Chapter 2

To all good Cryſten people.

IN moſt pytuouſe wyſe cōtinually calleth & cryeth vppon your deuout cherite & moſte tēder pyte / for helpe cūfort & relyefe / your late aquayntaūce / kindred / ſpouſes / cōpanions / play felowes / & frēdꝭ / & now your humble & vnacquaynted & halfe forgotē ſupplyaūtys / pore pryſoners of god y• ſely ſowlys in purgatory / here abydyng & enduryng y• greuouſe paynys & hote clēſynge fyre / y• freteth & burneth owte ye ruſtye & fylthy ſpottꝭ of our ſynne / tyll y• mercy of almighty god y• rather by your good & cherytable meanes / vowcheſaufe to delyuer vs henſe.

From whēſe yf ye meruayll why we more now moleſte and trouble you wyth our wrytyng then euer we were wonte byfore: yt may lyke you to wyt and vnderſtand / that hytherto / though we haue bene wyth many folke mych forgoten of neglygēce / yet hath alway good folke remembred vs / and we haue bene recommended vnto god and eaſed / holpen / and relieued / both by the pryuate prayers of good vertuouſe people / and ſpecyally by the dayly maſſes & other goſtely ſuffrages of preſtys / relygyouſe / and folke of holy churche. But now ſyth that of late there are ſprong[…] vp certayne ſedycyouſe perſones / whych not onely trauayle and labour to dyſtroy them by whome we be mych holpen / but alſo to ſowe and ſette forth ſuch a peſtylent opynyon agaynſt our ſelfe / as ones receyued and byleued among y• people / muſt nedys take frome vs the relyefe & cūforte that euer ſhuld come to vs by the cherytable almeſſe / prayour / and good wurkes of the world: ye may take yt for no wonder though we ſely ſowlys that haue longe lyen and cryed ſo farre frome you that we ſeldome brake your ſlepe / do now in thys oure great fere of our vtter loſſe for euer of your louyng remembraunce and relyefe / not yet importunatly by […]eue you of your reſte wyth cryenge at your eares at vnſeaſonable tyme when ye wold (as we do neuer) repoſe your ſelf and take eaſe / but onely procure to be preſented vnto you thys pore boke thys humble ſupplycacyon of owrs / whyche yt may pleaſe you ꝑcell meale at your leyſure to loke ouer for all ſely ſowlys ſake: that yt may be as an holſome tryacle at your harte agaynſt the dedely poyſon of theyre peſtylent ꝑſuaſyon / that wold bryng you in that errour to wene there were no purgatory. Of all whych cruell perſones ſo procuring not y• mynyſſhement of your mercy toward vs / but the vtter ſpoyle & robbery of our hole helpe and comforte that ſhuld come from you: ye very wurſte and thereby the moſte dedely deuyſour of our paynys and heuynes (god forgeue hym) ys that dyſpytuouſe & dyſpytefull perſon / which of late vnder pretexte of pyte / made and put forth among you / a boke that he namyd the ſupplycacyon for the beggars / a booke indede nothynge leſſe intendyng / then the pyte that yt pretendeth: nothyng myndyng y• weale of eny mā / but as we ſhall hereafter ſhew you / mych harme and myſchyefe to all men / and among other great ſorow dyſcūfort and heuenyſſe vnto vs your euen cryſten and nygh kynne / your late neyghbours and pleſaunt companyōs vppon erth / and now pore pryſoners here.

And albe yt yt hys vnhappy boke / doth for our owne ꝑte towche vs very nere: yet we be mych more moued to geue y• world warnyng of hys venymous wrytynge / for the dere loue & cheryte that we bere to you / then for the reſpecte of our owne relyefe. For as for vs / albeyt that the gracyouſe helpe of your pryour / almeſſe dede / and other good warkis for vs / may be the meanes of relyeuyng and releaſyng of our preſēt paynis / yet ſuch ys the mercyfull goodnes of god / that though the hole world wold clene forgete vs / yet wold his mercy ſo remember vs / that after temporall punyſſhement and purgyng here he wyll not fynally forgete to take vs henſe: and wypyng all y• terys owt of our eyē / tranſlate vs at ſondry tymes as hys hygh wyſedom ſee[…]h conuenyent / in to that eternal heuenly bleſſe / to whych his holy blyſſyd blood hath bought vs. But ſurely to you worldly people lyuynge there vppon erth / not onely for this preſent tyme / but alſo for as longe as thys world ſhall endure: the wreched maker of that vngracyouſe boke (whome god giue onys the grace to repēte & amend) yf folke were ſo fonde to folowe hym / ſhulde not fayle to worke / as well myche worldely trouble to euery kynde of people / as ouer that (whych moſt loſſe were of all) to brynge many a good ſymple ſoule / for lakke of belefe of purgatory / the very ſtrayght way to hell.

And the caſe ſo ſtandynge / there wold we thynke no man dowte / but thoughe the man that made the boke were well knowen amonge you and in holde alſo / whereby hys heyghnouſe treaſon to god and y• world dyſcloſed & declared by vs / he myght be in parell of exquyſyte paynefull punyſſhement: yet we both myght and ought / rather to put hym in the daunger of hys awne demeanure / then for the ſparyng of hys iuſte correccyon / to ſuffer hym abuſe y• people wyth hys peſtylent wrytynge / to the ineſtymable harme of the hole worlde in goodys / body / & ſowle. And ſyth we ſo myght of reaſon / & ſo ſhuld of cheryte though the man were knowen and taken / how myche may we nowe more frankely tell you all and nothynge ſhall nede to ſpare hym / ſyth hys boke ys nameles / & ſo hym ſelf among you vnknowē and therby owte of the parell of eny punyſſhement for hys vnhappy dede?

But for that both ye & he ſhall well perceyue / that we deſyre but your weale and ours by gyuyng you warnynge of hys malyce / and nothyng entend to procure hys punyſſhement / whyche we rather beſeche our lord of hys mercy to remytte: ye ſhall vnderſtand that neyther ys his name nor perſone vnknowen among vs / and therfore wemight well diſcouer hym yf we were ſo mynded. For there is not onely ſome of hys acquayntaūce and counſeyll / whome god gaue at theyre deth the grace to repente / comen hyther to purgatory / nothyng more now lamentyng among vs / then theyre cruell vnkyndeneſſe toward vs / in geuyng counſeyll agaynſt vs / to the makyng of that vngracyouſe boke / wyth infydelyte and lakke of bylyefe of the pourgyng fyre whych they now fynde and fele: but he ys alſo named and boſted among vs by that euell aungell of hys / owre and your goſtely enemy the deuyll. whych as ſone as he had ſet hym a wurke wyth that pernycyouſe boke / ceaced not to come hyther and boſte yt among vs: but wyth his enmyouſe & enuoyuſe laughter gnaſſhyng the teeth and grynnynge / he tolde vs that hys peopyll had by the aduyſe and coūſayll of hym and of ſome heretyques almoſt as euill as he / made ſuche a boke for beggars / that yt ſhuld make vs begge longe are we gete aught. wherby he truſted that ſom of vs ſhuld not ſo ſone crepe owte of our payne as we had hoped.

Wytte ye well theſe wordes were heuy tidyngꝭ to vs. But yet bycauſe y• deuyll ys wonte to ly / we toke ſome comfort in that we could not belyue hym / ſpecyally tellynge a thynge ſo farre incredyble. For who could euer haue thought that eny cryſten man could for very pyte haue founden in hys harte to ſeke and ſtudy the meanes / whereby a cryſten man ſhuld thynke yt labour loſte to pray for all cryſtē ſowlys. But alakke the whyle we foūde ſone after / that the falſhed and malyce of the man / preued y• dyuyll trewe. For by ſome that dyed ſone after the boke put forth / we haue herde & perceyued the wreched contentys therof / well and playnely declarynge / what euyll ſpyryte inſpyred hym whyle yt was in makynge. For albe yt that yt ys ſo contryued / and the wordys ſo cowched / that by the ſecrete inwarde wurkynge of the deuyll that holpe to dyuyſe yt / a ſymple reder myght by delyte in the redyng be dedely corrupted and venemed: yet yf a wyſe man well warned / aduyſedly wyll way the ſentence / he ſhall fynde the hole boke nothyng elles / but falſhed vnder pretext of playneſſe / crueltye vnder the cloke of pyte / ſedycyon vnder the colour of counſayle / prowde arrogās vnder y• name of ſupplycacyō / & vnder y• pretēce of fauour vnto pore folke / a deuyl ſhe deſyre of noyaūce both to pore & rich / preſte / religiouſe / & ſay mā / prynce / lord / & peple / as well quycke as dede.

He deuyſeth a pytuouſe byll of complaynte and ſupplycacyon / fayned to be by the pore ſykke and ſore beggers put vpp to the kyng / lamentyng theryn theyre nomber ſo ſore encreaced / that good folkes almoyſe not half ſuffyſyng to fynde them mete / they be conſtraynyd heuely to dye for hunger. Then layth he y• cauſe of all theſe pore beggars / both theyr encreſe in nomber & theyr defaut in fyndyng / all this he layth to the onely faut of the clergy: namyng them in hys bederoll byſhops / abbotꝭ / pryours / deacons / archedecōs / ſuffragans / preſtꝭ / monkys / chanons / frerys / ꝑdoners / & ſōmoners. All theſe he calleth myghty ſturdy beggars & ydle holy theuys / whych he ſayth hath beggyd ſo importunatly / that they haue gotten in to theyr handys y• thyrd parte of all the realm of Englond / beſyde tythys / preuy tythys / probatys of teſtamentꝭ & offryngꝭ / wyth maſſe pens & mortuaryes / blyſſyng & curſyng / cytyng / ſuſpendyng & ſoylyng. Then cūmeth he pertyculerly to freres: to whom he maketh as he thynketh a playn & opē rekenyng / that they reſeyue by beggyng thorow ye realm yerely.xliii. thouſand.iii.Cxxxiii. pound.vi.s.viii.d. ſterlyng. Then ſhewyth he that all thys caſt to gyther / amounteth yerely farre aboue the half of the hole ſubſtaūce of the realme. After this preſuppoſyng as though he had prouyd yt that the clergy hath the half / he thē to proue the two hundred parte of that they haue were more then ſuffycyent for them: taketh for hys ground that yf the nomber of them be compared wyth the nomber of lay men / the clergy be not ye hundreth parte: & y• yf they be cōpared wyth the lay men women & children / the clergy vs not thē the foure hūdred ꝑſon of that nomber. And then entendyth he therby to proue & conclude / that ſyth they haue as he ſayth more then the half of all to gether / & be them ſelf[…] not fully the foure hundred parte: therfore if that better half that they haue were deuyded into two hūdreth partꝭ / then were yet one parte of thoſe two hundreth ꝑtys as he thynketh to mych for them / ſpecyally becauſe they labour not. After thys he gathereth a great hepe of euyls / wherwyth he belyeth the clergy / to bryng them in dyſpleaſure of the kynge and hatered of the people. And leſte men ſhuld eny thyng eſteeme the clergye for the ſuffragys of theyre pr[…]youre in relyefe of vs ſely cryſten ſowlys in purgatory / to take a way that good mynde oute of good cryſten mennys hartes / he laboreth to make the worlde wene that there were no purgatorye at all. Wherein when he hathe done what he canne / then laboureth he to the kynge for a lycence to rayle vppon the clergye: ſayeng that there ys none other effectuall remedye agaynſte theym / but that yt myght pleaſe the kynge to gyue hym and ſuche other fre lycenſe and lyberte / to dyffame the clergy at theyr pleaſure amonge the people. For he ſayth that yf any of them be punyſhed any thyng by the temporall lawes / than they ſore troble the laborers therof by the ſpyrytuall law / and then the heddys of the clergy do ſo hyghly more than recompence the loſſe of theyre felows / that they may be bolde to do the lyke offēce agayn at theyr pleaſure. And for to proue that yt ys alway ſo / he layth that yt hath bene ſo thryfe: and as yt ſhall after be ſhewed he lyeth in all thre. The furſte he layth that the byſhop of London was in a grete rage for endyghtynge of certayn curatys of extorcyon and incontynency the laſt yere in the wardmote queſtis. And for the ſecōd he laith that doctour Aleyn after that he was puniſhed by premunire for his cōtempt commytted agaynſt the kyngys temporall law / was therfore by the byſhoppys hyghly recōpēſed in benefyces. And for y• third he layth that Richard Hunne becauſe he had ſued a premunire agaynſt a preeſt for ſuyng hym in y• ſpyrytuall court in a mater determynable in the kyngys court / was accuſed of hereſy and commytted to byſhoppys pryſō: where he ſayth that all the world knowyth that he was murtheryd by doctour Horſey wyth his complyces then the byſhoppys chauncellour. And that y• ſame doctour Horſey he ſayth vppon other mennys mouthis payed.vi. hundred poūdes for hym & hys complyces: & after obteyned the kyngys moſt gracyous pardon. Wheruppō he ſayth the captayns of the ſpyrytualte becauſe he had faughten ſo manfully agaynſt the kyngꝭ crown and dygnyte / promotyd hym forth wyth benefyce vppō benefyce to the valew of.iiii. tymes as myche. And by theſe enſaumples he cōcludyth there wyll no ſuch punyſhment ſerue agaynſt the ſpyritualte: and alſo who y• iuſtly punyſh a preeſt by the temporall law / ys vniuſtly trobled agayn in y• ſpyrytuall law. Wherof he wold include that of neceſſyte for a ſpecyall remedy / the kyng muſt nedis graūt a ſicence to ſuch lewd felows to […]ayle vppon thē. Thā cometh he at laſte vnto the deuyce of ſome remedy for the pore beggars. Wherin he wold in no wyſe haue none hoſpytals made / becauſe he ſayth that therin the profyte goeth to the preſtys. What remedy than for the pore beggars. He deuyſyth nor deſyreth nothynge to be geuen them / nor none other almoyſe or helpe requyreth for thē: but onely that y• kyngis hyghnes would furſt take frome the hole clergye all theyre hole lyuynge / and then ſette theym abrode in the worlde to gette theym wyues / and to get theyre lyuyng wyth y• labour of theyr handys and in the ſwete of theyr facys / as he ſayeth yt ys the cōmaundement of god in the furſt chapiter of Geneſis: and fynally to tay them to the car[…]es to be whyppyd naked about euery market towne tyll they fall to labour. And then yf theſe petycions were onys arauntyd and parformyd / he ſheweth many great cō modytees that wold as he ſayth enſue theruppō / both to the kynge & the people / and to the pore beggars. Which thyngys we ſhall ere we leue / in ſuch wyſe repete and ponder / that your wyſdoms may conſyder and parceiue in your ſelf / what good frute wold folow the ſpede of hys goodly ſupplycacion / whereof we haue reherſed you the hole ſome and effect.

Trewthe yt ys y• many thyngys wherewyth he floryſheth hys maters to make thē ſeme gay to the reders at a ſodayn ſhew / we leue out for the while / becauſe we wold ere we come therto / that ye ſhuld furſt haue the mater ſelf in ſhort ſet forthe before your eyen. And thā ſhall we peruſe hys prouys / and in ſuch wyſe conſyder euery thynge aparte / that we nothyng dout but who ſo ſhall rede hys worſhypfull wrytyng after / ſhall ſone parceyue therin / floryſhyng without frute / futtelte wythout ſubſtaūce / rethoryk wythout reaſō / bolde babelyng wythout lernyng / & wylynes wythout wyt. And fynally for y• foundacyon and ground of all hys prouys: ye ſhall fynde in hys boke not half ſo many leuys as lyes / but almoſt as many lyes as lynes.

