all cyse And arrogant ambition Although they feyne An other veyne They maynteyne superstition And he is well That can excell In vice and fylthynes Suche stryfe to wynne The price of synne Was neuer sene I gesse Fylthy lâ—cur Dothe them procure To parcialytie For worldly gayne They all are fayne To worke iniquitie They prate and pray And well can say To purchas them promotion The worlde to wynne They susteyne synne So vayne is theyr deuotion Flattryng they fleare Eche other in theare To worke theyr wycked mynd They sclandryng sâ—ay Good men eche â—ay As beastes that passe theyr kynd They fâ—yne a face To runne the race As men of Christ elect And yet in dâ—de They doâ— procede Wyth â—yues synfull infect They flatter can With eâ—ery man Where gayne may so be wonne Longer then gayne They not remayne Their freÌ„dshyp streight is done They wyll be meke And humbly crepe Where they no frendshyp beare Tyll theyr purpose They may vp close And theÌ„streight ways they â—care On promyse they No farther stay Then lucre doth extende No fayth nor truthe In age nor youth But falshode all attende Muche they pretende Fautes to amende And doe for common welth Wher in the end They nought intend But priuate gayne and stelth Ca me ca thee This styll we see They wynke at wyckednes None but the poore Doth wrynge therfore And suffer the distres With hartes moste stout They snuffe the snout Lyke swyne y â— smell their swyll With haulty harte And mynde peruarte To worke their wicked wyll Suche they oppresse As in distresse Do wante both helpe and ayde Their cruell myndes As fierce as fyndes By no meanes can be stayde No fayth we see On earth to bee Nor yet iustice or ryght But bearyng out Of falshod stout By office poure and myght Wherfore the day At hande I say Of force muste nedes appere This worlde to burne That thus dothe turne To worse from yere to yere ¶ A meruavlous dreame of the Author Anno. 1561. VVHen in the lyon Phebus had Obteynde the seuententh grade And on the bulles necke Ioue ridyng The twyns for to inuade And Saturne slow had in the Crab Then entred one degree Mars from the waterman regreâ—t The goate agayn to see And Venus by coniunction Wyth Phebus late had lyne By backward course as she returnde In Leone the sygne And Mercury the messenger In May last past was sent By myghty Ioue from out the bull And nowe in vyrgyn went Dyrectly walkyng through that sygne The balance to pervse And in September turne and shew To Phebus all the newes Diana rydyng on the ramme Dyd on her brother looke Wyth tryne aspect as wyth the lyke Dame Venus late she tooke Intollerable was the heate That Titans burnyng beames Gaue on the earth when he put foorth His bryght and shynyng leames Which parching heat had made y e corne Eche where to change hyâ— hewe Whych warning gaue that husbandmen Wyth sythes and sycles newe Should nowe prepare to cut and bynd And in theyr barnes preserue Suche necessary foode as myght For wynters nede well serue What was the cause I leaue to say But sodeynly that nyght Suche tempest rose of wynd and rayne And lyghtenyng in syght With thunder strokes most terrible And hasty stormes of hayle As though God wyth destruction Would then the world assayle When. iii long howres this sturdy storme Had hys continuance It dyd asswage and gan to go In farre other dystance And the deepe nyght approchyng fast From prayre to slepe I fell And suche a dreame to me apperde As strange is for to tell Me thought I stoode vpon a hyll Where I hard by myght see In a lowe playne of all estates A multitude to bee Where euery sort and eche estate Dyd stryue and muche contend The gredy gayn of gold to wyn Theyr hunger had none end So muche to gold theyr loue apeâ—de That nought els myght he founde To wyn or please or to haue fame Or in wealth to abounde There saw I kyngs and rulers great By tyranny to reigne Wheras the great consuinde the small And wysedom dyd disdeyne Theyr subiects when they had opprest By heapyng of muche golde They straight became ambicious Yea arrogant and bolde Theyr own realms could not theÌ„ coÌ„teÌ„t Theyr spendynges to discharge But they must conquere others ryght Dominions to enlarge And so wyth bloudy victory Great terrour and dystresse Of many poore at last by force They others lande posseste Which notwythstandyng of .iii. heyres Was not inherited But was agayne wyth losse and shame Forgone and home rendred And others as ready agayne Wyth lyke them to acquite As they before weare for to wynne And conquere others ryght There sawe I iudges in lyke case Whose mynde dyd whole depende For hym to doo that most wâ—lo geue And plentyfully spende For brybes giftes bare all the sway In matters of the lawe For gayne of golde and for no ryght All matters dyd they drawe All officers I dyd beholde From moste vnto the least Whych without brybes had no regard To any mans request Yea offices were solde and bought And not for