the extreame necessyte of their christen bretheren This vayne hope in the loÌ„ge prayers of prestes no doubt graciouse lorde is a greate occasyon of moche pouerte amoÌ„gest the poore and neady of this yowr realme For the spedy remedy of this pouerte amongest your louinge subiectes / and the vtter suppressyon of suche vayne hope in the prayers of prestes to be made for your subiectes when they be deade / whiche is the greate cause of this myserable pouerte / it may please your magestye of your accustomed goodnes to call to your graciouse remembraÌ„ce that all the people of this your regyon be subiect vnto yowr gracyouse power / rule / and dominion as vnto their supreme hedd and gouernowre dewly by God appointed to gouerne them onely durynge their naturall lyues / but when it pleaseth God to take their sowles owt of this myserable worlde / than yowr grace is dyscharged of all gouernance / cure charge ouer theÌ„ / as of suche which after their death doo not appertayne to yowr grace / nor be of your Kyngedome / but onely of the Kyngedome of God vnder his gouernaunce prouysion and rule Into the whyche Kyngedome nother your grace nor noo other erthely prynce maye lawfullye vsurpe or take anye rule prouisyon care or gouernance for the soules entered therunto Seynge that your grace haue no auctoryte nor power ouer the soules departed you be not onelye dyscharged to gouerne to care or to prouyde for them beinge deade but muche rather to prouyde that they maye not be deceyuedde so vnder the coloure of longe prayer but that they maye be taughte syncerelye GODS worde whyle they be lyuynge vnder youre subiection so that they maye beleue constantelye and lyue godlye and then by Christes promesse bell gates shall not preuayle agaynste them moche lesse they shal haue any neade of suche straunge succoure and helpe of menne nothynge appoyntedde nor taughte by Goddes worde to be profitable or necessarye fortheyre soules after they re deathe Wherfore I mystruste not butte that youre magestye when you shall nexte intreate for the reformation of the enormytyes and abuses sprongeâ— vp in the christenne religion you wyll godlye reforme suche abuse and dissembledâ—â— couetousenes and certeynelye beynge to godlye remedye nor helpe for sowles departed whiche hathe noo strengthe nor effycacye of GODS worde whyche is the verye trewe foundacion of all the Christen religion and helpe for soules And in the meane season I doo no lesse thyncke and also praye hartelye to GOD that youre magestye wyll prouyde and make ordinaunce that all suche landes and possessyons whervpon so manye ydle hypochrytes and deceyuers be greate burdeyne and charge to youre realme whyche hytherto haue lyued vngodly and vnprofytablely maye from henceforthe be partelye conuerted to the supportation and mayntenaunce of common stooles whereby erroures crepte vp throughe ingnorance maye be throughe knoweledge repressedde and godlye learnynge and knowledge more plenteouslye planted and admynistred and partelye that youre poore louynge subiectes maye be more mercyfullye releued and succoured whyle they lyue vnder youre subiection charge and gouernaunce Thys godlye dystrybution most prudent Soueraygne of the landes and possessions ordeynedde and appoyntedde for the comforte succours and helpe of yowre poore louynge and lyuynge 〈◊〉 is muche more consonante and agreable to GODDES worde and more certayne dyscharge of youre graces conscyence then to suffer the same possessions to be vngodly caste awaye and consumed vnder suche false colowre and pretence to releue sowles departed of whome youre magestye haue nother cure nor charge nor can not assure to them by Goddes worde throughe suche longe prayers of prestes relesse of paynes after their deathe or anye other ayde comforte or succoure For wythoute anye doubte gracyouse Lorde yf suche hyredde prayers hadde bene godlye and necessarye for the sowles departedde other Chryste or his Apostelles wolde haue taughts it or at the least haue praysed or practisedde it and not so manifestlye reproued and thretened it sayenge Marc. xii Beware of them whych deuoure wyddowes howses vnder coloure of longe prayerres they re iudgemente shal be muche longer In all the newe Testamente there is no mencyonne made of anye suche offycer nor offyce institutedde nor appoyntedde to praye for the deade And yet all menne I thyncke wyll confesse that the truethe of GODS worde was mooste syncerelye setforthe and preached in the tyme of Chryste and of his Apostelles in whose tyme there was no suche craftye learnynge publyshedde nor taughte by them nor longe tyme after But then menne stablyshedde and grounded their religion and hope of healthe vpon Goddes worde whyche teachethe vs that who so beleuethe is saued and hathe no neade of longe prestyshe prayers and who so beleuethe not shal be condempned Betwene these extreame contraries there is no meane as saint Augustine sayethe Note here s. August in hys boke entyteled HypognosticoÌ„ fol. ix Wherfore I exhorte all them whiche contrary to all holy scriptures truste to the thyrd place there to haue release of paynes