christian gentlemā ought to be exercised yet there is none that is more fyte to wythstande thys dropsye nor more becomynge a ryght gentlemā then is liberalitie for it is not one of the vnsurest tokens where by a gentleman is knowen from an other mā Because the waye of liberalite is euel to fynd and there are .ii. wayes of eche syde of it and euerye one of them is muche broader then the way that leadeth vnto lyberalitie is I wyll tel you what lyberalite is and wherin it standeth and what vices be contrarie vnto it Liberalite Liberalite is a vertue whiche standeth in gyuyng in takyng but rather in geuyng In gyuynge to whome it is mete to gyue and to receyue of them of whome it is conuenient to receyue Aristotle in the fyrste boke of hys ethikes confirmeth my sayeng thus Aristotel Liberalis est dare quibus dandum est potius quam vnde accipiendum est accipere c. That is It belongeth rather vnto a liberal man to giue to them to whō he ought to gyue then to receyue of whome he ought to receyue The end of liberalite The ende of liberalitie in philosophie is for honesties sake in the scripture for Goddes sake our neighbours A liberal man sayeth Aristotle wyll gyue so muche and in suche time as is mete and it that he doth he doth gladly and not vnwillyngly But he that gyueth vnto them to whom he ought not to gyue and not for honestye nor for vertues sake but for some other cause he is not to be coūted lyberal A liberall man wyll neuer receyue of them of whome it is not lawfull to receyue Nether is he muche dysposed to craue or begge because he that gyueth receyueth not gladlye Yet shall he receyue of them of whome it is mete that he shoulde receyue And yet he shall not gyue vnto all men that he may haue store to gyue at tyme conueniēt and to whome it is mete The moste parte of the prodigalles receyue of them of whome they oughte not to receyue and for that cause they become couetus For when as by gyuynge they begyn to want their selues they are compelled to laye handes vpō other mennes goodes For they haue a desyre to gyue but they care not wherof nor howe they gyue Couetusnes standeth chieflye in gyuynge of lesse then a man oughte to gyue and in passyng measure in receyuyng So that lyberalitie is set betwene .ii. vices that is prodigalitie couetusnes Thus farre haue I rehersed vnto you the mynde of Aristotle whose learnyng in thys matter is not contrarye vnto Christes learnyng Therfore we maye be the bolder to folowe it The cōmon opinion of diuers gentlemen The cōmon sort of gentlemen thynke them selues very lyberall yf they bestowe vpon dogges xx.li in the yeare the rest of their goodes vpon gentlemen other ryche men though they spend not .iii. farthynges all theyr lyfe vp on one poore ma. The maner of noble mennes houses and gentlemēs houses cōmonly is this Yf a gentleman come to the house whether he be knowen or not knowen yet ether for to receyue suche good chere againe of the strāger or for good fames sake that he maye be called a lyberal gentlemā and a good house keper the maister of the house wyl byd him welcome and make hym good chere But yf any poore mā ether an artificer or a plowmā wolde haue any meate or lodgynge at the gentlemans house excepte he be knowen and lyke to do some pleasure againe it shal be told him thus Thys place is no Inne nor alehouse therfore get you hence As for the ragged beggers yf the dogges haue left any bones slauered breade and noughtye drynke that is Goddes parte and theirs other shal they haue none though not in al gentlemens houses yet into many Thys is also the maner in some great mēnes houses that yf any man come into the hal in a ierken or a sleueles cote he maye not syt downe dyne there wyth sleued men and sleued beastes there But the vssher wyl cōmaunde hym to departe And it is also meruell that any suche poore man may come in at the gate so ar they only hated in the gentlemens houses to whome almoste only liberalitie ought to be shewed Thys cōmonly vsed liberalite in Englande nowe is no true liberalite but rather prodigalitie for it is quyte contrarie both to the liberalitie that God describeth and appointeth and also vnto it that all wyse naturall men haue written of and haue cōmaunded their disciples to occupye Almighty god in the lviii cha of Esay speaketh vnto all Emperores kynges dukes erles lordes knyghtes gentlemen and al other ryche men Frange esurienti panem tuunt c. Esa 58. breake thy bread vnto him that is hongry and brynge into thy house poore wanderyng mē or wayfaring mē or straungers that haue no houses into thy house when as thou shalt se a naked man couer hym and despyse not thy fleshe This cōmaundement of God is cōmonly broken in occupyenge of lyberalitie For the poore men haue not the breade broken nor the herborles are lodged Christe in the newe Testament teacheth vs howe that we shulde exercise occupie lyberalitie after thys maner Luce. 14 When as thou makest a dyner or a supper cal not thy frendes nether thy brethrē nether thy kynsfolkes nether thy ryche neyghbors lest they also byd the agayne and so be rewarded for thy good dede Nay rather when as thou makest a selfe cal poore weyke lame and blynde and thou shalte be blessed because they can make no recompence vnto the but thou shalt be recompēsed in the resurreccion of the ryghteous Nowe what maner of Christianes are ye that exercise your lyberalitie for the moste parte quyte contrarie vnto the ordinaunce of God the father and of his sonne Iesus Christ The prince of this world for whose sake ye occupie your liberalitie vpō the ryche that nede not wyl reward you after hys fashion But the kynge of heauen shall saye vnto you that fede the fatte and the riche only and despyse the poore hongry Mat. 25 I was hōgry and ye haue geuē me no meat I was herborles ye gaue me no lodgyng c. As ye haue not done to these so haue ye not done vnto me go your wayes ye cursed into euerlastynge fyre For the auoydyng of this hote and vnsufferable fyre and that ye maye also kepe honest and honorable houses accordynge vnto your states and vocacions thys is my coūsel Make .iii. kyndes of gesthouses and .iii. dynynge places let one be made for them that are vnclēly or are suspecte to haue ben in places infected a lytle frō your gates other wythout or within let certain standyng messes of meate be daylye prepared accordyng to the rentes of your landes for these poore folke whether they come or no thys can not be loste that ye bestowe vpon these for ye bestowe it vpon
