iudge All men knowe that thy mother whan thou wast begoten was an hoore The common voice and fame saieth and the truthe is that albeit one Boner a bare whippe Iacke for lucre of money toke vpon him to be thy father and than to mary thy mother yet thou wast persone Sauages bastarde and of that race come thy Cousins Wimmeslowe thy Archediacon of london a mete eie for suche a grosse head and Wimslowe his brother and a great meany moo notable These thinges be so euident aÌ„d plaine that thou cannest not without blushing denie them neither thou wilt I knowe denie theÌ„ For thou boastest aÌ„d braggest muche that thou comest of gentil blood But thou wilt saye thou hast a bull of dispeÌ„sacion from the pope I require to knowe what time it was graunted Thou saiest whan thou wast at Rome It is euen that I requiered Thou wast in dede at Rome proctour for the princes dowager the Quenes mother in the cause of diuorce betwene King Henry the viij and her Whan thou sawest that no prebendes no ArchediacoÌ„ries no bishoprikes were to be goten by continuing on her parte thou betraiedest her cause and becamest of Counsail with the king O noble counsaillour O seuere and laufull iudge A mete man to sit in condemnacion of so many innocentes yea more mete to stande on the pillarie than in a pulpit to be tied vp in a boare franke than walke in a princes chambre to weare 〈◊〉 Tiburne tippet than a graie amise But what if thou haue no dispensacion What a murtherour art thou of true Englishe men What a tormentour of the people of God How haste thou deceaued the Erles of Oxeforde and Sussex the Lorde Riche the Maires and Sheriffes of London and many other of the nobilitie gentilmen and Commones forceing them to washe their handes in innocentes blood with thee what consciences maie they haue through thee How cannest thousalue their wounded soules But thou wilt saie it maketh no matier The cleargie is faire ridde of a great meany of enemies A dead man can doo no hurt But be thou certain thou wilt be deceâ—…ued What so euer becometh of thy bocherly body I wishe thy soule to be saued Repent therfore in tyme become Paule of Saul Whan the prince of Sebech called Adonisebech cut of the handes and fete of Seuentie kinges and made them lyue by licking vp the cromes that fell Vnder his table he thought those poore maymed men could doo him no hurt but God payed him home For he him self hade his handes and â—…ete cut of and was forced to pike vp cromes vnder the table as he hade forced the other kinges King Abimelech caused his thre score and teÌ„ brethren by the father side to be all killed bicause he might reigne alone he thought all was Cocke and so did they that holpe him to execute so horrible an acte But what did they escape No. God suffred the deuil to make discorde betwene the king and his deare dearlinges and first thei were iustly destroied by their king and after he him self hauing his head broken with a pece of a stone lette fall out of a weake womans handes for shame willed his seruaunt to kill him with a sweorde that it should not be reported a woman hade killed him King Achab and Quene Iesabel thought non should reuenge poore Nabothes deathe but contrary to their expectacion by Goddes iustice dogges slossed and licked vp the blood of them bothe Quene Athalia thought her self sure whan she had killed al the kinges progenie but God serued her with the like sawce she reigned not long but she was killed All the miserie and mischief in the Realme of Naples came by a woman called Quene Ioane a woman of muckle lust who after she hade ben a while maried to a noble gentilman and waxed weary of his worke caused him to be hanged out of an open galerie in the toppe of the house bicause noman should see him and not after the poore theues maner with an halter of hempe but with a rope of golde Wrought with her owne and her sisters Madam Mari malecasta her owne fyngers She triumpheth for a while and after besides an vnspeakeable nombre of pryuie mariages she made foure by daye in a litle space but at leynght God plageth her and she was hanged in that place wher she before hanged her husbande Whan those that conspired the deathe of the two brethren the Admiral and the Protectour hade brought it to passe so as they might robbe the king and spoile the Realme at their pleasure did they at leynght escape scotte free No â–ª Som of them by the iuste iudgement of God were plaged with the like punishemeÌ„t with the same axe vpon the self same blocke and in the same place And the rest hereafter are not vnlike without repentaunce which they shewe not to receaue their rewardes either in them selues or their posteritie O wonderfull workes O iust iudgement of God that hatâ—…th those that doo euil and destroyeth those that worke mischief