shall them fetche away By suche deceyte that goe astraye With false wynnyng Suche as in any kynde of arte Doe worke both slyghtly and vnsure For to deceyue with a false harte His neighbour by his worke vnpure slightly they worke and all for haste wherin this day is wrong and waste Yea hatefull wrong Syth now ther is no faith nor fay But all from truth are gone astray Wo be our songe Suche as breake vnitie and loue Suche as by couetyse contende Such as wyll sweare great othes moue Suche as on whordom doe depende Suche as in pryde doe leade their lyfe Suche as by wrath doe lyue in stryfe And great debate Satan with suche must make afraye For their walkyng so farre astraye Whiche god doth hate God for his mercie graunt therfore That men may nowe repent their ill And that they may their synnes abhorre Wherin they walked with their wyll It is hyghe tyme for to redres And to absteyne from wyckednes For feare of payne And for Gods mercy call and praye That we through grace froÌ„ this our stray Come home agayne ¶ A voyce from heauen to you shall come Venite ad iudicium O Man amend defer no tyme but be alwayes in redines For if thou dwell in sinne and crime it wyll thee bryng in great distres for why a voyce from heauen shall come venite ad iudicium Then blessed shall that seruant de Whom God shall fynde in perfect mynde To doe his due in eche degree For great reward then shall be fynde When that a voyce from heauen shall come Venite ad iudicium Contrary wyse the seruant yll That walked in offences great Contrary to his maisters wyll With many strypes he shal be beate When that a voyce from â—â—â—uen shall come Venite ad iudicium For God shall come ryght sodeynly In the mydst of your wyckednes When you thynke least appeare wyll he From whose face none can you releace When that a voyce from heauen shall come Venite ad iudicium Eche lorde and lady Kyng and quene Before that lorde muste bowe theyr knee And then shall theyr rewarde be sene Lyke as their dedes and lyfe hath bee When that a voyce from heauen shall come Venite ad iudicium What shall anayle you then your pryde Your welthy pompe and dignitie Your ryches then must stande asyde And not helpe your necessitie When that a voyce from heauen shall coâ—â— Venite ad iudicium The shynyng face of God the Lorde Your stony hearts shall then appall Because that ye so muche abhorde His preceptes euangelicall When that a voyce from heauen shall come Venite ad iudicium Then shall ye say Wo worthe the tyme Your lawes agaynst the Lorde of blis That you made in despyte of hym And all that hys true members is When that a voyce from heauen shall come Venite ad iudicium And you shall gnashe your tethe and saye Lo 〈◊〉 whom wâ— did hate and mocke We see them sytte in quiet staye Beyng the lâ—â—des elected flocke For nowe a voyce from heauen is come Venite ad iudicium And we lyke fooles haue erred styll Oâ—â— worldly wyt is nowe all spent To plâ—ad our cause we haue no skyll Before the lorde omnipotent For nowe a voyce from heauen is come Venite ad iudicium The sonne of wisdom and of lyght Of vnderstanding end of grace Did geue to vs no kynde of lyght We are vndone alas alas For nowe a voyce from heauen is come Venite ad iudicium In payns of hell thus shall they crye That nowe doe Christ his flocke oppresse Tormented styll eternally With diuels for their wyckednes When that a voyce from heaueÌ„ shal come Venite ad iudicium Therfore let vs defer no tyme But be alwayes in readynes That we may all to heauen clyme Wiâ—h Christ the kyng of ryghteousnes When that a voyce froÌ„ heauen shal come Venite ad iudicium ¶ Against pryde YOu proud men all I saye abyde and banishe pryde out of your hart if climing high ye haply slyde then are ye like to fele some smart therfore I saye in tyme conuert repent and turne for that is best yer dredfull death doe you areste Study therfore in holy wryte And knowe howe that lucifer fell Whiche beyng once an angell bryghte God for his pryde dyd hym expell Out of all lyght downe into hell Lo here you see the frute of pryde I say therfore laye it asyde Before your eyes fixe also this Howe Nebucadnezaâ— the kyng Whose dedes in Daniell wrytten is Who praisde him selfe aboue all thyng And gaue not God his due praysing Was made an oxe and did eate haye Seuen yeres his great pryde to alaye And kyng Hetod as sayth scripture As he was clad in proude aâ—aye His owne honor for to procure To his own praise great wordes did say Therfâ—re Gods angell that same day Dyd stryke hun for his harte vnwyse Who vnâ—o death was eate with lyce Lo if God would such kings not space To punysh for ambition What shall we thinke he wyll prepare To plague our sinfull nacion Whiche forsake their vocation And will in no wyse pryde eschue Nor seke to serue swete dame vertue For Salomon in sentence play ne Câ—lles fauor a deâ—eynyng thyng Yea beautie is a thing moste vayne Wherin some haue suche delyghâ—yng Which in ill case once wyll them bryng Gods heauy wrath they so procure Through their proude hartes vayn vnpure For from the course of reason true They seme to be vnknowne and strange That doe delyght in the vayne hewe Of beautie that so sone wyll change For that wherin their rude wittes range To muche more britle then is glasse And fades as doth in sieldes the grasse More inconstant it is also That vnto pryde doth you prouoke Then wynde that wandreth to and fro Yea much more vain theÌ„ smothring smoke Lo thus of vyce you beare the yoke Of beautie proude more vyle then slyine And fleteth faster then tyme. A thousand thynges may beauty fade As wyse men dayly see and saye For if a feuer you inuade And shake you but one simple daye Is not your beauty gone strayghtwaye Your colour shewes your substance â—ust Euen earth and ashes doung and dust If men were bent the truth to tell Is beauty any other thyng Then color in the skyn or fell Wherin some haue suche reiosing But if as well were appearing Their inwarde partes then myght we see A sacke stufte full of doung fylthy What syght more strange may there apeare Vnto our eyes so fantsy full Then see one bewtifull and clere Declare it selfe so vnfrutfull And cause hym whose wites be not dull Hym self to knowe a dounghill dyght As with a cloth purple and whyght What impudence yea what madnes Is it in beutie to glorie Forsakyng all sober sadnes For thynges that bene transitorie Sythe more delectabilitie It is to some that see the same Then those that therof beare the name I leue of here for to
