god did take vengeaunce It is harde therfore into my head to perse That loue to mans selfe as thou makest vtterauÌ„ce Can not but be a mere misgouernaunce The reasons that I to the before made Do me hereunto vtterly persuade I thinke qd she thy wit be not thine owne Diddest thou marke wel what I before did say Yea I am sure qd I it is to wel knowne That selfe loue doth bring al to decay As of Christ him selfe truly lerne we may He that loues his life shall lose it sayth he Here he declareth what selfe louers be Thou blest y t qd she which doth al men deceyue By taking for thy purpose halfe the sentence But the trueth if thou wilt truely conceyue Thou must gods word vse with such reuerence That thou offende not thine owne conscience As in the same text thou diddest erst alledge Thou spakest I dare say agaynst thy knowledge I am sure qd I the trueth I did say Canst thou of my talke disproue any thing Of thy talke qd she yea sure that I may As fyrst this last text which in thou diddest bring It is not a trueth in thine aledging For the trueth of scripture is not in a part Deuiding the sentence thou dost it peruert He that loueth hiÌ„ selfe sayth Christ more theÌ„ me Is not worthy of me this thou leuest out But ioyne this together and thou shalt se Thy foly opened which thou gost about To defend and therin art somwhat stout But here me now a while and I wyll sone trie That thou wast bigilde in thy fantasie Mary qd I I pray the talke thy fyl But truly and if thou dost not say well Be thou sure that interrupt the I wyl Do not let qd she my fault me to tell So it be a fault or els bye and sell Upon this thou shalt agayne of it heare As I haue not I wyl not the forbeare If thou callest qd she to thy remembraunce Of mans loue to him selfe when we beganne I did tel the euen at our first enteraunce That naturally here euery man Is geuen to loue him selfe the most he can Or els of al creatures he were the least For wit should lacke in him which is in a beast Then say I qd I as I did before That sith selfe loue to god is displeasaunt As I shewde to the and coulde haue done more How should I then to this thy saying graunt But that worthely thou mightest geue me a taunt To say and vnsay how can that agre Surely this gere soundes wonderous to me Lord god qd she how longe wilt thou be blinde â–ª Of al fonde fooles that I haue talkt withal More foly in one I did neuer fynde And the cause why that thou therin doest fal Is thine ignoraunce as here proue I shal There is fayth which is no fayth so say we A loue and yet no loue this deceaueth the. This is that qd I which doth most meÌ„ deceiue Now thou commest in with subtile sophistrie It is and it is not who can this conceyue One thing to be the same thing and yet is a lie I pray the be playner to me qd I For of these darke riddles I can no skyl I spake playne trueth before and that I hold styl For as for me I speake by experience Selfe loue to man thou seest inordinate No man therof doth take intelligence Witnesse I take of the meanest estate Which tow probations are in such rate That very wel of them both conclude I may It is most true that I before did say For that thing which thignoraunt can discerne And also that which experience doth teache Tow better rules of profe no man can lerne To knowledge of these euery child can reache Therfore from the here to make a breache I nede talke no more for ought thou dost winne For al thy high reasons are not worth a pinne I thinke sure qd she no Poet could paynt One more aptly this world to represent For neuer heard I yet reasons more faynt And in vaine babling so many wordes spent Yet before victorie of wit impudent Thou triuÌ„phest as though thou haddest thy desier Lyke him that would bragge liyng in the mier First wher thou sayst I fal to sophistrie Because I say there is a fayth whiche truly Is no fayth but thou must consider why Fayth in al christian men indifferently Touching the nature of fayth certaynly Is a true fayth but in gods acceptation It is not accepted without good conuersation And then not being of god regarded Better it were to haue no fayth at al. For a panym shal be better rewarded By suffering lesse paine in hel infernal Then the false christian which from god doth fal Deper shal he be buryed in hel Then he that of Christ did neuer here tel Then because that fayth without good liuing Bringeth to man greater damnation I call it no faith but yet not meaning But that faith it is by true nomination As by scripture I can bring probation The fiue folish virgins which came to late Being shut out yet did cal at the gate Saying open to vs lord we the pray How could they cal on him whoÌ„ they did not know Then know him thei did by this conclude I may Which wtout faith thei could not s. Paul doth show Then by this parable it doth folow That faith is faith stil with y â— worst sinnes that be Onlesse with the sinne of infidelitie For contrary to fayth there is no sinne But only the sinne of infidelitie Therfore an errour such preachers did bring in Which did affirme here mans iustice to be By onely fayth excluding