A supplication of the poore commons Whereunto is added the supplication of beggers.

A supplication of the poore commons Whereunto is added the supplication of beggers.

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¶ To the most victorious prynte Henry the. viii. by the grace of God •…yng of Englande, Fraunce, & Ireland, defender of the Fayth, and supreme head of the Churche of England, and Ireland, immediatly next vnto God: hys humble and most faythfull subiectes of the realme of England wysh lyfe euerlastyng.

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Title page

¶ TO THE 〈◊〉 oure soueraygne Lorde.

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¶ A supplication of the poore Commons.

¶ Prouerbes. xxi. Chapiter.v.13 ¶ Who so stoppeth his eare at the criynge of the poore, he shall crye hym selfe, and shall not be heard.

¶ Wherunto is added the Supplication of Beggers.

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¶ To the most victorious prynte Henry the. viii. by the grace of God [...]yng of Englande, Fraunce, & Ireland, defender of the Fayth, and supreme head of the Churche of England, and Ireland, immediatly next vnto God: hys humble and most faythfull subiectes of the realme of England wysh lyfe euerlastyng.

PItuously complaineth the pore cō mons of this your maiesties realme greatly lamentyng their owne mise rable pouertie, and yet muche more the most lamentable and more thē wretched estate of their chyldrē and posteri [...]e. Whose myserie forsene and throughly consideredis and ought of very nature, to be more do: lorous and sorowful vnto cuerye naturall hert thē that which we our selues feale and sustayne. Not many yeres [...]fore, your high nes poore subiectes the lame, and impotente creatures of this realme, presēted your high nes with a piteful and lamētable complaint imputyng the head and chiefe cause of their penury and lacke of reliefe, vnto the great & infinite nombre of valiant and sturdy beggers, which had by their subtyll and crafty demaner in begging, gotten into their hādes more then the third part of the yearely reutnewse [Page] and possessions of this your highnes realme. Wher vpon (as it semed) your hygh nes (sekynge a redresse and reformation of thys greate and intollerable enormitie: as a merciful father ouer this your natural coun try, moued wyth pitie towardes the misera ble and pittiful nombre of blind, lame, lazar & other the impotent creatures of this your realme) hath wyth most ernest diligence, sup planted, and as it were weeded out a greate numbre of valiaunt and sturdye Monckes. Fryers, Chanons, Heremites, and Nunnes Which disguised ypocrites, vnder the name of the contempt of this world, wallowed in the sea in the worldes wealth. And to the en [...]ent your louing & obedient subiectes might the better be able to releue the neadie & impo tent creatures, you toke frō them the greate nūbre of gilted beggers, whose holines was so fast roted in the hertes of vs your pore cō mons: through the false dilusiōs of the forsayd sturdy & valiant beggers, that we wold not stick to go an. C. myles on our bare fete to seke one of them that we might not only bestow our almes vpō them, but also do thē reuerence and honour none other wise then if they had bene very Gods. Yea, whē your hyghnes had ordeyned that al these forsayd beggers shulde be vtterly abolished, neuer to deceyue vs of our almes anye more, we like mē alwaies brought vp in folish supersticiō of these false Phariseis & flateryng Hypocrites: [Page] knewe not the obedience that we owe to you our natural and most rightful prince but in continēt fel in an vprore criyng. Our holi dayes, Abbayes, & Pylgrimages. None oher wise, than the Ephesians dyd agaynst the elect vessell of God sancte Paule, whan Act. 17. 24. [...]sa. 66. 1. he sayd, they are not Godes, which be made with handes, and as the Iewse did against holy Steuen whan he sayd that God dwelleth not in an house made with mans hand. A [...]t. 7. 48. Yea, had not God wrought on your parte, in apeasing that sturdy thronge: this realms had euen then, ben like to haue bene vtterly decayed. For euen those whome your highnes had called togither to assiste you in that daungerous tyme, were (for the moste parte) so bente to the opinion of the other, that many of them woulde not stike to say. When we shal come to the battaile: we know what we haue to do. But nowe (the lorde be thanked therfore) that your highnes hath finished that your godly purpose, without bloudshede of your poore commones, and that the worde of god hath ben so set furth & taught by your cōmandent, that euery man that lusteth may therin learne his duitie and office: we are fully perswaded, that all such as resiste the pours, whome God hathe ordeyned and appoynted to rule & gouerne the multitude of thys worlde, do not resyste man, but Rō. 13. 2. God. Be you certayne therfore (most graciouse prince) that we (your most obediēt subiectes, [Page] walkyng in the fear of the Lord, wyl not from hense forth (so long as the knowledge of godes worde shall reigne amongeste vs) attempt any such so diuilishe enterprise, as to rebel agaynst your highnesse our most natural souerayne and leage lorde, either for our forfathers popyshe tradicions, or other oure owne fantastical dreams, not withstā dynge that the remenaunt of the sturdy beggers (not yet weaded out) do daylye in theyr writynges, counsels and preachynges: stere vs thereunto. For what meane they in their Sermons when they lament the greate discord and myserable estate of this our tyme, wishynge that all thynge were nowe as it was. xx. yeares since: but that they woulde haue a Pope, pardons, lightyng of candels to Images, knockyng and knelyng to them with runnyng hither and thither on pilgremage? Besides the infinit number of purgatory horseleches, on whō the vengeaunce of God is so manifestly declared for their beastly buggery: that the very places where thei dwelt, ar not thought worthy to be thr dwellinges of mē, but the ca [...]es of bruit bestes and veuemous wormes. Thei tell vs what vice, vncharitablenes, lacke of mercy diuercitie of opinions and other lyke enormites, haue raigned euer sence men had the Scripture in Englyshe. And what is thys other, then to cause mens consciens to abhorre the same, as the onely cause and originall [Page] of all thys? Thei say that it sufficeth [...] laye man, to beleue as thei teach, and not to meddle with the enterpretatiō of the Scrip tures. And what meaneth that, but that thei would haue vs so blynd agayn as we were when we would haue fought agaynst our [...] naturall Prynce, for the mayntenaunce of their popyshe traditions and purgatory patrimony? Thei cannot abyde this name, the word of God: but thei wold haue the scripture called the commaūdement of God, and what meaneth this, but that thei are the same enemyes of God, whom that two edged sword shall destroy? Finally, thei haue procured a lawe, that none shal so hardy haue the Scripture in his house, onlesse he maye spend. x. pound by yere. And what meaneth this, but that they would famysh the soules of the residue, witholdyng theyr food from them. We appeale to your highnes iudgement in this behalfe, whither this lawe be indifferent or not. If none should be alowed me [...]t in your highnes house, but suche as were clothed in veluet with chaines of gold about theyr neckes, what seruauntes wold your maiestie haue shortly? what steruelynges would your seru [...]untes be aboue all other? For no man within your realme may refuse to do your grace seruyce. Hath God put immortall soules in none other but in such as be possessioners of this world? Did [...]t C [...]yst send word to Ihon the Baptist [Page] that the pore receyued the Gospell? And the Mat. 11. 5. Gospel that thei shutte vp from vs, was i [...] not the writynges of poore fysher men and Mat. 4. 18-22 symple creatures, euen takē for the dregges of the worlde? Were not the setters furthe of it and the Prophetes also persecuted, tor Heb: 11. 35-37 mented and slayne? And why do these men disable them for readers of the Scriptures, that are not indued with the possessions of this worlde? vndoutely (most gratious souerayn) because they are the very same that shut vp the kyngdome of God before men, thei enter not them selues nother suffre thei them to entre that wolde. They are lyke to Mat. 23. [...]3. Luk 11. 52. [...] curre Dogge liyng in a cocke of haye. For he wyll eate none of the heye hym selfe, neither suffer any other beast that commeth to eate therof. But some wyl peraduēture say they were not all sturdy beggers that were in the Parlament when this lawe was stablished. For many of thē, and the most parte were seculer men. And not of suche habilite that this lawe would permyt them to haue the Scripture in their houses: Wherfore, this lawe is in different, and taketh not the worde of God from vs, but we wyth oure ful consent haue committed it to them in the sayde lawe limytted. Where vnto we aunswer, that if we haue geuen it ouer from vs to the possessioners of this worlde, we may well be lykened to the Gedarites Marke. v. Ma [...]. 5. 14-17. Ma [...] [...]. 34. which desired Christ to departe from they [...] [Page] coūtry. And the lurking night birdes which cānot abyde the bryghte beames of the Sō. We may boldly affirme that what man soeuer doth wyttyngly and willingly forsake the knowledge of the lyuely worde of God (the foode of our solles, and lyghte of oure footesteppes,) is none of the flock of Christ Forasmuch as his shepe heare his voyce, & [...]. 10. 27. reioyce in the same. Did thei that toke their names of anye Philosopher, shut vp they; masters doctrine from them selfe? Did thei not thynke them selues vnworthy to be na med after their masters, vnlesse thei knewe their preceptes and rules? Did not the Mō kes, Friers, and other the supersticious religious: employe all they▪ studye to knowe their rules and statutes? Do not the Coelginers at this daye set the boke of theyr statutes at libertie, streightlye commaundyng eche felowe vnder payne of punishemente to employ them, to haue the through knowledge of the same? And shold we glory to be the flocke of Chryst, and to be called of him Christians, when we do willyngly and wit tyngly exclude our selfe from the knowlege of the rule which he hathe commaunded vs to folowe on payne of dampnation of oure soules? Would your hyghnes thynke that man were willyng to do your commaundement, that would not diligently reade ouer your highnes letters sentfrom you to certifie hym of youre wyll and pleasure in hys office? And what other thynge is the whole [Page] Scripture then the declarion of the wyl o [...] God? Wer it lykely therfore, that we exclu dyng our selues from the knowledge therof shold be willyng to do his wyl? If we haue therfore reiected this merciful profer of our moost mercifull father when he vsed youre hyghnes, as hys instrumente, to publyshe and set forthe hys moost lyuelycke worde, wherin is declared the inestimable loue that [...]e beare towardes vs, in that he gaue hys [...]oh. 3. 