Of the religyons in Vtopia

THere be dyuers kyndes of religiō not only in sondry partes of the Ilande, but also in dyuers places of euerye citie. Some worshyp for God the sunne: some the mone, some some other of the planetes. There be that gyue worshyp to a man that was o[…]es of excellente vertue or of famous glory, not only as God, but also as the chiefest & hyghest God. But the moste and the wysest parte (reiectynge all thies) beleue that there is a certayne Godlie powre vnknowen, euerlastyng, incomprehensible, inexplicable, farre aboue the capacitie and retche of manswitte, dispersed through out all the worlde, not in byg[…]es, but in vertue a[…]d powre. Hym they call the father of all. To hym allone they attrybute the begynnynges, the encreasynges, the procedynges, the chaunges, and the endes of all thynges. Nother they gyue deuine honours to any other then to him. Yea all the other also, though they be in diuers opinions, yet in this pointe they agree all togethers with the wisest sort in beleuynge that there is one chiefe and pryncipall God the maker and ruler of the hole worlde: whome they all commonly in theire countrey language call Mythra. But in this they disagre that amonge some he is counted one, and amonge some an other. For euery one of them, whatsoeuer that is whiche he taketh for the chiefe God, thynketh it to be the very same nature, to whose onlye deuyne myght and maiestie the som and soueraintie of al thinges by the consent of all people is attributed and geuen. Howe be it they al begynne by litle and litle to forsake & fall from thys varietie of superstitiōs, and to agree togethers in that religion whiche semethe by reason to passe and excell the resydewe. And it is not to be dowted but all the other would longe agoo haue bene abolyshed, but that whatsoeuer vnprosperous thynge happened to any of them as he was mynded to chaunge his religion, the fearefulnes of people dyd take it not as a thynge cummynge by chaunce, but as sente frome God owt of heauen. As thoughe the God whose honoure he was forsakynge, woulde reuenge that wicked purpose against him. But after they harde vs speake of the name of Christe, of his doctryne, lawes, myracles, and of the no lesse wonderful constancie of so manye martyrs, whose bloude wyllynglye shedde brought […] great numbre of nations throughe out all partes of the worlde into theire secte: yowe wyll not beleue with howe gladde myndes, they agreed vnto the same: whether it were by the secrete inspiration of God, or els for that they thought it next vnto that opiniō which amonge them is counted the chiefest. Howe be it I thynke this was no smal healpe and furtheraunce in the matter that they harde vs saye that Christ instytuted amonge hys all thynges commen: and that thesame communitie dothe yet remayne amongest the rightest Christian companies. Verely howe soeuer it came to passe, manye of them consented togethers in oure religion, and were wasshed in the hollye water of baptisme. But because amonge vs foure (for no moo of vs was left alyue two of oure compa[…]ye beynge deade) there was no prieste, whiche I am ryghte sorye for, they beinge entered and instructed in all other poyntes of oure relygion, lacke o[…]elye those Sacramentes, whyche here none but priestes do minister. Howe be it they vnderstande and perceyue them, and be verye desierous of thesame. Yea they reason and dispute the matter earnestly amonge themfelfes, whether without the s[…]ndyng of a christian bysshoppe one chosen out of theire owne people may receaue the ordre of priesthode. And truly they were mynded to chuse one. But at my departure from them they hadde chosen none. They also whiche do not agree to Christes religion feare no man frome it, nor speake agaynste anye man that hath receyued it. Sauing that one of oure companye in my presence was sharpely punyshed. He as sone as he was baptised began against our willes with more earnest affection then wisdome to reason of Christes religiō ▪ and began to waxe so hotte in his matter that he dyd not only preferre oure relygion before all other, but also dyd vtterlye despise an cōdempne al other, callynge them prophane, and the followers of them wicked and deuelishe, and the chyldren of euerlasting dampnation. When he had thus longe reasoned the matter they layde holde on hym, acc[…]sed hym, and condempned hym into exyle, not as a despyser of religion, but as a sedicious persone, and a rayser vp of dissention amonge the people. For this is one of the auncientest lawes amonge them: that no man shalbe blamed for reasonynge in the mayntenaunce of his owne religion. For kyng Vtopus euen at the first begynning, hearing that the inhabitaū tes of the lande were before his commyng thether at con[…]ynuall dissention and stryfe amonge themselfes for their religions: perceyuing also that this cō mondissention whyles euerye seuerall secte tooke seuerall parties in fyghting for theire countrey, was the only occasion of hys