other wordlye gouernours all Christendome ouer speciallye sens the craftye vpcrepinge of that holye father of yours I doubt not but the most famouse writers by all ages sens the churches beginninge will make this my sayinge good yet haue theyr cronicles written the best of them to hyde theyr hypocresie and falshede Vvhat Christen bloud hath beneshed-betwyne empire and empire kyngedome and kyngedome as betwyne Constantinople and Almayne Englande fraunce Italye and Spayne for the Bisshoppes of Rome and how manye cruell warres at theyr prestes callynge on it were to moche eyther to write or to speake Alwayes haue they bene workinge mischefe in theyr idell generacion to obscure the verite of God I saye yet ones agayne that it were verie necessarye for the kynges worthye maieste with ernest eyes to marke how God hath graciouslye delyue red both him and his people from youre troblouse termaga◅t of Rome which afore made all Christen kynges his cōmon slaues And to be ware of you hollowe har ted trayters his spirituall promoters cōsyderinge that your proude predecessours haue alwayes so wickedlye vsed his graces noble prog◅itours the worthye kynges of this realme sens the conquest and afore Vvho ouerthrewe kynge Herolde subduynge all this lande to the Normāny◅-who procured the deathe of kynge Vvillyam Rufus and caused kynge Steuen to be throwne in preson Vvho trobled kyng Henry the fyrst and most cruellye vexed kynge Henry the seconde Vvho subdued and poysoned kynge Iohan Vvho mourthered kynge Edwarde the seconde and famished kynge Rycharde the seconde most vnsemynglye besydes that hath bene wrought agaynst all the other kynges also To him that shall reade and throughlye marke the religiouse actes of Robert the Archebisshop of Canterbury of Odo Eg◅inus Anselmus Randoll of Durhā Rafe of Chychestre Alexander of Lyncoln Nig◅lius of Holye Roger of Salysbury Thomas ◅cket Steuen ◅angton Vvalter Stapylton Robert Baldock Rychard Scrope Henry spe◅ser Thomas Arundell and a great sort more of youre anoynted auncetours pontificall prelates mytred mommers mad mastrye workers ryuged ruff◅rs roche ted rutters shorne sawcye swy◅ olles it will euidentlye apere that youre wicked generacyon hath done all that and manye other mischeues more By these youre fylthye forefathers and soche other hath this realme bene alwayes in most miserable captiuite eyther of the Romanes or Danes Saxons or Normannes and now last of all vndre the most blasphemouse Behemoth youre Romishe Pope the great Antichrist of Europa and most myghtye mayntener of Sodome and Gomorre tyll God by the stronge power of his eternall worde gaue oure noble kynge a clere victorye ouer him How vnchristenlye youre seyd predecessours haue vsed the rewlers of all other Christen realmes it were to longe to wryte I reaken it therfore hygh tyme for all those Christen princes which pretende to receyue the Gospell of saluacyō and accordynglye after that to lyue in mutuall peace and tranquillite for euer to cast ye out of theyr preuye counsels and utterlye to seclude you from all administracyous tyll soche tyme as they fynde ye no longar wolues but faythfull feaders no destroyers but gentyll teachers For as sainct Peter doth saye i. Petri. v. ye ought to be no lordes ouer y e people of your dioceses but examples of Christen mekenesse Vvho seeth not in these dayes that you blodye bishopp◅s of Englande Italie Sicell Fraunce Spayne Portingale Scotlande Irelande be the grounde and originall foundacyon of all controuersyes scysmes variaunces and marres betwixt realme and realme at this present As sure as the lorde lyueth it is the subtile serpent of Rome and your wylye viperouse generacyon forth ◅in ge from him which hath sturred vp y e fyrst mouers therof confedering thē w t y e Tur ke or great Barbarossa vtterly to destroye the Christen common welthe As in dede for youre cause and his it was that the Frenche kynge Frances fyrst beganne that