charitie As being any helpe towardes mans iustice But only fayth alone to haue that office That doctrine qd I I did neuer like For I know S. Iames doth it reprehende This stroke beside the matter thou dost strike Therfore therof I pray the make an ende So wyl I qd she I did no lesse intende But now to learne if thou hast a wyl Thou seest how faith is no faith yet is faith styl It is true qd I I do perceyue it wel Then of loue qd she conceyue thou like case That as I before vnto the did tel If man do set selfe loue in the wronge place Against gods coÌ„maundemeÌ„t he doth sore trespasse But where yet a fancie into thy head fel That selfe loue could no way be taken wel Here dost thou see now what did the begile By taking witnesse of such as rudest be Euen as the world hath done here a great while Thignoraunt was plaste into high degre Perching vp in pulpittes as thou doest see Seming to thignoraunt gods word to preache Pretending to know that they could neuer reache Then thignoraunt hearing ignorauntly Thignoraunt teach with his reasons blinde They thought streyght that his learnâ—g was so hie Sith he such straunge new doctrine could find They thought him a prophet by the lord assinde To reduce
with Cayn affeÌ„de And of his line I take them to depende But those which are knit in one by charitie Of the line of Christ I take al such to be Thou knowest qd I we are but gentiles borne That is true qd she mary then qd I Out of Gods fauour al vs thou hast worne For Gentiles did liue in Idolatry And Gods people they hated vtterly Belike then al we descended from Cayne I like not that sequele by god I tel the playne Thou harpest so qd she on ignoraunce stringes That in wisdoms melodie thou felest no tast Yet thou wouldest appeare to know many thinges As many haue done which learning defaste Yet for high preachers in pulpittes were plaste But thine ignoraunce in a worde or twayne I intende here to set before the playne The Iewes thou knowest were gods only elect And he their god by promise to them made Which for their desertes he after reiecte And Paul that to proue profoundly doth wade Where as he doth the Romains persuade Not to be proude lest from God they fal Sith they were planted braunches vnnatural And Christ is called the head corner stone Which Iewes and Gentiles together did knit In building his church he made them both one Without any respect to them had in it He made them his children that is to wit By adoption though of Abrahams sede After the flesh they were not in dede But by fayth in Christ God indifferently Is father to al which do him professe Then are ye al brethren by this conclude I That loue ech to other ye ought to expresse Without respect of persons sith Gods goodnesse As his owne children doth accept you all Fro the band of loue ye ought not to fall In this qd I thou hast sayd very well Forth in thy purpose I pray the procede Mary before qd she as I did the tell Sith no respect of persons is with god in dede But that by fayth in Christ al men he doth lede Into such vnitie of brotherhode That before him is none acception of bloude Yet kinges and princes qd I I haue heard say Shal be in much higher reputation Before our lorde God at the latter daye Then those whiche had no suche gubernation That saying qd she is ment on this facion To those that most is geuen most wil god requier Who would then qd I goueraunce desier Yes qd she that doth with vertue wel agre For those that God doth to aucthoritie call So godly in that their liuing maye be That higher glory in heauen haue they shall But and if that from godlinesse they fall Deper damnation shall they haue in hell Then shal the begger that in like offense fell But now shortly to touche the loue that a king Ought to his subiectes euer to haue Chiefely he must before eche other thing Se that gods honour he do not depraue For therby him selfe and his he shal saue Contrary where God is not honoured right Thonour of that king shal faile in Gods sight The loue of a prince ought such loue to be Towardes his subiectes that aboue al thing None euyl example in him they should se Lest to like offense he do his people bring Therfore as Tully doth say in writing A ruler offends more in gods presence By euil example then by his offense Also the wise man Salomon doth say The state of a king in his people doth stande Wherby he doth wyl that a kyng alway Must them maintaine for defense of his lande Which if common wealth be not truly skande His subiectes decay then what doth ensue Right â—onâ— his enemies may him subdue Common welth hath been qd I skand in dede But I se common wealth litle amende I pray the if corne be ouergrowen with wede What would it helpe that many wordes to spende In talking therof if no man extende His helping hand the same wedes out to roote The talking therof thou seest would litle boote Trueth qd she I know wel thine entent But I trust that god wyl so worke by his grace That if the people would hold them content And obediently gods lawe imbrace Such a commoÌ„ welth god in this realme wil place That the king quene in studies wil not