And albe yt we lye here in that caſe that about thexamynacyō and anſweryng of ſuch a mad malycyouſe boke we haue neyther luſt nor leyſoure to beſtow the tyme / wherof miſpēt in our lyfe we geue now an hard and a heuy rekenynge: yet not only the neceſſyte of our cauſe dryueth vs to declare vnto you the feblenes of hys reaſons / wherewyth he wold bryng you in the caſe to care nothyng for vs / beleuyng yt there were no purgatory / but alſo moſt ſpecyally dothe our charite towarde you / ſtyrre vs to ſhew you the myſchefe that he myndeth to your ſelf / aſwell in that poynt of infidelyte / as in all the remnaunt of hys ſedicyouſe boke. In anſweryng wherof we wold gladly let hys foly and lak of lernyng paſſe / yf yt were not more thā neceſſary / that all folk ſhuld parceyue hys lyttell lernyng and leſſe wyt / leſt ſymple folk wenyng hym wyſe and well lernyd / myght vnto theyr harm eſteme hys euyll wrytyng the better for theyr wronge opynyon of hys wyt and lernyng. As for hys malycyouſe mynde and vntreuth / there can no man loke that we ſhuld leue vnto wchyd / but he that wold rather the man were beleued than anſweryd / and wold wyſh hys byll ſped were yt neuer ſo malycyouſe and falſe.

For where he to deuyſeth hys introduccyon / as all hys purpoſe ſhuld haue a great face of charyte / by that he ſpeketh all in the name of the pore beggars / thys ys nothyng els but the deuyls dryft / alway coueryng hys poyſon vnder ſome taſt of ſuger. As for vs we truſte there wyll no wyſe mā doute what fauour we bere to beggers as folk of theyr own felyſhyp and faculte / and of all whom / there be no where in the world nether ſo nedy nor ſo ſore / and ſo ſyk nor ſo impotent / and ſo ſore in paynes as we. And that ſo farforth that yf ye myght ſe them all on the tone ſyde / and but one of vs on the tother ſyde / we be very ſure that the world wolde pyte one of vs / more thā them all. But although we be more beggars then your beggers be / as folk dayly beggyng our almes of you and them both: yet ēuy we not them as one of them dothe a nother / but we pray and require you to gyue them for our ſakes / wherby your gyft gretly cumfortyth vs both. And they be alſo our proctours and beg in our name / and in our name receaue your money / wherof we receyue both your deuocyon and theyr prayours. So yt ye may be well aſſured / there coud be put no byll nor ſupplycacyon forth for theyr aduaūtage / whych we wold in eny wyſe hynder / but very gladly forther in all y• euer we myghte. But in good fayth as our pore brethern the beggars be for many cauſes greatly to be pytyed for theyr dyſeaſe and ſyknes / ſorow / payn & pouerte: ſo do we mych in thys caſe ſorow theyre myſhap / that they haue nott had at the leſte wyſe ſo muche fortune / as to fall vppon a wyſer ſcryuener to make theyr ſupplycacyon: but vppon ſuch a one as vnder hys great wylynes ſheweth ſo lyttell wyt / that begynnyng wyth a cloke of charyte / doth by and by no leſſe dyſcloſe hys hatered and malice / than yf be nothyng els had entēded / but to caſt of yt cloke and ſet out hys malyce naked to the ſhew. Whyrin lyke a beggars ꝓctour he goeth forth ſo nakedly / yt no begger ys there ſo bare of cloth or money / as he ſheweth hym ſelfe bare of faythe / lernynge / trouth / wyt or charite. Whych thyng as it all redy well appereth to wyſe mē: ſo wyll we make yt euydent to all men / takyng our bygynnynge at the declaracyon of hys vntrewth: whych one thyng well perceyued / w[…]ll be ſuffycyent to anſwer and ouertorne all hys hole enterpryſe. How be yt we nether ſhall nede nor do purpoſe to cūber you wyth reherſall and reprofe of all hys lyes: for that were to long a work / wherof we fere ye ſhuld be wery to abyde the heryng. But of ſo many we ſhall pray you take pacyence whyle we ſhewe you ſome / and ſuch as for the matter be requyſyte to be knowen / for as much as all hys proues be ſpecyally grounded vppon them.

And furſt to begyn where he begynneth / whē he ſayth that the nō ber of ſuch beggars as he pretendeth to ſpeke for / that is as hym ſelf calleth them the wretched hyduouſe monſters / on whō he ſayth ſcarcely eny eye dare loke / the foule vnhappy ſort of lepers & other ſore people / nedy / impotēt / blynde / lame and ſyh / lyuyng onely of almes: haue theyre numbere nowe ſo ſore encreaſed / that all the almoyſe of all the well dyſpoſed people of the realme ys nott halfe inowghe to ſuſtayne theym / but that for very conſtraynte they dye for hunger: vnto all thoſe wordys of hys / were yt not that though we well wyſt our ſelf he ſayd vntrew / yet wold we be lothe ſo to lay as a lye to his charge eny thyng / wherof the vntrewth were not ſo playnly parceyued / but that he myghte fynde ſome fauourers whych myghte ſay he ſayd trew: els wold we paraduēture not let to tell hym / that for a bygynnyng in theſe few wordes he had wrytten two lyes at onys. If we ſhuld tell you what nōber ther was of pore ſyk folke in days paſſed iōg before your tyme: ye were at lyberte not to beleue vs. How be yt he cānot not yet on y• tother ſyde for hys part nether / bryng you forth a bederoll of theyr namys: wherfore we muſt for bothe our ꝑtꝭ be fayn to remyt you to your owne tyme / & yet not frō your chyldhed (whereof many thynges men forget when they come to farr greater age) but vnto the days of your good remēbraunce. And ſo doyng / we ſuppoſe yf the ſory ſyghtys yt mē haue ſene / had left as gret impreſſyon ſtyll remaynyng in theyr hartys / as the ſyght maketh of the preſēt ſorow that they ſe: men ſhuld thynk & ſay yt they haue in days paſſed ſene as many ſykke beggers as they ſe now. For as for other ſyknes they rayn not god be thanked but after ſuch rate as they haue done in tymes paſſed. And thē of the frēch pokkys.xxx. yere ago went there about ſyk / fyue agaynſt one yt beggeth wyth them now. Wherof who ſo lyſt to ſay that he ſeeth it otherwyſe: we wyll hold no great dyſpycyons wyth hym theruppon / becauſe we lakke the namys of both the ſydes to make the tryall wyth. But ſurely who ſo ſhall ſay the cōtrary: ſhall as we ſuppoſe eyther ſaye ſo for his pleaſure / or els ſhall it fare by his ſight as folkis fare with theyr felyng / which what they fele they whyne at / but what they haue felt the[…] haue more then half forgotten / though they felt it ryght late. Whych maketh one that hath but a pore boyle vppon hys fynger / thynk the grefe more great / than was the payne of a great boch that greued hys hole hād lyttell more than a moneth a fore. So that in thys poynt of the nomber of ſyk beggers ſo ſore encreaſed ſo late / albeit we wyll forbere ſo to ſay to hym as we mighte well ſay: yet will we be ſo bolde to denye it hym till he bryng in ſome better thyng than hys bare word for the profe.

And in good faith if he be put to the profe of the tother poynt alſo / that is to wyt that for very conſtraynt thoſe pore ſyk folk dye for hū ger: we verely truſt & think he ſhall ſeke farr and fynde very few yf he fynde any at all: For albeit that pore houſeholders haue theſe d[…]e yeres made ryght hard ſhyft for corne: yet our lorde be thanked men haue not bene ſo farr from all pyte / as to ſuffer pore impotēt parſons dye at theyr doorys for hunger.

Now where as he ſayth that the almes of all well diſpoſed peple of thys reame is not half inough to ſuſtayn them / and the well dyſpoſed people he calleth in this matter all thē that gyueth them almoyſe / & he ſpeketh not of one yere nor twayn but of theſe many yerys now paſſed / for neyther be the nomber of the clergy nor theyr poſſeſſyons nor the freres almes in whych thyngꝭ he layeth the cauſe why the almes of good people ys not half ſuffycyent to kepe & ſuſtayn the pore and ſyk beggers fro famyſhyng / any great thynge encreaſed in theſe x. or.xii. or.xx. yeres laſt paſſed / & therfore yf that he ſayd were trew: then by all theſe.x. yeres at the leſt / the almoyſe of good people hath not bene half able to ſuſteyn the pore & ſyk beggers frō famyſhynge. And ſurely yf that were ſo that in.iiii. or.v. yerys in which was plenty of corne / the pore & ſyk beggars for lak of mennys almes died ſo faſt for hūger: thogh many ſhuld fall ſik neuer ſo faſt again / yet had they in y• laſte.ii. dere yerys dyed vp of lyklyhod almoſt euerychone. And whether thys be trew or not we purpoſe not to dyſpute: but to referr and report our ſelf to euery mānys eyen and eares / whether any mā here of ſo many dede / or ſe ſo many the fewer.

When he hath layd theſe ſure ſtonys to begyn the ground & foundacyon of hys byldyng wyth / that ſore and ſyk beggars be ſo ſore encreaſyd / that the almeſſe of all the good people of thys realme is not half inough to ſuſtayn thē / and that therfore by very conſtraynt they dayly dye for hunger: vppon them he layeth a nother ſtone / that the cauſe of all thys euyll is the great poſſeſſyōs of the ſpyrtualte / and the great almys gyuen to the frerys. But herein furſt he layth that beſydys tythes and all ſuch other profettꝭ as ryſe vnto the chyrh by reaſon of the ſpyrytuall law or of mennys deuocyon / that they haue the thyrd parte of all the temporall landes of the realme. Whych who ſo can tell as much of the reuenews of the realme as he can tell lytell that made the booke / doth well know that though they haue mych: yet is the thyrd part of all farre an other thing / & y• he ſayth in thys poynt vn[…]r[…]w. Than goeth he to the pore frerys. And there as we told you he ſhewyth that y• almes geuen them / of certeynte amounteth yerely vnto.x.iii. thouſand.CCC.xxxiii.li. vis.s.viii.d. ſterlyng: paraduenture men wold wene the man were ſome apoſtata / and that he neuer coud be ſo pryuy to the frerys reconyng / but if he had bene long their lymytour / and ſene ſome generall vyew of all theyr hole accountys. But ſurely ſyth the man is bad inough beſyde / we wold be loth folk ſhuld rekē hym for apoſtata / for ſurely he was neuer frere for aught tha. we know / for we neuer wyſt that euer in hys lyfe he was half ſo well dyſpoſed. And alſo when ye here the groūd of hys reconyng: ye well your ſelf thynk that he nether knoweth mych of theyr maters / & of all the realme beſyde make as though he knew many thyngys for trew / which many men know for fals. For furſt he putteth for the groūde of hys rekenyng that there are in the realme / twoo and fyfty thouſāde paryſh churches / whych ys one playne lye to begynne with Then he putteth yt euery paryſhe one wyth a nother / hath ten howſe holdes in yt: meanynge beſyde ſuche pore howſes as rather aſke almes thē gyue / for of ſuch ye wot well y• frerys get no quarterag. & y• poynte albe yt the grounde be not ſure / yet bycauſe yt may to many men ſeme lykely / therfore we lette yt paſſe. But then he ſheweth ferther for a ſure trouth a thynge that all men knowe ſurely for a great lye: that ys to ſay that of euery howſholde in euery paryſhe / euery of y• fyue ordres of freres hath euery quarter a peny: for we knowe full well & ſo do many of you to / fyrſt yt the comen people ſpeke but of.iiii. ordres / the whyte / the blakke / the auſtayne / and the grey / and whych ys the fyft in many partes of the realme fewe folke can tell you. For yf the queſtyone were aſked abowte / there wolde be peraduenture founden many mo the more pyte it is / that coulde name you the grene freris then the crowched. ye know ryght well alſo that in many a paryſhe in england / of fourty howſeholders ye ſhall not fynde fowre pay neyther.v. pēſe a quarter nor.iiii. nother / and many a paryſſhe neuer a peny. And as for the.v.d. quarterly / we dare boldely ſay that ye ſhall fynde yt payed in very fewe paryſhes thorow the realme / yf ye fynde yt payed in any. And yet this thynge beynge ſuche a ſtarke lye as many men all redy knoweth / & euery man ſhortely may fynde it / he putteth as a playne well knowen trouth for a ſpecyall poſte to bere vpp his rekenynge. For vppon theſe growndes now maketh he a clere rekenynge in this maner enſuynge / whyche is good alſo to be known for folke that wyll lern to caſt acōpt. Ther be.lii.M. ꝑyſhes and in eche of them.x. howſholdes So haue ye the hole ſome of the howſholdes.v. hondred thowſand and twenty thowſande. Euen iuſt Go nowe to the money then. Euery order of the.v. orders of freres hathe of euery of theſe howſholdes a peny a quarter Sūma for euery howſe amonge all the.v. orders euery quarter.v. d. & here by may ye lerne that fyue tymes one maketh.v. Nowe this is he ſheweth you amonge the.v. orders of euery howſe for the hole yere.xx.d. and ſo lerne ye there that.iiii. tymes fyue maketh.xx. Sūma ſayth he.v. hondreth thowſande and.xx. thouſande quarters of angelles. Here we woulde not that bycauſe the realme hath no coyne called the quarter aungell / ye ſhulde therfore ſo farre myſtake the man as to wene that he ment ſo many quarter ſackes of aungels. For in dede (as we take hym) by the namynge and comptyng of ſo many quarters of aū gels / he meneth nothynge elles but to teche you a poynt of rekenyng and to make you perceyue and knowe / that.xx.d. is the fourth parte of.vi.s.viii.d. For after that ra[…]e it ſemeth that he valueth the aūgell noble. Then goeth he forthe with his rekenyng & ſheweth you that fyue hundred thowſand and.xx. thowſand quarters of aungels / maketh.ii. hundred thre ſcore thowſand halfe aungellys. And by thys ſo ye may perceyue clerely / that he ment not quarter ſackes of aungels for then they woulde haue holden ye wote well many moo pecys of fourty pence / then fourty tymes thys hole ſome commeth to. Then he ſheweth you ferther that.CC.lx. thowſand halfe aungellys / amounte iuſt vnto.C.xxx. thowſand aūgels. wheryn euery man may lerne that the halfe of.lx. ys.xxx. and that the half of twayne ys one. Fynally then he caſteth yt all to gyther and bryngeth yt in to poūdes Sūma totalis.xliii. thowſand poūdꝭ.iii. hūdred &.xxxiii.li.vi.s.viii.d But here to contynewe the playneſſe of hys rekenynge / he forgote to tell you yt.iii. nobles make.xx.s. & that.xx.s. make a poūd But who can now dowte of thys rekenynge whan yt cometh ſo rounde / that of ſo great a ſōme he leueth not out y• ode noble But now ſyth all thys rek[…]nynge ys grounded vppon two falſe groundes / one vppon.lii. thowſande paryſhe churches: the other that euery of the fyue orders hath euery quarter of euery howſhold a peny: thys rekenyng of.xliii. thowſād CCC.xxx.ii.li.vi.s.viii.d. ſemeth to cōe mych lyke to pas as yf he wold make a rekening wyth you y• euery aſſe hath.viii. eares And for to proue yt wyth / bere you furſt in hande that euery aſſe hath fowre heddes / and then make ſumma.iiii. heddes. Thene myght he boldely tell you ferther / that euery aſſe hed hathe two eares / for that ys comenly trew excepte any be cutte of. Sūma then.ii. eares and ſo ſumma totalis eyght eares. At thys accompte of eyght eares of one a […]e ye make a lyppe and thynke yt ſo madde that no man wold make no ſuche. Surely yt were a madde compt yn dede / and yet as mad as yt were / yt were not ſo madde by halfe as ys hys ſadde and ereneſte compt that he maketh you now ſo ſolempnely of the frerys quarterage. For thys ſhu[…]d he groūd but vpon one lye / where he grounddih y• tother vpon twayne as open lyes as thys & as greate. Now myght we and we wold) ſay that all hys rekenynge were naught / bycauſe he rekeneh.xx.d. for the quarter of the aungell / and all the remenaūt of hys rekenyng foloweth forth vpon the ſame rate. But we wolde be lothe to put hym in the fawlte that he deſerue not. For ſurely yt myght he that he was not ware of the new valuacyon: for he ranne awaye byfore the valuacyon chaūged? But now vpon thys greate ſome of.xliii. thuſād.CCC.xxxiii.li.vi.s.viii.d. vpon theſe good ground[…] heped vp to gether he bryngeth in hys ragmānes roll of his rude r[…]tory[…]u[…] agaynſt the pore freres / begynnyng wyth ſuch a gret exclamacyon that we herde hym hyther / & ſodaynly were all afrayed whē we herd hi cry out ſo loude / Oh greuous & paynfull exaccyōs: thus yerely to be payed / frome the whyche the people of your noble ꝓgenytours auncyent Brytons euer ſtode fre. And ſo goeth he forth agaynſt the pore freres wyth Danes / and Saxons / and noble kyng A[…]ure / and Lucius the emperoure / the Romaynes / the Grekys / & the greate Turke / ſhewynge that all theſe had ben vtterly marred & neuer had ben able to do nothynge yn the warre / yf theyr people had gyuen theyre almoyſe to freres.

