Christ they are and of his office hie His merits here and wherefore on the Crosse so painfullie He suffred death and rose againe O miserable men That wauer still and haue no certaine hope nor fayth in them What ende is dewe what recompence doth here remaine behinde But onely iust damnation for this their doubtfull minde But all the popishe sort doth doubt and teach men eke to doubt If we be righteous if our sinnes be cléerely blotted out If that the father fauour vs and through his onely sonne Hath made vs heare his heyres of euerlasting life to come And thinkst thou these are Catholikes or Church of Christ aright That hearken not to Christ but ouerthrow his triumph quight And eke his death and rather had to euery creature flie Than vnto him that hath the rule of euery thing from hie I had as lieue the Turkish lawe and doctrine to professe As with the papist to beleue that teach such wickednesse What matter is it whether sect thou folowest in thy workes For papistes do no more beleue in Christ than do the Turkes The Fayth of both is fonde and vaine and both alike in showe The name alone of Christ and all his doings here do knowe In worship life and fayth they doe his powre and force deny And do dispise his benifites and cast them cléerely by The popish Kingdome The fourth booke AS Papistes doe beleue and teach the vaynest things that bée So with their doctrine and their fayth their life doth iump agrée Their feasts all their holidayes they kepe throughout the yeare Are full of vile Idolatrie and heathenlike appeare Whereby though they do nothing teach but should their doctrine hide Which yet in volumes more than one may openly be spide Thou easily mayst knowe whether true Catholikes they bée And onely trust in Christ and kéepe th' assured veritée Be therefore here a perfite Iudge and all things warely way With equall ballance for before thine eyes I here will lay Most plainly though not all for who is able that to tell But such as best are knowne to vs in Germanie that dwell And first betwixt the dayes they make no little difference For all be not of vertue like nor like preheminence But some of them Egyptian are and full of ieopardée And some againe beside the rest both good and luckie bée Like diffrence of the nights they make as if th' almightie king That made them all not gracious were to them in euery thing Beside they giue attentiue eare to blinde Astronomars About th'aspects in euery howre of sundrie shining stars And vnderneath what Planet euery man is borne and bred What good or euill fortune doth hang ouer euery hed Hereby they thinke assuredly to know what shall befall As men that haue no perfite fayth nor trust in God at all But thinke that euery thing is wrought and wholy guided here By moouing of the Planets and the whirling of the Speare No vaine they pearse nor enter in the bathes at any day Nor pare their nayles nor from their hed do cut the heare away They also put no childe to nurse nor mend with doung their ground Nor medicine do receyue to make their crased bodies sound Nor any other thing they do but earnestly before They marke the Moone how she is placde and standeth euermore And euery planet howe they rise and set in eche degrée Which things vnto the perfite fayth of Christ repugnant bée Which first I showe least in my course I should be driuen plaine To call to minde these foolishe toyes now to my theame againe Three weekes before the day whereon was borne the Lorde of grace And on the Thursday Boyes and Girles do runne in euery place And bounce and beate at euery doore with blowes and lustie snaps And crie the aduent of the Lorde not borne as yet perhaps And wishing to the neighbours all that in the houses dwell A happie yeare and euery thing to spring and prosper well Here haue they peares and plumbs pence ech man giues willinglée For these thrée nightes are alwayes thought vnfortunate to bée Wherein they are afrayde of sprites and cankred witches spight And dreadfull deuils blacke and grim that then haue chiefest might In these same dayes yong wanton Eyrles that meete for mariage â—ée Doe search to know the names of them that shall their husbandes bee Foure Onyons fiue or eight they take and make in euery one Such names as they do fansie most and best do thinke vpon Thus néere the Chimney them they set and that same Onyon than That first doth sproute doth surely beare the name of their good man. Their husbandes nature eke they séeke to know and all his guise When as the Sunne hath hid himselfe and left the starrie skies Vnto some woodstacke do they go and while they there do stande Eche one drawes out a faggot sticke the next that commes to hande Which if it streight and euen be and haue no knots at all A gentle husband then they thinke shall surely to them fall But if it fowle and crooked be and knottie â—ere and theare A crabbed churlish husband then they earnestly do feare These things the wicked Papistes beare and suffer willingly Bicause they neyther do the ende nor fruites of faith espie And rather had the people should obey their foolish lust Than truely God to know and in him here alone to trust Then comes the day wherein the Lorde did bring his birth to passe Whereas at midnight vp they rise and euery man to Masse This time so holy counted is that diuers earnestly Do thinke the waters all to wine are chaunged sodainly In that same houre that Christ himselfe was borne and came to light And vnto water streight againe transformde and altred quight There are beside that mindfully the money still do watch That first to aultar commes which then they priuily do snatch The Priestes least other should it haue takes oft the same away Whereby they thinke throughout the yeare to haue good lucke in play And not to lose then straight at game till daylight do they striue To make some present proofe how well their hallowde pence wil thriue Thrée Masses euery Priest doth sing vpon that solemne day With offrings vnto euery one that so the more may play This done a woodden childe in clowtes is on the aultar set About the which both boyes and gyrles do daunce and trymly iet And Carrols sing in prayse of Christ and for to helpe them heare The Organs aunswere euery verse with swéete and solemne cheare The Priestes doe rore aloude and round about the parentes stande To sée the sport and with their voyce do helpe them and their hande Thus woont the Coribants perhaps vpon the mountaine Ide The crying noyse of Iupiter new borne with song to hide To daunce about him round and on their brasen pannes to beate Least that his father finding him should him destroy and eate Then followeth Saint
death and hell eternally And with his bloud our sinnes deface that for his sake alone The father onely fauours vs and blesseth euery one Hath giuen vs life and all our sinnes and faultes forgiuen quight And of his mercie made vs heyres with him of heauen bright This who so constantly beléeues and doth with tongue confesse Is made the childe of God and heyre of euerlasting blesse He neither feareth Deuills force nor death with cruell strife Nor all the raging of the worlde nor daungers of this life But fastning still his eyes on Christ in safetie doth he row Such one is perfite Israel the Church of Christ doth know Such Citizens and such thou mayst call alwayes worthily True Catholikes and members of the blessed company For those that dare not trust in Christ nor in his father hie Doe quake for feare and séeke for holes not knowing where to lie And of their owne they alwayes séeke a righteousnesse to haue Whereby they may content the Lorde their sinfull soules to saue Not satisfied with heauenly giftes nor righteousnesse from hie And fathers fauour here for Christ who gaue himselfe to die For our offences great and made the satisfaction full And from the handes of death and hell did vs for euer pull O Lorde how few doe thus beléeue how euery where in vaine They doe abuse the name of Christ and counterfeytes remaine Being Christians calde and both in life and fayth doe disagree As in this popishe kingdome here thou perfitly mayst sée For marke what things they doe beléeue what monsters they do frame I not denie but euery where of Christ the blessed name Is calde vpon in Churches great and Créede is dayly songue And Christ the true redéemer calde alonely with the tongue And tearmed Lorde but farre from him the heart doth séeme to bée And with the wide resounding mouth it doth no whit agrée Which in so many things appeares so plaine vnto the eye That gracelesse must he counted be that will the same denye And first beholde how earnestly they séeke in euery thing The righteousnesse that of themselues and proper force doth spring Not to th entent to liue a right and please the father great That of his mercie calleth vs vnto his blessed seate Or Christ that all our sinnes and faultes doth cleerely wash away Nor with their life and ayde to helpe their brethren all they may But onely heauen for to winne and to be frée from blame And with deserts to please the Lorde that all the worlde did frame Where now appéeres the hope of life by Christ obtained right And cléere forgiuenesse of our sinnes and Sathan put to flight For who so séekes and searcheth still thinkes yet he hath it not ▪ For no man séeketh for the thing now in possession got Nor any man that hath his wittes by merits séekes to winne The thing that is alreadie giuen but rather thanketh him And merily enioyes the gift of his obtained wealth With gratefull minde set frée from cares in quietnesse and health Therefore since that in euery thing they righteousnesse desire And heapes of merites and desertes they earnestly require And most vngodly vseth them vnto so ill an ende They neyther doe beleeue in Christ that he doth onely sende And fréely giue eternall life nor that he satisfise For all our gréeuous sinnes and faultes they rather doe despise His merites and his fathers giftes while prowdely in their hartes They trust vnto their righteousnesse and to their owne desartes Hereto it tendes whatsoeuer they doe in Church or otherwhere For this such straunge religion haue they framde and paultrie gere And this alone of all their life the marke and ende they made Supposing not to come to God by any other trade A Iewish people sure and such as at this present day No better then the Gentiles are take name of Christ away For in like sorte through all the worlde they doe beléeue as well And lawe of nature doth instruct and reason doth them tell That for good déedes there doth behinde a recompence remaine And that th' almightie father that doth guide the starrie raine Is to be pleasde with worshipping good déedes and righteousnesse And other things whereby we may our louing mindes expresse Herewith they couet euery one to rayse vp mountaines hie As long time since the Giantes did for to assault the skie But sure they shall be ouerthrowne and driuen downe to hell For why the Lorde hath long agone decréede as scriptures tell Not to forgiue th' offences of the worlde but by his sonne By whom the subtile serpents head is broke and ouercome The blinded worlde regardes not this nor séekes to vnderstande Nor trustes the worde of God but in hir owne conceytes doth stande And countes hir fancie still the best and crediteth alway The fonde deuises of hir braine vntill hir dying day Euen so the Turkish multitude doe put there onely trust In liuing as their law commaundes and in their doings iust So likewyse doth the Iewe beléeue saluation for to haue By kéeping of their auncient lawe that Moyses to them gaue And euery kinde of people else the very same confesse Beléeuing to be saued by their lawe and righteousnesse None otherwise the papacie continually beléeues Nor vnderstandes the righteousnesse that fayth alonely géeues Although they reade the scriptures and saint Paule and doe them sift Who of the righteousnesse of fayth and of the Fathers gift Through Christ doth speake so oft who is our righteousnesse alone And raunsome eke But let vs sée the parcelles euery one Christ when he went from hence did leaue two sacraments behind Whereby we might continually his goodnesse kéepe in minde And staye our fayth beléeuing all our sinnes forgiuen quight By him alone and we made heyres of euerlasting light The first is Baptisme wherewithall we washt in water cleane Being buried in the blessed waues and plungde in sacred streame Are made the seruaunts here of Christ with him continuallye To suffer what so euer faules and eke to liue and dye Which as it plaine and simple is so is it most of price And not to be defilde with any toye or mans deuice But this it here defiled hath with wicked doctrine plaine And with a foolish number great of Cerimonies vaine For thus it plainely teacheth that our sinnes forgiuen arre Alonely by the déede hereof not adding any barre Accounting not the giftes of God dealt here without desart Nor sinnes by Christ forgiuen free but by the déede and part Of him that well prepares himselfe vnto this sacrament That merits may haue place and workes may gaine the firmament And that which vnto God is due to vs imputeth aye Ascribing that to déedes that fayth doth onely take awaye And that assuredly before the font thou commest neare And ere thou washt and plunged art amid the waters cleare Nor here through baptising the sinnes of man forgiuen are Nor by the déede thereof as plaine the scriptures doe declare
thunder boltes or lightning fierce that euery place doth smight Besides they Candles vp do light of vertue like in all And Willow braunches hallow that they Palmes do vse to call This done they verily beléeue the tempest nor the storme Can neyther hurt themselues nor yet their cattell nor their corne But some there be and not a few that dare not well commit Their liues to this but vnderneath the starres they séeke to sit For there they say the lightning can no kinde of creature smight Nor fall vpon the féeble corse of any fearefull wight There are that hide themselues in Caues and vnder ground do lie When as they heare the roring sound and rumbling in the skie Where here appeares the confidence and trust vnto the hiest And hope in all aduersitie cast wholy vpon Christ Where do they here commit themselues and all that they possesse Vnto the will of God as in theyr wordes they do expresse Are not these Papistes Catholikes and men appoynted well That are defended in the stormes by sounde of brasen Bell And steps of stayres and braunches burnt with flames encompast round And Candels light and Caues dennes made vnderneath the ground Such Gods and such defenders here the heathen woont to haue To whom in all their daunger they did flie themselues to saue Besides they doe beléeue their sinnes to be forgiuen quight By taking holy water here whereof if there do light But one small drop it driueth out the hellishe deuils all Then which there can no greater griefe vnto the féend befall Therefore they oftentymes do hurle and cast abrode the same Both on the people and themselues and Papistes chiefe of name Whose learning is aboue the rest with willing mindes prepare To take the drops vpon their handes and heads vncouered bare And euermore amidst the Church and in the Porch beside There standes a Sprinckle and a stocke wherewith they may prouide To driue away the fearefull féende and to resist their strife And for to wash away the sinnes and faultes of wicked life This water also caryed is into their houses all Wherewith they sprinckle chambers beds and euery rotten wall No man doth passe his thresholde but before he goes abroade Him selfe and all his garments are with holy water stroade The vse thereof is very great almost in euery thing And wonder none when as it doth such force and vertue bring The common people also licke vp salt vnto this ende And giue it to their children and their cattell to defende And kéepe them that the Deuill haue no power to do them harme Nor any mischiefe on them light nor any cursed charme What néede haue these same men of Christ that with so little paine Can do such wondrous workes and to such matters great attaine They driue out sprites and wipe away eche sinfull crime and fault With little drops of water cleare or eating vp of sault Yet fully trust they not to this nor therewith are content But desperation many of them doth wretchedly torment Bicause they finde not here sufficient comfort perfitelie Agaynst theyr sinnes the paynes of hell and wrath of God on hie Therefore to Monkry after all do flie this people blinde Supposing that herein consistes the perfite peace of minde And that our sinnes with foolish Cowles and déedes are done away That vnto euerlasting life it is the surest stay If bound vnto their treble vowe they kéepe their fasting dayes And prayers long appoynted them and other foolish playes And all their life long from the vse of tender bathes they flie And in their seuerall Sels as do the Monkes Carthusian lie But others in their aged yeares and readie now to die Especially the learnde and rich and kings and princes hie Do flie vnto S. Fraunces Cowle as men beside their minde Whereby of all their sinnes they thinke forgiuenesse for to finde None otherwise than if at Font they tooke their Christendome And borne a new to righteousnesse and perfite life should come So with this sacred wéede they thinke most surely to appeare Before the face of God with hope must vaine deceyued heare Though all their tyme before were spent in beastly wickednesse Without the Lorde and Christ by whom we onely life possesse Nowe tell me doth this fayth and hope séeme Catholike to bée And with the perfit worde of God and scriptures to agrée Yet do not all these Saints auaile nor merits dearly solde Nor mans good workes nor Pardons Masse nor all that I haue tolde They doubt as yet if that their sinnes be clearely put away Or whether God his angrie moode and furie doth allay Euen as the Turkes and Infidels before haue alwayes donne And euery wicked nation and people vnder Sonne For looke howe they doe ende their life their sinnes they do confesse Vnto the Priest and are absolude from all their wickednesse According to their Pardon 's bought which if they chaunce to lacke Their merits and their owne good workes are cast vpon their backe And all the paynes and punishments that hath vpon them light In recompence whereof their sinnes are them forgiuen quight Besides the very bodie of Christ they take into their mawes Agaynst the Deuill and of hell the tooth and gréedie iawes Whereby