16: onelye sonne to be an acceptable sacrifice for oure synnes: and the vnspekable mercy which caused him to accept vs as iust euen for his sonnes sake without our workes or deseruinges: let vs now humbly fal downe prostrate before his maiestye, wyth perfecte repentance of this the contempte of his mer cifull gyf [...]e. Moost humbly besekinge hym of his infinyte goodnes, tenderly to beholde the doloures of our hertes, for that we neg lected so mercifull a profere. And to forget oure obstinacie ther in, geuynge your hyghnes suche desire of oure saluation, that you wyll as fauorably [...]ore vnto vs the scripture in oure english tonge as you dyd at the fyrst trāslation therof set it abrode. Let not the aduersaries take occasion to say the Bi ble was of a traytours settinge forthe and not of your hyghnes owne doynge. For so they reporte, that Thomas Cromwell late Thomas Cromwell. earle of Esse [...] was the [...]hyfe doer, and not [...]oure hyghnes, but as led by him. All thys [Page] thei do to withdraw the mindes of vs (your hyghnesses subiectes) from the readyng and study therof. Which thyng doth easely appere by the diligence they shewe in settyng forth and execution of your hyghnes proclamatiōs and iniunctions consernyng the same. For when youre highnes gaue commaundement that thei shoulde se that there were in euery parysh Churche within thys your highnes realme, one Byble at the least set at libertie, so that euery man myght frely come to it, and read therin▪ suche thynges as should be for his consolation: manye of this wicked generation, as well preystes as other their faythful adherentes, wuld pluch it other into the Quyre, [...]ther elles into som Pue where pore men durst not presume to come. Yea, ther is no smale numbre of chur ches that hath no Byble at all. And yet not suffised with the withholdyng of it from the pore of their owne parishes, they neuer [...]ested tyl they had a commaundement from your highnes, that no man, of what degree so euer he wer, should read the Bible in the tyme of Goddes seruice (as they call it) a [...] though the hearyng of theyr Latin lyes and [...]oniuryng of water and salte were rather the seruice of God, thē the study of his most holy worde, the onelye foode of our soules, and lyght of our fote steppes: wythout whi che no man can walke vpryghtly in perfect lyfe worthy our name and profession. [Page] This was theyr diligence insettynge forthe the Byble at your hyghnesse cōmaundemēt But when your highnesse had diuised a pro clamation for the burnynge of certen translations of the newe testament, they were so bold to burne the whole Bibles, because they were of those mens translations. And yf your hyghnesse woulde enquire of them whoe toke the paynes in translatinge the great byble that your highnes hath authori sed we thynke they coulde not for verye shame denie but euen agaynste theyr wylles graunt, that those poore men, whose paines & greate trauayle they haue rewarded with fire and banishment, were the doers ther of. See, gratiouse prince, how they play bopipe with your highnes commaundementes sup pressinge in al that they dare the thyng that youre highnesse hath authorised, euen as it were men that loked for a faire daye, which we trust in the Lorde Iesu, they shall neuer see. As we herd say they profered your high nesse, that if it wolde please you to call in the bible agayne (for as much as it was not faithfully trāslated in al partes) they wold ouer see it and with in. vii. yeres set it forth agayne. A wiles: we think they haue red the story of a certen man who beynge condemned to die profered that if he might haue his life he would doo his prince such a pleasure as neuer man dyd, for hee woulde wythin the space of. xiiii. yeres, teach him an ase to [Page] daunce, where vpon he had his lyfe [...] him vpon condition that yf he dyd not per: forme his promessed enterprise that then he shoulde neuer the lesse suffer deathe. Thy [...] done he was demaūded of one of his familiers, why he was so madde to take vppon him such an enterprise so farre beyonde all reason and possibilytie. He answered, my frend, hold the cōtent, I haue wrought wysly, for wyth in these. xiiii. yeares other the kynge, I, or the asse, shalbe dead, so that by thys meanes I shall escape thys reprochfull and shamfull death: So your byshopes (most victoriouse prince) if they might haue gotten in the bible for. vii. yeres they wolde haue trusted that by that tyme, ether, youre highnes shoulde haue ben dead, or the bible forgotten, or els they thē selues out of your highnes reache so that you should not haue had like power ouer thē as you haue nowe. Wel go to we trust ere the. vii. yeres be past God shall reua [...]e vnto your highnes much more of theyr subtyll imaginations then we are worthy to know of Moreouer, wil your highnes se howe faythfully they dyd youre commaundemēt, when you appoynted two of them to ouer loke the translation of the bible. They sayd they had done youre highnes cōmaundement therin, yea they set their names there vnto, but when they sawe the worlde som what lyke to wrynge on the other syde they denyed it, and said they neuer [Page] medeled therewith, causyng the Prynter t [...] take out theyr names which were erst set be fore the Bible to certifie all mē that th [...]i had diligently perused it according as your high nes had commaunded. One other poynt of theyr diligēce your highnes may note in the settyng forth and vsyng of youre hyghnes Primer both in Englysh and Latin. And in the diligent readyng vnto the people, the exhortatiō to prayer, which you ordeyned and commaunded to be redde alwaies before the Prossession in Englysh. We thynk no man can blameles say, that euer he heard one of them reade it twyse ouer. Yea, when your highnes was returned from youre victory done at Bullyn: they dyd what they coulde to haue called it in agayne. In so much that they caused all such parishes as they myght commaunde: to vse theyr olde Kyre eleyson agayne. And yet to this daye, thei vse on solempne feastes to folow theyr olde ordinary not withstandyng your highnes commaundement. But whē thei katch any thyng that soundeth to the contrary, it shall not escape so we warrant you. It shalbe swynged in euery pulpyt, wyth this is the kynges gratious wyll, and yet these heretickes wylbe styll doyng in the Scriptures. A shomaker, a cobbler, a tayler, a boy not yet. xx. yeres of age: shal not stycke to reproue that a lerned manne of. xl. yeares studye shall affyrme in the declaration of Gods word. O how god ly wer the people disposed, when thei knew [Page] nothyng of the Scripture but as thei were taught by profound clerkes and well lerned men? Thē were there hospitals buylded for the poore. Then wer there Coleges buylded for the maintenaūce of lernyng. Yea, if they durst they would say, then were Abbayes & Chauntries founded for the realyfe of the pore soules in the bitter payns of Purgato ry. Then were our purses filled with the of ferynges of the deuout people that vsed to seke the blessed Images, and relickes of our sauior Christ, & of his blessed mother Mary with the residue of his saints. If your high nes would rayse vp but one Abbe, Chauntry, or pilgremage, you shuld easely perceiue which way thei are bent. We dout not but for these. vii. yeres folowyng Masōs occupation with other belongyng to buyldyng would be the best handy craftes within this your royalme. We praye God their subtill imaginations maye alwaies come to lyghte before thei preua [...], to the hinderāce of Gods veritie. And that it may please hym alwaies to assist your highnes in the defendyng and settyng furth of the same, [...]o hys glory, and the soul helth of vs your highnes most faith ful & obedient subiectes. And that you leaue not of, tyll you haue roted out al these sturdy beggers, that the pore members of Christ may haue that porsion to lyue vpon, which was frō the beginnynge apointed for them. We meane the. x. part of euery mās yerly in [...]ease. For though, at the cōmyng of Christ [Page] and long before these tenthes were geuen t [...] the Pristes of the lawe: yet was it not so from the beginnynge, for at the fyrste, be cause the world was not so replenished with people but that euery man was a great pos sessioner: it was thought good to take of the best of their increase and to offer it to the liuyng God in sacrifice, as it appereth by the storie of Abel and [...]ain. But whan the people grewe to so greate a numbre that euerye man coulde not haue a sufficient porsion to lyue vpon vnlesse he were able to laboure and tyll the grounde: Then was it prouided that euery possessioner shoulde set the tenth of his yearely increase, in the porche of hys house, that the lame, blinde, sycke, and dise [...] sed, myght be there releued. This order continued tyl the time that Moyses by the com maundement of God gaue a lawe to the Is raelites, and appoynted that a certayne kyn [...]ed amongest thē, that is: the Leuites shuld be alwayes theyr priestes, and mynisters of the Tabernacle, vnto whom he appoynted certayne partes of euery sacrifice, that they myght lyue therby. For as yet there was no tēthes to be paied, for thē they were in their iorney frō Egypt, which iorny cōtinued ful xl. yeres, but after that they wer once settled in the lande of promesse, and gathered the fruytes of the grounde, they thought good to geue the tenthes of theyr increase to the priestes that ministred in the tabernacle that [Page] they myght lyue ther vpon accordyng to the wordes of the prophet mal. ii [...]. Bring in eueri tenth [...]. 3. 8. 10. 11. into my barn that ther may be meat in my house But thē ther was an other pro uysion for the poore Leui. xxiii. For no man leu. 23. 22. myght lease, rake, or gleane his grounde after he had gathered of his croppe. Noo, they mighte not gather their grapes nor frutes twyse, but must leue the latward fruit with the scateryng of theyr corne for the poore to gather that they inyghte haue some relyefe therby, this order cōtinued to the commyng of Chryst. After whose commyng, the christian sort had all thynges commune so that no man knewe of any increase, for as much as no man toke anye thynge for hys owne, Actes. iiii. But when the numbre of christians A [...]: 2. 44. 45. & 4: 32. encreased so muche that they possessed hole cyties, coūtreys, & kyngdomes: it was thought good that euery mā should knowe hys owne to the intent that such as other wyse woulde haue lyued ydly shoulde ther by be prouoked to laboure, as apeareth by the rule that saint Paul gaue to the Cessa 2. Th [...]: 3. 10. [...]. lonians. ii. Cessaloni [...]. which was thys: who so laboureth not let hym not eat: yet was ther no tenthes payd to the ministers, for Paull wrytinge to the Lorinthians. i. Lorin. ix. desireth thē to be good to such as laboure in the ministration of the Gospell, affirminge that it is but mete that suche as serue the aulter should haue a liuynge the [...] [...]. 9. 13. [Page] by, and that it were farre vndesent to m [...] sell the oxe that trauaylleth all the daye in 1. c [...]r 9. 9. treadyng the corne out of the strawe. Deutro. xxv. which thinge he neded not to haue done, yf the tenthes of ech mans encrease had as thā ben geuē to thē, for that myght haue sufficed thē well ynough (onlesse they had ben as gredye as oure ministres bee, whiche be neuer satisfieth) yet after thys whan the christian religion was thorowly stablyshed in many congregations, & many men had laboured ouer the scriptures, they thoughte good to prouide for the poore impotent creatures accordigne to the example of the auncient fathers of the olde lawe. And bycause they were perswaded that Christ offering vp him selfe vpō the crosse had ended all sacrifice. Hebre. x. so that the Heb: [...] 10. ministers amonge thē neded not to bee pestered with any other thing thē preaching, they agreed to adde vnto the preachers an other sort of ministers, which myght supplie the office of holy Steuē and the other which in the primatiue church were appoin ted to distribute the goodes of the congregation, accordinge as euerye man shoulde stand in neade. Actu: vi. To these men they Act▪ 6. 1. 2. gaue the tenthe of theyr yerlye encrease, to the intent that they shoulde there vpō minister all necessaries, as well to the preachers, as to the poore impotēt membres of the churche.