conquest ouer them all, assoue as he had gottē the victory: First of all he made a decrie, that it shoulde be lawfull for euery man to fauoure and followe what religion he would, and that he myght do the beste he cold to bryng other to his opinion, so that he dyd it peaceably, gentelye, quyetly, and soberlye, without hastye and contentious rebuking & inuehyng against other. If he coulde not by fayre & gentle speche i[…]duce them vnto his opiniō, yet he should vse no kinde of violence, and refrayne from displeasaunt & seditious woordes. To him that would vehemently and feruentlye in this cause striue & contende was decreid bannish mēt or bondage. This lawe did kynge Vtopus make not only for the maintenaūce of peace which he sawe through continuall contention & mortal hatred vtterly extinguished: but also because he thought this decrye shuld make for the furtheraunce of religion. Wherof he durst define and determine nothing vnaduisedly, as dowting whether god des[…]eryng manifolde and diuers sortes of honoure, would inspire sondrie men with sondrie kyndes of religion. And this suerly he thought a very vnmete and folishe thing, and a pointe of arrogant presumption to compell all other by violence and threatenynges to agre to thesame that thou beleuest to bee […]rewe. […]urthermore though there be one religion whiche alone is trewe, & all other vayne & superstitious, yet did he well forsee (so that the matter were handeled with reason, and sober modestie) that the trewthe of the owne powre woulde at the laste issue owte and come to lyght. But if contention and debate in that behalfe shoulde continuallye be vsed, as the woorste men be moste obstynate and stubburne, and in theire euell opynion moste constante: he perceaued that then the beste and holyest religion woulde be troden vnder foote and destroyed by moste vayne superstitions, euen as good corne is by thornes and weydes ouergrowen and choked. Therfore al this matter he lefte vndiscussed, & gaue to euery man free libertie and choyse to beleue what he woulde. Sauinge that he earnestly and straytelye chardged them, that no man shoulde conceaue so vile and base an opinion of the dignitie of mans nature as to thinke that the sowles do dye and perishe with the bodye: or that the worlde rūneth at al auentures gouerned by no diuine pro[…]idence. And therfore thei beleue that after this lyfe vices be extreamelye punyshed & vertues bountyfully rewarded. Hym that is of a contrary opinion they coū te not in the numbre of mē, as one that hath aualed the hyghe nature of his sowle to the vielnes of brute beastes bodies: muche lesse in the numbre of their citiziens, whoes lawes & ordenaūces if it were not for feare he wold nothing at al esteme. For yow may be suer that he wil study other with crafte preuely to mock, orels violently to breake the commen lawes of his countrey, in whom remayneth no further feare thē of the lawes, nor no further hope then of the bodye. Wherefore he that is thus mynded is depryued of all honours, excluded from all offices and reiecte from all common administrations in the weale publyque. And thus he is of all sorte despysed as of an vnprofitable and of a base & vile nature. Howe be it they put hym to no punyshemente, because they be perswaded y• it is in no mans powre to beleue what he lyst. No nor they constrayne hym not with threatninges to dissemble his minde and shewe countenaunce contr[…] ry to his thoughte. For deceite and falshed and all maner of lyes, as next vnto fra[…]de, they do meruelouslye deteste and abhorre. But they suffre him not to dispute in his opinion and that o[…]lyeemong the commen people. For elle[…] a parte emong the the pryestes and mē of grauity they doo not only suffre but also exhorte him to dispute and argue: hoopinge that at the laste that madnes will giue place to reason. There be also other, and of them no small numbre, whych be not forbidden to speake their mindes, as grounding their opinion vpon some reason, being in their gli[…]ine nother euell nor vitious. Their heresye is much contrary to the other. For they beleue that the soules of brute beastes be immortall and euerlasting. But nothi[…]ge to be compared with owers in dignitie, nother ordeyned and predestinate to like felicitie. For all they beleue certeinly and sewerly that mans blesse shall be so greate, that they doo morne and lamente euerye mans sicknes but no mans death, oneles it be one whom they see depart from his liffe carfully, and agaynst his will. For this they take for a very euell token as though the sowle beinge in dyspayre and vexed in conscience, through some preuy & secret forefeilyng of the punnishment now at hande were af[…]rde to▪ depart. And they thinke he shall not be welcome to God whyche when he ys called runneth not to hym gladly, but ys drawen by force and sore agaynste hys wyll. They therfore that see thys kynde of deathe doo adhorre it, and them that so die they buye wyth sorrow and silence. And