ye passed nothing on it but as the Iewes being downed in sinne mocked scorned and murthred the prophetes of God which long before prophecied vnto them their captiuities and vtter destruction so ye laughed and iested at your preachers wordes nothing regarding the threattes of God but contēnyng thē yea increaceīg in your wickednesse ādnowat leyn ght murthering most cruelly the ministers of God And seing wordes of warnyng toke no place with you God for his louing mercie hathe warned you also by monstrous maruailes on the earthe and horrible wonders in thelement to put you beside all maner of excuses What wonderfull monstres haue ther now lately ben borne in Englande What celestial signes most horrible A childe borne besides Oxforde in the yeare M. D. LII with two heades and two partes of two euil shaped bodyes ioyned in one A childe borne at Couentree in the yeare M. D. LV without armes or legges A childe borne at Fulhā by Londō euen now this yeare with a great head euil shaped the armes with bagges hanging out at the Elbowes and heles and fete lame A childe newe borne at Lōdō furthewith speaking as a prophet and mes sager of God An horrible Comete this year besides diuerse eclipses whiche folowe But what were these only bare signes No certaynly they doo and must signifie the great wrathe and indignacion of God Not long after the passion of our saueour Christ whan the Britaines our cōtreymen went about to re couer their libertie and to be despeched of the most cruel seruitude and miserie which the Romaines kept thē in wherein no Britayn was certayn of wife childrē goodes no not of their liues all thigs were so in bōd◅ ge of the cruel Romaynes pleasur ther were of our coūtreymē slayne at one tyme three score ād ten thousaūt mē ād at an other tyme thrittie thousaūt Before which slaughters ther were many wōders sene in Eng lād Thimage of the Idole which the Romaines hade in their tēple called Victorie was turned backe as though she gaue place to thenenies The sea was like blood ymages of mēnes bodyes founde on the sea syde And womē were out of their wittes ād cried destructiō at hāde destructiō at hāde so that the Britaynes were in great hope ād the Romaynes in great feare Before Britayn now called Englād came in to the full power of the Danes kīg Edmūde the sōne of Ethelberte beīg slayne ther were diuerse straūge thinges wherby all men gessed that an alteration of the Realme was towarde but chiefly they gessed the great calamitie by the sodain swelling of the sea without any euidēt cause which so brake in to the lande that it destroyed many townes and people Before that great slaughter of Englishe men and Normādes which was by reason of the warres that were in Normandie betwene king Hēri the furst king of Englāde and Robert Duke of Normandie his brother at which tyme Normandie was ioyned to Englande the ryuer of Trent did not runne one hole daye together but was so emptie that men passed ouer on fote and at that tyme a sowe brought furthe a monstre with the face of a man and a henne a foure foted monstre So that by that that is past ye maye the boldlier diuine of that that is to come The childe by Oxforde what did it betoken but that our one swete head king Edwarde should be taken awaye as he was in dede and that ther should be in his place two headdes diuerse gouernours and a towarde diuision of the people but not all together which so manyfestly folowed that no man can denye it or two people should be knytte together but not in god proporcion nor agrement The childe of Couentrie without the principal membres to helpe and defende the bodye must nedes signifie that the natural body that is the people of Englande shalbe helpeles ready to be troden vnder the fote of euery creature and non to releue or succour it The childe of Fulham what can it signifie but that the natural body of England shalbe weake the chief membres tharmes and legges which is the nobilitie so clogged with chaynes of golde and bagges of money that the hande shall not be hable to drawe out the