of any rent all that while vpon coÌ„dition that he should be hanged at the ende of the sayde yeares might not he be counted a very noddy that woulde pay suche a fine for a Farme truly then he might rightly be thought to be starke staring madde and cleane out of his wittes that will sue paynefully and labour earnestly to haue a benefice to lyue ydlely and loytringly all his life to pay the fine of damnation for euer therefore after his death in Hell fire where there is payne without pleasure sorrow without succour mourning without measure and miserie without mercie OMEN Cal you these fines they are proper fines indéed they may more properly be called fines than the fines now daily giueÌ„ for Farmes for they make a final end of al. A maÌ„ were better to pay a good round fine at his coÌ„ming in than to pay suche a fine at his going out this is the common fine that all Idolaters vsurers whoremoÌ„gers harlots bauds swearers druÌ„kards théeues and such like wicked persons shall paye to the Diuell after their death for occupying of their trade he is not so hastie in taking his fines as manye Landlords are now adayes What can a man desire more thaÌ„ to occupy a thing fréely during his life the â—surers dare not for their eares lend their mony to interest vpon so long a day for if they should y â— borrowers would not be so bare nor the lenders so rich Wel though the Diuel suffer so loÌ„g yet he will pintch them home in their payments at length SIVQILA A dolefull thing to consider these fines a lameÌ„table thing to remember these fines but a most horrible thing to pay these fines There is an ende of earthlye payments fines and vsuries but the fines and vsuries to the Diuell shall euer be a paying and neuer payde OMEN A common saying A day will come shall paye for al but when this day comes it wil pay home for al therefore séeing the great goodnesse of God can not moue vs the wonderful friendship of Christe cannot procure vs nor the straunge examples of our warning can allure vs yet mée thinkes euerlasting damnation with the féendes in hell fire should feare vs. OMEN I doubte there are some whyche eyther thinke there is no Hell at all or else that God is so mercifull that hée wyll suffer none bée they neuer so Wicked to come there SIVQILA If anye suche bée they haue eyther exercysed themselues very little in the Scriptures or else they gyue very small credite to it If they will credite Christe who is well worthye to be beléeued then they cannot be doubtfull but that there is a Hell for he sayeth Whosoeuer sayth thou foole shall be in daunger of Hell fire and he sayeth againe It is better for thee that one of thy members perishe than all thy body shoulde be caste into Hell What néede I recite the wordes of the Prophets or Apostles that in diuers places name Hell If any be so incredulous that they will not beléeue Christe they will hardelye beléeue eyther Prophet Apostle or any other But I will promise them one thing whosoeuer wyl not beléeue Christe nowe they shall beléeue him agaynste theyr wylles at the laste daye at whych tyme he wil saye Goe yee wicked into euerlasting fyre prepared for you from the begynnyng And then with al the mighte and power they haue let them proue hym a lyar or wythstande him if they can No no hée wil be too hard for them there for though the Iewes ouermatcht hym here with hys wyl he wil ouermatch them al his enimies there against their wils As there is a God that will protect and defend the godly so there is a Diuel yea a maister Diuel besides manye thousandes of other Diuels that will torment and punish the wicked And as there is a heauen where the godly and faithful beléeuers shall haue euerlasting ioy and pleasure so there is a Hell where the wicked and infidels shall haue endlesse sorrowe and paines or else if there were no Hell where shoulde the dyuel with al his vnder diuels kéepe hys residence not in
the beaten man sorrowed all husbands feared and the wiues much reioiced and I neuer heard since that any man in our country did beate his wife SIVQILA If there were suche a straight order and lawe with vs for husbands that beate their wiues many a wife would be so vnruly that their husbaÌ„ds should neuer liue in quiet But what if a womaÌ„ shold beat hir husbaÌ„d with you OMEN What a question is that there are none such nor neuer wil be with vs but we haue a lawe therefore if anye should chance to offend therin for it is better to haue a law without offences than to haue offences without a lawe SIVQILA I pray you declare the same OMEN If a woman should beate hir husband wyth vs that is not able to rule hir she shoulde haue hir husbandes apparel put on hir backe with a sword gyrded to hir and so shoulde ride throughe euery stréete in the Town where she dwelst and she men that are hir next neighbours shal guard hir and saye in the stretes as she rides This is the woman that hath beaten hir husband and then she shal be put into a house appointed for vnruly persons where she shall haue neyther meate nor drinke vntill she haue earned it and at the monethes end she shall go home to hir husband againe SIVQILA Truelye this is a better order in this case than we haue For in some places with vs if a womaÌ„ beate hir husband the man that dwelleth next vnto hir shall ride on a cowlstaffe ther is al y e punishmeÌ„t she is like to haue OMEN That is rather an vncomely custome thaÌ„ a good order for he that is in faintnesse is vndecently vsed and the vnruly offendor is excused thereby If this be all the punishment your wiues haue that beate their husbandes it is rather a boldning than a discouraging of some bolde shamelesse Dames to beate their simple husbandes to make their next neyghbors whom they spite to ride on a Cowlestaffe rather reioising â—â—earing at the riding of their neighbours than sorrowing or repenting for beating of their husbandes SIVQ. Yea but if one of them shoulde taste of your order in that case it would saue many â— husbaÌ„d froÌ„ many a blow OMEN Iâ—â—ere be as manye suche wiues with you as there is fewe with vs they woulde be a greate safegarde to your Countrey if â—éeâ—â—â—ere for they would fight furiously against their foes that fight so fiercely with their friendes SIVQILA It is great reason that they should doe so although perhappes they would not do so for many that fight with a coward wilâ—â—â—t from a man OMEN Yea and many that wil not feare to fighte with a man wil be ashamed to fight with a coward SIVQI. That is veriâ— true but resolue me of this wylt one maÌ„ fight w t another w t you for their own priuat quarel OMEN No surelye for séeing Christ hathe willed them not to resiste wrong saying moreouer Whosoeuer giueth thee a blowe on thy right â—iâ—eke turne 〈…〉 the other mening to suffer a ther as much wrong â—â—â—â— than to 〈◊〉 the same therefore they wil not reuenge their own quarrel neither fight with any and for that there is such a straighte law for punishing of fighters they dare not fight SIVQ. But what if one should méete with his enimie w t you would néeds fight with him whether he would or no OMEN What if the Element shoulde fall I tell you there is such peace quietnesse loue and concord with vs that there is no fighting with vs. SIVQILA I durst lay a wager that if some of our lusty laddes were with you they would sooner bring you to fight than you could bring them to quietnesse OMEN I doubt that But to satisfie your mind of your demand if one would néedes fight with vs the other with whome he would fight is bound to run and â—lée from him SIVQ. Yea but it is counted a great shame with vs for one to flée in that case OMEN Whether is it more shame to flée from fighting than to be hanged for killing SIVQ. To be hanged for killing is more shame paine to if they could sée it But what if he be not able to out-run