kepe them in awe The haft of the broome lyke purpose shall serue To shrub well theyr backs that strypes do deserue And namely such knaues that are growne so bygge That they nothyng set by any small twygge Therfore is the staffe a toole for the nones To canuys theyr backes or kydgell theyr bones Then thyrdly the wyth wyll hang by the necke Such theues as feare not the strype nor the checke â–ª Thus in euery house .iii. Iustices reigne Whyche the byrchen besom well doth conteyne The hygh and the meane and also the lowe Thâ—yr offices all ought eche man to know By whom al such men must nedes passe theyr way The rules of reason that wyll dysobaye The highest Iustice the necke wyll out stretche The low from buttockes wyl skyn bloud fetche The meane must nedes shrobin the shoulders stout Of eche stubbern varlet lubber or loute The lowe Iustyce nowe he that wyll reiect Nor his lyfe by rule and compas direct Neglecâ—yng the small he stireth the great The haâ—te of the broome the shoulders â—must beat By which back beatyng yf he wyll not mend The with must hym hang and so hys lyfe end Lo thus may they see that wisely behold The besome hath vses many a folde Besides that for which most men do them kepe Namely theyr kitchâ—ns or houses to swepe For he hath office mens vicâ—s to purge By thre Iustice rules that sharply wyll scurge For who so euer they doo in hand take Either good or dead they wyll hym sure maâ—â— Good if by vertue from vyce they wyll vâ—â—y Dead yf by vyces they doo the contrary ¶ The description declaration of a monstrous chyld borne in the towne of Maydston in the Countie of Rent in the yeare of oure Saluation 1561. the .xxix. daye of September beynge Sayâ—cte Mychaell the Archangels day betwene two thre of the clock in the mornyng SIth monsters as some lerned men declare Doo demonstrate to vs oure monstrous lyfe Repentantly let vs our hartes prepare Synne to aduoyde wherin our fete be ryse For why we walke deuoyde of loue in stryfe And for the most part councell men doo scorne Which moÌ„strous ways cause monsters to be borne Behold those eyes which monstrously strout out Which typeth foorth our boldnes to doo yll And where it hath no forhead without doubt The lacke of shame ryght playnly shew it wyll Suche shameles grace we se frequented styll Whyles we stoutly our naughty ways defend And seme gods word to mocke and reprehend It hath no necke whych may also expresse That lacke of loue doth reigne in euery wyght No paps nor teâ—ts whiche signifieth no lâ—sse But that we doo regard no truth nor ryght To nouryshe vertue few haue nowe delyght But pryde and foolyshe fondeand vayn attyre Of women chiefely nowe is the desyre Such ruffes such rolles such folysh tricks beside More heathenlyke then any Turke doth vse In wycked waies thus bodly do we glyde And holsom counsell most folke do refuse Thus monstrously we walke in great abuse As God by tokens dothe to vs declare That paynfull plagues he doth for vs prepare A hole it hath depe in the head behynd Couered ouer with a fleshy flappe Thus were these partes contrary vnto kynde Which may declare and signify perhap With feigned maners how we do vs wrap Apperyng outwarde honest fayre and gay Corrupted inward with most wycked way The buttockes also ioyned are in one Without a twyst the same for to deuyde Yet some there were that looked it vpon That toke great payne the matter for to hyde Astribyng it to chaunce that myght betyde Vnto the woman whyle she therwith went As hurt or bruse so vayn heads dyd inuent But who that wyll discretely the same vewe Shal fynd that God therin hath wrought his will And their surmyse to be false and vntrue With lies that would our eares and wyt so fyll That we shoulde not repent vs of the yll That caused God therby vs to amend Thys token great before our eyes to sende Presumpteous boldnes in vnshamfast wayes Is termes courage or auâ— aciue But shame to sinne is counted now a dayes Great folyshnes and dollysh dastardy So ryfe so rype is nowe iniquitie That fearful signes must faine be vs to teache That no man els can doe although he preache Let vs therfore haue sufficient regarde To these great workes of God shewed to vs Least death and hell doe shortly vs rewarde For these our sinnes that we committed thus Let learned wits now more at large discusse By these great moÌ„strous tokens what is ment But in the meane space let vs all repent ¶ An exhortation to al preachers of the Gospell that they ought to preache as well in workes as with wordes if they wyll preache profitably namely to the conuertioÌ„ of soules to the truthe THe first mouer from easte to weste That turnes the starâ—y sphere Vnder the whiche the seuerall orbes The wandryng lyghts doe beare By endles turnyng in that course That all men doe perceyue Contrary to their stryuing waye Whiche fâ—w folke can conceaue Twelue thousand tymes hath borne the sonne This endles halle about Beshyning all our hemisphere With beames â–ª most clere and stoute Which cutting crosse our horizon The night away did dryue And froÌ„ this arke by glistryng light Dyd darkenes styll depryue Synce parentes procreation My lyfe did fyrst beginne And nutriment performyng it Tyll that I breth did wynne And yet in this number of dayes I neuer could espie Or on that wyght once fyx my looke Or see hym with myne eye That cary could a good report Vnto his finall graue Whiche in this lyfe dyd not subdue The fleshe when it dyd raue Or could not with a moste sharp byt The heady synnes refrayne Subduyng frayle affections As with a brydle rayne No though he could well prophesis And profitably preache And as a heauenly messenger The gospell purely teache If lyfe and conuersation Doth not therto accorde His labours are abandoned His preaching is adhorde For in bare wordes doth not coÌ„sist The pure sinceritie But perfect works doth chiefly shew The Christian veritie And only wyt in speakyng well Doth shewe his force and myght But wysdome euer is exprest In dealyng iust and ryght Thus wyt can say but wisdoÌ„ doth All thynges godly and iust Wit in good words wisdom in dedes Is knowne and well discust As workes then doe all wordes excede And doyng speache excell Though wit may make a glorious shew Yet wysdom beares the bell How many preachers haue ben staynde That spake eloquently Which wanting wisdom could not work Therwith accordingly Wherfore the wyse philosopher Vnhappy dyd them call Whiche had a wyt and neuer could Attayne wisdom withall For wytte doth serue wisdom to learne In eche reasnable wyght Wherfore they are but beastes who not In wisdoms schole delyght If wysdoms worke then folowe not Oâ— wyâ— what is theffecte To what ende are these goodly wordes If good workes be