throughe the songe prayers of preastes that they wolde geue ouer suche fayned fantasye of men subtilly ymagyned onely throughe insaciable couetousenes of ambiciouse prestes to gette moneye therewythe to mayneteyne theyr vngodlye lustes and to lyue ydlely and delycately and to truste rather to the sure and infallyble trewethe of Goddes worde whyche wythoute doubte is to repent and beleue and vtterlye to forsake all synne and than constantelye to truste to Goddes promesse of mercye Here manifestly apperethe soueraygne Lorde in what myserable blyndenes the mooste parte of this youre realme haue longe tyme be led yea and almost drowned throughe the longe custome vsed therin Who is it that can not lamente I saye this deplorate and miserable sorte of blynde shepherdes Be not they boughte withe the same price wherwythe wede bought to be members of one bodye wherof Christ is heade If we be members of one bodye certeynlye we can not then but caste and feale not onely theyr euyll but also the lamentable estate of all other cast awaye through the Lorde I truste the punyshment is paâ—â—e wherwithe thou hall threatned the worlde to be punishedde wythe hunger and chryste not wythe hunger and thryste of breade and drynke Amos. viii but for lacke of hearynge thy worde Yt is nowe tyme lorde to shewe thyne accustomedde goodnes and mercye for the whyche we doo dayly and hartelye praye sayenge Throughe the tender mercye of God wherwithe he hathe dysyred vs Luce. i geue lyghte to vs whych fyfte in darckenes and in the shaddowe of deathe to guyde oure 〈◊〉 into the waye of peace Also it is a daungerouse thynge to admitte one to be aspyrytuall pastoure whose professyon and studye all hys youthe hathe bene in decrees and popyshe lawes For suche a studye for the mooste parte ingenderethe a popyshe harte If any suche be admittedde to be a pastoure he shall not onelye other seâ—â—eâ—ely in confessyon or by some other
A supplycacion to our moste soueraigne lorde Kynge Henry the eyght / Kynge of England of Fraunce and of Irelande / moste ernest defender of Christes gospell / supreme heade vnder God here in erthe / next immedyatly of his churches of Englande and Irelande Matthei .ix. The harweste is greate but the laborers are fewe Wherfore praye the lorde of the harweste to sende forthe laborers into his harweste A supplication to our moste soueraigne Lorde Kynge Henry the eyght Kynge of England / of Fraunce / and of Irelande c. MOst dreade Soueraigne lorde most christen Prynce / whē I remembre the lamentable wonderfull great blyndnes wherin the most parte of all Englāde not onely of the layete called the temporaltie / but also of the Clergie / haue pytuousely erred and wandered many hundereth yeres / acceptinge / reputynge / most vngodly / erronyousely / and blyndely / estemynge the Bysshop of Rome to be supreame head ouer aboue all christen congregatiōs and in dyuerse other poyntes suche as be touchynge the necessarye articles of our faithe I coulde not but meruell how and by what meanes suche pestilent errours and horrible darke blyndenes coulde or myght entre / Invade ouerflowe this your realme / to contynewe so longe in the same / not espied / perceyued / nor repelled Consideringe that by all that tyme and space this your Realme as the most parte of men dyd then iudge and esteame was well endowed / replenyshed / and furnyshed with many profounde lerned clerkes / wherof some were Bysshops Archedeacōs / Deanes / Prebendaries / Parsons / Doctours / Bachelars in deuinite / other profounde lerned clerkes in bothe the vniuersytees which were / graue / sage / auncyent fathers Contemplatinge and reuoluinge these things in my mynde not a lytle moued / troubled / and vexed with the same / I applyed me with all my powre dyligence exquysytely to serche to knowe the originall grounde cause therof And in cōclusyon amōgest other things it chaunced me to reade in the .v. chapiter of Ezay a proposition that muche lamenteth the captyuite and bondage which cōmeth groweth to all people for lacke of knowleage in godds worde / Sayeng / Therfore cōmeth my flocke also into captyuite / because they haue not vnderstandinge / their glory is famyshed with hunger / their pryde marred with chyrste Therfore gapeth hell and openeth her mouthe meruelousely wyde By this text graciouse lorde it appeareth that all myserable blyndenes captyuite bondage vnder synne / cōmeth for lacke of knowleage in Gods worde Mar. xij I had forgotten at that tyme / that Christ reproued the Pharasees / sayeng / You erre not knowinge the scriptures Which reproue and rebuke shulde haue ben a suffycient admonyciō and doctryne to me and to all other wherby we myght haue knowen that all erroure commeth for lacke of vnderstandinge knowleage in the scriptures But by what reason then coulde there be suche erroure and blyndenes for lacke of knowleage in Gods worde in this your realme most gracyouse lorde / seing there were suche profounde clerkes auncyent fathers / Bysshops and studentes in the same / which dyd teache preache vnto the people cōtynually The Apostle Paul in the .vi. chapiter to Timothe