WArres caused by the Pope and when 5 Worship of Saintes merites of saints their force in penaunce 34 Worshippers of thēselues at Spires 34 Welles chaunged into wine 44 Winter a boy 50 Vaunt of good workes 29 Without merites nothing 32 Saint Valentine his vertue 38 Saint Vincent his vertue 38 Vintners worshippers of s Vrban 38 Wine chaunged into the bloud of Christ Water chaunged into wine S. Vitus his vertue his feast and worship 38 Saint Vrban his feast worship and vertue 38 Vrsula 38 S. Wendelin his vertue and aide 38 S. Wolfgang his vertue and ayde 38 Whisontide 53 Women in childbed defended from Deuiles 57 wheele vsed in shewing of fastes 36 Willow branches cast before an Asse 50 Vertuous life 19 Whoredome 58 FINIS Faultes escaped The first leafe fifth verse for Sceptor reade Scepter The sixt leafe eleuenth verse for hore reade whoore The eight leafe seconde verse for dranes reade droanes The ninth leafe verse 27 for shew reade shooe The tenth leafe verse the seuenth for woode reade hoode The twelfth leafe verse 61 for Damocratus reade Democritus The thirtenth leafe verse the first for Great reade Greeke The same leafe verse .26 for doth reade to The sixtene leafe verse .17 For Damassus reade Damasus The .19 leafe verse .69 for In darkenesse lyues more nedeth it the light c. Reade thus In darkenesse doth it liue more nedes the light of holy men The twentie leafe verse .62 For shoulde reade toulde The .21 leafe verse .37 for or reade all The .26 leafe verse 50 ▪ for cherely reade clearely The same leafe verse .63 For Luke wrought reade Luke wrote The .55 leafe verse 28. For the last he takes reade the tast he takes The .44 leafe verse .3 For steates reade streates The .48 leafe verse 38. For Scent reade sent The .56 leafe verse .6 For their heape deceaues reade their hope deceaues The last leafe the first side and .29 lyue For so it is reade so is it ¶ To the right honorable and worthie Lords the gouernors and Senate of Bern Thomas Naogeorgus vvisheth c. WHEN AS I VNDERSTOODE right honourable Lordes your common vvealth to be thorovvly furnished and beautified not onely vvith good lavves and ordinances but also vvith pure religion sound doctrine and pleasantly to flourish vvith all honest and vertuous studies I can scarcely expresse hovve ioyfull it vvas vnto me and so much the more bicause you haue determined to giue no place at all to the aduersaryes of Gods truth vvho novv do labor vvith the vttermost of their force to darcken the light of Christ and to bring in againe the stinking and contagious mistes of false and ydolatrous religion This surely is the stedfastnes of the knovvne assertaine truth from vvhich in these dayes the more pittie haue great numbers vvithdravvne theirselues eyther for feare or hope of liuing revvard thā vvhich can nothing be more vvicked nor of more force to the establishing of vngodlinesse For according to the saying of saint Peter farre better vvere it for a man neuer to haue knovvne the truth than after he hath entered the path of true godlinesse to forsake the truth for any cause and refusing Christ to cleaue to the illusions of Sathan For vvhat thing do our aduersaries more shoot at thā to accuse vs of lightnesse and vnfaythfulnesse and more and more to entangle vs vvith their errors and entisements VVo bee to the vvorlde for offences sayth our sauiour Christ VVhat commendation and hovve great a glorie it is in so many stormes and tempestes yea in the Shipvvracke of such a number rightly to holde the helme and to giue neyther place to vvinde nor vvaue no man there is but knovves This glorie of your common vvelth I doe more a great vvay esteeme than if you had brought in subiection some mightie and large dominion bicause that earthly thinges vvith heauenly thinges and truth vvhich is Christ vvith the vvorlde are not to be compared and earthly things be vve pleased or displeased vvill vve or nill vve must shortly be forgone But the truth remaynes and shall keepe you for euer Go therefore happily forvvard right vvorthie Gouernors hauing obteyned such vertue and constancie For thus to heauen do vve go as the Poet in a farre more base and other thing affirmeth Greatly beholding vnto you are all those that loue and vvorship our Lorde Iesus Christ but especially the people that are vnder your gouernment Considering their neighbours round about them dvvelling in darknesse they enioy the most svveete and comfortable light of the Gospell and that thorovv your vvisedome councell aucthoritie stedfastnesse and of long time great care in aduaunceing the Gospell of god I vvish therefore vvell from the bottome of my heart both to you and your cōmon vvealth and minding to declare my good vvill tovvards you I find nothing meeter thā to dedicate this present vvorke vnto you that if it shall happen to come vnto our posteritie your commendable and carefull diligence in setting forth the Gospell may not bee passed in silence Neyther doe I doubt but that according to your accustomed gentlenesse you vvill take in good part this my poore labour and good vvill The Lorde Iesus long preserue both you and your gouernment in prosperous estate From Campidun the first of March. 1550. The spirituall Husbandrie The first Booke OF holy husbandmen and of the art we minde to sing That mortal minds doth til blinded breasts to good doth bring What noisome plants out of the harts corrupted thou shalt wéed Before that of the Gospell there thou sowste the ioyfull séed And howe the fieldes are to be drest and eke the certaine way To kéepe the séede in saftie so as it doe not decay Nor that the prince of hell abrode the cockle fowle doe fling Or of the lewdnesse of the ground or faultie soyle it spring Herein vnknowne to Poets olde that long agone did write O Christ the perfite sonne of God and fathers Image right Graunt me thine ayde for wisedome all from thée alonely springs And worthie Poets through thy helpe haue written worthie things Thine owne affayres are had in hand of this so sacred paine Thou art the cause for it belongs vnto thy heauenly raigne Thou sendes the husbandmen and art the plowmans chiefest ayde The blessed corne that springeth vp shall in thy barnes be layde And you most worthie souereigne Lords and chosen fathers graue That in this age aboue the rest the chiefest honor haue For learning and religion pure of Muses taking charge As Bern your Countrie doth declare and all your Empire large For there true godlinesse is taught and Christ and fayth withall And place assignde to vertuous wits and studyes liberall You are not as a great sort are of Christ ashamde awhit That here amongst a thousand foes in blinded world doth sit And calleth all men in the ende vnto his heauenly raigne Accept these simple verses here and fauour this my paine At
thunder boltes or lightning fierce that euery place doth smight Besides they Candles vp do light of vertue like in all And Willow braunches hallow that they Palmes do vse to call This done they verily beléeue the tempest nor the storme Can neyther hurt themselues nor yet their cattell nor their corne But some there be and not a few that dare not well commit Their liues to this but vnderneath the starres they séeke to sit For there they say the lightning can no kinde of creature smight Nor fall vpon the féeble corse of any fearefull wight There are that hide themselues in Caues and vnder ground do lie When as they heare the roring sound and rumbling in the skie Where here appeares the confidence and trust vnto the hiest And hope in all aduersitie cast wholy vpon Christ Where do they here commit themselues and all that they possesse Vnto the will of God as in theyr wordes they do expresse Are not these Papistes Catholikes and men appoynted well That are defended in the stormes by sounde of brasen Bell And steps of stayres and braunches burnt with flames encompast round And Candels light and Caues dennes made vnderneath the ground Such Gods and such defenders here the heathen woont to haue To whom in all their daunger they did flie themselues to saue Besides they doe beléeue their sinnes to be forgiuen quight By taking holy water here whereof if there do light But one small drop it driueth out the hellishe deuils all Then which there can no greater griefe vnto the féend befall Therefore they oftentymes do hurle and cast abrode the same Both on the people and themselues and Papistes chiefe of name Whose learning is aboue the rest with willing mindes