whē they haue prayed God to be mercifull to the sowle, and mercifully to pardon the […]nfirmities therof they couer ye dead coorse with earthe. Contrarye wise all that depart merely and ful of good hoope, for thē no man mo[…]rnethe, but followethe the heerse with ioyfull synging, cōmending the soules to god with great affectiō. And at the last not with mourning sorrow but with a great […] uerēce they bourne y• bodies. And in ye same place they set vp a piller of stone, with the deade mans titles therin graued. When they be cōme home they reherse his vertuouse ma[…]ers & his good dedes. But no parte of his liffe is soooft or gladly talked of as his mery deathe. They thinke that this remēbraunce of their vertue & goodnes doth vehemē tely prouoke and enforce the quicke to vertue. And y• nothing cā be more pleasaunt & acceptable to the dead. Whom they suppose to be present emong them when they talke of them, though to the dull and feoble eyesight of mortall mē they be inuisibly. For it were an vncon […]enient thinge that the blessed shoulde not be at libertye to goo whether they wold. And it were a poynte of greate vnkyndnes in thē to haue vtterly caste awaye the desyer of vysytynge and seynge their frindes, to whome they were in theyr lyfe tyme ioyned by mutuall loue and charytye. Whych in goodmē after theyre deathe they cownte to be rat[…] encreasede then dymynyshede. They beleue therefore that the deade be presentlye conuersaunte emong y• quicke, as beholders and witnesses of all their woordes and deedes. Therefore they go more corragiously to their busines as ha[…]ing a trust and affiaunce in such ouerseers. And this same belefe of y• present cōuersaciō of their forefathers and auncetours emonge them fearethe them from all secrete dishonesty. They vtterly […]espise and mocke sothe sayinges and diuinacions of thinges to come by the flighte or voyces of birdes, and all other diuinations of vayne superstition, which in other countreys be in great obseruation. But they highly esteame and worshippe miracles that come by no helpe of nature, as workes and witnesses of the presente powr[…] of God. And such they saye doo chaunce there very often. And sūtimes in great and dowtefull matters by commen intercession and prayers they procure and obteyne them with a suer hoope & confidence and a stedfast beleffe. They thinke that the contemplacion of nature and the prayse thereof cumminge, is to God a very acceptable honour. Yet there be many so earnestly bent and affectioned to religion, that they passe no thinge for learning nor giue their mindes to no knowledge of thinges. But ydelnes they vtterly forsake & esch[…]e, thinkinge felicitie after this liffe to be gotten and obteined by busy labors and good exercises. Some therfore of them attende vpon the sicke, some amend highe waies, clense ditches, repaire bridges, digge turfes, grauell and stones, fell and cleaue woode, bring wood cor […]e and other thinges into the cities in cartes, and serue not onlye in commen woorkes, but also in pryuate laboures as seruanntes, yea more then bondmē. For what so euer vnpleasaunte, harde, and vile worke is any where, from the which labour, lothsū […]es, and desper[…] tion doth fraye other, all that they take vpon them willingly and gladly, procuring quyete and rest to other remayning in continuall woorke and labour themfelfes, not embrayding others there wyth. They nother reproue other mens liues nor glorye in theire owne. Thies mē the more seruiseable they behaue them selfes the moore they be honoured of all men. Yet they be diuided into.ij. sectes. The one is of them that liue single and chast absteining not only from the company of women, but also from the eating of flesh, and some of them from al maner of beastes. Which vtterly reiectynge the pleasures of this present lyffe as hurtefull, be all hollye set vpon the dessire of the lyffe to come by watchynge and sweatynge hoping shortely to obtaine it, beyng in the meane season meerye and lustye. The other sect is no lesse desyerous of labour, but they ēbrace matrimony, not despising the solace therof, thinking that they cā not be discharged of theire bon[…]den duetyes towardes nature withoute labour and tiole, nor towardes their nati […]e countreye wythowte procreacion of chyldren. They abstayne from no pleasure that dothe nothynge hynder them from laboure. They loue the fleshe of fourefoted beastes, bycause they beleue that by that meate they be made hardier and stronger to woorke. The Vtopians count this secte the wiser, but y• other the hollier. Which in that they preferre single liffe before matrimony, and that sharpe liffe before an easier liffe, if herin they grounded vpon reasō they wold mock them. But now forasmuch as they say they be ledde to it by religion, they honour and worship thē. And thies be they whome in their language by a peculyare name they call Buthresca[…], the whyche woorde by interpretation signifieth to vs men of relig[…] on