[Page] But after that persequutiō began to sease & the prechers of the worde of God liued in peace, and that the people were fully bente to learne & followe the doctrine of Christe: they dyd by the preachers: as the I sraelites wolde haue doone by Christe, when he had fede so many of them wyth so lytle bread. Iohn. vi. They made thē theyr rulers thinkynge Ioh. 6. 5-10-14: that those men which had brought [...] thē out of the darkenes of erroure, and instructed thē in the true knowledge of God coulde best gouerne the pub [...]ke weale. And woulde walke most vpryghtly in example of lyfe, cōpellinge the people ther by, to embrace all godlye & honest lyuinge, and to detest and abhore the cōtrari. This was their intēt (most gracious prince) whā they gaue rule to the preachers of Goddes truth and verite. And in very dede the thinge proued according to their expectatiō, for a season.

But alasse, after the true shepherdes were departed out of thys lyfe: there entred into the foulde most rauening woulfes, of whō saint Paule gaue vs warnyng whā he said I know for a certenty, that immediatly after my departinge frō you: there shall enter in amōge you certē in sheppes clothing, but inwardly they are rauening wolfes. Act. xx. 29.

The lyke thynge dyd sainte Peter forsee when he premonished the elders, that they shold not behaue thēselues toward the people, as mē hauing dominiō ouer thē. 1 Pet [...] [...]3. [Page] These hierlinges intended not to mainta [...] [...] increase the spiritual treasure of the congregatiō, but to fyl their owne coffers with golde and vayne treasure, to bringe thē selues aboue Kinges and Emperours, yea to be taken for Goddes vicars vpon earthe. And that they myght the soner bringe this their purpose to passe, they persuaded the people that it should be much more cōuenient that they had the tenthes & patrimony of the church (as they cal it) thē the deacōs, whō the people had elected there vnto. And that it shoulde be more beseaming that the deacones were at theyr fyndinge, then that they shoulde be at the deacons findinge for they woulde kepe hospitality for the poore accordinge as the institutiō of the Apostles was that they should, whiche thynge they could not do onles they had wher withal to maintain it. By these meanes were the peo ple sone persuaded to geue vnto thē not onely the tenth but certein possessiōs also to thentent thei might maintayne the more liberal hospitality for the relieue of the pore This done all theyr study was to set them selues so hyghe in the conscience of the peo ple that they shoulde take all theyr traditions to be of no lesse authoritie then the cō maundement of God, to do this they could find none so ready a way as to name theyr traditions the lawes of the church. For yf we beleue that Christe is the heade of the [Page] churche, and that he is God: then muste we neades graunt that the lawes of the church be goddes lawes. O diuelish subtiltie, more then serpentical? what subtyl fouler coulde haue diuised a more subtyl trayne to bring the poore simple byrdes into his nette? Le [...] tes yf al the deuels in hell had ben of theyr coūsel (as we thinke they were) they could not haue cōcluded vpon a more subtil imaginatiō. Now haue they ynough, what ne [...] deth thē to seke any further: now may they cōmaunde vs to buylde them goodly churches with hyghe steaples, & greate belles to tyng oure pence into theyr purses whē our frendes be dead. Nowe may they make vs beleue that theyr masses be helpful sacrifices both for the quick and the dead. Nowe must we beleue that the popes pardons do release vs both from payne and faute, but Christ releaseth the faute only. Now must we beleue they can make of two creatures one, that is to say coniure water and [...]alte that it be made a medicine both for bodye & soule, and of such force that it may be able to roote out the deuell him self with all hys aungels and ministers. Nowe must we beleue that repētaunce auayl [...]th vs not onles we declare all our synnes with the circumstaunce therof to one of them, and do such satisfaction as they shal appoint vs to do. Now can we not denye but that the outra [...]iouse belowing of a sorte as sodomiticall [Page] buls, myngled with the proud pipyng of organs: is the seruice of God, and worthy to be preferred before the redyng and preching of Gods worde. Now must we beleue that God wyl not heare our praier onles we be in fauoure with some of the deade saintes which wyl be our aduocate. Now must we beleue that the making and giiting of ymages, building of abayse, churches, chaūtri [...]s gyldes, hermitages, and gyuinge of boke, bell, cādelsticke, basen, yower, crwetes, pax, chalyse, corporate, vestimētes, aulter clothes curtens, hanginges, towels, torches, tapurs, shepe, sensoures, pixese, coopes, cannebes, & runnyng on pilgrimage: is more acceptable to God thē the. vii. workes of mercy. Now must we beleue that they cā not erre, though they set vp the bloude of a ducke to be hono red for the verye bloude of Christe, thoughe they made the roode of kente to wagge hys yies, though they were baudes & fornicators with the holy whore of kent. We maye not thinke they ought to marye wyues though we take thē dayly abusinge other mens wy ues. We muste not saye that they are rauenynge Act. 20. 29 woulfes, but the true shepherdes of Christ, although we see thē bothe bye & sell the cōgregacions of Christ, & whē they haue them lo [...]e for nought els but what yearelye rentes may be clearlye r [...]ased therof. Youre hyghnes knoweth ryghte well what desyre they haue to fead the flocke, for it is not yet [Page] many yeares sense youre hyghnesse in your hygh courte and parliament, was by theyre negligence constrayned, to establishe a lawe, that vnder payne of a forfayte they shoulde preache in euery of theyr paryshes foure tymes in a yeare at the leste, and that none shoulde haue moe benefices then one, whervpon he shoulde be reasident. But here they put your highnes in mynde of all such chapelyns as do seruice to youre hyghnes, and to other your nobles of this your realme, be sides other, certein graduates of the vniuer sities. Wherevpon it was prouided, by the authorite of the sayd parliament, that euery such chaplayn myght haue many benifices and be non residēce to lye at the vniuersitie or els where at his pleasure so he wer in any of your nobles se [...]uice. Oh gratious prince, here are we your natural, and most obeisāt leage people, constrayned to forget (with all humble subiec [...]ion we speke it) that we are of nature & by the ordinaunce. of God your most bounden subiectes, and to cal to remē braūce that by our second byrth we ar your brothers and felowe seruauntes (althoughe in a much inferior ministery) in the houshold of the lorde our God. Most hūble beseking your highnes to forget also in thys poynte that you are our leage lorde and souerayne, taking our wordes as a tokē of the feruent desire that we (your most faithful subiects) haue of yo [...] soiles saluation. A [...]habe kyng of Israel, whā he intended to make a viage [Page] and to take by force the country and [...] tantes of Ramo [...]h Giliade, he caused hy [...] prophetes to the nombre of. LLLL. fals [...] prophetes, to be brought before him that he might know by thē whether the lord wo [...] prosper his iorney or not. These false prophetes standing in the syght of the kynge, & beinge dmaūded of him whether he sh [...]lde make expeditiō against Ramoth or not: an swered with one voice, make expeditiō, the lord shal geue it into the hādes of the king iii. Reg. xxi [...]. In lyke maner (most dread souerayne) your hyghnes & youre most noble prodicessours haue alwais cōsulted a great nōbre of false prophetes, which as Achabes prophetes dyd: prophesied vnto you lies, wringyng & wrestynge the scriptures to sta blishe your hyghnes in all such thynges as they perseyued you bēt vnto. And if at any tyme anye true Micheas haue prophesied vnto you the trueth of Gods worde, one Sedechias or other boreth him on the che [...] v. 24. ke that he rēneth streight into the fyre. So that hitherto they haue led your highnes in this detestable erroure that you thyncke it lawfull for you and your nobles to reward those false flattering Babiloncall prophethes wyth tha [...] porcion which by the ordinaūce of God is dwe to the poore impotēt creatures the lame, blynde, lazer, & sore mē bres of Christe, we beseke you (most deare soueraine) euē for the hope you haue in the [Page] redemptiō by Christ: that you call to rem [...] braūce that dreadfull daye whā your highnesse shall stāde before the iudgemēt [...]eat of God in no more reputatiō thē one of those miserable creatures which do nowe daylye dy in the stretes for lack of theyr dwe porsi on wherwith you & your nobles do reward those gnatonical elbo whangers your chap laines. Yf theyr ministrie be so necessary to your highnes that you can not lacke them: yet let not the vnsasiable dogges deuour, the bread that was prepared for the childrē Mat. 15. 26. let thē be appoynted lyuinges worthy th [...] ministration. What reason is it that a surueyer of bildinges or landes, an alckmist, or a goldsmith, shoulde be rewarded with be nefice vpō benefice, which of very reason oughte to be committed to none other but such as through godly lerninge and cōuer sation wer able and would apply them selues to walke amydes theyr flocke in al god ly example and puritie of lyfe, howe greate a numbre is there, of theym that vnder the name of your chaplynes may dispend yerly by benefices, some one. L. some. LL. some LLL. some. LLLL. some. LLLLL. yea, some. M. markes and more. It is a comone saiyng among vs your hyghnes pore commons: that one of your highnes chapplene, not many yeres synce, vsed when he lusted to ride a brode for hys repast, to cary wyth hym a scrowle, wherin wer written the names [Page] of the parishes wherof he was parson. [...]s it fortuned, in hys iourney he aspied [...] Churche standynge vpon a fayre hyll, pleasauntly beset with groues and playn feldes the goodly grene medowes liyng beneth by the banckes of a Christalline ryuer garnished with wyllouse, poplers, palme trees, and alders, most beautiful to behold. This vigilant pastoure, taken with the syghte of this terestial paradise, sayd vnto a seruaūt of his (the clerke of his signet no doubte it was, for he vsed to cary his ma [...]ters ryng in his mouth) Robin sayd he, yonder benefice standeth very pleasantly. I would it were myne. The seruaunt aunswered. Why syr quoth he, it is your owne benefice, and named the Parish. Is it so? quoth your chaplen. And with that he pulled out his scroule to se for certentie whether i [...] were so or not Se (most dread souerayn) what care they take for the flocke. When they se theyr parysh churches they knowe theim not by the sittuation. If youre highnes had so manye swyne in youre royalme as you haue men: would ye commyt them to the kepyng & fedyng of such swynherdes as did not know theyr swynsecotes when thei sawe theym? Oh merciful God how far wide is this our tyme from the primatiue church. Defer not (moost deare soueraine) the reformation of this mysse: for the day of the Lord is at hād and shall come vppon vs as a the [...]e in the 1. Thes. 5. 3. [Page] nyght. ii. Peter. iii. Disceiue not your sel [...] through the false gloses of these flatteryng 2. Pet. 3. 10 Ipocrytes. Turne them out after theyr bre thren the pyed purgatory patriarkes: and re store to the poore members of Christ, they [...] due portion, which they trusted to haue receiued when they sawe your highnes turne out the other sturdy beggers. But alas the [...] failed of theyr expectation and are now in more penurye then euer they were. For, although th [...] sturdy beggers gat all the deuotiō of the good charitable people from them yet had the pore impotent creatures somer [...] lefe of theyr scrappes, where as nowe thy [...] haue nothyng. Thē had they hospitals, and almeshouses to be lodged in, but nowe they lye and storue in the stretes Then was their number great, but nowe much greater. And no merueil for ther is in sted of these sturdy beggers, crept in a sturdy sorte of e [...]torsioners These mē cesse not to oppresse vs your highnes pore cōmōs in such sort that many thousandes of vs, which here befo [...]e lyued honestly vpon our so [...]e labour and trauayl, bryngyng vp our chyldren in the exercise of honest labore are now constrayned some to begge, some to borowe and some to robbe & steale, to get food for vs and our poore wiues & chyldren. And that whych is most lyke to growe to inconuenience, we are constrained to suffer our chyldren to spēd the flour of theyr youth in [...]es, bringyng them vp [Page] other to bear wallettes, other eles if thei be [...]urdy to stuffe prisons, and garnysh galow trees. For such of vs as haue no possessiōs lefte to vs by oure predicessours and elders departed this lyfe, can nowe get no Ferme, tennement or cottage at these mens handes without we paye vnto theim more then we are able to make: yea, this was tollerable so long as after this extreme exaction, we wer not for the residue of our yeares oppressed with much greater rentes then hath of ancient tyme bene paied for the same groundes, for thā a man myght within few yeres be able to recouer his fyne and afterwarde lyue honestly by hys trauel. But now these extorsioners haue so improued theyr landes that they make of. xl. s. fyne. xl. pounde, and of. v. nobles rent. v pound. yea, not suffised with this oppression within theyr owne inheritaunce: they buy at your highnes hand such abbay lādes as you appoint to be sold And when they stand ones ful seased therin they make vs your pore cōmons so in dout of their threatynges that we dare do none other but bring into their courtes: our copies taken of the couentes of the late dissolued Monastaries, and confirmed by youre hygh court of Parliament, thei make vs beleue that by the vertue of your highnes sale all our former writynges are voyde and of none effect And that if we wil not take new leases of thē, we must thē furthwith avoid [Page] the groūdes as hauyng therin none entre [...]. Moreouer, when they can espy no commodious thyng to be boughte at your highnes hand: thei labour for, and optayne certayne leases for. xxi. yeres, in and vpō such abbay landes as lie commodiously for them. Then do they dashe vs out of countanaunce with your highnes authorite, makyng vs beleue that by the vertue of your highnes leas, our copies are voyde. So that they compell vs to surrender al our former writinges wher by we ought to holde some for. ii. and some for. iii. lyues, & to take by indenture for. xxi. yeres, oueryng both fynes & rentes beyonde all reason and conscience. This thinge causeth that suche possessioners as here to fore were able and vsed to maintain their owne chyldren, and some of ours, to lernyng and suche other qualites as are necessarye to be had in this your highnes royalme, are now of necessite compelled to set theyr owne chil dren to labour, and al is lytle inough to pay the lordes rent, & to take the house anew at the ende of the yeres, so that we your poore commons, which haue no groundes, nor a [...] able to take any at these ertorsioners hādes cā fynd no way to set our chyldrē on worke no though we profer them for meat & drynk & poore clothes to couer their bodies. Helpe merciful prynce in this extremite, suffer not the hope of so noble a realme vtterly to perysh through the vnsatiable desyre of the possessioners. [Page] Remēber that you shal not leaue this kyngedome to a straunger, but to that child of great towardnes our [...]host natural prince Edward, employ your study to leaue hym a commune weale to gouerne, and not an Iland of brute beastes amongest whom the strongest deuour the weaker, remembre that your office is to defende the innocent & to punysh the oppressar God hath not suffered al your nobles to distayne their consciences with this most vngodly oppression. If your highnes would take in hand the re presse of these great oppressions, d [...] ye not you could lacke no ayde, for he is faythfull that hath promysed to prosper al them that seke his glory and the welth of his pore mē bres in this church mylitant. Contrariwyse if you suffre his pore mēbres to be thus oppressed loke for none other then the ryghtefull iudgement of God, for your negligence in your offyce and mynistery. For the bloud of all them that through your negligēce shal perysh, shalbe required at your hād. Be mer ciful therfore to your selfe, & vs your most obeisant subiectes. Indanger not your solle by the sufferyng of vs your poore commōs to be brought all to the names of beggers & most miserable wreches Let vs be vnto your highnes, as the inferiour membres of the bo dye to their head. Remembre that your hore heares are a token that nature maketh hast to absolue the course of your lyfe, preuente [Page] the subtile imaginations of them that galpe and loke after the crowne of this realme af ter your daies. For what greater hope can thei haue as concerning than detestable and deuylysh imagination: then that they might wynne the hertes of vs your hyghnes commons, by the deliueryng vs from the captiuite and mysery that we are in? We beseke God your highnes maye lyue to put awaye al such occasions, and to se the confusiō of all suche trayterous hertes, and that youre grace may se that worthy Prynce Edward able to gouerne and defēd this your realme vanquishyng all his enemyse bothe far and nere, as your highnes by the ayde of almightie God, hath done hitherto. Defer not, most dread souerayne Lorde, the reformation of these so great enormities, for the wound is euen vnto death, if it continue anye whyle lenger. A prynce welbeloued of his people is muche more ryche then he that hath houses full of gold. And yet is he much more ryche that is beloued of God. For if God bee on your part: who can preuayle agaynst your Rō. 8. 