vngodlye enterprise ye fele it at youre fyngars endes that your father is syke to false ye perseyue the daylye decaye of his false and vsurped power Vvhere vpon ye consydre your owne priuate powers inordinate pryde couetousnesse voluptuouse lyuinge lechere idelnesse tyrannye and vayne glorye to folowe sone after And that causeth you to calke for his kyngedome so fast to cloyne for his coblarie and to clought vp his olde cloke agayne If ye speake ought agaynst him it is from the tethe and for feare of the halter onlye He hath neuer the lesse both your hartes and good will and lacketh neyther your counsell◅or helpe preuilye to the vttermost ye can do as apereth by youre daylye workes Els coude he neuer contynue as he doth nor yet be so stronge as he is Vvele do all that ye can in the worlde to his holdinge vp pece patche cobble clought cloyne calke and do the deuyll and all besydes whan the apple of iniquite is full type he will fall of himselfe and a ye ye all no leaue And than will all these youre labours be in vayne Consydre fyrst of all both his beginninge and yours Neuer came ye in with your myters robes rynges by the dore as ded the poore Apostles but by the wyndowe vnrequyred lyke robbers theues and manquellers with Symon Magus Marcion and Menander Neuer was your proude Pontificall power of the heauenlye fathers plantynge and therfore at the last it must vp by the rootes ye must in the ende be destroyed without handes Daniel viii Inuisyblye shall ye be stryken as was the great tyraunt Antiochus ii Mach. ix Vvith the myghtye breathe of Gods mouthe which is his worde inuincyble shall youre false kyngedome be cōsumed ii Thes. ii and Heb. iiii This reken I suffycient to declare you both to God and to manne most spyghtfull trayters vnto them that will not be wilfullye blinde Now to proue you spirituall theues to y e cōmon people is the seconde part of my purposed wryting ◅arder nede we not to seke for a profe of this than youre owne open actes How longe haue ye kept the eternall testament of Christ vndre youre fylthye fere frō y e peoples reading which is y e lyuely foode of theyr soules yea how manye innocent Christen creaturs haue ye most cruellye murthered to cause them to abhorte it Not manye years past ye brent a godlye woman at Couentre for hauinge but one chapter of sainet Matthewes Gospell and an other manne at London for hauinge sainct Ioh◅s Apoca lype besydes that ye haue done in other quarters els of the realme Some burned ye in Iohan Vv◅ues tyme and after for not allow◅nge your pilgrimages some for not beleuynge your pardons some for not fa◅ynge the frydaye for not obseruinge your ◅ent some for youre purga torie some for youre images some for not prayinge to dead saynctes of youre makinge some for youre howsell at Easter some for not cr◅pinge to the crosse some for not goinge processyon and some for ho ly water and for other vayne tryfels of youre owne inuentinge
The epistle exhortatorye of an Englyshe Christyane vnto his derelye beloued coÌ„treye of Englande against the pompouse popyshe Bysshoppes therof as yet the true members of theyr fylthye father the great Antichrist of Rome Henrye Stalbrydge ☞ As I haue compyled this treatyse in the zele of God my prince against the tyrauÌ„t of Rome his secret maynteners So ys yt my desyre that his grace maye haue yt as a frute of my Christen obedience And I doubt yt not but some godlye manne louynge his grace better then that wycked Pope wyll faythfullye delyuer it vnto him the slayghtes of theyr false generation consydered Praye gentyll reader that yt maye fynde grace in his syght ☞ Deale with Babylon as she hath deserued for she hath set vp herselfe against the Lorde against the holye one of Israel â—…ere 〈◊〉 ☞ The epistle exhortatorye of an Englishe Christiane vnto his derelye beloued contreye of Englande against the pompouse popyshe Bysshoppes therof as yet the true members of theyr fylthye father the great