cease Tholde yeomanry of England againe to encrease That is the thing qd I that al men do craue For in them the welth of the realme doth rest Sence couetousnes did them depraue As we haue sene here ouer much exprest What welth we had to speake in ernest We haue bene so longe wrapt in misery That to discerne wealth we can not scarsely Lo man beholde thine owne madnesse qd she In what misery thou knowest thou hast bene Yet when god sent a noble queene to thee To ridde the out of that misery clene Shortly such madnes in the was sene Thou neither regardest thy bodely welth Nor yet before God thine owne soule helth Which hereafter in place conuenient Manifestly to the I wyll declare With that qd I I am wel content But me thinke thou hast left this matter bare Thou tellest not what would ridde me out of care Touching the lacke of common welth thus gone No for wise men qd she I let that alone But touching the loue shewde here by your quene Hath bene expressed to you in suche sort That the like in England hath not bene sene As to your cronicles yf you resort Tel me if they any such loue report That a king hath forgeueÌ„ that was his own right As her grace hath done which now ye set light No more of that qd I wherfore qd she Trowest thou qd I that I wyl report this Then for a flatterer taken I shoulde be Which is a vice that I hate moste ywis Therfore in vayne by the that spoken is Yf thou wilt not qd she another shall I passe not qd I so I medle not withal If thou dost not qd she it wyl be confest Of al such as be louing subiectes true For by reporting trueth I haue not transgrest Sith I speake it thunkindnesse to subdue Of al those which rayseth false rumours new Using vayne wordes not mete to be spoken Whereby they show al benefites forgotten But yet the chiefe loue by your quene declarde To you her subiectes as ye knowe it al WheÌ„ you wer quite out of Christes church debarde By your wicked errours most scismatical God which your iust quene to the crowne did cal By her meane to the church doth you restore Yet scarsly ye do geue god thankes therfore This loue of your quene example may be What loue al kinges to their subiectes should show Thou flatterest so qd I that beleue me If I in writing should this abrode blow Such a fame therof towardes me would grow That I should haue a great cause to be proude Therfore by me it shal not be auoude If not qd she yet thou canst not denie But that it is most true that I
A mirrour of loue which such light doth giue That all men may learne howe to loue and liue Compiled and set furth by Myles Hogarde seruaunt to the quenes highnesse Mense Maij. 1555. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum To the moste high and most vertuous ladie and our most gracious soueraigne Mary by the grace of God Quene of Englande Fraunce Naples Hierusalem and Irelande defendour of the fayth Princesse of Spaigne Sicilie Archeduchesse of Austria Duchesse of Millaine Burgundie and Brabant Countesse of Haspurge Flaunders and Tyrole Your Maiesties most faythful louyng and obedient seruaunt Miles Hogarde wissheth al grace long peace quiet raigne from God the father the sonne and the holy Ghost WHen I considered oh most noble Quene Howe God in time hath wonderfully wrought In reducinge vs home whiche so longe hath beene Out of his true church yet nowe to be brought Into his church agayne it came to my thought What loue by your grace god to vs did showe When hope was almost past as al men do know This loue I say thus comming to my mynde I thought to the worlde somwhat to expresse But yet then thinkyng how I am assynde By thacceptation of your goodnesse To serue your grace though most vnworthinesse Appeareth on my part I did thinke I say The fruits of my wit to your grace first to pay Yet doth my hand shake that scarse I can write Considryng your highnes most royal estate Sith I so simply dyd this boke indite Beyng both of wit and learning frustrate Wherwith such a worke ought to be ornate But yet your highnes great benignite Shewed to all men dyd much encourage me Therfore when I had this worke finished Which is but short and compendious Containyng matter mete to published Unto all men syth it doth playne discusse The great loue of God shewed vnto vs Not in high learning but in termes plaine Which euery simple wit may easely attayne Also they may learne howe them selues to loue As nature doth teach and accordingly To loue their neighbour as that loue doth moue And by the way I do shew openly How their actes both hath and also doth trie That thei this loue in order haue not kept Sith obedience they haue not accept Now make I humble request to your highnesse If it with your gracious fauour maye stande That this simple worke may haue such successe To passe furth in prynt that it may be skande Of al men to learne to kepe the true bande Of charite and then I winne myne entent For to that ende I it onely ment Of my minde this is thonly pretence Most humbly beseching your noble highnesse To take it in worth though intelligence To set furth this worke to the worthinesse Doth lacke on my part yet