prepare To take the drops vpon their handes and heads vncouered bare And euermore amidst the Church and in the Porch beside There standes a Sprinckle and a stocke wherewith they may prouide To driue away the fearefull féende and to resist their strife And for to wash away the sinnes and faultes of wicked life This water also caryed is into their houses all Wherewith they sprinckle chambers beds and euery rotten wall No man doth passe his thresholde but before he goes abroade Him selfe and all his garments are with holy water stroade The vse thereof is very great almost in euery thing And wonder none when as it doth such force and vertue bring The common people also licke vp salt vnto this ende And giue it to their children and their cattell to defende And kéepe them that the Deuill haue no power to do them harme Nor any mischiefe on them light nor any cursed charme What néede haue these same men of Christ that with so little paine Can do such wondrous workes and to such matters great attaine They driue out sprites and wipe away eche sinfull crime and fault With little drops of water cleare or eating vp of sault Yet fully trust they not to this nor therewith are content But desperation many of them doth wretchedly torment Bicause they finde not here sufficient comfort perfitelie Agaynst theyr sinnes the paynes of hell and wrath of God on hie Therefore to Monkry after all do flie this people blinde Supposing that herein consistes the perfite peace of minde And that our sinnes with foolish Cowles and déedes are done away That vnto euerlasting life it is the surest stay If bound vnto their treble vowe they kéepe their fasting dayes And prayers long appoynted them and other foolish playes And all their life long from the vse of tender bathes they flie And in their seuerall Sels as do the Monkes Carthusian lie But others in their aged yeares and readie now to die Especially the learnde and rich and kings and princes hie Do flie vnto S. Fraunces Cowle as men beside their minde Whereby of all their sinnes they thinke forgiuenesse for to finde None otherwise than if at Font they tooke their Christendome And borne a new to righteousnesse and perfite life should come So with this sacred wéede they thinke most surely to appeare Before the face of God with hope must vaine deceyued heare Though all their tyme before were spent in beastly wickednesse Without the Lorde and Christ by whom we onely life possesse Nowe tell me doth this fayth and hope séeme Catholike to bée And with the perfit worde of God and scriptures to agrée Yet do not all these Saints auaile nor merits dearly solde Nor mans good workes nor Pardons Masse nor all that I haue tolde They doubt as yet if that their sinnes be clearely put away Or whether God his angrie moode and furie doth allay Euen as the Turkes and Infidels before haue alwayes donne And euery wicked nation and people vnder Sonne For looke howe they doe ende their life their sinnes they do confesse Vnto the Priest and are absolude from all their wickednesse According to their Pardon 's bought which if they chaunce to lacke Their merits and their owne good workes are cast vpon their backe And all the paynes and punishments that hath vpon them light In recompence whereof their sinnes are them forgiuen quight Besides the very bodie of Christ they take into their mawes Agaynst the Deuill and of hell the tooth and gréedie iawes Whereby they also may be safe from that infernall paine Of Purgatorie flame that they themselues doe falsly faine Yet more the Saints being calde to helpe they are anneald at length A medcine not to be dispisde of vertue great and strength Agaynst both sinne and raging death the rest I ouerslide That euery man doth for his soule here carefully prouide Yet quiet are they not with this nor can they boldely say That all their sinnes forgiuen are and clearely done away Nor that the Lorde is pacifide and pleased with them well And they deliuered perfitely from powre of death and hell They doubt they tremble and they feare that somthing yet remaines Of their offences and the wrath of God with dreadfull paynes Therefore they will that after death a solemne obsequie Be made with Dyrge song both day and night continuallie Sixe hundreth Masses to be sayd and Tapers burning bright And Monkes and Priestes with them to go to graue in doolefull plight By whose good prayers their hellishe paynes may there released bée And soules there hence mount to the skie where naught is else but glée They also hier folkes to say the Psalter spéedily And money vnto Churches giue and to the pouerty And vnto Monkes and other Priestes who dayly haue this gaine With prayers and merits to set frée the guiltie soule from paine And bring them to eternall ioy to this belongs alwayes That they at euery seuennights ende and euery thirtie dayes And at the ende of euery yeare doe here commaund and will Their offrings and their ceremonies to be obserued still So little hope and trust they haue eternall life to gaine Or to obtaine his fauour that doth guide the starrie raigne For ignoraunt of
his fame The Apostles bande did preach and teach him all the world throughout With trauaile and with labour great And eke the Lawyer stout That was sometime his enimie confessed openlie That nothing here he sought to knowe saue Iesus that did die Vpon the crosse for mans offence who at that present time Was made our wisedome righteousnesse and purger of our crime And not by will or force of man but by th' almighties law Why seekst thou here to knowe the cause the rest not worth a straw Respecting this thou mayst account but all as darknesse blinde And fonde ymaginations and fancies of the minde The perfite way that leades to hell which here with labor great The foolish worlde doth blase abrode while as it doth intreat Of lawes religion offices yea though they taken bée From Gods most holy worde or more from worldly fantasée They all are vaine and of no force except we hereto ioyne The knowledge pure of Iesus Christ and maiestie deuine The Iewes although the Bible still they gaze and looke vpon And honor great do giue vnto the Prophets euery one Whose foming lips with boasting of the law the people féedes And glorie in such Cartlodes here of good and vertuous déedes Yet blinde they still remaine shut out from euerlasting light In darkenesse groping all about doe runne to hell aright What profites bookes or Moyses nowe or yet the Prophets all When as thou dost not vnderstand the chiefe and generall Both many worthie words likewise from Turkish mouth procéedes Of God his worship prayers and good workes and almose déedes And in the sobernesse of life they farre doe vs excell They fast and kéepe their bodyes euer pure and cleane and well And oft a pilgrimage they runne with paynes and great expence From Saint to Saint to visite shrines with wondrous reuerence But all not worth a strawe For if that God be angrie still And neyther heare their prayers nor to their vowes he hearken will. For if he all extréemely hate and can away with none That put not all their confidence in Iesus Christ alone As holy scriptures testifie and teach in euery place What profites all this trauaile vaine or labor voyde of grace Like vanitie a great while nowe hath vext the christian sort With ignorance of Christ whose name they onely could report The merits of good workes and prayers mens cares did alwayes fill Of vaine and foolish cerimonies their Pulpets thundred still And in the meane time as the Turkes with name of Christ they play Not teaching all our confidence and trust on him to lay And thus no good foundation of their doyngs doth remaine But as the daughters of Danaus they labourde all in vaine And tooke their trauaile to no ende with weake and wearie hande But tilde vpon the barraine earth and sowde vpon the sande Not that they lacke the worde of God which likewise had the Iewes But that it lay neglected still and slept in deske and Pewes With dust and Cobwebs all to rayde in fowle and filthie plight Whereon if any man by chaunce did happen for to light And otherwise than custome was on leaues a fewe to looke As vsde it was in Churches oft to chaunt vpon the booke He sought not here for Christ nor how to finde the way to skies For that was thought but childishnesse and plaine to all mens eies But sought for other kinde of things though worthie sure of prayse As for to leade a vertuous life and to direct his wayes Some others