that abhor reth blood thirstie people and those that haue double hartes and treble tongues But Boner I maye not leaue thee thus Geue me leaue Sauage Boner to dispute this mater of laufull and not laufull a litle more with thee If thou and the rest of the traitours thy CoÌ„paniones should persuade the freÌ„deles Quene of England whoÌ„ ye haue enchauÌ„ted to geue ouer the towne of Calese and Barwike to a straunge prince and contrary to her othe not to diminishe any parte of the rightes of the Crowne and liberties of the people which kinges of England at their Coronacion in tymes past made and which she also made to her subiectes Whan she was crowned before she was a perâ—…it Quene she folowed your counsail and som noble personage sent thider to deliuer the keyes and the de putie and garison did not strike of the messagiers head and set it on the gates but obeyed it and not resisted it wer not thou aÌ„d thi felowes traitours for ê‘suading her so doo hade not she broken her othe and promyse were not that tournay a traitour for doing that he was commaunded Were not the deputie and garison traitours for suffring it to be done Answer What cannest thou saie for thy self and thy folowes Giltie or not giltie Thou standest mewet What not a worde Thou art sure your good will will stande you in as good stede as the dede done Neither doo ye passe though the crowes be fedde with your carion carcases and the deuil with your soules so ye maye leaue behinde you a fame that by your traytourie the laitie of EnglaÌ„d was destroyed and the spiritualtie restored to their pompe and lordly power But before the halter stoppe thy winde Boner let vs knowe what thou canst saye for her Sayest thou princes be not bounden by theyr othes and promisses ynough â—…hat for the rest let them remembre that not loÌ„g agoo their neighbour MoÌ„sieur Ver uin Captain of Boloigne was
other that for a litel while he maie the more liue after his owne lust Where contrarie wise pouertie maketh men to remembre seke and call on God to loue and defende their countreie one to loue an other like brothrē and finally deuiseth and worketh what so euer good is But none maie pille or polle robbe or spoile or doo any mischief saieth thapostle that good maie therof folowe and specially kinges and gouernours of people whom bicause they be ordained to doo good and should doo nothing but well Christ called Benefactours and not Malefactours If they doo it whilest they pretende but meane it not to bring others to heauen they maie be sure to bring them selues to hell The seconde sorte be those that robbe the people in dede yet wolde not haue their doinges knowne They walke in nettes and thinke no mā dothe see thē And of this kinde be those that contrary to all lawes bothe of God and man and contrary to their othe countrefaicte the coine that is ordained to runne betwene mā and mā turning the substa◅ce from golde to copper frō siluer to worse then pewter ād aduaunceing and diminishig the price at their pleasure For in coines all lawes commaunde and equitie will that these foure thinges be obserued and straightly kept First the purenesse of the matier that it be not corrupted or countrefaicted Seconde that it haue the iust weight Thirdly that it be not clipped The last that it be not at the princes will somtyme priced at a more value and somtyme at a lesse For if a prince might doo herein euen what him lusted how might he not lightly spoyle his subiectes of all that they haue or could come by ▪ Which thing the great deuil and cut throte of Englande the papistes God in his Sermon that he made at Paules crosse vpō this Theme now is is the tyme to wake from slepe my brethren for now is our ioie and pom pe more nye than whan we before dissembled to beleue in Christ. Be of good cheare my disciples our trouble is past our ioye i◅ at hande letted not to blustre out In this Sermon to bring the dead innocent and blessed king Edwarde whom for his vertue he hated in hatred of the people for he imputed to him a childe and a warde the lewde and wicked behaueour of his cruell Counsailours and saied he maruailed that the people could suffre so great iniurie to be robbed of their prin ce by altring the coyne from golde to copper and sil uer to leade and to pull it from twelue pence to sixe pence and not rise against the king to redresse their iniurie He sawe that this and suche like iniuries were not tolerable in a prince and wolde haue hade the people doo that against him whom he for his vertue hated which neither for this nor any vice he woldet haue done where as he semed to fauour For at the be ginning to mayntene Boloigne warres which he deui de to pull king Hēries minde frō matiers of religiō or as afterwarde good likely hood appeared to haue hym taken