whych behaueth himselfe inordinatly not according vnto the ordināce which he hath receaued of vs. For ye know how ye ought to folowe vs. For we haue not behaued our selues inordinatly amongest you Nether haue I receyued bread of any mā for nothīg but with labor sweate working day and night for this end that I wold not be thargeable vnto any of you Not because that it is not lawful for any of vs but that I might set my self out as an exāple vnto you to folow For whē we were with you this did we cōmaūd you that yf any man wold not labor that the same shulde not eat For we hear that there are some cōuersant amonge you lyuyng inordinatly doyng no worke but doyng curiously Them that are suche we comaūd beseche in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that they workyng with quietnes eat their owne bread Ye that are my brethrē be not wery of well doyng Yf ther be any that obeyeth not our worde certifye me of hym by a letter haue no felowship with hym that he maye be ashamed Hetherto Paule The Lorde Iesus our kyng maister also cōpareth himselfe vnto a man that goeth from home into a far cōtre he cōpareth his disciples christianes vnto suche seruaūtes as haue receiued their maisters substance or power haue euery man their worke and office apointed vnto them Our maisters wordes are these Marci 13. As a man that goeth frō home leaueth his house a hath geuen vnto hys seruauntes power or hys substance and to euery man hys worke c. Yf gentle mē that is to saye Kynges Dukes Erles Lordes Knyghtes Squiers be Christes seruauntes and he hath geuen vnto them any of his power or substance then hath he geuen them also a worke for he hath appointed euery one of hys seruaūtes a worke Yf they haue a worke a vocacion appointed vnto them then thei are not wythout an office then maye they not thinke that they are bound to do nothyng profitable for the rest of the congregacion or politik body that they are of When as Christe shall saye in the daye of iudgement or in the ende of euery mans lyfe gyue accompt of thy stewardship shall the nobilite make no accompt at all Yf gentlemen may be ydle haue no worke nor office appointed them then shall they not nede to make any accompt of their stewardship But they shall gyue accompt of their stewardship therfore they haue some office and work appointed them by the kynge of heauen their Lorde and maister Saint Paule sayeth that we muste al out taking no man be opened before the iugement seat of Christ that euery man may receyue accordyng vnto those thynges that he hath done in hys bodye whether it be good or euel And Christ sayeth that in the daye of iudgement they that haue done good thynges shall go into euerlastynge lyfe they that haue done euel thinges shall go into euerlasting fyre Then they that are idle men and do no good shall neuer enter into the kingdome of heauen but God hath ordened heauen for gentlemen for he wolde that all men shulde be saued therfore they are ordened to do good vnto the common wealth and not to be ydle Some wytty gentleman perchaunce wyll saye we shall not be taken out of the nombre of ryght gentlemen for lack of labour and for idlenes labour we not whē we hunt and hauke is it not labour to daunce he that hunteth longe foloweth ernestly his game and he that daūseth longe laboreth I warrant you and sweateth wyth laboryng he that dyceth and cardeth laboreth earnestly wyth hys mynde thus do we Therfore we are not al together ydle Ye are in dede when ye do these thynges nether vtterly idle nor yet altogether wel occupied your maister which gaue you your lādes goodes wyl not alowe these youre vnthrifty pastymes for a ryght labor because he cōmaūded you neuer to occupye them therfore wyl he saye vnto you that bragge so muche of gentlenes nobilite do nothyng that belongeth therto but hunt hauk dyce carde who required these thinges of your hādes As ye haue not done vnto my congregacion so haue ye not done vnto me But ye haue don no good vnto it therfore ye haue done no good vnto me therfore haue I no place for you in my kyngdome Furthermore haukynge and huntynge dycynge cardyng sweryng of great othes wearyng of costly apparel and buyldyng of costly houses and trimmyng of them wyth costly hangynges are not the offices and laboures properly and seuerally belongyng vnto a noble or gentlemā For Lyons Beares and Wolues hunt for Calues Foules and suche lyke beastes Kytes and Kestrels hauke for chikens goslinges and butterflies As for dycyng and cardynge and abominable swearyng and fyne lutynge and daunsynge and making prety curtesye baudes and brothelles ruffianes and rybaldes pypers and players can do all these thynges as well and do them as ofte as any gentleman in England doth or can do They that thinke that costly apparel doeth make a gentle or noble man may be bothe merely mocked and strongly confuted by a tale whych was tolde me of an