descrybeth two kyndes of doctrynes / the one he calleth a godly doctryne a doctryne of helth / the other he calleth a proude doctrine full of vnprofitable questions / stryuynge more for wordes than for godly knowleage / wherof spryngeth envy / stryffe / raylings / euyll surmysyngs / vayne dysputacions of mē with corrupte myndes destytute of the trueth / which thinke that lucre is godlynes This kynde of lernynge and subtle dysputacyons vnto this daye we call scole matters / from the which Paul commaundeth all christyans to separate thē selues ij Ti. iij Soche clerkes sayeth Paul / be euer lernynge / but neuer atteyne to the knowleage of the trueth With suche wayne vngodly and vnprofitable lerninge / this your realme most redoubted soueraigne was ouer moche replenyshed through the preachinge and teachinge of suche scole men subtyll disputers / otherwise called deceyuers Which was one of the causes of our myserable blyndnes / and of dyuerse errours and abuses spronge vp and crept in to this your graces realme For certeynely if the clerkes of this your graces realme / had bene endowed with true knowleage of Gods worde / and had also syncerely preached the same / althoughe suche errours and blyndnes had entered into this realme / yet they shulde neuer haue so longe contynewed in the same / but we shulde haue bene delyuered through the worde clerely from them As Christe saieth Io. viij If you continewe in my wordes / then are you my very disciples / shall knowe the trueth / the trueth shall delyuer yow / and make you free Therfore most dread soueraigne lorde / seinge that all erroure / spyrytuall blyndnes / myserable captyuite / and seruyle bondage vnto synne commeth for lacke of knowleage and syncere vnderstādinge in the holy scriptures / and of the cōtrarye parte / through the knowleage syncere vnderstandinge of the holy scripturs we knowe god our father and his sonne Ihesus Christ our lorde / which is eternall liffe / we be also become free frō all condempnation of synne Io◠v. Io. xvij And through the syncere and true knowleage of the worde we be newly regenerate become the childerne of god / the habitacle and dwellinge place of the holy ghoste / which moueth steareth vs euer to mortefye the fleshe / all her synfull lusts and concupiscence / to abhor and resyst vice What is then so necessary good and profitable for the christian people bothe spirituall and cyuile wealthe / as the worde wherby we receyue faithe / by faithe the holy ghoste What troubleth all commen wealthes / but treason / murder thefte / couetuousnes / adulterye / extorcion / whordome / dronckenes / periurye / suche other synne / as saythe the holy ghoste Prouer. xiiij Iustice and rightuousnes maketh the people wealthy / but synne maketh the people most myserable And all these the faithfull through the true and syncere vnderstādinge of gods worde / doo euer studye and labour to ouercome / and vtterly to abholyshe by faythe As Paul sayeth Gal. v. They which be Christes / doo crucyfye the fleshe with her lustes and concupiscence All good workes and counceyles encreased and stablyshed through faythe There is no study / striffe / nor laboure agaynst synne but through faithe All conscyences that be quyet from synnes / onely through faythe be made quyet Rom. v As Paul sayeth / Because we are iustyfyed by faithe / we are at peace with god through our lorde Ihesus Christ What counforte hathe any Christian man in aduersytyes / temptacions / desperation / but onely by fayth in Gods worde The Christyan man hathe noo refuge nor
profet come to lytle aduauntage Surely a wyse man wolde chose no suche shepherde And if he were deceyued through the persuasyon of some of his frendes / yet when he hathe proued that he hathe no connynge nor dyligence / he will shortely dyscharge hym of his cure and seruice Shall we be estemed christen men whiche haue more tēder loue and affectyon to owre corruptyble profett / than we haue to the honowre of God the eternall wealthe of the immortall sowles of owre christen bretheren / whom Gode commaundeth to loue as owre selfe Io. xxi Christ ded not commytt to Peter the cure and charge of his shepe before he asked thryse of Peter whether he loued hym As who shulde saye I wolde not commytt my best beloued Ioywell and treasure vnto the / vnlesse thowe loue me hartely I wolde wyshe that all gouernowres and rulers in this case wolde take example and folowe Christ whiche knowynge the Good wyll of Peters harte / yet as one ingnorāte therof ded demaunde this questiō of Peter before he ded cōmytt the cure of his flocke to hym / therby to geue example cōmon doctryne to all his faythfull folowers that they shulde haue suche tender and feruent loue towardes the Christen sowles / that they wolde not commytt the gouernaunce and cure of them to any man / but vnto suche of whom they haue proue sure knowleage / that aswell by their preachinge syncere teachinge of Gods worde / as also by their vertuouse lyuinge cōsonante to the same worde they had vnfaynedly a faythfull harty loue towardes Chrystes flocke A blynde eye which can not dyrecte and leade the