in the warres and caried to the bishop of Rome the same deuil Gardyner was than the chief Counsaillour to haue the money abased to maintene the same And now lately whan he hath broken his chayne deuised Rose mary pence worse than euer any coyne was before as thexperience sheweth they being at leinght cryed to be nothing The thrid sorte of these euil princes be those that clai me all their subiectes good for their owne who allege for them this common sayeng All thinges be the kaisers all thinges be the kinges all thinges be the Princes And as the deuil brought fur the scripture so serue his purpose against Christ so thei abhorring all other partes of scripture that teache them their office or Christen duetie pike out onely a pece that maye mayntene their tyrannye It is thus written saye they in the first boke of kinges This shalbe the right or lawe of the king that shall rule ouer you he will take your sonnes and put them to his charettes and make his horsemen of them and they must runne before his charet and will make him Captaines of them ouer thousaūtes and ouer fifties and will set them to aire his grounde and gather in his haruest and to make instrumentes of warre and cartes And of your daughters he will make him oyntement makers his cokes and bakers And he will take the best of your fieldes and of your olyue trees and geue them to his seruauntes And he will take the tenthe of your sede and of your vines and geue it to his lordes and to his seruauntes And he will take the best of your men seruauntes and women seruauntes and yongm◅ and of your asses and do his worke with them And he will take the tenthe of your shepe and ye shalbe his seruauntes But whan ye shall crie out at that tyme vpon your king which ye shall haue chosen you the lorde will not heare you at that daie This pece of scripture is their clooke but it serueth no more a kinges wicked doinges than that of the wicked sonnes of Eli and the sacrisicers whome men call priestes to take out of mennes pottes what pece them lusted or to take their porcion rawe contrary to Goddes ordinaunce For as in thone place it is called the right or lawe of the king so is it in the other place called the right or lawe of the priestes But in nother of these places it is called the lawe or right that God appoited to kinges or priestes which he set out in other places but suche is they wolde vsurpe ouer the people Nother will this mayntene the purpose that here he speaketh of a king and not of a tyranne for at the first a kinges name was as odious and as muche abhorred as a tyrannes But this was spoken of the prophet Samuel to feare the people that they should not goo about to altre the ordre and policie that God had ordayned which if they did they should fele what a plague it were to haue a king geuen in Goddes furie And if they had onely sought to be ruled by one as partly in this that one alone ruleth a king do the diffre from other gouernours they wolde haue ben content with Samuel alone who as he was appointed by God to rule alone ouer the Israelites so did he exercite and vse his office most vprightly but they wolde nedes haue a galaunt and pompous king one that should ryde out with his trompettes before him a great trope of horsemen before and behinde him his garde all together in silke with their halbeardes about hym and eueri one to fall flatte to the groūde that should mete him as the Gentiles hade who were in dede tyrannes as appeareth by the first called Nemrod who for his rebellion against God and deuourig of Goddes people was called the stowte huntour before or against God And in the same kingdome
Nother of thē lacked wisdome and forsight to see that vnder painted papir muche mischief was hidde Long erperience had taught it the duke being long trained in Princes practices and nature suffred not the other lorde to be vtterly voide of it But bothe of them lacked that courage magnanimitie and fortitude that ought to be in noble men But it might be that they hade it but durst not vttre it partly for that thone was in hope to recouer that he had a time lacked and the other for feare to lose that he hade but chiefly as it maie be gathered bicause they sawe their peeres mouth◅s stopped But let them be sure all will not serue if practicers parte maie take place For suche thinges wold be all together ouerthrowen or not meddled with for at leinght the least let wilbe called to memorie they maie be sure And bicause publike maters of a Realme that concerne all and euery mannes life wife children landes goodes and what so euer can not be tretted vpon by all mē but all must put their trust in a fewe men ought to be wise and circūspecte whō they trust For ther be to many that passe not what become of their neighbours so they maie prospre