purpose So lykewyse the wylie craftes of Sathan doth so stirre the mindes of the disobedient sort that they are careles minding neither to amend their folly nor suffer others to auoyde the same but headlong goeth forth in the demonaicall lawes as brute beastes and at no tyme satisfied Prouerbes 23. A whore is a deepe graue and an harlot is a narrow pi◠She lurketh like a theefe and bringeth vnto her such mē as be full of vice ¶ The signification THese foure sitting banqueting signifieth fleshly delight and the fift which is apparelled lyke a woman with a cup in her hand and whose legges are like vnto a Serpent is called Philogines a louer of Lechery the cup horrour the legs destruction the men fighting murder and hell the place for such offendors whose continuannce is endles WHen man is geuen to the Sodomicall lust then cōmeth misery to the body sorrowe to the life death to the soule S. Paule in his Epistle to y e Romaines sayth that to delight in other mens sinnes is greater offēce then to sinne thy selfe Therfore as y e sinne is horrible to hym that offendeth so is it more greuous to those that are maintainers of the same That which thou art ashamed to speake bee also ashamed to thinke Euill thoughtes bringeth euill factes whereof ensueth greuous offence What was the cause that the Prodigall sonne came to such misery Because he delighted to company with harlottes and inordinate liuers Sodome and Gomorra were destroyed because of adultery lechery fornication rape and inuiolate rauishing which is most horrible What mischiefe fell among the Romaines after that Tarquinus Sextus had violated Lucrecia by hys Sodomicall will Hee was vtterly exiled and neuer after was there any kyng and she after for sorrowe slewe her selfe What monstrous slaughter fell among the Troyans Grecians Fyrst the Grecians rauished Hesiona the daughter of Laomedon king of Ilion And Priamus stale away Helane the wife of Menelaus king of Lacedemonia whereof came the vtter ruine and destruction of Troy Let these few examples guide thee from all such mischiefes Where murther is suffered not seene to in time There mischiefe encreaseth and bringeth to woe All such as to Backus doth honour diuine Shall soone bee bereft their goods to forgoe ¶ The signification THese which are fightyng signifieth incontinence he which is slaine hazarde and death and the one which goeth out with hys sword in hys hand audax one past grace or a murtherer IN the xxvj yeare of Asa King of Iuda beganne Ela the sonne of Baasa to raigne ouer Israell in Thirza ij yere And hys seruant Zimri which was captaine of halfe his Chariots conspired agaynst him as hee was in Thirza drinking and was dronken in the house of Arza steward of his house in Thirza And Zimri came and smote hym and killed hym in the xxvij yeare of Asa King of Iuda and raigned in hys stead Amon being dronken was slaine of his brother Absalon Also Holofernes was slaine by Iudith in hys dronkennes as it appeareth in y e xiij of Iudith Noe being dronken was mocked of hys sonne Cham. Also Polyphemus a monstrous Gyant was in hys dronkennes destroyed by Ulissis Therfore dronkennes doth not only surfet the body for a time but also breedeth extreme malady maketh a man to forget reason and causeth bloudshed wilfull murder so y t it is not onely a griefe to the body in thys world but also an endles sorrow in the world to come When y e Philistines had gotten Sampson also had determined to haue bene mery to see Sampson to play before thē he being blind they reioyced in their God Dagon beleuing y t he had deliuered Sampson into their handes they being in their iollitie were by Sāpson sodainly destroyed in shaking their house all to peces vpon thē Drunkardes shall not possesse the kingdome of heauē c When gredy glotony seketh his ease forsaking true labour which is most fitte Then followeth Podagra with her disease to vtter ruine she doth them knitte ¶ The signification THe woman is Podagra the naked man with the barrell on his legge is Prodigus the other with the grapes in his hand is rauin the cordes are force to destruction and are led by Podagra the gowte WHat thing in a mā is best Reason For by that he goeth before beastes and followeth the Gods wherefore a perfecte reason is that good which properly belongeth to man all other thinges is to hym common with beastes if he bee strong so is the Lyon if he be fayre so is the Pecocke if he be swift so is the horse I do not say y t in euery of these things the other surmounteth hym for I seke not that thing which is most excellent in hym but that which is his owne and belongeth properly to hym for as he hath substance so hath the trees and as he hath voluntary mouing in lyke wyse hath not onely the beastes but also the wormes if he haue a voice so hath dogs and much louder the Egles more sharpe and perching the Bull much greater the Nightingale sweter Thē what thing properly is a mans owne surely reason