honeste man borne and brought vp in Scotlād The tale was of one Ihoan of Low the kynge of Scottes fool Thys symple mā stode in a place where as many lordes other gentlemen cam by but the sely fool nether greted nor put of his hood to any of al the lordes that came by The which thing a certein curtier of the kynges house seyng rebuked the fool sharply bet him a lytle and threatned him that he wolde whyp hym except he wolde grete the nexte lordes that he sawe Poore Iohn sayd that he wolde gladly grete the nexte lordes that he sawe yf the curtier wolde tell hym howe that he myght knowe a Lorde from an other man For he sayd that he knewe not a lorde from an other man Then quod the curtier thou shall knowe lordes by these tokens They weare veluet and haue golde vpon their cappes and about their neckes Well quoth the fool I shal lexe token them as well as I kan And vpon the nexte daye as soone as Iohn cam abrode he sawe a great sort of byshoppes other lordes mules standynge at the court gates trapped with veluet costly trimmed wyth golde wherfore he remembring his lesson that the curtier had taught hym strayght waye as soone as he sawe them he went vnto them and cryed a great whyle to euery one after an other gued daye my lorde gued daye my lorde euen vntyll the Curtier hys scolemaister came oute sawe hym making curtesy and gretynge the mules As soone as the foole sawe hys scoolmaister he said vnto him Am I not a good sun nowe Thou art mad quoth the curtier for these are mules no lordes Why quoth the fool but these weare veluet and gold on their heades The curtier bet the fool and bad
authoritie out of the newe testament to proue that it belongeth vnto the Kinges Dukes Erles Lordes and other noble and gentlemen to exercyse iustice and iugemēt Rom. 13. and to defende the innocent and to ponishe the euell I wyl shew two euident places to proue the same Paule in the .xiii. of the epistle vnto the Roma declareth expressedly that the office of prynces is to defende the innocent to ponyshe the euel His wordes are these They that do well nede not to feare the princes but suche as do euel Wyll thou not be afrayed of the power do it that is good and thou shalt haue prayse of hym For he is goddes seruaunt or officer to thee vnto good But yf thou do it that is euell feare for he beareth not the sworde in inuayne for he is Goddes officer and an angry aduenger vnto hym that dothe euel Peter also in the seconde chapter of hys former Epistle teacheth vs that it is not onely the office of a kynge to defende the good and to ponyshe the euel but that the same is also the office of other rulers and officers vnder hym as ye be His wordes are these Be you obedient vnto euery creature of man for the Lordes sake whether it be the king as moste execellent or dukes or gouerners whyche are appointed by hym for the ponyshment of the euel doers and for the commēdation of weldoers These thynges are they where in chiefly stāde the office dutie of a ryght noble or gentleman all these thynges are al Emperores Kynges Dukes Erles Barons Knyghtes Squyers and all other gentlemen bounde to do But these thynges can they not do wythout great learnyng and knowlege and specially in the holy scripture For howe shall that noble man knowe whether he be kynge duke or erle howe to destroye ydolatrye and fats worshippynge of God and set out the true religion whyche hathe not learned what is ydolatrye what is true religion and wherin the one standeth and wherin the other standeth He that knoweth not both the contraries knoweth not parfytlye one of them Howe shall he be able to iuge and say thys is ryght whyt whych knoweth not blacke Howe shall he knowe what is euell that knoweth not what is good Howe shal he iudge whyche is whyte and whych is blacke that is blynde and can se no colour Howe shall he iuge after the ciuile lawe that neuer knew it Howe shall he iuge after the law of God or man that neuer learned nor knewe any of both Aristotel Quae quisque no uit de ijs vere iudicat eorumque est aequus aestimator Sayeth Aristotel that is euery man iudgeth those thynges truly that he knoweth Therfore wythout great learnyng and namely in the word of God no person cā rightly exercyse the office of kynge or gouerner or of a noble or gentleman When a man of the contre cōmeth to a gentlemā that is his landlorde or to a iustice of peace or to a knight or to a lorde or an erle or a duke or a kynge and accuseth hys neyghbour of blasphemy or heresy for sayeng it that was ones breade cā not be made God Yf the gentleman be ygnoraūt in the scripture to whom thys accuser cōmeth and wote not what is blasphemy but only foloweth that learnynge that he hath receyued of vnlearned preestes false prophetes putteth in pryson the mā accused for thys sayeng and the poore man dyeth in prison in the meane season whyche myght haue lyued yf he had ben out of pryson what shall we saye of thys Iuge is he not a murtherer Thinke ye that on the daye of iudgement whē god shal inquyre why that gentleman kylled or cast in pryson an innocēt thynke ye that yf the gentylman answere I knew no better that God the great iuge which made althing and was neuer made wyll allowe thys excuse I trowe not Thynke ye that the gentlemē of Cambridgeshyre and the Iudges whyche keste Iohn Warde paynter into pryson amongest theues and murderers for sayeng that it was as lawful to set a candle before hys hat as before a paynted ymage shall scape vnponyshed yf they dyd not repent them afterwarde Wyll thys excuse I knewe no better be then allowed in suche as were by the expressed commaūdemēt of God charged to haue parfyt knowlege of the law of God I trowe naye Was it not a greate