vsde to mumble vp the matter spéedily And with the swiftnesse of their tongue did labor busily Regarding neyther sense nor wordes to whome it séemde a hell For to bestow a little time in reading scriptures well Hereof sprang vp the blindnesse great that dazde the people sore And well deseruing did oppresse their husbandmen the more The knowledge eke of Christ lay hid that bringeth righteousnesse And causeth vs the blessed reigne of heauen to possesse Thus warnde by Christes example and the daunger that may fall Our husband man must follow Iesus Christ before them all That for the people and himselfe by this he may prouide Least that he stumble at a straw and mountaynes ouerstride And wonder at the village small and stately towne despise And at the entrance misse the house of God before his eies Which doth declare a bussard blinde or one that wants his sight Or else some dronken Plowman mad that knowes no way aright This rule obserude and drinking at the purest fountaine cleare And taking counsaile first of God and alwayes giuing eare Vnto the voyce of Christ our Lorde reseruing it in minde No voyce nor any Paraphrase nor glose of any kinde That olde or newe hath written béene must be dispisde of thée That eyther is the Bridegroomes friend or else is thought to bée Both for the Bridegroomes sake and for the right of all the reast That iustly here are called in vnto the Bridegroomes feast Yet not without a iudgement great or straight examining Reade thou the workes of any man or his interpreting For oftentymes it comes to passe that euen the guide of hell Takes on himselfe the furniture of Aungels séeming well And in the middest of righteous men the craftie knaue doth stande And as a Saint his matters there he taketh than in hande Whatsoeuer wryter followeth still the text of scriptures plaine With Paule and Peter ioyning iust and all the Apostles traine And teacheth that our health procéedes from onely Christ alone And for to liue as he commaundes and trust to others none Him reade and earnestly withall lay vp his wordes in minde As one that onely teacheth as the holy ghost assignde And séekes with all his force and might to extoll and magnifie The honor of the Bridegroome here and soueraigne Maiestie But some there are that at the Thresholde of the doore are blinde Who leauing all the Prophets and the testament behinde Set out the fonde decrées of men and fancies lewde and vaine Such as the man that neuer heard of Christ nor of his raigne With easie trauaile might inuent as once did Xenophon Isocrates and Cicero and others many one Who surely better things doe teach and sounder much are tride Than diuers whom we earst haue knowne with baptisme purifide These also reade for vnderneath the dunghill oft doth lie The precious stone and many tymes from sandes the Golde we trie Scarce can there any booke be founde so lewde vnlearnde or naught But bringeth some commotitie as Plinie truely taught For though there be no learning great for to be had therein And though the phrase and matter all be scarcely worth a pin Though many wicked things they teach yet good to know the same For to auoyde the yll and of the â—est to make a game More laugh to heare the Cuccow lewde to rattle in the throte Than for to heare the Nightingale with swéete and pleasant note But if these foolishe bookes doe hap a
the chiefest are those men that take their name Of Charnels that are fixed fast and beare the doore in frame Bycause that on these holy hookes these kingdomes gates doe stande And that the care and cure thereof they wholy take in hande Out of this holy company the Pope himselfe doth spring And to no other doth belong the choyse of such a King. The most of them are learned men and borne of houses good But fauour oftentimes of friendes and highnesse of their blood Doth bring th' unlearned herevnto and such as are not wise These men if from their woonted state of life they did not rise Vnto such honour great perhaps they woulde be godly bent And labour in the workes of Christ with good and true intent But as they be they neuer can for honour spilles them quite And makes them labour for to kéepe this welthie raigne vpright And by their oth they promise all and fayth assured giue This kingdome here withall their might to maintaine whilst they liue And first that no pretence against the Pope permitted bée Nor that he haue dishonour here nor losse of libertie And secondly that nothing of his kingdome here decay Nor of his Lawes and ceremonies though lewde be pulde away Thus safe through their defence and ayde the Pope now feareth not But safely kéepes that he hath long with frawde and lying got These therefore as his councellors and faythfull doth he take Who rather will be péecemeale torne than once their prince forsake And these in message doth he sende to Kinges and Princes greate Whereby he may their councelles learne and better worke his feate Then dredfull warres he doth perswade or else some peace to take Which he perceyues that best shall for his owne aduauntage make Or else some foolish matter doth he wrongfully defende Or moueth them that heritikes be brought to cruell ende Or vnder colour false of Turkes for ayde he labours long Deuiseth some attonements new or breakes the friendship strong The people runne to méete them straite the councell doe resorte Sometime the Prince himselfe doth go but all the oyled sorte With shauen pates doe forwarde marche with loftie crosse in site The guydes and rulers of the schooles all clad in surples white And downe they ducke with solemne chéere and many a crooked knée Beséeching God to sende them life and long in health to bée Thus with this iolly welcome here these fathers forth are led Who crosse and blesse with fingers oft as men astonished To sée the peoples fondenesse such they well themselues doe know They bring no good nor vertuous thing yet prowd their port they show And vse the peoples foolishnesse thus forth in pompe they ride In costly Crimsons all arayde and Purple hattes beside A number great of men they bring with Moyles and horses fayre In princely order furnished and diuers of them spare And euen at Rome this pompe is séene and gorgeousnesse of life Where fleshly lust and belly chéere remayneth alwayes rife The better to maintaine this state and charges of the same And that they may be Cardnallike and to their hed no shame They chosen are of prelates such as welthiest were before Yet will not all this welth now serue that earst suffisde and more Their charges now are growne so great their sumptuousnesse is such Since first they attainde with gréedie minde the Cardnals hatte to touch Of sundrie fetches haue they néede and lyke their Captaine fine They must some kinde of wayes deuise to frame a siluer mine And this they doe some months when as the Pope doth beare the sway They sease vpon some Prebens fatte as on a pleasaunt pray And Monkish Abbeys rich they â—etch and take into their handes They polle the Monkes and oftentimes reserue the chéefest landes The hooke hangs out on euery side to bring in greater gaine Least they should lacke at any time to furnishe out their traine Thou thinkst perhaps they do some good or stand some Realme in stedde Wherefore it is not much amisse that thus they oft be spedde Thou art deceyude no good there comes from them to any wight Except perhaps some one their friende be brought in better plight A hatefull burthen are they to the worlde and people plaine And Dranes that gréedily consume the fruites of others paine They serue their chiefe and for his state they ieoparde oft a ioynt But as for any other man they weye him not a poynt If kingdomes great to ruine come and people perish quite Or blood be spilt in euery place they force it not a mite They laugh and with a rowting noyse their gréefe they plaine discrye But if themselues a Fle but bite with gaping iawes they crye And God and man to witnesse call what torment and what paine They suffer for the Church of God and for the heauenly raine Whereas in déede they nothing féele for hir they neuer knewe But for the Popes decrées and right and honour to him due They ready are to suffer harme wherefore they wander wide That thinke they weare their hattes of red and purple garments side Bicause that with the losse of bloud the folde of Christ they kéepe It is a lye they meddle not with Christ nor with his shéepe They striue for ease and for their fathers false vsurped hedde And