for that being in the right course perfect maketh a man full of felicitie A drunken workeman shall neuer bee rich and he that setteth nought by a little shall by a little and a little come vnto nothyng Wine inordinately taken troubleth mans reason maketh dull vnderstanding and corrupteth the body and engendreth noysome diseases as the goute empostum plurisies caterns palsies dropsies with such lyke and also infebleth remembraunce sendeth in forgetfulnes poureth in errours bryngeth forth sluggishnes When prelates to wyne doth geue their delight To vanquishe truth which shines so cleare Then followeth death with all thys might Them to prouent and payes their hyre ¶ The signification THe Priest signifieth Newter neyther hoate nor colde the man in the barrell vnsatiable desire the bookes torne vnwrittē verities the Nunne light credence in beleuing the same HOw sufficient vnto a learned man is a small quantitie of wine so that in sleepe he shall not bee sicke therof nor feele any paine Lecherie wine and sacietie consumeth all wysedome Take heede to your selues least your hartes bee ouercome with surfetting and drunckennes and cares of this life and so the day come vpon you vnwares Be not greedie in euery eating and bee not to hastie vppon all meates For excesse of meates bryngeth sicknes and gluttonie commeth at the last to an vnmeasurable heate Take heede therefore that ye walke circumspectly not as vnwise but as wise men redeeming the tyme because the dayes are euill Wherfore bee ye not vnwise but vnderstand what the will of the Lorde is and bee not drunken with wine wherein is excesse It is not I say for kinges to drinke wine excessiuely nor princes stronge drinke for
most doth him annoy and so of death he hath his fill ¶ The signification HE which striketh with death behind him signifieth enuiousnes against the quiet state of the faithfull and in hoping by enuie to destroy death is hys reward the other by constaÌ„t faith in Christ is preserued by the sword which is the word of God and so ouercoÌ„meth enuie the Angell behind hym is Gods prouident loue which neuer faileth all those that trust in hym THe vngodly is caste downe for his iniquitie but the righteous hath a good hope euen in death A pacient maÌ„ is better then one stroÌ„g he that can rule him selfe is more worth then he that winneth a citie Thorow enuie Acis was slaine by the monster Poliphemus because he would haue rauished Galathe the wife of Acis Also the two sonnes of king Phillip of Macedon Percius Demetrius thorow enuie sought eche others death and were both slaine Also Nessus deceaued Hercules of Dianira at a riuer and being on the other side would haue violated her wherby Hercules shotte an arrowe through his body Nessus perceauing him selfe to haue his deathes wound gaue a venomed shirte to Dianira saying that to whom soeuer she gaue that shirte his loue should neuer depart from her so that by the sayd shirte Hercules was destroyed Thus enuie hath vndone many a man and woman brought theÌ„ to vtter destruction O wretched enuie and daughter to pride which neuer seeth the end of thy miseries thou desirest to see the people in misery and then thou reioycest and art glad when that thy neighbour decayeth by thee neither from thee may come any profite neither in this world nor in the world to come To Serpent like I may compare those greedie wolues that lambes deuoure Awayting still to catch in snare all such as gette they may by power ¶ The signification THe Dragon signifieth the enemie to all that professe the worde of God the Cardinall persecution or a persecutor of the same the Fryer murther the sheepe which are a killing signifieth the professours of Christ from the beginning of the worlde to these present dayes ENuie is blinde can doe nothing but dispraise vertue it is a scabbe of thys world to haue enuy at vertue O y e miserable conditions of people that are to bee gouerned amoÌ„g whom diligeÌ„ce is hated negligence is reproued where sharpnes is perillous liberalitie thaÌ„keles coÌ„municatioÌ„ deceatfull pernitious flattery euery mans couÌ„tenance familiar many mens mindes offended waite to hurt priuily faire wordes openly wheÌ„ officers be coÌ„ming they tary for theÌ„ while they be present they do await on theÌ„ being out of authoritie al do forsake theÌ„ All other sinnes are not so pestiferous as enuy for y e lecherous by his sinne getteth somtime a frend or louer but it may be accoÌ„pted a miserable deadly kind of frendship The couetous by his vsury getteth goods possessions The negligent by his sloth oftentimes hath peace because he medleth with nothing The proud of such as he is him self is often praysed If he be rich of the poore for feare or if he hath ought for that which he hath The irious or wrathfull maÌ„ is often feared The glutton by filling hys panch of sweete and delicate meates Thus among all sinnes enuie is most pernitious and to be accompted most