hearde The prayse of men whiche they desyre Is only their rewarde But at suche tyme as thou wylt praye Into thy chamber go A faythfull and a contrite harte Prayer must Issue fro And when thou hast closed thy dore And shut out wordly care And vayn thoughtes of this wretched worlde Thy prayer then declare Vnto thy god and father dere Whiche is in secrete still Seing the bothom of eche harte Eche thought eche worke and wyll Whoe will rewarde thee in such wise That it shall well appere That he hath heard thy hartes requeste Moste lyke a father dere But in thy prayer bable not With many wordes and vayne As Heathen men whiche thinke therby their purpose to obteyne It is the harte and not the lyppes Wherby thou mayste aspyre Thy sute to god for to attayne And to haue thy desyre The harte I saye both cleane and pure Must be the very meane For lips doe but prouoke gods wrath Where hartes be founde vncleane For god doth knowe before you speakâ— Your nede and all your lacke And wyll you kepe it you be iuste That nought shall goe to wracke And erre thou praye bethynke thy self Who did the hurt or greue Refrayne thy wrath in continent And louyngly forgeue If thou forgeue not other men Their trespasses and cryme Thinke not that god will thee forgeue Thy faultes at any time Contrariwyse if thou forgeue Suche as did the vnryght God by his promis wyll thee here And shewe the mercy bryght And where thou hast done any hurte It is not worth the whyle To praye before thou make amendes And thy selfe reconcyle But when thou art prepared thus In all pointes as I saye With pure harte in moste humble wyse On this sorte see thou praye Pater noster O Lorde that art our only god And father of vs all In heauen whiche arte resident To thee we crie and call Thy holy and thy blessed name That we may sanctifie Graunt that we may for euer vse The same reuer ently Oh let thy kyngdom downe descende And alwayes vs protecte That we may reigne in peace and ioye Whiche are thyne owne electe Thy worthy wyll let it be done Of worldly wretches here As it in heauen euer is Among thy saintes moste dere Our daily bread geue vs this daye Our bodies to susteyne And to our soules thy blessed worde Thy truthe styll to mainteyne Both for the body and the soule Relieue vs with thy store That we therby may taste thy grace This daye and euer more Our trespasses our great sinnes Redeme and clene forgeue As we forgeue and mercy take On them that doe vs greue O lorde into temptation Aboue our strengthe and powre Doe not leade vs at any tyme Least Sathan vs deuowre But with thy grace defende vs styll Let not thy goodnes cease But from all euylles vs defende Delyuer and release For onely to thee doth belonge The kyngdome very ryght The power and gloryous maiestie For euer so be it ¶ The abridgement of our Christen beleefe written as some suppose into .xii. Articles by the .xii. holy apostels of our sauiour Iesus Chryste THe .xii. Apostelles of Iesus our lorde After their holy preachyng a long tyme And settyng forth of goddes most holy worde Preaching repentaunce from al synne and cryme Yet not withstandinge all their dilygence Mistaking of goddes worde dyd make offence For many heresyes dyd then aryse And mysbeleâ—e in god our lorde aboue By mystakyng and worldely wyt lyke wise Whiche made from true fayth many to remoue For carnall reason walketh styll astray And vnto fayth dothe alwayes disobay These holy preachers therfore thinkinge best In this turmoyle to set order and staye Dyd then deuyse bothe vnto most and least Of true beleefe a breefe and perfect waye That all men might as well the younge as oâ—lde Sone lerne the same and in memory houlde Syth then the holy ghost hath taught vs thus It doth behoue that we dilygently Do learne the same to knowe and to discusse And kepe eche parte therof most faythfull Wherefore the summe of it I wyll reherse As here doth folowe in this kynde of verse Credo in deum patrem I Do beleue with stedfast true intent In God the father which is of all myght Who made heauen earth and al their whole content The nyght the day the darkenes and the lyght And I beleue in Iesus Christ our lorde Hys onely sonne thee uerlastyng worde Which of the holy ghost conceyued was And of the most pure virgyn Mary borne And vnder Ponce Pylat as came to passe Suffred and on the crosse was rente and torne And beyng dead was buryed in the ende And also downe into hell dyd descende And the thirde day accordyng to scripture He rose from death to perfect lyfe agayne And vp to heauen he ascended sure On god the fathers ryght hande to remayne Till at the last he once agayne shall come Both quicke and deade to iudge by rightfull dome I also beleue in the holy ghoste And in the church of chryst catholycall And of the sayntes the communion moste The forgeuenes of myne offences all And this our fleshe shall ryse agayne at last And I beleue eternall lyfe to taste Amen ¶ The songe of prayse and thankesgeuinge of blessed Mary the vyrgyn mother of our lorde and sauiour Iesus Chryst after the salutation of the Angell Gabriell and of Elizabeth mother of blessed Iohn baptist written Luke the j. Chapter Magnificat anima mea My soule truelye Shall magnifye The lorde and hym honour So shall my sprite Ioy and delyghte In god my sauyour Hys eyes he stayd On hys handmayde In poore and lowe degree And kinreds all From henceforth shall Knowe me blessed to be For he whose myght Excelleth ryght Hath exalted my â—ame Doynge to me Great thinges and hye And holy is is name His mercy sure Doth aye endure And doth not wast nor weare In kynredes all Continuall That do hym loue and feare He in his powre Hath at this howre His arme put forth at length The prowde abowght Bringeth to nowght What so their hartes inuenth He putteth downe From their renowme The mighty and the stronge And doth vp set In honour great The meeke that suffer wronge And he doth styll Both fede and fyll All those that hunger payne And doth them good When without foode The ryche empty remayne He hath in minde His mercy kynde His folke to helpe and saue His seruantes well Euen Israell That for his mercy craue As he like wise Dyd once promyse To Abraham before Our fathers olde that fayth dyd holde And their sede euermore Glory and prayse And laude alwayes Vnto the trynitie With one accorde Prayse we the lorde One god and personnes three As hath ben aye And at this daye Continueth as yet And shall extende Worlde without ende For euer so be it Finis ¶ The songe of prayse and thankes geuinge of holy Zachary father of Saynct Iohn baptist beinge restored to