sometime for to come by welth their tender bloud is shedde Of such he makes in euery realme if any there excell And fauour things that longs to Rome and are contented well To striue for them with learned bookes with voyce with tongue hand They thinke themselues in paradice and happiest for to stand While he regardes them not a whit nor all their honour vaine But looketh onely to himselfe and to his lustie raigne And riches here by helpe whereof and wretched life beside He framed Rome the glasse of fayth the sampler and the guide A guide in déede if that thou mindste to trauell vnto hell And to be shutte out from the place where God himselfe doth dwell Their office thus thou hast their lyfe and all their fonde arayes But séest thou ought Apostolike or that deserueth prayse Or tasteth any thing of Christ is it bicause they striue In princely pleasure to excell the greatest Prince aliue Or that they kepe their stables stoarde with Moyles and coursers â—â—ne Or that they stately houses builde with waste of golden mine The Turkes that know not Christ a whitte in this can doe aswell And well woulde laugh if they shoulde sée that such as beare the â—ell Aboue the rest by whome the Church of Christ is guided heare Shoulde thus bestow their trauayle whole about such foolish geare Now must we tell the Byshoppes state and their disguysings sée Such Bishops namely as hath béene with vs in Germanie These ought of dutie to defende the flocke of Christ and féede To giue example with their liues and to be learnde in deede In vertue and in godlinesse
mingled â—â—ill which eâ—â—st they drew and sucâ—te from mothers brest As dreames and superstitioâ—s great and childishe seruice vaine And many lewde vngodly things inuented all for gaine They can not onely Christ regarde while thus the matter standes Nor vnto heauen bring the soules committed to their handes Them lettes the great respect to Rome and eke the Pope their head One of no small account a man of kings and princes dread Besides the great agréement of such as in Pulpets speake A matter hard it is such barres and stoppes of truth to breake And for a man to striue agaynst his profite and his gaine No mischiefe without lucre is nor superstition vaine Wherefore it doth endure and yet is kept vnto this day With tooth and nayle in euery place and maintainde euery way So that the simple people get no kinde of good thereby But nusseled from their youth by these in vile Idolatry What should I tell you how they vse their seruices deuine With mans inuentions all defilde corrupted with the tyme And how they haue set out a booke full of such filthinesse From which to treade an inch awry they count a wickednesse Their doctrine and their dealings all with filth defiled lye And greater hurt the people take than fruit or gaine thereby For not alonely doth the Preacher here the worde declare Vntruly to the people but oft leauing it doth square And spend the tyme about complaints and rayling openly If any haue defamed him or haue not worthily Him honoured If any haue their tythes not duly brought In fine what wrong or iniury agaynst the man is wrought The Pulpet streightwayes rings therof and all the Church doth sound Of raylings and of spitefull wordes his chiefe and greatest ground Amongst them some there are that to the people doe foretell If Springtime Sommer Haruesâ— or the Winter happen well What store of Wheate shall be and of the other courser graine How Mast shall prooue and how the Vine shall yéelde hir fruite againe Besides of warres and sicknesses of plagues and other geare They tell to which the people giue a more attentiue eare By much then if he there should speake of Christ or godlinesse Of fayth good workes or of the lawe and perfite holinesse Some tell againe the Turkes affayres or of the Empâ—ours warres Of Spaine of Fraunce of Venice or of lustie Myllanarres And fill the peoples eares with this till time be finished But most when of the Gospell they yll fauouredly haue red Some part where of their duetie were to see the people taught And to expound it openly then in the dead are brought And beadroll long recited is of euery bodyes name For which they are payde supposing thus to scape the fayned flame Lo this their doctrine is and this is all the care they haue In seruing of th' almightie Lorde whose seruice they depraue Then out of hand to Masse they go and dine in heathnish wise That is not hauing fayth content with olde accustomde guise When dinners done to th'alehouse streight they go as merry as Pyes And tipple with their neighbours there or else some sport deuyes To passe the tyme with Cardes and dice or with some wanton talke Whereas a note aboue them all their tongue doth alwayes walke These also should dispatch their houres and seruice orderly Which they let passe except they sée some worthie company â–ª Abrode into the fieldes they walke themselues for to disport And viewe the corne or heare some tales to make the tyme more short And least the nightes should seeme to long eche one at home doth kéepe A pleasaunt Dame that in his armes all night doth swéetely sléepe Lo thus they spend their time and on this sort doe alwayes liue The holy Ghost vnto th'elect true godlinesse must giue And euen in their dying houre must Christ to them disclose The meane that saâ—de our fathers long ago as I suppose Whereby they wonderously escapde the darknesse that was then For surely none shall saued be by meanes of these same men Tell on good Muses for the swarmes of Monkes doe yet remaine And not the meanest members of this same most holy raigne These men forsaking cleane the worlde and lothing all things heare Attyre themselues in straunge aray and certaine colours weare And frame themselues a rule to liue and follow euerychone As if so be the rule of Christ sufficed not alone And with their thréefolde solemne â—owes 〈◊〉 the townes they go Or to some desart place 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 people tho And by their proper force they thinke vnto the Skies to clime And scape the euerlasting chaynes of death for deadly crime Whereby they shewe the wickednesse that in their heart doth lie And how they wey not Christ nor yet his famous victorie Moreouer to their owne good workes they arrogantly cleaue And of their merites great they vaunt the people to deceaue And notably they haue deceyude not onely simple men With their hypocrisie but also kings perswading them To buy their merites and desartes of price and value great And how they should be sure to saue their soules and haue a seat Aboue the Starres if they would builde them gorgious houses hie And giue them landes to féede their paunch and fat themselues wherby They might consume their dayes and spend their life at ease and well And striue the Dormowses themselues in sléeping to excell For what thing else doe they regarde or euer doe applie The little children in the stréetes these things can testifie They vaunt how that they worship God and seruice dayly sing And how they pray and often fast an acceptable thing Who doth not wonder at these things and at these trauayles tolde And thinke them worthie of such welth and Dukedoms here to holde As many kings haue giuen them and Dukes in elder dayes A goodly kinde of worship sure and much deseruing prayse While as they chaunt vp Psalmes aloude whereof they haue no skill And pray with lips and not with heart and Church with noyses fill Nor other mens afflictions nowe they way that thus haue sped Who will suppose that they can care that thus in dreames are ded Therefore they are no prayers at all but voyces lewde and vaine As when the hungrie hogs doe grunt that in the sâ—ie remaine But often doe they fast and fleshe and whitmeates bothforbeare So alwayes vsed to daintie faire they count it fasting heare If that two meales they doe not eate the shortest dayes that bée And be not serued at supper with the daintiest meates they sée Such monstrous dinners doe they make that fulnesse doth compell Their girdles for to let at large whiles as their bellies swell Like Horseleaches or lothsome Tickes that swell with filthie blood Great fishes doe they heare deuour who can prepare so good A meale of fleshe or will desire with egges for to be fed While as the Table with such store of fishe is furnished Besides with pleasant Wines they fill themselues