or religious men. They haue pryestes of exceding hollines, and therefore very few. For there be but.xiij. in euery city according to the number of theire churches, sauynge when they go furth to battell. For than.vij. of them goo furthe wyth the armye: in whose steades so manye newe be made at home. But the other at theyre retourne home agayn reentre euery one into his own place, they that be aboue the numbre v[…]tyll suche tyme as they succede into the places of the other at theyre dyi[…]ge be in the meane season continuallye in companye wyth the bishoppe. For he ys the chyeffe heade of thē all. They be chosen of the people as the other magistrates be, by secrete voices for y• auoy[…] they be consecrate of their owne company. They be ouerseers of all deuyne matters, orderers of religious, and as it were Iugers and maisters of maners. And it is a great dishonestye and shame to be rebuked or spoken to by anny of thē for dissolute and incontinēt liuing. But as it is their offyce to gyue good exhortations and cow[…]sell, so it is y• de[…]ty of the prince and y• other magistrates to correct and punnyshe offē ders, sauynge that the priestes whome they find exceading vicious liuers, thē they excomm[…]icate from hauing any interest in diuine matters. And there is almoost no punnishment emonge them more feared. For they runne in verye great infamy, and he inwardly tormented with a secrete feare of religion, and shall dot long scape free with their bodies. For onles they, by quycke repentaūce approue the amendement of their lyffes to the priestes, they be taken and punnished of the cownsell as wycked & irreligious. Both childhode and youth is instructed, and tought of them. Nor they be not more deligente to instructe them in learning then in vertue & good maners. For they vse with very greate endeuour and deligence to put into the heades of their children whiles they be yet tender and pliaunt good opinions and profitable for the conseruation of their weale publique. Which whē they be ones rooted in children do remayne wyth them all th[…]ir lyfe after: & be wō ders profitable for the defence & maintenaunce of the state of the cōmen weal the. Which neuer decaieth but through vi[…]is risinge of euell opinyons. The pryestes onles they be women (for that kynd i[…] not excluded from pryesthode, howebeit fewe be chosen, and none but widdowes and old women) the mē priestes I saye take to their wifes the chiefest women in all their countreye. For to no office emong the vtopians is more honour and preeminence geuē. In so much that if they committ any offence, they be vnder no cōmen iudgemēt, but be left only to god & thēselfes. For they thinke it not lawfull to touch him with mannes hande, be he neuer so vityous, whiche after so singuler a sort was dedicate and consecrate to god as a holly offering. This maner may they easely obserue, bicause they haue so few priestes & do chuse thē with such circūspection. For it scasely euer chaunceth that y• most ver[…]uo[…]s emōg vertuous which in respect only of his vertue is auaunced to so high a dignity, can fal to vice and wickednes. And if it should cha[…] ̄ ce in dede (as mans nature is mutable and fraile) yet by reason they be so few and promoted to no might nor powre, but only honour, it were not to be feared that anye great dammage by them should happen and e[…]sue to the cōmen wealth. They haue so rare and few priestes least if the honour were cōmunicate to many y• dignity of y• ordre which emong them now is so highly estemed should runne in contempt. Speciallye bicause they thinke it harde to find many so good, as to be meet for that dignity, to the execution and discharge wher of it is not sufficiēte to be endued with mean vertues. Further more thies priestes be not more estemed of their owne countrey mē, then they be of forrein & straung coūtreis. Which thing maye hereby plainly appere. And I think also y• this is the cause of it. For whiles y• armes be fighting together in opē feld, they a litle beside not farre of knele vpon their knees in their hallowed vestimentes, holding vp theyr hādes to heauen, praying first of all for peace, nexte for vyctory of theyr owne parte, but to neyther part a bluddy vyctory. If their host gette the vpper hand they runne in to the mayne battayle, and restrayne theyre owne men from sleying and cr[…] ellye pursuynge theyre vanquyshed e[…] nemies. Whyche ennemyes yf they do but see them and speake to them, yt ys ynoughe for the sauegarde of theyr lyues. And the towchynge of theire clothes defēdeth & saueth al their gooddes frō ra[…]yne & spoyle. Thys thing hath auaunced thē to so greate wourshyp & trew maiesty emong al natōis, yt many times they haue aswel preserued theire own citizēs frō y• cruel force of their enemies, as they haue their enemies frō the[…] furyous rage of theyre owne men. For yt ys well knowen that whē their owne army hathe reculed, and in dyspayre turned backe, and runne away, theyr ennemies fyerslye