I Wounder / syr noble knyghte / that in fewe dayes / tymes be chan­ged / ryght is buryed / lawes be ouerturned, and statutes be trodde vnder foote.

Those wordes passe my capacite / I am a lewde man: and thoughe I wente to schoole in my chyldehode, yet gotte I not so pro­founde lernynge / that those youre wordes can of me be vnderstande. And therfore worshypfull clerke, if ye desyre to haue communication with me, ye must vse a more homely & playner fascion of spekyng.

I haue sene in my time / that kinges / princis / and all other nobles, haue had the churche in right great wor­shyp: and nowe I se the contrary / the churche is made a pray to you [Page] all / and many thynges are challen­ged of vs, and nothynge is gyuen vs: If we gyue not oure goodes / they be taken frome vs by stronge hande. Our good and catalle / is di­stroyde / our lawes and fredome be not holden, but dispysed and with­sayde.

I can not lyghtly beleue, that the kynge (of whose counsayle they of the clergic be) wyl deale vniustly with you / nother di­stroye your lawe.

Yea trewely agaynst all lawe, we suffre innumerable wronges.

I wolde fayne knowe what ye calle lawe.

I calle lawe the statutes and ordinances of bysshops of Rome, & decrees of holy fathers.

What euer they ordeyn, or other haue ordeyned in tyme past of temporaltie / may well be lawe to you / but not to vs. For no man hath power to ordeyne statutes of thyn­ges, ouer the whiche he hathe no [Page 3] lordeshyp. As the kyng of Fraunce may ordeyne no statutes vppon the empyre, nother the emperour vpon the kynge of Englande. And lyke­wyse as Pryncis of the worlde maye ordeyne no statutes of youre spiritualtie, ouer the whiche they haue no power: no more ye maye ordeyne no statutes of theyr tempo­ralties / ouer the which ye haue no­ther power nor auctoritie. Wher­fore it is a thynge in vayne / what e­uer ye ordeyn of temporal thynges, ouer whiche ye haue of god rescei­ued no power. And therfore but late I lough well faste, whan I harde that Poope Boniface the .viij. had made a newe statute, that he hym selfe shulde be aboue all seculer lor­des / princis, kinges, and emperours, and aboue all kyngedomes, & make lawe vppon all thynges: and that hym nedeth nought but wryte / for all thynges shall be his, whan he [Page] hath wryten: and so all thyng shall be yours. For to make a statute, his statute is nought elles, but to wyll that the decree be holden and kepte, and ordeyne and whote that it be holden. If he woll haue my castell, my towne / my felde, my money, or any other suche thynges: hym ne­deth nought, but wyll it, and write it, and make a decree / and whote that it be holden / and whan that is done, he hath ryght to al such thyn­ges. Now good clerke / thou wot­test well, howe worthy this iape is to be scorned.

Syr knight ye speke sharpely, slyly, and wysely ynough: all your talkyng and mea­nynge is (as fer as I perceyue) that the pope hath no power to ordeyne and make statutes of your tempo­ralties: For ye knowe not, that he hath lordeshyp, power, and aucto­ritie vppon your temporalties. Though we wolde proue it by our [Page 4] lawe / and by decrees wryten, ye ac­compte them for nought. For ye wene that Peter had no lordeshyp ne power ouer temporalte / but by suche lawe wryten. But if thou wilt be a trewe christen man / and of ryght beleue, thou shalte not deny, but that Christ is lord of al thinges. To hym it was sayde in the sauter boke: Aske of me,Psal. 2. & I shall giue na­tions, to thyn heritage, and all the world about to thy possessiō. psal. 2. And also of hym it is wrytten,1. Tim· 2. Apoc. 17. &. 19. the fyrst pistill to Timothe the .vi. chapi­ter / that he is kynge of kynges, and lorde of lordes. These be not ours, but goddes owne wordes: nor we wrote them not, but god sente them, and the holy gooste spake them. And who douteth / whether he may ordeyne and make statutes, whome he knoweth to be lorde of all thyn­ges?