them selues what become of the hole Realme so their owne families maie stande still He that maketh sute to be a deputie for a multitude semeth to sue for his owne vainglorie or profit Those that sende lettres not to chose this man but to chose suche a man haue in their headdes more than the vniuersal wealthe of all He that bringeth lettres to be preferred meaneth not the benefite of them that he wolde serue He that geueth moneye and maketh great feastes thinketh som other fetche than the seruice of his neighbours He that refuseth or releasseth his ordinarie wages loketh for som greater extraordinarie rewarde He that is alwayes or ofte at prīces platters or in practi cers Palaces cā not long cōtinue the peoples true pro ctour And therfore in Venece as they write none of the Senate and officers vpon payne of his head dare talke pryuily with an other nor take rewardes or fees of any forayn Prince For they are so gelous of the hole state bicause they haue ben so often deceaued by practicers in their owne companies Which lesson all wise men and honest men should learne and by all meanes suspecte princes promises and withstande practicers doinges and not beleue one worde that they saye be it neuer so gentil nor yet their dedes what so euer shyne or pretense of loue they declare Such a realme as Englād is is well gottē how so euer it is gotten But thou that arte a true englishe man seing the fetches ād fal◅ehead of these named and such other ◅s they be loke in tyme to thy selfe and to the state of thy naturall countraye and trust not vnto them though their vse neuer so muche fliering though they sweare neuer so fast though they speake neuer so faire and though they geue thee their hande writing Be thou Pr◅metheus and not Epimetheus Remembre that our countrey man Adam Afterwitte hathe a great while ben the lorde For rewittes foole Be taught therfore in tyme before thou be taken Saye not to late Hade I wist Thou hast sufficient warning God geue thee grace to considre it and vse it AN EXHORTACION or rather a warnyng to the Lordes and Commones of Englande IHARTILY wishe natural englishemen and good countreymen that it had pleased God to haue geuen som cause wherby ye with me and I with you might haue reioyced and not to haue lamented one of vs to an other of our miserie For sorowfull thinges are neither grate to the hearer nor pleasaunt to the teller But as if one should come to his deare frende or good neighbour finding him very so re wounded and did but lament with him ād not went about to helpe him to cure his woundes he should ra ther augment his paynes and increace his sorowe so if in this miserable miserie wherin we and our poore countrey of England stande and yet is not come to the full and ripenesse I should but lament and wayle with you which I can not but doo onles I should shewe my seelf toto vnnatural and vnkynde I should but encreace I thinke your sorowes and paynes but most certaynly I am sure myne owne But as it is a most sure token of deathe whan the sicke man feleth not his disease nor cā tell wher his grief is being asked in what place his payne lyeth so in all Realmes and congregaciones of people whan they doo not fele the common calamities and miseries that are among them it is a most certain and infallible signe that the destruction and thende of it is at hande And therfore geue me leaue I beseche you to open your woundes and to searche the cause of your calamities and than to ministre and powre in to them some holsome bawme and couer them with some comfortable plastre And albeit I doo it not so finely as som others can but boisteously after my rude maner yet I doubt not but by Goddes grace ye shall finde confort or at least perceaue that I haue an earnest desire to see you holpen For I meane your wealthe and healthe as one brother ought of an other that is borne of the same father and mother Ther was neuer great miserie destruction plage or visitacion of God that came on any nacion citie or countrey which as they be in dede so may they iustly be called woundes but be sent of God for sinne and be not sodaynly layed on the people but are before prophecied and declared by the prophetes and ministers of Goddes worde or by some reuelaciones wondres monstres in the earthe or to kens and signes in thelement For God as he is most iust and will not faile to punishe synne so is he most mercifull and will not the deathe of sinners but rather that they should turne to him and lyue And therfore before hande geueth them warning what shall folowe if in tyme they repent not as by the histories of all ages it dothe appeare And none of these admoniciones haue ye lacked countrey men For the preachers and ministers of Goddes worde in the tyme of the godly Iosias king Edwarde the Sixthe preached and prophecied vnto you what miseries and plages should certaynly come to you the foode of Goddes worde to be cleane taken away frō you famyn of the body pestilence warres the losse of your goodes the deflouring and rauishing of your wyues and daughters before your eies the captiuitie of your bodies wyues and children the subuersion of the policie and state of the Realme that a straunge king and straunge people not only in countrey but also in condiciones and maners in respecte of your owne should reigne and rule by force ouer you if ye in tyme repented you not of your wickednesse amended your lyues and called to God for mercie But than