they also may be safe from that infernall paine Of Purgatorie flame that they themselues doe falsly faine Yet more the Saints being calde to helpe they are anneald at length A medcine not to be dispisde of vertue great and strength Agaynst both sinne and raging death the rest I ouerslide That euery man doth for his soule here carefully prouide Yet quiet are they not with this nor can they boldely say That all their sinnes forgiuen are and clearely done away Nor that the Lorde is pacifide and pleased with them well And they deliuered perfitely from powre of death and hell They doubt they tremble and they feare that somthing yet remaines Of their offences and the wrath of God with dreadfull paynes Therefore they will that after death a solemne obsequie Be made with Dyrge song both day and night continuallie Sixe hundreth Masses to be sayd and Tapers burning bright And Monkes and Priestes with them to go to graue in doolefull plight By whose good prayers their hellishe paynes may there released bée And soules there hence mount to the skie where naught is else but glée They also hier folkes to say the Psalter spéedily And money vnto Churches giue and to the pouerty And vnto Monkes and other Priestes who dayly haue this gaine With prayers and merits to set frée the guiltie soule from paine And bring them to eternall ioy to this belongs alwayes That they at euery seuennights ende and euery thirtie dayes And at the ende of euery yeare doe here commaund and will Their offrings and their ceremonies to be obserued still So little hope and trust they haue eternall life to gaine Or to obtaine his fauour that doth guide the starrie raigne For ignoraunt of
But all forgiuen when they doe beleeue we doe confesse As counted eke among the flocke and heyres of blessednesse But such as haue no fayth at all but vnbeléeuers be No pardon haue though ten times in the fludde they sowsed be That of it selfe it profites not although it here be done With purpose to amende the life that after is to come Wherefore in auncient time it was not giuen any man Before he had confessed Christ with mouth expressing than The fayth that in his heart lay hid declaring all and some And how forgiuenesse here of sinne from Christ doth fréely come Ascribing nothing to the déedes of man and merites vaine Nor trusting to the fonde deuice of supersticious braine But now bicause this Popish state in Christ doth not beléeue It doth not teache that onely he doth fréely sinnes forgéeue But wanders through the stonie wayes and ditches blinde to hell And through the thornes to follow him the people doth compell Besides with foolish toyes he hath defilde this baptisme quight To make the estimation more of mans deseruing right A number great of crosses first he makes and lustilye He blowes out sprights commaunding them with cruell words to flye The foole beléeues the infantes yong with sprightes to be possest Whom faythfull christian people here begat and parents blest Then thrustes he salt into their mouth annoynting all the while The infantes tender eyes and eares with stincking spittle vile This done his oyle and creame he takes and with discretion small Annoyntes the shoulders of the Childe and eke his brest withall The Crysome then he calleth for wherein he fast doth foulde The little soule and makes him in his hande a Taper houlde And that he may the better grow he liftes him vp on hie Herein least that he should be thought to dote and runne awrie And onely with these trifles to delude the people blinde Then wondrous signes of holy things he fayneth in his minde Who will not now make more account of these same trifles vaine The solemne order of the Priest and toyes of mortall braine Then of the gracious gift of God and merites of his sonne Who with his precious bloud redéemde vs all from death to come Especially when all the rowte that standes about him rounde Knowes neuer a worde of all that he in latine phrase doth sounde But onely heares a babling noyse and earnestly doe marke The outwarde shew of all his déedes and ceremonies darke So playe they with the supper that our Lorde did sanctifie Whereby we might be mindefull of his death continuallie Vnto the strengthning of our fayth and our ascertaind wealth As pledges of our happie state and euerlasting health To shew that with his death he hath our sinnes defaced quight And with his precious bloud hath made vs in his fathers sight Both cleane and frée from euery spot and euery crime withall And made vs righteous here and iust and frée from deadly fall Which hope is by this supper still made new and fresh againe And by the worde and blessed signe doth written still remaine Both in our féeble eyes and heartes whereby we euermore May prayse the Lorde and Iesus Christ his onely sonne therefore And thankefull be with ioyfull heartes for all these mercies kinde Vnited all togither with one heart and friendly minde To nourish this affection still and eke in memorie Alwayes to kéepe this great good will and fauour worthilie He hath commaunded breade and wine to be receyude of all As of his blessed body and bloud the tokens mysticall But O good God what monstrous things hath here this papacie About this supper fainde what follyes and iniquitie First hath he altred quight the name and Masse he calles the same Which what it signifies if it be Gréeke or Latine name Or rather from the Hebrue fetcht himselfe he cannot tell Nor all his court about the same are yet resolued well Then sixe or seauen shamefull things deuised by his braine He hath commaunded to beléeue mistaking scriptures plaine As that the substaunce here of bread by force of wordes and might Is chaungde into the bodie of Christ and in the selfesame plight The wine is turnd into his bloud that nothing doth remaine Of bread and wine when once the Priest his words hath spoken plaine But onely collour smell and taste and least that any man Vnlearned here perhaps might doubt himselfe declareth than Into what kinde of bodie this breade is chaunged and transformde And eke into what kinde of bloud the blessed wine is turnde The body as it here was of the Virgine Marie borne As it with whips was scourged here and on the crosse was torne His bloud as from his precious side vpon the grounde was shed And though this sacrament be euery day and houre solemnized And Christ thus eaten euermore yet doth he not decaye But vnconsumde of shape and forme remayneth one alway Besides although the little Cake a sunder broken be Into a thousande péeces or as small as small may be Yet euery little péece is Christ and that most perfitelie With skin and flesh and bloud and bones and all his quantitie That no vngodly man defiles this holye blessed thing And that the wicked man aswell doth Christ from heauen bring Into the breade as doth the man that liueth most vpright Beside that Christ doth not withdraw himselfe from any wight And that aswell the ill as good and faythlesse people vaine Euen as the faythfull him doe eate though not with equall gaine That this same body goeth not downe as other meate doth go But chaunged into him it is that doth receaue it tho Besides as soone as in the mouth it comes so sodainelye Away it goes not torne with téeth into the heauens hye That in this breade which here we sée and little compasse small Lies Christ that suffred for our sinnes and God that filleth all And that in many places here at once at that same tide He is and present therewithall through all the worlde beside That this same body vttred many wordes and phrases fit While as among his well disposde disciples he did sit And euen there transformde to bread while as he talking stoode And eaten of his people strayte as other kinde of foode Besides he plainely doth affirme that euery Priest that is Doth in his massing offer Christ and that this sacrifise Is euen as much in weight with him that all the worlde doth guide As was his bitter death when on the painefull crosse he dyde Moreouer twelue commodities he also doth resight That euery skilfull Priest receyues and euery housled wight And euery one that present is while as the Masse is sayde And marketh with attentiue eares how well Sir Iohn hath prayde Besides he teacheth that the Masse doth profit equallye Aswell the men aliue as those that long ago did dye And last of all he from the people pluckes the cuppe away And vnder one kinde lies as much as vnder both doth say Bicause