shame that Iudges whyche wyth a fewe other of that profession wyll are almoste only called learned mē shulde be so ignoraunt in scripture that they kest an innocent into pryson namely whē as a paynter told hys matter so that no scripture learned iudge wolde haue condemned hym to prison but rather wolde haue commended hym That Iuges maye learne herafter to iuge better and to auoyd the shame that the forsayd iuges had and the ponishment that abideth for them except they haue repēted thē selues I wyl reherse the hole storye Ihon warde aboute xx yeares ago made a fayre paynted ymage of S. Christophor where vnto he had ioyned a deuout interpretacion of saint Christophors lyfe and he had set out the ymage very lyuely in a table this set he before him in hys pew in the churche to learne to be a ryght Christophor But with in a moneth that he had set vp hys table certein supersticius people set were candels before the ymage that he had painted trimmed set vp Therfore he beynge offended wyth the supersticion of the people keste downe all the candelles and toke awaye out of the churche hys ymage agayne and caried it home and vntyl he came agayne he left hys hatte in the place where hys ymage was before And when he came agayne to churche one axed hym what he ment to set hys hatte in the place of hys ymage and he answered to se whether any wyll be so mad to worship my hatte as they were to worshyp my ymage Thynke you quoth the Papist to Ward that any man wyl be so mad to worship your hat Ward answered they maye as wel worshyp my hatte as my ymage for the hatter is as holy a mā as I am and hys handworke deserueth as well to haue candelles set vp before it as myne dothe And for thys hys sayeng whē as he was accused therof and cōfessed it he was iuged worthy to haue lyke imprisonmēt wyth theues and murderers Wolde not the knowlege of scripture haue don good seruice vnto these blynde iudges yes a great deale more then .x. queyres of pedlers frenche But perchaunce the great men I meane Kynges Dukes Erles Lordes Knyghtes and other gentlemen wyll saye there are lawyers learned mē enough to do this busynes what yf it be our duetye and office to gyue iudgemēt in suche maters when as we maye do thys parte of our office and dutie by our seruauntes or other why shulde we be combered therwith Do not ye knowe my lordes and masters that ther is none of you all that
is so symple in degre or of so smale lyuynge but there cōmeth oft tymes some matters to be iudged by you when as nether learned seruaūt nether any lawyer is at hande who is so single a gentleman but he hath some tenātes who hath any tenantes that ar so quiet but that at some tyme they fall out one wyth an other Ther is no gentleman that hath so smale a lordshyp but he muste sometyme be a iuge in suche maters as learning is to be requyred in Can he at al tymes haue hys lawyer or other learned man by hym or wyl hys lādes that is but a poore gentlemā hath many chyldren be able to fynde a lawyer or learned man at hande at all tymes who is so simple a gentle man but that he is sometyme called to be a cōmissioner in one mater or other Muste a gentlemā with shame brynge hys learned man or lawyer wyth hym to the reste of the cōmissioners when as the mater oughte not to be disclosed to any but only to the cōmissioners alone At Assises sessions both in matters of lādes good and of lyfe and death who are more cōmonly chosen yf the mater be any thynge weyghtye to be iudges in suche maters thē gentlemē when as the gentleman is kept fast in a housewith his felowes is it not to late then to sende for hys learned man or his lawyer there No kynde of men ought so muche to be of the kynges counsell as gentlemen both ought to be and are also Shall the gentleman beyng a counseller be suffered to brynge hys learned mā or lawyer into the counsel chamber with hym Gentlemen muste oft tymes go to the parlament and there they muste intreate of matters concerning the glory of God and the cōmon wealth and somtyme maters of heritages and of landes and goodes are intreated there Sometyme men are appeched of heresye somtime of treason so that they that are of the parlament are both coūsellers and iudges Shall the vnlearned gentlemen iudges and counsellers in the parlament house be suffered to bring in with them thyther their lawyers learned men But what yf a Kynge or a Duke or any other gentleman had alwayes a learned man by hym and myght cary hym to all these places aboue named Howe shall the vnlearned Kynge duke lorde or any other gentlemā yf he be vnlearned hymselfe be able to iudge whether he that he hyreth for hys learned man be learned in all suche thynges as he shal be axed counsel of or no or whether he be but a bragger of learnyng or a learned man in dede And though he be learned in dede how can the vnlearned gentilmā knowe whether hys learned man iudged after hys learnyng or no and whether he geueth good counsel or yl or geueth true iugement or false when as he that is vnlearned can not tel whether hys learned mā do after hys knowlege or no or for a brybe or for hys frendes pleasure gyueth euel counsel or false iugemēt Yf a mā were blynd and when he heareth men go by hym and inquired of them that go by whether there be any man that wyll be hys gyde for halfe of that whych they two can get wyth beggynge or no. There cōmeth one to hym offereth hym selfe to be hys gyde and he taketh hym Now how can the blynde man tel whether hys gyde be blynde or no And yf he do knowe that hys gyde can se howe shal the blynde mā knowe whether hys gyde leadeth hym the ryght waye or no or what not the blynde man when he byddeth hys gyde lead him into the church whether he leadeth