31. hyghnes? By thys we meane the great and myghtie abhomination of vyce that nowe rayneth within this your highnesse realme this day. For hordome is more estemed then wedlocke, although not vniuersally, yet amongest a great numbre of lycensious persons. Simoni hath lost hys name, and vsery is lawfull gaynes. [Page] These thinges onlesse they be redressed, wyl bringe the ire of God vpon the realme. For what doth it lesse thē declare vs to be cleane fallē frō the doctrine of Christ who taught vs to lēde lokinge to haue no gayne therby? Luk. 6. 34. what example of lyfe is in vs this daye to declare that we rather, bee the people of god thē the iewes or maometanse? Certes (most [...]enomed prince) none but that we confesse hym to be God. And that were sufficient yf our deedes dyd not denye him, yf the rulers haue geuen the occasion of these thynges, alas for them, they had ben better to haue had mylstones hanged about theyr neckes, [...]ar. 9. 42. [...]at. 18. 6. 7. Luk. 17. 1. 2. and haue ben cast into the sea, but if the peo ple haue taken it of them selues: and be not punished of the rulers, but be permitted fre lye to vse it: the blud of thē that perish shalbe requered at the watchmās hand. Ezechi. Eze. 33. 8. 9. & 3. 18. 21. xxxiii. Thus princes are punished when the people offende. But now (most deare souerayne) your highnes may in this matter try your prelates whether they be of god or not, for yf they were of God they woulde, accor dinge to the wordes of the prophet, neuer sease, but openly and with a criynge voyce, declare vnto the people theyr faultes. Esai. lviii. and not be hus [...]ed wyth an acte in par Isa. 58. 1. liament, for that declareth them to be the set ters for the of mans tradicyons and not of Godes lawes, so that this saying of our sa uiour Christ is verifyed in them, this people [Page] honoreth me with theyr lyppes but their herte is fare from me they teache the doctri nes and commaundementes of men. Math. Mar. 7. 7. 8. Ma [...]. [...]5. [...] Isa. 29 13. xv. But here they thynke to stop oure mouthes wyth the feare of youre highnesse displeasure, they say youre highnes lawes are godes lawes, & that we are as moch bounde to obserue them as the lawe of God geuen by Moyses. Trueth it is (most deare lorde) that we are bounde by the commaundemēt of God, to obey your hyghnesse & all youre lawes set forth, by your hygh court of parliament, but yf they dissent frō or be cōtrary to anye one iote of the scripture, we muste with Ihon & Peter say. Actu. iiii Iudge you Act. 4. 19. & 5. 29 whether it be better for vs to obeye God or man. We speake not this because we think by this, that we may rebel agaynst you, our naturall prince. But that yf youre hyghnes would enforce vs by a law to do any thing cōtrary to that god hath cōmaūded vs that thē we ought māfully to cleaue to the truth of Godes word, boldly confessing the truth therof, fearing nothing the death of this bo dy, and yet moost humble submittinge oure selues vnto you, redy to abyde and pacient lye to suffer what kynde of torment so euer should be leyd vpon vs knowing for certē ty that we are happy when we suffer persecution Mat. 5. 10. for the truthes sake, and that he is faythfull that hath promessed to be reuēged of oure iniuries. But these dombe dogges Isa. 56. 10. 11. [Page] haue lerned to faine vpon them that vse to bringe them bread, and to bee wonderful ha sty when they be mantayned and cherished, but yf they be but ones byde cowche they know their li [...]ipope so well that they draw the tayle betwine the legges and gette them selues streyght to the kennell. And thē come who so wyll, and do what they wyll, these dogges wyll stere no more tyll they heare theyr maister saye hye cut and longe tayle. So frayd they are of stripes and leste they shoulde be tyde vp so short that they myght not raynge a brode and wory now and than a simple lambe or two. Before it was passed by acte of parliament that men myghte take. x. li. by yeare for an hōdreth poūd lone: how vehement were they in the matter? All theyr sermons were lytle other then inuecti ues agaynst vsery, Thē they could allenge both Christ and the Psalmist to proue that Christē men ought to lende what they may Luk. 6. 34. 35 spare, & to loke for no gaynes therof. But nowe they do not onlye holde them selues styll as concernynge thys matter: but also they endeuoure to imitat yea and to passe the example of the extorsyoners, and vserers. For euen the laste yeare they obteyned by theyr importune sute: a graunte whych yf it be not reuoked, wyll in continuaunce of tyme be the greateste impouirishmēt of vs your poore commons (and chyfly in the [...]itie of London) that euer chanced sence the [Page] fyrst beginnyng therof, they haue obtayn [...] and it is enacted, that euery mā wythin the sayd cytie, shall yearly pay vnto them accor dynge to the rentes they are charged wyth. xvi. d ob. of euery. x. s. so that yf the lordes of the groundes do double & triple the rentes (as they do in deed) thē most the pore tenātes paye also double & triple tenthes as dwe encrease of their riches, this is not vnlyke vnto that which is practised in the cō try amongest vs your highnes poore cōmones For whē it hath pleased God to punish vs with the ro [...] of our shepe, so that perhap pes some one of vs hathe [...]ylded. C. sheper then haue some of the persons constrayned vs to geue [...]. of the [...], for they cal it increase so lōge as we sell thē. And therfore must they (as Godes debities) take the tēth therof. Haue cōpessiō vpō vs (most gracius soueraine) [...]uffer not these vnsatiable dogges thus to eat vs out of al that we haue cō Isa. 50. 11. sidre that it is against al reasō & conscience, that we your pore cōmones should be thus oppressed, that where the lādlorde taketh of vs duble & triple rent: that thē we shall pay also to the person duble or triple tenthes. But see (moost dere souerayne) howe craftely they haue wroughte thys feate, they requyre not the tenthes of the lande lordes that haue the increase, but of the tenauntes whych of necessitye are constrayned to pay to the lordes theyr as kynge at [...] elles to [...]e [Page] without dwellinge places, they know right well that ys they shoulde haue matched thē selues with the landelordes, they happelye shoulde haue bene to weake for them at the lengthe. But they were in good hope that we (your poore commons) shoulde neuer be able to stande in theyre handes, as in verye deed we shall not onles your hyghnes wyll voultsafe to take our cause in hand, for ys we haue not wherwith to pay thē, they mai by the vertue of the acte distresse suche implementes as they shal fynde in our houses They know our cōditiōs of olde sence they toke theyre mortuaries. We had rather in maner famysh oure selues for lack of fode, and to make right harde shyft, besydes thē that we woulde be troubled for anye suche thyng. And doutlesse (most renomed prince) yf the oppression were not to much beyond all reason and conscience we woulde neuer haue troubled youre highnes with all. Yea yf there were any hope that they would be satisfied by this: we woulde rather fast. iii. dayes euery weake, then we woulde scame to be slack in doyng all such thynges as the lawe byndethe vs to. But we se daylye so great increase of theyre vnsatiable desire: that we fear lest in processe of time they wil make vs all begge an brynge to thē all that we can gette. It is no rare thinge to se the poore impotēt creatures begge at Easter to pay for the sacramēt when they receaue it. [Page] And it is no lesse cōmune to se mē begge for such dead corpses as haue nothinge to paye the pristes diuitie. Yea it is not longe sence there was in your highnes cytie of Londō a dead corps brought to the church to be bury ed, beyng so poore that it was naked wythout any cloth to couer it. But these charitable men whiche teache vs that is one of the workes of mercy to bury the dead, woulde not take the paynes to bury the dead corps, onlesse they had theyr dutye, as they call it. In fyne, they caused the dead corps to be ca ryed into the strete agayne, and there to remayne tyll the poore people, whych dwelled in the place where the poore creature dyed, had begged so much as the pristes call theyr dwe. O mercifull lord, who can be able wor thily to lament the miserable estate of thys tyme? when those men whiche in all thynge professe to be the light of the worlde, the tea Rom. 2. 19. 20 thers of the ignoraunte, & the leaders of the blynd, are so fare withoute mercy (whyche Christe preferred before sacrifice) that they mat. 9 13. & 12. 7. Hos. 6. 6. wyl not do so much as wast a lytle of theyr breathe in readinge ouer a fewe psalmes at the buryall of one of the poore membres of Christ: onlesse they haue money for theyr la boure? and whan those persons whom the other, called spiritual, do compt but as brute beastes, callynge thē temporall: shall showe more mercy, the badge of the christian souldiers, towardes the poore mēbres of christ: [Page] then they which glory to be the true prophetes of Christ, and successoures of the Apostles. Yea when those paynted sepuleres be mat. 23. 27. so merciles that they pitie not them, whom the verye infidelles woulde pitie. Wher is theyr so litle mercy showed as amōgest thē [...] in so much that theyr couetouse is growne into this prouerbe? no peny, no pater noster For they wyl not do that thyng whych eue ry christian is bounds to do for other: onles they may be waged for money, they wedde and bury, and synge ful mery but all for mo ney. If your highnes would call a compt of them, and cause them to showe the bokes of the names of them that haue ben buryed, & maried with in thys yeare conferringe that nūbre wyth the summe of money they take for euery such burial & mariage: you should easily perseaue howe lytle neade they haue to oppresse vs with double & triple tenthes, iudge thē (most victoryouse prince) what an vnresonable sūme the whole & grosse sūme of these enhanced tenthes wyth other theyr petryt b [...]y burrye draweth to. They receaue of euery hōdreth li. xiii. li. xv. s. & of the thou sande one hūdreth, and. xxxvii. li. x. s. then may youre highn [...]s soone be certifyed what they receyue of the whole rentes of the citie, no doute (gracyouse prynce) they receyue of vs yearely moore then your hyghnes dyd at anye tyme whan you were besette on euery syde wyth mortall enemyes. And yet theyr [Page] conscience woulde serue them wel ynowgh to take three tymes as muche as they do yf your hyghnes woulde suffer them. For they vse to saye that for as muche as it is establyshed by a lawe they may wyth good con science take it yf it were more. Yea yf your hyghnes woulde suffer them, theyr conscience woulde serue them to lye wyth our wi ues euery tenthe nyghte, other els to haue euerye tenthe wyfe in the paryshe at theyre pleasure. But oure trust is that your hyghnesse wyll tye them shorter, and to saye the truethe it is tyme: for yf you suffer them a whyle they wyll attempt to make your high nes pay the tēthes vnto thē as lōge as they haue payed them to you. For they haue already soughte oute our ware houses, store houses, stables, wharffes, and barnes, causynge vs to paye, not onely the tenthe, for that we neuer payd before: but also the. vii. peny of the whole rētes, raised throughout the whole cytie. Who can iudge either therfore (moost dreade souerayne) but that they wold, yf thei wist how, cause your highnes to pay vnto thē not only the tēth of your ye [...]ely reuenues, but also the tēthe peny of all such spoiles as youre highnes shall take in warres: for they carp much vpō Abrahās ge uinge of the tēth of his spoile to Melchisedech. Gen. 14. 20. Heb. 7. 4. wherfor most merciful prince, cōsider with mercy this pitiful cōplaint of vs your most faithful subiects, deliuering vs frō the [Page] mouthes of these vnsatiable beastes which do daylye employ thē selues to deuoure vs, our wyues and childerne, euen as we were fode prepared for the to deuonre. Let the or der that Paule toke withe the faythfull of the primatiue church: take effect in these our days, the last days of this miserable world. Let none eat that laboureth not. ii. Thessa. 2 The. 3. 10. 11. 12. iiii. Let them also that be called to be preachers, haue the rewarde of preachers, ouerlode them not with the possessions & ryches of this world, for the cares therof do choke the worde. Let not eche rauenynge woulfe Mat. 13. 7. 22 that cōmeth wyth a shepehoke in hys hande be receued as a shepherde. Let not the simple lambes of Christ be committed to the tuitiō of these so raueninge woulfes. Let not the portion of the poore be cōmitted to thē that distribute not but rather gather and heape vp coumptynge all fyshe that cometh to the uet. Let the worthy prophetes that walke di ligently in theyr vocation, be called to the gouernance of the spiritual flocke of Christ and let them be repelled that come vncalled, we meane suche as sue to beare the name of youre hyghnesse chaplaynes onelye because they trust to obtayne therby lordlyck liuinges out of the porsiō of the poore. Take pity (mooste mercifull prince) vpon vs youre poore, and faythful leage people, take pitty vppon youre owne soule which shall at the laste daye be charged wyth all abuses that [Page] your hyghnes suffereth frely to raygne. Be leue not those gnatonicall adherentes that wyll not stickt to affirme and denye so that they may trust to please you therby. Let thē not perswade your highnes that al is good that is concluded in your hygh court of par liament, remembre O howe they ledde your hyghnes whan you sent forthe your letters vnder your broode sease streyghtly cōmaū dinge euery and singuler your highnes sub iectes: vnder payne of youre highnes displeasure, to ayde, supporte, and forther all and singular prockters & pardoners. Remē bre in what case they had brought iour high nes whan you thought it godlynes to viset in your owne parson the graues, images & relickes of dead saintes, doing to the diuine honour & reuerence. Let them not perswade you that God is or can be better serued in the latine tong then in the englysh, consider what great folly saynte Paull counteth it for men to pray, which is to talke wyth almighty God, in a tong they vnderstand not 1 Cor. 14: 9-16-19. i. Lorin. xiiii. yea and how much greater folly it is to thyncke holynes in hearynge a tale told in a straunge tong. Your hyghnes com maūded that none should receaue the sacrament at Erster, but such as [...]oulde and dyd vse the Lordes prayer wyth the articles of the fayth in the englysh tong. But they byd vs vse that which is most ready to vs.