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 tēple a burning sweorde almost the space of a hole yeare In the time of cruel Nero ther was a Comete that continued sixe monethes After that folowed great sedicion and alteracion in thempire and the kingdome of the Iewes marke well was vtterly destroied Before the deathe of our countrey man Constantine the great who was the furst professour of the Gospell of Christ among all themperours and no doubt a special fauourour and promotour of it For he did not prohibite laie men to reade Goddes worde as som princes doo at this tyme but he caused examples of the Bible to be written at his owne charges and sent in to all countreyes ther was a great Comete and afterwarde folowed a wonderfull and cruel warre which who so deliteth in histories maie perceaue Before the dissension and deadly warres that was betwene the brethren of Lotarius themperour sonne of Lodouicus Piu◅ ▪ for the diuision of thinheritaunce whereby suche slaughter grewe in Fraunce that the Frenchemen were neuer after hable to recouer perfitly their force ther were many Cometes sene About the yeare of Christ M. I. ther was an horrible Comete sene and than folowed wonderfull famines and pestilence In the yeare MLXI. before thinuasion of Williā Conquer our in to England and the conquest of the same and in which Heralde king of England with twentie thousaunt true Englishemen in the defense of their countrey against the tiranne were slaine◅ther was sene a wonderfull Comete which euery man thought as in dede it folowed to be muche mischief and thalteracion of the state as herafter ye shall heare A litle before the great warres in Normandie wherof ye haue hearde before ther was sene in Normandie a great Comet and two full mones at one time shyning thone in the easte thother in the west In the yeare MCCXXI whilest the warres were in Asia betwene the christen men and the vnchristen wher vnto king Henry the thrid sent a power of Englishemen vnder therle of Chestre for the maintenaūce wherof the nobilitie furst graū ted the king the wardeship of their children as Polidore writeth before the Christen men lost the citie of Damiata and a great ouerthrowe of them was in Egipt many wonders were sene in diuerse places and also in Englande a very great Comete a wonderfull great earthequake all the wynter horrible thonders which in Englande seldome in Somer be hearde suche great raines and tempestes of windes that it ouerthrewe many houses and the sea drowned mani places which euery man saied betokened the hurt that folowed on christen men In the yeare MCCXLI a little before wales was brought to the subiection of the king of Englande ther appeared in England a terrible Comete by the space of xxx daies In the yeare M. D. XXXI ther was an horrible Comete And what folowed of it The Turke occupied a great parte of Vngarie the kig of Denmarke Christierne inuading his coūtrey with a great armie and so minding to recouer his kingdome was taken and his sonne And why should not ye of England t◅ike that these signes be only or at the least chiefly for you Compare your selues and your liues and doinges with the Iewes or the worst nacion if any can be worse ād see whether ye be not hable to matche them yea to ouermatche them and to droppe vie three for one In what nacion vnder the cope of heauen hathe God shewed greater tokens of his sauour and it so litle set by as in Englande What contempt of him his worde and ministers hathe bē ther What dissimulacion with God what hipocrisie What swearing and soreswearing What traiterye to their countreye What disobedience to the gouernours in good godly and necessary thinges What ready obedience to their rulers in wicked and euil thiges What vnnatural bitcherie vsed betwene the father and daughter brother and sister What abominable hooredome suffred vnpunished yea in many and the chiefest places the greatest hooremongers the impudentest ribauldes the peltingest bribers and the lewdest persones made Iustices of the peace and correctours of vice What railing and reuiling of the worthy pure preachers of Goddes gospell for