his speche whiche was taken from him at the vision of the angell written Luke the fyrst chap. Benedictus dominus deus BLessed nowe be The almyghtye Lorde God of Israell Hys people whych Visiteth myche Redemynge them full well A myghtye horne Of saluation That hath to vs raysed Euen in the house So ryghteous Of his seruant Dauid As he spake by The mouthes holy Of hys Prophetes ech whan That ay haue bene Among vs sene Sence the worlde first began Which sayde that we Shoulde saued be From our enemyes all Who euer that Hath vs in hate Eyther the greate or small To performe ryghte Hys mercy bryght That he sometyme dyd graunt Our forefathers And remembers Hys holy couenaunt Hys othe once sworne For to performe Vnto our father dere Euen Abraham That when tyme came To vs it myght appere That from our foes We beynge lose And cleane delyuered We myght serue him From tyme to tyme Without all seruyâ—e drede In holynes And ryghteousnes With perfect wayes and pure For euermore Hys face before While our lyfe dayes indure And thou O chylde That art so mylde Shalt be calld the prophet Of the most hyest And hys sonne Chryst To shewe hys glory great The lorde of grace Before hys face Thou chylde shalte go I say For to prepare And eke declare his pure and chosen way To geue knowledge Of this the pledge Of their saluation his peoples synne That they are in The cleane remission Throughe the mercy Tender and free Of god wherby the day Springeth so bright Euen from the hight Doth visyte vs alway From deathes shadowe And darkenes lowe Suche as syt to release their feete eche tyde With light to guide Into the way of peace Glory and prayse And laude alwayes Vnto the Trinitie To the father And the sonne dere And to the ghost holy As hath ben aye And at this day Continueth as yet And shall be styll With right good wyll For euer so â—e it Finis ¶ The songe of prayse and thankes geuyng of holy Simeon at the Circumcisyon of our Lorde Iesu Chryste Luke ij Nunc dimittis THy seruaunt nowe Permyt mayst thowe For to depart O lorde In quiet peace from strife to cease According to thy worde Myne eyes our wealth Thy sauyng health haue sene nowe through thy grace Of thee preparde to be declarde Before all peoples face To be a lyght Styll shyning bryght Guyding the gentylles wel And for to be the great glory Of thy flocke Israell Let eury trybe Glory ascrybe Nowe to the deitye As hath bene is And shall not mysse To be continually Amen ¶ The r. commaundementes of almighty God written in ij tables of stone with y â— finger of God The first table conteyning iiij preceptes concerneth our duety towardes God The second table conteyning the other vjpreceptes concerneth our duetye towardes our neyghbour written in the xx Chapiter of Exodus and in the v. Chapiter Deuteronomium Argument The lyuyng God our onely Lorde That all thinges with his word hath made And as the scripture doth recorde Doth gouerne all in godly trade And knowth how apt man is to stray And all good thynges to disobay Wyth hys fynger for mannes behoue In tables twayne of stone dyd wryte Commaundementes ten hys heart to moue From guyle and wrong to truth and right In godlynes to guyde hys wayes They folow here note what he sayes I Am thy Lorde and God alone From Egypt land that â–ª brought the ryght Beholdyng thy distresse and mone From house of bonde I freede thee quight Wherefore thou shalte I say to thee None other Goddes haue before mee Thou shalt no grauen Image make Nor picture be it greate or smalle Or fygure that thy minde may take In heauen earth or waters all Nor honour them that shalt not thou Nor vnto them ne knele nor bowe For I thy God and onely Lorde A ielouse God am of suche synne And fathers faultes I haue abhorde Vpon their childern and their kynne In kynreds iij. or iiij or mo I vysit them that hate me so Which iustyce yet doth me not stay From mekenes mercy nor from grace Which I extende to them alway My holy lawes that do embrace To thousandes though none can deserue That I commaunde if they obserue The holy name thou shalt not vse Of me thy lord and God in vayne Vnlawfull othes thou shalt refuse Sweare not for false or fylthy gayne The Lorde will thee not holde vngylt Hys name in vayne if take thou wilt Remember that in any wyse the Sabaoth day thou sanctifie Syx dayes thou shalt thee exercise And labour for necessitie The seuenth day the Sabaoth is Of god almyght the lorde of blys Therfore this day beare well in minde No kinde of worke that then thou do Vnto whiche lawe thy sonne I bynde Thy daughter shall it kepe also Thy man thy mayde and eke thy beast In fyne within thy gate thy geast For in syx dayes the lorde created Heauen earthe sea and all of noughte The seuenth day take his rest he dyd Wherfore the lorde that all hath wrought The Sabaoth day dyd sanctifie And blessed it perpetually Thy father and thy mother dere Se that thou reuerently honour Let none ingratitude appere In thee to them but them soccour So in the lande longe shalt thou lyue Whiche thy lorde God to thee shall gyue Thou shalt not kyll note thou it well Also thou shalt no wedlocke breake I say also thou shalt not steale Nor witnes false thou shalt none speake Against thy neyghbours them to wrong But lyue vprightly them amonge And to conclude of this take hede What my lawes chieflye doe requyre Not onely to forbere the dede But also from the heartes desyre Of that thy neighbour doth possesse Of any thyng in more or lesse Particularlye to recite Thy neyghbours house couet thou not Nor yet hys wyfe his heartes delyght Hys man or mayde whych is his lot Hys oxe or asse or ought of hys Couet thou not thynke wel on thys ¶ The prayse of God the father sonne and holye ghost Wrytten in an holy Hymne by the worthy fathers Augustine and Ambrose Te Deum laudamus O God of myghte As it is ryghte We yelde the laâ—de and prayse Wyth one accorde To be the Lorde We knoweledge thee alwayse The earth throughout And all aboute Thy worshyppe doth expresse Thou doest appere A father dere In euerlastyngnesse To thee do call The Angelles all And cry wyth a loude dynne The heauens hye Eternallye And all the powres therin Both Cherubin And Ceraphin Do in thy prayse reioyce And thus alwayes Expresse thy prayse Wyth an incessant voyce Holye holye Thou art holye Lorde God of Sabaoth Thy maiestye And thy glorye Fylles heauen and earth both The gloryous sect Of thyne elect Apostles euery one Thy prayse doth showe All in a rowe And honour thee alone The Prophetes all Do on the call So goodly in their kynde That felow shyppe Doth not let slyppe To kepe thy