and quaâ—â—e amaine Till red about the gilles they looke and belch it vp againe That this may fasting called be both Milo will denie And eke Apitius he that was the Prince of gluttonie And all the Catian schoole and eke the troupe of Iewes beside And of the verie Turkes themselues it will be sure denide These men yet with hypocrisie and cloke of holinesse Haue brought the people Kings and Dukes vnto such foolishnesse That they supposde them chast and good and farre from worldly men In all their déedes and bought good workes and heauen eke of them O strong illusions and deceytes O miserable tyde That brought these men as if there were not ylles ynough besyde But wherefore should they leaue the worlde and flie from companie And hide themselues in Forrestes thus and in the desartes lie Bicause it is corrupted quite and bent to wicked lore Who doth denie But therefore hath it néede a great deale more To haue Phisitions still at hande that good and faythfull bée And able are for euery sore to giue a remedie And not such fellowes as will runne away for lothsomnesse And shaken with the feuer leaue his pacient in distresse In darkenesse liues More néedeth it the light of holy men As Christ sometyme did lighten it and his Disciples then Or doe they thinke that they shall staine their lyfe with companie Where they may leade a Godly life and well themselues applie No flight can this procure but fayth and vertuous pacient minde That can resist the raging stormes of any blustring winde Daniel that dwelt at Babylon and many Iewes beside Whose mindes were alwayes godly bent and faythfull oft were tride Amidst the Gentiles godly liude and serued God arightes So Loth did likewise leade his life among the Sodomites And Ioseph ruled Egypt well obseruing euery iotte Of Moyses lawe and chastly kept his minde from any spotte For if they alter not their mindes that ouer Seas do runne No woodes nor wildernesse shall cause this same for to be donne But rather shall they more infect and worser much shall staine The mindes of men addicted thus to fonde traditions vaine The spirit there oppressed is ne can they lift their eyes Aloft to viewe the way that leades directly to the skyes Besides more worldly mindes they haue and of more wanton chere Than worldly men Nought in the world is done but Monks are there If that the Counsell for the common welth assembled bée They are present there and giue out lawes by their aucthoritée In warres they be on Princes campes they euermore attende And townes of force and Castles strong with weapons they defende If any wedding great be had they are present still at hande If any Church be dedicate they present there do stande Then hath the Comedy all hir partes What should I here resight Their ryot pompe and passing pride and all their fonde delight Which doth declare their wicked mind what helpes their strauÌ„ge aray And crowne shorne downe vnto their eares and houses from the way Since that of Monkes the worlde may learne a worldly life to frame And so is forced and hath no meanes for to eschewe the same It gladly would and seeketh oft of them for to be rid But fast as Burres to wooll they sticke or Sowtars waxe in thrid If they themselues would shun the world far from thence would flie And in the frosen Northren partes would altogither lie A better thing to please the worlde they neuer could inuent Nor any thing deuise that would the people more content But now regarde their threefolde vowes how yll they doâ— agrée And in their life how lewdly they vnméete obserued bée They vowe t'obbay their Abbot or their Prior placed hie Which Abbot if he vertuous be and godlynesse applie As seldome haps and doe commaunde such things as God doth will Why should he not obeyed be and had in honour still We all are bound that at the Font receyue our Christendome To heare such men as truly teach the trade of life to come No vowes we néede or shauen crownes such men for to obay Nor for to chaunge our clothing here to straunge and fonde aray But if he neyther godly be nor godlinesse doe teach But foolish fansies of his owne and mans decrées doe preach Then is it sure a wickednesse to vowe or to obay Such as in bondage bring the heart and teach to runne astray Their whole religion doth consist in singing day and night In rules of life and sundrie lawes and gestures fonde and light As if that God such worship likde deuisde by mortall braine Or rather had not plainely taught that all such stuffe is vaine But wherefore stand I herevpon and wordes in vaine bestowe Since all the popish kingdome here no better things do knowe All men are bound to chastitie but for to shunne the state Of blessed mariage and the bed that is immaculate We then shall be of force when as no lust in vs doth raigne And when no raging heate of flesh doth force our féeble braine But nowe howe chast they liue the boyes in euery stréete can tell And Citizens are sore afrayde when nere to them they dwell What should I other things declare that honest eares and chast Could not abide to heare nor of such lothsome things to tast Why boast they so of pouertie doth vertue herein lie Can none but poore men godly liue and vp to heauen flie When as the poore man hath as many lettes in liuing well As hath the richest man aliue that others doe excell But pouertie they fowly scorne and shamefully deride Aswell in Lordly fare as in their pompe and passing pride And in their vowes and wicked life they plainly doe expresse That neyther God nor man they wey nor any vertuousnesse What if I should their sundrie sortes the better this to sée Vnknowne to men t' is infinit and eke a vanitie So many sundrie sects there are that differ onely heare In rules and ceremonies fonde and wearing of their geare In this they all do iumpe agrée their Popishe trifles vaine And rules of him that first deuisde in order them to traine To set before the will of Christ and through their owne desartes They thinke to scape the pitte of hell and all those painefull smartes But presently I will deuide them altogither héere Into two onely sortes that so they plainely may appéere To such as riche and welthie are and such as beggers bée Appoynted by their rules to begge and by the Popes decrée Those welthie are whom long ago some mightie Princes handes Or Noble man hath graunted here reuenues great and landes Large fieldes with medowes fayre townes parks purlues large With vineyardes great and villages and Castels strong of charge And Earledomes oftentimes for them did carefully prouide And gaue them Lordely liberties and Dukedomes whole beside That throw their praiers lewd desarts they might their soules releue And purge themselues of euery crime
no body here doth liue but bloud must néedes be there Nor bloud can any life possesse without the bodie here As if that Christ the maister of the worlde knew not of this But in his owne appoyntment shoulde for lacke of knowledge mis. And are not these same wondrous things and learnings passing great When Christ did neuer will the same nor hereof did intreate To this he patcheth merites to the Priestes deseruing hy And euery one that heares the Masse and euery stander by For nothing in the Papacie without desertes is donne Nor must be wrought sith for a rule it generally doth ronne That all our health dependeth of our workes and our good déedes No place hath fayth nor glorie giuen to Christ From whome procéedes Our happie state and blessed life nor onely to the grace Of God they haue respect that doth of mercy vs imbrace Who causeth Masse or doth it say doth merite wondrously The like doe they that doe it heare and marke attentiuely Who neyther heares nor vnderstandes a word thereof at all But standeth onely in the Church as painted on a wall With merites great rewarded is and all his sinnes thereby Forgiuen quite the hope whereof doth make him looke full hye Yea if the bell to sacring toule and farre from thence thou bée And cannot come but earnestly doe wish the same to sée A merite great you gotten haue thus playne it doth appere The supper serueth for desertes with papistes euery where Their trust is alwayes in the Masse to this they onely flye In euery thing that toucheth them and euery ieoperdye And is not this a goodly crewe they are perswaded still What daye they heare or sée a Masse to haue no kinde of ill Thus comes it here to passe that I did lately say and wright They put not all their trust in Christ but in their proper might And in their owne good workes as in their doings they expresse Being full of incredulitie and all vngodlinesse