only rebuking of vice What horrible murdres secret and open not only of priuate persones but also of the most honourable peeres and reuerende ministers of God What bochering and burning of true Englishe christianes yong and olde hole and lame seing and blynde man woman and childe without respecte of age sexe or astate What pillig and polling taking and snatching stealing and robbing not only among the meane sorte but among the greatest Wher is so great hatred and malice so litle loue and charitie as in Englande ▪ I should neuer make an ende if I should tell but that I haue my self sene and knowē muche lesse if I should declare all that other credible persones of their owne knowlage report to be most certain and true But to retourne to the mater Loke well England loke well whether this Comete past and eclipses to come touche the Art thou not all ready plaged with famin Yes and with suche a famin as thou neuer before heardest of It is true ye had darthes in the time of kinges Henry and Edwarde but those were dearthes without nede only they were occasioned by the gredinesse and malice of naughtie men without scarcitie or lacke of thinges ād for lacke of diligēt ouerseing and good gouernement and not by the directe plage of God But these two yeares since kīg Edwardes deathe from the restitucion of your cursed popishe masse ye haue had scarcitie by the directe plage of God The earthe not brought furthe suche plaintie as it customably did before Wher before time the countrey fedde London London contrary wise was and is forced of her former prouision to fede the countreie Wher Dantis◅e ād other the northe east partes were the barnes and garners of corne for they had the prouision of corne for many yeares before hande ād nourished all the lowe partes of Germanie Denmarke Friselande holande Zelande Brabaunt Flanders Hispaine and many other now by reason of their bringing so muche to releue Englande onles a staie be made in time they them selues will perishe of famin Whan were euer thinges so deare in Englande as in this time of the popish masse ād other Idolatrie restored Who euer hearde or redde before that a pounde of beefe was at iiij d. A shepe xx s. A poūde of Candelles at iiij d. A poūde of Buttur at iiij d. ob A poūde of Chese at iiij d. two egges a penie a quarter of wheat lxiiij s. A quartre of malt at l. s. or aboue the people driuen of hongre to grinde accornes for bread meale and to drinke water in stede of ale And what Shall this famin awaie before his walkīg mate and felowe pestilence come No surely without your earnest spedy repentaunce and Goddes exceding miraculous mercie it is not possible for hitherto the one went neuer before but the other cam either arme in arme
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
as his maistership dothe by the masse saieth he that bocher the bishop of LoÌ„doÌ„ wil cut al the geÌ„tilmeÌ„s throtes in EnglaÌ„d if he caÌ„ Thus ye maie see the marcke wherat these hippocrites the papistes shoote They make religioÌ„ aÌ„d Goddes worde nothing elles thaÌ„ a colour to couer their wickednesse aÌ„d to maiÌ„tene their lewdnesse And therfore they wraste and wrythe scripture to serue their purpose and so they haue nede to doo for ther is not one worde in all the scripture for theÌ„ but euery worde against theÌ„ And bicause ye be retourned to their deuociones haue forsaken God aÌ„d his worde aÌ„d cleaue to the pope and his tradiciones aÌ„d maintene suche a sorte of hipocrites dissemblers and open enemies of God aÌ„d the Realme of EnglaÌ„de therfore haue all these plages lighted on you aÌ„d the rest will shortly folowe without faile Loke vpon the xxviij Chap. of deuteronomie wher it is writteÌ„ thus If thou wilt not hearkeÌ„ to the voice of the Lorde thy God to kepe and to doo all his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes aÌ„d his ordinauÌ„ces which I coÌ„â—…auÌ„de the this daie al these curses shal come vpoÌ„ thee aÌ„d ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the tow ne aÌ„d cursed iÌ„ the fielde cursed shal thy basket be and thy stoare Cursed shalbe the frute of thy body aÌ„d the frute of thy lande and the frute of thyne oxen and the flockes of thy shepe The lorde shal sende vpon thee cursing destruction and rebuke to all that thou settest thy hande to and that thou doest vntil he destroie thee and bring thee to naught quickly bicause of the wickednesse of thyne inuenciones and bicause thou hast forsaken me The lorde shall smite thee with mad nesse blyndenesse and dasing of heart Thou shalt be oppressed with wrong and be polled euermore and no man shah succour thee Thou shalt be betrouthed to a wife and an other man shall lie with her Thou shalt builde an house and not dwell therin Thine oxeÌ„ shalbe killed before