thy minde good Daniel Who serued his prince fayethfâ—lly Notwithstandynge he was cruel And eke his Lorde Gods enemy Serue him truly I say for why God hath bade that thou sholdest do so But do thou nothinge wickedly Neither for well nor yet for wo. Se thou serue him as faythfully As he were thy Lord and thy God â—olo iii. Ephe. vi Not with eye seruice faynedly Neither for the feare of the rodde But for the conscience thou dost bear To thy Lorde Gods commaundement That is for loue and not for feare Of any worldely punishmente Do thus and then thou shalt be sure Thy Lord wil euer prospere the And at his good will and pleasure Thou shalt not misse to be made fre But if thou wilt be still sturdy And do thy seruice wyth grudging The Lord shal â—lage the worthely With manifolde kindes of scourginge Thou shall be put to drudgery Many a dayâ— ma grea thine head Aâ—d be kepte still in slauery Al thy life dayes till thou be dead And if thou chaunce to renue awaye Either thâ—u shalt be brought agayne Or else when thou doest chaunce to stay A worse maister shall the retayne Once thou â—halt be certayne of this Thaâ— if thou refâ—se thy callinge Of miserie â—hou â—halte not misse Thâ—â—gh thou escaâ—e sodayne fallinge Yea though thou do prospere a while And seâ—â—e to haue fortune thy frende Yet thou doest but thy selfe begile For misery shall be thyne ende For as thou didest thy master serue So shall al thy seruauntes serue the And as thou didst hys goodes preserue So shall thy goodes preserued be And beside this Gods wrath is bent Towarde the for disobedience Wherefore vnles thou do repent He wyl adde therto vehemence He wyl plage the here wonderously And at the ende caste the in payne Where thou shalt lye eternally And wysâ—he to be a slaue agayne Repent therfore I the aduise And seke thine owne saluation And then thou muste in any wise Walke still in thy vocation Do thy seruice diligently And shewe no disobedience Be thou not stoute but stil apply And do all thynges with reuerence Refuse nothing that must be done But do it with all redines And when thou hast it once begone Then set a syde all slouthfulnes Be true trustye and trifle not Be gentle and obediente And blessyng shall lyght on thy lot For doynge Gods commaundemâ—nt To make an ende haue still in minde Thine estate and condition And let thine herte be still enclinde To walke in thy vocation ¶ The Yeomans lesson THou that art borne the grouÌ„d to till Or for to laboure wyth thyne hande If thou wylt do nought that is yl Desire not idle for to stande But se thou do plowe plante sowe And do thy nedeful busines As one that doeth his duty knowe And wyl not the Lords wil traunsgres For what doest thou if thou desire To be a lorde or gentilman Other then heape on the Gods yre And shewe thy selfe no christian For Christes shepe do heare his voyce Whyche biddeth the worke busily Iohn x. Exod. xx Sixe dayes and in the seauenth reioyce And giue somewhat to the neady It doeth also bid the beware Of the desire to be alofte For he that doeth for honour care Falleth in Sathans snares full ofte Haue minde therfore thy selfe to hold Withâ—â— the bosides of thy degre And then thou maist euer be bold That God thy lord wil prosper the. And though the Lord giue the plenty Of corne cattel and other thinge Prou. xxiii Psal lxii Be thou neuer the more gredy Nor set thy minde on gatheringe But thinke the Lord doth these thinges send To the as to his stuard true That wilt not his goodes wast spend But bestowe theÌ„ where they be due And if with thy labour thou get Money much more then thou dost nede Do not thy minde on rayment set Neither on deuity fode to fede Set not I say thy minde on pride Neither vpon deliciouse fare Neither forget at any tide To giue the pore that thou maist spare But when thou hast sufficient i. Timo. vi Of fode and honest apparaile Then holde thy selfe therewith content As with the wage of thy trauaile The rest if ought remaine vnspent Vpon thine owne necessitie Bestowe as he that hath it sent Hath in his worde commaunded the. And if thou finde not written there That thou maist heape thy chest with gold To bye greate liuelode for thine heyre Hoâ—e darest thou then be so bold Howe darest thou be bolde I say To heape vp so muche goâ—lde in store Out of the due that thou shouldest paye To them that be pore sycke and sore Psal v. Wo be to them sareth Esai That heape togither hoâ—se and Land As mâ—n that woâ—lde neuer finde staye Til al the earth were in their hand What wil ye dwel alone sareth he Vpon the earth that is so wyde Wyll you leaue no parte thereof fre From your vnsacrable pride Ye nede not to be so gready For the Lord doeth you plainely tell That greate houses shall stande empty And no man left therin to dwell And Moses saith that thou shalt build Houses and neuer dwell therin Deu. xxviii Thy selfe