Alehouse or Tauerne and procure you to spende and consume such substaunce as you haue and peraduēture your maysters lykewyse Puer Is it not lawfull for me to goe thyther with them Ciuis No it is not for during the tyme of the reteynder of your apprentiship you your selfe and all that you can do is your maysters Puer I grant it be so yet I may haue occasyon somtyme I am sure to be merry and to go to the tauerne for in our countrey on the market dayes when we went to the market and vpon Sondayes or Holidayes now and then we did vse to go to the Tauerne for there commeth no harme of it For wyne soberly dronken quickneth the lyfe of man. Ciuis If he drinke measurably he shal be temperate For Wyne was made for to make man glad at the beginning and not for dronkennesse wyne measurablye dronken is a reioysing of the soule and body Puer There is none that would be so mad as to drinke vnmeasurably if there be that you can tell of by any stories out of the scripture teache me and I will holde my tongue and if I erre shewe me wherin Ciuis Be ye not made drunk with wyne wherin is wantones but be ye filled with the spirite speaking to your selues by Psalmes Himnes and spirituall songs saynt Ierome sayeth we cannot at one tyme be filled with wyne and the holy ghost Looke not vpon the wyne when it is red when it sheweth his collour in the Cup and goeth downe pleasantly To giue his hart to wyne and pleasaunt thinges was mere vanitie Awake yee whiche are dronken with wyne Aaron and his sonnes are commanded not to drinke wyne before they come to sacryfyce before the Lorde Plato writeth that Minos by his laws prohibited the Creteuses that they shoulde not drinke together to dronkennesse Seneca sayth dronkenesse is nothing else but a voluntary madnes the quality of dronkennesse continuing many days is furiousnes and it is fylthy for a man to take more then he is able to receyue and not to know the measure of his stomack they which are dronken do many things which afterward when they are sober they are ashamed of For a dronken man knoweth not the grounde whereon he is Puer It is moste true that you saye yet God forbid but that men shold somtime frequēt the Tauerns drink wine be merry and not to be dronken with excesse all mē are not of one condicion measure is a meane meale and wine minstrelsy reioyceth the hart Ciuis If it be takē in good order it doth so the wise mā sayth wine is a voluptuous thing dronkennes causeth seditiō whoso deliteth therin shal neuer be wise He that hath pleasure in banquets shall be a pore man Who so delighteth in Wyne and delycates shall not be rich Be not dronken wyth wyne wherein is excesse For dronkennesse is counted to be a Lady and a good fellow you cannot speake with her but by the ayde of Glotony who is her Porter There wayteth vpon her Apoplexia Dropsye Palsey Feuers Leprosye Scabednesse Follye Forgetfulnesse Negligence Madnesse and death She is always at debate and strife with Sobrietie and she dwelleth in the Garden of excesse the Deuils owne darling Puer God keepe me and all people from comming within her Gate and out of the company of any of her seruauntes these persons that you speake of are not sufferable for they doe not remember a saying which I haue heard Take heede vnto yourselues that your hartes be not ouerladen with excesse of eating and dronkennesse and with taking of thought for liuing Ciuis You haue remembred it well they take no thought for liuing which acquaynte themselues with excesse The Prophete exhorteth vs to walke honestly as in the day not in excesse of eating and drinking but put ye on the Lorde Iesus Christ Also he sayeth that neyther the couetous nor dronkardes nor cursed speakers nor extorcioners shall inherite the kingdome of God. Puer These are shrewd Thunderbolts that you shoote at me yet is there a saying Drinke no longer water but vse a little wyne for thy stomackes sake O how well content is that man which drinketh a little wyne so that in sleepe he be not sicke thereof nor feele any payne it is lawfull to vse wyne for necessitie for medicine and also for myrth but yet it muste be tempred I perceaue with Sobryetye neyther may it exceede a meane yea it must agree with tyme place degree age and kynde Let men make themselues merry with wyne that afterward they may be more chearefull to obay God and to suffer heauy thinges if neede be and let men beware they forget not themselues that they ouerwhelme not their sences and choke vp their strength Wyne moderately dronken is profytable for the lyfe of man What is his lyfe that is ouercome with wyne Ciuis I will shew you The smoth