I withsay not the maiestie / lordeshyp, and myght of [Page] our lorde god: for he maye not be withsayde on no maner wyse. But if it may be shewed by holy writte, that the pope is lorde of all tempo­ralties: than kynges & prncis muste nedes be subiecte to the poope, as well in temporaltie as spiritualtie.

That may be shewed lyght­ly / by the auctoritees that be a lytell rather rehersed. The fayth of holy churche holdeth, that Peter the a­postell was ordeined Christis ful vi­care for hym selfe and for his succes­sours. And he that is fulle vicare, may do the same that his lord may, whan he is made vicar with ful po­wer, withoute any withdrawynge of power. Than if ye can not deny, but that Christe, that is lorde of he­uen and of erthe / may ordeyne and make statutes of your temporalties: how can ye / for shame deny Christis vicare to haue the same power?

I haue hard of holy and [Page 5] deuout men, that we sh [...]ld distingue two dyuers tymes of Christe: one of his humilite / and an other of his power and maiestie. The tyme of his humilytie was from the tyme that he toke flesshe and blode, vnto his passion: the tyme of his power and maiestie, was and is after his Resurrection, whan he said: All po­wer is yeue to me in heuen and in er­the / Mat. vlt.Mat. vlt. Peter was ordeyned Christis vicare for the state of his humilite / and not for the state of his blysse and maiestie: but to folowe hym in doynge those thynges, whi­che Christe in humilite dydde here in erth: for those thynges are neces­sary for vs. Ergo Christ commytted thylke power to his vicare, whiche he as a man mortall exercysed / and not that power, whiche after his glorification he resceyued. And for to proue this by holy wrytte, I take wytnes of Christe and holy writte / [Page] as thou doste. Lo Christe sayde to Pilate: My kyngedome is nat of this worlde, / Io. 18. Also he saith / he came not to be serued, but to serue other men, Matt. 20. This wytnes is so manifeste, that it maye confounde a man, resiste he neuer so moche / and all to frusshe his necke / be it neuer so styffe. And it is wryt­ten Luc. 12. howe one said to Christ: Mayster say to my brother / that he departe herytage with me. To whom Christ answered and sayde: Manne / who hathe ordeyned me iudge or departer betwene you? Lo thou hereste openly, that Christ was nat iudge nor dealer ouer tem­poraltees. Ergo in that state of dis­pensation taken on hym, he neyther had nor desyred temporalle kynge­dome. But whan the people, that he hadde fedde / wolde haue made hym kynge / he fledde from them Ion. 6. Also in Peters commission [Page 6] he yafe hym not the keyes of the kyngdome of erth / but the keyes of the kyngedome of heuen. Also it is euydent and playne / that the bys­shoppes of the Hebrewes were subiectes to kynges, and the kyn­ges deposed the bysshoppes: but god forbydde, that they shulde so nowe. And for to knowe / that Peter was Christis vycar in godly kyngedome of soules / and not in temporalle lordeshyppe of castelles and of landes: take hede what Paule the appostelle saythe wry­tynge to the Hebrewes.Heb. 5. Euerye bysshoppe (saythe he) is take of men / and ordeyned for men in thyn­ges that belonge to god, not to go­uerne erthely thynges, but to offre gyftes and sacrifices for synne. That the bysshoppe is made ruler in those thinges that long to god, thou maist perceyue by the wordes of saynte Paule writynge to Timothe / the .2. [Page] pistel, & .2. chap. where he saith: No man that trauayleth in knyghthode to godward, medleth him in secular busynesses. Than hit is sothe, that Christe neyther exercised worldely kyngedome / nor commytted hit to Peter. And in the actes of the apo­stels the .6. chaptre, Peter saythe: It is not ryghtfull that we leue the worde of god, & serue meate bour­des, that is to saye / to dispose tem­porall thynges.