cléene So that no holy Chrisme thereon for to remaine be séene What should I here remember now what crimes haynous things Confession takes away and eke what helpe contrition brings And satisfaction for our faultes to shield our soules from paine It must buy out our misdéedes all to their purloyning gaine For all things still he doth impute to déedes of mortall men Not knowing perfite fayth in Christ nor teaching it to them But rather doth destroy it quite accounting wickedlée Our Sauiour Christ but as a man and Cypher here to bée Vndoubtedly the flocke of Christ doth euermore confesse Their sinnes and for the same repents with griefe and heauinesse Nor maketh any righteousnesse hereof nor iustifide Doth seeke to be no more than in the lawe or death beside Nor any other raunsome for their sinnes do thinke to pay But onely Christ whose precious death doth take them all away The Pope contrary cleane to this doth teach in plaine decrée And doth commaund with dreadfull lawe all faults confest to bée Vnto the Priest at Easter time or of necessitie When as the fatall houre is come and day wherein to die And that sincerely here and plaine what hath bene thought or done Else can no sinnes forgiuen bée nor absolution come Where now appéeres th'unfayned hope of sinnes forgiuen quight By Christ and euerlasting life and Sathan put to flight Who can declare what harmes the people haue receyude by this How many it hath drawne from Christ and euerlasting blis What scruple vnto consciences and trouble it doth bring For as they can not call to minde eche fault and wicked thing That they haue done whereby they may confessed thereof bée So can they not beleue that they forgiuen are and frée Besides with mumbling in a tongue vnknowne he pardons all And hath no worde to beare him out and stay his faith withall But blindly will this teacher blind haue all things credited A guide of all vngodlinesse with doltishe fansies led He absolution also giues by merites for to come And such as long agone are past and presently are done Not onely of their owne but bought with money other wheare Vnto the merites eke of Christ his death and passion deare He ioynes the merites here of Saints and makes them all as one Perswading our redemption not wrought by Christ alone In fine a satisfaction for all sinnes it doth suffice If to the Romish Chest you throw your money any wise Or vnto Abbeys giue your goods or else your welth applie In building solemne synagogs and loftie towres hie Or gad about in Pilgrimage to visite holy shrines Or say your Aue Mary euery houre fortie times And bid the blessed Virgin still good morow manerly Or what soeuer else 〈◊〉 Priest doth bid you orderly I well remember once at Spires I saw a wondrous sight Of people in the euening late with Crosse and torches bright The Crosse afore them borne and all their faces couered With backs all bare they passed throw the stréetes and market sted Commaunded for to beat them selues with whips and scourges there And truely here they trifled not nor did themselues forbere The bloud sprang out a pace and eke their backe did swell and wheale With multitude of stripes that scarce the Surgeon them could heale Thus would they wipe away their sinnes and fully satisfie Is not this same a madnesse grosse and shamefull iniurie Brought in into this world with spéede and beastly wickednesse Of this vnshamefast popishe state that truth doth still opresse Thinkst thou that with this doctrine here they trust in Christ aboue Or takste thou them for Catholikes which name they chiefely loue The godly Ministers at first did put to penance still Such as were excommunicate and openly did yll That discipline might in the Church be had continuallie Least that the heathen should suppose that eche iniquitie Might there be done vnpunished and that the others all By their example might beware how they hereafter fall And also that such punishment might please againe the mindes Of those that were offended with these former wicked crymes Not that the sinnes forgiuen were of God with penance such For lawes of God and mans decrées doe differ very much And with one sort of penance here they are not both content Nor God and man are pleased both alyke with one intent Mens mindes with punishment are pleasde and fully satisfide But God is onely pleasde in Christ and nothing else beside Through pure and perfite faith the Lorde that made both earth skies Releaseth euerlasting paynes and neuer ceassing cries But of this present life he doth release the punishment To such as onely trust in him and vertuously are bent They bid that men should in their owne good works haue all their hope And trust to merites of the Saints and pardons of the Pope Christ hath not fully satisfide they thinke assuredly And doubt not for to preach the same in audience openly Which serueth surely to their gaine for hereof doth arise Their maiestie their passing welth and Lordly liberties So likewise doth annealing last take veniall sinnes away While as for helpe vnto the Saints deuoutly they doe pray They alwayes are agaynst the Lord and Christ that here was slaine For our offences and our faults with agonie and paine And with their pompe and prowde desertes they cary downe to hell The foolish flocke that doth beléeue whatsoeuer they doe tell What ancor doe they flie vnto in all aduersitie In famine pestilence and warres and euery ieopardie Looke well about thée now and giue attentiue eies and eares For here the perfite fayth and trust of euery man appeares What hope there is in any man herein is plainely spyde The heart of euery creature here by this is truely tryde Who trustes in God alone and thinkes him mercifull to bée And eke almightie call on him in all aduersitée And vnto him he onely flies in feare and dreadfull wo As by his worde he oftentymes commaundeth vs to do But whither flies this Papacie in whom put they their trust In all things rather than in Christ or in his father iust Denying him to be their God and helper at their néede Nor that all things in heauen and earth doth from his handes procéede For if they did not in their heartes this openlye denie They would in all their troubles here to him for succour flie And all their things into his handes they would commit alway Not séeking Mediators here nor speachmen for to pray Contented onely here with one whose grace and fauour great For vs we may be well assurde doth euermore intreat But with one perfite God alone they can not well away Their chiefest trust and hope they in the Virgin Marie lay Shée pleaseth God and with hir childe in armes continually Delighteth him and what she askes he neuer doth deny Shée is the Quéene of heauen bright and with a beck can do Whatsoeuer shée determinde is and giues
Stephens day whereon doth euery man His horses iaunt and course abrode and swiftly as he can Vntill they doe extréemely sweate and than they let them blood For this being done vpon this day they say doth do them good And kéepes them from all maladies and sicknesse through the yeare As if that Steuen any time tooke charge of horses heare Next Iohn the sonne of Zebedee hath his appoynted day Who once by cruell tyraunts will constrayned was they say Strong poyson vp to drinke therefore the Papistes doe beleeue That whoso puts their trust in him no poyson them can gréeue The wine beside that halowed is in worship of his name The Priestes doe giue the people that bring money for the same And after with the selfe same wine are little manchets made Agaynst the boystrous winter stormes and sundrie such like trade The men vpon this solemne day do take this holy wine To make them strong so do the maydes to make them faire and fine Then comes the day that calles to minde the cruell Herodes strife Who séeking Christ to kill the king of euerlasting life Destroyde the little infants yong a beast vnmercilesse And put to death all such as were of two yeares age or lesse To them the sinfull wretchesse crie and earnestly do pray To get them pardon for their faultes and wipe their sinnes away The Parentes when this day appeares doe beate their children all Though nothing they deserue and seruaunts all to beating fall And Monkes do whip eche other well or else their Prior great Or Abbot mad doth take in hande their bréeches all to beat In worship of these Innocents or rather as we sée In honour of the cursed king that did this crueltée The next to this is Newyeares day whereon to euery frende They costly presents in do bring and Neweyeares giftes do sende These giftes the husband giues his wife and father eke the childe And maister on his men bestowes the like with fauour milde And good beginning of the yeare they wishe and wishe againe According to the auncient guise of heathen people vaine These eight dayes no man doth require his dettes of any man Their tables do they furnish out with all the meate they can With Marchpaynes Tartes Custards great they drink with staring eyes They rowte and reuell féede and feast as merry all as Pyes As if they should at th'entrance of this newe yeare hap to die Yet would they haue theyr bellye 's full and auncient friendes allie The wise mens day here foloweth who out from Persia farre Brought gifts and presents vnto Christ conducted by a starre The Papistes do beléeue that these were kings and so them call And do affirme that of the same there were but thrée in all Here sundrie friendes togither come and méete in companie And make a king amongst themselues by voyce or destinie Who after princely guise appoyntes his officers alway Then vnto feasting doe they go and long time after play Vpon their bordes in order thicke the daintie dishes stande Till that their purses emptie be and creditors at hande Their children herein follow them and choosing princes here With pompe and great solemnitie they méete and make good chere With money eyther got by stealth or of their parents eâ—t That so they may be traynde to knowe both ryot here and theft Then also euery housholder to his abilitie Doth make a mightie Cake that may suffice his companie Herein a