thine eies and thou shalt not eate therof Thine asse shalbe violently taken from the aÌ„d shall not be restored to the againe Thy shepe shalbe geuen to thine enemies and noman shall rescue theÌ„ The frute of thy lande and all thy labours shall a nacion which thou knowest not eat aÌ„d thou shalt continually suffre violence and be oppressed alwaie so that thou shalt be cleane beside thy self for the sight that thine eies shall see Thou shalt cary muche sede out in to the felde and shalt gather but a litel in for the gresse hoppers shall destroie it All thy trees and frâ—…te of thy lande shalbe marred with blasting The straunger that is among you shall climbe aboue thee on highe aÌ„d thou shalt come downe beneathe alowe Moreouer all these curses shall come vpon thee aÌ„d shal folowe the aÌ„d ouertake the til thou be destroied bicause thou herkenedest not to the voice of the lor de thy God to kepe his coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„tes aÌ„d ordinauÌ„ces which he coÌ„mauÌ„ded the aÌ„d they shalbe vpoÌ„ the as miracles and vpoÌ„ thy sede for euer bicause thou seruedest not the lorde thy God with ioifulnesse aÌ„d with a good heart whan thou hadest abouÌ„dauÌ„ce of al thiÌ„ges therfore thou shalt serue thine enemie which the lorde shal sende vpoÌ„ thee in huÌ„gre and thirst in nakednesse and in nede of all thing and he shall put a yowke of Iron about thy necke til he haue brought the to naught And the lorde shall bring a nacion vpoÌ„ thee a nacion whose tongue thou shalt not vnderstande an harde fauoured nacioÌ„ which shal not regarde the persone of the olde nor haue coÌ„passion on the yong The same shall eat the frute of thy catail and the frute of thy lande til he haue destroied thee and shall leawe thee neither corne wine nor oile neither the increace of thine oxen nor the flockes of thy shepe til he haue brought the to naught And the lorde shall sende vpon the and thy sede great plagues and of long continuaunce euil sickenesses and of long duraunce And it shall come to passe that as the lorde reioiced ouer you to doo you good and to multiplie you euen so he will reioyce ouer you to destroie you aÌ„d to bring you to naught And amoÌ„g these naciones thou shalt finde non ease neither shall the sole of thy foote haue rest But the lorde shal geue the an vnquiet hart aÌ„d dasing eies aÌ„d sorowe of minde c. And in the ende of the xxix Chap. of the same it foloweth Than shall all naciones saie wherfore hathe the lorde done on this facion vnto this lande And men shall saie â–ª bicause they lefte the TestameÌ„t of their fathers which he made with them whan he brought theÌ„ out of the laÌ„de of Egipt For they went aÌ„d serued straunge goddes aÌ„d worshipped the. Goddes which they knowe not and which hade geuen them naught And the wrathe of the lorde waxed hotte against this laÌ„de to bring vpoÌ„ it all the curses that are writteÌ„ iÌ„ this boke c. By this scripture ye are plain ly tolde the vndeniable cause aÌ„d mater wherfore the lorde God threatneth and sendeth plages Reade all the histories of the bible aÌ„d the ê“phecies of the Prophetes aÌ„d ye shal euideÌ„tly see how people aÌ„d nacions haue beÌ„ destroied for mainteniÌ„g of suche Idolaters aÌ„d wicked liuers as the papistes are and wher suche wickednesse hathe beÌ„ vsed as is amoÌ„g you aÌ„d not cor rected as I haue before declared But thow wilt saie what shall we doo to auoide the calamitie aÌ„d miserie that is bothe present and towarde wolde to God thou diddest aske it froÌ„ the botome of thy harte But I feare thou doest dissemble aÌ„d speake it with thy lippes only as thou wast wont WhaÌ„ the great sweat was in England in the tyme of king Edwarde a litle signi ficatioÌ„ of a greater scourge foloweing and many that were mery at dyner were buried in the euenyng som that went at night to slepe lustie were founde in bedde dead in the morning some that went not farre froÌ„ their owne house neuer returned Than as long as the ferueÌ„tnesse of the plage lasted ther was cryeng Peccaui peccaui peccaui I haue synned I haue synÌ„ed I haue siÌ„ned mercie good lorde mercie mercie mercie The ministers of Goddes worde were sought for in eueri corner thei could not rest they might not slepe ye must come to my lorde ye must come to my lady my maister prayeth you to come straight vnto hiÌ„ my maistres must nedes speake with you Come if ye loue God and if ye loue their saluacioÌ„ tarye not For Goddes sake M. Minister saye the sicke folkes tell vs what we shall doo to auoide Godds wrothe Ta ke these bagges paye so muche to suche a man for I deceaued him geue him so muche for I gate it of him by â—…surie I made a craftie bargain with suche a one restore him so muche and desyre him to forgeue me I haue taken bribes of suche a one