vertue gaynde But all for gould thus went the world For gould were all retaynde A foole as sone should haue to doo To rule a common weale As should the wyse vules by mede He dyd his offyce steale Yet some desyre I not denye Of gold was to this ende The glutton gutte of Epicure To fyll full and extende For in some place no dronkard can So ofte yll rule repayre Nor yet frequent the tauerne more Then shryfe Iustyce or Mayre The spectacle of all excesse And mysrule to infect Was sene of them that ought of due Suche vyces to correct The ryche dyd poore men vndermynd To make them trauell sore And yet drue backe beneuolence And wages not the more But rather dyd wythdrawe the due They ought to haue of ryght For pryuate gayue thus waded they Wyth all theyr powre and myght To promyse or to counant made There no man had regarde For gayne of golde all thynges vndyd Theyr doynges well declarde No lease so good had any man Nor bonde so surely made But golde was able to vndoo And vtterly to quade Who had no gold vnable was Hys owne ryght to retayne Ne without gayne no kynde of force Myght permanent remayne Ryght many that good science had Vpryghtly wyth to lyue To tauerne and to typple fell Therto them selues to gyue Estemyng gayne therby to ryse Muche more abundantly Then by the former trade they vsde With lyuyng decently And dyuers artes theyr trade did leaue Wyth hurt of common weale Forstallyng corne and vâ—ctuals all Vyle gayne therby to steale The cobler tynker and the smyth Theyr labour gan to leaue More gold to gayne by phisykes art And therwyth dyd deceaue So leapt foorth Loy the loyterer That no man myght hym let To be a priest or mynister An ydle gayne to get Wyth gold some bought theyr benefice In
great thou doest declare In truthe to teache vs ryght O god of our saluation In the is our delyghte Of all thynges how thou arte the hope It can not be discuste All that on earth or sea remayne In the doe hope and truste Thou gyrded haste thy selfe also With myghty strength and powre And hast the myghty mountaynes setts As they stande at this howre Thou of the sea stillest the waues Their roryng and their rage The madnes of the multitude Thou also canst aswage The outmoste dwellers on this earth Thy signes doe see and feare By the mornyng and euenyng starres Thy prayses doe appeare The earth eke howe thou visitest With good it for to blesse And bryngest plentie on the same We knowledge and confesse For the ryuer of god doth flowe So full of water pure That on the earth plentie of corne For man he doth procure The forowes he doth water so That clotts doe breake in pece Swete drops of rayne doth soften them And causeful great increce The yere thus doth he crowne blesse With plentie and goodnes The clowdes do drop great fatnes down Ingendring plentiousnes The dwellinges in the wyldernes Are fat in lyke maner The little hilles on euery syde Doe plesantly appere The fouldes with shepe y â— vales with corne So ratefie this thing That in thy prayse for very ioye All people laughe and synge ¶ An example howe happye and blessed they are that faythfully feare god out of the Cxii Psalme SVche good historiographers As wryte the dedes of men Of kynges lordes some good some ill That reigned nowe and then As they doe wryte of euell men In rebuke and disprayse That lyuing men may lerne to flee And voyde suche wicked wayes So doe they prayse and muche coÌ„mend Suche men as lyued well The worthy and the noble actes Wherin in they did excell That others they myght so prouoke To folowe in lyke wyse To wynne the spurres of godly fame By vertues exercise So Dauid to prouoke all men To godlynes and grace Doth vse the lyke that all men may The feare of god imbrace In fayth howe that the feare of god All goodnes styll dothe bryng He vsed in an holy Psalme In this wyse for to syng Beatus vir qui timet THe man is blest and happy which Doth feare the Lorde aryght And to kepe his coÌ„mauÌ„dementes Dothe set his whole delyght His streâ—ne or sede vpon the earth With myght shall be increste Thus shall the kynde of faythfull men Eternally be bleste For ryches ioye and plentie great His house shall wynne and gayne His iust dealyng and ryghteousnes For euer shall remayne For to the godly in darknes great lyght there doth aryse Whiche sheweth loue and mercy both In vertuous exercyse A good man sure is merciâ—ull And lendeth where is nede And doth discretly waye his wordeâ— â–ª Before they doe procede And suche a man for no distres From god wyll moue or flee Wherfore his ryghteousnes shall haue Eternall memorie Of ill tyd ynges or heauy newes Suche one is not afrayde His hearte doth stande faste and beleue The lorde to be his ayde His harte I saye is stablyshed And wyll not shrynke vntyll That he vpon his enemies Hath his desire and wyll He from his store abundantlye Disperseth to the poore For righteousnes are all his workes And doynges euer more With