the newe learnynge many euil mē T. It was most trew brother Eusebius and can not be denyed For there were in hel no veryer deuils thē many of thē were that professed the gospel for otherwyse there could haue ben no couler of these lyes and slaunders that are now spred as is said before For it was Iudas that bare the pouche it was Iudas that betraied hys master and many Iudasses in England vnder the pretence of religiō robbed both Kynge and realme these iudasses filled their own pouches made thēselues riche noble they care not who rule so long as they may geat enioye their possessions E. Well brother Theophilus here are no more but you I I dare be bolde herein to tel you my mind For I know you vnderstād in it as muche as I more to I dare say you do with as great a gref behold it sorow it as any English heart wil doe I heare say the king of Spayne shal at last be crouned kyng of Englād what say you to that T Alas brother Eusebius what should I say to it If god haue determyned who maye wythstande we muste commyt it to his good pleasure and wyll E. But do you not thynke it a plage T. Yes verely and an vtter desolacion of Englishe bloud E. Oh lord what meaneth thys T. I wyll tell you brother Euse The almightie god hath frō the beginning wrytten his wil and law not in tables of stone onely neyther in bokes of paper and ynke but also in the heartes of men as it is wrytten I wryte my lawes in theyr heartes and I wyl be theyr god and they shal be my people But leste any mā should dreame of these lawes and faine other in theyr stede they were written in tabels of stone and after in bokes of paper and inke so that to this day they are deuided and knowē from mens lawes And for our better instruccion herein the onely begotten sonne of God oure Lord Iesus Chryst hath accordyng to the fathers promyse stablyshed and confyrmed a new testament wherin he hath opened playnely the mysteries of Moyses law and the Prophetes not to breake them as the false Phariseis falsly reported of hym but to fulfyl them in executing thys hys new testament The which sound doctryne of health the world alwayes spurned at as they doe yet to thys daye And althoughe it were for a tyme suffered here in Englande by the prouidence of god and most earnestly preached and published yet was there that spurned at it and many abused it for there libertie for couetous lucre and such lyke many warninges we had for both partyes to amende but it woulde not be wherfore seeing we woulde not receaue hym but despise hym stil as the Iewes dyd we shal likewyse be destroyed as they were I se no other remedy E. God be merciful vnto vs but yet I meruayle that our nobilitie suffereth it T Why man ye must vnderstande that your catholykes nowe beare the rule youre prelates of the Churche haue al the doynges of these matters and ye knowe they hauinge none inheritaunce but for their liues beyng without wife and children rather then they would be brought down agayne as they were in king Edwardes dayes they had rather the Turke had the rule and gouernement therof E. I maye saye to you Theophilus they are shroudly suspected in this matter and I feare me not without good cause But yet I meruayle of the councellours who being put in trust with the gouernment and maye let the proceding hereof what shoulde moue them to consente thereunto T. As I may thynke my selfe assured of you as you of me and maye as boldely speake also my mynde to you as you to me and although faythful frendeship be vtterly banished thys Realme so that one brother al most cannot trust another yet frendship lurketh in corners secretely And I thynke my selfe safe with you brother Eusebius Your faythfulnes is to me so wel knowe I wil therfore show you what I coniecture to be the cause of their agrement a lamentable case it is and wyth great so row and grefe must I tel you herein my mind They be men that be louers of themselues yet they are so blinded with this self loue that they neither can foresee the miserable state of theyr coūtry neither yet their owne destruccion they dreame as Pope Iulius dyd who as the fabel telleth commaunded Sainct Peter to open heauen gates dreamyng himselfe to be Pope styll These men dreame that the King of Spaine wil make them alwaye of hys chefe counsel but. c. They haue been of King Harry the eightes coūcel broughte vp of meane men the moste parte Wherby they should be accōpted noble I know not For they excell not in learning and knoweledge they haue showed no greate proues of armes theyr loue to a common wealth is nowe declared But they be so infected with ambiciō that loke what pleaseth the affecciō of the Prince pleaseth also them For in King Henryes daies they were sworne to abolishe the popes supremacy with his vsurped power yea and they prosecuted the matter earnestly as it appered right wel for many lost theyr