pursuing with slaughter and spoyle, then the priestes cumming betwine haue stayed the murder, and parted bothe the hostes. So that peace hath be[…]e made and concluded betwene bothe partes vpon equall and indyfferent condytions. For there was neuer anny natyon, so fiers, so cruell and rude, but they hadde thē in suche reuerence, that they cownted theyr bodyes hallowed and sanctyfyed and therefore not to be violentlye and vnreuerentlye towched. They kepe hollye daye the fyrste and the laste day of euerye moneth and yeare, deuydynge the yeare into mo[…]ethes, whyche they measure by the course of the moone, as they doo the yeare by the course of the sonne. The fyrste dayes they call in theyr language Cynemer[…]es, and the laste Trape[…]ernes, the whyche woordes maye be interpreted primifeste and finifest or els in our speache first feast and last feast. Their churches be very gorgyous, and not onelye of fyne and curious workemāship, but also (which in the fewenes of thē was necessary) very wide and large, and able to receaue a great company of people. But they be all sumwhat darke. Howbeit that was not donne through ignoraunce in buylding, but as they say by the cownsell of the priestes. Bicause they thought y• ouer much light doth disperse mens cogitations, where as in dimme & doutefull lighte they be gathered together, & more earnestly fixed vpon religion & deuocion, which bicause it is not there of one sort emong all men, and yet all the kindes a[…]d fassions of it, thoughe they be sondry and manifold, agree together in the honoure of the deuine nature, as going diuers wayes to one ende, ther fore nothing is sene nor hard, in y• churches, which semeth, not to agre indifferētly with them all. If ther be a distinct kind of sacrifice peculiare to any seuerall secte, that they execute at home in their owne houses. The cōmon sacrifices be so ordered that they be no derogatyon nor preiudyce to a[…]ye of the pryuate sacryfyces and religiōs. Therefore no ymage of annye god is se[…]ne in the churche, to the intente it maye be free for euery man to conceyue god by their religion after what likenes and similitude they will. They call vpon no peculiar name of god but only Mithra. In the which word they all agree together in one nature of y• deuine maiestye whatsoeuer it be. No prayers be vsed but such as euerye man maye boldelye pronownce wythowt the offending of anny secte. They come therefore to the churche, the laste day of euery moneth and yeare in the euenynge yet fastyng, there to gyue thanckes to GOD for that they haue prosperouslye passed ouer the yeare or monethe, wherof that hollye daye ys the laste daye. The next daye they come to the churche earlye in the mornyng, to praye to GOD that they maye haue good fortune and successe all the newe yeare or monethe, whyche they doo begynne of that same hollye daye. But in the holly dayes that be the la[…]e dayes of the monethes and yeares, before they come to the churche the wiffes fall downe prostrat before their husbandes feet at home, & the chidren before the feete of their pa […]entes cōfessing & acknowleginge that they haue off[…]nded other by some actuall dede, or by omissiō of their dewty, & desire pardō for their offence. Thus yf anye cloude of preuy displeasure was risen at home, by this satisfaction it is ouer blowen, that they may be present at the sacrifices with pure and charitable mindes. For they be aferd to come there wt troubled cōsciēces. There fore if they knowe themselfes to beare anye hatred or grudge towardes anye man, they presume not to come to y• sacrifices before they haue reconcyled themselfes and purged theyre conscyences, for feare of greate vengeaunce & punyshemente for their offence. Whē they come thyther the men goo into the ryghte syde of the churthe and the the women into y• left syde. There they place themselfes in suche ordre that all they which be of the male kind in euery houshold sitte before the goodmā of y• house, and they of the female kynde before the goodwyfe. Thus it is forsene that all their gestures and behauiours be marked and obserued abrode of thē, by whose aucthoritye & discipline they be gouerned at home. This also they diligentlye see vnto, that the yo[…]ger euermore be coupled with his […]lder, lest it childrē be ioyned together they […]hold passe ouer that time in childish wantō nes, wherin they ought principallye to conceaue a religious and deuou[…] feere towardes god: which is the chieffe and almost yt only incitatiō to vertue. They kill no liuing beast in sacrifice, nor they thinke not that the mercifull clemency of god hath delite in bloud and slaughter, which hath geuen liffe to beastes to the intent they should liue. They burne frāckensence and other sweet sauours, and light a[…]so a great numbre of waxe candelles and […]apers, nott supposinge this geere to be any thing auaylable to the diuine nature as nother the prayers of men. But this vnhurtfull and harmeles kind of