miserable When daintie dames hath whole delight with proude attyre them selues to ray Pirasmos shineth in the sight of glittering glasse such fooles to fray ¶ The signification THe woman signifieth pride the glasse in her hand flattery or deceate the deuill behinde her temptation the death head which she setteth her foote on signifieth forgetfulnes of the life to come wherby commeth destruction TAke heede y t thou fall not into pride least thou perishe with such as before haue offended Example of Lucifer which for his pride was cast down into y e infernal hell Also Adam by traÌ„sgression fell thorow y e subtill intisinges of the Serpent Agar the seruant of Sara thorow pride disdained her mistres because of a childe that she had by Abraham therefore she was driuen to flie into the wildernes by the way that lyeth to Sur. Also Membroth or Nimrod thorow pride caused the Tower of Babell to bee builded And the Lorde sayd Beholde the people is one and they haue all one language Come let vs goe downe and confound their language that euery one vnderstand not hys neighbours speach And so the Lorde scattered them from that place into the vpper face of all the earth It is therfore to be vnderstanded y e pride surmouÌ„ting folly all sinne is shame seruitudâ— Pharao king of Egypt through hys obstinate pride was drowned in the red sea all his hoste so y t there remained not one of theÌ„ Haman for his pride was haÌ„ged on y e gallowes that he had ordayned for Mardocheus Abimilech because a womaÌ„ smote him on y e head with a peece of a milstone therwith brake his braine panne as he approched the Tower of Thebez he therefore caused his harnesse bearer to runne him through y e body for that it should not be sayd y t a woman had slaine him Also Nabuchadonozor was transformed into a dumbe beast for the space of vij yeares because he so proudly exalted him selfe saying Thys is the great Citie of Babylon which J my selfe with my power and strength haue made The rich to prayse in some respecte as from all vice will soone refraine But such as Pauper doe detecte those gestes with Diues must take paine ¶ The signification THe rich man signifieth a proude maÌ„ couetous such a one as careth for no poore man but for such as hym lyketh to many such are not good in a coÌ„mon wealth the poore man signifieth the pouertie generall whose petitions of such are not heard nor once relieued ANtiochus also for hys pride was greatly punished of God smitten with such a disease of y t which he might not be healed Nicanor thorowe pride was discoÌ„fited ouercome of y e Iewes Phaeton because he toke vpon him to gouerne y e chariot of his father Phâ—bus he therfore had a great fall Dedalus was also drowned because he tooke vppon him to flie so hie in the ayre that the force of the sunne beames melted hys magicall winges in refusing his father Icarus counsell Dauid the kyng after that hee had numbred the people his hart smote hym saying I haue sinned exceedingly in that which I haue done Iezabell proudly sought the death of the Prophets and therfore the Lorde sent Iehu to Iezraell And wheÌ„ Iehu was come to Iezraell Iezabell heard of it and starched her face and tyred her head and looked out at a window And as Iehu entred at the gate she sayd had Zimri peace which slue hys maister And he lift vp his eyes to the window and sayd Who is of
we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sins but a feareful loking for iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries This place is also spoken of in the 6. of thys epistle and also in the 12. of the Euangelist S. Mathew that in sinnyng willingly is blasphemy against the holy ghost which S. Iohn calleth y e sinne vnto death let all such therfore as spare not to blaspheme the spirit of God in resisting and rayling vpon hys worde know that their masse is no sacrifice for sinne but y t the terrible iudgement of God remaineth for them and their wicked idolatry Charitie ouercōmeth all sinne If I had the spirite of prophecy and knew all misteries all maner of cunning Also if I had all fayth in so much as I could translate and cary away mountaynes out of their places yet were I nothyng if I lacked charity Moreouer if I did distribute all my goods in feding the poore and although I gaue my body that I burned hauing no charitie it nothyng auaileth me Charitie is pacient and gentle Charitie hath enuy at no man it doth nothyng amisse it is not puft out wyth pryde it is not ambicious she seeketh not her profite she is not moued she thinketh no euil she reioyceth in no mischiefe she goeth with truth all thinges she suffereth all thinges she beleueth according to godly charitie all thinges she hopeth which is to saluation all thinges she beareth charitie neuer fayleth Thus sayth the Lord the people of Israel which escaped in the wildernes from the sworde found grace to come into their rest Euen so shall the Lorde now also appeare vnto