After hys raylyng re[…]oryque ended agaynſt the freres / then thys ſome of.xliii. thowſād.CCC.xxxiii.li.vi.s.viii.d. he addeth vnto all y• tother that he ſayd byfore that all the clergye hath beſyde whych he ſūmeth not but ſayth that thys and that to gyther amounte vnto more bytwene theym then halfe of the hole ſubſtaunce of the realme. And thys he affirmeth as boldylylas though he could reken the hole reuenews and ſubſtaunce of all england / as redely as make the rekenyng of thys beggers purſe.

Then ſheweth he that thys better halfe of the hole ſubſtaunce ys ſhyfted amonge fewer then the fowre hundred parte of the people. Whyche he proueth by that he ſayth that all the clergye compared vnto the remannaunte of the men onely / be not the hundreth ꝑſone. And yf they be compared vnto the remanaunte of men / women / and chyldren / ſo are they not he ſaeth the fowre hundreth perſon. But nowe ſome folke that haue not very longe ago vppon greatoccaſyons taken the rekenynge of preſtꝭ and relygyous places yn euery diociſe / & on the other ſyde the rekenynge and the nomber of the temporall men yn euery coūtye: know well y• thys mannes madde rekenynge goeth very farr wyde / and ſemeth that he hath herd theſe wyſe rekenyngis a[…] ſome congregacyon of beggers. And yet as thoughe bycauſe he hath ſayd yt he had therfore proued yt / he rūneth forth in his raylyng rei[…]ryque agaynſt the hole clergye / and that yn ſuche a ſorte and faſſyon that very harde yt were to dyſcerne whyther yt be more falſe or more folyſhe. For fyrſte all the fawtes that any lewde preeſt or frere doth / all that layeth he to the hole clergye / as well and as wyſely as though he wold lay the fawtes of ſome lewde lay people to yt defaut and blame of all the hole temporaltye. But thys way lyketh hym ſo well that thus layeng to the hole clergye y• fawtes of ſuche as be ſimple & fawty theryn / and yet not onely layeng to theyr charge yt breche of chaſtyte & abuſe in fleſhely lyuyng of ſuche as be nought / but alſo madly lyke a fonde felow layeng mych more to theyr charge & myche more erneſtly reprouynge y• good & honeſt lyuynge of thoſe yt be good whome he rebukethe and aborreth bycauſe they kepe theyr vewes & perſeuer yn chaſtyte (for he ſayeth that they be the marrars and dyſſtroyers of the realme / bryngeng the lād yn to wylderneſſe for lacke of generacyon by theyr abſtaynynge from weddyng) then aggreuyth he hys great crymes wyth heynouſe wordys / gay repetycyons / & greuous exclamacyōs / callyng them blood ſuppers & dronken in y• blood of holy marters & ſayntes / whyche he meanyth for the condemnynge of holy heretykes. Gredy goſophers he calleth them and ynſacyable whyrlpoolys / becauſe the temporalte hath gyuen theym poſſeſſyōs / & gyue to the freres theyr almoyſe. And all vertuouſe good preeſtys & relygyous folke he calleth ydle holy theues / becauſe they ſpēd theyr tyme yn prechynge and prayour. And than ſayth he / theſe be they that make ſo many ſyk & ſore beggers. Theſe be they that make theſe horys & baudys. Theſe be they that make theſe theuys. Theſe be they that make ſo many ydle parſons: Theſe be they that corrupte y• generacyons. And theſe be they that wyth the abſtaynyng from weddyng hynder ſo the generacyon of the people / y• the realme ſhall at lenght fall yn wyldernes but yf they wed y• ſoner. And now vpō theſe hygh nous crymes layed vnto the hole clergye / & layd as euery wyſe man ſeeth ſome very falſely and ſome very folyſhly: after hys goodly repetycyons be falleth to hys great and greuous exclamacyons / cryēg out vppon the great brode botomleſſe occean ſee of yuels / and vppō the greuouſe ſhypwrak of the comen welth / the tranſlatynge of the kyngys kyngdōe / and the ruyne of the kynges crown. And therwyth rollynge in hys retoryke from fygure to fygure / he falleth to a vehement inuocacyon of the kynge / & gyueth hym warnyng of hys greate loſſe / aſkynge hym feruently: where ys / your ſword / power / crown / and dygnyte bycome[…] as though the kynges grace had clene loſte hys realme ſpecyally for lacke of people to reygne vppon / bycauſe that preſtes haue no wyuys. And ſurely the man cannot fayle of ſuche eloquence: for he hath gathered theſe goodly flowres out of Luthers gardyne almoſt worde for worde wythout any more laboure but onely the tranſlacynge owte of the latyn into the englyſhe tonge.

But to enflame the kyngys hyghnes againſt the church / he ſayth that the clergye laboureth nothyng elles / but to make the kynges ſubg[…]es fall in to dyſobedyence and rebellyon agaynſt hys grace.

Thys tale ys a very lykely thynge / as though the clergye knew not that there ys nothyng erthly yt ſo moche kepeth them ſelf in quyet reſt and ſuertye / as doth the dew obedyence of the people to the vertuouſe mynde of the prynce. Whoſe hygh goodneſſe muſt nedes haue myche more dyffycultye to defende the clargye and kepe the churche in peace / yf y• people fell to dyſobedyence & rebellyon agaynſte theyr prynce. And therfore euery chyld may ſe that the clergye woulde neuer be ſo madde as to be glad to brynge the people to dyſobedyence & rebellyon agaynſt the prynce / by whoſe goodnes they be preſerued in peace / and were in ſuche rebellyō of the people lykely to be the fyrſt that ſhold fall in parell. But neyther ys there deſyred by the clergye nor neuer ſhall by goddes grace happen / any ſuch rebellyon as y• beggars ꝓctoure & hys felowes what ſo euer they ſay lōg full ſore to ſe.

But thys man agaynſt y• clergye fetcheth forth old farne yeres & […]neth vp to kyng Ihāns days / ſpēdyng mych labour about y• prayſe & cōmendacyō of yt good gracyous kyng & cryeng out vppō y• pope yt then was and the clergye of England / and all the lordys and all y• comēs of the realme / becauſe kynge Ihān as he ſayth made y• realm trybu[…]ary to the pope / wherin he meaneth peraduēture the peter pēſe But ſurely therin ys all hys hote accuſacyon a very colde tale when y• trouth ys knowen. For ſo ys yt in dede yt albe yt there be wrytars y• ſay y• peter pē […]e were graunted by kyng Ihān for the releaſe of the incerdyccyō: yet were they payed in dede ere euer kyng Ihāns grete graūdfather was borne / & therof ys there profe ynough. Now yf he ſay as in dede ſome wryters ſay / that kynge Ihān made Englāde & Irland trybutary to the pope & the ſee apoſtolyque by the graunt of a thowſand markys: we dare ſurely ſay agayn that yt ys vntrew / & that all Rome neyther cā ſhew ſuche a graunt nor neuer could / and if they could yt were right nought worth. For neuer coulde eny kyng of England geue away the realm to y• pope / or make the lāde tributary though he wolde / nor no ſuch money ys there payed nor neuer was And as for the peter penſe if he meane thē / neyther was ye realme trybutary by thē / nor king Ihān neuer graūted thē. For they were payed before the cōqueſt to the apoſtolyk ſee toward the mayntenaūce therof but onely by way of gratytude & almes. Now as for the archbyſſhop Stephen / whom he ſayth beyng a traytour to the kynge / ye pope made archebyſhop of Canturbury agaynſt ye kyngys wyll / therin be there as we ſuppoſe.ii. lyes at onys. For neyther was yt Stephē euer traytour agaynſt the kyng as farre as euer we haue herd / nor ye pope none otherwyſe made hym archebyſhop thē he made all other at that tyme: but y• ſame Stephē was well & canonycally choſē archebyſhop of Cāturbury by y• couēt of y• mōkis at Criſtꝭ church in Cāturbury to whō as y• kyng well knew & denyed yt not / y• eleccyō of ye archebyſſhop at y• time belōged. Nor ye kyng reſyſtyd not hys eleccyō bycauſe of any treaſō yt was layd agaynſt hym: but was diſcōtētyd therwith / & after yt his eleccyō was paſſyd & cōfirmed by ye pope: he wold not of long ſeaſō ſuffer hym to enioy y• byſhoprich / becauſe hym ſelfe had recōmēdyd another vnto y• mōkys / whō they reiectyd & preferryd Stephē. And that thys ys as we tell you / & not as the beggars prec[…]our wryteth for a falſe foūdacyō of hys raylyng: ye ſhall mow parceyue not onely by dyuers cronycles / but alſo by dyuers monumētis yet remaynynge as well of the eleccyon and cōfyrmacyō of the ſayd arche byſhop / as of the long ſute and proces that after folowed theruppō.

Nowe ſheweth he hym ſelfe very wrothe wyth the ſpyrytuall iuryſdyccyon / whyche he wolde in any wyſe were clene taken awaye / ſaynge that yt muſte nedys dyſtroy the iuryſdyccyon temporall: where as the good prynces paſſed haue graunted / and y• nobles in theyre tymes / and the people to / haue by playne parleamentes confermed them / and yet hytherto bleſſed be god they agre better to gyther / then to fall at varyaunce for the wylde wordes of ſuche a malycyouſe make bate: whyche for to brynge the ſpyrytualtye in to hatered / ſayth that they call theyr iuryſdyccyon a kyngdome. In whyche word he may ſay his pleaſure / but of trewth he ſeldom ſeeth eny ſpyrytuall man at thys daye that ſo calleth eny ſpyrytuall iuryſdyccyō yt he vſeth.

Nowe where thys man vſeth as a profe therof / that y• ſpyrytualte nameth theym ſelfe alwaye byfore the temporaltye: thys maner of namyng cometh not of them / but of the good mynde and deuocyon of the temporaltye: ſo farre forthe that at the parlyament when that eny ac[…]es be conceyued / the wordes be comenly ſo cowched / that the byll ſayth it ys enacted fyrſte by our ſouerayne lorde y• kyng and by y• lordes ſpyrytuall & temporall & the comens in that preſent parlyamēt aſſembled. And theſe byllys be often drawen put forth & paſſed fyrſte in the comen howſe / where there ys not one ſpyrytuall man preſent.

But ſuche trewth as the man vſeth in thys poynte / ſuche vſeth he where he calleth the pore freres almoyſe an axaccyon: ſurmyſynge that yt ys exacted by force and the people compelled to pay yt / where euery man well wotteth that they haue pore men no way to compelle no man to gyue thē aught not though they ſhulde dy for defawt. But thys good honeſt true man ſayth that who ſo wyll not pay the freres theyre quarterage they wyll make hym be taken as an heretyque.

We be wyll contente that ye take thys for no lye / as manye as euer haue knowen yt trew. But who herd euer yet that eny man taken for an here[…]yque / dyd ſo myche as ones ſaye that he thought yt conuayd by the malyce of any frere for refuſyng to paye y• freres quarterage. Thys lye lo ys a lytle to lowde / for eny man that were not waxen ſhameles.

Lyke treuth ys there in thys that he ſayeth / yf any man trouble a preeſte for any tēporall ſuyte: the clergye forth wyth wyll make hym an heretyque and burne hym / but yf he be cōtent to bere a fagotte for theyre pleaſure. The falſehed of thys can not be vnknowen. For mē know well in many a ſhyre how often that many folk endyght preſtꝭ of rape at the ſeſſynos. And as there ys ſomtyme a rape committed in dede / ſo ys there euer a rape ſurmyſed were the women neuer ſo wyllynge / and oftentyme where there was nothynge done at all.

And yet of eny ſuche that ſo procured preeſtes to be indyghted: howe many haue men herd taken and accuſed for heretyques? ye ſe not very many ſeſſyōs paſſe / but in one ſhyre or other thys page an[…] ys playd / where as thorow the realme ſuch as be put to penaunce for hereſy / be not ſo many in many yeres as there be preſtys endyghtyd in few yerys. And yet of all ſuch ſo taken for hereſye / he ſhall not fynde foure this four ſcore yere / peraduenture not thys four hūdreth yere / that euer precended them ſelfe ſo troubled for endyghtyng of a preſte. So that hys lye ys herein to large to get eny cloke to couer yt

Nowe where he ſaith that the captayns of doctours Aleyns kyngdome / haue hepyd hym vp benefyce vppon benefyce / & haue rewardyd hym.x. tymes as mych as the.v.C. poundis whych he payd for a fyne by the premunire / and that thus hath the ſpyrytualtye rewarded […]ym becauſe he fought ſo māfully agaynſt the kyngys crowne & hys dygnyte: all that know the matter do well parceyue that the man doth in hys mater as he doth in other / eyther lyeth for hys pleaſure / or els lyttell wotteth how that the matter ſtode. For it ys well knowen that doctour Aleyn was in the premunire purſued only by ſpyrytuall mē and had moch leſſe fauour & myche more rygour ſhewed hym therin by the greateſt of the clergy / then by any temporall men.

He ſayth alſo to the kynges hyghnes / your grace may ſe what a worke there ys in London / how the byſhop rageth for endyghtyng of certayne curates of extorcyon and incontynencye the laſte yere in the warmoll queſt / wolde not vppon theſe wordes euery ſtraunger wene that there had bene in Londō many curates endyghted of extorcyō and rape / and that the byſhop wold labour ſore to defend theyr fautꝭ and that there wer aboute yt matter a greate cōmocyon in all the cyte? How ſhameles ys he that can tell thys tale in wrytynge to y• kyng[…] hyghnes for a trouth / wherof neyther byſhop / nor curate / nor mayre / nor alderman / nor eny man ellys / euer hard word ſpoken? Hyt were harde to ſay whether we ſhulde take yt for wylynes or lacke of wytt y• he ſayth all thys worke was in the cyte the laſt yere: & then hys boke neyther was put vp to the kynge / nor bereth eny date. So y• a man wold wene he were a fole that ſo wryteth of the laſt yere / y• the reder cānot wyt whych yere yt was. But yet wene we he doth yt for a wylynes. For ſyth he knoweth hys tale falſe: yt ys wyſdome to leue the tyme vnknowen / that hys lye may be vncontrolled. For he wold that men ſhulde wene alwaye that yt was in one yere or other.

But fynally for a ſpecyall poynt he bryngeth in Rychard Hūne and ſayth yt yf he had not commencyd an accyō of premunire agaynſt a preſte / he had bene yet alyue and none heretyke at all. Now ys yt of trewthe well knowen / that he was detectyd of hereſye before the premunyre ſued or thought vppon.

And he began that ſuyte to helpe to ſtop the tother wythall / as in dede yt dyd for the whyle. For all be yt that he that was ſued in the premunire was nothynge bylongynge to the byſhop of London byfore whome Rycharde Hunne was detectyd of heryſy: yet left ſuche as wolde be glad ſynyſterly to myſſeconſter euery thynge towarde the clergye / myght haue occaſyon to ſay that the matter were hotely handeled agaynſt hym to force hym to forbere his ſuyt of the premunire / the byſſhop therefore dyd the more forbere / tyll yt appered clerely to the temporall iudges and all that were eny thyng lerned in the tēporall law / that hys ſuyte of the premunire was nothynge worthe in the kynges lawe / for as moche as by playne ſtatute the matter was owt of queſtyon that the ple to be holden vpon mortuaryes / belonge vnto the ſpyrytuall courte. After whyche thynge well aperynge / the matter wente forth afore the byſhop / & he there well proued nought / and hys bokes after brought forth / ſuche and ſo noted wyth hys own hande in the margentes / as euery wyſe man well ſaw what he was / and was full ſore to ſe that he was ſuche as they theyre ſawe hym preued.