and playne ground is vnto dronkards a Den for they fal breake their legges their armes and sometime their neckes and are burnt when they fail into the fyre They lye wallowing lyke swyne and worse then the brute beaste which goeth to her vomite Their lyuer is inflamed with to muche drinke the heade is payned the members are made weake and tremble their sences are corrupted the naturall heat is ouerwhelmed with ouermuch wine the stomack which is ouerlargely discēded is sick with crudity or rawnes and with intollerable paynes the whole body is in a maner inflamed and the thirst is augmented Dronkardes lye groueling like blocks so are bereued of their strength that neither head nor foote can do their office Wyne and dronkenes taketh away the hart Wine and women make wyse men runagates and put men of vnderstanding from right institutions A dronkarde hath a tyrannicall harte for he would rule all men as he lust and not by any reason or lawe Dronkennesse also bringeth obliuion of lawes and right A laboring man that is geuen vnto dronkennes shal not be rich The dronken man cōfoundeth nature loseth grace honor runneth headlong into euerlasting dānation Noy whē he hauing dronk morewine thē was mete lay in the tente most fylthely naked his priuy parts which were wonte to be couered he left bare vncouered he which was wont to bee an instructer of vertues was a great offence vnto his Children Ham mocked him the other two sonnes Sem Iaphet of a better disposition were sory and ashamed of their fathers fylthinesse Lot sought to make himself merry with wyne and he incurred perpetuall heauinesse Ammon Dauids sonne was mery with wine Absolon commanded his youg men to slay him Alexander of Macedonia the Conquerour of the world was most fylthy ouercome with wyne being dronke slew Clitus his friend Holefernus was merry with Iudith and dranke more wyne then euer he did before
the pore and nowe when I am at London and not knowne my bondage shall not profyte the Lord. Ciuis Your bondage by the Lawes of this realme will profyte him as Littleton declareth and that will not serue your tourne when you shall be bounde that questyon wil be demaunded of you then that being knowne you cannot be bound as an apprentice but shall loose your labour and be constrayned to goe into the countrey agayne Puer I can then say the contrary for they knowe it not Ciuis You must not do so for that is an vntroth and in so doing you shall not do well Puer Well or not well God willing I will put it in tryall But tell me now you haue hard my mynde all this whyle whether goe you and what countreyman are you Ciuis I was born Northwardes and am a Citizen of London and there is my dwelling Puer What is that Citizen is it an occupation Ciuis It is no occupation but all the inhabitauntes within the same Cittie and being Freemen therof are called Citizens Puer I thought they had bene called Townsemen But I pray you tell me what doe the seruauntes there they saye here in the country they take great paynes and fetch water and be cruelly whipped and carryed to a place they call it Brydewell Ciuis I tolde you before what commeth of ease and ydlenesse whereby you might vnderstande that paynes must be taken and the most parte of them doe fetch water in a Tanckarde on their shoulders I haue done it my self and so haue others that are men of welth and worship dwelling there And as for Brydewell there is such a place which was erected and appoynted by the famous Prince King Henrye the sixte as by Rycharde Graftons Chronicle appeareth at the humble sute of the Cittizens of the same Cittie and is ordayned for all those lewde and ydle Persons as Vacabonds and such lyke and for those that are obstinate naughty persons which will not liue in the feare of God but abuse their bodies with euill and lewde vyces as Whoredome c. Puer Is that so then I trust in God I will not come thyther for I will not vse that euill excercise Here in the country the horesons that are so lusty and play such partes bee not whipped but stand in the Church in a Sheete Ciuis That is the spiritual lawes of this realme and the abuse of the follye is a thing worthy of punishment for such vyces are not sufferable I coulde shewe you Storyes what the Scripture sayeth concerning Whoredome Puer Seing that I am yong and tender of age willing I wold here some of them by reson that I may the better auoyde my selfe from it Ciuis GOD sayeth thou shalt not commit adultery The man that breaketh Wedlocke wyth his neighbours wyfe let him be slayne both the aduoulterer and the Aduoultresse Cursed be he that lyeth with his neighboures wyfe