worship pleaseth thē. And by thies sweet sauoures and lightes, & other such ceremonies mē feele thēselfes secretly lifted vp, & encouraged to deuotion with more willynge and […]eruent hartes. The people weareth in the churche white apparell. The priest is clothed in chaungeable coloures. Whiche in workemanshyp be excellent, but in stuffe not verye pretious. For theire vestementes be nother embrodered with golde, nor set with precious stones. But they be wrought so fynely and connyngly with diuers fethers of fowles, that the estimacion of no costelye stuffe is able to coūteruaile the price of the worke. Furthermore in thies birdes fethers, and in the dewe ordre of thē, whiche is obserued in theire settyng, they saye is conteyned certayn deuyne misteries. The interpretation wherof knowen, whiche is diligentlye tawght by the pri[…]stes, they be put in remembraunce of the bountyfull benefites of God towarde them: and of the loue and honoure whiche of theire behalfe is dewe to God: & also of theire dewties one towarde an other. When the priest first commeth out of the vestrie thus apparelled, they fall downe incontinent euery one reue[…]ently to the grounde with so styll silence on euery part, that the very fassion of the thinge striketh into them a certayne feare of God, as though he were there personally presente. When they haue lieu a litle space on the groūde, the priest giueth them a signe for to ryse. Thē they sing prayses vnto God, whiche they inter […]nix[…] with instrumentes of musick, for the moste parte of other fassions then thies that we vse in this parte of the worlde. And like as some of owrs bee muche sweter then theirs, so some of theirs doo farre passe owrs. But in one thynge dowteles they goo excedinge farre beyond vs. For all theire musicke, both that they playe vpon instrumentes, and that they si[…]ge with mans voyce doth so resemble and expresse naturall affections, the sownd & tune is so applied and made agreable to the thynge, that whether it bee a prayer, or els a dytty of gladnes, of patience, of trouble, of mournynge, or of anger: the fassion of the melodye dothe so represente the meaning of the thing, that it doth wonderfullye moue, stire, pearce, and enflame the hearers my[…] des. At the laste the people and the priest together rehearse solempne prayers in woordes, expreslye pronounced, so made that euerye man may priuatelye applye to hymselfe that which is commonlye spoken of all. In thies prayers euerye man recogniseth and knowledgeth God to be hys maker, hys gouernoure, and the principal can se of all other goodnes, thankyng him for so many benfites receaued at hys hande. But namelye that through the fauoure of God he hath chaunced into that publyque weale, whiche is moste happye and welt bye, and hath chosen that religion whyche he hopeth to be moste true. In the whyche thynge yf he doo annye thynge erre, or yf there bee annye other better then eyther of them is, beynge moore acceptable to GOD, he desiereth hym that he wyll of hys goodnes let hym haue knowledge thereof, as one that is readye too followe what waye soeuer he wyll leade hym. But yf thys forme and fassion of a commen wealthe be beste, and his owne religiō moste true and perfecte, then he desyreth God to gyue hym a constaunte stedfastnes in the same, and to brynge all other people to the same ordre of lyuyng, and to the same opinion of God: onles there be any thynge that in this dyuersitie of religions doth delyte his vnsercheable pleasure. To be shorte he prayeth hym that after his deathe he may come to hym. But how soone or late that he dare not assygne or determine. Howebeit, if it myght stande with his maiesties pleasure, he would be muche gladder to dye a paynfull dethe and so to go to God, thē by long lyuing in worldlye prosperytie to bee awaye from hym. Whan this prayer is sayde they fall downe to the ground agayne, and a lytle after they ryse vp and go to dynner. And the resydewe of the daye they passe ouer in playes, and exercise of cheualrye. Nowe I haue declared and descrybyd vnto yowe, as truely as I coulde the fourme and ordre of that commen wealth, which verely in my iudgement is not onlye the beste, but also that whiche alone of good ryght may clayme and take vp[…] ̄ it the name of a commen wealthe or publyque weale. For in other place[…] they speake stil of the comme[…] wealth. But euerye man procureth hys owne pryuate wealthe. Here where nothynge is pryuate, the commen affayres be ear[…]estly […]oked vpon. And truely on both partes they haue good cause so to do as they do. For in other coū treys who knoweth not that he shall sterue for honger, onles he make some seuerall prouision for hymself, though the commen wealthe floryshe neuer so muche in ryches? And therefore he is compelled euen of verye necessitie to haue regarde to hym selfe rather then to the people, that is to saye to other. Contrarywyse there where all thynges be commen to euerye man, it is not to be dowted that