They baptyse oure chylderne in the latyne [Page] tong beding vs say, Uolo, and, Credo, whā we know not what it is that they demande of vs. By this meane is it broughte to passe that we know not what we professe in our baptisme, but superstitiously we think that the holynes of the wordes whych sound so straungly in oure cares, & of the water that is so oft crossed is the doyng of all the matter. Yea we thyncke that yf our chyldren be well plunged in the foūte they shalbe health full in all theyr lims euer after, but yf they by any misaduenture, receyue any hurte in any of theyr mēbres, incontinent we ley the faute in the prist, sayinge: that member was not wel christened. Oh mercifull God what hert can be able worthely to lamēt this more then Iewdaical superstition? the thing that [...]s mere spirituall, we applye whollye to the flesh, was there euer any vayne ydolatours that woulde honour theyr goddes in a language they vnderstode not? were the monckes, friers and chanons wyth other superstitious religiōs, professed in a straūge tōg? is not the othe of obeysaunce that we your leage people take vnto you, ministred in the English tōge? And for what other purpose but that we may therby knowe our mooste bounden deuirie toward you oure naturall prince and leage lorde? is it then bescamyng that we takynge an othe of obeysaunce to the kynge of all kynges, the God of all the [...]id, and maker therof? shoulde not know [Page] what is demaunded of vs nor what we answere agayne? Yf we hold vs styll as cōcer ning thys more then hell darkenesse: the very stones of your pallayce woulde make er mat. 3. 9. L [...]. 19. 40 rlamation. Preuent therfore, most gracious prince, the yre of God whiche hangeth ouer thys your royalme. Remember that his lō [...] sufferance shalbe recompensed wyth the [...]r Rom. 2. 3. 4: 5. 6 tremitie of the punyshmēt. Wherfore, most worthy prince, we humbly beseke oure heauenly father the geuear of al goodnes, euen for the Lord Iesu Christes sake oure sauyoure and redeamer that he preserue you alwayes gruinge you grace to walke circumspectly in your vocation and ministery that at the last day you may r [...]eaue the incorruptible 2. Tim. 4: 8. 1. pet. 5. 4. crowne of glory and reigne with our elder brother the fyrst begottē sōne of God the father almighty, to whom wyth the h [...] ly goost be all honore and glory for euer and euer All true Englysh hertes saye Amen.