and all the people shall say Amen Keepe thee from the euill woman and from the flattering tongue of the harlot that thou lust not after her bewty in thine hart and least thou be taken with her fayre lookes An Harlot wyll make a man to begge his bread but a marryed Woman wyll hunt for the precyous lyfe maye a man take Fyre in his bosome and his cloathes not burne or can one goe vpon hote coles and his feete be not hurte Euen so whosoeuer goeth to his neighboures wyfe and toucheth her cannot bee vnguilty who so committeth Aduoultrye with a woman hee is a Foole and bringeth his lyfe to destructyon he getteth himselfe also shame and dishonour The lippes of an Harlot are a dropping Hony Combe and her throate is softer then Oyle but at the last she is as bitter as Wormewood and as sharp as a two edged sword her feete go downe vnto death and her steppes pierce thorough vnto Hell. She regardeth not the path of lyfe so vnstedfast are her wayes that thou canst not knowe them keepe thy waye farre from her and come not nye the doores of her house Puer How is it possible for me to take heede of that which I know not Ciuis You shall somewhat perceyue a whore by her wanton eye for haue in remembraunce that an euill eye is a Shrew The Whoredome of a woman may be known in the pryde of her eyes and eye liddes by euery Hedge shall she sit down Her delicate tooth her fylthy talke and her ydle and vayne iesting the setting forth of herself yea she wil seke to desyre your company despising others is a disturber of quyet folks all her delight is in banqueting and daunsing for she is one of the Deuils darelinges Therefore looke not to narrowly vppon the bewty of a woman lest thou be prouoked to desyre toward her Be ashamed of whoredome be ashamed also to looke vppon an other mans wyfe and to make many tryflyng wordes with her mayden or to stand by her bedde syde Lyke as the worme and moath commeth out of cloathing so doth wickednesse of women But I say vnto you whosoeuer looketh on a wyfe lusting after her hath committed adultery with her already in his harte The Apostle exhorteth vs to flye from Whoredome Ioseph feared and did run away from Putifers wife and would not consente to her There shal be no Whore among the Daughters of Israell neyther Whorekeepers among the sonnes of Israell There shall no whores Chyld come into the congregation of the Lorde For a Whore is a deepe Graue and a Harlot is a narrow pit Puer God defend me from such vyces these are very good warnings for me and all others I pray God I may remember your sayinges Yet as I remember I heard say Let not thine harte wander in her wayes and be not thou deceiued in her pathes for many one hath shee wounded and cast downe yea many a strong man hath shee slayne her house is the waye vnto Hell where men goe downe to the chamber of death Ciuis That is very wel remembred of you Thou shalt not lust after thy neighbours wife neyther whoremongers nor worshippers of Images nor brekers of wedlock nor wekelinges neyther abusers of them selues with mankynd shall inherite the Kingdome of God. If there be any man that is called a Brother and is a whoremonger with such shall you not eate The Prophete sayth I will come and punish you and I my selfe will be a swifte wytnesse agaynst the Adulterers A gracious woman mayntayneth honesty A fayre woman without discreate manners is lyke a Ring of golde in a swynes snowte sayth Salomon A stedfast woman is a Crown vnto her husband but she that behaueth her selfe vnhonestly is a corruption in his bones A wyse woman vpholdeth her house but a foolish wyfe plucketh it downe Who so findeth an honest faythful woman she is more worth then pearles she occupyeth Wooll and flax
poure forth his blessing vpon him and all his housholde Puer These are good exhortations which delighteth me verye well I pray you as you haue begon so reherse more to me and you can Ciuis Yes I thanke God I can for the duety of a mayster is to dele iustly truely and faythfully with his seruants he must take heede that he do not onely require of them faythfull and dilligent seruice due and true worke and labour but that he also wythout fraud or deceyt giue them their dutyes and couenaunts as meate drinke lodging linnen wollen apparell their occupation and whatsoeuer is agreede vpon betwene them that there be found no vnrighteous dealing in hym but all iustice all equitie and truth Let him not euill intreate his seruaunt that worketh truely but let him loue a discreete seruaunt as his owne soule and defraude him not of his duty If the mayster intreate a good seruant euill and keepe him harde