Now goeth he ferther and aſketh the kynge / dyd not doctor Horſay and hys complyces mooſt heynouſly as all the worlde kneweth / murder in pryſon that honeſt marchaūt Rychard Hunne / for that he ſuede your wrytt of premunire agaynſt a preſt that wrongfully held hym in ple in a ſpyrytuall courte / for a mater wherof the knowlege bylonged vnto your hyghe courtes? And what punyſment hathe he for yt[…] After that he had payed as yt ys ſayd.vi. hundreth poundꝭ for hym and hys complyces / as ſone as he had obtayned your mooſt gracyouſe pardon: he was immedyatly promoted by y• captaynes of hys kyngdome wyth benefyce vpon benefyce to the value of.iiii. tymes as myche. Who ys he of theyr kyngdome that wyll not rather take corage to commyt lyke offenſe / ſeyng the promocyons that fell to ſuche men for theyr ſo offendyng / ſo weke & blunt ys your ſwerd to ſtryke a[…] one of the offenders of thys croked and paruerſe generacyon.

We haue here ſumwhat cōbred you wyth a pece of hys awn wordꝭ / bycauſe ye ſhuld haue a ſhew of hys vehemēt eloquēce: wyth whych the bolde beagers proctours ſo arrogantly preſumethe in hys byll to aſ[…] the kynge a queſtyon / and to bynde hys hyghnes to anſwere as hys mayſterſhyp appoyntted hym. For yf hys grace ſay nay: then he telleth hym byfore / that all the worlde woteth yes. But ſurely yf he call all the world all that euer god made: then ys there.iii. partes that knoweth the contrary. For we dare be bolde to wa[…]aunt you / that in heuen / hell / and here among vs in purgatory / of all that thys man ſo boldely affermeth / the contrary ys well and clerely knowen. And yf be call y• world but onely men among you ther lyuyng vppon mydle yerth: yet ſo ſhall be peraduenture fynde in ſome parte of the worlde yf he ſeke yt well / mo than.iiii. or.v. good honeſt men that neuer hard ſpeke of the mater. And of ſuche as haue hard of the mater & knowen yt well[…]he ſhall fynde mow and ſpecyally we thynk the kyngꝭ grace hym ſelf / whoſe hyghnes he ys ſo homly to aſke the queſtyon and appoynt hym hys anſwer hym ſelfe that of all fyue thynges whych he hathe here in ſo fewe lynes affyrmed / there ys not one trew but lyes euery one. For fyrſt to begyn where he leueth / when he ſayth that the clergy haue ſyns the deth of Rychard Hūne / ꝓmoted doctor Horſay wyth benefyce vpō bene fyce.iiii. tymes as mych as.vi.C. poūdꝭ he playn vntreuth of thys poynt may euery man ſone know yt wyll ſone enquyre. For he lyueth yet at exeſter / and theyr lyueth vpō ſuche as he had before / wythout that new hepe of benefyce gyuen hym by ye captaynes of hys kyngdō for kyllyng of Rychard Hūne / or thank ether ſaue onely of god for hys lōg pacyence in hys vndeſerued trouble. But to thēd yt ye may ſe how lyttell thys man forceth how lowd he lye: conſyder y• he ſayth that the clergye gaue vnto doctor Horſay after he cam out of pryſon benefyce vppon benefyce to the valew of.iiii. tymes as much as.vi.C. poundꝭ. Now yf thys be trew / thē hath doccoure Horſay had in benefyces beſydes all ſuch as he had before hys troble / the valew of.ii. thouſand.iiii.C. pounde. we truſte that the man hys ſubſtaunce and hys lyuelod ys ſo well known / that we nede not to tell that the beggers proctor in thys poynt hath made one lowd lye. A nother ys that he ſayth that Hunne was kept in ple in the ſpyrytuall law for a matter determynable in the kyngꝭ court: for the mater was for a mortuary / whych by playn ſtatute ys declared to playne to the ſpyrytuall law. The thyrd ys that Hunne was honeſt / except hereſy be honeſte. The fourth ys that doctour Horſey and hys complyces murdred hym in pryſon: for therof ys y• cōtrary well knowen / and that the man hanged hym ſelfe for dyſpayre / dyſpyte / and for ſak of grace. we myght an we wold lay for the fyft / the payment whych he ſpeketh of the.vi.C. poundes / wyth whyche money he wolde men ſhuld wene that he bought hys pardon. wherin he layeth a good great ſome / to thend that folk well wyttyng that doctour Horſay was not lyke to haue ſo mych money of hys awn / ſhuld wene therwyth that y• clergye layed out the money among them / & thē gaue hym benefyces wherof he myght pay them ageyn. But thys layth he frō hym ſelf / and ſhewyth not to whom / for he ſayth yt ys ſayd ſo. And yet were yt no wrong that yt were accounted hys owne / tyll he put yt better from hym / and proue of whome he herde yt. How be yt ſyth there ys other ſtore ynough: we ſhall leue thys lye in queſtyō betwene hym and we wote nere whom ellys / and we ſhall for the fyfte laye you that lye y• he layeth forth hym ſelfe / that ys to wytte / where he ſayeth that the chaunceller purchaſed the kynges mooſte gracyouſe pardon for the murderyng of Hūne. For thys ys the trouhe that he neuer ſued eny pardon therfore. But after that the matter had ben by longe tyme & great dylygence ſo ferre forth examyned / that the kyngꝭ hyghnes at length (as tyme alwaye tryeth owte the trouth[…] well perceyuyd hys innocency & theyrs alſo that were accuſed and endyghted with hym[…] hys noble grace when they were arraygned vppon that endyghment and therto pleded that they were not gyltye / commaunded hys attornay generall to confeſſe theyr ple to be true / whyche is the thyng that hys hyghnes as a mooſt vertuouſe prynce vſeth for to do / when the mater ys not onely iuſte / but alſo knowen for iuſt vppon the parte of the partye defendaunte. Bycauſe that lyke as where the mater appereth dowtefull he doth as reaſon ys / ſuffer yt to go forth and […] y• trouth be tryed / ſo where he ſeeth and perceyueth the ryght to be on y• other ſyde / hys hyghnes wyll in no wyſe haue the wrōg ſette forth or mayntayned in hys name. Now when yt was then thus in dede / that neyther the chaunceller nor eny man elles euer ſuede eny charter of pardon for y• mater: thys ys then y• fyftlye that thys man hath made in ſo few lynes. Whych thyngꝭ who ſo well cōſyder / can not but meruayle of the ſore pyththy poynt where wyth he knytteth vppe all hys heuy matter / ſaynge to the kyng: who ys there of theyr kyngdome y• wyll not take corage to commyt lyke offence ſeynge the promocyons that fall to ſuche menne for theyre offendyng: ſo weke and ſo blunte ys your ſworde to ſiryke at one of the offenders of thys croked and peruerſe generacyon. Loo how thys greate zelator of the commen welthe cryeth owte vppon the kynge / that hys ſword ys not ſtronge a ſharpe to ſtryke of innocencys heddis. He hath of lykelyhed ranſaked vppe all dame retoryques rolles to fynd owte thys goodly fygure / to call vppon the kynge and aſke hys hyghnes where ys youre ſwerde / and tell hym hys ſwerde ys to dull: as though he wolde byd hym bere yt to the cutlers to grynde / that he myghte ſtryke of doctor Horſayes hed whome hys grace had founde fawteleſſe / and teſtyfyed hym hym ſelfe for an innocence. If thys man were here matched wyth ſome ſuche as he ys hym ſelfe / that hathe the eloquence that he hath that coulde fynde out ſuche comely fygures of retoryque as he fyndeth ſette forthe and furnyſhed wyth ſuche vehement wordes as he thundreth owte lyke thunder blaſtys / that hathe no leſſe maters in hys mouth than the greate brode botomleſſe occean ſee full of euyls / the wekenes and dulnes of the kynges ſwerde / the tranſlacyon of y• kyngys kyngdome / the ruyne of the kynges crowne / wyth greate exclamacyons / Oh greuouſe and paynfull exaccyons / oh cauſe moſt horryble oh greuouſe ſhyp wracke of the comen welth: what myght one that had ſuche lyke eloquence ſaye here to hym? ſurely ſo myche and in ſuche wyſe as we ſely poore pewlyng ſowles neyther can deuyſe nor vtter. But verely two or thre thynges we ſe and maye well ſaye that neyther be theſe greate maters mete for the mouthe of the beggers proctour / nor ſuche prechyng of reformacyon and amēdemēt of the world mete maters for hym to medle wyth / whych wyth open hereſyes and playne peſtylent errors / beſely goeth aboute to poyſon and infecte the worlde: nor very conuenyent for hym to take vppon hym to gyue counſayle to a kynge / when he ſheweth hym ſelf to haue ſo moche preſumpcyon and ſo lytell wytt / as to aſke the kyng a queſtyon and appoynte hym hys anſwer: and therin to tell hym that all y• worlde knoweth that thynge to be trew / whych the kynge hathe hym ſelfe all redy by hys atturney and hys iudges in open iugement / and in hys hygh courte of recorde teſtefyed & confeſſed for falſe. If that man were not for malyce as mad not as marche hare / but as a madde dogge that rūneth forth and ſnatcheth he ſeeth not at whome: the felowe could neuer elles wyth ſuche open foly ſo ſodenly ouer ſe hym ſelfe. But yt were wrong wyth the worlde yf malyce had as myche wytte / cyrcumſpeccyon and prouydence in the purſute of an vngracyouſe purpoſe / as yt hath haſt / yuell wyll and wylyneſſe in the fyrſt in terpryſynge. For as an ape hath ſome ſymylytude of a man / and as a fox hath a certayne wylyneſſe ſomewhat reſemblyng an vnperfayte wytte: ſo fareth thys felowe / that begynneth as one wolde wene at good zeale and cheryte borne towarde the poore beggers. But forthe wyth he ſheweth hym ſelfe that he nothyng ellys entendeth: but opē ly to dyſtroy the clergye fyrſt / & after that couertly as many as haue aught aboue the ſtate of beggers. And where as he wold in y• begynnynge by y• towchyng of great maters / fayne ſeme very wyſe: wyth in a whyle in the progreſſe he proueth hym ſelf a very ſtark fole. And where he wolde ſeme to ſhewe many notable thynges whych no man had marked but he / he prouydeth wyſely that no mā may beleue hym he maketh ſo many lyes / and all that euer he dothe ferther / he buyldeth vppon the ſame.

He layeth that the lyuynge whych the clergye hathe ys the onely cauſe that there be ſo many beggers that be ſyk and ſore. Very well and wyſely / as though the clergye by theyre ſubſtaunce made men blynde and lame. The clergye alſo ys the cauſe he ſayth why they dye for hunger / as thoughe euery lay man gaue to beggers all that euer he coulde / and the clergye gyue them neuer a grote: & as though there wolde not mo beggers walke a brode yf the clergye lefte of ſuche lay men as they fynde.

But he proueth you that the clergy muſt nedys be the cauſe why there be ſo many poore men and beggers. For he ſayth that before the clergy came in theyr were but few pore people: and yet they beggyd not neyther / but men he ſayth gaue them ynough vnaſked. But now where ſa[…]he whē he ſaw the people gyue pore folke ſo faſt theyr allmes vnaſked y• no man neded to beg before the clergy began. Thys man of lyklyhod ys of grete age / & or ere y• clergy began was wonte to ſyt at ſaynt Sauours wyth a ſore leg: but he beggyd not mē gaue hym ſo mych vnaſked. For where as he alledgyth the byble for hym in the actes of the appoſtles / verely we meruayll mych what the mā meneth. For there he may ſe that the apoſtels and the deacons whych were then the clergy / had all to gyther in there own handys / & dyſtrybuted to euery man as them ſelf thought good. And therfore we wonder what he meaneth to ſpeke of that boke. For we thynke that he meneth not to hurt the clergy ſo now / as to put all in to theyr handꝭ. And ſurely but yf he meane ſo / els ys thys place nothīg for hys purpoſe. Now herein he ſheweth alſo an hygh poynt of hys wyt / where he ſayth that the greate lyuyng that the clergy hath / whyche he layeth & lyeth to be more then half of the hole reuenews and ſubſtaunce of the realme: ys ſhyfted among fewer then the foure hundreth part of the people. As though y• of the clergyes parte there had no lay people theyr lyuyng / no ſeruaunt eny wagys / none artyfycer eny money for workyng / no carpenter no maſyn eny money for byldyng: but all the money that euer cūmeth in theyr handes / they put yt by & by in theyre own belyes / and no lay man hath eny relyef therof. And therfor thys poynt was wyſely wrytten ye ſe as well as we. Now for the trouthe therof / yf yt were trew that he ſayth / that the clergy compared to the reſydew of the men onely / be not one to an.C. then ſhall ye not nede to fere y• greate Turke and he cam to morow / except ye ſuffer amōg you to grow in great nomber theſe Lutherans that fauoure hym. For we dare make you the warantyſe that yf hys lye be true / there be mo men a greate meany in Londō and wythin.iiii. ſhyres next adioynyng / than the great Turk bryngeth in to Hungary. But in thys ye muſt hold hī excuſed / for he medleth not mych wyth angry in to ſe to what ſūme the nōber of men aryſeth that ys multyplyed by an.C. All hys practyſe in multyplycacyon medleth wyth nothyng but lyes: & therin mache hym wyth whō ye wyll / he wyll gyue you a.C. for one. wherof yf ye lack let thys be the ſāple y• he ſayth / yf thabbot of weſtmynſter ſhuld ſyng euery day as many maſſes for hys foūders as he ys boūdē to do by hys foūdacyō. M. mōk[…] were to few / ye dout not we think but he cā tell you who hath boūd thē to how many / & ſo cā make ye y• playn rekenīge y• thabbot ys boūd in the yere to no fewer maſſes than.iii.C.lxv.M. He knoweth what ys euery mannes dutye ſaue hys owne. He ys mete to be a beggers proctour / that can ſoo proll aboute and can tell all thynge.

But now were all his payntyd ꝓces ye wot well nothing worth / but yf he deuyſed agaynſte all theſe myſcheues ſome good and holſō help. It ys therfore a world to ſe what polytyke deuyces he fyndeth agaynſt y• great brode botomleſſe occean ſee of euyls: what remedyes to repayre the ruyne of the kyngys crown: to reſtore and vphold hys honour and dygnyte: to make hys ſwerd ſharp and ſtrong: & fynally to ſaue all the ſhyp wrak of the comen welth. ye wolde peraduenture wene y• the man wolde now deuyſe ſō good holſome lawes for helpe of all theſe maters. Nay he wyll none therof. For he ſayth he douteth that the kyng ys not able to make any law agaynſt them. For he ſayth that the clergy ys ſtronger in the parliament than the kyng hym ſelf. For in the hygher houſe / he rekenyth that the ſpyrytualte ys more in nomber and ſtronger than the temporalte. And in the comen houſe he ſayth that all the lerned men of the realme except the kynges lerned councell / be feed wyth the church to ſpeke agaynſt the kynges crown and dygnyte in the parlyamēt for theym: and therfore he thynketh the kynge vnable to make eny law agaynſt the fawtys of the clergye.

Thys beggars ꝓctour wold fayn ſhew hym ſelf a man of great experyence / and one that had great knowlege of the maner & order vſed in the kyngys parlyamētys. But than he ſpeketh ſo ſauourly herof: that yt well apperyth of hys wyſe wordꝭ he neyther canneth eny ſkyll therof / nor neuer cā in the houſe. For as for y• hygher houſe furſt y• kyngꝭ own ryall parſon alone more than coūterpayſyth all y• lordys ſpyrytuall preſent wyth hym and the temporyll to. And ouer thys the ſpyrytual lordys can neuer in nomber excede the lordys temporall / but muſt nedys be farre vnderneth thē yf yt pleaſe the kyng. For hys hyghnes may call thyder by hys wryt many mo tēporall lordys at hys own pleaſure. And beyng as they be / there was neuer yet ſene that the ſpyrytuall lordes bendyd them ſelfe there as a partye agaynſt the temporall lordes. But yt hath bene ſene that the thynge whych the ſpyrytuall lordes haue moued and thought reſonable / the temporall lordes haue denyed & refuſed: as appereth vppon the mocyon made for legytymacyō of the chyldrē borne before the maryage of theyr parentys. Wherin albe yt yt the reformacyon whych the lordꝭ ſpyrytuall moued / was a thyng that nothyng partayned to ther awn commodyte / and albe yt that they layed alſo for theyr parte the conſtytucyon and ordynaunce of the church and the lawes of other cryſten cuntrees: yet could they not obtayne agaynſt the lordes temporall that nothynge alleged to the contrary but theyre owne wylles.