bodye is a blemyshe and a burden to the naturall bodye / and noo commodyte In lykewyse a man chosen to be a spyrytuall Pastour which hathe not the knowleage and grace to preache the lawe and the gospell / is but a blynde eye not able to dyrecte and leade the spyrytuall bodye Wherfore if any patrō chose any suche ingnorāte mā to be a pastoure / a spirituall eye and light to leade the spirituall sowles / he not onely deceyueth them but also asmoche as lyeth in hym kyllethe the bodye / and dothe greate iniurye to Christes bloode Now it maye please yowre highnes to note and marke what myschef and incōuenyence folowe the electyon and admyssion of an ingnorante postour Fyrste if an ingnorante byshope in Gods worde be admytted / he can not execute his office because he knoweth not the scryptures whiche teacheth hym what shulde perteyne to his owne office And as the byshop is ignorante in Godes worde / so he admytteth suche as be vnlerned in Gods worde / evyn suche as by noo possybylite can execute the office of their callinge Idle parsons / vnhappy / dronckerdes / swerers / common players at all vnthryftye games / in whom there is no chastyre / noo humylyte / iustyce / nor temperance For a conclusion / suche they admytte in whom there is noo holynes / godly doctryne / nor good example of lyuinge To suche they commytte the healthe of sowles / the flocke of Christe dearely bought with his bloode / by suche ydle and wicked harlottes the enheritaunce of Christe is troden vnder fote All euyll condycions maners and doctrynes by them be tawght / so that in the steade of holy scripture is crepte in the doctryne of lyes / all superstycions / dead vayne ceremonyes / and lycence to doo all kynde of synne Some of the blynde ignorante prestes teache the people that God is honowred / and soules releued of their paynes through the rynginge of belles / painting of postes / and settynge vp tapers and candelles before the sayd postes / whō the blynde prestes doo bothe sence spryncle with holy water An other sorte of blynde shauelings teache the people to gett heuen with tastynge / this prescripte daye that daye / with trentalles and masses of scala celi / with forbearinge of bodely workes kepinge ydle holy dayes / they preache muche holynes and Gods seruice to stande in their holy oyle / holy creame / holy water / holy asshes / hallowed bedes / mumblynge of a numbre of psalmes in laten / keapinge of church ales in the whiche with leappynge / daunsynge / and kyssyng they maynteyne the profett of their churche to the honoure of God as they both saye and thyncke And thus the blynde leadeth the blynde / that both fall hedlonge into the lake of eternall brenninge fyer What naturall harte is there whiche will not lamente the misery / yea the dampnaciō most certēly thretenede by Gods worde vnto all ingnorante and neglygent bysshopps and other spyrytuall shepherdes which doo not dylygently execute theyr offyce and vocation What honest louinge harte doth not bewayle the habundaunce of synne / the longe myserable blyndnes wherin this realme hath ben ledd and wrapped in through the yngnorancye and neglygence of suche blynde guydes But is there any chrysten harte which can forbere contynuall syghinge and mornynge / remembringe the multytude yea the infynyte numbre of sowles whiche without the greate mercye of God passinge all his worckes through ingnorancye negligēce of suche blynde shepherdes / be vtterly cast awaye dampned What good cyuyle harte wolde not I saye lament and bewayle the greate burden wherwith this your realme gracyouse lorde is ouercharged through the greate multytude of chauntery prestes / soule prestes / chanons / resydensaryes in chathedrall churches / prebendaryes / muncke pencyons / morowe mas prestes / vnlerned curattes / prestes of gyldes and of fraternytees or brotherhedes / rydinge Chaplaynes / and suche other ydle parsons / whyche yf they be well noted / and also what frute spryngethe of them indyfferētly valewed / consydered / and pondered / it will appere manyfestly to all reasonable and godly wyttes / that they do brynge noo maner commodyte profett or vtylyte other spyrituall or temporall to this your publycke wealthe No / no / they be not onely no commodyte nor profett to the common wealthe / but rather moche hynderance And truly no lytle wasters / spoylers / and robbers / and that of the most poore / in dygēt and neadye of youre louinge subiectes / which be most craftely / subtelly / and vnrightuousely depryued of the charytable succoure and almes of many symple vnlerned innocentes / through a vayne hope and false confydence that theyr sowles shulde be releued and released of theyr paynes and tormentes dewe for theyr synnes / when they be departed this worlde / by the longe prayers of prestes And the more it is to be lamented noo lytle nombre of your subiectes through suche vngodly truste and confydence in masses and dyryges to be songe and celebrated for them when they be dead / be greatly encoraged to lyue both wickedly towardes God / and also vnfrutefully towardes the worlde / lytle remembrynge and estemynge their vocacion callinge wherin God hath appoynted them to walke / and moche lesse