hym vnto the galowes or no I aske one of the flatterynge Cyphers whiche call prynces yonge lordes and other yonge gentlemen from theyr bokes to haukyng and huntynge suche other ydle pastymes sayeng to their maisters what nede ye to studye ye haue landes and heritage enough ye nede not at al to studye except ye intend to be scolemaisters or a man of lawe or preestes Maister Cypher yf youre maister commaunded you to ryde frō London to Cābrige in the myddes of wynter whether had ye leuer ryde blyndefelde thorowe bushes and bryers thorow thycke thynne folowyng an other mā whych leadeth thy horse by the brydle or thou had leuer ryde bare faced and seyng that thou myght chuse the waye thy selfe Yf thou had leuer chuse thy waye thy selfe then to be led blyndefelde thorowe a foule waye euen by hym that thou trustest beste and knoweth the way beste in al thy maisters house What kyn a dissemblynge vnkynd beste arte thou whyche for feare onely of falyng in a poole or rentynge of thy face a lytle had rather se thy waye thyne owne selfe then to be led by a gyde be he neuer so perfyt and yet wyll counsell thy maister to go blyndfelde with vncertayne and vnknowē gydes thorow suche matters as yf he hit not vpon the ryght waye shal be in ieopardye of lesyng both hys body goodes and heritage yea and hys soule to Let al noble mē beware of suche noughty counsel lest they fal into an hole palsey that is a waryng of al mouyng felyng which can not be holpen with any mans physik yf it be ones olde The remedy to auoyd this perillus foule disease is whilse it is but yet in the begynnyng for gentlemen to go earnestly vnto their bookes to saye to suche talewanyng talkers these wordes auaunt idle and vnlearned best because thou arte vnlearned thy selfe and arte nether borne to beare rule in the common wealth nether haste learnyng nor wytte to receyue learninge thou wold haue me to be suche an asse as thou arte Yf ye vse this medecine I warrand you that ye shal neuer cōe into the daunger of the forsayd perilus disease But of this disease I wil speake more largely herafter This false opiniō that a kynge or a noble mā nede not to be learned his own selfe so he that haue lerned officers is contrary both vnto the ordinaunce of nature to the auncient philosophers learning to the holy scripture and to the exāples lyfe bothe of alwyse heathen kynges and of godly and religious kynges whyche are cōmended by holy scripture The same are also enemies vnto the cōmōwealth and the honor of the realme that they are of as I shall proue at large here after Thys can no man denye but that nature hath ordened in all lyuynge beastes byrdes and fyshes that part whych gouerneth and ruleth al the reste of the bodye shulde haue moste knowlege and manifest wyttes senses Nature hath ordeyned that the heade shulde gouerne and rule al other partes of the bodye therfore where as she hath geuen vnto al the reste of the body but one sense or wytte that is to were touching or felyng she hathe geuen vnto the Kynge of the bodye the heade euen of brute beastes al the .v. Wittes that is hearinge seyng taistyng smellyng
saintes in purgatory in the iustificacion of workes in the nombre of the Sacramentes in the ceremonies of the Church or in defendyng of the real presence of Christes body in the Sacrament or in what other articles he erred in Because he dyd not tel in what pointes he erred in it may chaunce that he is fallē into the same errores againe as we se certaine of hys secte which had forsworne in the two last kynges dayes diuers errores and had subscribed to the cōtrary and nowe afreshe are fallen into the same errores agayne Yf that master Gardiner alowe his doctrine styl of kyng Henries mariage let hym set forth the same doctrine in Englyshe at large because the cōmō people may learne some holsome doctrine of it euen as he or at the leste some of his haue handeled maister Barlowe which wrote a noughtye and a false lyeng boke compelled by feare to do so But yf he wyll not set out hys booke in Englyshe both because he knoweth in hys conscience that it is a false boke and an heretical boke and therfore wyll not knowlege it now to be his boke because he was compelled by feare to wryte against the open truthe he or at the leste some of hys popyshe prentises is very vncharitable vniust vnto maister Barlowe whych hādeleth hym otherwyse then he wolde or wyll be handeled hym selfe Yf that men wemen that are so maryed vnto certein men that they wyl not examin theyr doctrine but take it to be the veri truthe what so euer they saye wold stande to the iudgement of the holy scripture I shulde easely condemne them for theyr so doynge and proue that they dyd playne contrary vnto the mynde of the holy ghost But because they care not for scripture I wyll let them alone and talke a lytle with you my lordes and masters that are indifferent men and haue not sworen to holde wyth the wordes of any one scole maister Saint Iohn in the .iiii. chapter sayeth 1. Io. 4. Ne cui vis spiritui credatis sed probate spiritus an ex Deosint Beleue not euery spirite but trye the spirites whether they be of God or no but they beleue all spirits that holde wyth the messe purgatory holy water holy bread inuocation of saintes and such lyke ordinaunces of man and trye not whether they be of God or no and yf they wolde trye the spretes shuld they not trye them wyth the worde of God Haue they knowlege in the worde of God they confesse they haue none at all but they saye that it is enoughe for them to trye all doctrine wyth theyr fathers fayth and other of theyr olde ancetores with the authorite of the catholyke churche What yf some of theyr forfathers or els of theyr