neuerthelesse My wit is good I woulde al thinges were wel Thus as my wit is my wyll furth I tell Your highnesse humble seruaunt Miles Hogarde To the Reader GOod readers al whose chaunce shal be This booke to heare or reade Where lackes in dede fine eloquence I wrote as wit doth leede Yet let not the authours rudenesse Thys good matter deface For though the authour simple be The matter may take place May chaunce some man wyll thinke and say That great pittie it was That suche a treatise as thys is Shoulde thus so rudely passe I wyl aske them this question If they a stone shoulde fynde That were of price most preciouse And not wrought to his kynde Would they then cast that stone awaye And esteme it right nought Or would they seeke all meanes they might To haue it purely wrought Yf they should answere vnto this What thinke ye they would say They woulde not be so madde I trow To cast that stone away Euen so this matter which in dede Is very precious Yet not wrought to the purpose wel I do confesse it thus Haply some man to me wyll saye Why shoulde I wade so farre In matter which I can not make But rather doth it marre My calling is not bokes to write Nor no faultes to reproue But to folow my busynesse As wisedome would me moue Before say they when men dyd preache Whiche artificers were They were not calde therto say you Gods worde wyl them not beare But now can ye suffer a man Which no learning hath Against his calling as it were To write vpon our faith To them do I answere againe My selfe for to defende If Gods precept dyd me forbyd No bookes I would haue pende But God forbyds al men to preache The which he hath not sent So hath he not all men to write This is most euident But here my booke I do commit To those that learned be If faulte they finde it to correct As therin cause they se And pardon here of them I craue For this mine enterprise I only dyd intende therby My wittes to exercise I haue but a simple talent My writing doth expresse Yet doth it serue in ydle times To exchewe ydlenesse Now trusting I shal not offende In this my simple dede I wyl now by the helpe of grace In my purpose procede FINIS WHan by course as god hath ordinated Phebus had entered into Gemini The fields w t flours wer frâ—shly furnished CoÌ„forting man beast and birde therby Which comfort to enioye I went only To walke in the fieldes and as I there went A birde I heard singe with notes excellent Which when I did heare down I did me lay My dumpishe wit as it were to renewe From thoughtes of this worlde which at this day Is so vnstable as we see ensew Men for their fancies their own bale doth brewe On which as I thought euen sodaynly This byrde I spake of did me espie I perceaue qd she by thy countenaunce That toyes in thy head thou hast conceaued Of the which gladly thou woldest make vtterauÌ„ce That thy busy wit might be releued Which tyl thou hast done thy braines are greued But them to ease I wyll set before thee To shorten thy studie matters two or three Of the which yf thy wit can any thinge do Thou nedest no more to muse on that thyng I doubt qd I I can not reache therto Onlesse by thy helpe I it to passe bringe On a weake wit qd she that doubt doth springe A wise man woulde fyrst the grounde of it heare Or lacke of wit could make hym to feare I haue cause qd I my wit for to dout Sith I see wise men into errour fall Which doth make me loth for to go about To enter any matter mysticall Thou knowest not qd she what the matter shall Contayne which I haue to thee to expresse That is trueth qd I that fault I confesse Then marke qd she what I shal to the saye Thou knowest that I am called a Nightingale The which by nature doth singe night and day To the prayse of God both on hyl and dale For which cause a worme doth me assayle Which woulde me destroy by day or
loue and heauenly charitie That he showed to the oh man most vnkinde Which wilt not thy loue geue to him agayne But rather disputest by thy reason blinde His loue towardes the as it were to stayne Thou wouldest his act should no such loue cōtayne For where he gaue to the his bodie most diuine Thou only takest it but for bread and wine Yes qd I they say that it doth signifie His body which vpon the crosse was spred And that they say Christ did meane onely I wold fayne learne qd she wher that word is red By Iohns ghospel qd I they say they are led Where he sayth the wordes I speake are spiritual The flesh sayth he profits nothing at al Did not his flesh profit for thee to be borne Did not his flesh profit by his good liuing Did not his flesh profit for the to be torne Did not his flesh profit by his vp rising Did not his flesh profit thee in theating How canst thou now but in great errour fall To say that Christes flesh profits not at all Yet qd I Christ sayth so thou canst not denie Yet could he not meane so qd she thou dost here Then what did he meane tel me now qd I For my grosse wit can not conceaue this geare It is ment two wayes which the text doth beare One is the flesh of man in this mystery Can attayne nothing but by fayth only Another is the flesh profits not