estate to tary styll What call ye then the vyle estate As some doo iudge this is the thyng If my superior doo me hate And would me to displeasure bryng And that also without desert If reason may the cause decerne And haue disdeyn for my true heart Wherfore to please I am to lerne Yet is myn heart determind sure If truth and reason take no place Of suche disdeyne to take no cure But wyse men rather wyll imbrace For yf wysedome were noblenes As noble byrthe and ryches is Then should not truth be in dystres And flattrye should of fauor mis. So flattrye and bland eloquence Should as they are be compted vyle And truth should then make none offence Nor vertue reigne in suche exyle Blamd but not shamd the prouerbe is And truth can haue none other wrong So may they hap theyr marke to mys That thinke them selues in falshod stroÌ„g Then hated lo I must reioyce And fonde regarde despyse as vayne Closing my mouth stoppyng my voyce From speache in presence of disdayne ¶ An holsome warning for all men that beare the name of Christians to lyue Christianly O Harke a whyle vnto my style all ye that Christians be that beare that name and doe not frame your liues accordingly Is Fayth in syche As beyng ryche Though they doo Christ professe That euery houre Do Christe deuoure And his poore flocke oppresse For we are all As sayth saynâ— Paule Membres of one body Of Christe Iesu â— round of vertue And of all veritie Then the poore man As proue I can Is Christ his member true As well as he What so he be That ryches doth endue Why should ye then To symple men Beare suche despight and hate Syth they be all In Christ equall With you in all estate Christ his kyngdome Was neuer wonne By wealth or hygh degree All though that here Some doo appere To reygne in dignitie Then let none thynke That Christ wyll shrynke When he shall iudge vs all Of all your wealth So got by stelthe You to accompt to call When yf he fynde Ye were vnkynde To your poore brethern dere Then wyll he say Go from me aye Into eternall fyre When I lackt meate And fayne would eate In sycknes thyrst and coldâ— In all my nede Not one good dede That you to me doo wold Then wyll ye say Wythout delay Lord when dyd we thee see Lacke any foode To doo thee good And dyd it not to thee And he agayne Shall answer playne I truely say to you Ye styll oppreste And muche detest The poore my members true When ye therfore Did them abhorre That â—re of lowe degree To me alone And other none Ye did that iniury Saint Iohn doth proue We can not loue God whom we doe not see If we doe hate Our brethern that Are present to our eye Nowe call for grace Whyle ye haue space Your wycked lyues amende And so procede In worde and dede True Christians to the ende ¶ A short song exhorting all men to abstayne from the vse of false weyghtes and measures MY harte constraines my mouth to tell the dutie of eche worldly wight howe they be taught in the gospell one with other to deale vpright with euen weightes ballance iust so doe we must So doe we must this is no naye Also with measure iust and true Who so doth not at the last day Ryght sore are lyke for it to rue When he shall goe for wante of breath Vnto his death Vnto his death when he must goe With painful panges and torment strong Then is he lyke to suffer wo For that his dealyng false and wrong Suche one is lyke in extreme payne For to remayne For to remayne wo worth the whyle That any man so fond should fare With othes his neighbour to beguyle When he should truly sell his ware O wherfore then dâ—o ye vnwyse Prudence despyse Prudence despyse that should so well Lâ—ade you in Godly wayes and ryght And teache you also how to deale With your neyghbours iustly vpryght For he that to amend denayes Thus the Lorde sayes Thus the Lord sayth very certayn Such measure as ye mete to other Suche measure shall ye haue agayn How then yf you deceyue your brother Thynk you that God wyll forget thys No no Iwys No no Iwys ye may be sure For heauen and earth shall ioyntly saylâ— â–ª But Gods word shall for euer dure In force and strength styll to preuayle All false dealers for to expell Downe in to hell Down in to hell therfore take hedâ— And call for gods grace and mercy Amend your wycked lyues with spede Lamentyng them repentantly God geue vs grace so to intende And there an ende ¶ A Ditie declarynge the sted fast hope and trust that the faythfull afflicted soule hath in Christ Iesu LIke as certain the hart wold faine of the fountain obtain the spring so hath my sprite his whole delight in God almight aboue all thing Myne enmies strong All the daye long To doe me wrong Is their intent Euery howre On me they loure Me to deuoure They doe inuent This doe I see For to myne eye It is truly Alwayes obiect With might and mayne Them selues they strayne My soule to gayne And to infect My soule therfore Doth tremble sore And euermore Doth stande in feare And all the whyle Myne enmies smyle Me to beguyle They not forbeare Therfore I say My sâ—ule alway Reiâ—yce and stay Thy selfe in Christ Though men extold Agaynst thee hold In Christ be bold Them to resyst Who is alyue That dareth stryue Strong dyuels fyue Although they were Thys can I proue O Lorde aboue If thou me loue I nede not feare O God of myght Strengthen my spryte That doth delyght Only in thee O holy Lord Let thy swâ—â—e word Wyth one accord Styll be wyth me O Christ Iesu Ground of vertue Messias true As sayth Scripture To thee I pray Graunt that I may In heauen aye With thee indure ¶ A song shewing that no commoditie is without a discommoditie ¶ Syng this as I am the man whome God c. AS I dyd sytte and muse Once by my selfe alone The wretched state of worldly wights The mind was fixed on Howe no commoditie May here with man indure Without some discommoditie To shewe it selfe vnpure By fyre we haue great ayde In colde vs for to warme Whiche in an houre somtime doth burnâ— Rewarding vs with harme We may lyue certayne dayes Without both drinke and meate But without ayre not one moment The lack would be so great Yet somtyme by his rage We mortall men doe fynde That trees houses and cattell eke Are ouerthrowne with wynde The water who can lack That in this worlde doth byde Yet many one therin is drownde By great aboundyng tyde The earth wheron we dwell And seke great welth to fynde In sekyng to possesse the same With iudgement vayne and blynde When we thynke to possesse This earth that we attende Behold the same possesseth vs