honor shall his horne or strengthe Exaited be on hye Whiche when the vngodly beholde They wyll the same enuye Which in their hate shal gnash their teeth And so consume away Thus in their owne luste wycked folke Shall peryshe and decaye ¶ An example of the prayse of God for his omnipotencie out of the Cxiii Psalme KYng Dauid knowyng well Howe vertue dyd excell All other worldly thyng Did chiefly in Gods feare All wyckednes forbeare That may gods anger brynge For god is of suche powre That nothyng at no howre Can hym withstande or byde For he may worke his wyll All mortall men vntyll At euery tyme and tyde Therfore we are al bownde That dwell in this worlde rounde To prayse the lyuing lorde And in that lorde of myght To set our whole delight And in his holy worde Wherfore this noble kyng Studied aboue all thyng His dutie to walke in To syng Gods laude and prayse He maketh no delayes But thus he doth begynne Laudate pueri dominum YE seruantes prayse the lorde And with hartye accorde Se that ye doe the same Loke that ye render store Of prayses euer more Vnto his blessed name His name that we should prayse He is worthy alwayse Euen from the rysing tyme Of the sonne fayre and bryght Vntyll it be in sight That downe he doth inclyne The lorde is hie of myght There is no kynde of wyght That can with hym compare His gloris certainly Aboue the heauens hye Remayne and euer are Who is lyke vnto him Or wyll presume to clymme Where he so hygh doth dwell Yet is this lorde so meke To beholde and take kepe Of earth and heauen well Whoe doth the symple take Out of the myery lake To set them vp agayne He takes out of the dust All that in him doe truste To ryd them from their paine So that he may them sette Among the prynces great By his great powre and myght The prynces all among Whiche gouerne doe the thronge Of people daye and nyght He doth redeme also The woman from hir wo That barayne long hath bene A mother full of blys Of children nowe she is Hir housholde may be sene ¶ An example how Dauid praysed God for his delyueryng of Israell by great miracles out of Egypt Out of the C. xiiii Psalme VVHo so in Exodus wyll reade Shall see what wonders god there wrought From Egypt when as he dyd leade His people and from thence them brought What myracles by Moses hande To Pharao was expressed playne That he therby myght vnderstande No more gods people to restrayne And how God by his mighty powre And stretched arme did bryng them thence And howe the red sâ—a dyd deuoure Kyng Pharao for his recompence And howe God did in wyldernes Prouyde his people drynke and meate So that they lackte in their distres No kynde oâ— thynge to drynke or eate Whiche Dauid bearyng well in mynde Did with a Psalme geue god the prayse And doth therto all good men bynde With godly harte lo thus he sayes In exitu Israel de Egypto FRom Egipte lande when Israell where they loÌ„g tyme weare thraule bonde From among people strange and fell When Iuda gan to scape the honde This Iuda then I saye was made His holy people and his flocke And Israell was in lyke trade Becomde his lordship all the stocke Whiche when the ragyng sea behelde It flâ—d as one should it desire And Iordan â—â— lyke case dyd yelde And backwarde did turne and retyre The mountaynes at the sight of this Could not be styll but skipte lyke ramines The little hylles eke would not mis
But leaped lyke the playing lamines If one myght aske what ayled thee Thou sea that thou dydest so forbeare And Iordan what cause myght there be That draue the backe in suche a feare Ye myghty mountaynes in lyke case Why skipped you lyke rammes I saye Ye little hilles why from your place â—an ye to leape as lammes doe playe All the whole earth it shall behoue When Iacobs God shall be present To tremble shake and muche to moue And in his sight hym reuerent For at his wyll he turned tho The hard rocke in to water clere Conuertyng harde flynte stones also To springyng welles as dyd appere ¶ An example of praier against idolatrous tyraÌ„tes that set vp false worship in the reproche of Gods true worshyp Out of the Cxv. Psalme IF vnto vs poore mortall men No prayse is due of very ryght Howe are they mockte and blynded then How farre are they from perfect sight That to a stocke or dead Image Wil geue such laude as god should haue How vayne is he howe doth he rage That doth Gods glorie so depraue The whiche sinne and most vyle offeÌ„ce Dauid did so abhorre and hate That he a Psalme in Gods defence Compiled hath that eche estate May vnderstande howe farre awrye They wandred be from righteousnes The lyuing God that doe denye By an Image or false lykenes And therfore doth all men exhorte To fearâ— the lorde and in hym truste Whiche is a true and sure comforte To all that in his hope are iust His harpe in hande he therfore tooke And on his knees this noble kyng As it is in the Psalter booke This holy Psalme began to synge Non nobis Domine