nor leaue them to thy chylde Nor any other of thy kynne And why because thou hast no mynd To kepe the lordes commaundement But sekest euer for to fynde Wayes to encrease thyne yerely rent No maner threatnynge can the let From purchasinge the deuel and all It is all fyshe that cometh â—oner To maâ—ntayne thy great pryde with al Well turne agayne â— the aduise And I â—iue to walke in thine estate And set goddes feare before thyne eyes Leste when thou woldest it be to late And haue in thy mynde euermore This rule of thy profession i. Cor. vii Whyche is in dede gods holy lore To walke in thy vocation But if the Lord do the not blesse In thy labours wyth gâ—eate plenty Yet thanke thou him neuer the lesse Thou hast more then thou art worthy If thy Landlorde do rayse thy rent Se thou pay it wyth quietnes And pray to God omnipotent To take from hym his cruelnes So shalt thou heap coles on his head And purchase to thy selfe great rest By the same man thou shalt be fedde By whom thou wast before opprest For God who ruleth ech mans herte Shal turne thy Landlordes hert I say And shall al his whole life conuert So that he shall be thy greate stay Or els if he be not worthy To be called to repentaunce No doubte thy Lorde wyll him destroy Or take from him hys heritaunce Sure thou shalt be he wyll the set Fre from thy Landlordes tyranny For he did neuer yet forget Any that walked orderly But if thou wilt nedes take in hande Thâ—ne owne wronge for to remedy The Lorde him selfe wyll the wtstande And make thy Landlord more gredye And where before thou paiedst greate reÌ„t Thou shalt now lose thy house al Bicause thou
couldst not be content Wyth patience on him to call In like sort if thy prince wyl take More tribute theÌ„ thou canst well spare Se thou pay it him for Gods sake Whose officers all princes are Math. xii For in his nede boeth thou and thine Are his to maintaine his estate It is not for the to define What great charges thy kinge is at Yea though thou se euidently That he wasteth much more then nede Yet pay thy dutye willyngely And doubtles God shall be thy mede Nowe touchynge thy religion If thy prince do commaunde the ought Agaynst Gods Euangelion Then pray for hym still in thy thought Praye for him still I say that he May haue Godly vnderstandinge To teach Gods word to such as be Committed to his gouerninge And se thou do not him despise But answere him wyth reuerence And thoughe thou mightest yet in no wise Do thou forget obedience Take not his swerd out of hys hand But lay thy necke downe vnder it Rom. xiii Yea â—hough thou mightest his force wtstande For so to do for the is fit Math. xxvi Thy master Christ hath taught thou well When he woulde no resistence make Neither against â—he powers rebell When men were sent him for to take Yet if the Lord haue geuen to the Such knowledge that thou art certaine Of thy fayeth knowynge it to be Of the trueth do therin remaine For thoughe man may thy bodye kyll Yet oughtest thou not him to feare Mâ—t x. For he can do thy soule none yll Wherfore be bold do not dispaire Beholde I say Christ to confesse Wiâ—hout feare of this worldly paine For when thou shalt be in distresse Mat. x. Christe shall acknowledge the againe Christ shall acknowledge the I say If thou conquere by sufferyng Luke xxi And do thy selfe hereupon staye That thou must walke in thy callyng But if thou do lyfâ—e vp thy sworde Agaynst thy kynge and Souerayne Math xxvi Then art thou iudged by Gods word As worthy therwith to be slayne Yea thou maist not grudge or repine Agaâ—nst thy kynge in any wyse Though thou shouldst seâ—â—laine with thyne Thaâ— he were wicked past al sise â—eyen For it is God thaâ— appoynteth Kinges and rulers ouer the route â—roue viii And with â—is power he auoynteth Them for to be obeyed â—o doubte â—â— xâ—x If they be euel then thinke thy sinne Deserueth that plage at Gods hande And se thou do forth wyth begynne Thine owne wyckednes to withstande Corah and dathan did Rebell Nom. xvi And thought that thei them selues coulde point A better priest in Israell Then Aaron whom god did annoynte But what came of their fantasie Was not destruction their ende God dyd destroye them sodenly Because they would his workes emeÌ„de Let thys example suffice the. To kepe them obedience To suche as god shall set to be Ouer the in preeminence If thou do thâ—s thou shalt besure That god thy lorde wyl euer se That though thy rulars be not pure Yet they shal euer defend the. Contrary wyse if thou Rebel Be sure the lorde wyll the destroye Which thing hath bene declared well Within thys realme verye lately For notwithstandinge that our kyng And eke our rulars euerychone Be merciful in their doynge Yet haue the Rebelles cause to moue And why because no rebelles shall Escape goddes hand vnpunished For god him selfe doeth princes cal Hys Christes and his