¶And all though some temporall thinges may be disposed bi bishops: yet neuertheles it is playne and eui­dent / that bysshoppes shulde not be occupied in gouernaunce of myghte and lordshyppes of this worlde. Therfore syr clerke, the auctorities that thou haste layde for thy partie, Aske of me / and I shall gyue to the,Psal. 2. nations to thyn heritage, and all the world about, to thy possession. And that he is kynge of kynges.1. Tim· 2. &c. This [Page 7] is not vnderstond for the fyrst estate but for the seconde.Apoc. 17. &. 19▪ In the whiche fyrste estate it is playne, that Christe exercised no tēporall power / but put it clene away from him, & vsed only that / that longed to the gouernāce of our saluation: And in that maner of doynge he made Peter his vicar / whom he nother made knyght nor crowned kynge: but ordeyned hym to be a preest and bysshoppe. And if ye woll yet stryue, that Christis vy­care shulde haue that power in tem­poraltie, that Christe had after his resurrection in heuen, and vsed not here in erthe / your stryfe shall not turne you to worship at length. For it is euident to euery faythfull man, that if god shuld commande hym to gyue his money / his felde, or his vineyarde to any other man, with­out any prouision or reasonable re­quest / and without any expresse stu­dieng, he ought forth with to obey. [Page] Wherfore if ye wyll contende / that the pope hath the same power / than of necessite ye must graunt also / that the pope maye take from you / and from vs / all the goodes that ye and we haue / and gyue them all / to whi­che of his neuewes or cousyns, that he wyll, and tell no cause why: and also he may take away from princis and kynges, principalitees and kyngedomes at his owne wylle / and gyue them there as hym ly­kethe. But take hede how wrong­fully that were done, and demeth your owne selfe, howe that wolde myslike you / if he dydde so to you. If that very reason constrayne you to forsake your folysshe argumente, the poope also shall be constrayned to gyue backe. For it is sothe, that he, Christis vicare / resceyued not so great power in temporaltees / but he resceyued onely that power, that Christe in his humilite dayly vsed [Page 8] and taughte.

Wyll ye denye syre knyghte / that holy churche shall not knowe and correcte menne for synnes?

Godde forbydde, For he that wolde denye that / shall denye penaunce and confession.

If ought be done vnryghtfully, it is synne: and he that hath to do in knowlege of synne, must knowe and also deeme of ryghtefulle and vnrightfull. Therfore syns there is ryghtfull and vnrightfull in busines­ses of temporall matters, of verye consequens the pope ought to rule and deme in temporall causes.

This is a forked argument, whose vanite and sklendernes must be by a like argumēt, ouerthrowen. In hangyng vp of theues and other misdoers / that be dampned to the dethe▪ is ryghtfull and vnryghtfull, and also synne. Therfore by­cause of synne, that suche menne [Page] doo, shall the Poope deme and be domes man in cause of felonye and of mans dethe? This is a lyght ar­gument / and therfore hit is blowen away with a lyght reason. Nowe syr clerke ye muste shewe, howe ye shulde knowe and deme ryghtfulle and vnryghtefulle. For there is no doubte, but that ryghtful & vnrightfull in temporaltie shal be demed by lawes, that men haue made of tem­poraltie. But ye mote take hede all aboute, what longeth to the cause, that shalbe demed. Than it is soth, that he that maketh the lawe / hath power to knowe and to deme rightfull and vnrightful, and to expowne and declare, and to tell the meanyng of the lawe / and to kepe the lawe, and to gouerne reasonnably by the lawe. Nowe if ye wyll be as great [...]aysters as he, in knowlege and de­mynge of temporaltie / and stryue with hym in knowlege and demyng [Page 9] of rightfull and vnrightful / in what that longeth to temporaltie, thanne care ye with an oxe and asse agaynst your holy wrytte. And whan the prince saythe, this is ryghtfull / the bysshop sayth / this is vnryghtfull: than is fulfylled the prophecy of A­bacuc:Abac. 1. Ryghtful dome is made / and withsayenge is stronger, throughe the whiche the lawe is torne and rent / & the rightful dome cometh not to ende. For truely that is not to do ryghtfull dome and iustyce in erthe. Nowe I shall shewe you, after the apostelle Paule where your know­lege and dome shall begynne. The prince by his lawes shal deme right and wronge / and euery man shall be redy at his commandement / as he is bounde: and shall be obediente to hym. Nowe if any man waxe stub­borne, and wyll not be obedient to the pryncis hestes, nor the prynce (whose office is to deme and iudge) [Page] is not able to resyste and compell hym: than begynneth your knowe­lege and your dome. For youre monitions shal refraine and chastice hym / accordynge as saynte Paule saythe to Titus the .3. chap. Admo­nyshe and warne them,Tit. 3. that they be subiectes to princis and high po­wers. And also wrytynge vnto the Romayns the thyrtene chapiter he sayth on this wyse:Ro. 13. Euerye soule shall be subiecte to the hyghe po­wers. Whan he sayth euery soule, it semeth than, none is excepted. Also where as misdoynges and syn­full dedes are manifest and open / as robbery, thefte, and suche lyke, nor ther is none that can or wyl redresse these offences: I deny not, but that ye shall and may vse your power in suche cases, but not of ryghtfull or vnrightfull: for it falleth not for you to knowe and deme therof,, nor to entermeddle therwith. But whan [Page 10] it is openly knowen by sentence and dome of the lawe, or els by playne euidence and knowlege of the tres­pace▪ that nedeth none other wyt­nesse nor proues: than may it longe to you in maner and forme, as hit is sayde before.