him or if it be in such a place that he can not shunne him OMEN Then he that cannot flée would shall haue no harme if he kil him that procured him to fight and if he hurt or maime him he shal haue his meÌ„ds in his own haÌ„ds And if y â— beginner kil him that wold haue fled theÌ„ he shal be put to death without any pardoÌ„ whatsoeuer he be if y e party that would haue fled be maimed then he that hath maimed him shall giue him the one halfe of al his goods laÌ„ds how much soeuer he hath during y â— life of him that maimed him to liue on if he be but a poore maÌ„ or a man of Art or trade that hath maimed him then he shall giue him wéekly y â— one halfe of his getting during y â— life of him that maimed him if y â— party that would haue fled be hurt not maimed then he y â— did hurt him shal pay for y â— healing of him shall giue him y â— fourth part of all his goods laÌ„ds or if he be not very rich then the fourth part of his getting for y â— space of so many yeares as he hath hurt him in sundry places of his body SIVQILA Surely it is a very good law in one poynt it is like our law though vnlike in all the rest Therefore if Gods law will not make them refraine fighting this lawe will feare them to fight A maruellous thing that the feare of short punishment the loue of vaine trash shal make vs to feare that Hell fire can not cause vs to shunne endlesse riches cannot moue vs to do It is a wonderful thing to coÌ„sider how many are blinded bewitched by that wily and wicked serpent our deadly enimie the Diuel yea and that against all reason for thousands are so stout manly couragious that most chéerfully and willingly they fight and adueÌ„ture their liues for their owne vaine and triâ—ling quarels whereby they are like to go to Hell but they are very cowardly dastards and dare not fight nor die in Christes cause or quarrell whereby they are sure to go to Heauen OMEN If they knewe the riches and ioyes of Heauen and the pouertie and paynes of Hell and the rewarde that Christ giueth to them that fight in his quarrell all y â— whole fighting would be in Christes cause SIVQILA I am sure of that the best they can get in fighting in their owne cause is to come froÌ„ fighting but as well as they went to fighting which is but a very euill matche made for if one should aske them what they haue wonne by their fighting they must néedes graunt
that they haue won nothing then may not we thinke them wisâ— that hazarded themselues into thrée great mischiefes for nothing whiche mischiefes are killing hanging and Hell fire For are not many that fight killed and they haue gotteÌ„ their own death for fighting for nothing And haue not they that haue killed bin hanged therfore and so they haue bene hanged for their fighting for nothing and if they haue dyed in enuy and malice as I feare many haue done theÌ„ they haue gotteÌ„ damnation in Hell fire for euer for their fighting for nothing And therfore are not they worthy to be called wise meÌ„ that make such wise matches are such fierce furious fighters OMEN Such fighters know not well what they do for if they did they wold be twentie times aduised ere they did fight once SIVQILA Yea and if they knewe the gaine that they shall haue for fighting in Christes quarrell they would rather fight euery day as long as they liuein his cause than one day in their owne But the fighting of Christs Champions is contrarie to their fighting For they that suffer most are Christs chiefest fighters but they that suffer least they count the best fighters OMEN Yea but they shal neuer get so much good by their reuenging and fighting as Christs souldiours shal gain by their patience and suffering For whereas manye of these stoute worldly fighters gets double death I feare that is this worldly death and the most dolefull death in Hel they that fight for Christes cause are sure for a short death here to haue euerlasting life in heaueÌ„ therfore is a gret differeÌ„ce in euery wise maÌ„s eies betwéen these two kinds of fighters SIVQILA Yea and as greate a difference in that that coÌ„mes of their fighting therfore they that are wise wil take héede how they fight Is it not a straunge thing to consider how preposterouslye manye vse themselues as well in their talke as in their déedes for Christ the son of God the chiefe of al goodnes said to one why calst thou me good meaning of his manhood ther is none good but God TheÌ„ if Christ y â— Sonne of God that was sinlesse most peaceable quiet and louing of all other refused to be called good how dare these sinfull brauling quarelling disquiet hatefull and furious fighters take vpon them to be called good men And what witlesse woodcocks are they that cals theÌ„ good men bicause they fight lustily sticke to it stoutely and would mayme kil desperatly neuer regarding their cause nor their quarel OMEN Are they called good men with you that are stout fighters and will not shrinke SIVQILA In déede they are commonly so called OMEN TheÌ„ surely they nickname them vnlesse euil be good and then must néeds follow that peaceable patiente quiet louing and good men are euil But I thinke there is neuer a good man in déede that wil call them good men Wo be to them sayeth the Prophet Esay that call euil good and good euil theÌ„ woe is to these men that call fierce furious fighters good men for one contrarie is knowne by another For if Christ call the peacemakers blessed and happy then I may safely call the peace breakers vnhappye And suche brawlers and fighters are peace breakers Ergo the fighters are vnhappy and vnhappy men cannot be good men then they must be euill men And thus these lustie cutters and stoute fighters are sufficiently proued to be euill meÌ„ Therfore they haue had a wrong name a great while I pray you sir what law haue you for Drunkards OMEN We haue a very good and straite law for Drunkards but there is neuer a Drunkard with vs to execute the law on For saint Paule sayth That drunkards shall not inherit the kingdome of Heauen SIVQILA It séemes that you do more for Saint Pauls words than many with vs wil do for Christs his Apostles and all the Prophets words OMEN Wel what for the loue of Christ and what for the feare of the law euery one liues very soberly with vs. SIVQILA If there were neither law of God nor law of man that did forbid drunkennesse yet me thinks the reasonable lawe of nature and the temperate drincking of brute beastes without reason were ynough to make vs refrayne excesse drunkennesse Why should not nature with reason teach vs as wel as nature without reasoÌ„ doth teach beasts birds and other sensitiue cretures Beastes birds or other sensitiue creatures wil neuer eate more at that time thaÌ„ is sufficient for them vnlesse sometime through gret hunger who as soone as they féele their stomacks ouercharged they neuer rest vntil they haue auoided al y e which superfluously they haue eaten but Man that God hath created to be now not much inferiour to Angels maketh himself far worse thaÌ„ Beasts For he when he hath eaten more than he is able to disgest he goes not about to â—oyd the superfluitie thereof as beasts do but by by he heaps more vpon more going from baÌ„ket to baÌ„ket which bréeds fore diseases shortneth his life and perhaps brings present death But who euer heard that birdes or beastes do willingly drinke such drinke so much therof at one time y â— they are depriued of their natural seÌ„ses or y â— their wonted vse of their legs lims or body to serue our turne or theirs is taken from theÌ„ consider y e diligent dog or spaniel that waits on his Master most louingly y e horse that serues him so necessarily the cow y â— â—éedes him so plentifully the oxe that labors for him so painfully y e shéep y â— clothes him with his own cote so warmly y e birds that delight him with their singing so merily many other dumb creatures whose néed he hath dayly whether they drinke theÌ„selues so drunk at any tyme y e they caÌ„ neither serue maÌ„ their Maister nor go on their féet no I am sure But many a man y â— are their rulers in whoÌ„ most wit reasoÌ„ shold be fouÌ„d are many times so stark staring drunke yea some almost euery day y â— they can neither stand go speak sée heare nor vnderstande farre more senselesse thaÌ„ y e senselest or brutest beast in the world OMEN Is there with you any that will be so drunke SIVQILA Is there quoth you yea that there are that not a few But if they loued God his word or the health of their own soule as they fauour y e fiend doe diuelish déedos are desirers of their own dreadful daÌ„natioÌ„ they would not drink so déepe as they do Oh if Satan would suffer theÌ„ to coÌ„sider déepely with theÌ„selues when they are sober what gain is got by drunkeÌ„nesse I beléeue the veriest drunkard of al they y â— haue most delight in such detestable drinking would quickly abhorre it spéedily refrain it and neuer after vse it For drunkennesse brings this gain it spends the time vainly it