Masse opens heauen gates and doth deliuer men from hell Masse healeth all diseases and doth sicknesses expell Masse doth relieue the burdned minde and sinnes defaceth quight Masse pleaseth him that guides the skies and giues the heauens bright Masse pluckes the sinfull soules from out the Purgatorie fire Masse comforteth th' afflicted sort and makes them to aspire Masse washeth cleane the mind and makes the guiltie conscience cleere Masse doth obtaine the grace of God and kéepes his fauour heere Masse driueth wicked Deuils hence and ouerthrowes the féendes Masse bringeth Angels good from hie makes them faythfull fréendes Masse doth defende the trauayler from daunger and disease Masse doth preserue the sayling ship amid the raging seas Masse giueth store of corne and graine and helpeth husbandrée Masse blesseth euery such as seekes in welthie state to bée Masse gettes a man a pleasant wife and gettes the mayd hir mate Masse helpes the Captaine in the fielde and furthereth debate Masse also doth asswage the heate that in the heart doth raigne Masse doth defende the pleasant grapes and vineyards doth maintaine Masse helpes the hunter with his horne and makes the dog to runne Masse sendeth store of sport and game into their nettes to come Masse molifieth the angrie mindes and driueth rage away Masse brings the wofull Louers to their long desired day Masse doth destroy the witches works makes their charmings vaine Masse causeth good deliueraunce and helpes the womans paine Masse makes thy prayers to be heard and giueth thy request Masse driues away the gréedie Woolfe that doth the shéepe molest Masse makes the murraine for to ceasse and stocke to thriue apace Masse makes thy iourney prosper well whersoeuer thou turnst thy face Masse ouerthrowes thine enmies force and doth resist his might Masse driues out Robyn good fellow and bugs that walke by night Masse plague and hunger doth expell and ciuill mutenie Masse makes a man with quiet minde and conscience cléere to die Masse vseth many slouthfull knaues and lubbers for to féede Masse brings in dayly gaine as doth the Sowters arte at neede In Masse is all their trust strength all things through Masse are don In all their griefes and miseries to Masse they streightwayes ron Such force hath lewde perswasion here in teaching men awrie That our good workes are onely they that gaine the heauens hie By this so many aultars in the Churches vp did rise By this the number growes so great of Priestes to sacrifice From hence arose such shamefull swarmes of Monkes with great excesse Whom profite of this Masse doth kéepe in slouthfull ydlenesse For this same cause such mightie kings and famous Princes hie Ordayned Masses for their soules and Priestes continuallie With great reuenues yearely left and euerlasting fée An easie way to ioy if it with scriptures might agrée Streight after these the welthie men tooke vp this fansie vaine And built them Chappels euery one and Chaplaynes did retaine At home or in their parishe Church where Masse they dayly soong For sauegarde of their family and of their children yoong Both for their friendes aliue and such as long before did die And in the Purgatorie flames tormented sore doe lie Christ in his Supper giues himselfe to vs assuredly And all his vertuous déedes on vs bestowes and doth apply His merites and his hie desartes with vs he common makes His grace and mercies euery one extended for our sakes We this receyue and nothing giue nor can we giue againe But onely faythfull louing hearts and thankefull for his paine These men by meritorious workes and solemne chaunting chéere With Masses make him recompence and satisfie him heere Thus much the Pope peruerted hath the giftes of God deuine With dreames and fond deuice of man and cursed countermine That no where nowe appeares the hope of sinnes forgiuen quight By Christ and life obtayned here and Sathan put to flight To these two Sacraments that Christ himselfe appoynted héere They adde fiue others that more cause of merits may appéere Which though they neyther tokens bée of Gods assured loue Which they ne can being not confirmde with promise from aboue Yet dare he boldly promise here to such as take them right The grace and fauour of the Lorde and eke the holy spright He doth confirme the children yong without examining Or trayll of their fayth or of their woonted handling He teacheth that the holy ghost may be receyude and had At handes of euery Priest that is as well of good as bad Not putting difference betwixt Christes Legates truly sent And wicked Simon damned for his mischieuous intent With Creame their foreheads doth he mark the people laughing there And those whome thus he marked hath he striketh on the eare Then Godfather or Godmother is readie streight at hande To binde the noynted forehead like a wound with linnen bande Which he enforced is to weare eight dayes continuallie With pleasure great to euery one that kéepes him companie And after taken of againe his forehead washed
cléene So that no holy Chrisme thereon for to remaine be séene What should I here remember now what crimes haynous things Confession takes away and eke what helpe contrition brings And satisfaction for our faultes to shield our soules from paine It must buy out our misdéedes all to their purloyning gaine For all things still he doth impute to déedes of mortall men Not knowing perfite fayth in Christ nor teaching it to them But rather doth destroy it quite accounting wickedlée Our Sauiour Christ but as a man and Cypher here to bée Vndoubtedly the flocke of Christ doth euermore confesse Their sinnes and for the same repents with griefe and heauinesse Nor maketh any righteousnesse hereof nor iustifide Doth seeke to be no more than in the lawe or death beside Nor any other raunsome for their sinnes do thinke to pay But onely Christ whose precious death doth take them all away The Pope contrary cleane to this doth teach in plaine decrée And doth commaund with dreadfull lawe all faults confest to bée Vnto the Priest at Easter time or of necessitie When as the fatall houre is come and day wherein to die And that sincerely here and plaine what hath bene thought or done Else can no sinnes forgiuen bée nor absolution come Where now appéeres th'unfayned hope of sinnes forgiuen quight By Christ and euerlasting life and Sathan put to flight Who can declare what harmes the people haue receyude by this How many it hath drawne from Christ and euerlasting blis What scruple vnto consciences and trouble it doth bring For as they can not call to minde eche fault and wicked thing That they haue done whereby they may confessed thereof bée So can they not beleue that they forgiuen are and frée Besides with mumbling in a tongue vnknowne he pardons all And hath no worde to beare him out and stay his faith withall But blindly will this teacher blind haue all things credited A guide of all vngodlinesse with doltishe fansies led He absolution also giues by merites for to come And such as long agone are past and presently are done Not onely of their owne but bought with money other wheare Vnto the merites eke of Christ his death and passion deare He ioynes the merites here of Saints and makes them all as one Perswading our redemption not wrought by Christ alone In fine a satisfaction for all sinnes it doth suffice If to the Romish Chest you throw your money any wise Or vnto Abbeys giue your goods or else your welth applie In building solemne synagogs and loftie towres hie Or gad about in Pilgrimage to visite holy shrines Or say your Aue Mary euery houre fortie times And bid the blessed Virgin still good morow manerly Or what soeuer else 〈◊〉 Priest doth bid you orderly I well remember once at Spires I saw a wondrous sight Of people in the euening late with Crosse and torches bright The Crosse afore them borne and all their faces couered With backs all bare they passed throw the stréetes and market sted Commaunded for to beat them selues with whips and scourges there And truely here they trifled not nor did themselues forbere The bloud sprang out a pace and eke their backe did swell and wheale With multitude of stripes that scarce the Surgeon them could heale Thus would they wipe away their sinnes and fully satisfie Is not this same a madnesse grosse and shamefull iniurie Brought in into this world with spéede and beastly wickednesse Of this vnshamefast popishe state that truth doth still opresse Thinkst thou that