at all Meaning his flesh as the Iewes did it take Which was but as a mans flesh natural And then by no reason that mans wit can make No mans flesh can profit for theating sake But the flesh of Christ to the godhead knit Geueth life to man that worthely eateth it Nowe I know more than I did before This makes the matter playne ynough to me Do not they qd she offende our lorde sore Which wil not at this day to this trueth agre Wherin Christ shewde so great loue to the They are wedded so to wine that the god Bachus They beleue more in this then they do Iesus But of such men nowe I wyl speake no more Only do I note to those that faythfull be The great loue that Christ shewd to man before That he would suffer death for him vpon a tre In geuing man his flesh oh heauenly charitie That man should fede theron in most godly wise And eke of his church to be the sacrifice Immediatly after thinstitution Of this sacrament his loue to finish Towching his suffreraunce in eche condition That he for mans loue would here accomplishe None earthly payne could his loue deminishe But being from sinne a pure innocent To die for thy sinne man he was content Consider in this al the spitful mockes His whipping scourging crowning with thorne Being there blindfield suffered many knockes Bidding him al hayle king of Iewes in scorne And thinke how by hī the hudge crosse was borne ▪ Wherto thei nayled him with most painfull smart And with a sharpe speare persed his blessed heart Who euer hard or read of the like loue What coulde he do more then for thee to die Yet to loue him againe this wyl the not moue Yes with al my heart I do loue him qd I Yea but thy dedes qd she shew the contrarie If thou diddest hī loue thou wouldest his wil obay Which sith thou dost not thou louest him not I say Yet for al this loue no more doth he craue But loue for loue as reason doth require Alas sinful man what more wouldest thou haue It is no great thing that he doth desire Cal to him for grace to kindle the fire Of burning charitie to raigne in thy heart Then shalt thou to Christ do a louers part That loue qd I God graunt to euery man Amen qd she now here this loue I must ende To expresse it whole truly I neuer can None humayne wit here can it comprehende Therfore no more tyme in it I wyl spende But for this loue I do wyl the alwayse To geue vnto our lord continual prayse ¶ Here foloweth the loue that man ought to haue to him selfe NOwe quod she that I haue to the exprest The loue of God to man as I can it showe The depenesse whereof doth cause me to rest Sith it passeth al humaine wittes to know The grace that therby to mankinde did grow Therfore leuing that shortly thou shalt heare What loue a man ought to him selfe to beare That man shuld loue him selfe I pray thee qd I Wher hath god geuen him that commaundement He nede not qd she for naturally To loue him selfe euery man is bent What man aliue is there that wil consent Unto him selfe to be iniurious Which beastes wil not do tame nor furious Truly qd I and if experience Be a readie rule this to demonstrate How man loues him selfe then the euidence Showeth his loue to be so inordinate That by that selfe loue he doth accumulate Plagues of god to raigne vpon him alway This loue doth man turne to his owne decay By selfe loue we se the man which is proude That which in other he doth most detest In him selfe of him selfe is most aloude In none other man the like vice doth rest For he that with other vices is opprest He loueth those that in the like doth delite Because they agre vnto his appetite The lechour loueth those that be lecherous The slouthful man those that most sluggishe be The spiteful man those that be enuious The wrathful man those that to anger agre The glotton loueth those that drinke best we se The couetous man that loueth auarice Loueth those which do loue his exercise These loues doth spring of our owne nature By the world the flesh and the deuil also Which dayly therto doth mankind allure But yet to my purpose nerer to go Gods good creatures man turns to his wo By loue vnto them so inordinate That grace by this loue in him is frustrate What doth moue man vnto al kinde of vice But the loue that to him selfe he doth beare Wherunto his affection doth him intice As for worldly thinges him selfe to forsweare To rob and to steale he thinkes him selfe cleare This loue to him selfe doth him so blinde That fault in him selfe he doth neuer finde The corrupt merchaunt vsing merchaundise That only for lucre taketh great payne The loue to him selfe doth make him dispice Al meanes that he should worke for cōmō welthes gaine The plowman which serueth with catel grayne For the loue to him selfe dayly we se He doth without cause make a scarsitie What causeth landed men for to rayse their rent What causeth nigardes to hourde vp in store What causeth patrones to symony to consent What causeth the ful styl to gape for more What causeth heretikes errours out to rore What causeth the breach of matrimonye What causeth al these but selfe loue only Examples in scripture I coulde rehearse How on this self loue