can make you wrye from the righte waye To whome the Iudge said thereof assure thy selfe for I know and it is alwaies in my minde when I sit in this place that though I cannot sée God in heauen yet he sées and beholds me on earthe Doe you not thinke that if the King of our Countrey were here nowe in this place but that I woulde examine all things appertayning to this matter so exactly goe aboute to boulte oute the truth with such diligence and iudge the same without fauoure or affection according to equitie whereby to please the Kyng yes verilye Then howe muche more ought I to examine with equitie try out the truth diligently and iudge without partialitie séeing our good God the King of all Kings and Iudge of Iudges is nowe present in this place and wil not onelye heare all the whole matter from the beginning to the ende but also wil poure his vengeance vppon you if you witnesse falsely and on me if I iudge not vprightly who heares what wée say sées what we do and knows what we thinke For if the painter can sée that makes an eye that cannot sée then God muste néedes sée that made our eyes that can sée If hée can heare that makes an eare that cannot heare then God of force must néeds heare y t hath made our eares that caÌ„ heare And shal not he also that made our hearts likewise knowe what we thinke in our harts yes doubtlesse Therfore take you gret héed al ye that haue to speak before me in this case for whatsoeuer you speake vnto me either true or false you speake to God and if you speake true God wil protect you if you wil speake false then God wil detest you Whiche of you al if the Kings Maiestie were here in the next roome or chamber durst vtter a lye so loude that the King knowing it to be a lye should heare it Then what is he that dare once presume to beare false witnesse against his neighbor in the hearing of God the greate King of all that makes Kings and puts downe Kings at his pleasure who is present here before vs all in this place though not personally yet spiritually therefore now my friend I am determined to heare the trueth to trie out the truthe and to Iudge accordyng to truth and therfore I charge thée speake nothing but the trueth Then saide the same fellowe that came to speake with the Iudge so hastily my Lorde I hearde but euen a while since as God woulde that one is accused before you of high treason Then said the Iudge in déede here is suche a one doest thou knowe him there he standes besides thée Then saide the fellowe of trueth my Lorde I knowe hym not but I haue hearde him as muche commended for hys goodnesse as this his accuser is discommended for hys euilnesse so it may be saide the Iudge and yet he neuer the better nor the other the worse for perhappes you neuer heard him commended nor the other discommended Yes truelye my Lorde saide the fellowe I haue hearde bothe and that not of a fewe whiche I speake here vnfaynedlye bothe béefore the Maiestie of GOD and you And for that we are all bounde to tell the truthe and to defende the innocente as muche as it lyeth in vs. I am come nowe in the feare of God in singlenesse of heart to vtter so muche vnto you as thereby you maye the better sucke out the soothe and try out the trueth But firste I praye thée saide the Iudge doest thou knowe his accuser yea that I doe saide the fellowe more of his séeking than of my desiring Well nowe tell on thy tale saide the Iudge and I will heare thée attentiuely Then saide the fellowe to the Iudge thys accuser here that hath accused this man for highe treason againste the King was very importunate foure or fiue times at the leaste with me to be a witnesse againste him therein and if I woulde affirme when néede shoulde stande that I hearde him speake the wordes he woulde giue me a greate summe of money and saide moreouer that after his death he hoped to haue great part of his liuing whereof some lay very nigh to his house but I hope he shall haue as muche good of it as Iesabel had of Nabothes Uineyard And he promised me also that if he fared wel that I shoulde fare neuer the worsse But I liked his fare so wel that I said his fare was too â—ne for me to féede on and so by no meanes I would consent to his most wicked purpose saying moreouer to him at my departing take héede for you thinke this is the verye waye to winne but beléeue me beléeue me it is the very high waye to loose If he loose his short life here guiltlesse then he shall find his life in heaueÌ„ endlesse And though by his death you seme to liue the richer here yet by this your wicked life you shal procure your eternall death in Hel where you shal neuer sée God nor shunne the Deuil And then he wente very sorrowfully from me more as it séemes by the sequele for that he could not procure me to his purpose thaÌ„ that he was sorie for his sinne Then sayde the Iudge I feare this fume is not without fire it smels somewhat of the smoake what say you that are his accuser to this then said the accuser O my Lord this man that is the traytour hath procured this man with money to saue himselfe by slaundring of me CoÌ„sider this man speakes on the behalfe of a Traytour and I speake on the behalfe of a King Is the King sayde the Iudge so desirous of his subiectes wrongfull death as hée would haue none to tell truth in y â— defence of their life We do the King no wrong to trie out the trueth and to saue an innocent neither do we the King right if we heare not true witnesses against a Traitour and iudge him according to the lawe but assure thy selfe that thy naming of the King whom I reuereÌ„ce shal neither let vs from doing of right nor yet constraine vs to do any wrong We haue a heauenly King here present though our earthly King be absente whom I honor feare and reuerence more than I maye or ought my earthly soueraigne for he is mortall and can kill but the body nor that neither vnlesse God giue him leaue but God our heauenly King that is here present can kill at his pleasure both body and soule for euer in Hel fire Well sir said the accuser I haue two witnesses to affirm my tale and he hath but one to speake on his side and yet that that he hath spoken is nothing with him if it be well considered for he doth not saye that he that we accuse did neuer speake such words of treasoÌ„ but he hath inuented a friuolous matter only to discredit me Therfore I beséech you oh worthy Iudge to consider that the traytour neyther