with this doctrine here they trust in Christ aboue Or takste thou them for Catholikes which name they chiefely loue The godly Ministers at first did put to penance still Such as were excommunicate and openly did yll That discipline might in the Church be had continuallie Least that the heathen should suppose that eche iniquitie Might there be done vnpunished and that the others all By their example might beware how they hereafter fall And also that such punishment might please againe the mindes Of those that were offended with these former wicked crymes Not that the sinnes forgiuen were of God with penance such For lawes of God and mans decrées doe differ very much And with one sort of penance here they are not both content Nor God and man are pleased both alyke with one intent Mens mindes with punishment are pleasde and fully satisfide But God is onely pleasde in Christ and nothing else beside Through pure and perfite faith the Lorde that made both earth skies Releaseth euerlasting paynes and neuer ceassing cries But of this present life he doth release the punishment To such as onely trust in him and vertuously are bent They bid that men should in their owne good works haue all their hope And trust to merites of the Saints and pardons of the Pope Christ hath not fully satisfide they thinke assuredly And doubt not for to preach the same in audience openly Which serueth surely to their gaine for hereof doth arise Their maiestie their passing welth and Lordly liberties So likewise doth annealing last take veniall sinnes away While as for helpe vnto the Saints deuoutly they doe pray They alwayes are agaynst the Lord and Christ that here was slaine For our offences and our faults with agonie and paine And with their pompe and prowde desertes they cary downe to hell The foolish flocke that doth beléeue whatsoeuer they doe tell What ancor doe they flie vnto in all aduersitie In famine pestilence and warres and euery ieopardie Looke well about thée now and giue attentiue eies and eares For here the perfite fayth and trust of euery man appeares What hope there is in any man herein is plainely spyde The heart of euery creature here by this is truely tryde Who trustes in God alone and thinkes him mercifull to bée And eke almightie call on him in all aduersitée And vnto him he onely flies in feare and dreadfull wo As by his worde he oftentymes commaundeth vs to do But whither flies this Papacie in whom put they their trust In all things rather than in Christ or in his father iust Denying him to be their God and helper at their néede Nor that all things in heauen and earth doth from his handes procéede For if they did not in their heartes this openlye denie They would in all their troubles here to him for succour flie And all their things into his handes they would commit alway Not séeking Mediators here nor speachmen for to pray Contented onely here with one whose grace and fauour great For vs we may be well assurde doth euermore intreat But with one perfite God alone they can not well away Their chiefest trust and hope they in the Virgin Marie lay Shée pleaseth God and with hir childe in armes continually Delighteth him and what she askes he neuer doth deny Shée is the Quéene of heauen bright and with a beck can do Whatsoeuer shée determinde is and giues
alone Who made himselfe our aduocate before his fathers throne These things they fayne and doe inuent without both fayth and minde That stedfast can they neuer stande nor safetie here can finde As he cannot that puttes not all his trust in God alone And in the faythfull sauiour of all our hope the stone Therfore they worship saints with hymnes songs and musike swéete With Aultars fayre and Churches built in euery towne and stréete In fieldes abrode and parishes in villages about So that no corner can be founde nor place appeare without But picture painted of some saint there gorgeously doth shine Or caruen Image worshipped with reuerence deuine And ech one hath his day alowde whereon they doe beleue That from the earth departing here the skies did them receue An other holy day they haue when church or aultar here Is dedicated vnto them with pompe and lustie chere The Churches for their sakes are strawde with pleasant flowers swéete And euery piller garnished with bowes and braunches méete The aultar also couered is with clothes of value great The Tabernacles opned are and saintes are shewde in seat Fayre guilt and finely ouerlayde with siluer sumptuously The grounde with Turkey carpettes spred and hangde with tapestry Perfumed all with franckenscence and euery pleasaunt thing That may prouoke deuocion and money in to bring Their bones they also vp doe digge and sepulchres destrye Contrarie quight to mans decrées and will of God on hye Whereby a greater gaine may come and wickednesse aryse And that they may beguile the worlde and bleare the peoples eyes And all in Golde these bones they set and rounde with siluer binde And closde in Christall to delude th'unlearned simple minde Here faine they many miracles and of their liues they preache And all their good and gracious workes continually they teache Not to the honoring of Christ nor that the people might By folowing of their vertuous life be brought to liue vpright But for to bring them from the truth vnto idolatrie And for to picke their purses here and them to follies tie For this they bring them forth abrode and on the aultar show For this they carie them about with many a cursey low And offer them to any man for money here to kisse Nor onely in this wretched case they are content with this To haue their bones in siluer closde and fondely to perswade Men vnto supersticion with this same foolish trade But also forth they shew their clothes their clokes their socks their hose Their napkins shooes and sillie shirtes their heare their skin their tose And eke the Virgin Maries milke so farre they be from shame And coales whereon saint Laurence lay while as he broylde in flame Yea more than this they shew the Haye whereon our sauiour lay Amid the maunger when he first was borne with ioyfull day And eake his coate that cruell souldiours woulde not here deuide The nayles and dredfull poynted speare that perst his tender side From whence sprange out the watrish bloud and cartlodes great beside Of that same crosse that long time since was in the riuer spide Whereof in euery famous Church some péeces doe appeare Besides the sliuers that about their neckes doe many weare And sundrie other thinges they shew which here for to resight Time suffers not nor leysure doth permit me here to wright Thou woonder wouldst how these same things so many yeres should lie And in what place they founde them first and how they came therebie But lawfull is it not to aske to doubt thereof is sinne For all things are most truly done and no deceyt therein Besides they promise pardon here of faulte and trespasse quight And merites great of waight to such as came to sée this sight So vile deceyuers of the worlde borne here to faine and lie To leade the people into hell and kéepe them from the skie To euery saint they also doe his office here assine And fourtene doe they count of whom thou mayst haue ayde deuine Among the which our Ladie still doth holde the chiefest place And of hir gentle nature helpes in euery kinde of case Saint Barbara lookes that none without the body of Christ doe dye Saint Cathern fauours learned men and giues them wisedome hye And teacheth to resolue the doubtes and alwayes giueth ayde Vnto the scolding Sophister to make his reason stayde Saint Appolin the rotten téeth doth helpe when sore they ake Otilia from the bleared eyes the cause and griefe doth take Rooke healeth skabbes and maungines with pockes and skurfe skall And cooleth raging Carbuncles and byles and botches all There is a saint whose name in verse cannot declared be He serues against the plague and ech infectiue maladie Saint Valentine beside to such as doe his power dispise The falling sicknesse sendes and helpes the man that to him cries The raging minde of furious folkes doth Vitu◠pacifie And doth restore them to their 〈◊〉 being calde on spéedilie Erasmus heales the Collicke and the griping of the guttes And Laurence from the backe and from the shoulders sicknesse puttes Blase driues away the quinsey quight with water sanctifide From euery Christian creature here and euery beast beside But Leonerd of the prisoners doth the bandes a sunder