pennie doth he put before it come to fire This he deuides according as his housholde doth require And euery péece distributeth as round about they stand Which in their names vnto the poore is giuen out of hand But who so chaunceth on the péece wherein the money lies Is counted king amongst them all and is with showtes and cries Exalted to the heauens vp who taking chalke in hande Doth make a crosse on euery beame and rafters as they stande Great force and powre haue these agaynst all iniuryes and harmes Of cursed deuils sprites and bugges of coniurings and charmes So much this king can do so much the Crosses brings to passe Made by some seruant maide or childe or by some foolish asse Twise sixe nightes then from Christmasse they do count with diligence Wherein eche maister in his house doth burne vp Franckensence And on the Table settes a loafe when night approcheth nere Before the Coles and Franckensence to be perfumed there First bowing downe his heade he standes and nose and eares and eyes He smokes and with his mouth receyue the fume that doth arise Whom followeth streight his wife and doth the same full solemly And of their children euery one and all their family Which doth preserue they say their téeth and nose and eyes and care From euery kind of maladie and sicknesse all the yeare When euery one receyued hath this odour great and small Then one takes vp the pan with Coales and Franckensence and all An other takes the loafe whom all the reast do follow here And round about the house they go with torch or taper clere That neither bread nor meat do want nor witch with dreadful charme Haue powre to hurt their children or to do their cattell harme There are that thrée nightes onely do perfourme this foolish geare To this intent and thinke themselues in safetie all the yeare To Christ dare none commit himselfe And in these dayes beside They iudge what weather all the yeare shall happen and betide Ascribing to ech day a month and at this present time The youth in euery place doe flocke and all appareld fine With Pypars through the streetes they runne and sing at euery dore In commendation of the man rewarded well therefore Which on themselues they do bestowe or on the Church as though The people were not plagude with Roges and begging Friers enough There Cities are where boyes and gyrles togither still do runne About the stréete with like as soone as night beginnes to come And bring abrode their wassell bowles who well rewarded bée With Cakes and Chéese and great good cheare and money plentiouslée Then commes in place saint Agnes day which here in Germanie Is not so much estéemde nor kept with such solemnitie But in the Popish Court it standes in passing hie degrée As spring and head of wondrous gaine and great commoditée For in saint Agnes Church vpon this day while Masse they sing Two Lambes as white as snowe the Nonnes do yearely vse to bring And when the Agnus chaunted is vpon the aultar hie For in this thing there hidden is a solemne mysterie They offer them The seruaunts of the Pope when this is done Do put them into Pasture good till shearing time be come Then other wooll they mingle with these holy fleeses twaine Whereof being sponne and drest are made the Pals of passing gaine Thrée fingars commonly in bredth and wrought in compasse so As on the Bishops shoulders well they round about may
egges with good and spéedie lucke Or as the Goose doth vse to do or as the quacking ducke Some like wilde beastes doe runne abrode in skinnes that diuers bée Arayde and eke with lothsome shapes that dreadfull are to sée They counterfet both Beares and Woolues and Lions fierce in sight And raging Bulles Some play the Cranes with wings stilts vpright Some like the filthie forme of Apes and some like fooles are drest Which best beséeme these Papistes all that thus kéepe Bacchus feast But others beare a torde that on a Cushion soft they lay And one there is that with a flap doth kéepe the flies away I would there might an other be an officer of those Whose roome might serue to take away the scent from euery nose Some others make a man all stuft with straw or ragges within Apparayled in dublet faire and hosen passing trim Whom as a man that lately dyed of honest life and fame In blanket hid they beare about and streightwayes with the same They hurle him vp into the ayre not suffring him to fall And this they doe at diuers tymes the Citie ouer all I shew not here their daunces yet with filthie iestures mad Nor other wanton sportes that on these holydayes are had There places are where such as hap to come within this dore Though olde acquainted friendes they be or neuer seene before And say not first here by your leaue both in and out I go They binde their handes behinde their backes nor any difference tho Of man or woman is there made but Basons ringing great Before them do they daunce with ioy and sport in euery streat There are that certaine prayers haue that on the Tuesday fall Against the quartaine Ague and the other Feuers all But others than sowe Onyon seede the greater to be séene And Persley eke and Lettys both to haue them alwayes gréene Of truth I loth for to declare the foolishe toyes and trickes That in these dayes are done by these same popish Catholickes If snowe lie déepe vpon the ground and almost thawing bée Then fooles in number great thou shalt in euery corner see For balles of snow they make and them one at another cast Till that the conquerde part doth yéelde and run away at last No Matrone olde nor sober man can fréely by them come At home he must abide that will these wanton fellowes shonne Besides the noble men the riche and men of hie degrée Least they with common people should not séeme so mad to bée There wagons finely framde before and for this matter méete And lustie horse and swift of pace well trapt from head to féete They put therein about whose necke and euery place before A hundred gingling belles do hang to make his courage more Their wiues and children therein set behinde themselues do stande Well armde with whips and holding fast the bridle in their hande With all their force throughout the stréetes and market place they ron As if some whirlewinde mad or tempest great from skies should come As fast as may be from the steates th' amazed people flye And giues them place while they about doe runne continually Yea sometime legges or armes they breake and horse and carte and all They ouerthrow with such a force they in their course doe fall Much lesse they man or childe doe spare that méetes them in the waye Nor they content themselues to vse this madnesse all the daye But euen till midnight holde they on their pastimes for to make Whereby they hinder men of sléepe and cause their heades to ake But all this same they care not for nor doe estéeme a heare So they may haue their pleasure still and foolish wanton geare The Wednesday next a solemne day to Church they early go To sponge out all the foolish déedes by them committed so They money giue and on their heddes the Priestes doth ashes lay And with his holy water washeth all their sinnes away In woondrous sort against the veniall sinnes doth profite this Yet here no stay of madnesse now nor ende of follie is With mirth to dinner straight they go and to their woonted playe And on their deuills shapes they put and sprightish fonde araye Some sort there are that mourning go with lantarnes in their hande While in the day time Titan bright amid the skies doth stande And séeke their shroftide Bachanals still crying euery where Where are our feastes become alas the cruell fastes appere Some beare about a herring on a staffe and lowde doe rore Herrings herrings stincking herrings puddings now no more And hereto ioyne they foolish playes and doltish dogrell rimes And what beside they can inuent belonging to the times Some other beare vpon a staffe their fellowes horsed hie And carie them vnto some ponde or running riuer nie That what so of their foolish feast doth in them yet remayne May vnderneth the floud be plungde and washt away againe Some children doe intise with Nuttes and peares abrode to play And singing through the towne they go before them all the way In some place all the youthfull flocke with minstrels doe repaire And out of euery house they plucke the girles and maydens fayre And them to plough they straitwayes put with whip one doth them hit Another holdes the plough in hande the Minstrell here doth sit Amidde the same and drounken songes with gaping mouth he sings Whome foloweth one that sowes out sande or ashes fondely flings When thus they through the stréetes haue plaide the man that guideth all Doth driue both plough maydens through some ponde or riuer small And dabbled all with durt and wringing wette as they may bée To supper calles and after that to daunsing lustilee The follie that these dayes is vsde can no man well declare Their wanton pastimes wicked actes and all their franticke fare On Sunday at the length they leaue their mad and foolish game And yet not so but that they drinke and dice away the same Thus at the last to Bacchus is this day appoynted cleare Then O poore wretches fastings long approching doe appeare In fourtie dayes they neyther milke nor fleshe nor egges doe eate And butter with their lippes to touch is thought a trespasse great Both Ling and saltfishe they deuoure and fishe of euery sorte Whose purse is full and such as liue in great and welthie porte But onyans browne bread léekes and salt must poore men dayly gnaw And fry their oten cakes in oyle The Pope deuisde this law For sinnes th'offending people here from hell and death to pull Beléeuing not that all their sinnes were earst forgiuen full Yet here these wofull soules he helpes and taking money fast Doth all things set at libertie both egges and flesh at last The Images and pictures now are couerde secretlie In euery Church and from the beames the roofe and rafters hie Hanges painted linnen clothes that to the people doth declare The wrath and furie great of God and times