perceiue by your sayings youre lawe is more like to make a rich man pore than to make a pore maÌ„ to obtain his right Be like your law is more intricaâ—e thaÌ„ ours or else is not so orderly vsed as ours SIVQILA If they that appertaine to our lawe had no more fault to be founde in them than there is in our lawe many things would be amended that now are amisse Wée haue an olde Prouerbe with vs That the lawe is ended as a man is friended and the chiefe friende and friendmaker is money Then if they that haue much money can make many friends and they that haue little money can make fewe friends then how shall the poore do for friendes that haue no money truely he is like to haue a colde sute thoughe hys matter be neuer so good for the poore with vs for wante of money either dare not beginne the Law or else of force are driuen to lette their matter fall after they haue begonne the lawe Yet there are diuerse noble men with vs and manye other so godlye addicted so charitablye giuen and suche patrons to the poore that if the poore complaine vnto them that they are oppressed or wronged by any bodye they will neuer cease vntill they haue sent for the parties complayned of and so wil helpe the pore wroÌ„ged or opprossed and make a finall ende of the matter without any expences of money in the law OMEN Surely it is very wel done of theÌ„ they deserue y â— name of nobilitie and gentlemen they shew themselues to walke in true Christianitie God wil blesse theÌ„ for helping the oppressed in their necessitie Nothing doth please God better than to helpe the friendlesse Fatherlesse the wronged widow and the innocent and the oppressed SIVQILA Is there good prouision with you for the poore that are lame sore blind and impotent OMEN Yea that there is you neuer hearde of the lyke our Hospitals with vs excéede the number of Abbeys wyth you SIVQILA If you haue no mo Hospitals than we haue Abbeys then you haue very few for we haue none at all OMEN Then I meane so many as you haue had SIVQILA That is something more like for we haue had great store of Abbeys whatsoeuer you haue of Hospitals we haue thankes be to God some worthy Hospitalles with vs erected continued encreased by good vertuous mercifull men I would they were as well encreased as our Abbeyes are decreased But I maruaile how or which waye you haue erected so many Hospitals with sufficient landes requisite for the same OMEN Through the Preachers ministers godly persuading of the rich at or before their death especially such as haue great landes and goodes that die without issue whereby dayly and wéekely the riche giues plentifully of their lands and goodes to this godly vse and to manye other as héereafter I will declare vnto you as occasion shall serue SIVQILA It is godly bestowed OMEN In oure Hospitals also are nourished educated brought vp poore yong Orphanes that are left fatherlesse motherlesse and friendlesse and are trayned vp in learning in vertuous manners and in other good exercises SIVQILA Surely if your riche men bestow their lands and goodes in this order they are muche to be commended therfore Many with vs spends their goods and leaues their lands scantly to such good vses A maruellous thing not loÌ„g since the Diuel did so delude them the Monks did so moue them the Channons did so enchaunt them the Friers so flatter them and the Papisticall Priests so perswade them that well was he that might giue his lands and disinherite his heire to the erecting and maintaining of Abbeys Priories and Frieries to succour féede and relieue Monkes Channons Friers and Nunnes the open enimies of God the subuerters of his word the derogaters of Christes merites and passioÌ„ and the vtter destroyers and slayers of their soules And what was he theÌ„ that did not giue at his death or in his life long before he died eyther money or lands for Chantries for TreÌ„tals for Dirges for Masses for Copes for Crosses for Chalises for lights to Aulters to Images and for many other such toyes which God doeth detest hys worde doth not allowe and all true Christians doe vtterly contemne and now hauing the light that leades vs to life Gods wonderful fauour cannot once moue them Gods holye worde cannot once stirre them godly preachers cannot procure them nor the swéete promises of Christe can once allure them to giue one penny to godly charitable vses which may worke their saluation for a pound which they most willingly bestowed of diuelish and superstitious Idolatrie which wroughte their damnation OMEN It séemes the Diuel can do more with them than God they loued superstition more then than they do Gods true religion now They were liberall in giuing to bring themselues to Hell but they are very niggardes to helpe themselues to Heauen Then I perceiue you haue not so many suche godly and néedeful Hospitals as we haue SIVQILA No if it be as you say OMEN I haue tolde you no lye we haue as many suche Hospitals as you haue Market Townes SIVQILA And we haue moe Market townes than suche Hospitals I pray you sir wil the Phisitions wyth you help the pore that are sicke and that haue not wherewythall to go to Phisicke OMEN Oure Phisitions maye be a Lanterne to all the Phisitians in the world they haue such watches and spies whome they fée priuily that a pore bodye can not so soone haue their finger ake but they shal haue knowledge thereof and then presently in all the haste thoughe a Lord or Lady should send for them they wil goe to the sayde pore sicke body whome they wil not onely comfort but also counsell taking nothing for their paines but will giue them money to succour and reléeue them withall They take of the riche for helping them that that is reason but surely the greatest part thereof they bestow in this godly order I haue séen in suche a pore mans house fiue Doctors of Phisicke at once and they that came the last haue bin very angry with them selues for tarrying so long You woulde wonder to sée how fast our Phisitions will runne to the people that are sicke after they once know it SIVQILA In this case your Phisitions are not so swift but many of our PhisitioÌ„s are as slow I neuer saw at once fiue nor foure Phisitions with anye pore bodye that was sick but I haue séene four or fiue Doctors of Phisicke at one time wyth Lords and other that were wealthy and riche that woulde pay them well for their paines OMEN Well ouâ— Phisitionâ—â—â—e â—â— glad of Gods rewarde for hâ—â—â—â—â—g and visiting the sicke at the laste day as your Phisitions are glad nowe of rewarde for helping the rich that are sicke at this day And they are sure that they shal haue all their rewarde to receiue then whyche
you know theÌ„ not yet the more happye you féele them not but the moste happie of all that you follow them not If you had béene as well bitten with suche beastes as wel stâ—ng with such serpentes and as wel gnawne with such Uipers as wée you woulde haue knowne them by their name as wel as we By their name they signify Biting but by their déeds they procure altogither Killing and maye I trust you haue you neuer an Usurer among you OMEN No truelye you are as good talke to me in that tongue that I knowe not as to speake that woorde to me SIVQILA Though it be not wel known with you it is a little too well knowâ—â—â—yth vs euerye â—oy or girle with vs can tel you what an â—â—â—irer is â— they are such pinâ—hers that they are able to make Lordes without landes Gentlemen without goodes Marchants without mony and themselues without honestie OMEN These fellowes are more fitte for the Féende than to inhabite among honest men wée stande in néede of none such but if we had any such whatsoeuer they bée we would make them do otherwise I praye you what kinde of persons are they SIVQILA Forsoothe wée call them Usurers that lende out their mony for their gaine who will be sure to haue an vnreasonable interest therfore or else they wil haue the parties that borowes money of them wrayte in Statutes and Bondes that if they breake theyr daye they will so pinche them that they will haue perhappes tenne times more than the valew of their mony which they lent OMEN But will they