me from farre say I loue thee with an euerlasting loue therfore by my charitable mercy I haue drawen thee to me I will repaire thee agayne O thou daughter of Israell that thou mayest be fast and sure Therfore whatsoeuer thou be that this shal read iudge not rashly but vse the Scriptures to the furtheraunce of thy health and solace and although in many points they may dislike thee yet know thou that it is the truth and thou the lyer therefore I say agayne whatsoeuer pointe or title thou happen to read and do not wel vnderstand it as if thy capacity be not able to comprehend y e meaning therof omit it to the diuine wisdom of god pray y t it may be opened reueled vnto thee thus with charitie vse thy selfe that therby it be not only a profit to thee whilest thou art liuing but also an euerlasting ioy in the world to come The hipocrites for to follow their inuencions do leaue iudgement and charitie vndone as appeareth more euident in the xi chapter of the Euangelist S. Luke God graunt for his mercy such charitie to raigne amongst vs that there may not onely be an outward shew therof but also in dede wherby we may be found at the generall day such seruaunts as were occupied and not stepyng when we shall be called Of humayne iustice and iudgement ⧠Of Iustice. The signification SHe which sitteth hauing in one hande a sworde and in the other a paire of balance is iustice also hauyng but one eye in the midst of her forehed signifieth vpright iudgement not exteming the person the balance equitie to vse no parcialitie nether for loue nor fauour the sword to cut of all rebellious persons and offenders the other are signified in the chapter Cambices beyng kyng ouer the Persians and Medes aboute the yeare of the worlde foure thousande and seuentie elected and chose one named Sisamnes to be iudge ouer his people the which for his parcialitie was complained vpon vnto the king that he had against law right condēned a man to death the matter being examined and founde true forthwith the kyng caused the sayde Iudge to be put to death and his skinne to be striped of and layd before the iudgement seat where tofore he had done the offence and also caused Ottanus Sisames sonne to succede in iudgement admonishing hym to beware of peruerse iustice by example of his fathers skinne lest beyng founde with the like fact to haue the lyke rewarde and also caused these verses to be written of him as followeth 1. Sede sedens ista iudex inflexibilis sta 2. A manibus reuoces munus ab aure preces 3. Sit tibi lucerna lex lux pellisque paterna 4. Qua recedes natus pro patre sponte datus Thou that sittest in this iudicall place Set vp right and holde thy handes from meede Thine eares from prayer and fauour from thee chace Let loue be thy guide keepe iustice I thee read Thy fathers skinne which doth thy chayre spred Haue in thy mynde fall not to like offence Lest for thy fault thou make like recompence The iudges ought to do righteous iudgement accordyng to the commaundement of God geuen by Moses vnto the children of Israell saying I charged your iudges at the same tyme saying heare the cause of your brethren iudge righteously betwene euery man and his brother and the straunger that is with him See that you know no faces in iudgement but heare the small as wel as the great and be afraid of no man for the iudgement is Gods and the cause that is to harde for you bring vnto me and I wyll heare it Iudges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy cities which the Lorde thy God geueth thee thorough out thy tribes and they shall iudge the people righteously Wrest not thou the law nor know any person neither take any reward for giftes blynde the wise and peruerte the wordes of the righteous That which is iust and right shalt thou follow that thou mayst liue and enioy the land which the Lorde thy God geueth thee Rewardes and giftes blyndeth the eyes of the wise and maketh him domme that he cannot tell men their faultes It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement neither to regard the outward appearaunce of men He that saith to the vngodly thou art righteous him shall y e people curse yea the comminaltie shall abhorre him but they that rebuke the vngodly in them doth God delight and a riche blessing shall come vpon them Condemne no man before you haue tried out the matter and when thou hast made inquisition then reforme righteously geue not sentence before thou hast heard y e cause but first let men tell out their tales Striue not for a matter that toucheth not thy selfe and stand not in the iudgement of sinners If there be strife betwene men they shall come vnto the law and let the iudges geue sentence betwene them and iustify the righteous and condemne y e vngodly Cursed be he that taketh rewarde to slay the soule of innocent bloud for in iudgement a mā should not agree to the voyce of many for to come by the truth Thou shalt not accept a vaine tale nether