Antichrist of Rome IN my hart I wyshe daylye for the same do I ernestlye praye vnto our most mer cyfull father the euerlyuynge God that for his sonnes sake oure onlye redemer and full sauer Iesus Christ yf his heauenlye will so be that he ones open throughlye the eyes of our most worthye and noble kynge as he hath alredye begonne and of all his other counsellers lordes and burgeses of his parlement which are chosen out of the whole realme to confounde vngodlye customes and to set vp in ther towmes sawes that are more godlye to suppresse wyckednesse and to maynteyne Christen vertues to preferre the commen welthe afore all singular or priuate welthes yea vtterlye to destroye and abolyshe for euer soche fylthye tradicions as haue no iust grounde vpon Gods holye worde as are all the vsages rytes lawes decrees seruices supersticions sorceries of the Romishe Antichrist and to sâ—… in open practise the true worshyppinges auaunced to Christes glorie so edifyeng his people by the scripturs in the knowledge of one onlye eternall lyuinge God And in so doinge they shuld mainteyne the coÌ„mâ—…n welthe both of soule and bodye I saye yet ones agayne that in theze se of y e Lorde as he is my iudge I wyshe â—…f his graciouse pleasur so were that first the kynges maieste and so forth all the rest vnto whom God hath geuen power and auctorite vpon earthe vndre him maye throughlye se and perseyue how that not onlye the bloudy bearwolfe of Rome but also the most part of y e other Bysshoppes stoute sturdye canons of ca thedrass churches with other petie prowlers and prestigiouse Prestes of Baal his malignaunt members in all realmes of Christendome speciallye here in Englande doth yet tore abrode lyke hongrie lyons frete inwardlye lyke angrie beares and byte as they dare lyke cruel wolues â—…ringe togyther in corners 〈◊〉 a swarme of addâ—…rs in a donge hyss 〈◊〉 wylye subtile serpentes to vpholdâ—… and prâ—… theyr fylthy father of Rome the head of theyr bawdye brode yf it maye be This ones perseyued and seaue by a godlye circumspeccyon I wysh â—…n the same vehemencie of sprete and prayer the seyd noble kynge counsellers burgeses to procure a full reformacyon concerninge there aduowterouse doctrine ther prodigiouse pompe ther insaciable cloyninge and tyrannycall persecutinge of Christ in his faythfull members No doubt of yt but the mercie of our eternall father hath opened vnto vs in these latter dayes what ther forked fatherhede ther oyled auctorite and ther shauen holynesse is for all ther craftye compases of wordlye wisdome that they shuld not apere y e same generacyon of vipers that Iohan Baptist Christ hath warned vs of His worde hath he now appointed by diuerse of his ministers to be theyr vtter destruccyon for blasphemouslye deludinge his redemed heritage so manye hondred years in ther counterfete kyngedome of hypocresie wherin they shewe now what they haue bene euen verye heretiques to God trayters to theyr princes and theues to theyr Christen commons No lesse do I iudge it then a bounde dewtye of y e seyd faythfull ministers to manifest theyr mischeues to y e vniuersall worlde euerye manne accordinge to his talent geuen of God some with penne and some with tonge so bringinge them out of theyr olde estimacyon least they shuld styll regne in the peoples consciences to theyr soules destruccyon An euident example haue they of Christ thus to do which openlye rebuked theyr fylthye forefathers the scribes lawers pha riseâ—…s doctors prâ—…s bisshops and hypocrites for makinge Gods coÌ„maundementes of non effect to support theyr owne tradicions so clerlye condempninge theyr hypocritaâ—… lyfe and doctrine Mat thew xv xvi and. xxiii xxiiii Beware sayth he of the corrupt leuen of the pharisâ—…s Marke viii Luke xii Pause admonisheth vs also that soche rauenynge wolues shuld entre in amonge vs after his departing as shuld not spare the floc ke Act. xx ii Thes. ii i. Tim. iiii So doth Iohâ—… i. Iohâ—… ii