that fasted are Then all men are constrainde their sinnes by cruell law to tell And threatned if they hide but one with dredfull death and hell From hence no little gaines vnto the Priestes doth still arise And of the Pope the shambles doth appeare in beastly wise Now comes the sunday forth of this same great and holy fast Here doth the Pope the shriuen blesse absoluing them at last From all their sinnes and of the Iewes the law he doth alow As if the power of God had not sufficient bene till now Or that the law of Moyses here were still of force and might In these same happie dayes when Christ doth raigne with heauenly light The boyes with ropes of straw doth frame an vgly monster here And call him death whom from the towne with prowd solemne chere To hilles and valleyes they conuey and villages thereby From whence they stragling doe returne well beaten commonly Thus children also beare with speares their Cracknelles round about And two they haue whereof the one is called Sommer stout Apparalde all in gréene and drest in youthfull fine araye The other Winter clad in mosse with heare all hoare and graye These two togither fight of which the Palme doth Sommer get From hence to meate they go and all with wine their whistles wet The other toyes that in this time of holly fastes appeare I loth to tell nor order like as vsed euery wheare Here comes that worthie day wherein our sauior Christ is thought To come vnto Ierusalem on asses shoulders brought When as againe these Papistes fonde their foolish pageantes haue With pompe and great solemnitie and countnaunce wondrous graue A woodden Asse they haue and Image great that on him rides But vnderneath the Asses féete a table broade there slides Being borne on whéeles which ready drest and al things méete therfore The Asse is brought abroade and set before the Churches doore The people all do come and bowes of trees and palmes they bere Which things against the tempest great the Parson coniures there And straytwayes downe before the Asse vpon his face he lies Whome there an other Priest doth strike with rodde of largest sise He rising vp two lubbours great vpon their faces fall In straunge attire and lothsomely with filthie tune they ball Who when againe they risen are with stretching out their hande They poynt vnto the woodden knight and singing as they stande Declare that that is he that came into the worlde to saue And to redéeme such as in him their hope assured haue And euen the same that long agone while in the streate he roade The people mette and Oliue bowes so thicke before hym stroade This being soung the people cast the braunâ—hes as they passe Some part vpon the Image and some part vpon the Asse Before whose féete a wondrous heape of bowes and braunches ly This done into the Church he strayght is drawne full solemly The shauen Priestes before them marche the people follow fast Still striuing who shall gather first the bowes that downe are cast For falsely they beléeue that these haue force and vertue great Against the rage of winter stormes and thunders slashing heate Are Idoles worshipt otherwise are these not wicked things Euen I my selfe haue earst behelde both wise and mightie Kings Defilde with this religion vile that on their knées haue knéelde Vnto these stockes and honour due to God to them did yéelde In some place wealthie Citizens and men of sober chere For no small summe doe hire this Asse with them about to bere And manerly they vse the same not suffering any by To touch this Asse nor to presume vnto his presence ny For they suppose that in this thing they Christ doe highly serue And well of him accepted are and great rewardes deserue If any man shall happe to thinke them Asses here in this I sure beléeue he is not much deceyude nor thinkes amis When as the Priestes and people all haue ended this the sport The boyes doe after dinner come and to the Church resort The Sexten pleasde with price and looking well no harme be done They take the Asse and through the stréetes crooked lanes they rone Whereas they common verses sing according to the guise The people giuing money breade and egges of largest cise Of this their gaines they are compelde the maister halfe to giue Least he alone without his portion of the Asse shoulde liue From Thurseday then till Easter come the fondest toyes haue place Wherin these cathlikes think themselues great men of woÌ„drous grace First thrée dayes space the belles are wilde in silence for to lie When from the toppes of hawtie towres with clappers lowd they crie The boyes in euery streat doe runne and noyses great they make While as in calling men to Church their wooden clappers shake Thre nightes at midnight vp they rise their Mattens for to heare Appoynted well with clubbes and staues and stones in order theare The Sexten straightwayes putteth out the candles spéedely And straight the Priest with rustie throte alowde begins to cry Then furious rage begins to spring and hurlyburly rise On pewes and deskes and seates they bounce beate in dredfullwise Thou wouldst suppose they were possest with sprightes and deuills all Or fury such as forceth them that vpon Baccus call Some beaten downe with clubbes and staues amongst the pewes do ly And others almost brainde with stones or wounded mortally Well serues the darckenesse for these déedes and thereto doth agrée The fashions like of euery one that thus enraged bee Here wicked Iudas all to torne with vile reproches lies And Marie in the darcke is calde vpon with childish cries That she be mercifull and helpe and heale the faultes that bée And through hir powre deliuer them from hurt and miserée These things vnto these feastes belonges the candles being light An Image fastned to a crosse is caried all vpright A lanterne rounde about his necke is hangde to shâ—w the way Are not these popish foolish toyes a pretie kinde of play This day the oyle and glasses of the Bishop hallowed bée And twise thrée times saluting them he lowly bendes his knée The Cannons after doe the same with laughter wouldst thou faint And woonder farre to sée them make their spéechelesse glasse a saint Their dinner done from th'aultar all their costly clothes they take And wash it rubbing it with bowes and bromes that they doe make â–ª Then water on they powre and wine crosswise there on they lay And to the patron of ech aultar humbly doe they pray That they vouchsafe to looke vpon theyr seruaunts worshipping And to aswage the furie great of Ioue the thundring King. And here the Monkes their maundie make with sundrie solemne rights And signes of great humilitie and wondrous pleasaunt fights Ech one the others féete doth wash and wipe them cleane and drie With hatefull minde and secret frawde that in their heartes doth lye As if that
Ne thinkes he méete for him it is to sléepe to drinke to eate Except he do before commit some haynous trespasse greate Thus in the heart of man the prince of hell had sowne his séedes And ouergrowne his precious plantes with his vngracious wéedes And had oppressed godlinesse while it was yet but gréene That scarcely any where the steppes of vertue might be séene And brought vnto the Chaynes of death and misery all their dayes Men first created vnto life and to th' almighties prayse Poore Adam spoyled of his grace in naked plight and bare Perceyued streight this hellish séede and neuer ceassing care Wherefore in Figtrée vesture clad himselfe by flight he hydes Both doubting of the mercy of God and of his life besides Whose sight he shoonnes and eke his voyce he quaketh for to heare As doth the Chicken of the Kyte or Oxe of Lion neare And surely vnderneath the yoke of death and dreadfull sinne Both he and his posteritie for euermore hath béene But that th' almightie Lorde aboue tooke pittie of his case And gaue agaynst the deuils thornes and séede of cursed grace A remedie an other séede his blessed worde deuine And promise of his fauour made how that in after time A holy vertuous man and strong should rise and succour bring And tread vpon the serpents head and ceasse his deadly sting And purge away the sinnes of man though losse he doe sustaine Not voyde of ouerpoyse but with his profite great and gaine Commaunded Adam for to sow this in his sense vnsounde To oppresse thereby if that he could not plucke out of the ground The déepe set rootes that Sathans hand had planted there afore And so become a husbandman for him and others more That after sprang and so resist