anye man shal lacke anye thynge necessarye for hys pryuate vses: so that the commen store houses and barues be sufficientlye stored. For there nothynge is distrybuted af […]er […] nyggyshe sorte, nother there is any poore man or begger. And though no man haue any thynge, yet euerye man is ryche. For what can be more […]ychethen to lyue ioyfullye and merylye without all griefe and pensifenes? Not caryng for hys owne lyuing, nor vexed or trowbled with hys wyfes importunate complayntes, not drydynge pouertie to his sonne, nor sorrowyng for his dowghters dowrey. Yea they take no care at all for the lyuyng and wealthe of themselfes and al theirs, of theire wyfes, theire chyldren, theire […]ephewes, theire childrens chyldren, and all the succession that e[…]er shall followe in theire posteritie. And yet besydes thys there is no lesse prouision for them that were ones labourers, and be nowe weake and impotent, then for them that do nowe laboure and take payne. H[…]ere nowe woulde I see yf anye man dare be so bolde as to compare with thys equytie, the iustice of other nations. Among whom, I forsake God, if I can fynde any signe or token of equitie and iustice. For what iustice is this, that a ryche goldsmythe or an vsurer, or to be shorte any of them, whyche other doo nothyng at all, or els that whiche they do is suche, that it is not very necessary to the common wealthe, should haue a pleasaunt and a welthy […]yuynge, other by Idilnes, or by vnnecessary busynes? When in the meane tyme poore labourers, carters, pro[…]smythes, carpenters, and plowmen, by so great and continual toyle as drawyng & bearyng beastes be skant able to susteine, and agayn so necessary toyle that with out it no commen wealth were able to continewe and e[…]dure one yere, do yet get so harde and poore a lyuing & lyue so wretched and miserable a lyfe, that the state and cōdition of the labouring beastes maye seme muche better and welthier. For they be not put to so contynuall laboure, nor theire lyuynge is not muche worse, yea to them much pleasaunter, takynge no thowghte in the meane season for the tyme to come. But thies seilie poore wretches be presently tormented with barreyne & vnfrutefull labour. And the remēbraunce of theire poore indigent and begerlye olde age kylleth them vp. For theire dayly wages is so lytle that it will not suffice for the same daye, muche lesse it yeldeth any ouerplus, that may dayly be layde vp for the relyefe of olde age. Is not thys an vniust and an vnkynd publyque weale, whyche gyueth great fees and rewardes to gentelmen as they call them, and to goldsmythes, & to suche other, whiche be other ydell persones or els onlye flatterers, and deuysers of vayne pleasures? And of the contrary parte maketh no gentle prouision for poore plowmen, coliars, laborers, carters, yronsmythes, and carpenters: without whome no commen wealth can cōtinewe? But whē it hath abused the laboures of theire lusty and flowringe age at the laste when they be oppressed with olde age and syckenes: being nedye poore and indigent of all thynges, then forgettynge theire so many paynfull watchynges, not remembrynge theire so many and so great benefytes, recompenseth and acquyteth them moste vnkyndly with myserable And yet besides this the riche men not only by priuate fraud, but also by commen lawes do euery day plucke & snatche away from the poore some parte of their daily liuing. So where as it semed before vniuste to recompense with vnkindnes their paynes that haue bene beneficiall to the publique weale, nowe they haue to this their wrong & vniuste dealinge (whiche is yet a muche worse pointe) geuen the name of iustice, yea & that by force of a law. Therfore whē I consider and way in my mind all thies commen wealthes which now a dayes any where do florish, so god helpeme, I can perceaue nothing but a certein conspiracy of riche men procuringe theire owne cōmodities vnder the name and title of the cōmen wealth. They inuent and deuise all meanes and craftes first how to kipe safely without feare of lesing that they haue vniustly gathered together, and next how to hire and abuse the woorke and labour of the poore for as litle money as may be. Thies deuyses when the riche men haue decreed to be kept & obserued for the cōmen wealthes sake, that is to saye for the wealth also of ye poore people then they be made lawes. But thies most wicked & vicious men, when they haue by their vnsatiable couetousnes deuided emōg thē selfes all those thinges which wold haue suffised all men, yet howe farre be they from the wealth and felicity of the vtopian commen wealth? Owt of the which in that all the desire of moneye with the vse therof is vtterly secluded & bannisshed, howe great a heape of cares is cut away? How great an occasiō of wickednes and mischiefe is plucked vp by the […]otes? For who knoweth not that fraud, theft, rauine, brauling, quarelling, brabling, strisse, chiding, cōtentiō, murder, treasō, poisoning, which by