annoynted Who so therfore doth them resist Roma xiii The same resisteth God certaine For god him selfe doeth them assist Agaynste them ouer whom they raigne If thou therfore fynd the greued Wyth men set in authoritye Seke not thou to be auenged Eccle. xxviii But let God take vengeaunce for the. Let me take veÌ„gaunce sayth the lord Rom. xii And I wil paye them al their hyre Do thus and scripture doeth recorde That thou shalt haue all thy desyre Thou shalt haue thy desire I say Vpon the wycked maiestrate If thou wylt kepe thy selfe alway Within the boundes of thyne estate Thus leaue I the wyth threatenyng To the thy soules damnation If thou mislikynge thy callynge Wylt nedes chayng thy vocation The lewde or vnlearnned priestes lesson THou that arte lewde wythout learnyng Whom commonly men cal syr Iohn Geue care for I wyl say somethynge Concerning thy vocation Thou art a man voyde of knowledge And eke of all good qualities Only mete for to diche and hedge Or else to plant and graâ—se mens tres Thou art not as thou wouldest be calde An offerar of sacrifice â—or though thy croâ—ne were .iiii. times balde Yet canst thou not so beare our eies For it is playne in holy write That none can offer sacrifice Hebru â—â— For synne either in flesh or spirite Though he be both learned and wyse For Christ was once offered for al To satisfie for all out synne And hath made fre that erst were thrall The faythful floke of Iacobes kinne To offer sacrifice therfore Thou arte not cald I tell the playne For Christe lyueth for euer more Rom. vi And can no more for vs be slayne Thy state therfore and thy callinge Is none other bâ—t for to wyrcke Gene. iii. â—oh v. And not to lyue by forstalling And name thy selfe one of the kyrcke If thou therfore wylt liue for aye And reigne wyth Christ for euer more Desyre no moe masses to say But get thy fode with laboure sore Exhâ— iiii Geue ouer all thy typpillinge Thy tauerne gates and table playe Thy cardes thy dice and wine bibbling Ephâ— â— And learne to walke a sober waye And if thou haue any liueing i. Timo iiii So that thou nedest not to laboure Se thou apply the to learninge Wyth al diligent endeuour But to this ende se thou studie That when thou hast the trueth learned Thou maiste profit other therby Whom in time past thou hast harmed And se thou go not Idlely From house to house to seke a place To say men a Masse secretly Their fauour therby to purchase Put not the ignorant in hope That they shall se al vp againe That hath bene brought in by the Pope And al the preachars put to payne But if thou canst do any good In teaching of an A. B. C. A primer or else Robinhede Let that be good pastime for the â–ª Be euer doyng what thou can Teaching or learnyng some good thing And then lyke a good Christian Thou doest walke forth in thy callinge But if thou wylt knoweledge reiecte And al honest labours refuse Then arte thou none of goddes elect Rom. â—vi But art worsse then the cursed Iewes Repent therfore I the aduise And take wholesome counsel by tyme And take good hede in any wyse That knowledge double not thy crime Thus leaue I the makyng promise To make for the peticion That thou mayst leaue the popishnes And walke in thy vocation The Scholars lesson COme hither yonge maÌ„ vnto me Thou that
Both the and thine past thy degre And eke maintaine outragiouse play Til thou haue spent both land and fee. To make an end vnlesse thou haue Knowledge remayninge in thy breste Thou shalt be worsse then a vile slaue That doth al honesty detest Get the knowledge therfore I say And eke the feare of God aboue And let thy study be alwaye To knowe what thing doth the behoue But fyrst before all other thynges Sette the Lordes feare before thy face Psa xxxiii To guide them all thy doynges That thou delite not in trespace For he that doth delite in synne Shal neuer gouerne his life wel Nor any Godly knoweledge wyn For wisedome wil not with hym dwell Sapie i. Then seke for knowledge busily And leaue not of ty she be found And wheÌ„ thou hast hir perfectly To the Lordes feare let hir be bound And let theim two beare al the swea In thy doynges early and late Let them agre and ende their plea Before thou do appoint the state By their aduise suruey thy Lande And kepe thy courtes doeth farre nere And se they do faste by the stande In thyne housekepynge thy chere Gaue them present before thine eyes In all thy dedes what so they be In cessions and eke in assise Let them not be absent from the. Let them rule al thy familye And eke enstructe thy children yonge That they may thyne office supply When with his dart death hath the stonge And last of al leaue them to guide Thy chyldren and theyr families That thine house and stocke may abide And râ—le the route in godly wyse No more to the haue I to say But that thou kepe Gods feare in sight And make it the guyde of thy way