so doth Peter ii Pe ii so doth Iudas Thadeus in his epistle By these and many other places of the scriptures are we taught easily to knowe at none dayes the wolfe from the lambe and the hastye lyon from the simple shepe As Christ sought by al meanes to deface the proude Prâ—…s and to bringe poor Iohan Baptist in reputacion of the people for that he had vttered the truthe without flatterye So wolde he now the true teachers of his Gospell to be regarded be they neuer so poore for his veryteâ—…s sake and the blasphemers therof to be had in an vtter contempt No lesse is it therfore than a doctrine of his to be put in practyse amoÌ„ge true Christianes both in worde and wrytynge to haue the myscheues manifest of these spirituall mahoundes the verye ofspringe of Cain chyldren of Caiphas and successors of Symon Magus as theyr doctrine and lyuinge declareth nedynge no farther probation Notwithstandinge through Gods grace I shall partlye open the wickednesse both of them and theyr fathers as the truthe shall leade me Most cruell enemyes haue they bene in all ages to y e verite of God euer sens the lawe was fyrst geuen and most ferce persecuters of Christ and his churche Consydre fyrst of all besydes that was done afore in the lawe of nature how deuerslye Iannes and Iambres with other false prestes of Egypt persuaded Pharao through lyenge signes and tokens to withstande the pleasure of God in Moyses and Aaron Eyo. vii and. ii Tim. iii. Greuouslye was Micheas the true prophete of the Lorde vexed of Sedechias iii. Reg. xxii and. ii Para. xviii So was the good Prophete Hieremie of phassuâ—… and Semeias Hiere xx xxvi and. xxix Vvonderfullye were the Israelites abused by the idolatrouse prestes of Baal and the Chaldeanes by Belles prestes also in Babylon tyll Helias and Daniel in the worde of the Lorde detected theyr craftye cloyninges iii. Reg.
xviii Daniel xiiii Great was the affliccion of y e Iewes vndre kynge Demetrius through the cruell counsell of that trayterouse prest Alchimus i. Machab. vii Manifest is it by the. iiii Gospels how the Bishoppes and Prestes vsed Christ himselfe Matth. xxvi Marke xiiii Luke xxii Iohan. xviii And after what relygiouse sort they intreated his Apostles after his ascencyon Act. iiii v. vi and. vii Pause had to enemy Barieheu Ananias Hymeneus Philetus Hermogenes and Phygeâ—…us all maliciouse Prestes Iohan had Diotrephes Carpocras Hebion Marcion Câ—…rinthus and Cynopes all bloodthursiye Prelates also Peter had Symon Magus and Menander Iames the More had Abiathar the great Bisshop Matthew had zaroâ—…s and Arphaxat amonge the Moreanes and the same lykewise had Symon and Thadeus as they preached amonge the Persianes lyke as all the other Apostles had in the quarters where they occupyed No where coude the verite be taught but those gloriouse glottoâ—…s were euer at hande to resist it After the Apostels ty me was there no cruell tyraunt vnset a worke by them to persecute them which published that massage of lyght Euerye where were they whysperinge in that â—…are and that eare fearinge the fall of theyr kyngedome yf the Gospell were trulye opened as is euident to them which are expert in the cronicles And thus haue they coÌ„tynued in theyr spyghtfull generacyon vndre the name of a spiritualte vnto this present age wherin theyr lowsye legerdemaine is almost perseyued of all menne the lyght so abun dauntlye shyninge yet are they not ashamed so whorishe is the face which they haue cawte of theyr holy mother A great conscience made theyr naturall forefathers to put the. xxx syluer plates that Iudas y e trayter theyr elder brother had brought them into the treasurye because yt was the pryce of blood Math. xxvii But no conscience at all had those bloodye hypocrites to murder the eternall son ne of God in procuringe false witnesses agaynst him Matth. xxvi So lyke are oure spiritualte to these fore leaders of theyrs as one adder is lyke an other or the