infection How long shall suche consumyng â—ot hes And hatefull caterpyllers Be suffred thus â—o hurt and spyll The fruits of honest iyuers How longe shall they be maynteyned And scape all punyshment Suche theues I mean as gather gold By craftes that they inuent From shyre to shyre from towne to towne And styll from place to place These theues dyd flecte vupunyshed And none dyd them deface The rable rune of ruffyen roges Dyd furnyshe vp the trayne Of such as lyude by robbery Gold to gette or obtaync Of these some cut the poore mans purfe An other dothe conuaye And worse then this they cut mens throtes To gette that wycked pray Some in a bushe would closely lurke For thys most fylthy gaynes And wyth a club most murderously Knocke out the true mans braynes But others in more stoute order In companyes would wayght Of suche as trauayle by the way To make theyr golden bayght Stand sayth the thefe and streyght his maâ—e Sayth Delyuer thy purse Lo thus they snatche that others get Among them to disburs There sawe I also rat catchers And suche as teethe dyd drawe Lyke fugitiues and vagabundes Contrary vnto lawe Cloke ouer many shyftyng mates That lyue by rape and spoyle Among that flocke I you assure They kept a shamefull coyle And many wyth a pedlers packe â–ª To sell bothe pynnes and lace Resorted to eche cockbeld fayre Onely but for a face To make folk thinke they come to sell Where they come but to steale What nede I say how hurtfull these Be to a common weale When some of these were spyde take And before Iustyce brought Then theyr moste wonder was of all What wyckednes gold wrought For golden brybes there myght a man See false theues lette slyp go And where no gold was pickery Enough was them to sio Where golde hare rule wylful murder Was made but chaunce medlye And chaunce â—â—dlye was murder made Where golde was but skantye Thus lyfe death yea yapne and â—ase Hong all on wycked mede For the attaynyng of the same All mens maners agrede For gredyly they gryped it By hooke or crooke eche where And to be brieâ—e none other thyng Authoritie could beare For God nor kyng none dyd regarde In respect of the same And other ende saue onely it Had neyther worke nor game For some there were with testyng tricks That laughter coulde prouoke And golde to gayne wyth thys theyr art They had a ready stroke Some were so vayne to laugh at suche That measure cleane they mys As though they had wyth myrre wyne Dronke Gâ—lothophilis Yea wyse men wold them surely dâ—â—e Cleane gone besyde theyr wyltes If they should see them gape and laugh And gygle so by fyttes Corne lether leade wood and falte hydâ—â—â— By stealthe some dyd conuaye For priuate gayne they brake the lawes To common wealthes decay Suche wayes to wyn and goulde to gayn No othes but they were sworne Thus as they myght the lorde hym selfe Wyth othes was all to torne Some by the foote some by the handes Some by the head and harte Some by hys guts some by hys â—yes Some by his deathe and sinarte Some by the fayth they owe to God Would sweare and falsly lye And some as God should be theyr iudge Dyd vse theyr falshode slye Eche science eke in theyr degree I sawe tosse and turmoyle Falsly to wyn they counterfete In theyr trauayle and toyle True workmanshyp was turnde to slyght Wyth falshode to beguyle The trusty trade eche man refusde For gayne of gold so dyle No man myght at hys â–ª worde be trust For vnder sugred talke Deceyt was ment and subtiltie In falshode thus they walke Eche man to hys inferiouâ— A cruell Cyclops seinde The great the small dyd quite confume Wherfore hell I it deinde With balance false and weyghtes vntrue And measure of lyke cyfe Eche one an other dyd deceaue And truthe all dyd despyse The husbandman and other lyke Dyd benefyces buye Wherby the man should lyue that taught The people faythfully So were the people all vntaught And blyndly were they led Whyche made them irreligious For fayth was from them fled Thus simony and sacrilege And all extortion Was laufull gayn naught came amys That profyte hanged on Wyth colour of symplicitie And fayned holynesse Me thought I sawe muche gold was goâ— Oh wofull wyckednes False wytnes whordome and excesse Were vsde for gayn of golde And fynally all wyckednesse For lucre was extolde Great murder theft and robbery Thys gredy hunger bred Rauyn dysdeyne and periurye For golde was commytted I well percâ—â—â—â—â—â— kynd of folkâ— There were but all were bent To brybeâ— and to vnlaufull gayne Wyth moste wycked intent What shall I say yf I should herâ— Theyr whole deceytes reherse An huge long boke I myght well â—yll Wyth thys my ragged verse If some of them in theyr desyre Theyr gredy wyshe myght haue All that they touche shold turne to gould As Midas once dyd craue Who sterued had because his meate Dyd all to golde conuert If Bacchus had not then wytsaft That sentence to reuert Who taught hym then for remedy Pactolus to washe in Whyche is a streame in Lydia Wyth golden grauell fyne I musyng muche at theyr vsance It caused me to feare Theyr mynds so beastly semde to be That Ciâ—ce had ben there Who â—eygned was that she by craft Of sorcerye coulde change Bothe formes myndes of meÌ„ to beastes Whyche was a matter strange For neuer tygre was more fierce Then some dyd there appere No swyne so fylthy nor so drunke Nor glutton nothyng nere In lechery they passe the Goate And in theyr pompous pryde The Lyon stoute they muche excede And that on euery syde The subtyll foxe the rauenyng wolfe The enuyous serpent The gredy Gryppe the hasty Hounde His game that fayne would hent The cruell beare the foolyshe asse The harmefull mockyng ape The gryffon or the Antilope Or Bygorne that dothe gape The goryng Bull the buttyng rammâ— The scratchyng cat wyth clawe In beastly acâ—es may not compare Wyth those that there I sawe O God quod I what place is thys Is hell more odious My heart in great perplexitie My clamor made I thus Ye Muses nyne my comfort swete Take pitie and drawe nere Coequally by one consent Lette come Arete dere That she thys doubt may me dissolue And that she may me learne Howe I may knowe what place is this And all this folke decerne Of mercy oh my dere delyght Arete I thee calle Approche vnto thy seruant poore Or peryshe els I shall O dulcet dere Arete fayre Thy proâ—ys nowe fulfyll With me made when that I me bound To serue thee at thy wyll Wyth thys me thought a thunder clay Made all the earth to shake That I abâ—sht and muche afrayde Dyd tremble sore and quake Wherwith me thought Arete bryght From heuen dyd descende As swyft as is the arrow flyght The ayre can she rende My seruant dere quod she to me