Psalme. xli. 1. ¶ Happy is the man that pitieth the poore [...] for in tyme of trouble the Lord shal deliuer hym.

THus haue we (your moost obeisant subiectes) declared the feruēt desire we haue not only of your prospe [...]ous succes in the affaires of this life, but also of your eternal reign with the lord [...]esu [Page] in the telestial kingdom, of whose fayth ye are in earth, defender. And of the faythfull congregaciō, in thys lytle angle of the earth congregate, the supreme heade immediatlye nexte vnto him, by whose mighty hand you haue hytherto vanquished, not onely the ex terne enemies of this moost noble re-alme: but all such as haue most dyuilyshly ymagi ned, conspired & at tempted treason against youre hyghnes, theyr moost naturall [...]age lord and gouernour. What histories should we reade to know of so many and so daungerous conspirations, so wonderfully detect & auoyded? Who myghte so sone haue wrought the most detestable purpose of tre ason: as she that slept in your bosō. What mighty princes haue ben betrayed by them that they haue loued aboue all creatures? And howe wonderfullye, euen at the verye yoynt, and in the time of most daūger: hath the myghtye hande of the Lorde delyuered you? Besydes this, that moost abominable ydoll of Rome which sate so hygh not only in the consciences of vs your most boundē subiectes & poore cōmones but also your nobles (euē frō the highest to the lowest) were all hys faythfull adherentes, in so moche that som of them would not styck to shead▪ the best bloude of theyr bodyes in hys quarel. And yet how wonderfully hath the lord our God, made himyour fote stole? Reioise (deare souerayne) reioyce. The lord is your [Page] right hande, he hath found you faythful in Mat. 25. 21. 23. a lytle, & shall ordeyne you ouer much more. Onely beware that you pu [...]yng your hāde to the ploughe do not loke backwarde. Go Luk. 9. 62. forthe manfully to conquete, and turne not agayne tyll you haue purged this vineyard of the Lorde: so that there remayne not one lytle impe besydes those that our heauenly Mat. 15. 13. Ioh. 15. 2. father hath plāted [...]et not that noble prince Edwarde be oppressed in the dayes of hys youth, with the combrouse weadynge oute of suche [...]otton and sruyteles trees, lest perchaunce they take deaper roote thē that his tender youthe may be able to mou [...]. Forget not your owne youth, whē these at ulterine trees were to stronge for you. Thynke not but that you shall leaue behynd you a great nōbre that wolde be glad to se the old stom pes of these fruitles trees sprynge agayne. The Lord bringe them all to confusion, geuyng your highnes long lyfe with assistēce of hys grace to performe that whyche you haue begonne. The wysdom of the Lorde eure God leade you into all trueth. Amen.

¶ Your moste faythfull and obeysaunt subiectes: the pore commones of the royalme of Englande.

Anno. M. ccccc. [...].

§

§

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¶ The supplication of Beggers, compyled by Symon Fyshe.

Anno. M. ccccc. xxiiii.

Psalmus. xciiii. v. 12. 13. Blessed is the man, whom thou learnest (O Lord) and teach hym in thy lawe. That thou mayest geue hym patience in tyme of aduersitie, vntyll the pyt be digged vp for the vngodly.

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¶ TO THE [...] oure soueraygne Lorde.