As wel by bright day as by nyght So doynge I dare the assure That in the ende thou shalt obtayne The blysse that shal euer endure Wyth Christe our maister for to raigne ¶ The Maiestrates lesson WHo so thou be that God doth call To beare the swerde of punishemente Marke well my wooâ—des take theÌ„ all Accordyngly as they be ment When thou art in Authoritie And hast the bridle raine in hand TheÌ„ be well ware that Tyranny Do not get the within hir band Loke not vpon thy sword alwaye But loke some tyme on thy balaunce And se that neither do decaye In the tyme of thy gouernaunce For to punishe wyth equitie Is and aye shall be bysemynge Where as to â—ewe extremitie Is founde rather a bloud suckeynge If any man be accused Se thou heare him indifferently And let him not be punished Tyl thou know his cause thorowli If he haue wrought againste the lawes So that iâ—stice wolde haue him dye Then â—n thy balaunce laye his cause And iudge him after equitie If he did it of ignoraunce Of nede or by compulsion Or else by fortune and by chaunce Then muste thou vse discretion Consyder what extreme nede is And home force may the weake compell And howe fortune doeth hyt and mysse When the intent was to do well And though the euidence be playne And the accusares credible Yet calle to mynde the elders twayne Dani. xiii That Daniell founde reproueable And if thou fynde them false or vayne Forged to worcke theyr brother yll Then let them suffer the same paine That he shoulde haue had by their wil Much myght be sayd in this matter Out of the workes of writters olde And for to proue it the better Many late stories myght be tolde But I leaue this to the studie Of them that haue had exercise In iudgment in whose memorie It is as styll before their eies I thought mete to touch it only That thou mightest haue occasion To call to mynde the chiefe dutie Of thy state and vocation Which is to scanne the euideâ—ce And eke to trye the accusars all Though thei be men of good credence Leste haply the iuste be made thral Moreouer it behoueth the If thou wylt walke in thy callynge To se that all good statutes be Executed before all thynge For to what ende do statutes serue Or whye should we holde parliamente If men shall not such lawes obserue As in that courte we shall inuent And what thynge shal a realme decay So sone as when men do neglecte The wholsome lawes as who should say They were in dede to none effect For in that realme the myghtie shal Worcke after theyr fancie and wyll For there the pore may crye and call For helpe and be oppressed styll Se thou therfore to thy duttie In this behalfe boeth daye and nyght And let none breake such lawes fâ—ely But let theÌ„ knowe that lawes haue myght Let them all knowe I saye that thou Art set to minister iustyce And that thou madest therto a vowe At the takeynge of thyne offyce Wincke not at thinges that be to plaine Leste godli knowledge fle the fro And thou flyt into endlesse payne At such tyme as thou must hense gâ— For if thou wylt not minister Iustice to them that do oppresse What are the people the better For the when they be in distresse The heauenli housband man therfore Who planted the vice to suppresse Shall drye thy roâ—e for euer more And geue the vp to wyckednes Ihon. xvi Be ware of this vengeaunce betyme Leste it come on the sodainly When thou wouldest faine repeÌ„t thy crime But shalt dispere of goddes mercie For what thing causeth men dispeire Of gods mercie at their last ende But their coÌ„science that sayth thei were Tolde of their fault would not mende If thou therfore doest se this thinge And wilt wincke at it willingly I saye that when death shal the stinge Thou shalt dispeyre of gods mercy Yet haâ—e I more to saye to the Concerning thy vocacion Which if it growe styl must nedes be Double abhominacion For he that byeth must nedes sell Thou knowest alreadie what I meane I nede not with plaine wordes to tell If sinne haue not blynded the cleaue Se vnto it I the aduise And let not offices be solde For god wyl punishe in straite wyse Suche as with him wyl be so bolde He wyl not aye suffer his flocke Of wolfes to be so deuoured Neither shall they that would him mocke Escape his handes vnpunished Exo. xiiii His arme is as stronge it was When he plaged Kynge Pharao In Egipt and can bringe to passe All that he listeth now also He spent not all his power vpon The â—ynge Nabuchodonozer He shall neuer be founde suche one Dani. iiii That he should not haue might in store Take hede take hede I saye therfore That thou fall not into his hande For if thou do thou art forlore Thou canst not be able to stande Hebru x. Yet one thing more I must the tell Which in no wise thou maist forget If thou wylt professe gods Gospel And thine affraunce therin set Thou must not couet imperie Nor seke to rule straunge nacions For it is charge inoughe perdie