And therfor in the hygher houſe the ſpyrytuall parte neuer apperyd yet ſo ſtrong / that they myght ouer matche the temporall lordes. And then how mych ar they to feble for them and the kyng to / whoſe hyghnes alone ys ouer ſtrong for thē both / & may by hys wryt call to hys parlyamēt mo temporall lordes whan he wyll. Now where he ſayth y• in the comen houſe all the lerned men of the realme ar feed to ſpeke for the clergy except the kynges lerned counſell: there be.ii. folyes at ones. For neyther be all the lernyd men of the realme knyghtes or burgeyſes in the comen houſe / and the kyngys lerned coūcell ys not there at all. And therfore yt ſemeth that he hath hard ſumwhat of ſū men that had ſene as lytell as hym ſelf. And ſurely yf he had bene in the comen houſe as ſome of vs haue bene: he ſhuld haue ſene the ſpyrytualte nat gladly ſpoken for. And we lytell dout but that ye remember actes and ſtatutes paſſyd at ſōdry parlyamētes / ſuche and in ſuch wyſe & ſome of them ſo late / as your ſelf may ſe that eyther y• clergy ys not the ſtrenger ꝑte in the kyngꝭ ꝑlyement / or elles haue no mynd to ſtryue. And for the ferther profe that the kynges hyghnes ys not ſo weke & vnable in hys owne parlyamēt as thys beggers proctour ſo preſumptuouſly telleth hym / hys grace well knowyth and all hys people to / y• in theyr own conuocacyons hys grace neuer deuyſed nor deſyred any thyng in hys lyfe / y• euer was denyed hym. And therfore thys gay inuencyō of thys beggers proctour / y• he fayneth the kyngꝭ hyghnes to be in hys hygh courte of parlyament more weke and feble then the clergye / ys a feble deuyce.

But now ſyth he wyll haue no law deuyſed for the remedy of his greate complayntes / what helpe hath he deuyſed els. The helpe of all thys gere ys he ſayth none other thing / but to lett hym & ſuche ryall raylers rayle & geſt vppō the church / and tell the people y• preſtꝭ fawtes: and for the lewdnes of parte / brynge y• hole clergy in cōtēpt and hatered amonge all the temporall folke. Whych thyng he ſayth y• kyng muſt nedes ſuffer / yf he wyll eſchew the ruyne of hys crowne […] dygnyce / And thys thyng he ſayth ſhalbe more ſpedefull & effectuall in the matter / than all the lawes that euer can be made be they neuer to ſtrōg. Lo good lordys & maſters then ſhall ye nede no mo parlyamēt ys. For here ys god be thankyd an eaſye way wyſely founden to remedye wythe raylynge the greate brode botomleſſe occean ſe of yuels and to ſaue the comen weale frome ſhyp wracke / & the kynges crowne from ruyne.

But now to the poore beggers. what remedy fyndeth theyr proctour for therto make hoſpytals? Nay ware of yt / therof he wyll none in no wyſe. For therof he ſayth the mo y• worſe / becauſe they be ꝓfytable to preſtꝭ what remedy thā? Gyue thē any money? Nay nay not a grot[…]. what other thyng thē? Nothyng in y• world wyll ſerue but this that yf y• kynges grace wyll byld a ſure hoſpytall y• neuer ſhall fayle to releue all the ſycke beggers for euer / let hym gyue nothynge to thē but loke what the clergye hath & take all that from them. Is nott here a goodly myſchef for a remedy? Is not thys a ryall feſt to leue theſe beggers meteles / and then ſend mo to dyner to theym? Oh the wyſe. Here want we voyce and eloquēce to ſet out an exclamacyon in the prayſe and commendacyon of thys ſpecyall hygh prouyſyon.

Thys byll putteth he forth in the poore beggers name. But we verely thynk yf them ſelf haue as myche wyt as their proctour lacketh / they had leuer ſee theyr byll maker burned / then theyr ſupplycacyon ſped. For they may ſone ꝑceyue that he myndeth nor theyr almoyſe / but onely the ſpoyle of the clergye. For ſo that the clergye leſe yt: he neyther deuyſeth ferther / nor ferther forcyth who haue yt.

But yt ys ethe to ſe wherof ſpryngeth all hys dyſpleaſure. He ys angry & fretyth at the ſpyrytuall iuryſdyccyon for the ponyſhmēt of heretykes and burnyng of theyr erronyouſe bokes: for euer vppō that ſtryng he harpeth: very angry wyth the burnyng of Tyndals teſtament. For theſe matters he calleth them blood ſuppers dronken in the blood of holy ſayntes and marters. ye merueyll paraduenture which holy ſayntes & martyrs he menyth. Surely by hys holy ſayntꝭ and marters he meanyth theyr holy ſcyſmatykes and heretykes / for whoſe iuſt ponyſhment theſe folk that ar of y• ſame ſect / fume / frete / frote and fome / as fyerce and as angerly as a new huntyd ſow. And for the rācour conceyuyd vppon this dyſpleſure / cometh vp all hys cōplaynt of the poſſeſſyons of the clergye. Wheryn he ſpareth & forbereth the nūnys yet / becauſe they haue no iuriſdyccyon vppon heretykys: for els he wold haue cryed out vppō theyr poſſeſſyōs to. But thys ys now no new thyng nor yt furſte tyme yt heretykes haue bene in hād wyth the mater. For furſte was there in the.xi. yere of kynge Henry the fourth / one Ihān Badby burned for hereſy. And forth wyth theruppon was there at the next ꝑlyment holden y• ſame yere / a byll put in / declaryng how mych temporall lād was in the church / which rekenyng the maker therof geſſyd at by y• nomber of knygh[…]s fees / of whych he had went he had made a very iuſte account. And in thys byll was yt deuyſed to take theyr poſſeſſyons out agayn. How be yt by the byll yt appered well vnto thē whych well vnderſ[…]de y• mater / that the maker of the byll neither wyſt what land there […] / nor how many knyghtꝭ fees there was in the church / nor well what thyng a knyghtes fee ys: but the byll deuyſed of rancour & yuell will by ſome ſuch as fauoured Badby that was burned / and wolde haue hys hereſyes fayne go forward.

And ſo yt byll ſuche as yt was / ſuch was yt eſtemed and ſet a ſyde for nought. So happed yt thē ſone after that in y• firſt yereof y• kyngꝭ mooſte noble progenytour kynge Henry the fyfte thoſe hereſyes ſecretely crepyng on ſtyll among the people: a great nomber of theym had fyrſt couertely cōſpyred and after openly gathred and aſſembled theym ſelfe / purpoſyng by opē warre and batayle to deſtroy y• kyng and hys nobles and ſubuerte the realme. Whoſe traytorouſe ma[…]yce that good catholyque kynge preuented / wythſtode / ouerthrew / and punyſhed: by many of them takē in the feld / and after for theyr traytorouſe hereſyes bothe hanged and burned. Whervppon forthwyth at y• parlymēt holdē y• ſame yere / lyke wyſe as that ryall prynce […] vertuouſe nobles & his good cryſten cōmunes / deuyſed good lawes agaynſt heretyques: ſo dyd ſome of ſuche as fauored theym / efte ſonys put in the byll agaynſt the ſpyrytualltye. Whyche efte ſonys conſydered for ſuche as it was and cummynge of ſuche malyciouſe purpoſe as yt cam: was agayne reiected and ſet a ſyde for nought. Thē was there longe after that / one Rycharde howndon burned for here ſye. And thē forthe wyth were there a rable of heretyques gatheryd theym ſelf to gyther at Abyndon: whych not entēdyd to leſe eny more labour by puttynge vp of byllys in the parlementꝭ / but to make an open inſurreccyon and ſubuerte all the realme / and then to kyll vp y• clergye and ſell preeſtes heddes as good chepe as ſhepys heddꝭ threfor a peny bye who wold. But god ſaued y• chyrch & y• realm both & tourned theyre malyce vppō theyre awne heddꝭ. And yet after theyr punyſhment then were there ſome that renewed the byll agayn. And […] after this was ther one Ihān Gooſe roſted at y• towre hyll. And […] forth wyth ſome other. Ihān gooſe bygā to bere that bell a br[…]de agayn / & made ſome gag[…]ing a whyle but yt auayled hym not. And now bycauſe ſome heretyques haue bene of […] ab[…]red / thys […] therfore hath made thys beggers byll / and gageleth a […] vppon the ſame mater / and that as he thynketh by a ꝓper […] lykely to ſpede now / bycauſe he maketh his byll in the name of the […] and hys byll cowhed as full of lyes as any begger ſwarmeth full of lyce.

We neyther wyll nor ſhall nede to make myche buſynes abowte thys […] myche better in the goodneſſe of good men / thē […] nede for thys thyng to reaſon agaynſt an vnreſonable […]. We be ſure ynoughe that good men were they y• gaue this […] and therfore nought ſhuld they be of lykelyhed that […] thenſe agayn. To whych rauyne and ſacrylege our lord[…] […] ſhall neuer ſuffer thys realme to fall.

[…] Auſteyn in his dayes when he parceyuyd that ſome […] at the poſſeſſyons that then were geuen in to […] in an open ſermon amonge all the people […]ffer them […] agayne and that hys church and he wold forſake thē / […] theym take theym who wolde. And yet was there not […]found[…] in all the towne aloe yt that the people were as theſe Affrycanis […] barbarouſe / fyerce & boyſtuouſe / yet was there none as we ſay fowden eny one ſo badde / that his […] word ſerue hym to en[…]e in to one fo[…]e.

When Phargo the kynge of Egypte bought vp in the dere yeres all the landys that were in euery mānes hande / ſo that all the people were fayne to ſell theyre enherytaunce for hunger: yet ydolater as he was he wold neuer ſuffer for eny nede the poſſeſſyons of y• preſtꝭ to be […] / but made prouyſyon for theym beſide / and ſuffred theym to kepe theyre landys ſtyll / as the byble bereth wytneſſe / And we verely truſte that the good chryſten prynces of the chryſten realme of Englonde ſhall neuer fayle of more fauour towarde the clergye of Cryſte / then had that prynce Idolatre to the preeſtes of hys ydollꝭ. ye[…] ys yt not ynough to the cruell mynde of thys man to take frome the hole clergy all that euer they haue / but that he wold ferther haue theym bounden vnto cartes and whypped to dryue theym to labour. Of all theues ys thys one of the wurſte and moſte cruell kynde. For of all theues mē moſt abhorre them that whan they haue takē a mannes money frome hym / thē take and bynde hym and bete hym to. But ye[…] ys this wretche mych wurſe. For he fareth as a cruell thefe that wolde wythout reſpecte of hys awne commodyte / take a mannꝭ money frome hym and caſte yt he care not where / and then bynde the man to a tree and bete hym for hys pleaſure. Oh the cheryte.

But he ſayeth he wolde haue theym whypped to compell them to laboure and gette theyre lyuynge in the ſwete of theyre faces. And thys wold he not good man but for fulfullyng of goddys commaundement. For he ſayeth that yt ys cōmaunded them in the fyrſt chapter of Geneſys. And therfore ys he theryn ſo indifferēt th[…]t he excepteth none / but calleth the beſte but ydle holy theues / and ſo wold haue th[…] all robbed and ſpoyled / bounden and beten to compell them to w[…]k wyth theyre handes / to gete theyre lyuyng in the ſwete of theyr faces for the fulfullyng of goddys commaundement. Amonge thys company that he wolde ſodaynely ſende forthe newe robbed wyth ryght naught lefte theym: ys there many a good man that hath lyued full godly many a fayre day / and duely ſerued god & prayd for vs / which we haue well founden: many an olde man: many a ſore ſyk man: and many blynde and many ſame to. All whyche as ſone as they be dreuē owte of theyre awne dores / this cherytable man wolde be very well content to ſee them bounden and beten to / bycauſe they be of y• clergy For excepcyon maketh he none / in thys world.

He layeth vnto the charge of the clergy that they lyue ydle […] that they be all bounde to labour and gette theyre lyuyng in the ſwe[…]e of theyre faces / by the precepte y• god gaue to Adam in the fyrſte chapiter of Geneſys. Here this mā ſheweth hys cōnyng. For yf […] be ſo: then were the preeſtes in the olde lawe bounden therto as well as ys y• clergy now. And then howe happed yt that of thys poy[…]e there was no mencyon made by Moyſes? howe happed yt that god in that lawe prouyded theym myche larger lyuynge then he dyd the lay people? & that ſuch kynde of lyuynge as declared that hys pleaſure was that they ſhuld lyue owt of labour and vppon y• labour of other mannes handes? The holy apoſtle ſaynt Powle / all though hym ſelf in ſome places forbare to take hys lyuinge frely / but rather choſe to lyue of hys owne labour then to be in theyre daungeour whych wolde happely haue ſayd yt he preched becauſe he wold lyue at […]aſe therby / and thys dyd he ſpecyally to put ſuche falſe apoſtles to […] / as for ſuche deſyre of ydle lyuynge fell ſome where to falſe prechynge: yet neyther dyd he ſo in euery place / and alſo cōfeſſed and ſayed that he myght well and lawfully haue done the contrary / affyrmynge yt for good reaſon y• he that ſerueth the awter ſhuld lyue of the […] & ſayng alſo: yf we ſow vnto you ſpirituall thyngꝭ / ys yt a great thing yf we repe your carnall thyngꝭ? Now chryſt hys awne mouth ſayd vnto the people / that they ſhulde not leue theyr dutyes vnpayed vnto the preeſts. And thys good chryſtē man wold haue theym all clene taken frome theym and yet the preeſtes well beten to.

He rekeneth all the clergye ydle / bycauſe they labour not wyth theyre handes tyll theyre faces ſwete. But our ſauyour chryſt rekened farre other wyſe in bleſſyd Mary Magdalene / […] ſyttyng at her caſe and herkenyng / he accounted and declared […] buſynes then the buſy ſtyryng & walkyng abowt of his good […] Martha whyche was yet of all worldly buſynes occupyed abowte the beſte: for ſhe was buſye abowte almoyſe and hoſpetalyte / and y• geſtynge of the beſte pore man and moſte gracyouſe geſte that euer was geſted in thys worlde.