MOost lamētably compley neth theyr wofull misery vnto your hyghnes your poore dayly bedemen the wretched hydyous monsters (on whō scarsly for ho [...] anye e [...]e dare loke) the foule vnhappy sorte of lepres, and other sore people, [...] dy, impotente, blynde, lame, and syke, that lyue onely by almesse, how that theyr nomber is daylye so sore encreased, that all the almesse of all the well dysposed people of thys youre realme is not halfe ynoughe for to susteyne thē, but that for very constreint they dye for hunger. And thys moost pesty [...] lent myschefe is comen vppon youre sayde poore bedemen, by the reason that there is (in the time of your noble predecessours passed) craftely crepte into thys youre realme an other sorte not of impotēt, but of st [...]ge puysaunt and conterfeyt holy, and y [...] beg gers and vaga [...]ondes whych syns the tyme of theyr fyrst entre by all the crafte and wylynes of Satan are nowe encreased vnder your syght not only into a greate nomber, but also into a kyngdome. These are not the herdes, but the rauenous woulfes goynge in herdes clothynge deuow [...] rynge the flocke, the Bysshoppes, Abbates, [Page] Pryours, Deacons, Archedeacons, Su [...] g [...]nes, Prestes, Monkes, Chanōs, Friers. Pardonners, and Somners. And who is able to noumber thys ydell rauenouse sorte which (settinge all laboure asyde) haue begged so importunatly that they haue gotten into theyr handes more then the thyrd parte of all your realme. The goodlyest lordshyppes, maners, landes, & territoryes are theyrs Besyde this they haue the tenth part of all the corne, medow, pastut, gras, woll, coltes, calues, lambs, pygges, gese, and chykens. Ouer and besydes the tenth parte of euery seruauntes wages, the tenthe parte of the wolle, mylke, hony, ware, chese, and butter. Yea, and they loke so narowly vpon theyr profyttes that the poore wyues must be cō table to them of euery tenth egge, or els she getteth not her rites at Easter, but shalbe takē as an heretike, here to haue they their four offering dayes. What mony pull they in by proba [...]es of testamentes, priuy tithes, and by mennes offerynges to theyr pylgrymages, and at theyr fyrst masses Euery mā and chylde that is buryed muste paye sumwhat for masses and diryges to be song for hym, or els they wyll accuse the deades frē des and executours of heresy. What mony get they by mortuaries, by hearinge of confessions (and yet they wyll kepe ther of no councel) by halowyng of churches, aulters, super altares chapelles, and belles, by cursyng [Page] of men and absoluinge thē agayne for money? What heapes of money gather the perdonners in a yeare? Howe much money get the Sōners by extorciō in a yeare? by assitynge the people to the commissaryes courte, and afterward releasynge the apparaūce for money? Finally the infinite nō ber of beggers friets, what get they in a yeare? Here yf it please your grace to mark ye shall se a thyng farre out of ioynt. Ther are within youre realme of Englande. lii. thousande paryshe churches. And this standing that there be but ten householdes in euery paris [...], yet are there fyue hōdreth thou sande, and twentye thousande housholdes. And of euery of these housholdes hath euer [...] of the fyue orders of friers a peny a quater for euerye order, that is for all the fyue orders fiue pens a quarter for euery house That is for all the fyue orders twenty pēs a yeare of euery house. Summa fyue hundreth thousand and twenty thousand quar ters of angelles. That is. cclx. thousād half angelles. Summa. cxxx. thousande angelles Summa, totalis. xliiii. thousand poundes & cccxxxiii. li. vi. s. and eyghte pens sterlinge. Wherof not foure hundreth yeares passed they had not one peny. Oh greuous & payn full exactions thus yearely to be payed, frō the whych the people of your noble prodecessours the kinges of the auncient Brytō [...] euer stode free. And thys wyll they haue, o [...] [Page] elles they wyll procure him that wyl not gy ue it them to be takē as an heretyke. What tyraunt euer oppressed the people lyke thys cruell & vengeable geueratiō? What subiectes shalbe abel to helpe their Prince that be after this faciō yearely polled? What good christen people can be able to socour vs pore lepres, blynd, sore & lame, that be thus yeare ly oppressed? Is it any maruayll that your people so complayne of pouerty? Is it any maruayle that the taxes, fyftenes, and subsydies that your grace most tēderly of great compassion hath taken among youre people to defende thē from the thretened ruyne of their common wealth haue bene so slouthfully, yea paynfully leuyed? Seynge that al most the vttermoost peny that myghte haue ben leuyed hath ben gathered before yerely by this rauynouse cruel and vnsaciable generation. The Danes nether the Sarōs in the tyme of the auncient Brytons shuld neuer haue ben able to haue brought theyr armies from so farre hyther vnto your lande to haue conquered it, if they had had at that tyme such a sort of ydle glot [...]ns to fynde at home. The nobyll kinge Arthure had neuer ben able to haue caried hys army to the fore of the mountaynes to resyste the comynge downe of Lucius the Emperour yf such ye arely exactions had ben taken of his people. The Grekes had neuer ben able to haue solonge continued at the syege of Troye, yf they had had at home such an ydell sorte of [Page] cormorauntes to fynde. The auncient Romayns had neuer ben able to haue put al the whoole worlde vnder theyr obeysaunce, yf there people had ben thus oppressed. The Turke now in your time shuld neuer be able to get so much grounde of christendom, yf he had in his empyre such a sorte of locustes R [...]. 9. 2. 3 to deuoure his substaūce. Lay thē these summes to the foresayd thyrde parte of the possessiōs of the realme, that ye may se whe ther it draw nighe vnto the halfe of the hole substaunce of the realme or not. So shall ye fynde that it draweth ferre aboue. Now let vs then compare the nōber of thys vnkinde ydel sorte vnto the nōber of the laye people, and we shall se whether it be indifferentlye shyfted or not that they shoulde haue halfe, Compare them to the nombre of mē, so are they not the. C. person. Compare thē to mē, womē & childrē, thē are they not the. cccc. person in nōber One part therefore in cccc. partes deuided were to m [...]ch for thē except ther dyd laboure. What an vnequal burthē is it that they haue half with the multitude & at not the. cccc. parsō of their nōber? what tōg is able to tell that euer ther was any comon welth so sore oppressed sins the world begā. ¶ And what do al these gredy sort of sturdy ydel holy theues with these yerely exactiōs that they take of the people? Truely nothinge but exempt thē selues from the obedience, & dignity from your grace vnto them. [Page] Nothinge but that youre subiectes shoulde fall into disobedience and rebellion against your grace and be vnder them. As they dyd vnto the noble prodecessoure Kynge Ihon, which for bycause that he woulde haue punyshed certayne traytours that had conspired wyth the Frenche kynge to haue deposed hym frō his croune and dignity (amōge the which a clerke called Stephen whom afterward against the kinges wyl the pope made Byssope of Lantorbury was one) en terdyted his Lande. For the whych matter your most noble realme wrōgfully (alas for shame) hathe stande tributarye (not to any kynde of temporall prynce, but vnto a cruel deuyllyshe bloude supper droncken in the bloud of the saintes and marters of Christ) euersyns. Here were an holy sorte of prelates that thus cruely coulde punyshe suche a ryghteous Kynge, all hys realme, and suc cession for doyng ryghte.

¶ Here were a charitable sorte of holy mē that coulde thus enterdyte an hole realme▪ and plucke away the obedience of the people from theyr natural lyege Lord & Kynge, for hys ryghtuousnes. Here were a blyssed sorte not of meke heardes, but of bloud sup pers that could set the frenche kyng vppon such a ryghtuouse Prynce to cause hym to lose hys croune and dignitie to make effusi on of the bloude of hys people. Onles thys good & blessed kynge of great compassion, [Page] more fearynge and lamentynge the sheding of the bloude of his people then the losse of hys croune & dignitie agaynst all ryght and conscience had submytted hym selfe vnto them. O case most horrible that euer so noble a kynge Realme and succession shoulde thus be made to stoupe to suche a sorte of bludsuppers. Where was his swerd, power crowne & dignitie, become, where by he myghte haue done iustice in thys matter? Where was their obedience become that shoulde haue ben subiect vnder his high power in this matter? Ye where was the obedience of all his subiectes become that for mayntenaunce of the comon wealthshould haue holpen him manfully to haue resysted these bloudsuppers to the shedinge of theyr bloud? Was not all together by theyr polli cy translated frō this good kinge vnto thē. [...]e & what do they more? Cruely nothynge but applye thē selues by all the sleyghtes they may to haue to do with euery mannes wife, euery mānes doughter, & euery mānes mayde that cuckoldryi & husbandrye should reygne ouer all amonge your subiectes, that noman should knowe his owne chylde that theyr basterdes myght enheryte the possessions of euery man to put the ryght begotten childrē clere besyde theyr inheritaūce in sub uersion of al estates & godly ordre. These be they that by theyr absteyninge frō mariage do let the generatiō of the people wherby al [Page] the realme at length (yf it shulde be continu ed) shalbe made desert, & inhabitable.

¶ These be they that haue made an hundreth thousande ydel hores in youre realme which wold haue gottē theyr lyuinge honestly in the swete of their faces had not their superfluous riches illected thē to vncleane lust & ydelnesse. These be they that corrupte the hole generatiō of mankynd in your real me, that catch the pockes of one womā, and beare it to an other, ye some one of thē wyll boste amonge his felowes that he hath med led with an hūdreth wymen. These be they that whē they haue ones drawē mennes wi ues to such incōtinency spende awaye theyr husbandes goodes, make the womē to rūne awaye frō theyr husbandes, ye runne away thē selues both with wyfe & gooddes, bring both man wyfe & chyldren to ydelnes, theft, and beggery. Ye who is abell to nomber the great & brode botomles occean see full of euels that thys myscheuous & synfull generacion may lawfully brynge vppon vs vnpunished. Where is youre swearde, power, croune, & dignity, become that should punish (by punishment of death euen as other men be punished) the Felonyes, rapes, murdres, and treasons committed by thys synful generacion? Where is theyr obediēce become that shulde be vnder youre hygh power in thys matter? Is not altogyther translated and exempte from youre grace vnto them? [Page] Yes tru [...]lye. What an infynyte nomber of people myghte haue bene encreased to haue peopled the realme, yf these sorte of folke hadde bene maryed lyke other men? What breache of matrymony is theyr broughte in by them? Suche truely as was neuer syns the worlde began amonge the whole multitude of the Heathen.