¶And if ye woll nedes knowe and deme in suche causes, bycause that wronge and synne be lynked to ge­ther: than there nedeth nought els, but shutte vp the gates of princis, and speke naughte of theyr lawes and statutes, but speke of the lawes of bysshops all onely. It dothe be­longe to you to knowe and to deme in cause of matrimony and of wed­locke, I pray you / wyll ye therfore say, that it foloweth / that ye shall knowe and deme of al that longeth therto for the knyttyng of the dede? Lo I go into your countreye for to aske heritage in my wyfes name: for she is heyre therof. Ye see, that by [Page] reason of matrimonye it longeth to me to requyre this heritage: shall I therfore plede before you for my wyfes heritage, and telle my tale in this maner: I Roberte at Stile aske for my wyfe a duchery / in the name of dowerye, and so forthe? Whiche ought to be pleded before the kyng / and not before the bysshoppe. Yea I saye vnto you all clerkes forbyd­dynge you, that you entermeddell you not of dome and knowlege of dowere / agaynst god and ryghtous­nes. For the beheste of dowery▪ is very couenant of temporaltie, and shall be proued or disproued / by proues or disproues, of the kynges lawes. And for so moch as ye vsurp and take vpon you that, that belon­geth vnto other, it is ryghte mete, that ye suffre as ye do.

¶ Now thus it appereth / that it is but a iape and a vanite / of suche ma­ner of onynge of thynges to feyne a [Page 11] knyttynge to gethers in dome and in knowlege of causes. For to the confoundynge of all those reasons (that ye make) the only wordes are suffycient, that I afore recyted to you oute of the gospelle of Luke,Luc. 12. where our lorde Iesu sayth: O man who hath ordeyned me domesman or dealer betwene you? Here Christ sheweth vs openly, that it longed not to hym to deme and deale hery­tage, by the power that he vsed in that that he was man shapen for to dye.

Can ye denay / but that the temporalties ought to obey and be seruiseable to the spiritualtie? If ye can not, ye must nedes graunt / that the temporaltie must nedes be subiect to the spiritualtie: & that the spirituall power oughte to rule the temporall.