youth thou hast frequented Euery one shall shewe thee hys erronious waye yet shall none of them defend thee ¶ A Ditie declaryng the risyng and setting of the .xii. sygnes of the zodiake one always opposite and goyng down at the same instant that an other ryseth THe Sygnes do ryse and sette At iust instant of tyme Eche hydyng hym selfe when His opposyt dothe clyme For why the Ramme so soone Appeares not in the east But streyght the balance be Gone downe then in the west The Scorpion rysyng The Bull euen then doth fall When twynnes come the Archeâ— On thother syde the Ball Doth passe from vs and so The Crabbe and Goate lykewyse The Lyon and the Water potte Eche fall when thother ryse The Vyrgin in the east No sooner shewes hir face But in Weste the Fyshes Them hyde and so gyue place Thus in lyke order as One in East dothe appere The Opposite sygne then Abstaynes from tarying here Ne yet can one of them Declare hym selfe so bolde Aboue the Horizon His contrary beholde ¶ A Ditie made to the prayse of God by the Author for a pacient to vse after helth attayned who contrary to all mens expectation was in hys handes by the goodnes of God cured Syng thys as Of Ielousye who so wyll heare O Louyng God and myghty Lorde My maker and my gouernour My mouth and heart shall now accorde Thee to worshyp laude and honour As Moses sung thy laude and prayse When through the red sea he had past And Pharao drownde as Scripture sayes As he pursude thy people fast In many Psalmes as Dauid dyd That kyngly Prophet prayse thy name When out of sorowes he was ryd He sung thy prayses for the same As dyd good kyng Ezechias When thou dydst hym to helth restore Makyng hym whole as earst he was To lyue yet full fyftene yeares more As Ionas brought from poynt of death Hym selfe adressed by and by As soone as he could drawe his breathe Thy holy name to magnify And as thy Prophet Daniell From lyons mouthe delyuered For ioye thy prayse and powre dyd tell And Darius the worshipped So doo I wretched synner nowe Hauyng a cause as great as those In thys case execute my vowe Thy mercyes great Lord to disclose Thou bryngest downe to depth of wo Suche as thou myndest to correct And yet thou doste not leaue them so But doste to knowledge them direct As connyes myne and theyr holes make In bankes where they delyght to brede Lyke order dyd my sycknes take Wythin my fleshe so dyd it fede Tyll at last I was consumed And nothyng left but bone and skynne My synncwes shrunke my veynes were fled Not once possyble to be sene Incredible was my weakenes Consumed cleane wyth peyne and griefe But in greatest of my dystres Thy grace was sent to my reliefe Wherfore whyle breath within my breast May moue I shall thy prayse declare And wyll shewe foorth to most and least Howe swete thy grace and mercies are And howe at nede thou art hand To helpe all that in thee doo trust And makest vs to vnderstand Howe faythfull thou art and how iust My holowe caues are fyllde agayn Those runnyngsores are whole and drye And I in ease ryd out of payne In health and strength ryght perfectly All honour prayse and great glory To thee therfore I styll shall gyue And wyll not put from memory Thy grace and mercyes whyle I lyue But wyll all other folke exhorte By all occasyons as I may To trust in thee to theyr comforte And faythfully moue them to pray All honour therfore I render To thee God that of myght hast most O Father with thy sonne so dere And also to the holy ghost As hath ben is and shal be styll To worlde of worldes for euermore Where angels euer with good wyll Doo prayse thee styll out of theyr stor◠¶ An other Ditie to the same purpose and vse IF any man front wo And payne restorde to ease When griefe is gone hym fro With sycknesse and dysease Haue cause with prayse To laude thy name And shewe the same Wyth thankes always Then I most wretched wyght Of all folke most am bounde To cause bothe daye and nyght Hys prayses to abounde Whyche at thys day Haue had reliefe From all my griefe Wherin I lay My pynyng payne and sore Incomparable was As beastes in payne doo rore So dyd I wretche alas Almoste tyll death Would me haue caught At me he raught To stoppe my breath For as a carkas dead I lay in wo and care I coulde not eate my bread So faynt was I â—nd bare But nowe beholde Howe God my Lorde Hath me restorde A thousand folde For where before his rod I carelesse was and wylde Forgettyng my swete God With all his mercies myld I nowe am taught To prayse hys powre And kepe eche howre The same in thought Thus may we dayly see He scurgeth vs for loue True christians to be His mercie dothe vs moue And euer styll Dothe vs procure Ay to indure To doo hys wyll Wherfore I wyll not cease On earthe here whyle I dwell Hys kyndnes to rehearse And of hys mercyes tell And howe that he When hope was past Yet at the last Restored me All godly men therfore That in hym hope and truste Prayse hym with all honour For he is true and iuste And wyll not mysse To helpe at nede And that wyth spede All that are hys Se that both day and nyght Whether ye worke or rest Ye prayse hym for hys myght All creatures moste and least Whether ye play Lye downe or ryse Styll exercise His prayse alway Whether ye syt or stande Whether ye ryde or go On sea or on the lande What so euer ye doo Whether therfore Ye drynke or eate After your meate And eke before All honour to hym gyue For he vs wrought and made And causeth vs to lyue Eche ereature in his trade And dothe gouerne As shypmayster Dothe guyde and stere His shyppe wyth sterne With all our myght and strength Let vs hym magnifie Whych saueth all at length That loue hym faythfully Wherfore all thyng Wyth hart and voyce In hym reioyce And thys wyse syng Glory to the father God that of myght hath moste And to the sonne so dere And to the holy ghoste As hath ben yâ—re Is and styll shall Be ouer all For euermore Amen ¶ A ditie to be sung of musiciens in the mornyng at theyr lord or masters chamber doore orels where of hym to be heard THe hauning day begins to glare And Lucifer doth shine on hie And saith that Phebus doth prepare To show him selfe immediatly And the most darke tenebrous nyght Is fayne to flee and turne her backe Whyche can in no wyse bbyde the lyght But beares away hir mantle blacke Wherfore in tyme let vs aryse And slouthfulnes doo cleane away Doyng some godly exercyse As seruantes true whyle it is day Let vs in no wyse tyme abuse Whyche is gods creature excellent