craftye meanes poyson hys flocke with mans tradicions and popyshe doctrine but all shall augmente the popishe power forthe abrogacion wherof youre grace and youre honorable couÌ„cell haue taken greate paynes and trauayle Nowe eftsones I truste that all men whyche reade this lytle boke shal perceyue therby what inconuenyence and dampnable euyll enseweth the vngodlye presentacyon and admyssyon of the vnlearned in Goddes worde and carnall prestes to spirituall offyces And althoughe suche Patrons haue lytle zeale and loue to the common and publyke wealthe yet for the synguler and carnall loue whyche they beare to theyr clerkes whome they addycte and bynde surelye to eternall dampnacion yf they geue them suche spyrytuall offyces whyche they neyther canne nor wyll excute and perfourme or for the tender zeale and loue whyche they haue to the soules so derely boughte withe Christes bloode they wyll wyth all circumspection prou etheyr clerkes that they be not onelye well learned in Goddes worde but that they also haue taken greate paynes in preachynge the fame and that they haue also 〈◊〉 accordynge to theyr preachynge Suche experyment and proue was commaunded to be made of weddowes before they were 〈◊〉 to lyue vpon the charge of the congregacyon As it appearethe in Tymotheye i. Ti. v. Muche more than euydente and sure proue of Pastoures whose offyce is soo necessarie shoulde be hadde and made before they be admyttedde to theyr spyrytuall offyce and charge And althoughe the election of the Bysshoppe and of other spyrytuall Pastours in euery paynte be hadde and done accordynge as I haue before wrytten yet moost dreade soueraygne Lorde I see twoo fowle deformyties and greate lamentable myschefes annexed to the vocacyon and offyce of Bysshoppes whyche not refourmedde wyll poyson and vtterlye corrupte the godlye vocacyon and electyon of the sayde Bysshops The one infection and pestylente poysonne is there greate Lordeshyppes and domynions wythe the yearely prouentes of the same Whyche hath so fasshynonedde them in proude countenaunces and worldelye behauoure that nowe they be moste lyke to the Heathen Prynces and moste vnlyke vnto Christe althoughe they woulde be esteamedde of al men to be hys trewe successoures yet poore Chryste sayethe The foxes haue hooles the byrdes of the ayre haue nestes but the sonne of manne hathe not wherin to laye hys heade But oure Bysshops haue gorgeouse and sumptuouse buylded howses maners and castelles pleasauntelye set aboute with parches well replenished wyth deare warrens 〈◊〉 full of conyes and fysshe pooles well scored wyth dyuerse kyndes of fysshes And not onelye these commoddities and pleasures but also diuerse other pleasures Howe this Lordely and worldely Bysshop lyke estate agreeth wyth Christes wordes I thinke a man can not reasonablye conyecture or ymagen by theyr countenaunce and lyuynge that they be Christes trewe disciples The other myschefe and euell is that they haue to many worldly câ—res and busynes For to these manners and Lordeshyppes belonge manye tenauntes for whose leases to be made fynes and haryottes to be appoyntedde and taken a mercyamentes to be affessed taxed and also forgeuen and dispencedde there be noo fewe sutes made to my Lorde Bysshoppe also the hearynge of testamentorye causes dyuorses causes of matrymonye of sclaunders of 〈◊〉 adulterye and punyshement of 〈◊〉 and suche other 〈◊〉 courte matters â–ª Whereof not one belonge to hys offyce and vocacion appoynted by Goddes worde My lorde byshoppe is so occupyed and vnquycted that he hathe noo leasure to studye nor to preache GODS worde But suche affayres and worldelye busynes nothynge perteyneynge to hys vocation be 〈◊〉 greate hynderance and lett to my lorde Byshop that he can not applye hym to exercyse his owne offyce Mat. v For no man can serue two masters sayeth Christ The Apostles thought it not iuste and equall to prouide for the necessary lyuinge of the poore / leauinge Godds worde vntawght Act. vi But my lorde Byshoppe doinge these things nothing perteyninge to his office / thincketh that he hathe exactely done his offyce From these greate maners commeth yerely greate rentes pleasures profettes / which althowghe they be the good creatures of God / yet thabundaunce of them beinge where they be more impedyment than helpe be a greate occasyon of corrupcion in the vser of them And peraduenture they wolde allure and intyse a Byshops harte to truste in theÌ„ and so corrupte hym / as the scripture sayeth Blessed is the ryche which is founde withowt blemyshe hathe not gone after golde nor hoped in money and treasures / where is there suche a one and we shall commende hym and call hym blessed / for greate things dothe he amonge his people And if my lorde Bysshoppe shulde geue the superfluyte of his goodes to the poore whose goodes iustely they be as the Prophete Ezay sayethe / ☜ Esa iij. Than my lorde shulde lacke theÌ„ to furnyshe his lordely countenaunce / and so my lorde shulde loose his lordely honoure and prayse of the worlde Wherfore as these