sweorde nor the heles to spurre the horse to helpe and defende the body that is the commones And as the head of it is the greatest part and greater than it ought to be with to muche superfluitie of that it should not haue wherfore it must pull from the other membres to confort it and lacke of that good proporcion it ought to haue so shall the gouernours and headdes of Englande sucke out the wealth and substaunce of the people the politike body and kepe it bare so that it shall not be hable to helpe it self yet shall the head neuer come to that nature requireth What is to be gathered of the yōg chil de I doo not saie it is true bicause the father was forced onles he wold haue lost his life to r◅cant it but might it not be true Is ther not as muche to be saied for it as for the popes trāsubstāciacion Dothe not Eusebius Pamphili a man of as good credite as Thomas Aquinas Scotus Gratianus and suche other the inuētours and mainteners of transubstanciacion write that a lambe contrary to nature and possibilitie did in plaine wordes before declare the nature and disposicion of Bochorus king of Egipt They that write the cronicles of the Romaines saie that a dogge a serpent and oxen did speake But scripture plainly saieth that Baalams asse a creature vnreasonable without possibilitie to speake did saie to his maister why beatest thou me And Iohn the baptist contrary to the common course of nature lept and reioiced in his mothers wombe whan Christes mother being with childe came to see Elizabeth his mother If men that beleued not the miracles which the gogle ◅ied Roode of Boxley the Idole of walsinghā the bawde of willesdō which euery foole might see to be deceates and open illusions were condemned and burned for heretikes how should they be taken that doo not beleue the manifest workes of God The horible Comete and blasing starre that was sene this yeare greater in Englande than elles wher what elles dothe it betoken but the great displeasure of God and therfore famin pestilēce warres sediciō deathe of princes inuasion of forain naciones destruction of som or many cities and countreies and the alteracion and chaungeing of the state and gouernement For if it be laufull for man to diuine of Goddes wonderfull workes and by the like thinges past coniecture those that be to come why should we not affirme that these plages will folowe Before the great warres made by Xerses against the Grecianes and the ouerthrowing of the hole state of Grece ther was a blasing starre sene of the shape of an hor◅e and an eclipse of the sunne Before the last and vtter destruction of the citie of Ierusalem ther was sene hanging in thelement ouer
the kyng and haue the greatest offices Thus were our countreymen the Britaynes remoued from their king straungers placed in all offices and holdes and at leynght the lande was ouerrunne and possessed of Straungers And the mane of Britayne put awaye and the realme called Englande The Danes after vnderstanding how fertile and pleyntifull England was sought meanes by litle and litle to place themselues in Englande and after a king of DeÌ„marke in his owne persone inuaded EnglaÌ„d in the Northe aÌ„d made woÌ„derfull cruell warres they spared none they burned and wasted Yorkeshire Northumberlande and all places so that the enhabitauntes were forced to sue for peace at the Danes han des Then built they the towne of Dancastre that is the Castle of the Danes and whiles they had peace sent for moo Danes and whan they thought their for ce and power bigge ynough they passed not vpon promyses and leagues that they had made but renued the warres killed burned aÌ„d spoiled in euery place til thei came to Excestre the people and realme was most miserably tormented and made tributarie to them Diuerse of the nobilitie of England vpon light yea no occasiones but only bicause they were thought not to fauour the Danes were taken their nose trilles most villanously slytted their handes cut of â–ª Ah good God who can remembre these thinges without weping Who that feareth thy