by all the meanes he may The serpent still with earnest prayer and with a perfite way And for to teach from hand to hand to his posteritie The art and all the whole effect of holy husbandrie The comming of the blessed séede and promises deuine That godlinesse and hope of life might still remaine in time And be preserued in the worlde and that he neuer yéeld And boldly méete the prince of hell and face him in the féeld He ioying in the worde of God and in his happie state Of skilfull perfite husbandman that he receyude of late Withstood the deuill well and drest his heart with tillage due And pluckt out nettles thistles and eche other wéedes that grue And found againe the loue of God whereof he felt the smell And in the vertuous order of his life declarde it well The fruit of righteousnesse he looude and all that in him lay Represt the raging of the flesh and caused it to'bay He hated euery wicked act and euery sinfull lore That was displeasing vnto God and all his sinnes before With prayer and streames of perfite teares he wypte and washt away And all his hope and confidence in Christ doth surely lay This same vnto his wife he taught and to his children deare And all his ofspring euery one vnto his latest yeare And then to Seth he left the plowe who eke committed it To Enock that applyde it well with all his force and wit And sowde the worde and fayth abrode with luckie fruitfull hande And so did all the yonger sort that after ought the lande Olde Sathan hating all this while the séede so promised The chiefe estéemers of the same and faithfull brotherhed And séeking all men for to drawe vnto th' infernall raigne Applyde himselfe with all his force and all his hellish traine To ouerthrow these fathers déedes and all their worke to spoyle And vnder cloke of truth with lyes he poysons all the soyle And in the stéede of Godly feare he sinfull life reuiues With heapes of vice and Godly séedes to spoyle againe he striues And now amid the pleasant corne the pricking thistle flowes And gracelesse cockle lothsome to the eye it ouergrowes Sometime the raging stormes of haile doth beate it to the ground And oft consuming wormes and drake and darnell there is found Or mildewes fowle or stormes of raine or heate or frostie coldes Sometime a sunder crackes the plowe while Camock strongly holdes Not much the plowmen then preuaylde and Cayne did first beginn◠To hate his fathers husbandrie and sowe the séedes of sinne Whom all his issue folowed fast as one of greatest skill And better fruite might not be séene than this so lewde and ill Nor godlinesse was to be found in all the world so wide So that th' almightie father drownde both man and earth beside And euery creature hauing life as iustly they deserude Saue one poore Barke that in the flouds of mercie he preserude What should I all things call to minde the world renude againe Not long regarded vertuous wordes but folowed pleasures vaine Eche godly thing was lothde and left as men did fast increase So all things waxed worse and worse and vertue gan to cease Although the guide of heauen and earth did euermore prouide For husbandmen and prophets good and sent his sonne beside In vesture clad of fading fleshe of workemen all the chiefe And author of our life who though he sent for our reliefe His messengers and seruaunts forth abrode in euery place To teach the perfite art and way and sow the séedes of grace Yet of the dreadfull dragon blacke preuayled much the héed To tread and stampe in euery place vpon this sacred séed The séedes of Gods triumphant worde were neuer so largely sowne Nor couered in the heart of man nor vertue better growne Nor in so many places séene such store of goodly graine As when these holy Messengers and their disciples plaine Did teach in euery place abrode the arte of husbandrie And trode the steps of vertuous life for their posteritie But streight the enimie poysoned all and brought it vnto this That godlynesse in few remaynde and most men ranne amisse And put not for eternall life in Christ their onely trust So many wéedes of herisies among the corne he thrust And monstruous droues of rauening wolues such fierce debate strife So many superstitions vaine and such deformed life Now these with raging furious heate he causeth for to start Now those with frostie coldes congeald he nyppeth to the hart And looke how much this wretched worlde to ende doth nearer grow So much the more he striues the raigne of Christ to ouerthrow And with his filthie séede the heart of man to cast away Nor much he forceth them herein that fall by proper sway The olde remaynes of sinfull rocke is vnto him an ayde So is the lusting force of flesh with raigne and hed vnstayde Agaynst these ylles the ruler of the loftie heauens bright Sendes out his learned labourers that ouerturning quight All wickednesse and driuing hence the darkenesse farre away True godlinesse may plaine appeare and vertue beare the sway And euery one with heart and might his holy will obay And follow perfite
force vnto th' almighties prayse Our sauiour Christ commended eke the Scribe that well was tought Resembling him vnto the rich who from his treasure brought Things olde and newe aboundantly Yea glory doth remaine At home for learned men that do in godlinesse take paine As that most learned Prophet song and plainely did declare He whom the cruell Lions in their dreadfull denne did spare Rude rusticall vnskilfulnesse deserues no prayse at all But lothsome is in him to whom the sacred plow shall fall Who doth allow the laysie lobbe where is not slouth vnméete The hony gathering Bées are praysde bicause in springtime swéete With dayly labour great they make the wholsome honie good The little Ant doth frame his house with trauaile in the wood And on his backe a greater burthen than himselfe doth lay And thrusteth vp his corne in caue agaynst the winter day Why should not likewise in our husbandmen such care appere In those whom God appoynted hath the worldes correctors here No loytring leysure here was left but businesse to be done Which faythfull seruaunts should applie vntill their maister come That fewe such seruaunts at this time in any countrie bée Who doth not know and eke the cause I thinke eche man doth sée Some séeke their owne commoditie and belly well to fill And some in fieldes of ydlenesse doe loue to lynger still But seldome any man t' aduaunce the prayse of Christ desires Nor weyes what labours great and toyle the heart of man requires Therefore the fieldes doe barraine lie and brambles thicke doth bring And Cockle fowle abundantly in euery place doth spring The tender shéepe dispersed are and faint and sicke they bée And féede vpon the poysoned plantes that in the Marsh they sée Yet none vouchsafes for to redresse this miserable case Thou wouldest suppose that all had sworne togither now in place The deuill and the raging worlde and princes of estate And all the shauen plowmen here that euermore doe prate And talke of Christ and boast themselues to be his seruaunts true That blinded mindes of men might not with wholsome tillage due Be brought vnto a blessed state nor perfite séedes be sowne And gratefull haruest vnto God with great aduauntage mowne What wages to these seruaunts lewde and deulish kingdome here Shall God assigne when on his iudgement seate he shall appere With pacience let them looke for that and beare their owne contempt We mindefull of our matter here will better things attempt Now must our husband frame himselfe a vertuous man to bée That both his teaching and his life may iustly here agrée Least teaching others he himselfe doth misse the perfite way And bring the worde to bide reproche and building to decay Aboue all things he must beware of pride and loftie minde The perfite following here of Christ who liued in lowest kinde Who must be their assured marke doth not allow the same In christenmen and eke aboue the rest it is a shame For any seruant to presume aboue his maisters grée And for to chalenge priâ—cely state and worldly soueraintée Where Christ the Lord with bloudie sweate face with spittle stainde And blowes and mockes 〈◊〉 beare his crosse and cruell death sustainde Who hateth not Nestorius voyce and wordes deseruing blame Or pride of Paule the Bishop once of Antioche â–ª the same â–ª That cleare Orontes passeth by who doth not here repine To sée the christian husbandman the steps of Maximine The prowde to treade and both his handes and stinking wretched féete To let be kist and borne on backs of men with pompe vnméete Beset about with precious stones all clad in rich aray Like Persean prince or Emprour great that beares in Inde the sway Let kings pursue such pompe and pride and our poore husbandman Content himselfe with meane estate not looking hier than Confessing not alone himselfe a seruaunt here in name But both in countnance weede and voyce and life declare the same Directing all the order of his life by Christ alone And making him the marke of sauing health and others none There is no cause why man should swell with pride or such disdaine For noble bloud or welthie state or shape of bodie vaine Or troupe of men or learned show or titles gotten graue Or any other kinde of thing For what is all we haue Since