NOt vnto vs lord not to vs But to thy holy name alwayse For thy mercy truthe done thus Ascribed be all laude and prayse These heathen folke that faythles be Why should they saye to vs in spighte Where is their God let vs hym see In whom these Christians haue delyghte For their false Gods their chiefe best Are nothyng but syluer and goulde The handes of men both most and lest Haue forged them out of the moulde Yet haue they for their idols made Mouthes wherw t they can speak nothing And eyes also wherof the trade Is to be blynde from all seyng Suche eares also in them are wrought As heare nothyng that one can tell And noses whiche are likewyse nought For they with them can nothyng smell Vayne handes haue they and fete also For with their handes they handle not Nor with their feete they can not goe Nor sounde no voyce out of their throte Wherfore suche as doe Idols make Doe their owne workes resemble iust And they also that doe them take For Gods or haue in them their truste Let Israell then in the lorde Set all their truste and confidence And Araons house therto accorde For he is their most sure defence All ye that feare the lorde aright Truste in hym well be not afrayde For he will surely shewe his myght To succoure you and be your ayde The lorde will not forget doubtles But haue vs in his mynde full well The ryghteous houses he wyll bles Of Araon and of Israell Ye that doe feare the lorde therfore Are blessed both the great and small The lorde increase you more and more Both you and eke your children all For sithe ye are his chosen sorte And haue the lord whole in your thought He wyll you blesse with great comforte Both heaueÌ„ earth that made of nought The heauens and the firmament Are his and at his holy wyll But the rounde earth he hath forth lente The sonnes of mortall men vntyll The dead O lorde that are gone hence Can not in graue expresse thy wayes Nor suche as downe are in sylence Can honor thee or geue the prayse But we O lorde that be alyue Thy prayse wyll spreade and ramifye And in our hartes due thankes contryue Vnto thy name eternally ¶ An example of prayer from a repentant harte out of the Cxxx. psalm Sythe in this worlde all men doe fall And none from sinne is free and clere It doth behoue we study all In humblenes for to appere For in this lyfe we dayly see By stoutnes none can wynne nor gayne But rather it in eche degree Doth purchase woe and cruell payne Who is so fonde if he offende To stande hym selfe to iustifie And rather doth not knele and bende Tyll he haue pardon and mercy The noble prynce Dauid therfore Knowyng the frutes of humblenes Did froÌ„ his harte powre forth great store Of teares and contrite gentilnes Because he would all men should lerne The lyke to doe in their great nede He sheweth howe his harte did yerne Tyll he had felte mercy in dede Him selfe prostrating in due wyse For sorowe of his greuous sinne In prayer was his exercise Thus doth his humble sute begynne De profundis clamaui FRom care of harte that caue so depe So hath my soule my sinnes abhorde Repentantly I humbly crepe And call to thee for helpe O lorde O lorde witsafe my voyce to here I thee beseche to bowe thyne eares Suffer my prayer to appere Pourde forth to thee w t piteous teares For if thou wylt for euermore Our wyckednes laye by thy syde Or kepe a note of them in store Oh lorde who then may 〈◊〉 abide Thy mercy lorde then make vs taste Whiche is to thee most naturall That graciously forgeue thou mayste And rayse them whiche by frailtie fall This made me on the lorde to wayte My soule also on hym to byde His promise is without deceyte And from his worde he wyll not slyde My soule hath more earnest delyghte Vpon the lorde to watche and staye Than watchmen whiche wake al y e night And long ryght sore tyll it be daye Let Israell the Lordes electe The iust that godly be and wyse Haue to the lorde their whole respecte For mercy is his exercyse This Israell I saye he shall All wickednes from them expell From sinnes he shall redeme them all Though thei be more then tongue can tel Glory be to our god aboue The father whiche of myght is moste And to the sonne as doth behoue And also to the holy ghoste As it from the beginning was And yet doth to this tyme extende And shall be still as tyme shall pas For euer more worlde without ende ¶ An example that as wel penitent prayer as ioyfull thankes and prayse haue their due tyme and place out of the Cxxxvii Psalme AS eche thinge hath his due tyme herâ— On this earth where we goe So is ther tyme for ioye and glee And eke for care and woe For as we ioye in tyme of welth Praysing the lorde therfore So in the tyme of pensyvnes Of myrth we make no store In one subiecte two contraries Can neuer well agree Both myrth and wo at once in one A strange thyng were to see It would be thought a great madnes In ioye to wayle and
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