and make him to be prowd and to run away from him he cannot tell what way to seeke him Puer It is most true for as much as you tolde me that the duety of the mayster is to foresee that neyther ydlenesse should be suffred you haue tolde me your mynde for that I pray you in lyke manner let me vnderstande what is agaynste swearing Ciuis Saynt Iames sayeth sweare not neyther by heauen nor by earth neyther by anye other oth But let your yea be yea and your nay nay least you fall into ypocrisye Thou shalte not take the name of thy Lorde God in vayne for the Lord will not holde him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vayne Wherfore I aduertise thee let not thy mouth be vsed to swearing The wyse man sayeth wheÌ„ that men here such swearing the heire of their heades should arise for feare and they should stop their eares and not here such vnreuerence and despysing of Gods name Thou shalt not sweare at all neyther by Heauen for it is Gods seate nor yet by the earth for it is his footestoole neyther by Ierusalem for it is the Cittie of the great King neyther shalte thou sweare by thy heade because thou canst not make one heare whyte or blacke who so sweareth by the Aulter sweareth by the same and by all that is thereon and who so sweareth by the Temple sweareth by the same and by him that dwelleth therein and who so sweareth by heauen sweareth by the seate of God and by him that sitteth thereon Puer Why ought not a man to sweare at anye tyme Ciuis If they be called before a Iudge for the iust tryall of matters in controuersy it is lawfull for them to swere and then they must take heede For when God made promise to AbrahaÌ„ because he had none greater to sweare by hee sware by himselfe and sayd surely I wil blesse thee multiplie thee in deede As for men they swere by hym that is greater then their selues and the oth is the end of al strife Who so swereth by any creature he sweareth by him that made that creature Puer Then you alow to sweare before a Iudge to be agreable to the scripture If they sweare falsly what is to be accounted vpon them Ciuis Those that swere falsely do contrary to the scripture For it is written thou shalt beare no false witnesse agaynst thy neighbour False witnesse procureth mallice thefte mansianter and other vyces to be hidden it is the oryginall of vyce for a Iudge sitting in iudgemente cannot indifferentlye minister iustice because that false witnesses do blynd the truth often tymes Ye shall not sweare falslye by my name and so to vnhalow the name of thy God for I am the Lord sayth god Better is the pore man that liueth Godly then the blasphemer that is but a foole The wyseman sayth a false witnesse shall not remayne vnpunished A false witnesse laugheth iudgementâ—â— scorne A false witnesse shall perish Who so beareth false witnesse agaynste his neighbour he is a very speare and sword and a sharpe arrow Thou shalte not forsweare thy self but shalt performe thine oth to God swere not at all be no false accuser Let thy tongue be ignorant of swearing and loue so wel truth that whatsoeuer that thou speakest think that thouswearest Herod sware to Herodias daughter what so euer she did aske of him he woulde giue it her he performed it although he was sorry for hys othes sake The Romayns had a law that as such as were found to be periured shold be thrown downe he adlong from the top of a high Rocke called Tarpeius The counsell of Iosephus was that hee which blasphemeth God and vnreuerentlye vse his name should be stoned vnto death and then hanged vp by the space of one day and so taken down and buryed without all manner of honour The Egiptians law was that no swearing shoulde be vsed among them at all except it were for a waighty cause if anye were founde to be periured the same shoulde loose his heade Doualdus King of Scots made this acte within his land that al periurers and common swearers should haue their lippes seared with a burning hote Iron Puer These are very sore and strayghte lawes which you haue tolde me of but canne you tell mee if anye suche strayghte lawes were at any tyme made in England coÌ„cerning the blaspheming of the name of God. Ciuis I remember I haue hearde say that King Henry the fyfte made a statute for swearers in hys owne Pallace that if he were a Duke that did sweare he should forfeite for euery tyme fortye shillings to the ayding and helping of the pore if he were a Lord or a Baron tweÌ„ty shillings if he were a Knight or an Esquyre x. shillings if he were a Yoman twenty pence if he were a Page or a Lackey or a slaue to be scourged naked eyther with a rod or else with