that we were created here with all that in vs lyes Eche one to be an others helpe which if we doe dispise And looke aloft with hautie minde and thinke to beare a sway The greatest giftes that here we haue will turne to our decay Beside the seruant of the Lorde must not inflamed bée With wrath or yre nor frowning looke as beastes that oft we sée With hurtfull hornes do runne vpon such as do come in sight And threaten with their countnance fierce continually to fight Let gentle mindes be shrowded still with milde and comely chéere And in the seruant of the Lorde Christes Image plaine appéere Least that before he gin to speake or clime the Pulpet hie The people streight suspecting harme for feare away doe flie And let him learne both wordes and déedes to suffer paciently Contemning diuers things and most estéeming not a flie A noble heart in bodie beare not mooude with easie winde And take good héede he neuer speake no wordes of wrathfull kinde â–ª Forbearing grinding with his téeth and frowning with his face And most of all from skirmishing with hande or fist in place Such anger doth not well agrée that he shall eft dispise And thinke vnméete for common people rude to exercise Who can abide Amphitrions sonne on Oâ—ta for to sée Or viewe the face of Aiax fierce while in his furie hée Destroyes the poore vnguiltie beastes Vlysses for to kill Who will not shunne the companie and friendship all to yll Of mad Eurilochus while as he doth pursue in chase His man with spit and meate in hande vnto the Market place Who can delight in Commodus that in his raging yre For trifles cast the maister of his bathes into the fyre Or who doth not Comedes his wicked act detest That Samson like in furious rage a schoole of boyes opprest Let rage and wrath be driuen hence nor let him euer speake With bitter wordes to any man his malice for to wreake Nor coole his minde with Stygian streame nor any man defame In euery matter let him learne to kéepe his tongue in frame And talke of pleasant things and good not prating much the while The chattring tongue is lothsome still and foolish speach is vile And full of lyes is alwayes scornde To rule the tongue aright Is acceptable vnto God and vnto euery Wight The spirituall Husbandrie The second Booke THese things as méetest to be kept of plowmen all we thought And more beside my gracious Lordes that they be chiefly taught To shunne all gréedie auarice and fowle desire of gaine A thing that alwayes coÌ„monly amongst these men doth raigne And therefore are they oft
powre and euerlasting dignitée Who doth regarde the déedes and actes that here on earth are done And suffers nothing in the worlde at random here to runne But holdes the helme of all himselfe and sterne doth onely guide Though diuers Ministers he hath for euery thing beside He well shall also vnderstande the great affection deare That God doth alwayes beare to man who made his subiectes heare Both birdes and beastes and skalie fishe that in the seas doe swim And gaue him from the skies a minde that most resembled him Nor left him when he wickedly vpon the â—â—ende did waight But threatning Sathan and his traine to mercie tooke him straight Moreouer he shall learne from whence the spring of death and sinne And wretched ignorance of truth did in the worlde beginne And what great force of ours remaynes to deale in vertuous déedes And whence the safe assured hope of righteousnesse procéedes And whence remission of our sinnes Besides he plaine shall sée Examples store of Gods great wrath for such as wicked bée And eke againe the mercy great of God omnipotent Towards them that vertuous are and such as earnestly repent There plainely also shall he sée what things the law doth tell How it condemneth euery man and driueth downe to hell That sinne deserueth dreadfull death and eke the certaine way To please the euerlasting Lorde and him for to obay Moreouer that there are good sprites and aungels faire aboue Sent out from God for mans defence and for their great behoue As vnto them the wicked sprites are deadly enimies There shall he learne that soule of man with bodie neuer dies Nor that the bodie euermore shall kepe the stinking graue But sound and safe at th' ende of the worlde their olde estate shall haue And come to euerlasting life where of the Iudge seuere The fearefull sentence shall they sée and righteous iudgement here There shall the wicked sort receyue theyr iust deserued hire Cast downe into the smokie pitte of dreadfull flaming fire The good exalted to the ioyes of heauen shining bright Shall sée the face of God and liue in passing great delight And more he well shall vnderstande that will of God aboue What honor here he best estéemes and what he most doth loue What orders he accepteth here what dutie eke we owe Vnto the Magistrate the whole estate of mariage shall he knowe But of this worthie treasureâ—great why call I all to minde As if I would the surges tell of seas in raging winde Or number all the glistring starres that in the skies appeare And cast abrode their golden beames when as the night is cleare Or tell howe many thousand leaues in wooddie groues doe lie While as in Autumne Saturne throwes his frostie flakes from hie Or count the number of the eares that through the worlde are séene While as approching Haruest néere the corne forsakes his gréene There shall he finde whatsoeuer doth to husbandmen belong Wherewith to ouerthrow the foe and to instruct the yong Therefore let him at first the bookes of Moyses well applie And all the other Prophetes else in order héedilie And from the fountaynes draw the worde and fetch it from the spring That perfitely he know the minde of God in euery thing But chiefly in the scriptures written by the holy ghost These two the law and Gospell let him alwayes thinke on most Discerning well betwixt them both what doth to eche belong The propertie of euery one their force and vertue strong Least that he hap to deale therein as most men doe this day To make them both agrée in one that differ farre away The lawe destroyes condemnes worketh wrath and vengeance due And showth vs what we ought to doe and what we must eschue Augmenteth sinne and driues men downe into the pit of hell That doe not heare in euery poynt obserue and kéepe it well On the other side the Gospell doth bring euerlasting life And doth appease the wrath of God for sinne and ceaseth strife And thorow Christ forgiueth all that hath bene done amisse And drawth vs from the depth of hell and placeth vs in blisse In giuing ioyes that neuer endes ne shewes how we should liue So much as it the déedes of Christ to vs doth wholy giue And maketh righteous euery one and doth our sinnes deface Restoring vnto sauing health all such as séekes his grace Lo here thou séest a diffrence great that will no vnitée No more than fowle deformed death with life will here agrée Therefore herein our husbandman must seuer them aright Not mingling them togither thus as iust in egall plight Not making Moyses here of Christ or olde Licurgus sowre Nor yet ascribing that to Christ that longs to Moyses powre Let eche of them their office kéepe their time and eke their place Sometime t' is méete the stonie hearts with deadly lawe to chase And to declare the dreadfull plagues that no excuse remaine To wretched men that all their life in wickednesse doe traine A time againe when méete it is of nothing else to speake But graciousnesse and to relieue and comfort vp the weake With swéetenesse great of Iesus milde both necke and hands vnbound From dolefull chaynes of miserie that weyes them to the ground What can be worse than for to kill such as deserue to liue And vnto such as death deserue eternall life to giue Which thing doth alwayes come to passe when all things are not well Discerned as they ought to be and as I earst did tell And though the face of Moyses and our Sauiours countnance bright Must both be bare and open showde and furnisht out with light Yet most of all we ought the name of Christ to magnifie And séeke t' aduaunce aboue the rest his prayse and dignitie For he of euery other thing is finall ende and summe And all things both in heauen and earth by meanes of him are donne And euery thing committed here vnto his holy hande Wherein both health and righteousnesse and death and life doth stande With fauour grace and punishment and whatsoeuer doth lie Created heare vpon the earth or in the heauens hie He is the soueraigne king and guide of chosen people pure The happie priest chiefe head and Lorde and Sanctuarie sure The stedfast stone to cleaue vnto and strongest towre of might The glorious Bridegrome garnished most bewtifull in sight That with his owne most precious bloud did washe and purifie His spouse from euery spot and staine that might offend the eie The onely shepheard bread and light and chiefest maister here In fine the large and welthie horne where all things doth appere Him from the first beginning God did promise for to giue To Adam and his children all that after him should liue A gift that well should pacifie his iust conceyued yre And eke redéeme the damned soules from neuer ceassing fyre Thus taught the holy ghost abrode and Moyses did the same And all the Prophets after him did blase abrode