dayly punishmētes are rather reuēged then refrained, do dye when money di […]th? And also that feare, griefe, care, laboures, and watchinges do perishe euē the very same moment that money perissheth? Yea pouerty it selfe which only semed to lacke money, if money were goue, it also wold decrease & vanishe away. And that you may perceaue this more plainly, consider withyour selfes some barrein and vnfrutefull yeare, wherin many thousandes of people ha […]e starued for hōger. I dare be bolde to say, y• in the end of that pen[…]ry so much corne or grain might haue bene foūd in y• riche me[…]s barnes if they had bene searched as being deuided emong thē, whome famine and pestilence hath killed, no man at all should haue felt that plage and pe[…]ry. So easely might m[…] gett their liuinge, if that same worthye princesse lady money did not alon stoppe vp the way betwene vs and our liuing, whiche a goddes name was very excellētly deuised & inuēted, that by her the way therto should be opened. I am sewer the ryche men perceaue thys, nor they be not ignoraunte how much better yt werre to lacke […]oo necessarye thynge then to abunde with ouermuch superfluy[…]e, to be rydde owte of in numerable cares and trowbles, then to be beseiged wyth greate ryches. And I dowte not that other the respecte of euery mans priuate commoditie, or els the aucthority of oure sauioure Christe (which for his great wisdom could not but know what were best, & for his inestimable goodnes cold not but coūsell to that which he knew to be best) wold haue brought all the wordle long agoo into the lawes oft his weale publique, if it were no y• one only beast the prince and mother of all mischiefe pride, doth wi[…]hstonde and let it. She measureth not wealth and prosperity by here own cōmodities, but by the miseri[…]es & incō modities of other. She wold not by her good will be made a goddes, if there were no wretches left, whom she might b[…] lady ouer to mocke and scorne: ouer whose miseries her felicity might shine whose pouerty she might vexe, tormēt, & encrease by gorgiously setting furthe her riches. This hell hound […]epeth in to mens hartes: and plucketh thē backe from entering the right pathe of liffe, & is so depely roted in mens brestes that she can not be plucked out. This forme and fassion of a weale publique, which I wold gladly wisshe vnto all natiōs: I am glad yet that it hath chaūced to y• Vtopians, which haue followed those institutions of liffe, wherby they haue laid such fondations of their common wealth, as shall cōtinew & last not only wealthely, but also as farre as mās wit maye iudge and cōiecture shall endure for euer. For seinge the chiefe causes of ambition & sedition with other vices be plucked vp by the rootes and abandoned at home there can be no ieopardye of domesticall dissention, which alone hathe caste vnder fote and broughte to noughte the well fortefied and strongly defenced wealth and riches of many cities. But for asmuch as perfect cō cord remaineth, and holsome lawes be executed at home, the enuy of all forrein princes be not able to shake or moue y• empire, though they haue many tymes long ago gone about to do it, beinge euermore dreuen backe. Thus whē Raphaell hadde made an ende of his tale, thoughe manye thinges came to my mind which in the manners and lawes of that people semed to be instituted & foūded of no good reasō, not only in ye fassiō of their cheualry & in their sacrifices and religions, and in other of their lawes, but also, yea & chieffely in that which is the pri[…]cipall fondacion of al their o[…]dinaunces, that is to saye in the communitie of theire liffe and liuinge, without anny occupieng of money, by the whyche thynge onelye all nobilitie, magnificence wourship honour and maiestie, the true ornamentes and honoures as the common opinion is of a common wealth vtterly be ouerthrowen and destroyed: yet bicause I knew that he was wery of talkinge, and was not sure whether he coulde abide that any thing shoulde be said againste hys minde: speciallye bicause I remembred that he had reprehended this fault in other which be, aferd least they shoulde seme not to be wise enough, o[…]les they could find some fault in other mens inuentions: therfore I praising both their institutions and his communication, toke him by the hand and led him into supper: saying that we wold chuse an other time to way and examine the same matters, and to talke with him more at lardge therin. Whiche wold to God it might ones come to passe. In the mean time as I can not agree and consent to all thinges that he said, being els without dowte a man singulerly well learned, and also in all wordely matters exactely and profoundely experienced, so must I nedes confesse and graunt that many thinges be in the vtopian weal publique, which in our cities I may rather wisshe for then hoope after.

Thus endeth the afternones talke of Raphaell Hythlodaye concerning the lawes and institutions of the Iland of Vtopia.