superfluouse possessions be annexed to estates of Bysshops by mans vayne fantasye and not by Gods worde / so my lorde Byshoppe wyll other keape them to make hym more fryndes / remembrynge that ryches makethe many fryndes / but the poore is forsaken of his neyghbowre / or deuyse the exspence of them contrary to Godes worde / other to make sure fryndes in the courte aboute the kynge to obteyne more promocions benefices / or in curiouse buyldinge / sumptuouse and delycate fare / well appareled seruauntes / tryme decked horses to ryde pompeousely lyke a lorde Althoughe there were no auctorite to proue this / yet the lordely countenaunce fasshyon of byshops / yea their common exercyse and also practyse caÌ„ well proue and testyfye this playnely before the face of all men which knoweth the lordelynes of bysshopps As the Prophete Ezay sayethe Esa iij. The chaungynge of their countenaunce bewrayeth them / yea they declare theyr owne synnes them selfes as sodomytes / and hyed them not Doo not these thinges fayntely agree with the sayenge of theyr predecessour Paule the Apostle which sayeth i. Ti. vi When we haue foode and raymente we muste be contented Is not this lordely honoure dyrectely agaynste Chrystes wordes / which sayethe Iu. xxij The Kynges of nacyons raygne ouer them / and they that haue auctoryte ouer them are called graciouse lordes But yow shall not be so Also Peter speakethe to his trewe successoures sayenge Feade yow Christes flocke asmuche as lyeth in yow / takynge the ouersyght of them not as compelled therunto / but wyllyngelye / after a godly sorte / nor for the desyer of fylthy luker / but of a good mynde / not as thoughe yowe were lordes ouer the paryshes / but that yowe be an example to the flocke / and that withe good will But owre lordely Byshops estate and proude countenaunce of lyuynge as it is nowe vsed is contrarye to Godes worde / as it appearethe by these wordes But
yow shall not be so And also by these sayengs Not as thoughe yow were lordes ouer the paryshes Math. xij And Chryst sayethe He that is not with me / is agaynste me Wherefore so longe as they raigne so lordely in the clergie contrary to Godds worde / so longe be they againste God And so longe as they be agaynste God / they be not sente from God / and then can they not preache trewly and syncerely his morde For howe can they preache excepte they be sente sayeth Paul Rom. x. Christe was sente to preache as it appearethe Marc. i. Luce. iiij and Ezaye lxi And Christe sayeth to all his trewe dysciples As my father sente me / so I do sende yow Ioan. ij And commaundeth also all his Apostles trewe successors of the Apostles to preache the gospell to the holle worlde and not lordely to raigne in the clergye Whom Paul teacheth to be as mynisters / sayeng Lett a man this wise esteame vs / euyn as the mynisters of Christe and the stuardes of the secretes of God i. Cor. .iiij. To preache the gospell therfore most gracyouse and prudente lorde is the trewe vocacyon and offyce of all godly Byshops / Parsons / Vycars and of other shepherdes / and not to be enbasadowrs to prynces / nor to be iudges to here matters of contencyon / testamentarye causes / dyuorses / selaunders / bawdery / and suche other Your grace hathe of your laye fee suffycient bothe in lerninge and wysedome and of good conscyence to here and iudge suche causes and varyaunces / remyttynge Byshops to attende their offyce and vocacyon by God and not by man appoynted And therfore they shulde not excercyse any other offyce than God hathe appoynted to them Mat. vi For no man can serue two masters And if Byshops and other Pastoures wolde dyligently execute theyr vocacyon and offyce / moche fewer of these matters of contencyon shal be in vre and experience other to be harde or iudged Seinge the scriptures commaundeth so ernestly euery man to walke as he is called Many Christen men meruell gretly why the Byshops desyre and procure so greadely to exercyse the offyce perteyninge to an other vocacyon / and to leue their vocacyon and offyce appoynted by God to them to be exercysed not executed nor performed and done Ioā ix Verely bycause they loue the glorye of men / more then the glorye of God And surely euen as Cayphas and Annas beinge Byshops and exercysynge the offyce of seculer and temporall iudges ded iudge Christ to be crucifyed / so owr Byshops so longe as they contrarye to their callynge doo exercyse thē offyce of temporall iudges / so longe shall they persecute Christe and his membres / and studye to suppresse his worde / and not to preache the same Haue not they busynes suffycyent wherwith to occupye them in their owne offyce If they wolde loke well therunto / doo not they see on euery syde detestable synne raigne throughowt all this your realme Is there not suche excesse and costelynes of apparell / bycause of dyuersyte and chaūge of fasshyons that scarce a worshipfull mans landes which in tymes paste was wonte to fynde and maynteyne twenty or thirty tall powemen / a good plentyfull howsholde for the releyfe and counforce of many poore and neadye / and the same nowe is not suffycyent