haue no remorce of the partie if he chance to forfaite his bond SIVQILA Yes perhappes some will and some wyll not OMEN Then bèlyke these Usurers you speake of lyue â—dlely of the spoyle of other SIVQILA I must néedes confesse they do so OMEN Oh detestable trade oh drifte of the Diuell oh snare of Sathan these Usurers I perceyue are they that Dauid speaketh of saying Who shall dwel in the Lords Tabernacle He that is innocent of handes c. And hathe not put his money to Vsurie Then they that put their money to Usurie must néedes dwell in the Diuels denne where there is nothing but woe sorrow dole mourning howlyng tormentes paines wéeping and gnashing of téeth and that for euer and euer worâ—â— without end SIVQILA All the deuises you haue cannot driue it into some of their heads that it is diuelish or damnable OMEN And all they cannot make me beléeue that it is godly and charitable If it had bin good Christ would haue commended it in his Gospell and bycause it is euill GOD hath forbidden it in the old law SIVQILA There are some Usurers that thoughe they take it to be a greate offence doe lighte so muche of their owne repentaunce and of the mercy of God that I pray God they dye not without both Christ bade his holye Apostles Watch pray least they should fal into teÌ„ptation Nowe séeing it behoueth the good and godlye to Watch and Praye if they meane to be saued then can the detestable and wicked Usurers whome the holye Ghost sayeth shall not dwell in Gods Tabernacle looke to be saued by sléeping and slumberyng still in Sinne and to watche and praye neuer a whit at al These are the delectable dreames that the Diuell deludeth them withall Whyche of the godlyest and perfectest men of the Earth can warrant himselfe from sodaine deathe Whiche of them all can say that they can not repente when they will and be forgiuen when they list Whiche of them is able to loath his leude life at anye time Whiche of them can sighe and sorrowe for his sinnes at suche time as he shall appointe Naye whyche of them can saye and that truelye that they will such a day and suche an houre doe suche a thing and thinke suche a thyng for thoughe it be easye to saye it yet they are not sure to doe it for perhappes the partie may be lame sicke or else deade whereby he can not do it and perhaps the partie may be a sléepe whereby he can not thinke it yea perhappes neyther lame sicke dead nor a sléepe and yet maye haue cleane forgot it Nowe séeing the godly men can make no warrauntise hereof then howe can the vile and wicked Usurer and other abhominable Sinners be safe from sodayne death repent when they list be forgiuen when they will or doe what they determine or thinke what shall please them Therefore I beséeche GOD that these wicked Usurers and all other carelesse sinners maye repente theyr sinnes here in time maye aske mercy here in time maye be forgiuen throughâ— Christe here in tyme and not to driue till after they be dead which wil be out of time which the Diuel that lulleth them here asléepe in their sins knowes wel ynough OMEN â—â—â— and they maye sléepe long ynoughe ere hée will once awake them Well let them be sure of one thing thoughe he suffer them to sléepe as long as they liste hée will let them sléepe in Heâ— neuer a whitte Why do you suffer these Usurers in your Country wherfore do you not cut them offâ— SIVQILA We can not if we would OMEN Nay you wil not if you might Now I remember that we haue an auntient lawe against Usurers but it was cleane out of my mynde whiche if it were auâ—horiâ—ed and throughlye executed with you I woulde laye a wageâ— if you hadde ten thousande Usurers nowe in youre Country you shoulde not haue one at the tweluemonethes ende SIVQILA At al aduentures I woulde we had it what is it I pray you OMEN Oure lawe is that if anye lende money and receyue any thing for the loane thereof at the lending of the money or shall or oughte to receyue anye thing ouer and aboue the summe lente at any time after then the lender of the same money shall haue hys right hanâ—e cut off for the first â—â—â—â—used and shall forâ—en the one halfe of all hys goods which shall be equallye deuided in thrée partes one parte whereof shall be to the vse of the King one other parte to the reuealer and the thirde parte shall remaine as a stock in that towne where the Usurer dwelleth whiche shall bée lente as occasion serueth to the poore that shall stande in néede to borrowe vpon a sufficient gage wythout paying of anye Interest at all therefore And none vppon payne of loosing of theyr hande shall lende anye thing to the sayde Usurer for the space of fiue yeares after And the â—artie that borrowed the same money to Intereste shall for the firste time so borrowing haue the forefinger of hys or hir right hande cut off and shal forfeite the fourth part of all his or hir goods which shall be deuided and employed to the vses aforesayde And euery one that knowes of the same contracte and bargaine that conceales the same foure and twentie houres shall loose likewise their
forefinger and the fourth part of their goods to be emploied to such vse as is before mentioned And if the Usurer reueale the same first of all other then he shal saue his hand from cutting off And if the partie that borrowes the money to interest reueale the same first of all other then he shal saue his finger his goods frō forfeiting but he shall haue his right eare cut off And if any besides that is priuie to the same contract bargaine doth reueale it before another then he or she shall saue the forfeiture of their goods and shall saue their finger besides euery such a one shal haue that that is his due to y ◠reuealer And if any Usurer offend as is aforesayd the seconde time he shal be deuoured to death with Beares and then he shall be sure not to commit Usurie the thirde time then also hée shall forfaite all his goods to be employed as before sayde And if any borrowe mony vpon Usurie the second time the same partie shall loose his right hand and the one halfe of all his goods and if he reueale the same as is before sayd thē he shal loose but his forefinger And this is y e penaltie likewise of euerye one that is made priuie of the same vnlesse hée reueale it as before is sayde and then he shall haue as appertaines to a reuealer And euery one that shall borrow mony vpon Usurie the thirde time and that shall be priuie of the contracte and shall conceale the same then euerye suche a one shall suffer death But if the same borrower doeth reueale the same first of all then he shall saue his life and hys goods but he shall haue his right hand cut off And if anye of them that are priuie of y ◠same contract reueale it then they shall saue both life and goods and shal haue the due that belongs to the reuealer thereof SIVQILA Oh this were a worthy law for our Usurers if we had this law and well executed the Usurers durst not trust to their starting holes as they doe this law woulde so lincke them that some might be so madde to lende yet who woulde be so mad to borrow and though the Usurer muste néedes lament his losse yet the borrower could not laugh at his winning the lender woulde bée so afrayde that the borrowed would bewray him and the borrower would be so afraide that the lender would bewray him and both the lender and the borrower woulde be so afrayde that they that were priuie to it would bewray them and they that were priuie to it woulde be so afraide that one or other woulde bewraye them that surely in my iudgement there woulde not one Usurer be founde in all oure Countrey within one moneth and then I hope wée shoulde haue some lend their money for nothing though none nowe almost wyl lende but for somthing And is there none in your Country that euer did breake this law OMEN No truely we leade our liues chiefly by the lyne of