wrathe lorde will not amâ—…de his life aÌ„d call to thee for mercie What naugh tie nobilitie were that that wolde oppresse the commo nes and afterward be vsed and oppressed them selues by straungers as their predecessours haue ben before tyme What deuillis he CoÌ„mones might that be called that wolde repyne or rebelle against the nobilitie and gentilmen and than to be ouerrunne them selues with priestes and forayners and to be pyned with suche miserie as ye heare that our auncettours were and all bicause the gentilmen and coÌ„mones agred not among them selues Who is a natural Englishe man that will not in tyme forsee and considre the miserie towarde his countreye and him selfe aÌ„d by all meanes seke to let it who is it that caÌ„ hope for quietnesse pea ce healthe pleyntie and such like giftes of God without Goddes fauour and mercie And how is it possible that God should vse mercie with them that beare inwarde hatred and grudge one to an other aÌ„d will vse no merci with others If ye forgeue other meÌ„ their offenses that thei coÌ„mitte agaiÌ„st you saieth Christ your heauenly father will forgeue thoffenses that ye haue coÌ„mitted against him But if ye doo not forgeue other meÌ„ their faultes neither will your father forgeue you your faultes No whilest ye saye the lordes praier aÌ„d be full of raÌ„cour malice hatred aÌ„d eÌ„uie towarde your neighbour ye coÌ„demne your selues and desire Goddes plages and vengeaunce to fall on your selues for ye meane veÌ„geauÌ„ce to your neighbours aÌ„d wishe all euill to fall on them And so it dothe fall on you as ye see by experieÌ„ce of the playes aÌ„d miseries that are aÌ„d shall come to you But from inwarde sedicion and ciuile discorde that briedeth so muche mischief let vs come to outwarde warres and inuasiones made by strauÌ„gers But ye will saye ye haue no warres with any forain prince It is true but shall ye haue none yes yes the tyme is not yet come all is not hatched that is vnder the henne Your winges must be dubbed your fethers must be pulled your coÌ„bes must be cut you must be cleane piked your substaunce shalbe gotten by littel and littell out of your handes by taxes and subsidies by beneuolences and loanes and so froÌ„ a litell to more and froÌ„ more to more and at leynght all the marchauntes goodes to be confiscate in Flaunders by an inquisitioÌ„ and others in England by an opeÌ„ excoÌ„municatioÌ„ And whan ye be ones cleane stripped of your stoare and thus weakened out of courage aÌ„d your harte in your hose as they saie than shall your king returne to his welbeloued wife England with great poÌ„pe aÌ„d power and shall coÌ„pell you in despight of your hartes to reÌ„ dre and deliuer her holly in to his handes Than shall the easter linges vpon hope to recouer their olde and greater priuileges aide him with meÌ„ money and ship pes as allready they haue offred and promised as diuerse credible lettres haue declared ThaÌ„ shall they in uade Englande and shalbe by shiploades if no worse happeÌ„ vnto you caried in to newe Spaine aÌ„d ther not lyue at libertie but bicause ye are a stubburne and vn faithfull generacioÌ„ ye shalbe tyed in chaynes forced to rowe in the galie to digge in the mynes aÌ„d to pike vp the golde in the hotte sande And so with soro we to your soppes your three maÌ„nes song shall be Alas and Weale awaye Than shall ye knowe the pride aÌ„d lorde lynesse of the Spanyardes though for a while til they maie get the ouer hande they crepe and crouche fede men with swete wordes Baso las manos and women with confettes swete wynes pleasaunt pfumes gaye apparail and suche like vayne to yes but whâ—…n they be ones alofte ther is no nacioÌ„ vnder the cope of Christ like theÌ„ in pride crueltie vnmercifulnesse nor so farre froÌ„ all humanitie as the Spanyardes be which thig the realme of Naples the Dukedome of Milane the citie of Siena many partes of Duchelande and the lande of Iulike Cleuelande and Geldre lande can to theyr coste right well testifie And maie it not be thought that the FreÌ„che kìg whaÌ„ he