Now yf thys can not yet content thys good man bycauſe of goddꝭ commaundement geuen vnto Adam that he ſhuld eate hys brede in y• ſwete of hys face: thē wo[…]d we fayne wyt whycher h[…]m ſelf neuer go to me[…]e tyll he haue wrought ſo ſore wyth hys handes if at hys face ſweteth Surely we beleue he laboureth not ſo ſore before euery meale. […] w[…]renor good to truſte hys anſwere / for he wyll happely ſay yes / and not le[…]e for one lye amonge ſo manye. How be yt he thynketh yt per[…]duēture inough for hym / y• […] ſwete in ſekynge owte olde hereſyes / & deuyſyng n[…]we And verely yf he loke y• ſuche buſynes ſhulde ſerue hym for a dyſcharge of harde labour moche be[…]er may we thynk […] of many good men whome he wold haue beten […] lyues in faſtyng / prayer & prechyng / and ſtudyeng abow[…] the trouth. But yt ys good to loke bytyme what this beggers […] meaneth by thys commaundement of […]and labour that he ſpeketh of whe[…] yf he cōfeſſe that yt byndeth not euery mā: then ys yt layed […]o no purpoſe agaynſte the clergye. For […] was a ſmall clergye […] that word was ſayed to our firſt foder Adam. But now yf he call as be […] / and then wyll that yt […] vnto all the hol[…] kynd of man / as a thynge by god commaunded vnto Adam and all hys of ſpryng thē thogh he ſay litle now / he meneth to go […] then he ſpeketh of yet. For yf he myght fyrſt haue the clergy put owt of theyre lyuynge / and all that they haue clene taken frome theym / a myght haue theym ioyned to theſe beggers if a[…] be now / and ouer y• added vnto them and ſend a beggyng to / all […]hoſe y• the clergye fynd now full honeſtly: thys pageaūt ones played / and hys beggers byll ſo well ſpedde / then whan the beggers ſhould haue ſo mych […] lyuynge and be ſo many moo in multytude: ſurely lyke wyſe as for the beggers he now maketh hys byll to the kyngys hyghneſſe agaynſte byſſhops / abbo[…]tys / pryours / prela[…]ys / and preeſtys: ſo wold he then wychyn a whyle after make a nother byll to the people agaynſt merchauntys / gentylmen / kyngys / lordys / and prynces / and complayne that they haue all / and ſaye that they do nothyng for yt but lyue ydle / and that they be cōmaunded in Geneſys to lyue by y• labour of theyr handys in the ſwete of theyre facys / as he ſayth by the clergye now. Wherein yf they wene that they ſhall ſtande in other caſe thē the clergye doth now: they may peraduenture ſore deceyue theym ſelfe. For yf they wyll thynk that theyre caſe ſhall not be called all one bycauſe they haue landys and goodys to lyue vppon / they muſt conſyder ſo hath the clergye to. But yt ys the thyng yt thys beggers ꝓctor cōplayneth vppon / and wold haue theym taken away. Now yf the landed men ſuppoſe that theyre caſe ſhall not ſeme one wyth the caſe of the clergye / bycauſe they ſhall happely thynk that the church hath theyre poſſeſſyons gyuen theym for cauſes whych they fulfyll not / and that yf theyre poſſeſſyons happen to be taken frome theym yt ſhalbe done vppon that grounde / and ſo the lay landed men owte of that fere bycauſe they thynke that ſuche lyke occaſyon and ground and conſyderacyon fayleth and can not be founden in them a theyre enherytaūce: ſurely yf any mā clerk or lay haue landis in y• gyft wherof hath bene eny cōdycyon adioynyd whych he fulfylleth not / the geuer may well with reſō vſe theryn ſuch aduaūtage as yt law geueth him. But on y• tother ſyde who ſo wyll aduyſe pryncys or lay people to take from y• clergy theyr poſſeſſyōs / allegyng maters at large / as layng to theyr charge that they liue not as they ſhuld / nor vſe not well theyr poſſeſſions / and that therfore yt were well done to take them from theym by force and dyſpoſe them beter: we dare boldly ſay who ſo gyueth this deuyce as now doth this beggars proc[…]our / we worde gyue you coū ſell to loke well what wyll folow. For he ſhall not fayle as we ſayd before yf thys byll of his were ſped / to fynde you ſone after in a new ſupplicacyon new balde reaſons ynow yt ſhuld pleaſe the peoples cares / wherewych he wold labour to haue lordys landis and all honeſt mēnys goodys to be pulled fom them by force a dyſiry bu[…]ed among beggars. Of whych there ſhuld in thys wyſe yt he deuyſeth encreace and grow ſo many / that they ſhuld be able for a ſodayn ſhyft to make a ſtrong parle. And ſurely as the fyre euer […]epeth forward and laboreth to turn all into fyre: ſo wyll ſuch bold beggars as thys is / neuer ceaſe to ſolycyte and precure all that they can / the ſpoyle and robbery of all that ought haue / and to make all beggars as they be them ſelf.

We be cō […]ent y• ye beleue vs not / but yf yt haue ſo ꝓuyd all redy by thoſe vplandyſh Lutherās that roſe vp in Almaygne. Whych beyng onys rayſed by ſuch ſedycyoſe bokꝭ as ys thys beggars ſupplycacyon / & ſuch ſedycyouſe heretykys as ys he that made yt: ſet furſte vppon ſpyrytuall prelatys. But ſhortly theruppon they ſo ſirechyd vnto the temporall pryncys / that they were fayne to ioyne in ayde of them ſelf with thoſe whom they laughed at furſt to ſe them put in the paryll / hopynge to haue had the profyte of theyr loſſe / tyll they ſaw y• they were lykly to leſe theyr owne wyth them. And for all the ponyſhment yt they purſued vppon thoſe rebellyouſe parſōs / of whom ther were in one ſomer ſlayn aboue.lx.M. yet ys that fyre rather couored than quenchyd[…] becauſe they ſuffered yt crepe forth ſo farre at furſt / yt […] ar[…]ow therby amōg the lordys thē ſelf / as there cā neuer […] ſome nedy rauenouſe ſāded men / that ſhalbe redy to be captayns in all ſuch rebellyons: as was the lord Cobham called Olde caſtell ſomtyme a captayn of heretykes in Englande in the dayes of kynge […] the fyft. And ſurely there would ſone folow ſome ſore chaū ge in the temporalie / yf thys beggers proctour haue hys malycyouſe ſupplycacyon ſpedde agaynſt the ſpyrytualte.

[…]ut yet leſt folk ſhulde abhorre hys hard harte and cruelte: ye mā tēperyth hys mater wyth a goodly vyſage of the ſore inwarde ſorow yt he taketh for the […] of mankynd / and wyth the greate zele that he hereth to generacyō for the good encreace of cryſten people in the ſād. For he wold for that cauſe in eny wyſe that all ye clergy ſhuld haue wyues. For he aſketh ye kyngꝭ hyghnes as the mā ha[…]h caught a great pleaſure to appoſe the kyng / wherin he vſeth a fygure of rethoryk that mē call ſawce malaper[…]e what an infynyte nūber of people mygh[…] haue bene encreaſed to haue peopled your realme / yf thys ſort of folk had ben ma[…]ed lyke other men. This mater that preſtes muſt nedys haue […]wyues he brynge lhe dyuerſ[…]y in.iii. or.iiii. placys. And amonge other he hathe one / wherin he ſheweth in rayſynge agaynſt the clergy a princypall par[…]e of hys excellence eloquence. For there he vſeth hys ryall fygure of rethoryke called repetycyō / repetyng often by ye hole clergy: theſe be they in ye begīnyng of hys clauſe▪ Theſe be they yt haue made.C.M. idle hores in your realme. Theſe be they y• corrupt the generacyō of mākynd in your realm. Theſe be they that draw mennys wyues in to incontynency in your realme. And after dyuers of ſuch theſe be theſe / he cōcludeth & knytteth vp the ma[…]er wyth his accuſtomyd vehemence […]et out of Luthers volumys aſkyng who is able to nomber the great brode botomleſſe occeā ſee full of yuels / that thys myſcheuouſe and ſynfull generacyō bryngeth vp vppon vs? As though all the hole clergy were of thys cōdycion and no man els but they. But among all hys theſe be thays / this ys one whych as the ſoreſt and the moſt vehemente / he ſecteth in the fore front of thē all: Theſe be they that by theyr abſtaynyng fro maryage[…] do let the generacyon of the people / wherby all the realme at lenght yf yt ſhuld be contynued ſhalbe made deſert and inhabytable.

[…] Lo the depe inſyght that thys beggars proctour hathe in the brode botomleſſe occeā ſee full of yuels to ſaue the greuouſe ſhypwrak of the comen welth. He ſeeth farre farther than euer Cryſt was ware of / or eny of hys blyſſed apoſtles / or eny of ye old holy fathers of cryſtys fayth and reſigyon ſyns hys holy aſſencyō hetherto / tyll now yt Luther cam of late and Tyndale after hym / & ſpyed out thys great ſecrete myſtery that neyther god nor good man coud eſpye. If theyr abſtaynyng fro maryage ſhuld make all the lād deſort and inhabytable / how happeth yt that habytacyon endureth theryn ſo long: for the lande hathe laſted ſyth the begynnynge of theyre abſteynynge frome maryage ye wot well many a fayre day. And now yf theyr abſtaynīg from maryage not wythſtandyng / the land hath bene vpholden with the generacyon of you yt ar the temporalie ſo long: ye ſhall lykewyſe hereafter be goddꝭ grace and the helpe of good prayours for kepyng the land from wyldernes / be able to get chyldren ſtyll your ſelf / and ſhall not nede to call neyther monkys nor freres to helpe you.

Now yf yt be ſo that ye clergy be as he ſayth but the hundred p[…]rt of the men / and yet not ſo mych nether: there ys not then ſo great parell of the land to fall to wyldernes / but yt the.lxxxxix. partes may mayntayn yt populouſe / though the hūdred part abſtayn. […] for to ſhew that he hath not left hys anxyouſe fauour toward his natyue cōtrey though he be ronne away from yt for hereſy[…] fereth ſore leſt ye hundred par[…]e forberyng maryage / all the.lxxxxix. […] ſhall not be able ſo to preſerue yt with generacyon / but that yt ſhall wa[…] not onely deſert / but alſo / wherof we moſt wonder inhabitable / yt is to ſay ſuche as of yt ſelf ſhall not be able for manny […] habytacyon: But he paraduenture taketh inhabytable for deſart / deſola[…]e and not inhabyted / becauſe men ſhuld ſe that he can ſo roll in hys rethoryk / that he wotteth not what hys owne wordys meane.

And ſumwhat yet ys yt to be conſydered / that in ſuch parte of his boke that he wold haue yt appere that theyr lyuyng is to mych: there he wold make yt ſeme that they were very few. And where he wold haue them take wyuys: he wold haue them ſeme ſo many / that theyr abſtaynyng from maryage were able to bryng all the land into deſolacyon and wildernes. And thus he handleth eyther parte ſo wyſely: yt there lakketh hym nothyng yerthly theryn / but euē a peny weyght of wyt. For faw[…] wherof / hys wyly foly foreſeeth not that one par[…]e of his proces euer impugneth a nother. For they that were right now ſo ſmall a parte of people that a littell wold ſuffyſe for theyr lyuyng: be now ſodenly ſo many that yf they were maryed infynyte nomber of people he ſayth to ye kyng wold increaſe to people his […] in wyth Now yf that be trew that of them alone yf they were maryed / ſo infynyte nomber of people wold encreaſe / that yt wold make ye realm populouſe: then eyther ar they contrary to hys count mo then the hū dreth part (for one out of a.C. is no very parceyuable myſſe / nor one added to an.C. no very parceuable encreaſe) or els yf they be but the hundred parte as he made hys rekenyng ryght now / yet yf yt be then trew that he ſayth ſyns / that of the hūdred parte maryed ſo infynyte nomber of people myght yncreaſe to people the realme: then can he not deny but that of the.lxxxxix. partys there may grow.lxxxxix. tymes infinite nōber of people. And then they beyng ſo / thoughe ye clergye beyng as he ſayth but y• hundred part neuer mary: yet ſhall y• po […] fole not nede to wake & wax lene for fere of the realm fallynge to wyldernes. In whych he ſeeth y• there maye of the.lxxxxix. partis re […]ew / grow and encreaſe.lxxxxix. tymes infynyte nomber of people to make yt land populouſe. Yet maruayle we mych of one thyng ye in all his fere yt generacyon ſhuld fayle becauſe y• clergye maryeth not: he ſeeth no man vnmaried in all the realme but thē How many ſeruaūtys? How many tall ſeruynge men are there in the realm that myght yf men ſaw ſuch a ſodayn neceſſyte / rather mary then the clergy y• haue vowed to god the contrary? But he forceth nott ſo mych for the mater that he maketh hys pretext / as he doth in dede to haue all vowes voyd / that he myght get Luther ſum lewd companyons in England.

But now what yf thys good man had the rule of this mater / and wold put out all the clergy and byd them go wed? He ſhuld paradu[…]ture fynde ſome that wold not mych ſtyk therat: but they ſhuld be of the worſt ſort / and ſuch as now be ſklaunder of theyr order / & whō yt were moſt nede to kepe fro generacyon / leſte yuell crowes bringe you forthe yuer byrdys. But as for the good preſtys & good relygyouſe whoſe chylderne were like to be beſt and to be beſt brought vp: they wolde not mary for breche of theyr vowes. And thus ſhulde ye haue the naughty generacyons encreaſe wherof there be to many all ready: and of the better neuer the mo.

What wold thys good mā do now wyth good folk of the clergy y• wold not mary? He wold of lyklyhod bynde them to cartꝭ and bete them and make them wed in the wanyand. But now what yf womē wyll not wed thē / namely ſyth he ſendith thē out wyth ryght noght / ſauynge ſlaunder / ſhame and vylanye? what remedy wyll he fynde therfore? He wyll of lyklyhod compell the women to wed theym: & yf the wēch be nyce and play the wanton and make the mater ſtrāge then wyll he bete her to bed to.

Surely we can not but here cōfeſſe the trouth / theſe nyce and wā ton wordis do not very well with vs: but we muſt pray god and you to pardon vs. For in good fayth hys mater of monkys maryagys ys ſo mere and ſo mad / that yt were able to make one laugh that ſieth in the fyre: & ſo mych the more / in how mych he more erneſtly preacyth vppon the kyng in thys poynt / to haue in any wyſe the clergy robbed ſpoylyd / boūden / beten and weddyd. Wherby what oppynyon he hath of weddyng / ye may ſone parceyue: for ye ſe well that yf he thought yt good / he woulde not wyſſh yt theym. Many that rede hys wordys / wene that he were ſome mery mad geſte: but he ſeemeth vs farre otherwyſe. For excepte he were a wonderouſe ſad mā of hym ſelfe / he coud neuer ſpeke ſo erneſtely in ſo mad a mater.

Yet one thīg wold we very fayn wyt of hym. Whē he had robbed ſpoyled / boūden / beten and wedded all the clergy / what wold he thē ▪ Shuld eny of them be curatys of mennys ſoules and preche and mynyſter the ſacramentys to the people or nat?

If they ſhuld: yt were a very ſtrange faſſyon to robb hym / bynde hym / and bete hym on the tone daye: and then knele to hym / and confeſſe to hym / and receyue the ſacrament of hys hāde on y• tother day / reuerently here hym preche in the pulpytte / and then bydde hym go gette hym home and clowte ſhone. Eyther he muſte mene to haue yt thus / whyche none honeſte mā coulde endure to ſe: or ellys of whych twayne we wote nere well whyther is the wurſe / he entendeth to haue all holy orders accompted as nothynge / and to haue no mo ſacramentys mynyſtred at all: but where as ſone after cryſtes aſcencyon hys church buryed the ceremonyes of the iewes ſynagoge wyth honour and reuerence / ſo wold he now that cryſten people ſhuld kyll & caſt owte on a donge hyll the bleſſyd ſacramentys of cryſte wyth v[…] lany rebuke and ſhame. And ſurely to tell you y• trouth / thys ys hys very fynall intent and purpoſe / and the very marke that he ſhoteth at / as a ſpecyall poynt and foūdacyon of all Luthers hereſyes wherof thys man ys one of the baner berers. And therfore here wold his awne hygh ſore wordys haue good place agaynſt hym ſelfe. For this myſcheuouſe deuyſe of hys / ys in dede a great brode botomeleſſe occean ſee full of euyllys / wheryn wold not fayle the greuouſe ſhypwrake of the comen welth whych god wold ſone forſake yf ye people ones forſake hys fayth / and contempned hys holy ſacramentys / as thys beggers proctour laboureth to brynge abowte. Whyche thynge hys deuyce and conueyaunce well declareth / all though he forbere expreſly to ſaye ſo farre / bycauſe of the good[…] & gracyouſe catholyke mynde that he well knoweth and by hys gracys excellent wrytynge perceyueth to be borne by the kyngꝭ hyghnes / to the catholyk fayth. For whyche he couereth hys malycyouſe entēt and purpoſe toward the fayth / vnder y• cloke of many temporall benefytes / that he ſayth ſhuld ſuccede and folow to the kyngys hyghnes and hys realme / yf theſe hys hygh polytyque deuyces were ones by hys grace agreed.