a whip Puer If this law were in these dayes put in execution there would not be so much swearing vsed as is which for lack of the feare of GOD prouoketh many to offende which God of his goodnesse ingrafte into their stony hartes the increase of his loue and that they may feare him with all vnfayned reuerence I perceyue and doe gather of your good lessons that better it were that the bodyes of the blasphemers in this world should suffer a little payne then after this lyfe to haue both their bodyes and soules cast into Hell fyre Ciuis You say troth if al fathers and mothers and maysters would dilligently watch vppon their children and seruants it shall cause them not onely not to be defyled with the moste greuous sinne of swearing but also that the most holy name of God should be had in high reuerence great estimation and perpetuall honour for euer after so long as they liue But aboue al thinges I woulde wishe
had pleased thee to make vs rycher men of great authoritye knowing certaynly that if it were more expedient for thy glory and our saluation to haue eyther higher or lower of degre or greater ryches in this world then we haue as we thank thy goodnesse for that which we haue that both thou mightest by thyne owne omnipotent power and also by thy great goodnesse wouldest haue made vs great rich men lyke as thou haste in olde tyme aduaunced manye as of lowe degree as we are to great ryches and honour in the worlde therefore consydering it is neyther for promotion of thy honour nor for our profyte to be greater and richer thē we be we beseech thee make vs well contente from our hart with that degree and substance which we haue and to contynue in this laboryous state wherin we now are neither grudging agaynst thee for this our pouertye nor enuying the ryches and honour of other men knowing that the welth of rich men is profitable to vs and to all poore men and the prosperity of great men as our quietnes sauegard Moreouer O Lord we knowledge that it is thy diuyne maiesty that some should be set in high authoritye to rule other and some to be rycher then other for if al mē were in a lyke authority and riches ech man would dispyse his neighboures and the pride of men woulde be so intollerable that they woulde neuer suffer no good order to be in the worlde and on the other syde if all men were a lyke pore the mysery in the world would be so great that no man should be able to helpe another so that these diuers offices among men and this diuersitye of riches honours and pouerty which thou hast ordayned O Lord in this world is incomparable better for vs then any order that we can in our brayne deuyse to haue in earth therfore if any man be not content with his degree in this world hee must needes thinke himselfe to be a wicked man because he is sturdy and a stryuer agaynste thy ordynances and because we perceyue O Lord that many in the world are not content with their estates but seeke the honour and ryches of this world some be rebellyous and obstinate some Murtherers bribers theeues and other vniust men we mekely beseech thy diuyne maiesty to amend al such and to saue vs that we neuer consente to their wickednesse nor agree with them in their euil doings but euermore that wee maye haue thy grace to liue contēt with that which thou hast seute and will send vs by truth and honestye and iust meanes that wee running the race of this shorte lyfe in the way of thy commaundementes maye fynally through thy grace obtayne the lyfe euerlastyng in Heauen aboue Amen ¶ A Prayer for them that be at the poynt of Death O Most louing Sauyor gentle redemer which camest into the world to cal synners vnto repentance and to seke vp that was lost thou seest in what case thys our brother lyeth here vysyted with thy mercifull hand all weake feeble sick and ready to yeelde vp his soule into thy holy hands O loke vpon him most gentle Sauiour with thy mercifull eye yea pittie him and be fauourable vnto him he is thy workemāship despyse not the worke therefore of thyne handes thou sufferedst thy blessed body thy precious bloud to be shead for his sins and all ours and to bring him vnto the glory of thy heauēly Father let it not therefore come to passe that thou shouldest suffer so great paynes for him in vaine he was baptysed in thy name and gaue himselfe wholy to be thy seruaunt forsaking the Deuill the world and the flesh count him therefore before thy heauenly father and his blessed Aungels to be thy seruaunte his synnes we counte are great for who is able to say my hart is clean and I am free from my synne but thy mercies O Lord are much greater and thou