seeth oportunitie wil set in a fote makìg clayme to Englande in the right of the Quene of Scottes as heire to hing HeÌ„ry theight by his eldest syster And maie it not be suspected that the pope to doo the Frenche king a pleasure shall saye the Diuorce betwene king Henry and the dowager was by the canon lawes laufull and shall excommunicate the realme onles they reuoke thacte of parliament wherby the Dyuorce of late was iudged vnlaufull RemeÌ„bre remembre good countrey men and true English hartes the miserie that folowed in our poore countrey vpon the conquest made by thambicious William Duke of NormaÌ„die vpon how small a title he entred aÌ„d how tyraÌ„nously he vsed him self His only colour was a bequest or promise made to him by king Edward brother to Cauntus and Heraldus kinges of England whaÌ„ he was a banished man in Normandie if he should dye without issue as he did At his first en trie he had a great batail with the newe choseÌ„ king of EnglaÌ„d aÌ„d slewe hì aÌ„d tweÌ„tie thousauÌ„t of our couÌ„treye meÌ„ which put suche a feare in all men the Nobilitie the cleargie the LoÌ„doners aÌ„d others the coÌ„mons that it mâ—…de theÌ„sue for peace aÌ„d to geue pledges for their â—…delitie whom he sent in to Normandie At the first he made theÌ„ many fayre promises of peace quietnesse aÌ„d iustice wherwith the folishe foÌ„de people were sone begyleâ—… They thought they had
hade God by the too but they hâ—…de the wolfe yea the deuil by the eares He first fortified the holdes and portes by the sea side aÌ„d in his absence as many times he was forced vpoÌ„ rebelliones in NormaÌ„die to tetourne he made a CouÌ„sail of his owne couÌ„trey meÌ„ aÌ„d made the Bishop of Baâ—…on his brother his lieutenauÌ„t ì EnglaÌ„de But whaÌ„ he was ones satled aÌ„d thought him self strong ynough to kepe the EnglishemeÌ„ vnder thaÌ„ Fare well all faire promises he begìneth to plaie Rex yea the deuil in dedc He spoiled the nobilitie of their goodes aÌ„d possessiones made theÌ„ slaues aÌ„d his owne slaues Lordes and vpoÌ„ the CoÌ„moÌ„s he put woÌ„derfull taxes aÌ„d imposiciones He toke froÌ„ the people their weapones aÌ„d harnesse aÌ„d made a lawe that no maÌ„ should come out of his house after the bel roÌ„g which was at eight of the clo cke but to couer the fire aÌ„d to bedde Wherfore vntill this daie the bel that thaÌ„ ringeth is called Couerfiewe And thaÌ„ he built at NotinghaÌ„ lyncolne yorke aÌ„d hasting aÌ„d set in theÌ„ garisons of NormaÌ„des And not coÌ„tented herewith he executed many wonderfull cruell thiges aÌ„d specially on the nobilitie aÌ„d suche as he sawe to be stowte meÌ„ som he caused to be murthred som their nosetrilles to be slitte and their handes cut of Happie was he that could flie out of the Realme he so spoiled yorke shire aÌ„d durhaÌ„ aÌ„d all the northe ê‘tes that teÌ„ yeares together it laie waste aÌ„d vnhabited He could in nâ—… wise abide the English nobilitie but vtter ly destroied theÌ„ And all this he did by the lawe of the deuil whiche they cal the lawe of armes The good lawes aÌ„d ustomes of EnglaÌ„d he cleane toke awaie and made his owne lustes his lawes aÌ„d put theÌ„ in his owne NormaÌ„de tongue that his freÌ„des might alwaies haue thin terpretacion of theÌ„ and that he might catche the poore EnglishemaÌ„ whaÌ„ it pleased him aÌ„d wolde haue the lawes to be pleaded aÌ„d al thiÌ„ges to be done in FreÌ„ che And he was not takeÌ„ to be the NormaÌ„des freÌ„de nor no gentilman that could not speake frenche And therof cometh the olde ê“uerbe Iacke wold be a geÌ„ tilmaÌ„ but he caÌ„ no freÌ„che He remoued thenglishe bishoppes and placed NormaÌ„des by the aide of the bishop of Rome He pulled downe townes villages and houses and put out the poore people to make him sportiÌ„g places priÌ„cely pleasures forestes ê‘kes aÌ„d chaces O miserable EnglaÌ„de thâ—…t ones thus wast by a tiranne and outwarde enemies plaged But how muche more miserable shalt thou be by the warres that are most certain to come shortly ont hee God be mercifull vnto thee But me thinkes I heare