For in ye ende of all hys byll: he gathereth hys high cōmoditees together / ſaynge that yf the kynge take all frome the clergye / ſette thē abrode at the wyde world wyth ryght nought to wed & take wyues / and make theym labour for theyre lyuynge tyll they ſwete / bynde theym to cartes and bete theym well / he ſaythe to the kynge in ye beggers names: then ſhall as well the nombre of our forſayd monſ[…]ruouſe ſort / as of the bawdes / hores / theuys / and idle people decreace. Then ſhall theſe great yerely exaccyons ceace / Thē ſhall not your ſworde / power / crowne / dygnyte and obedyence of your people be tranſlated frome you. Then ſhall you haue full obedyence of your people. Then ſhall the ydle people be ſet awork. Then ſhall matrymony be myche better kepte. Then ſhall the generacyon of your people be encreaſed. Then ſhall your comēs encreaſe in ryches. Thē ſhall none take owre almoyſe frome vs. Then ſhall the goſpell be preached. Then ſhall we haue inough and more. Thē ſhalbe y• beſte hoſpytall that euer was founded for vs. Then ſhall we pray to god for your noble eſtate longe to endure.

Lo here here ye heped vp many great cōmodytees / yf they were all trew. But we ſhewed you byfore and haue alſo proued you / that hys byll ys myche grounded vppon many great lyes / wherof he by and by byganne wyth ſome and after went forth wyth mo. And now to thentent that thende ſhuld be ſomewhat ſurely to the remanaunte as he byganne wyth lyes and went forth wyth lyes / ſo wyll he with lyes lykewyſe make an ende: ſauyng that in the bygynnyng he gaue theym oute by tale / and in the ende he bryngeth theym in by hepes. For fyrſt he ſayth y• then ſhall the nomber of ſore and lyke beggers decreace. How ſo? ſhall there by the robbyng / weddyng / byndynge and betynge of the clergye[…] blynde beggers gette theyre ſyght agayn or ſame beggers theyre legges? ys there no man in all the clergy ſyk and ſore that ſhalbe by thys way ſent vnto them? ſhold there not many that now be in good helthe waxe ſhortely ſyk and ſore / and ſytte and begge wyth theym? were thys a mynyſhement of ſyk and ſore beggers to make mo and ſend to them?

Thē ſhall / he ſayth[…] bawdꝭ / […]hores / theues / & ydle peple decrece. Thys mā weneth he were coſyn to god / & coud do as he dyd: Dixit & facta ſunt. For as ſone as he hath dyuyſed yt / nowe weneth he yt yf they were all put owte & ſo ſerued by & by / thē were all forthwith in good order. As ſone as he ſayth lette theym wedde / nowe he weneth yt forthwyth euery preeſte monke & frere hath a wyfe. As ſone as he hath ſayd bind theym & bete thē to wurke / forthwyth he weneth euery man ys at hys wurke. And all thys he rekeneth ſure ere euer he prouyde wurke for theym / or where they ſhall dwell / or who ſhall take ſo many to wurk at onys y• neuer were wōte to wurke byfore / and thys where he ſeeth many walke ydle all redy / that eyther no betyng can dryue to wurke / or ellys no man wyll take to wurke. Fyrſte we truſt that among the clergye there be many men of that goodnes and vertue / that ſcante a deuyll could fynde in hys harte to handle them in ſuche dyſpytuouſe and dyſpyghtfull maner. But go to ſette theyre honeſt lyuyng and vertue lye ſtyll in queſtyon / yet at the leſte wyſe he wyll graunte they be good or nought. Nowe then yf they be good: he ys to very a vylayn y• wold ſarue good men ſo. And on y• to ther ſyde yf they be all as he wolde haue them all ſeme / vnthryfty / ſewde / and nought: howe can yt be that by that reaſon of ſo many ſo noughty / ſo ſodaynly ſette owte at large / ye ſhuld haue bawdes / harlottys / theuys / & ydle people decreace? except he thynke that thoſe whome he calleth nought all redy beynge as they nowe be kepte in / and in honeſt faſſyō refrayned / & many kepte vp in cloyſters / wylbe better ruled abrode runnyng at y• wyld world as bukkys broken owt of a parke. Ouer thys howe can there by the maryagys of preeſtys / monkys / & fryres / be fewer hores and bawdys / whē by the very maryage yt ſelf beynge as yt were inceſtuouſe & abhomynable / all were ſtarke harlottys that maryed them / and all ſtark bawdys that ſhuld helpe to bryng them to gether.

Thē ſhall he ſayth / theſe great yerely exaccyōs ceace. How can ſuch thyngys ceace as neuer yet byganne. Ye remēber what thyngys he calied exaccyons / the freres quarterage / whych he ſayd that they exacte of euery houſehold / and compell theym to pay yt vppon payn of hereſye / beryng of a fagot or burnyng. Can he among ſo many as payeth yt not / lay you one ſample y• euer any ſayd he was ſo ſerued thys ſeuen yere / thys.vii. ſcore yere / thys.vii.C. yere? Can he ſaye yt euer yt was exacted of hym ſelfe? We knowe where he dwelled / and that yf he had had none other cauſe to rūne away / ſurely for eny fere of freres y• euer exacted of hym quarterage / he wold not haue bene afrayed to dwell by the beſte of theyre berdes.

Then ſhall ydle folke he ſayeth be ſette a wurke. By what meanys? whom hath he deuyſed mo to ſette ydle men a wurke? but yf he loke that ydle men ſhalbe ſette a wurke by theym whome he ſendeth owte of theyre awne houſys wythout money or waxe / neyther he nor they wote whyther.

Then ſhall matrymony by myche better kepte. Why ſo? bycauſe there be mo men vnmaryed ſent owt abrode to brek yt? Who (yf they be ſuche as he calleth theym) were (yf they wente all abrode) well lykely to breke many a nother mannys maryage ere they made all theyre awne.

Then ſhall the generacyon of your people be encreaced. Is that the greateſte fawte he fyndeth the lak of generacyon? If he ſaw as farr as he wold ſeme to ſe / thē ſhuld be ſpyre yt it were firſt more nede to prouyde houſes to dwell in / wyth lande layde therto for tyllage: or ellys experyence techeth that there is generacyon ynough for ye corne that the groūde bereth. And that thynge ones well ꝓuyded for / there wyll ynowe be founden to multyply more generacyon of ſuche as may laufully wedde ād wold wedde / yf they wyſte where after weddynge theyre wyfe and theyre chyldren ſhuld dwell.

Then ſhall not your ſwerde / power / crowne / and dygnyte / and obedyence of your people / be taken frome you. Who hath taken yt away nowe? who hath hys ſworde borne but hys hyghnes hym ſelfe or ſuche hys deputyes as he appoynteth yt vnto? his crowne no man wereth but hym ſelfe / as farre as euer any of vs herde. And yet yf hys hyghnes haue any crowned kyngꝭ vnder hym / his ſwerd / power crown & dignyte / ys nothyng defaced nor mynyſſhed: but honowred & enhaunced by that. But all the myſchefe ys that the ſpyrytuall court hath examynacyon of heretyques / thys ys all the gryefe. For as for obedyence of the kyngys people / hys hyghnes fyndeth none takē frō hym. Was there euer kynge in thys realm better obayd thē he? Hath his hyghnes of eny part of hys realm bene better obayd or more hū bly ſerued thē of hys clergy? Was there euer eny kynge in the realm that had hys crowne tranſlated frome hym / bycauſe the clergye had landys geuē them / or bycauſe men gaue almoyſe to the pore freres? in good fayth ye may truſte vs we neuer knewe none ſuche. Whan y• beggers proctour preueth any ſuche ye may then byleue hym: and in the meane tyme ye may well byleue he lyeth.

Then ſhall ye haue obedyēce of your people. yet agayn? Tyll he fynde in the kyngys realm ſome that dare dyſobay hym / yt were not myche agaynſt reaſon that harpynge ſo myche vppon that ſtrynge / yt euery mannys care perceyueth ſo falſe and ſo farre owte of tune: he ſhulde confeſſe hym ſelfe a fole.

Then ſhall your people encreace in rycheſſe. Wherfore y• rather? Not one halfepeny for aught that he hath ſpokē yet / except he mean when he taketh the lande frome the clergye / then to dyuyde yt amōg the people and make a dole of the freres almoyſe to. And yf he mean ſo: when he ſayeth yt owte playnely then wyll we tell you what he meaneth more. But in the meane ſeaſon to proue hym both falſe and folyſſhe / yt ys ynough to tell hym / that the people can not waxe rych by theyr cōmyng to them that are ſent owte naked and bryng naught wyth theym.

Then ſhall none begge our almoyſe frome vs. No parde / none but all they that ye wyll haue ſent owte naked to you / whyche wolde be mo then ye wolde be gladde to ſe ſytte and begge wyth you / and ſe thē aſk your almoyſe frō you y• were wonte to gyue almoyſe to you.

Then ſhall the goſpell be preched. ye mary that that. There is y• great mater that all thys gapyng ys for. For vndowtedly all the gapynge ys for a new goſpell. Men haue bene wonte thys many yeres to preche the goſpell of criſte in ſuche wyſe as ſaynt Mathew / ſaynt Mark / ſaynt Luke / and ſaynt Ihān hath wrytē yt / and in ſuch wyſe as y• old holy doctours ſaynt Hyero[…] / ſaynt Auſtyn / ſaint Ambroſe ſaynt Gregory / ſaynt Chryſoſtome / ſaynt Baſyle / ſaynt Cypryan / ſaynt Barnerd / ſaynt Thomas / and all the olde holy faders ſynnis cryſtys dayes vntyll your awne dayes haue vnderſtande yt. Thys goſpell hath bene as we ſay alway thus preched. Why ſayeth he now that yf ye clergy were caſte owte for nought / that then y• goſpell ſhold be prechyd. Who ſhuld then be theſe prechours? He meaneth not yt ye clergy ſhall / ye may ſe that well. Who than? Who but ſome ley Lutheranes? And what goſpell ſhall they preche? Not your old goſpell of Cryſte: for yt is yt whych was wonte to be preched vnto you. And he wold ye ſhuld now thynk that the goſpell ſhall begyn to be prechyd: and yet not begyn to be prechyd amōg you / tyll the clergy be caſt out. What goſpell ſhall that be than that ſhall then be prechyd? What goſpell but Luthers goſpell and Tyndals goſpell? tellyng you yt onely fayth ſuffyſeth you for ſaluacayn: and that there nedyth no good workys / but yt yt were ſacrylege and abhomynacyō to go about to pleaſe god wyth eny good workys: and that there ys no purgatory / nor that the ſacramentys be nothyng worth / nor y• no law can be made by mā to bynde you: but that by your onely fayth ye may do what ye wyll: & yt yf ye obey any law or gouernour / all ys of your owne curteſye & not of eny duty at all: fayth hath ſet you in ſuch a lewd lyberte.

Thys & many a mad frantyke foly ſhalbe the goſpell yt thē ſhall be prechyd / wherof he boſteth now as of one of the moſte ſpecyall cō modytees / that ſhall ſuccede vppon hys goodly and godly deuyces.

Wyll ye playnly parceyue yt he meaneth thus: After all hys myſcheuys reherſyd agaynſt the church: he hathe an other matter in hys mynde / whych he dare not yet ſpeke of / but he maketh therof a ſecret ouerture leuyng yt in ſuch wyſe at large / as he wold that men ſhulde geſſe what he men / & yet he reſeruyth hym ſelf ſome refuge to flytte therfro when he lyſt. For yf he ſhuld ſe that men ſhuld myſlyke yt / he wold in ſuch caſe ſay that he ment ſome other thyng. And therfore he purpoſeth yt vnder theſe wordys: Here leue we out y• greatyſt mater of all / leſt we declaring ſuch an horrible carrayn of euyll agaynſt the mynyſters of iniquyte / ſhuld ſeme to declare the one onely fawte or rather y• ignoraūce of our beſt belouyd mynyſter of ryghtuouſnes. whych ys to be hyd tyll he may be lerned by theſe ſmall enormytees y• we haue ſpoken of / to know yt playnly hym ſelfe.

Thys thyng put forth lyke a rydle / harde to rede what yt ſhulde ſygnyfye: we haue had ſynnys / by ſuche as we byfore ſhewed you y• dyed and cam hyther / playnly declared vnto vs. And ſurely who ſo well aduyſeth hys wordꝭ / and well pondereth hys hole purpoſe / and the ſummary effecte of his boke: ſhall mowe ſone perceyue what he meaneth in that place. For what ſhuld that thyng be that he leueth out that ſhuld be the greateſt of all / and that ſhuld be layed agaynſte the mynyſters of inyquyte whych he meaneth and calleth y• hole clergye and that ſhuld be ſuch an horryble carayne of euyll / y• yt ſhud paſſe & excede any myſcheuouſe matter that he had all redy ſpoken agaynſte byfore? what maner of mycheuouſe mater ſhuld thys be?

Thys horryble carrayn of yuell that he leuyth out / ſyth yt ys as he ſayth the greateſt mater of all[…] muſt nedys ye wot well be greater agaynſt the clergy / than all that great brode botomeleſſe occean ſee of yuels: more than all hys Theſe be theys: more than the makyng of ſuch great nomber of beggars / of ydle men / bawdy / hoorys and theuys: more than the hyndryng of matrymony / corruptyng of generacion: more than tranſlatyng the kyngys kyngdom: more thā bryngyng the kyngys crown to ruyne: more than bryngyng the comen weale to ſhypwrak / and all the realm to wyldernes. What thyng can thys horrible carrayn be that the clergy dothe / that he leueth out for a whyle / that ſo farre excedyth theſe mycheuouſe maters before remembryd / that in comparyſon of yt he calleth them all ſmall enormytees / & as a man wold ſay lytle prety peccadulyans? Verely by thys thyng meaneth he none other / but the prechyng of the very hole corps and body of the bleſſed fayth of Cryſte / & the mynyſtryng of the blyſſed ſacraments of our ſauyour Cryſte / and of all thoſe in eſpecyall the conſecratyng of the ſacred body the fleſh and blood of our ſauyour Cryſt. For the techynh & prechyng of all whych thyngys / thys beggers ꝓctour or rather the dyuels proctour wyth other beggers that lak grace and nether beg nor loke for none: bere all thys theyr malyce & wrathe to the churche of Cryſte. And ſeynge there ys no way for attaynyng theyr entēt but one of the twayn / yt ys to wyt eyther playnly to wryte agaynſt the fayth and the ſacramentys (wheryn yf they gat them credēce and obtaynyd / they then ſe well the church muſt nedys fall therwyth[…] or els to labour agaynſt the church alone / & get the clergye dyſtroyd / wheruppon they parceyue well that the ſayth and ſacramentꝭ wold not fayle to decay: they parce yuyng thys / haue therfore furſte aſſayd the furſt way all redy / ſendyng forth Tyndals trāſlacyon of the new teſtament in ſuch wyſe hādled as yt ſhuld haue bene the foū tayn and well ſpryng of all theyr hole hereſyes. For he had corrupted and purpoſely chāged in many placys the text / wyth ſuch wordys as he myght make yt ſeme to the vnlerned people / that the ſcryputre affyrmed theyr hereſyes it ſelfe. Then cam ſone after out in prynt the dyaloge of frere Roy & frere Hyerome / betwene y• father & y• ſonne agaynſt y• ſacrament of y• aulter: & the blaſphemouſe boke entytled the beryeng of the maſ[…]e. Then cam forth after Tyndals wykkyd boke of Māmona / & after that his more wykkyd boke of obydyence. In whych bokys afore ſpecyfyed they go forth playnly agaynſt the fayth and holy ſacraments of Cryſtys church / and moſt eſpecyally agaynſt the blyſſed ſacrament of y• aulter / wyth as vylanous wordꝭ as the wreches coud deuyſe. But whē they haue ꝑceuyd by exꝑyēce yt good people abhorred theyr abomynable bokꝭ: thē they beyng therby lernyd yt the furſt way was not y• beſt for y• furtherance of theyr purpoſe / haue now determined thē ſelfe to aſſay the ſecūde way / that ys to wytte y• forberynge to wryte ſo openly and dyrectely agaynſte all the fayth & the ſacramētys as good cryſten men coulde not abyde the redyng / they wolde / wyth lyttell towchyng of theyre other hereſyes / make one boke ſpecially agaynſt y• church & loke how that wold proue. Whyche yf yt ſuccede after theyre appetytys that they myght wyth falſe crymes ſayd vnto ſome / or wyth the very fawtis of ſome brynge the hole churche in hatered and haue the clergye dyſtroyed: thē ſhuld they more eſely wynne theyre purpoſe that waye. For whē the prechours of the fayth and very goſpell were dyſtroyed or farre owte of credence wyth y• people / then ſhulde they haue theyre awne falſe goſpellys preched / as ye may perceyue that thys man meaneth where he ſayth y• thē ſhall the goſpell be preched. And therfore thys ys the thynge whych thys man as yet leueth owt agaynſt thē / that is to wytte the prechyng of the ryght fayth and the ſacramētys / whych thynge he rekeneth in the clergye a more horryble carayn / thē all the crymes wheryn he hath bylyed them byfore: And therfore ſayth he yt he leueth yt owte / leſte he ſhulde ſeme to declare the one and onely fawt of the kyngis hyghnes. Whych one onely fawte he meaneth his gracys moſte famouſe and moſt gracyouſe boke / that hys hyghnes as a prynce of excellent crudycyon / vertue / and deuocyon toward y• catholyke fayth of cryſt / made of thaſſercyon of the ſacramentys agaynſt y• furyouſe boke of Marthin Luther. Thys godly dede done by hys hyghnes / wyth thacceptacyō of hys godly well deſerued tytle of defenſoure of the fayth gyuē his grace by the ſee apoſtolyque / thys calleth thys beggers proctoure the kyngys one and onely fawt and ignorance of theyre falſe fayth in eſtymacyon of theſe heretyques / whych this beggers proctour ſayth that he wyll for the whyle hyde and couer vnder hys cloke of ſylence / tyll the kynge may by theſe enormytyes where wyth he bylyeth the churche in hys beggers byll (wyche enormytyes he calleth ſmale enormyties in comparyſon of the prechyng of the catholyke fayth and the ſacramentys) be lerned. What leſſon trow ye? None other ſurely / but that they hope that as well hys hyghnes as hys peple / may by ſuche beggers byllys be fyrſte alured and brought in / to cōtemne / hate and dyſtroye y• church: and then therby lerne the tother leſſon whych he now leueth owte for the whyle / that ys to wytte to ſette at nought the catholyque fayth and all the bleſſyd ſacramentys / after the techyng of Luthers and Tyndallys goſpell. And therfore ſayth he as we tolde you byfar / […] […] that then ſhall the goſpell be preched.