pull And breakes the prison doores and chaines wherwith his Church is full The quartane ague and the reast doth Pernel take away And Iohn preserues his worshippers from pryson euery day Which force to Benet eke they giue that helpe enough may bée By saintes in euery place what dost thou here omitted sée From dreadfull vnprouided death doth Marke deliuer his Who of more force than death himselfe and more of value is Saint Anne giues wealth and liuing great to such as loue hir most And is a perfite finder out of things that haue béene lost Which vertue likewise they ascribe vnto an other man Saint Vincent what he is I cannot tell nor whence he came Against reproche and infamy on Susan doe they call Romanus driueth sprites away and wicked deuills all The Byshop Wolfgang heales the goute S. Wendlin kepes the shéepe With shepheardes and the Oxen fatte as he was woont to kéepe The bristled hogges doth Antonie preserue and cherish well Who in his life tyme alwayes did in woodes and forrestes dwell Saint Gartrude riddes the house of Mise and killeth all the Rattes The like doth Bishop Huldrich with his earth two passing Cattes Saint Gregorie lookes to little boyes to teache their a. b. c And makes them for to loue their bookes and schollers good to be Saint Nicolas kéepes the Mariners from daunger and diseas That beaten are with boystrous waues and tost in dredfull seas Great Chrystopher that painted is with body big and tall Doth euen the same who doth preserue and kéepe his seruants all From fearefull terrours of the night and makes them well to rest By whom they also all their life with diuers ioyes are blest Saint Agathae defendes thy house
that earnestly shall preach Who if he giue thée not these things and thou to aske disdaine In learning onely shalt thou not bestow thy time in vaine But what thou speakste shall foolish be vnsauory and vnsweete Disordred eke in euery poynt not hauing hed nor féete Nor Doctor shalt thou counted be but for a trifler vaine A duns a foolish babler and most worthie of disdaine Whose presence voice and foolish wordes no shéepe of Christ will heaâ— That knowes the voyce of Iesus Christ Gods coÌ„maundments clear What profites it forsaking God to be accounted great And with the damned stinking Goates to haue the hyest seat Like as the Iewishe Rabbines haue among the castawayes And as the teachers of the Turkes and many in these dayes That bounce and beate the Pulpet still with lothsome noyce and crie Méete onely for to raile and in the rest not worth a flie A great thing is it in the house of God to drudge and swéepe And seruaunt in the earth to be vnto the chosen shéepe For such a worthie rowme therefore looke well thou worthie bée Requiring God continually to graunt this force to thée To giue thée grace and strength thereto and while thou here dost liue Eschue no trauaile great nor toyle thy minde to labor giue According to thy calling let thy house well furnisht bée Not glistring all with sumptuous plate nor costly Imagerée Nor hangde about with Arras rich nor pleasant Tapestrie Let all Th'assirian furnitures and Phrygian bewtie lie Nor seale thy house with Iuory white nor Marble grauen fine Ne let thy walles with painted Tables of Apelles shine Nor with Parrhasius costly workes nor Euphranors beside These things are méete for Princes great and men addict to pride Who foolish much regarde such â—oyes with loftie swelling minde And little wisedome got thereby not méete for such a kinde Of men as search for heauenly things and scriptures doe applie And of poore Christ do preach the worde and doctrine faythfullie Dresse vp thy house in comely sort but not with great expence Cleane kept and swept perfumed well with pleasant franconsence With berries sweete of Iunyper or in the Sommer time With Lauender or Violets and Roses swéete and fine Or pleasant Lillies white Swéete smelles the wit doth chiefly feede As stinking ayre doth dull the minde and great diseases bréede Let large and faire thy studie be and lightsome euery where Farre placde from any filthie smell no sinke nor dunghill nere No lothsome priuie there aboutes no marshe nor lakes at hande Nor filthie vapours that arise from stinking pooles that stande Here let thy chiefest goodes appeare and bookes in number great Of sundrie sort among the which the best and highest seat The Bible chalengeth of right which many yeares agone Was written by the holy sprite and in the tongues eche one Wherein it hath bene written here Of which the chiefest grace The Hebrue hath and next to it the Chaldean tongue hath place Let not the Gréeke translation want but stand among the rest Which seuentie sundrie men did write at Nilian kings request And which the auncient fathers vsde that Christ of olde did preach And with their vertuous wrytings graue the Christian fayth did teach Then let the worthie Doctors all and famous christian crue That long time since haue written bookes be placde in order due And neâ—t vnto the Bible first let Austine haue his place Who hath among the writers all in Latine chiefest grace Whose pregnant wit found out the truth and syftâ—th all things well Whose iudgâ—ment in detecting frâ—â—de did others farre excell And next to him his auncient friend let Ierome haue his seat Well knowne vnto the world for skill in tongues and wisedome great Who perfite was in euery acte and learned science tho And was not farre behinde in 〈◊〉 to worthie Cicero Let Ambrose also there be seâ— with learned phrase and swéete Whose fatherly heaâ—â— inâ—tructing well doth teach vs what is méete Nor let Hillarius absent bée nor Athanasius great Who alwayes doth with stedfast tongue of pure religion treate Nor both the Gregories that in the Grecian tongue excell Whose glistring beames vnto the world hath erst bene knowne ful wel Let Cyprian eke the Martyr here an handsome place possesse And vertuous Basyll and Chrysostome full of holinesse Whose wordes doe like a fountaine flowe and eke whose worthie wit For eloquence excelles amid whose lappes doth Pitho sit Let Irenaeus haue his place a famous wryter olde Let Origen be placed there and eke Cyrillus bolde And sundrie others mo that doe in Gréeke and Latine write The names of whome it were to long and tedious to resite Take also those that liued next of lesse antiquitée Although for fayth nor vertue they may not compared bée With those so famous fathers olde and though they rudely write Not hauing eloquence alike nor cunning to endite And to fill vp the number let in worthie places stande Such men as in this age of ours haue set their helping hande Whereof thou not a fewe shalt finde that to these Doctor good Full neare haue gone and through the holy ghost haue vnderstood Such things as fewe before haue knowne who not inferior bée In knowledge tongues and eloquence and in diuinitée Vnto those men that wrote of olde for God hath at this time Brought forth such glistring beames of light causde theÌ„ forth to shine And wondrous giftes hath delt abrode as no man can denie That wisedome hath for which we are bounde to yéelde continually Great thankes and prayses to his name and well to vse them here To our behoofe and profite great and not for to dispise Them as the custome is of olde in shamefull sort and guise Wherewith the things that in our daies are found and brought to light Though neuer so good we do contemne with lothsome appetite On th' other side the fashions olde and such as farre be â—et With willing armes we doe receyue and most by them we set This spitefull custome cast away and let vs here embrace Gods blessing sent from hie and workes of men so full of grace Nor mooued be if any thing therein amisse doe séeme Or fancie such as ought of vs to be reiected cléene What wryter scriptures here except could euer yet be found That hath not erde in any poynt from doctrine pure and sound We all in many things offende and sundrie things deceaue When darkely placde the perfite sâ—use the minde doth not conceaue Among these writers here deserues the chiefe and highest seat Erasmus he that learned was in euery science great The Iewell of our time and glorie great of Germanie By whome we safely may contende and haue the victorie With all the Italians Spaniards French and such as English bée In these most learned workes thou shalt be sure for to attaine To knowe whatsoeuer Christians good haue thought or heathen vaine Next vnto him let sundrie other good men haue their place Shut no man