your papistes bishoppes priestes friers and suche like AntichristiaÌ„ moÌ„ stres saie that these plages which haue fallen and shal come to England for they knowe they can not be a voided no they are occasioned aÌ„d holpeÌ„ forewarde by them haue growne for thinges done in king Henry and king Edwardes time for that their abominacion was disclosed their buries and deÌ„nes digged vp their monasteries throweÌ„ downe and the landes diuided aÌ„d solde to the laitie Ah hipocrites Ah subtil wolues ah viperous generacion Whan the foxe preacheth bewa re your geese Wher in scripture do they finde that any suche bely Goddes as they are â–ª should be maiÌ„tened No scriptur wold haue such marchauÌ„tes whipped out of the churche such buiers aÌ„d sellers of meÌ„s soules wo be vnto you hipocrites saieth Christ for ye swalo we vp the houses of the poore and miserable that is that which should be coÌ„uerted to the relief of the poore aÌ„d nedy aÌ„d that vnder preteÌ„se of loÌ„g praiers Wo be vnto you ye masking Mahoundes which goo froÌ„ place to place by sea and by lande to make a nouice of your owne ordre and whan ye haue him ye make him the childe of hel fire two folde more thaÌ„ your selfe I kno we you not saieth Christ awaie froÌ„ me ye workers of iniquitie It is only their God the bely that they seke to serue they nother passe on the God in heauen nor the deuil in hell so they maie haue wherwith to maintene them selues on earthe in their hooredome burgerie pride and al abominacion And this that I saie is not feined nor ymagined but euident in all mennes eies that will not be wilfully blinde Those that be desirous to be rulers in monasteries ab bottes and priours before they come to it they pine them selfe awaie with fasting weare heare and vse the rest of thiÌ„strumeÌ„tes of hipocrisie for a while but whaÌ„ they haue ones caught the fishe they cast for they she we what they be plainly Who so great bely Goddes Who so great hooremongers Wher suche knauerie vsed I am ashamed to tell it In like maner plaie these Chaplaines of honour that seke for bishopriches all sauing one M. doctour WestoÌ„ the coÌ„moÌ„ bull of dissembled virginitie and the boare of olde rusted wido whead who before haÌ„de shewth what he wilbe But as the worlde goeth his plaine dealing hathe not nor wil put hiÌ„ to any afterdeale Wher is suche an hooremoÌ„ger yea worse thaÌ„ an hooremoÌ„ger as this olde hipocrite Paule the fourthe now bishop of Rome Who so great a gluttoÌ„ Who so ê“wde aÌ„d ambicious Who so great a tiraÌ„ne aÌ„d tormeÌ„tour Who so great a warriour And yet before he came to that highe seat of antichrist he wold seme a saint no religioÌ„ nor ordre of hipocrites was strait ynough for him He was a frier a monke a Capuccine an anchorite yea what was he not But ye see the marke these hipocrites sho ote at And I caÌ„ tel thee somwhat of mine owne know lage which maie not be denied for the autor is a man of good credeÌ„ce bothe abrode aÌ„d at home with the gre atest aÌ„d meanest After the begiÌ„niÌ„g of the Quenes rei gne aÌ„d the sodain alteracioÌ„ of all thinges coÌ„trary to othe aÌ„d ê“mise ther came one of mine ordre vnto me as I walked in a gardeiÌ„ aÌ„d weÌ„t about to ê‘suade me to iÌ„cline to the Quenes ê“cediÌ„ges Plaie the wise maÌ„ saieth he aÌ„d doo as I aÌ„d other meÌ„ doo I haue knoweÌ„ thee of loÌ„g time to be a good felowe I warrauÌ„t thee thou shalt recouer thy losse aÌ„d liue in honour if thou wilt be ruled by reason And with that helept vp to clappe me on the sholder for onles he stode on tippe to he could not reache it Tushe saied he thou art a foole If the Turke ruled in EnglaÌ„d I wold frame mi self to liue accordiÌ„g I maie not nor wil tel you his name bicause I hope he wil ones remeÌ„bre hiÌ„self aÌ„d cal to God for grace But to put you somwhat froÌ„ musing I will tel you somwhat In king Henries time whaÌ„ Gardiner was called the beare he was called the ape What saied droÌ„keÌ„ doctour WestoÌ„ in the middes of his cuppes for wine will disclose secretes if it be as well plied