mothers wythin these fewe hundreth yeares were heathen men or heathē wemē shall it be mete for them to iudge all doctrines by theyr fathers fayth Whych of theyr fathers or mothers was not a Papist Shall men iudge ryghtly matters of religion by the fayth of papistes What yf theyr fathers haue erred shall we be compelled to folowe theyr fathers errors that were great pytie What yf some of theyr fathers bylded Abbayes to fynde a sorte of ydle monkes in and founded chantre prestes to synge for soules in purgatory What yf some of theyr fathers put downe abbayes and chantres howe shall they iudge here who dyd better and whome they and we ought to folowe Yf some of theyr fathers helde thys opinion that it was lawfull to put awaye theyr lawfull wyues to cleue to hores as some of them can not denye but that theyr fathers haue both so beleued and also so done Was thys a good beleue I thynke that they theyr selues will saye that the beleue was nought Shall it be then mete to examine al doctrines wyth theyr fathers fayth and theyr ancetores beleue Yf any of the ydle and vnscripture learned traditioners for so muste we call them because we maye call no man now a Papist do holde that it is not requyred that a Kynge or a Quene or any ruler shulde be well learned in the scripture because all matters and controuersies of religion oughte to be tryed by the authoritie of the catholyke churche meanynge therby the common consent of almoste al the byshoppes prelates and vniuersities in all the west parte of Europa and the determinacions of generall counselles I answere yf we shulde folowe the iugement of thys catholyke church then shulde we boldly pronoūce that the mariage betwene kyng Henry the eyght and his fyrst wife Quene Katherine was not lawfull For the moste principall parte of the catholyke churche of our tyme as it is taken that is the moste parte most notable vniuersities of thys part of the world and the moste part of learned men and all the Byshoppes of the churche of Englande sauynge one condemned the mariage betwene kynge Henry the eyght and lady Katherine thys Quenes mother I haue enowe to beare me wytnes that it is true that I saye Cuthbert Steuen Sāpson besyde Cuthbert nowe byshop of Durram Steuen byshop of Wynchester Samson nowe byshop of Couentre But yf these forsayd Vniuersities and byshoppes of Englande had ben corrupted for money as scolares are poore and sometyme graunt it that ought not to be graūted for mony namely suche where as that Pope beareth rule and these .iii. fornamed byshoppes as some other lawyers do as they be had sold theyr tonges and handwrytynges for mony and promotion and for theyr princes fauour Yet the olde Canones and generall counselles are not so to be suspected of corrupcion as paraduenture some of these forsaid byshoppes be heare therfore what the olde Canones and counselles iudge of thys matter Thys that I wyll allege is wrytten in the seconde parte of the decrees the .xxvii. cause seconde questiō Cap. Si quis disponsauerit sibi aliquam praeueniente mortis articulo eam cognoscere non potuerit frater eius non potest eam ducere in vxorem That is yf any man be handfaste or betrouthed vnto a woman and he beynge preuēted wyth death could not haue carnall copulaciō wyth her hys brother maye not mary her Gregory the bysshop of Rome also speaketh thus of thys matter in the same place as he is alleged Nulli christiano licet de sua consanguinitate vel quā cognatu suus habuit in matrimonium assumere It is not lawfull for any christen man to mary any of hys owne kyn or her that hys kynsman hath had The same Gregory sayeth also these wordes in the same place Si quir vxorem desponsauerit c. Yf any mā betrouthe or be handfast vnto a wyfe or gyue earnest vnto her and he beyng taken awaye by death before so can not mary her none of thys mānes kyn may take her afterwardes to wyfe Iulianus also byshoppe of Rome as he is alleged in the same place hath the same sentence and
shamefully many hundreth yeres and no maÌ„ is able to defende the contrarye I do perceyue that some of you are indiffereÌ„t and are not maryed vnto one kynde of men more then another wherfore ye maye in these controuersies be the more indiffereÌ„t iudges But I hear saye that there is an other sorte of the nobilite that are so partial in these maters that are nowe in controuersie that what so euer reason or scripture be brought of the other parte that they fauour not they wil not beleue it but yet wythout any reason or scripture or any other sufficient profe or trial of theyr doctrine embrace and gladly receyue all suche doctrine and tradicions as theyr chosen prophetes teache them whome they fauour and fantasye The same affectionate people whyche truste so in these men wythout any trial of theyr doctrine whether it be good or bad are so tender ouer theyr owne bodyes that they wyll nether eare any meate nor drynke any drinke though theyr cokes and butlers be neuer founde fautye in theyr offices in al theyr liues except there be an assay takeÌ„ of their meat and drynke before Yea I heare say that some dare not eate of the meat that is dressed of theyr coÌ„moÌ„ cookes in the coÌ„mon kytchens be the cokes neuer so honest men and these wyll neither truste their cookes nor assayers and therfore eate no meate but suche as is dressed of their maidens in theyr owne presence in theyr owne secrete chambers Wolde to God these loued their soules so wel the soules of all them that are vnder their gouermeÌ„t as they do their owne natural bodyes As the meat of the bodye yf it be good fedeth and norysheth the body and saueth it froÌ„ peryshynge and yf it be poysoned it kylleth the bodye euen so the doctrine