liues for the same Whē Kyng Henry was deade Kyng Edwarde hys sonne by the meanes of hys vncle then Lorde protectour subuerted al the Popes religion put down masse and altogether wherewithall they were well contented and set forewarde the matter withoute any scruple of conscyence I warrante you And many goodly lawes they lette make as wel for the mayntenaunce of that religion as also for the preseruacion of a commen wealth and before Kyng Edwarde was fullye dead they had concluded also with the Duke of Northumberlande vnder pretence of the stablishing of that religion and other goodly consideracions as it were to make hym Kyng contrary to al right and contrary to all the statutes of parlemente and so woulde haue disheryted the Quene that nowe is agaynste her fathers wil agaynst theyr own lawes agaynst all their othes and promise and without any iust cause at that time And al this notwithstanding whē they sawe how the game would goe they were contented to serue the Quenes wyll and nowe haue they sworne backe agayne to the holy father I heare say now agayne wheras the Quene goeth about not onely to breake her fathers wil and al such lawes statutes as were made for the preseruacion and safegarde of thys realme but is also determined of a selfe wyll to brynge England into the subieccion of a foren Prynce they haue not onely consented and agreed but are also chefe doers and procurers thereof for god hath blynded theyr eyes and theyr vnderstanding so that they cannot see nor perceaue their own destruccion and yet euery child seeth and euery good heart mourneth at it ful heuely E. Now surely Theophilus you haue spokē as trewe as the gospell for if he be once stablished King he may without contradiccion furnishe
doe you speake as you thinke or els Iest ye with me to see what I wil say T. Nay I speake it with my heart as truly as God lyueth E. Then haue I heard fouell lyes among them that would be accounted honest and wel learned But seing we haue entred so farre in the matter I praye you certyfye me of the truth in this point whether it be so or no that I be not deceaued therin for the satisfying of my conscyence and for quieting the same for as for me although I be not of the new learning yet am I not so addicted to the olde but that I would be glad to here and reason the matter to th ende I promyse you I mought helpe to bring loue amonges our selues T. A godly purpose I assure you but what are those lyes then ye heard of late I praye you let vs heare them E. Nay soft I sayd not precysely they were lyes but if that be trew which you say then are they lies in dede but say on I pray you what was that true tale then E. Syr thys it was tolde me that you of this new learnyng dyd boast your selues much of fayth and that onely fayth dyd iustifie but good workes ye cared not for neyther regarded at all neyther prayer nor fastyng nor almes dede wil ye allow goddes seruice ye despyse and the ministers therof with a thousande lyke I cannot wel remember all nowe T I durst lay a wager before hande that thys also was a Priestes tale E. Now surelye it was so in dede what a Goddes name howe are you so wel acquaynted with Priestes tales T. Yes I know them wel and theyr master also but brother Eusebius thys is no straunge thynge for there is no sermō almost in these daies but these tales bee in the pulpet as thicke as hoppes and many lies more to the which whē I heare it maketh my hearte mourne to see their spyte that they haue no other way to worke their anger vpō vs but with opē lies in an opē audience and yet the shame would redounde to themselues if there were any shame in them For the moste parte of men doe knowe most certenly that they doe lye If they were of god as they pretende or if they meant the preseruacion of a commō wealth and safegarde of their countrye they woulde vse another waye of perswasion they woulde haue charitie before theyr eyes they would consider the nature of euery man by themselues and doe as they woulde bee done vnto and I praye you who can suffer hymselfe to be complained of to a whole countrye and to heare false wytnesse broughte agaynste hym and by thys meanes broughte to loue no no this is not to wynne theyr brethren but euer to prouoke myscheffe and to set men by the eares God be merciful vnto vs the pulpet was ordained to speake trueth to preache peace and to bryng vnitie among the brethren And nowe they haue made it a place to sprede lyes to sowe discorde and to sette mens hartes on fyer with enuy and malice I am righte wel assured that if men would deny it that the stones of the strete would witnes that the preachers in Kyng Edwardes tyme cried out vpon the sinnes of men and thretned the most extreme damnation if they repented not and turned not to the Lord in amēdement of lyffe and shewed them also a forehand what would come of