Gods lawe and we feare a thousande tymes more the breakyng of Gods lawe than the disobeying of mannes lawe SIVQILA But wyth vs are suche as neuer a whitte care for Gods lawe and if they feare anye it is mans law But if the whippe of the lawe be not made of such cutting cordes as will fetche the skinne from the sides the fleshe from the bones and the life from the body they care no more for it than a dull Iade doeth regarde a rodde of rushes OMEN Truely they are such fond fooles that they feare that is fearelesse but they doubte not that is to be dreaded For the breaking of mans lawe can but punish the body a while with some worldly paine but the breaking of Gods will most dolefully painefully and fearefully punish both bodye and soule euerlastingly in the furious flames of Hell fire Therefore they misse the marke much SIVQILA And you misse it a little be not angry though I digresse for you say the breaking of the law will make vs be punished in Hell then I am sure that euery one shall be punished in Hell For euery one from the beginning of the world except Christ hath broken the lawe and though a man may fulfill one of the tenne commaundements which in all points is very harde for him to doe yet it is impossible for any to kéepe and fulfil them all Which law I may compare to a Ladder of tenne steppes whereof though one goe vp nine of them perfectly and well yet if the tenth burst or breake or if he fal from the tenth he is neuer a whit the better for going vp the nine steppes and so he hath such a fall that he is neuer like to reach to the top vnlesse hée haue another and a surer Ladder to clime by than he had before OMEN You haue sayd very well and applyed the thing very aptly but I meant not that euery one that breakes the law should go vnto Hell nor euery one that sayes they can kéepe the lawe shall goe to Heauen Adam at firste dydde breake the lawe for vs all and brought in death Christ did after fulfill the lawe for vs all and brought in lyfe Since which time that Adam did breake the law we that came of him were neuer able to kéep the law yet for al that whatsoeuer he be that beléeues in Christ that is sory for his sinnes hartily repents the same earnestly desiring God to forgiue him for Christes sake and is assured that Christ will rayse him vp at the last day and that through his birth life passion death resurrection and ascension hée is made a member of Christ euen hée I say thoughe he haue broken the lawe shal be saued not be punished in Hel fire for Christs performing of the lawe shall auaile him as much as if hée had kepte the lawe himselfe And thus though the members of Christ breake the law Christ their head for them hath performed the law Therfore you mistooke me for I meant the breakers of the lawe that were not the members of Christ shoulde bée punyshed in Hell it is thys oure Christ that is the sure Ladder whereby wée muste clime vp to Heauen For the ten steps of the lawe was either too rotten for vs to reste on or else to weake thereby to reach vnto the top or rather both that it was neuer able to serue oure turne nowe if the ladder of Gods owne lawe bée not able to guide vs to Heauen can any thing inuented by man doe it no it is impossible therfore whosoeuer refuses this strong stiere of stone Christ and leanes to ladders made of rotten wood of their owne inuentions or of madde mens imaginations surely they wil fal into Hel out of which they shal neuer get againe doe what they can SIVQILA It is so true that nothing is truer but says what you will and do what you can there are thousandes that are so
one of his officers to bring that vnthankefull fellowe vnto him in all the haste possible and also sent for the honest and charitable man to come béefore him and when they were come the Iudge said to the honest and charitable man Doe you know this fellow Yea my Lorde I knowe him saide he By what occasion were you acquainted with him saide the Iudge tell truth and looke that you doe not fable with me in any wise Well saide hée séeing youre Lordship commaundes me I will doe it which otherwise I woulde be loath to doe As I rode by the way not very long since I heard one grone pitifully by the sound whereof I came to the place where this fellowe didde lye on the grounde both extreame colde and verye sicke whome I carryed home to my house and there wyth suche as I had I did nourishe and cherishe him and by Gods helpe gote him hys former strength againe And this is the very occasion that I was acquainted wyth hym Then sayde the Iudge euery one findeth not such a commoditie at their first acquaintaunce as he did Howe sayste thou said the Iudge to the poore fellowe is this true Yea my Lorde I can not deny it thou haddest better lucke saide the Iudge than many an honester man than thou hathe But haddest thou neuer occasion to shewe hym anye fryendshippe or pleasure since that time No my Lord sayd the fellowe Take héede saide the Iudge that you lye not for if you make a lye before me I will make you that you shall neither lye nor tell trueth of a good while after Then the Iudge sayde to the godly man that was so friendly to him tell mée whether it lay in his power since to haue shewed you pleasure or not Then he saide indéede my Lorde it laye once in his power since to haue done me pleasure to whome the Iudge sayde then there is no doubte but he did it Why do you not tel me did he it or not then he saide to the Iudge as I could be contente not to vtter the trueth euen so I am loath to tel youre Lordshippe a lye Truely he did it not Then said the Iudge to the fellow How sayst thou to this then the fellow sayd truely my Lord as I went hastily by the way vpon great and waightie businesse I sawe one lye vnder his Horsse in a little shallow place but I did not knowe that this manne was he Then saide the Iudge Diddest thou neuer speake with this man since that time No forsooth my Lorde sayde he to whome the Iudge aunsweared Howe dosâ—e thou knowe nowe more that it was he than thou knewest then that it was he then the fellowe hanged downe hys heade and was ashamed to speake whereat the Iudge sinyled and all that were there This felowe saide the Iudge hath vttered the trueth againste his will thoughe he woulde lye hys tongue will not lye And then the Iudge said to the godly manne What aunswere made he you when you craued his helpe truly my Lord I haue too great hast to tarry nowe to helpe you to whome I aunsweared againe aâ— my friend I did not vse you thus I care not for that said he doe you thinke that I haue nothing else to doe but to tarry here to helpe you Let theÌ„ that come after helpe you if they wil and so churlishly he departed And if this good man a méere stranger to me had not come by as God woulde and helped me I knowe not to what extreamitie I hadde béene driuen Then saide the Iudge this man hath done good two manner of wayes the one is which was duetye in helping you vppe being fallen vnder your horse the other is in vttering to me the intollerable ingratitude of this pestiferous person come neare to me saide the Iudge to the fellowe Suppose this good man in that distresse had bene vnknowen and a straunger to thée as it is most sure thou didst knowe him as appeareth both by thy answere then made vnto him and by thine owne wordes vttered here before vs all yet is that a sufficient excuse that therfore thou shouldest not help him in his necessitie or saue his life this good and charitable man that founde thée almost dead was a méere straunger to thée and neuer knewe thée before and wouldst thou haue thought it a good and sufficient aunswere and bin well pleased withall if he shoulde then haue saide vnto thée I am but a stranger to thée and knowe thée not and therfore lette some of thy kinred friendes or other that knowe thée help succour and reléeue