camest not to call the righteous but the sinners vnto repentaunce to them that are diseased and ouerladen with the burden of sinne thou doest promise thou arte that God which wyllest not the death of a synner but rather that he should tourne and lyue thou arte that Sauyour which wyshest al men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of thy truth wythdraw not therefore thy mercyfull hande from hym because of his sinnes but rather lay vpon him thy sauing health that thou mayest shew thy selfe towardes him to be a Sauyour what greater prayse can be to a Phisition then to heale the sicke neither cā there be a greater glory to thee being a Sauyour of synners Saue him therfore O Lord for thy names sake Agayne let the law be no corisye to his conscience but rather giue him grace in this extreame Agonye and conflict of death to be fully perswaded that thou by thy death haste taken awaye all his sinnes and fulfylled the law for him and by this meanes deliuered him from the cares of the law and payde his raunsome that he thus being fully perswaded may haue a quyet harte a free conscience and a gladde will to forsake this worlde and to goe vnto his Lorde god Moreouer thou hast conquered him that had rule of death euen Sathan suffer him not therfore to excersyse his tyranny vpon this our sicke Brother nor to disquyet hys conscience with the terrours of his sinnes and paynes of Hell let not Sathan nor his infernall Armye tempt him further then he is able to beare but euermore giue him grace euen vnto his last breath valyauntlye to fyghte agaynst the Deuill with strong fayth in thy precious bloud that he may fight a good fight and fynish his course with ioy vnto the glory of thy holy name and the health of his soule O Lord so worke in him by thy holye spirite that he with all his hart may be content and despyse all worldlye thinges and to set his mynde wholye vppon heauenlye thinges hoping with a strong and vndoubted fayth Agayne let it not greeue him O sweete Sauyour to be loosened from this vyle and wretched carcase which is nowe so full of sorrow trouble anguishe sicknesse and paine but let him haue a bent readye wyll through thy goodnesse to put it of yea and that with thys fayth that he at the last daye shall receyue it againe in a much better state then it is now or euer was from the day of his byrth euen a body vncorruptible immortall and like to thy glorious body Let his whole hart and minde be set onely vppon thee let the remembraunce of the ioyes of heauen be so feruent in his breast that he may both paciently thankfully take his death and euer wyshe to be with thee in glory and when the time commeth that he shall giue ouer to Nature and depart from this miserable world vouchsafe we most humbly beseech thee O Lorde Iesu to take hys soule into thy handes and place it among
he that followeth ydlenesse shall haue pouertie Thou shalte eate the laboure of thy hands sayeth Dauid O well is thee and happy shalt thou be wherefore be not weary in well doing Puer Although that these sentences affyrm that labour is a thing necessary I doe not denye it for if a man eate or drinke it is labour if he goe abroad in the fields it is labour if he worke at any Science it is labour al this I know Ciuis Yea but there is further labour then that there is a labour fyrst to serue God and remember howe much bounde thou arte vnto him for hys bountious and lyberall good giftes whiche he doth bestow on thee thou must labour how to feare him how to obay the Prince and her Ministers and besydes I wil shew you somewhat what commeth of ydlenesse Puer I pray you let me here what ydlenesse is and the daunger thereof Ciuis I will mingle labour and ydlenesse togyther and as the Scripture alledgeth for them both I will shew you If the Mayster doe set his seruaunt to labour he shall fynd rest but if he let him go ydle he shall seeke libertye The yoake and the whippe boweth downe the harde necke but let him tame the euill seruaunt with bondes and correction Vnto the Horse saieth Salomon belōgeth a whip vnto the Asse a bridle and a rod to the fooles back Like as the dore turneth about vpon the Threshold euen so doth the slouthfull welter himselfe in bed The sluggard and ydle person thinketh himself wyser then seuen men that are wyse and sit and teach Set him to laboure for that belongeth vnto him He that will not worke shall not eate An ydle hand maketh pore but a quick labouring hande maketh riche who so gathereth in Sommer is wyse but he that is slouthfull and sluggish in Haruest bringeth himselfe to confusyon As vyneger is to the teeth and as smoke