yonge wolfe lyke the olde as theyr daylye frutes declareth They sought by all meanes possible to quenche the fayth of his gloryouse resurreccyon wagynge the souldyers to saye that his disciples had stolen him whyls they were a slepe Mat. xxviii Vvhich practise they occupye to this daye by theyr hyred sophisters or vniuersite knyghtes to blemishe his heauenly verite Soche shamelesse lyarâ—… are they agaynst God and his worde But truely both they and theyr fathers hath faughten in vayne â—…ete soche vessels of the wrathe of God kycke spewe and spurne as moche as they can yet will the truthe of the Lorde endure for euer Seduce they neuer so subtyllye lye they neuer so lordelye blaspheme they neuer so boldelye accuse they neuer so freshlye that the preachers are deceyuers and sediciouse persones procure they neuer so manye cruell tyrauntes yea persecute they and slee â—…hey neuer so fercelye with Nero Domicianus Traianus and soche other yet shall Christ alwayes haue a faythfull coÌ„gregacyon vndefyled with theyr wretched sorceryes Maruele not ye Bysshoppes Prelates and Prestes though I thus in the zele of Helias and Phiâ—…s stomacke agaynst youre sturdye stormes of stubbernesse For neuer was yet anye tyrannie ministred vpon Christ and his mysticall members but by youre proude procurement And now in oure dayes where are anye of the lordes true seruauntes burned or otherwyse murthe â—…ed for true preachinge wrytinge glosinge or interpretynge the Gospell but it is by your cruell callynge on How subtillye bewitched you the parlament house whan the. vi blasphemouse artycles collected out of the Popes wicked decrees were there enacted and establyshed with more tyraÌ„nie than euer vndre the Romishe Pope Mahomete or anye other tyrauÌ„t afore Vvere not they fyrst practised of you to destroye all them that shulde trulye professe the Gospell which are and will be alwayes the kynges most faythfull fryndes to leaue a playne path waye that your Pope myght here after entre At your trayterouse insurreccyon in the northe it had bene wroÌ„ge with this realme had there not bene a great nombre which had than the feare of God written in theyr hartes wherby they knew they coude not ryse agaynst theyr prince but to theyr owne dampnacyon and that they were bounde also to defende him agaynst all soche popysshe and rebellyouse trayters Thankes myght wele haue bene geuen in those dayes to oure eternall God for raysinge vp 〈◊〉 Tyndale the fyrst true Apostle of Christ after Iohan Vvyâ—… the verye manne of God and soche other lyke which brought Christes Gospell into the knowledge of menne and wrote diuerse grounded workâ—… vpon the same As the Christen Obedience the pa rable of the wycked Mammon the. iii. chapters of Matthew y e Somme of scripture and diuerse other wherby the people were than taught how to loue God and how to obey theyr princes and magistrates These heretique bokes as you call them made the kynges grace more faythfull fryndes in those dayes than yow Bysshoppes and Prestes were wele coÌ„teÌ„ted with Vvell I trust by this tyme they and soche other lyke haue made him ten tymes so many more Not onlye were the seyd vi articles deuised by the deuyll and you for the vtter destruccion of Gods true seruauntes and the kynges faythfull subiectes but also to repare the broken walles of youre yall Rome agayne as in dede they wold do euen to the verie cloudes yf they were wele folowed Thynke not that â—…ne be so blynde in this age but they perseyue your craftye cloyning Ful wele knewe wily Vvynche stre and other more of his fellawes the fyrst practisers of them that were they ones receyued graunted and executed vndre peyne of deathe the Pope shulde neuer dye in Englande what though his name were suppressed with his pilgrimages pardons and a fewe supersticyons besydes â—…hmost wycked vermyne wylly wormes subtyle and craftye serpentes whan will ye leaue treadynge of Christ on the hele Gen. iii. Vvhan