or preachynge whych is the food of the soule yf it be good saueth the soule so yf it be noughty and false it poysoneth and kylleth the soule Is it theÌ„ godly wysedome to se and trye it which goeth into their bodies wyth theyr owne eyes to be good holsome before they receyue it and to receyue of their olde gostly cokes what so euer they dresse for them vnsene vntasted and vnassayed Though their bodely cokes haue serued them neuer so longe they wyl take nothyng that is dressed of them except they se it wyth theyr owne eyes assayde whye truste they then their spirituall cookes so well that wythout any further assay or trial receyue into theyr soules what so euer meate they dresse for them gyue them Perchance they wyl say that seculare and maried cookes hauing wyues and chyldren may easely for a brybe be brought to poysone their masters and maistresses but spiritual and vnmaryed men are more to be trusted in their spiritual cookery because they are wyuelesse and nede not to be compelled vnto poysenynge for lacke of lyuinges because they haue enoughe and also by touchyng dayly the body bloud of Christ are holyer then the worldly cookes are and so halowed wyth the holy oyle wherwyth they were anoynted in the tyme of their consecracion that they can not kyll vs with poysoned meate as the secular may easely do And therfore what so euer our spirituall cookes sende vs that is good and holsome that wyl we receyue wythout any further tryal We knowe them and trust them so well To whom I answere that not only forein stories but also that our owne cronicles beare wytnes that these spirituall wyueles cookes for all their touchynge of their Christes bodye dayly and for all theyr holye oyntment haue euen bodely poysoned not onely kynges and princes but also dyuers other honest men besydes that I can proue that spiritually they haue poysoned many thousandes In the cytie of Berna iiii freres poysoned a tayler wyth the poysoned bread of the sacrameÌ„t in our dayes the same were burnt for their labor A spiritual wiueles cooke a black monke wel anointed poysoned kinge Iohn as our stories beare wytnes We reade in dyuers stories the monkes other wyueles anointed cookes poysoned not only Emperors kynges but also poysoned the sacramentall bread whyche they toke for their Lord their God TheÌ„ euen wyueles spiritual cookes wyll poysone kynges quenes wheÌ„ as they ar not aferd to poyson their God him selfe Thus far haue I spoken of bodely poyson But as touching spiritual poison that is to say concernyng marring of mens mindes with false doctrine the coÌ„ningest beste betrusted cooke that they haue nowe at this tyme who rueleth the roste alone hathe ether serued out poyson vnto kynge Henry the .viii. to al Europa or els Quene Mary is a bastard yf false doctrine be poyson of the soule she be a bastarde that is borne out of lawfull matrimony Steuen Gardiner an vnder cooke in the Cardinal Wolfe Wolsey hys house and afterwardes alowed of kynge Henry the eyght to be a maister cooke and hys principall cooke for a loÌ„ge tyme râ—led the roste in the kynges house as boldly as saucely as hys maister dyd before hym as the blowe vpon his cheke that my Lorde of Warwyke gaue hym maye beare wytnes But wheÌ„ as thys cooke shoulde serue out a dyshe of obedience vnto the kynge and vnto all the West churche he poudered it wyth suche poyson that he made the kynge an hore master our Quenes mother an hore oure Quene Mary a bastard Is it good trustyng of suche a wyueles anoynted cooke Are not then wyueles cookes as muche to be suspected of spiritual poyson as other cookes are to be suspected of bodely poyson Yea a great deale more For your bodely cookes were neuer taken wyth any suche offece for yf they had ben taken therwith they shoulde haue bene streyghtwaye hanged or scalded to death for their labour Thys cooke for all hys poysoned seruice is so trusted nowe that he is made Chancelor of England and presideÌ„t of all the counsell But lest any maÌ„ should denye that theyr maister cooke S. Garde dyd euer any suche thing I wyll brynge hys owne wordes wherin he confesseth opeÌ„ly to al the worlde hys dede and as yet I for my parte haue neuer herd nor red that he repeÌ„ted him of his so doyng Hys wordes are these The Leuiticall coÌ„maundementes of the forbydden and vnnaturall horyshe matrimonies pertaynyng vnto the chastitie and clenenes of matrimonye wherin the hole felowship of mannes lyfe is conteined and the beginnyng of encrease of issue standeth haue alwayes so ben takeÌ„ as fyrst to be geueÌ„ in dede vnto the Iewes because they were expounded to set clerely forth the lawe of nature and therfore shoulde alwayes perteyne vnto all kyndes of men Wherein doutles both the voyce of nature the coÌ„maundement of God agreing together forbad it that was contrarye vnto the condicion of bothe But amongest these when as the coÌ„maundement of not mariyng the brothers wyfe is also conteyned what other thynge ether oughte or coulde the excellent maiestie