oure wicked liuing which thinges are come to passe and therfore dyd continually exhort them to repentaunce with the niniuites and to call vpon the name of the lyuing god in fastyng and sackecloth mourning and weping for the day of gods wrath was at hand as we haue right wel felte and are like to feale more yet This was not one mans preaching alone but al for the most part and thys I say If men wil deny the stones of the strete wil witnes the same And yet al thys not wythstandyng come they into the pulpets and saye these newe felowes woulde haue no good workes neyther fastyng nor prayer but al libertie libertie faith fayth and nothing els Oh God what Christen hearte dooeth not euen breake with sorow to se such slaunderers maintained in a pulpet But god is a righteous lord and for that we would not be warned in tyme being so much called vpō he hath iustly placed vs with pacience therfore we must beare the crosse til it please him to take it of agayne there is no remedy for if we once opē our mouthes to reasō the matter with thē in this case we must say the crow is whyte or els we goe to the fyer wtout redempcion thys is a miserable case E. Ye make me astonyed Theophilus For howe may it be that they should vse the matter so cruellye if there were not some great cause T. I wil tell you Eusebius I haue heard the preachers in Kyng Edwardes time a mūber of thē And haue red their workes and if euer I found one sentence that I can remember that did discourage ani mā not rather spurre forth euery mā to the doing of those good workes aboue rehersed let god forsake me show me no more his fauour grace For although we do attrybute our iustificacion to onely fayth and that by faith only we be iustified we meane not a dead faith wtoute workes but a liuing fayth euen the same fayth sainct Paul speaketh of to the Galathians Gala. 5. which by loue is mightie in operacyon as the tree therefore is knowen to be liuing by hys budding bearing of frute so is the iustifiyng fayth knowen by charitie out of which charitie sprīgeth these good workes aboue said which are the very frutes therof But your Catholyke fathers showe but litell or no charitye and therfore it should seme they haue but lytell or no fayth Eusebius your reason is somewhat pithye but yet I suppose there is somewhat els that moueth thys great contrauersy T. In dede it is trewe there is another thyng that moueth the matter and that is the deuil the authour maintayner of contencion and mischefe in submittyng our selues where vnto we lose innocency loue mekenes al other vertues and in stede therof we fynd pryde stoutenes hatred and such like as for coueteousnes it ouer floweth the whole world Eusebius But wil ye geue me leue brother Theophilus to say one thyng vnto you although I know you to be such a man for youre honesty as I would desier to leade my life wtal for your faithful trew heart is knowen to thē wyth whō you haue to doe that which thing chefely I haue respect vnto and I doe beleue that god hath engrafted his grace in the mans hart which dealeth iustly with men liueth quietly amōg his familiars specially when it is wel knowen that he wisheth al thinges to be wel But yet ye shal not be offended with me for that I wil say there were of your sort which are called
al the fortes in Englande with his owne men for I would not thinke him wise to trust straūgers so muche as his own countre men whē he hath therefore brought the to passe he may at all times bring an army either out of flaunders or spain the shyppes being also at hys commaundemēt and thorow Englande may he goe at hys wyll and pleasure who wil say hym naye Alas miserable case T. Nay nay Eusebius he shal nede none army to bryng this matter to passe for if the Quene liue seuen yeres to an ende he wyll so vse the matter that Englande shal be easy inough to rule for marke ye now how fast the gentle men go to the tower yea and some to hanging also And ye see the gentlemen for the most part be of this newe learnyng and therfore ye know vnder pretence of religion there wil be matters Inough to ridde the most part of the nobilite of Englande and all thys shal we be made to doe within our selues we shal be inueigled thus to doe one agaynst another by traynes and baites to seake one anothers destruccion wherunto many are very prest and al to do the Quene a pleasure Marke how thys geare commeth to passe for the Spaniard hath nothing to doe in al this as we suppose but rather getteth pardōs and showeth great fauour to Englyshe men but ye may be sure they haue debated thys matter in theyr heades in all this they make the Quene serue their turne and her own fancy also Now when al these heretike gentlemen be dispatched which wylbe the greatest part of the nobilitie of Englande then shal there be other inuencyons had for the rest which shal be easy inough