shall Gods sonne be vnto you no signe of contradiccyon Luke ii Vvhan shall his verite be reuerêtlye vsed amonge you I feare me neuer so longe as you remayne in Englande As our most godlye souerayne beganne with kynge Iosias to reforme his churche bannishynge your woluishe father as an vngodlye vsurper for euer ye pacientlye paused with lowerynge luâ—…kynge and loutinge for feare of the swerde and haltre But whan ye ones perseyued that Gods holye lawes were spredde and youre vnholye lawes were sett at naught than thought ye it hygh tyme to worke youre false feates Than put ye apace in practyse youre olde serpentyne subtysteâ—…s ye compassed them so with craftes which knewe not your cursed conueyauÌ„ces both amongest the kynges counsell and commons that they were at the makynge of the seyd sixe Popyshe artycles and are yet to this houre of this blynde beleue Though the Pope of Rome your olde glo riouse grandesâ—…re
therof â—…yryued Finallye to take from them theyr inordinate pompe and â—…yches and more godlye to bestowe them that is to saye to the ayde of his pouerte and maynteâ—…auÌ„ce of his common welthe â—…s for an example the noble Germaynes hath gracyouslye done before him makynge of theyâ—… monasteryes nonnes coueÌ„tes and fryers houses scoles of Christen sernynge hospitalles for sycke people and conuenient dwellynge places for the impoteÌ„t poore and aged â—…eseruynge the reest of the lan des and goodes to the mayntenaunce of theyr cyteâ—…s and contrees which godlye distribucyon is moche coÌ„mended all Chrâ—… stendome ouer where as it is throughlye knowen Notvnknowen is it to these pom pouse prelates that whan those landes and goodes were fyrst delyuered vnto theyr predecessours it was not to the intent that they shuld become possessours or lordes of them but faythfull disposaâ—…s to the vse of the weake and nedye that Christ myght so be harbored norryshed couered fedde and visited in his disseased members as will be required at the latter daye But whom haue you harboured ye beast lye bellygoddes whom haue you visited and feddesens ye haue becomeâ—… of lowlye preachers mytred modye ydols Not the sore and syâ—… the impotent and same the fatherlesse and motherlesse nor him that hath bâ—… decayâ—…d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or throwne in stronge prâ—…son for the verite No but great lordes and sadyes lerâ—…ed menne and â—…owte sawers gentylmenne great doctours 〈◊〉 soâ—…he as hath fat benâ—…fices with a â—…nde of bolde brag gets or blasphemouse swearers abought ye to wayte vpon youre tablâ—…s to holde vp your tayles in the sâ—…rete to kepe youre houndes and horses and to conueye you in the darke a pece for youre pleasur And this do ye for two specyast causes one is this for so moche as yourâ—… selues are becomen great fordes ye must nedes haue lordelye companyons somwhat lyke youreselues Peter Iames Iohan with the other disâ—…ples of Christ whose succeâ—…yon ye boâ—… youreselues to be were now no meteâ—…â—…hyp for you Neuer were they yet in soâ—…he hygh auctorite as you be in now â—…ther had they here anye soche prcheâ—… of pâ—…acye as to be called my â—…tyouse â—…egne of couetousnesse that he lest behynde him vpon the hygh mouÌ„tayâ—… Math. iiii I thynke not the coÌ„tâ—…arye but you sâ—…tdye struggelers will somwhat sâ—…le at this wy homelye wrytynge yet shall not that make me to lâ—…aue of consydâ—…ynge that Christ hath promysed â—…uce xix that though we shuld holde our peace and neyther write nor speake ageynst you in these lattre dayes so hydynge his talent vndre the grounde yet moldâ—… the domme stones do it agaynst youre ydolatrouse generation In vayne therfor haue ye made it deathe to impugne your myscheâ—…s Trulye we can noÌ„ otherwyse chose but in the power of that sprete which he hath geueÌ„ vs boldelye to replye ageynst your fyltâ—…ye father Anticrist and yow though ye shuld ther vpoÌ„ make a thowsande deathes more And I do