of the kynge of Englande do then that he hath done wyth the great consente of hys people and the iudgement of hys church that is that he deuorsed from vnlawfull baÌ„des or couenauntes shulde enioye lawfull mariage and that he obeyeng the coÌ„maundement of God as it was mete shulde forsake her whom nether lawe nor right would suffer him to holde stil In whych mater when as the sentence of Goddes worde had ben sufficient whych al men are bound to obey yet the moste sacred kynges maiestie disdeyned not to put vnto it the voyces of the moste auncient graue men and the iudgement and censures of the moste famus vniuersities of all the worlde Thus farre hath maister Gardiner spoken the cooke whose cookery ye wyl not suspect because he hath bene alwayes so honest and true But let vs se what maner of seruice he serueth sendeth vnto all the worlde howe honestlye he thynketh of our souerayne lady Quene Mary Quene Katherin her mother Fyrst he sayeth that the mariyng of the brothers wyfe is an vnnatural horyshe incestuus mariage and he iudgeth the matrimony betwene the Quenes father mother to be suche therfore he sayeth the kinge dyd wel in breakyng the vnlawfull bandes of matrimony whylse he put hys vnlawfull wyfe awaye Ye maye se my lordes and maisters that thys maÌ„ calleth and iudgeth Quene Katherin to be none of kynge Henries lawfull wyfe whych sayeng conteyneth in it that Kynge Henry the eyght was an incestuus horemaister that Quene Katherin was an hore and that Mary theyr doughter nowe Quene is a bastarde For who so euer lyeth wyth a womaÌ„ that is not his lawful wife is an hore maister and she that hath carnall copulacion wyth a man that is not her right husband is an hore the childe that is begotten borne of these .ii. is a bastarde I pray you my lordes yf ye dare axe this cooke whether he wyl abide by this cokery or no. Yf he wil not abyde by it theÌ„ may wyueles cokes soÌ„tymes send poisoÌ„ to their lordes or ladies tables as wel as maried cokes Yf he wil recaÌ„t deny this his sayeng say tonge the lyest theÌ„ ye muste not suffer hym to haue thys new found glorius name of Constantius ConstaÌ„tius which he gaue him self in his boke of the sacrameÌ„t IactaÌ„tius but let hiÌ„ be called iactantius for that agreeth with this his coÌ„dicion better then constantius doth But yf he wyll stande to hys olde sayeng and defende that hys meate had no poyson in it and that the mariage was vnlawfull betwene the Quenes father and mother I maruel why that maister Ridley of late byshop of LondoÌ„ and dyuers other are ponyshed as traytors for the same wordes and that thys man shal be taken for the Quenes hygh frende Gardiner was loÌ„ge at Rome in labourynge as I herde saye to obteyne of the Pope a lycence of dyuorce for the kynge and it is lyke that he purchased in the meane tyme a pardon of the Pope that he myght saye what he lyste for hys lyfe tyme vnponyshed whyche pardone belyke some men that thynke that the Popes lycence is styll in full power strength seyng the same pardone suffer hym to enioye his pardone at hys pleasure and gyueth him leaue to do and saye what he lyste Yf he sayd nothyng but the truthe in sayeng that the mariage betwene the Quenes father mother was vnlawfull yet there are other wordes of hys owne that wyl condeÌ„ne him to be a perillous cooke and a poysonyng cooke In the very fyrst leaf of hys boke of hys obedience he coÌ„fesseth that he wyth many other graue and learned meÌ„ by a folyshe and an olde superstition for a season wythstode the truthe Yf he wythstode the truthe for a season for the same tyme he helde with falshod for to wythstande the truthe is to holde wyth falshode he that holdeth for a season wyth falshode and teacheth and preacheth the same he serueth in the same tyme out poyson for holsome meate and therfore is more to be suspecte in hys spiritual cookery theÌ„ the bodely cooke is to be suspect in hys cookery whyche at no tyme was coÌ„uicted ether by word or dede to haue done any other thynge then became a christian maÌ„ to do In the same place he graunted playnlye that he departed from the truthe that he was a ielous folower an earnest defender of the law and the letter and that he dydde neuer any thyng more vnwillyngly theÌ„ to go awaye from those opinions that he once had taken what so euer they were He sayeth also that he was not lyke vnto Paule whych wheÌ„ as he was ouerthrowen was so obedient to the voice of God that he said Lorde what wylt thou haue me do Yf a man thynke that these senteÌ„ces be not in hys boke I wyll reherce hys owne wordes in Latin as he wrote them Neque vero dubito quin in haÌ„c eandem aut certe aut multo dissimilem cogitationem mecum multi ijque docti graues ac boni viri inciderint quibê° inepta quadam inueterata superstitione impeditis veritatique aliquamdiu reluctantibus eadem hec cogitatio omnes dubitationis scrupulos prorsus ademit lucemque vere veritatis diuina operante gratia attulit atque adduxit Equidem autem vt de meipso ingenue confitear cum legis litterae vt ita dicam aemulator ac propugnator essem acerimus nec quicquam illibentius vnquam aut inuitius facerem quam vt a receptis qualiacuÌ„que essent discederetur quo quidem longius mens in eare iudicium a veritate recessit hoc certe vehementius atque acrrius quiddam in veritate agnoscenda passus videbar non aliter sane atque oculi tenebrarum caligine hebete iam facti ad subitum irradiantis luminis splendorem solent obstupescere Mihi naÌ„que illud haud datum fuit quod diuo Paulo constat accidisse qui simulatque a deo prostratus ceciderit vocem obedientiae protinus emisit dicens domine quid vis me facere Hoc enim electo illi vasi vberior Dei gratia contulerat vt vocem corripientis Dei ab errore reuocantis confestim agnoscens totum se Deo coÌ„mitteret regendum ei in omni veritate statim obediret ac pareret in omnibus c. Nowe maye ye se by hys owne wordes that he was an enemye vnto the truthe he that was ones an enemye vnto the truthe may nowe also be an enemye vnto the same againe and whether he be a frende at thys tyme or a foe vnto the truth howe can they iudge that ether waÌ„t al iugement or yf they could iudge wyll not take the payne I beseche you my lordes for the loue that ye beare to God and the coÌ„mon welth axe hym in what opinions he went from the truthe whether it were in defendyng holy water holy bread in the inuocacioÌ„ of