thée I haue other businesse with my mo ney than to bestowe it vpon thée Howe saist thou woulde this aunsweare haue pleased thée or not but the fellowe answered neuer a worde Then saide the Iudge thou doest well to holde thy peace for else eyther thou muste incurre the danger of lying or condemne thy self by saying of truth thou varlet pitty would haue compelled anye body that had altogither a stony hart to haue stayed so long to help a shéep or a beast but much more his Christan brother but most of al suche a friend that so lately had saued his life Couldest thou suffer him to perish that lately did preserue thée couldest thou suffer him to lye in daunger that so louingly didde rydde thée out of daunger couldest thou to spare thy shorte labor without one peny expence suffer hym to die that both with the labour of hys body the care of his minde and the spending of his substaunce did make thée to liue Consider the dumbe Dogge whose kindenesse is suche to his friend and Maister that no gifte can procure hym no meate can moue him nor no way can winne him to forsake his friende or Maister no thoughe he beate hym and shall wée then that are reasonable creatures the Image of God the members of Christe the children of GOD and the brethren of Christ flye from our friendes whome oure finger maye helpe that with body and goodes did defend vs from death shall wée make our selues worse than Dogges that GOD doeth preferre before the Aungels haue not some Dogges loued their friendes and Maisters so well that they haue leapt into great waters rather endaungering themselues to be drowned to followe their friendes and Maisters than to tary behind them with the safegard of their liues Some Dogges haue had suche a feruent loue to their friende and Maister that after their death they haue neuer eaten any meate and so haue dyed for sorrowe Some also haue scraped vp the earth where their maisters were buried and so haue buryed themselues in their Maysters graues and what saye you to that Dogge that loued his friend and Maister so alyue that burned hymselfe to death on hote coales when his Maister was dead Nowe if these dumbe Dogges brute beastes and vnreasonable creatures that knowe not howe a good tourne should bée recompenced that knowe not a méete rewarde
for a bountifull benefite nor what fauoure is fitte for a faythfull friende are so louing to their friend will neuer shrinke from their friende and manye tymes will dye with their friend and wée that are reasonable creatures that doe knowe all this and are most false to our friendes forgetfull of benefites and churlishe to our cherishers then I muste accompt these dumbe Dogges better than we and we worse than Dogs Ah varlet mayest thou not be ashamed to bée prooued worse than a Dogge Beholde a little Birde shall make thée ashamed But how canst thou be ashamed for I thinke thou hast no shame at all The little Marlin will not praye on the last Birde that she catcheth at night but holdes hir in hir tallants al night without hurting hir only to kéep hir selfe the warmer and then in the morning she letteth hir goe which Marlin aduisedly marking which way the same Bird doth flye will not flye toward that quarter of all that day for hir praye least she should hap to catche hir and so hurt hir that had done hir good pinch hir that had pleasured hir and kill hir that had comforted hir This little Birde agaynst hir wil hath pleasured the Marlin and yet the Marlin is thankfull for it But this honest man of his méere good will hath cherished thée and saued thy life and yet wast thou vnthankful to him not regarding his death Consider thou varlet the loue of a Lyon and his recompence for a benefite receyued There was one Androcles fled from his Mayster béeing a Senatour of Rome with great substaunce who trauelling in the desert places of Affrica béeyng beparched with the heate of the Sunne was dryuen for coldenesse to lye all a day in a Caue who forewearied slepte very soundlye into whiche Caue at night came a greate Lyon at whose sodaine sight the man was afrayde but the Lyon not meanyng to hurt him but rather to haue some pleasure at hys handes dyd holde out his foote wherein was a Thorne which Androcles at last perceyuing partly by holding out his foote and partly by his mournefull looke that the Lyon would haue hym to helpe him by and by he looked in the Lions foote there he sawe the thorne that grieued him which immediately hée plucked out Whereof the Lyon was not onely glad fayne and fawned on him in such courteous maner as hée coulde but also brought into the same Caue daylye sufficient foode for him to féede on And thus in this maruelous manner Androcles for his good turne was friendly vsed of the Lyon two or thrée yeares But Androcles béeyng wearie of this desolate life departed from the Lyon and then after by trauelling vnwarely was apprehended and so was adiudged to bée throwne among Lyons and other wilde beastes into a Dungeon in which denne or place by good happe for Androcles was the selfe same Lyon oute of whose foote hée had taken the Thorne whyche Lyon remembryng Androcles better than hée dydde hym and meanyng further to gratifie hys good tourne dyd preserue and defende hym from killyng of the other beastes which else woulde haue deuoured hym Thus thou mayest sée howe thys louyng Lyon thoughe he were otherwyse most cruell and a deuourer of man and beaste did gratifie Androcles onely for plucking a thorne out of his foote and thou takyng thy selfe to be a reasonable creature and a Christian whiche oughte to bée moste mercifull humble méeke and thankefull wouldest not helpe hym with thy hande but leaue hym in daunger of death that moste louingly and charitablye saued thy lyfe and therefore my iudgement is thou shalte weare both on thy bosome and backe the figure of a Serpente for the space of seauen yeares wythoute takyng it off at anye tyme signifying as the Serpente will sting hym when shée is warme that preserued hir from the colde so thou haste hurte hym when thou wast strong that helped thée when thou wast weake And whosoeuer shall shewe thée friendshippe doe thée anye good tourne or pleasure thée in anye thyng duryng the sayde seauen yeares vnlesse in meate and drynke and thy wages whiche thou shalt deserue by thy labour foreséeyng that none shall bée lette or hindered hereby reasonablye to reléeue thée if thou chaunce to be sicke beyng not able to succour thy selfe shall weare the lyke Serpente both on his bosome and back for the space of one yere after and shall in all pointes â—e vsed that one yeare as thou art all the seauen yeares And thou shalte foure tymes euerye yeare during the sayd seuen yeares come to this godly and charitable man and offer him for the space of seauen dayes to doe for him what seruice he shall require thée to doe And bicause thou madest a lie before me since thou camest hither therefore according to the lawe thou shalte not speake in thrée monethes after this daye and this is my iudgement â—â—reuocable And the Iudge rose vp and euerye one commended the wise and vertuous Iudge therein SIVQILA And were the iudgementes executed and did he performe them as the Iudge decréed OMEN Yea you maye be most certaine of that and we neuer had any vnkind or vnthankful person in our Country since SIVQILA If we had the same law and so strictly executed with vs we should not haue halfe so many vnkinde and vnthankefull wretches as wée haue And as wée haue no good and seuere lawe for the punishyng of this Uice so a greate sorte with vs thinke that Ingratitude is no offence or faulte Well we must not measure our faultes by their mindes yet the Ingratitude betwéene man and manne is almost nothyng in comparison of the ingratitude or vnkindnesse of man towards God for if you marke the great benefits of God towards man on the one side and the colde loue of Man and his vnthankfulnesse to God on the other side then you must néedes be constrayned to saye so Didde not God make Man at the first to his owne image and likenesse Did he not plante him in that pleasaunt place called Paradise Didde hée not make Heauen and Earth Fire Ayre and Water Beastes Birdes and Fishes and all other thinges onely for hym before hée was created bicause that he should haue all things as a King readye agaynst his comming and what a part did he playe within a while after God for bade him but one thing of all other and yet he did it Do you not thinke that this was a kinde and thankefull man that woulde not doe one thing at Gods requeste that had done so many wonderfull things for him vnrequested and yet the performing of it was for his owne profite whereas the breaking of it was the vtter destructio of him and all his posteritie Yet consider the great goodnesse and mercye of God to man for all that for whereas man by no meanes could saue himselfe out of the Diuels danger God without the knowledge of man healed this helplesse harme euen so maruelously and louinglye as neuer