not doubt it but in processe of tyme we shall in the same sprite and wor de clerelye ouerthrowe that fleshlâ—…e châ—…â—…he of his so that there shall nomore ther of apere than now doth of the carnall synagoge of the Iewes The more cruell act es ye make against vs the more ernest are we and will be tyâ—… we haue weded ye whollye out of the lordes vyneyaâ—…de your holye bretherne and systerne y e monkes fâ—…ytes chanons and nonnes with your hâ—…s pylgrymes and perdoners be gone forth afore yow thynke not but your selues shall folowe w t your myters shaueÌ„ crownes and longe ryppetes arysynge out of the same soyle For Rome that ryall cyte was the orygynall mother to ye both â—…omore are yow in your proude paynted relygyoÌ„ of the heaueÌ„lye fathers plantynge than were they in ther I dell I pocresye And therfor ye must vp by the rootes with your pompouse palaces proude prebeÌ„des chapels chauÌ„teryes The greâ—… sale of your mâ—…rytes and holye whoryshe workes shall not be able to vpholde yow As the lorde hath geuen it to owr most worthy kinge by the strengthe of hys wor de to destroye that ranke â—…able of Romystes so will he graâ—…t him to sub due you al so y t cruell captaynes â—…d shorne forcerers of that sodomytycall kyngedome as yet left behynde to make perfyght the worke that he hath begon that ye do not herafter so wyckedlye abuse hyâ—… successyon as ye haue afore tyme his most noble pro genytours I faythfullye beleue yt that both Achitofel Haman shall haue ther iust plages ere his grace geue place vnto nature as all menne must dye ii Reg. xvii Hester vii If it shuld be otherwise as the lorde forbydde both prynce Edwarde and the whole realm bâ—…syde shuld be in most dâ—…e daunger For though ye playe now dyogenes flyes and whysper plesauntlye in the eâ—…re yet will ye hysse cruelly lyke sâ—… peÌ„tes throwynge forthe your venim whâ—… ye shall se your tyme accordynge to your subtyle and vngentyll nature Though the mermaydes songe be swete yet ys yt full of payson as are also your honyed thetoryckes leadeth theÌ„ vnto deathe whych geueth theÌ„ therof y e hâ—…arynge 〈◊〉 uer is Gnato vnrydie w c his fayre flatte ringe feates to brynge his false matterâ—… to passe where as he fynde yt chynge â—…res Vvere it not for fayre speche in hypocresye SathaÌ„ shuld neuer apere y e gloryouse 〈◊〉 of lyght to y e daylye perfour maunce of all hys mastryes of myschefe Vvhat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 decayes hath chauncâ—…d to all Chriâ—…n â—…gyons and ther rulers for geuynge swyft credyte to the fleryngâ—… flatteryes of your babylonyshe brode yt were verye moche to write It shall be therfor necessarye for our most worthye kynge to loke vpon yow intyme and both to demynyshe your auctoryte and ryches leasâ—… ye here afâ—…er put all his godlye enterpryses in hasarde For nothynge els can ye do of your spuÌ„all nature but worke daylye myschâ—…ues As wele maye ye be spared in the coÌ„mon welthe as maye kytes crowes and bussardes polcattes wesels and rattes otters wolues and foxes bodye lyce flees and fleshe 〈◊〉 with other deuowrynge and noyfull vermyne For as vnprofytable are ye vnto it as they and as lyttle haue ye of the worde of God to vpholde yow in those vayne offyces of papystrye as they This vncommodiouse coÌ„modite hath Englande had of you alwayes whan ye haue bene of the kynges preuye counsell and I thynke hath now at this present houre That whan so euer anye godlye enterpryse is there in doying be it neuer so preuylye handeled yet shall the Popishe prelates of Italie Spayne FrauÌ„câ—… Flaunders and Scotlande haue sure knowledge therof by youre secrete massengers and you agayne theyr craftye coÌ„ passynges to deface it yf it maye be Nether shall those realmes contynue longe after without warre speciallye yf an ernest reformacyon of youre shamefull abuses be sought there And neuer shall the originall grounde of that warre be knowen but other causes shall