for they shal be fewe And thynke you he wil thē trust Englishe men for the gouernment of hys kyngedome when he hath so weakened it and may take the matter in hande No for then peraduenture the poore Englishe men maye take a ioye in their heades when they once begyn to feale the smarte and an Englyshe Lorde wil be deinte at that tyme and they wyll begynne to loue eche other when they see howe the game wil goe and so shewe themselues in their olde lykenes and so make a foule worke But I warrant you these men whiche can so compasse the matter to bryng it so farre forth wil not be ouer sene in thys of that ye may be sure And therefore of goe their heades also let them poynt vpon it and thus farewel the glory of Englande for euer and a day E. O Lord whether there be no remedy for Englande that it mought be preserued from thys miserye T. Surelye there is but one and that is a generall repentaunce with the Niniuites fastyng and praying moste earenestly calling vpon the trew liuing god to haue mercy vpon vs for his sonne Christes sake and so leaue enuieng and hating ech other and seake loue together as it becōmeth brethren this way and none other can I see to escape E. Well god be mercifull vnto vs what shoulde I say I can not tell T. Your holy Prelates Eusebius haue preached a great whyle agaynste our pore ministers and haue layde to their charge that they haue ben great hinderers of a common wealth and haue marred altogether by there doctrine in pullyng down Abbeys and Colledges wyth such like wherin although they spake agaynste their supersticion and idle lyfe yet was it not redressed by their aduise therefore dyd they continually preache agaynste the coueteous handeling therof and the euil bestowyng of such treasure ye they feared not to tell them to their faces of there faultes so openly and playnelye as all Englande can ryghte well witnes the same And yet for all that doe not your Prelates cease to cast them in the teth as though they mought haue ruled the rost beholde the fruites of their doctryne say they for al was coueteousnes I can not tel what but if ye note well the fruite of their doctrine ye shal perceaue that they haue brought another maner of thyng to passe the is the destruccion of vs al the whych thing vndoutedly must nedes come to passe if god doe not wonderfully worke for our preseruacion contrary to al mens expectacion contrary also to our deseruing that shortly for it is at hand E. Welcome by the grace of god For euery kingdome deuided wtin it selfe shal be destroyed I haue learned that lessō and I shall not forget it as longe as I lyue but yet I am not fully satisfied of that matter wherof I entēded most to reason with you but now the euēing draweth on peraduenture I let you from your busines T. In dede myne houre is almost come wherein I promysed to mete a frende of myne But if it please you to pointe any time to morowe I wil mete you here by Goddes grace And we wyl haue the matter debated at full E. Syr I praye you hartely let it be to morow after dyner T. Wyth a good wil fare ye wel E. and I pray god geue you his holy spirite to order rule your goinges that whatsoeuer ye go about it maye be to the honour glory of his name to the profit of this commē wealth E. I thanke you T. with all my hearte I pray god it may so come to passe Amē ¶ The seconde DIALOGVE OR communicacion betwene Eusebius and Theophilus EVsebius well mette brother Theophilus you haue made good shifte I thought to haue been heare before you you wente to diner betyme I perceaue T. Euen as I doe commonly when I haue no busynes betwene nyne ten me thinkes it is a good houre for by that meanes I saue a breakefast whyche for suche idlers as I am is moste fittest E. In dede to say truth it were inough for the moste part of men if they could be so cōtented T. Yea brother Eusebius and a greate deale of those two meales in one daye would be better spente also I meane of such as vse muche banketynge and costly fare dayly in theyr houses with such superfluyte as surely is in mine opiniō to much and none vse it more then your Prelates of the Churche for they suppose thēselues to fast sufficiently if they abstayne from fleshe frydayes and saterdayes and suche lyke dayes as they haue appoynted they thynke it no matter to banket other dayes and so are all the rest of youre religion perswaded And yet alas consyderyng the miserable state we stande in it were mere to mourne wepe fast and pray I meane not frydayes onely but all the dayes of the weake to leaue our bely chere and to take an other waye then to banket and play setting cocke in the houpe and care not what beecome of vs. E. Ye haue sayed well Theophilus I promyse you but yet geue me leaue to saye agayne your sort of the other syde despysed so muche our superstycyous fast that they fasted not at all and therfore our men