and able to maynteyne the heyre of the same landes / his wiffe / her gentle woman or mayde / two yowmen / and one lackey The pryncypall cause herof is their costly apparell / and specially their manyfolde and dyuerse chaunges of fasshyons whiche the man and specially the woman muste weare vpon bothe headde and bodye Somtyme cappe / somtyme hoode / nowe the frenshe fasshyon / nowe the spanyshe fasshyon / than the Italyan fasshyon / and then the myllen fasshyon / so that there is noo ende of consumynge of substaunce and that vaynely and all to please the prowde folyshe man and womens fantasye Hereof spryngethe great myserye and neade The fathers consumynge theyr goodes in vayne / pryde / and wanton lustes called vpon by yowr grace to serue yowr magestye for the defence of this yowr realme haue not to doo their dewtye / wherby they be compelled to sell theyr landes / or els to burdeyne their fryndes / or els to daunger them selfe in dette to many Hereof rysethe it that the father is compelled to declare his will vpon hys landes to be executed after his deathe when he can not occupye the same hym selfe for the aduauncement and helpe of his children and the payment of his dettes / whom easely he myght in his lyffe haue aduaunced holpen and dyscharged / yf suche ryotuouse expenses had ben auoyded Ose iiij The Prophete Osee sayethe There is noo trewethe / no mercye / no knowleage of God in earthe / cursynge / lyenge / murdre-thefte / adulterye hathe broken in / and yet doo owre shepherdes holde theyr peace What commessacyon / dronckenes / detestable swearinge by all the partes of Christes bodye and yet callynge them in scorne huntinge othes extorcyon / pryde / couetuousenes / and suche other detestable vyce raigne in this yowr realme / agaynste the whiche owre Byshops and other Pastoures shulde contynually crye owt / as the Prophete sayethe Esa v. Crye nowe as lowed as thow canste / leaue not of / lyfte vp thy voyce lyke a trompett / and shewe my people their offences and the howse of Iacob their synnes But alas they be become bothe blynde and dome / as the Prophete sayethe Esaye lxvi His watchmen are all blynde they haue all together noo vnderstandinge / they are all dome dogges not able to barcke / they are slepye / folyshe are they and lye snortinge / they are shameles dogges that be neuer satysfyed The shepherdes also in lyke maner haue no vnderstandinge / but euery man turnethe his owne waye / euery one after his owne couetuousenes with all his powre What is the cause that they doo not execute this their offyce Other bycause they can not / or bycause they haue somoche worldely busynes that they will not apply them selfes to perfourme bothe Or els they be afrayed to speake the trwethe / lest they shulde dysplease men Whom Paul reproueth sayenge If I shulde please men I shulde not be the seruaunte of Christe Gal. i. Psal lij Also the Prophete sayethe God breakethe the bones of them whiche studye to please men / they be confounded / because the lorde dispyseth them Notwithstandynge owr byshops loue so well their greate domynions wherby they maynteyne their lordely honoure / that they will not dysplease men with preachynge the treuth / lest they shulde then loose their greate possessyons / and consequently their lordely glorye But surely as longe as they possesse theyr greate domynions / so longe they wyll contynewe and maynteyne their pryde And so longe as they contynewe in pryde / so longe they shall not
receyue the holy ghoste / whiche shall teach-them to speake the treuthe For vpon whom shall my sprete reaste sayeth the Prophete Esaye but vpon the meake and lowely / and vpon hym which fearethe my sayengs Esa vi Also the Prophete sayeth God resysteth the prowde / and vnto the meake and lowely he geuethe his grace Wherfore so longe as the byshops contynewe in this worldely we althe and honowre / so longe will they neuer do their dewtye and offyce / but rather persecute the worde of God whiche declarethe and shewethe what is their offyce and their dewtye And so longe as they do not exercyse their offyce and vocatyon / but doo persecute the worde and suche as syncerely preache the same / so longe shall synne increase For if the eye be wicked / all the body shal be full of darcknes For euen as at suche tyme when the Byshoppe of rome was fyrste endowed with greate possessyons / a voyce was harde / seyinge Nowe venome and poyson is caste and shed forthe into the churche of God In lykewyse no doubt most godly gouernoure / semblable voyce and sayenge maye be veryfyed in and vpon all the churche of Englande / sythen yowr Byshops were endowed with so greate possessyons and lordely domynions No doubt gracyous lorde / so longe as grete lordely domynions / wordely honours and wealthe / be anexed and knyt to the vocacyon and offyces of Byshops and other Pastours / these myscheues inconuenyēces shall euer ensue folowe Fyrste the moste prowde and ambycyouse / the moste couetuouse and wycked / which other by money frendshyp or flattery can obtayne the benefyce / wyll laboure with all study and polycye to gett the benefice / only