¶ Who is she that wyll set her handes to worke to get thre pens a day, and may haue at leste twenty pens a day to slepe an houre wyth a fryer, a monke, or a preeste? What is he that wolde laboure for a grote a daye, and may haue at the leest twelfe pens a day to be baude to a preest, a monke, or a frier? What a sorte are there of theym that mary prestes soueraygne ladyes but to cloke the prestes incontinencye, and that they maye haue a lyuynge of the preest them selues for theyr laboure? How mani thousandes doth suche lubrycyte brynge to beggery, thefte, & ydelnes, which shuld haue kepte their good name, and haue set theym selues to worke had not bene thys excesse treasure of the spi rytualtye? What honeste man date take anye man or woman in hys seruice that hath ben at such a scole with a spiritual mā? Oh the greuous shipwrake of the comō wealth, [...]. Tom. 1. 19 which in aunciēt tyme before the cōmynge in of these rayenouse wolues was so prosperous, Act. 20. 29. that thē there were but few theues [...]e theft was at that time so rare that [...] a [...] Caesar. [Page] was not cōpelled to make penalyte of deark vpō felony as your grace may well perceiue in his institutes There were also at that time but few pore people, & yet they dyd not begge but there was geuen thē ynough vnared, for there was at that tyme none of these rauenous woulfes to are it from thē as it appeareth in the actes of the Apostles. Is it any maruayle though there be now so many beggers, theues & ydel people? Naye truly. ¶ What remedy? Make lawes against thē? I am in doubt whether ye be able. Are they not strōger in your owne parli ament house then your selfe? What a nomber of Bysshoys, Abbotres, & Pryours are lordes of your parliamēt? Are not al the lear ned men in your realme in fee with them to speake in youre parliament house agaynste your croune, dignity, & comō wealth of your realme a few of your owne learned coūsell only excepted? what law cā be made against them that maye be anaylable? Who is he (though he be greued neuer so sore) for the murder of his auncester, rauyshment of hys wife, of his daughter, robbery, trespas made, dette or any other offence dare leye it to theyr charge by any way of actiō, & yf he do then is he [...]y & [...]y, by theyr wylines accused of heresy. Ye they wyll so handle him or he passe that excepte he wyll bere a fagot for their pleasur he shal be e [...]comunicate, & thē be all his accions das [...]hed So captyue are [Page] your lawes vnto thē that no man that they list to excomunicate, may be admitted to sue any action in any of your courtes. Yf anye man in our sessions dare be so hardy to endite a preste of any such crime he hath or the yeare goeth out such a yoke of hēresy leyde in hys neck that it make him wyshe that he had not done it. Your grace may se what a worke there is in Londō, how the Bisshop cageth for enditinge of certayne curates of extorciō & incontinency the last yeare in the warmol quest. Had not Rychard hunne cō menced accion of premunire against a priest he had ben yet alyue and none heretyke at all, but an honest man. ¶ Dyd not dyuers of youre noble progenitours seynge theyr croune [...] dignity runne into ruyne and to be thus craftely translated into the handes of this mischeuous generation make dyuerse statutes for the reformatiō ther of, amonge which the statute of mortmayne was one? to the entēt that after that time they should haue no more geuen vnto thē. But what aaualed it? haue they not gottē into theyr h [...] des more landes syns then any duke in Englād hath, the statute notwithstāding? Yea haue they not for all that translated into theyr hādes frō your grace hal [...]e your king dom throughly. The hole name (as reason is) for the auncity of your kyngdō whyche was before theyrs and oute of the whyche theyrs is growē onely abidinge with youre [Page] grace? and of one kingdome made twayne, the spiritual hyngdō (as they cal it) for they wyll be named fyrst [...]. And youre temporall kingdō. And which of these two kingdomes suppose ys is lyke to ouergrowe the other, re to putte the other cleare out of memory? Truely the kyngdom of the bloudsuppers, for to them is geuen dayly out of your king dome. And that that is ones gyuen them cō meth neuer from them againe. Such lawes haue they that none of them maye neyther giue nor sell any thyng. What lawe can be made so stronge agaynste them that they either wyth money, or els wyth other pollicy [...]yll not breake and set at daughte? What kyngdom can endure that euer gyueth thus from hym, and receaueth nothyng agayne? kyngdom how all the substaunce of your Realme forthwyth your swerde, power, croune, dig nitie, & obediēce of your people, rinneth hed lōge into the vnsatiable whirle pole of these [...]edy goulafres to be swalowed & deuored. ¶ Ne [...]her haue they any other colour to go ther these yerely exactiōs into their handes but that they sey they pray for vs to God to delyuer our soules out of the paynes of put gatory without whose prayer (they saye) or at lesee without the popes pardon we could neuer be delyuered thens which yf it be true then is it good reason that we geue thē all these thinges all were [...]. l. tymes as moch. But these be many men of great literature [Page] and iudgement for the loue they haue vnto the trueth and vnto the comen wealth haue not feared to put thē selues into the greateste infamy that maye be, in abiection of all the worlde, ye in peryll of death to declare theyr opinion in this matter whiche is that there is no purgatory but that it is a things inuē ted by the couerousnes of the spiritualty onely to translate all kyngedomes frome all other princes vnto thē, and there is not one word spokē of it in al holy scripture. They say also that yf there were a purgatory: and also yf that the pope with hys pardons for money may deiyuer one soule thus, he maye delyuer him as well withoute money. yf he maye delyuer one, he may deliuer a thousād if he maye delyuer a thousāde he maye desiuer them all, and also destroye purgatory. And then is he a cruell tyraunte wythout al charitie yf he kepe thē there in prysō and in payne tyll men wyll geue hym money.

¶ Likewyse saye they of all the hole sorte of the spiritualty that yf they wyl not pray for any mā but for thē that gyue them money? they are tiraūtes and lack chatitie and suffer those soules to be punished & payned vncharitably for lack of theyr praiers. These sorte of folkes they call heretykes, these they burne, these they rage agaynste, put to open shame and make them bare lagottes. But whether they be heretykes or no, well I wote that thys purgatory, and the popes [Page] pardōs is all the cause of translatiō of your kyngdō so fast into theyr hādes. Wherfore it is manifest it can not be of Christe, for he gaue more to the temporal kyngdom, he him selfe p [...]de tribute to Cesar he toke nothing Mat. 17. 27. Rō. 13. 1. 2-7. from him but taught that the hygh powers should be alwayes obeyed, yea him selfe (although he were most free lorde of al and innocēt) was obedient vnto the high powers vnto death. This is the greate seabbe why they wyll not let the newe Testament go abroade in your mother tonge lest mē should espye that they by theyr cloked ypochrisy do trāslate thus fast your kingdom into theyr handes. That they are not obediente vnto your hygh power. That they are cruell, vncleane, vnmercifull, & ypocrites. That they seke not the honoure of Christe? but theyre owne. That remission of synnes are not ge uē by the popes pardon, but by Christe, for the sure fayth & trust we haue in hym. Here may your grace well perceyue that excepte [...] suffer theyr ypochrisye to be disclosed all is lyke to runne into theyr handes, & as lōge as it is couered, so longe shall it seme to eue ry man to be a great impiety not to geue thē For this I am sure your grace thinketh (as the trueth is) I am as good a man as my fa ther, why may I not as well gyue them as muche as my father dyd. And of this mynd (I am sure) a [...] all the Lordes, Knyghtes, Squyers, Gentylmen, & yemen in England [Page] Yea, and vntyll it be disclosed all your p [...] ple wyll thynke that youre statute of mortmayne was neuer made with any good co [...] conscience seynge that it taketh away the li berty of your people in that they maye not as lawfully bye theyr soules out of purgatorye by g [...]uinge to the spirtualtye as they [...] predecessoures dyd in tymes passed.

¶ Wherfore yf ye wyll e [...]chue the ruyne of your croune, & dignitie let their ypocrisy be vttered and that shalbe more spedeful in this matter than all the lawes that maye be made be they neuer so stronge. For to make a law for to punysh any osfendoute excepte it were more for to gyue other men an ens [...] ple to beware to commyt such lyke offence, what should it auayle? Dyd not doctour [...] lyn most presumpteously now in your time agaynst all his allegiaunce all that euer he could to pull frō you the knowlege of such pleas as longe vnto your hygh courtes vnto an other courte in derogacyon of youre croune & dignitie? Dyd not also doctor [...] sey & his complices most heynousely as all the worlde knoweth murdre in pryson that honest marchaūt Richard Hunne? For that he sued your wryte of premunire agaynst a pryste that wrongfully helde him in plea in a spiritual courte for a matter where of the knowledge belonged vnto your hygh courtes. And what punishment was there done that any man myght take example of to beware [Page] of lyke offen [...]? Truely none but that the one payd fyue hundreth poundes (as it is sayde to the buyldynge of youre sterre chamber) and when that paiment was ones passed the capytaynes of hys kyngedome (bycause he faughte so manfully agaynste youre crowne and dignytye) haue heaped to hym benefyce vppon benefyce so that he he is rewarded tenne tymes as muche. The other (as it is) sayd paid syxe hundreth poū dees for hym and hys complyces which for bycause that he had lykewyse faught so mā fully agaynste youre crowne and dignytye was immediatly (as he had obtayned your moost gracyouse pardon) promoted by the captaynes of hys kyngdom wyth benefyc [...] vppon benefice to the value of foure times as much. Who can take example of this punishment to be ware of suche lyke offence: Who is he of theyr kingdom that wyll not rather take curage to committe lyke offence seyng the promocions that fyll to these men for their so offending? So weake & blunt is your swearde to strycke at one of the offenders of this croked and per [...]rs generatiō. ¶ And this is by the reason that the chiefe instrumēt of your law yea the chief of your counsel & he which hath your sweard in his hande to whom also all the other instrumē tes are obediente, is alwaies a spiritual [...] which hath euer such an inordinate loue vnto his owne kingdome that he wyll mayntayne [Page] that, though all the temporall kyngedommes and comon wealthe of the worlde shoulde vtterly therfore be vndone.

Here leue we oute the greatest matter of all lest we declaringe such an horrible cara [...]ne of euell agaynste the minysters of iniquitye shuld seme to declare the one onely fa [...]e or rather the ignoraūce of our best beloued mi nister of ryghtnousnes whych is to be hy [...] ryll he may be learned by these small enormitees that we haue spoken of to knowe it playnly hym selfe. But what remedye to re leue vs youre poore, syke, lame and sore bed demen? To make many hospitales for the relefe of the poore people? Nay truely. The moo the worse, for euer the fa [...]te of the hole foundacyon hange [...] on the priestes be [...] des. Dyuers of youre noble prodecessours kynges of this realme haue giuen landes to to monasteryes to gyue a certayne summe of money yearely to the poore people wher of for the auncienty of time thei geue neuer one penye. They haue lykewise geuē to thē to haue certayne masses sayd dayly for thē wherof they say neuer one. Yf the Abbot of westminster w [...]ld singe euery day as many masses for his foūders as he is boūde to do by his foundaciō. M. mōkes were to fewe. Wherfore yf your grace wyl buylde a sure hospital that neuer shal faile to releue vs al your pore bedmē, take frō thē al those thin [...]. Set these sturdy lobbies a brode in the [Page] [...] [Page] [...]

Information about this book

Title statement

A supplication of the poore commons Whereunto is added the supplication of beggers.

Edition statement

1546

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2003-07 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A00758

ID [STC]

STC 10884

ID [STC]

ESTC S102081

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99837881

ID [PROQUEST]

99837881

ID [VID]

2228

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A00758)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 2228)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 40:06)

Source

— A supplication of the poore commons Whereunto is added the supplication of beggers., Fish, Simon, d. 1531. Supplicacyon for the beggers. aut, Brinkelow, Henry, d. 1546, attributed name., Crowley, Robert, 1518?-1588, attributed name..

Extent

[64] p.

Printed by John Day and William Seres?,. [London :: 1546]. (The first part is dated at end: M.ccccc.xlvi., i.e. 1546.) (Printers' names conjectured by STC.) (Signatures: a-d.) (The first part has been attributed to Henry Brinkelow and, less probably, to Robert Crowley. It was published separately earlier the same year. The second part, of which the first edition known was published probably around 1529, is by Simon Fish. It has a separate divisional title on c7v.) (Reproduction of the original in the British Library.)

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