And in the mene tyme y• mā vſeth as he weneth hym ſelf to ward y• kyngys grace a very wyſe faſſyon of flatery / callynge hym theyre beſt belouyd mynyſter of ryghtuouſnes: yet be they not onely ronne away for fere of the ryghtuouſnes of theyr beſt belouyd myniſter of ryghtuouſnes / but alſo wold yt ſhuld ſeme yt his hyghnes were ſuch a mynyſter of ryghtuouſnes / as eyther ſet ſo lyttel by ryghtuouſnes that he wold wyttyngly ſuffer / or els had ſo lytyll inſyght in ryghtuouſnes that he coud not parceyue / ſo great a mater and ſuch an horryble carrayn of yuell commyttyd by the church / as were ſo heynouſe / ſo houge and ſo great: that in comparyſon therof / the tranſlatyng of hys kyngdome / the ruyne of hys crown / the ſhypwrak of hys comen w[…]ale / the dyſpeplyng of hys realm / and bryngyng all hys land in to deſolacyon and wyldernes: were but ſleyght maters and ſmall enormytees. And that hys hyghenes ſhuld towarde thys great horrible a intollerable myſcheuouſe demeanu[…]e of the church / be ayding and aſſyſtent eyther of yuell mynde or of ygnoraunce / tyll that by theyr beggarly byll beyng torned into the hatred & the dyſtruccyon of y• church he myght thereby be illumynyd to lerne and parceyue that the faythe whych hys grace had before both lernyd & taughte / and wherof hym ſelf ys the deffenſor / ys falſe and faynyd: and if at the ſacramentꝭ be but m[…]nnys inuencyons / and that theruppon he ſhuld be contente to lern the goſpel of Luther and the teſtament of Tyndale. And thus ye may ſe what the beggars ꝓctour ment by his proꝑ inuētyd rydle / by whych as ye ſe vnder a fond face of flatery he vſeth towarde his prince and ſouerayn lord[…] […]whoſe maieſte both by the law of god & the dutye of hys allegyaunce he were hyghely bounden to reuerence) an open playn dyſpyte and contumely.

Now to thentent yt ye may yet farther parceyue and ſe y• they by the dyſtruccyon of the clergy / meane the clere abolycyon of Cryſtys fayth: yt may lyke you to conferre and compare to gether.ii. placis of hys beggars byll. In one place after that he hath heped vp to gether all hys lyes agaynſt the hole clergy / & therto adioyned hys greuouſe exclamacyon: Oh y• greuouſe ſhypwrak of the comē weale: he ſayth that in aūcyent tyme before the comyng of the clergy / there were but few pore people & yet they dyd not beg / but there was gyuen them ynogh vnaſked / becauſe at yt tyme he ſayth there was no clergy (whō he calleth alway rauenouſe woluys) to aſk yt fro thē: and thys ſayth he appereth in y• boke of the actys of y• apoſtles. In this place we let paſſe hys threfold foly. One that he wold by that there were no beggars in one place / proue therby that there were none in all y• worlde beſyde. For as he for lakke of wyt and vnderſtandyng myſtaketh the booke / he weneth that there were none that beggyd in Hyeruſalem. whych yf yt were trew / yet myghte there be ynow in other placys.

A nother of hys folyes is in that he alledgeth a boke for hym that no thyng proueth hys purpoſe. For in all that hole boke ſhall he neyther fynde that there was at that tyme few pore peple / nor yt pore peple at that tyme begged not. Far of trouthe there were pore people and beggers / ydle people / and theues to / good plenty bothe then and all way byfore / ſynnes almoſte as longe as Noes flode / and yet peraduenture ſeuen yere afore that to. And ſo were there in dede in Heyruſalē alſo amonge theym all / tyll cryſtendome came in / and yet remayned then amonge ſuch peple there as tourned not to the fayth of Cryſt. The thyrde foly ys / he layeth that boke for hym whyche in dede preueth playne agaynſt hym. For where he ſayeth yt appereth there that the clergy was not then come / we can not in y• worlde deuyſe of what people he ſpeketh Paynyms / Iewes / or cryſten men. If he meane amonge Paynyms / hys folye and hys falſehed both ys to euydent. For who knoweth not that amonge the Paynyms they had aL way theyre preeſtys / whoſe lyuynge was well and plentuouſly prouyded for / as ye may perceyue not onely by many other ſtoryes / but alſo by many places in the byble / and ſpecyally in the.xlvii. chapyter of geneſys. If he ſpeke of the Iewes / euery mā woteth well that they had a clergy thouſandꝭ of yeres bifore the boke that he alledgeth / & theyr lyuynge farre more largely prouyded for / then eny parte of ye people byſyde / and that by goddys awne ordynaunce. Now yf he ſpeke of y• cryſten people that was at that tyme in Hieruſalem where y• fayeth byganne / hys boke maketh ſore agaynſt hym. For there was a clergy as ſone as there was eny chryſten peple. For the clergy byganne thē. And that clergye had not a parte of the cryſten peples ſubſtaūce / but had yt all to gether / and dyd dyſtrybute yt as they ſawe nede / whych no man dowteth but that the partyes ſhewed theym / or ellys in ſome nedys they muſt nedys haue laked. So that here were many pore mē yf they be pore that haue naught left / & all they beggers / yf they be beggers that be fayne to ſhew theyr nede and aſke / and y• clergy had all to gyther. And yet layeth this wyſe mā thys boke for hym / beyng ſuche as yf he ſhulde haue ſytten and ſtudyed therfore / he could not haue founden a boke that made more agaynſt hym.

But as we ſayed byfore / we ſhall lette hys falſe foly paſſe / and praye you to cōſyder what he wold haue you byleue. He ſayeth and wold ye ſhuld wene that there were few pore folke / and no beggers no where byfore y• clergy of cryſtēdom cā in / but that all y• pouerte & beggary cā in to y• world wyth the criſtē clergy. Now knoweth euery man y• the cryſten clergy & the cryſten fayth / cam in to the cryſten people to gether / ſo that in effecte hys wordys way to thys y• all pouerte and beggary came in to the worlde wyth the cryſten fayth.

Sette nowe to thys place the tother place of hys in the ende and concluſyon of hys boke / where he ſayth that after the clergy ſpoylyd onys and caſt out / then ſhall the goſpell be preched / and thē ſhall we beggars haue ynough & more: lo lyke as in the tone place he ſheweth that all begary cam in wyth y• clergy yt brought in ye fayth / ſo ſheweth be in the tother that there ſhuld wyth the clergy all beggary go forth agayn / yf they were ſo clene caſt out that Criſtys goſpell beyng caſt out wyth them / and the fayth whych cam in wyth them / they myghte haue that goſpell prechid as they ſay they ſhulde and as in dede they ſhuld whych they call the goſpell / that is to wit Luthers goſpell and Tyndallys teſtament / prechynge the dyſtruccyon of Cryſtys very fayth & hys holy ſacramentꝭ / auauncyng & ſettyng forth all boldenes of ſynne & wrechydnes / and vnder the falſe name of cryſtē fredome / ſpurryng forward the dyuylyſh vnbrydeled appetyte of lewd ſedycyouſe and rebellyouſe lyberte / that ſlew in one ſomer as we ſhewed you before aboue.lx.M. of y• pore vplādyſh Lutheranis in Almayn. And thys ys all that theſe heretykys loke for as the frute of theyr ſe dycyouſe bokys and beggars byllys / truſtyng by ſome ſuch ways to be eaſed of theyr beggary / whych they now ſuſtayn beyng ronne oute of the realm for hereſy. For yf they might as they fayn wold[…] haue ye clergy caſt out / and Cryſtys goſpell caſt of / and theyr owne goſpell preched: thē hope they to fynde that word trew where he ſayth: then ſhall we haue ynough and more.

For of all that euer he hath ſayd / he hath not almoſt ſayd one trew word ſaue thys. And ſurely this word wold after theyr goſpell onys prechyd & receyuyd be foūden ouer trew. For thē ſhuld the beggers / nat ſuch beggars as he ſemeth to ſpeke for that be ſyk ſore and lame / but ſuch bold preſumptuouſe beggars as he ys in dede / hole & ſtrong in body but weke & ſyk in ſoule / yt haue theyr bodys clene fro ſkabbys and theyr ſoulys foule infect wyth vgly great pokkys & leprye: theſe beggars wold hope to haue & except good men take good hede wolde not fayle to haue ynough and a great deale more. For after that they myght the clergy furſt dyſtroyd bryng in onys after yt the prechyng of Luthers goſpell and Tyndals teſtament / and myght wyth theyr heryſyes and fals fayth infect and corrupt the people / cauſyng them to ſet the blyſſed ſacramentꝭ aſyde / to ſet holy days and faſtyng days at yought / to contemne all good workys / to geſt & rayle agaynſt holy vowed caſtyte / to blaſpheme the olde holy fathers and doctours of Criſtys church / to mok and ſcorne the blyſſed ſayntys and martyrs y• dyed for Cryſtys fayth / to reiect and refuſe y• fayth that thoſe holy martyrys lyued and dyed for / and in the ſtede of y• true fayth of cryſt contynued thys.xv.C. yeres / to take nowe the falſe fayth of a fond frere / of olde condemnyd and of new reforgyd wythyn ſo few days wyth contempte of god and all good men / and obſtynate rebellyouſe mynde agaynſt all lawes rule and gouernaunce / wyth arrogante preſumpcyon to medle wyth euery mannys ſubſtaunce / wyth euery mā nys lande / and euery mannys mater nothynge partaynynge to them: yt ys we ſay no dowte / but that ſuche bolde preſumptuouſe beggers wyll / yf ye loke not well to theyre handꝭ / not fayle to haue as he wryteth ynough and more to. For they ſhall gather to gyder at laſte / and aſſemble theym ſelfes in plumpes and in great rowtes / and from aſkynge fall to the takynge of theyre almoyſe theym ſelfe / and vnder pretexte of reformacyon (berynge euery man that aught hath / in hande that he hath to myche) ſhall aſſay to make newe dyuyſyon of euery mannys lande and ſubſtaunce: neuer ceacynge yf ye ſuffer theym / tyll they make all beggers as they be theym ſelfe / and at laſte bryng all the realme to ruyne / and thys not wythout bochery and fowle blody handys.

And therfore this beggers proctour or rather the proctour of hell ſhuld haue concluded hys ſupplycacyon not vnder the maner that he hath done / that after the clergye caſte owte / thā ſhall the goſpell be preched: then ſhall beggers and bawdys decreace: thē ſhall ydle folk and theuys be fewer: then ſhall the realme encreace in rycheſſe and ſo forth. But he ſhuld haue ſayed: After that the clergye ys thus deſtroyed and caſte owt / then ſhall Luthers goſpell come in / then ſhall Tyndallys teſtament be taken vp: Thē ſhall falſe hereſyes be preched: Thē ſhall ye ſacramentꝭ be ſett ate nough: Thē ſhall faſtyng & prayour be neglected: Thē ſhall holy ſayntꝭ be blaſphemed: Then ſhall almyghty god be dyſpleaſed: Then ſhall he wythdrade hys grace and lette all rūne to ruyne: Then ſhall all vertue be hadde in deryſy[…]n: Then ſhall all vyce reygne and runne forth vnbrydeled: Then ſhall youth leue labour and all occupacyon: Then ſhall folk waxe ydle and fall to vnthryftyneſſe: Then ſhall horys and theuys beggers and bawdys encreace: Thē ſhall vnthryftys flok togyder and ſwarme abowte and eche bere hym bolde of other: Then ſhall all lawes be laughed to ſcorne: Then ſhall the ſeruauntꝭ ſet nought by theyre mayſters / and vnruly people rebelle agaynſt theyr rulers: Then wyll ryſe vp ryflyng and robbery / murder and myſcheyfe / & playn inſurreccyon / wherof what wold be thende or when you ſhuld ſe yt / onely god knoweth. All whych myſchyefe may yet be wythſtā den eaſely and wyth goddꝭ grace ſo ſhall yt / yf ye ſuffer no ſuch bold beggers to ſeduce you wyth ſedycyouſe byllys. But well ꝑceyuyng that theyre malycyouſe purpoſe ys to brynge you to deſtruccyon / ye lyke good cryſtē people auoydyng theyre falſe traynes and grynnꝭ / geue none eare to theyre heynowſe hereſyes / nor walke theyr ſedycyouſe wayes. But perſeueryng in your olde fayth of criſte / and obſeruyng hys lawes wyth good and godly warkis and obedyēce of your moſte gracyouſe kyng and gouernour / go forth in goodneſſe and vertue / whereby ye can not fayle to flowre and proſpere in ryches and worldely ſubſtaunce: whyche well employed wyth helpe of goddys grace abowte cherytable dedes to the nedy / and the rather in remembraūce and relyefe of vs / whoſe nede ys relyued by you charyte ſhewed for our ſake to your neyghboure / be able to purchace you myche pardon of the bytter payn of thys paynfull place / and bryng you to yt ioyefull bleſſe / to whyche god hath wyth hys bleſſyd blode bought you and wyth hys holy ſacramentys enſeygned you. And thus wyll we leue the mannys malycyouſe foly / tēdyng to the dyſtruccyō fyrſt of the clergye and after of your ſelfe / wheryn hys madde rekenynge hath conſtrayned vs to trouble you with meny tryfles god wote full vnmete for vs: and nowe wyll we tourne vs to the treatyng of that one poynte / whyche thoughe yt ſpecyally perteyneth to our ſelfe / yet mych more ſpecyally ꝑteyneth yt vnto you: yt ys to wytte the impugnacyon of that vncherytable hereſye wherwhyth he wolde make you to owre great harme and mych more your awne / byleue that we nede none […]elpe and that there were no purgatory.

The ende of the fyrſt boke⸫

Chapter 2 of 3