for the worldely honoure and not for the zeale and loue which he shulde haue to enstructe and teache the people commytted to his cure and charge And for the profett which belongethe and apperteynethe to the same benefyce / they wyll dyssemble humylyte and despeccyon of all worldely profettes and pleasures / so colorablye and subtelly / that yt shall be very harde for youre magestye or any other hauynge aucthoryte to geue benefyces to perceyue them And when they haue obteyned the benefyce / than euery Christen man shall well perceyue that he hathe not entered in by the dore that is for the zeale and loue to doo and execute the offyce / but hathe clymmed vp and assended by a nother waye / that ys for the luker and honoure annexed to the offyce And than certenly whosoeuer assendeth and enterethe in by a nother waye / can not be but a thefe / by daye and by nyght / whose study and laboure muste be to steale / kyll / and to destroy As Christe whose wordes muste euer be true sayethe The thefe commethe not but to steale / to kyll / and to destroye Ioan. x. So that so longe as so moche worldely profett and honoure be longethe to the benefyce so longe wyll he that for wante and lacke of lernynge can not doo the offyce / and also the moste couetuouse and proude / wyll laboure to haue the offyce / whereby the people commytted to his cure / shall not onely be vntawgth / and not lerned in Gods worde / but also all they which can preache and teache Godds worde and loue the same / by suche a worldely wolfe / shall be extremely persecuted and tormented For he can not but steale / kyll / and destroye / and vtterly abhore / and hate the godly / as Christe sayethe Yf you were of the worlde / the worlde wolde loue his owne But because you be not of the worlde / but I haue chosen you from the worlde / therfore the worlde dothe hate you No doubt a man shall moche rather vpon thornes gather grapes / and vpon brambles and bryres gather fygges / than of soche gredy theues to haue any Chrysten relygyon other setforthe / preached / or stablyshed Wherfore moste redoubted Prynce seinge that theyr greate possessyons / ryches / worldely offyces / cures / and busynes / be the impedyment and let that they do not execute theyr vocacyon and offyce / whiche is so godly profytable and necessarye for this yowr common wealthe / yowe beinge owr soueraigne lorde and Kynge whom God hathe called to gouerne this yowr realme / and to redresse the enormytyes and abuses of the same by all iustyce and equyte are bounden to take awaye from Byshoppes and other spirytuall shepherdes suche superfluyte of possessyons and ryches and other seculer cures busynes and worldely offyces / whiche be the cause of moche synne in them / and no lesse occasyon whereby they be letted to execute their offyce / to the greate losse and hynderance of moche faythe vertue and goodnes / which myght be admynistred to your subiectes / through the trew preachynge of Godes worde And that done / than circumspectly to take heade that none be admytted to be Pastoures / but suche as cā preache and haue preached syncerely Godes worde And all suche as will not / to remoue them from theyr cures This godly ordre obserued in the electyon of spirituall pastoures / and the pestylent poyson moued and taken away from theyr vocatyon / faithe shall increase / and synne shall decrease / trewe obedience shall be obserued wyth all humylite to your magestye and to the hygher powers by your grace appoynted in office Cyuile quyetnes reste and peace shal be stablyshed / God shal be feared honoured and loued / whiche is theffecte of all Christen lyuinge O Lorde saue our moste soueraygne lorde Kynge Henry the eyght / and graunte that he may ones throughly feale and perceyue what myserable calamyte sorowe wretchednes we suffer now in these dayes a brode in the countre / by these vnlerned / popyshe / and moste cruell tyrauntes / euen the very enemyes of Chrystes crosse / whose payne shall be withowt ende / whan we shall lyue in Ioye for euer Graunte yet ones agayne I say goode lorde and moste mercyfull father through thy sone Ihesus Christe / that whan his grace shall knowe and perceyue by thy gyfte goodnes theyr most detestable wayes in mysusynge thy heretage / that he wyll ernestly go aboute to se a redresse amonge them / and to the penytent and contryte in harte to shewe his accustomed goodnes / and to the other his iustyce / accordinge to saynt Paules doctryne / and his graces lawes And moste dreade soueraygne with all humylyte and humblenes of harte I beseche your grace / accordinge to your accustomed goodnes to take this my rude supplycacyon to the beste / as a frute of my obedyence / wheryn I haue not dyssembled / but haue opened fully vnto your grace the grounde and very bottome of my hart / not of any grudge euyll wyll or malyce that I beare to any spirytuall shepherde God I take to recorde but onely for the glory of God / the honoure of your grace / and the wealthe and profett of your moste naturall and louinge subiectes FINIS ¶ Enprynted in the yeare of our Lorde M. CCCCC.xliiij in the moneth of Decembre