to be sold With many mo gaudes then here can be told Forgettyng obedience hatyng Gods lawe And lyue with theyr makes without loue or awe And many oppressors thys day doth reygne That robbe pyll poore men wiues to maynteyn And fearyng least theyr great pride shold be lesse The poore mans cause they wyll neuer redresse To mayntayne theyr wiues that proud are nyse Lewde â—ubbers sometyme doo rebell and ryse A lowie with a lorde wyll proudely checkmate And is not content wyth hys poore estate Agaynst men of honour the person vyle Prowdly presumeth wo worth the whyle Boyes agaynst elders preferment dyd take And at theyr own wyl wold magistrates make For by theyr apparell none can now know The hygh estate from the most poore and low Eche lasse lyke a lady is clothed in sylke That dayly doth go to market with mylke Whych neuer theyr port could yet maynteyn well Vnlesse they were whores their husbands steale Besyde the vndecent maner to see That eche one doth go in others degree Vayne women loue not the men graue and sage But rufflers that rudely â—aue can and rage Whose seruent desyre must always prouyde To set foorth theyr wyues in pompe and in pryde For so that suche women may haue theyr wyll They passe not although theyr husbdaÌ„es doo spyll Such wepe when theyr husbaÌ„ds be sick in dead And turne it to laughter when they be dead Wherfore suche proude women are lyke in hell To be rewarded with proude Iesabell Vnlesse they repent and shortly amend Whyche God gyue them grace yet once to intend That I myght haue cause yet once in my dayes As muche for to wryte to theyr laude and prayse For blessed be they that hold them content With cleane apparell honest and decent And women bearyng of beautie the name Without discrete maners ioynde with the same Salomon dothe them no better allowe Then a gold ryng in the nose of a sowe Therfore let old women honestly lyue And good examples to yong women gyue That one by an others conuersation May learne to leaue theyr abhomination That vertuous dedes in those of the Citie May be example vnto the countrey For they of the countrey euer take hede How they of the citie doo weare theyr wede Therfore I may say and so I say wyll The Citie is fyrst the Author of yll My prayer therfore shal be day and nyght That eche parte may mende and walk here aright That I may report the maydes of my countrey Thankes be to God haue lerned honestye Whyche God graunt me grace to see in my tyme Thus make I an ende of thys symple ryme ¶ The complaynte of a certayne famous town for the death of an honest matron wyfe to one of thinhabitantes of the same wyth an answer to the sayd complayn in fyne a generall prayse of all honest vertuous womeÌ„ FOorth as I went my way of late Whych was of Iune the .xvi. day After my due and wonted rate To set my worke in quyete stay A sodeyne voyce there dyd me fray And muche to muse dyd me constrayne So greuously it dyd complayne Merueylyng then I gan to saye What are you that doo sygh and grone Answere it made without delaye A famous towne dothe make thys monâ— For suche a losse as I haue one I thynke there hath in no place dwelt As Christes members haue well felt And why quod I what is the case What cause haue you thus to complayne Wyth greuous syghes it sayd alas Oh cruell death full of dysdayne Why dydst thou not a whyle refrayn But lyke a scadell vermyne styll Thou takste the good and leavst the yll What gyrlyshe gylls what wanton scoldes In me dothe reigne to my great shame Whom honest men that them beholdes Reporteth in hurt of my fame Suche in his rage Death wyll not tame But modest matrons good and true In all the haste he dothe subdue For of the best the lest of all He hath not taken manerly But snatched hath the principall In all my ioy moste cruelly And turned to calamitie My staye my health and my delyght Whych reigned in that godly wyght She bare suche fauour to the truthe And beneficiall to the poore Hyr goodly traynyng vp of youthe As maydens sobre and demure And honest wyues some be you sure To whom she was a godly lyght And to theyr fete a lanterne bryght Her good constant womanlynes Hir obedience in her duetye Her lemtie and gentylnes Her hate of vice in lyke degree Her better sure I neuer see Her fayth was good her lyfe also Her lyke there are not many â—no She loued truthe and godlyuesse She gaue the hungry meate and drynke She lethed vyce and wyekednes She was without all fault I thynke She holpe the poore and dyd not shrynk She clothed the naked and colde She holpe the sycke many a folde Thus death hath taken hir away That mother was of modestye And none can tell the truthe to saye The losse that I susteyne therby Therfore I may well wepe and cry And say Alas wo worth the tyme That brought to me this wofull cryme Be styll thou towne thus sayd I then Beware and harke what I shall tell Thou maynteâ—nest all wycked men Agaynst the good thou doste rebell Yea suche as preache the Lordes gospell Therfore no doubte come is the day God turnes his face from thee away Syth thou in tyme refusedst grace Thou shalte be left as one confusde Sythe thou doste wyckednes imbrace And godlynes thou hast refusde Before the Lord thou art accusde And he it is that in his wrathe Wyll take away thy frendes by death Therfore leaue of thus death to blame And blame for it thyne owne offence And thyn inhabitantes by name Be of good there I saye to you Though I expresse you not by name For knowne is your indenor true To those that wyll set forth the same So that immortall is your fame Example as ye haue by this Your syster that departed is Whose worthy prayse shall neuer die But like is to indute for euer For why she lyued worthyly And to the ende she did perscuer God graunt vs all so to endeuour That we may liue whyle we be here With God in glory to appere â—â—nen authoris If any maruell that the name Of towne or corps I not reherse Hatefull enuy causde the same Nought els kept them out of my verle Hate therfore here shall haue no cause At any person to disdeyne Let all men flee from enuies clawes Lest she doo them some grefe and peyne ¶ An exhortacion for vertuous men to perciste in vertue and to prayse Christ the authour of vertue to whom be all honour and glory AmeÌ„ Triplex AL vertuous men that vertue loue in vertue still reioyce and for those gifts praise Christ our lorde with one hart minde and voyce with one hart minde and voyce Contra tenor ALl vertuous men that vertue loue in vertue still reioyce and for those