is vnto the eyes euen so is a sluggish person to them that send him forth A dilligent hand shall beare rule but the ydle shall be vnder Tribute The sluggard would fayne haue and cannot get his desyre but the soule of the dilligent shall haue plentie The way of the slouthfull is full of Thornes but the streat of the righteous is all cleansed Who so is slouthfull and slacke in hys labour is the brother of him that is a waster Slouthfulnesse bringeth sleepe and an ydle soule shall suffer hunger A slouthfull body shutteth his hande in his bosome so that for cold he cannot put it into his mouth Voluptuousnesse of the slouthfull is his owne death for by custome of labour we shall make the payne more easye to suffer His hands will not labour Antonyne an Emperour withdrew from dyuers persons their Pencions and Sallaries perceiuing them ydle saying that there was nothing more ▪ reprochfull and cruell then that they should knawe and deuour the Weale publicke Which with their labour nothing increased it Puer I confesse ydlenesse hath taught much vnhappinesse but I would God that we had such an Antonyne here among vs for then the Clergye woulde indeuour their selues to bestowe their labour and paynes whereby Gods word might increase Ciuis You saye truth Dorcas was a vertuous woman made Garmentes with her owne handes and gaue them to the pore Ioseph was a Carpenter his wyfe Mary and the mother of Christ did spinne and had knowledge in the Science of Weauing Thubalkan was a Smith and did labour to keepe himselfe from ydlenesse The sins of Sodome were these Pryde fulnesse of meate aboundaunce and ydlenesse To labour and to be content with that a man hath is a sweete pleasaunt lyfe and that is to fynde a treasure aboue all treasures Treasures that are wickedly gotten profiteth nothing but righteousnes deliuereth from deth Puer For all this your good exhortacions I render vnto you thankes praying to God that I may print them well in my mynd and although before I tolde you that I would haue ease and be a Townseman I confesse euery one is not borne to be a Prince or a Ruler nor to be a Husbandman nor an Artifycer or Marchaunt but the vocation that GOD hath called them vnto they muste bee contente with yet I doe not abhorre or despyse laboure but doè proteste your sayinges to bee good and profytable Notwithstanding of myne interprise which I haue taken in hande I am not thorowly resolued The world is so now a dayes in that order that one man dareth not disclose his mynde to another the more it is to be lamented and yet they bragge and boast that the Gospell is preached abroade and it should be the better But it doth not appeare so but as I haue harde my father and mother say I would the olde learning-were vp agayne Ciuis So it is GOD be praysed therefore for this is the old Religion and now the Gospell flourisheth and it is long of the hearers that doe not printe the true and liuely word of Iesus Christ in their mindes for it goeth in at the one eare and out at the other the more it is to be lamented and I am sorye therefore Puer Well I cannot tel but I haue heard my father say often tymes that the holy and blessed Masse was a goodly thing and then men liued more in fere Ciuis A goodly thing no no you are a yong man giue no attētiue eare vnto such fond talke it was a thing abhominable and most detestable I am sure the Minister doth not teach you but to the contrary Puer I cannot tell hee sayeth one thing without his booke and he sayeth another on his booke but what it is I doe not vnderstand Ciuis The more is the pittie haue you not preaching in your Church Puer Preaching say you I know not what it is Ciuis I will teach you but wilte thou not be perswaded by me once agayne to goe backe agayne Puer No I thanke you for I am sure you speake it vnto mee of Friendshippe yet GOD wylling I will see London and be a Townseman there for your perswasyons hath mooued mee not to bee a Seruingman Ciuis I am gladde that my eruditions hath so mooued you but I coulde declare vnto you manye moe storyes then that of Esop but you are yong and not passing eyghteene yeares olde and when you come to London you must be aprentise and bound to serue seuen or eyght yeares and if you serue your mayster well and truly you shal be a Free man of the same Citty and that is your desyre Puer It is euen so yet I may be bolde to say vnto you I am bounde alredy I know not what you mene by bynding my father was a bondman bound to a Gentleman in our countrey they call him Mayster L. P. a very good worshipful Gentleman who is the Lorde of all our towne and a verye good Gentleman to