the wealth and the learning not the liuing SIVQILA By this meanes manye learned pregnant and wittie men will be allured to busie which else woulde be ydle to labour which else woulde loyter and to put foorth their knowledge whiche else should lye hidde Surely herein you are much to be commended and as the inuentors of good things oughte to be cherished so deuisers of euil are to be punished You saice I remember that the riche doe giue throughe the perswading of Preachers Curates and Ministers at or before their death of their goods and lands to the building of Hospitalls and to manye other good vses I pray you what vses are they that you meane of OMEN Forsoothe I will shewe you they giue it to the féeding of poore fatherlesse to the reléeuing of pore wanting widowes for succouring of poore prisoners to the helping of pore beginners to the setting forwarde of pore diligent apprentices and seruauntes to the maintenaunce of suche as are maymed for the defence of oure Countrey for the redéeming of imprisoned debtors for the helping of poore hindered Husbandmen for the succouring of poore Schollers at learning to the helping of poore Maides at theyr marriage to the restoring of pore decayed Gentlemen not by vnthriftinesse to their landes to the repairing of broken bridges towardes the mending of euill and daungerous wayes to the enriching of decayed and empouerished cities for the aiding of decayed artificers for the setting of the pore and ydle persons in worke and to the erecting of Colledges and Frée schooles for the increase and maintenance of Learning with diuers other such like SIVQILA Truely your rich men are happie and blessed of God bycause they bestowe parte of their goods and lands to such worthy and charitable vses OMEN Nay they that haue no childrē giue much of their landes and goodes to these godly vses in their life time and when they are dead they giue all the rest of their lands and goodes to the same vnlesse they reserue parte therof wherewith they help their pore kinsfolkes if they haue anye and reléeue their pore neighbours SIVQILA And what doe euery one of your rich men women bestowe their goods or part of their goods thus godlye OMEN Euery one throughout all our Countrey SIVQILA Truely I neuer hearde of the like before I would to God that euery one of our rich men would bestow but part of their goods and landes in this order Whiche if they did they should neuer haue the like thanks nor reward at their children or friendes handes for all the reste as they shoulde haue at Chrstes handes for that But yet all this can not perswade them for the moste of our riche men are so gréedie and couetous that they will departe wyth none of their goodes during their life nor giue anye parte thereof to any such good vses after their death Nay there haue bene some that were so bewitched that hauing some pore kindred and no children at their death would not giue them the value of a peny but haue giuen it all to their executors whiche had more than inough before to liue on Were not these more than madde that gaue their goodes to suche as néeded it not and that coulde doe them no good therfore and woulde not giue it rather to the pore members of Christe whiche God woulde haue paide them againe with wonderfull interest Well thoughe there are manye wyth vs that spend their money vainely in their life and leaue theyr goods as fondly after their death Yet truly if our Prechers Parsons Ministers and Curats woulde earnestly and diligently perswade the riche at their deathes to bestow part of their goods to such godly vses I beléeue verily our countrey and that shortly woulde flourish with the like Notwithstanding for al thys we haue had and haue some that spende their goods godly in their life time and employ much of it to godly and charitable vses at their death OMEN It is a strange soyle y ◠bréeds nothing but Burs It is an euil corne ground that beares nothing but Cockle and it is an euil countrey that hath no charitable men in it SIVQILA And it is a good Countrey that hath all charitable men in it as yours hath by your report OMEN Looke what I haue told you be bold to tell it for truth for I haue tolde you no lye I will tell you no ly nor I can tell you no lye SIVQILA Well sir I haue asked you as manye things as I can and you haue tolde me as much as I wishe So that your excellent discourse of your Countrey customes manners orders and lawes hath béene suche a delyghte to me thoughe perhappes tedious to you that it hath fed mée as well as anye foode and if all this be true that you haue tolde me I muste néedes confesse that this your Countrey excéedes all the Countreys of the worlde for godlinesse honesty modesty loue charitie equitie true meaning playne dealing chastitie temperancie hospitalitie liberalitie obedience humilitie patience and fidelitie and also for youre good lawes and orders being so well executed and obserued But surely manye thyngs are so rare and straunge that I hearde you speake that me thinkes they should be Too good to be true OMEN And likewise I haue hearde you speake manye things that I beléeue they are Too euil to be false Well if you will aske me any more of the state of my Country loe I am readie to satisfie you therein SIVQILA Nay I haue no more to aske you wherefore though I am not able otherwise to gratifie you yet I most heartily thanke you for your paynes in talking so long with me for your kindnesse in reuealing all these things vnto me and for your curtesie in hearing me talke so paciently OMEN What I haue done if you thinke it well done I am glad it is done being sorie for the troublesome trauaile you are like to haue homewarde SIVQILA Well sir I doubt not but that my Lord and God will guide and protecte me home againe OMEN That same God guide you that you giue glorie vnto I know you are faithful pacient and giuen to prayer and whosoeuer prayeth vnto him faithfully he will protecte him most safely SIVQILA I am certaine thereof And now fare ye wel it is time for me to be going hence OMEN God blesse you and defende you in your iourney SIVQVILA Amen FINIS ¶ Imprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman dvvelling in Thamis street neere vnto Baynerdes Castell Anno Domini 1580. Cum gratia Priuilegio Regia Maiestatis Mathe. Note this well This is worthy y ◠noting Consider this Marke this well In pouertie we remember that we forget in welth A hard place to dwell in Lawes compared to a Spyders webbe True sayings Marke this well The more pitie apt to euil euery way a good iudge ment a good aunsweare Rightly said Too true a good order Marke They would not doe so if they consider this well a