Sothely the temporaltie shall serue the spiritual­tie in this case: they are bounde to fynde them, that worshyp and serue [Page] god, all that is necessary for them. For so do all nations (as it were by way of kynde) honour and ministre vnto thē liuelod & other necessaries / that worshyp god / & ministre sacra­mentes, and such as longeth to god. For in the lawes that our lord gaue to Moyses, the phariseis and pristes were largely prouided fore: but yet that law did not ordein for them ani temporall kyngedome or lordeshyp. And the apostell to the Corinthees saythe:1. Cor. 9. If we haue sowen thynges spirituall amonge you, it is no great thing if we repe carnall? But if thou wylte witte / what maner lordshyp Christe ordeyned for his seruauntes / that sowe spiritualle sedes: take of the wordes of Christe and of the apostelle Paule / as they folowe in order. For Christe to his disciples / sente forthe to preache, sayde: The worke man is worthye his meate:Mat. 10. Luc. 10. 1. Tim. 5. and, The worke man is worthy his [Page 12] mede. And Paule of hym selfe and other apostels sayth. 1. Cor. 9. Who trauaylleth in knyghtehoode vpon his owne coste? As who sayth:1. Cor. 9. no man. And in Moyses lawe it is written. Deut. 25. Thou shalte not bynde the oxe mouthe that thres­sheth. Lo to whom doth Christe & his apostell Paule lyken you? To workmen / to hyredmen & oxen / and not to kinges. I pray you, be worke men and hyred men, lordes of thyn­ges? Than it semeth / that tempo­raltyes are graunted you to helpe of your lyuynge / and for charge of spirituall administration / and not to lordeshyp. And of the spirituall it is wrytten in Moyses lawe,Deut. 15. there ye be lykened to an oxe, that thres / sheth / to the whiche it is ynough to take his meate, though he fyll al the berne with his trauayle. And for that ye saye / that spirituall power ruleth and gouerneth the temporal­tie [Page] / that is aunswered you afore by the apostell Paule / where he sayth: Euery bysshop is taken of men, and ordeyned for men in that that lon­geth to god / Heb. 5. and in that the spiritu­all power shall rule and gouerne vs, and not in that that longeth to the worlde: for it longeth nat to holye churche to deeme in that that is outwarde.

¶ And if ye yet striue / that the pope is aboue all other also in temporal­tie, ye falle into well great skornes. For if the poope (whan he is made pope) shuld be made lorde ouer all: than by the same skylle a bysshoppe (whan he is made bysshop) is made lorde of all the countrey of his bys­shoprike / and my priest shall be lorde ouer my castelle, and be my lorde. For as the power of the pope is in all, so is the power of these in that party, where they rule. Wherfore leaue this folysshenes / the which is [Page 13] laughed and mocked atte of euerye man, and that is, with so many rea­sones and auctorityes of scripture confounded. Also we haue lerned in the olde testament, that kynges or­deyned who shulde be priestes: but priestes dyd not ordeyne / who shuld be kynges. And priestes were not worshypped of kynges: but kynges and pryncis were worshypped of priestes and prophetes, and myghte calle them and commaunde them to do what pleased the kynges. And in the same olde testamente the kyn­ges dyd correcte the priestes, and vndertoke, and blamed them, whan they erred in gouernaunce of tem­poraltie.

I maruayle that ye say / that kynges vndertoke and bla­med the byshop in gouernāce of temporaltie.

Ye awake the slepynge dogge, and dryue me to speake otherwyse than I thoughte before to do.

Lette the [Page] hounde awake and barke.

For as moche as ye can not be contente, and pacyently (to your profite) suffre the princis, I fere me, that after due and iuste barkynge, ye shall fele bytynge.

What haue princis and kynges to do with gouernance of our tempo­raltie, lette them take theyrs / and suffre vs in peace with oures?

Syr the princis muste in any wyse haue to do therwith. I praye you, oughte nat we aboue all thynges / to mynde the helthe of our soules? oughte not we to see / that the wylles of our fore fathers be fulfylled? Falleth it not to you to pray for our fore fathers / that be passed out of this lyfe? And dydde not our forefathers gyue you oure temporalties ryghte plentyfullye / to the entente / that ye shulde praye for them, and spende it all to gether to the pleasure and honour of god? [Page 14] and ye do nothyng lo: but ye spende away your temporaltie in synfullle dedes and vanite, the whiche tem­poraltie ye shulde dispende in war­kes of charite, and in almes dedes to poore men and nedy. Were it not nedefulle, that they that be deed shulde be holpe / and they that be alyue saued by dedes of mercye? For the whiche oure fore fathers haue gyuen you great and huge do­minions. And whan ye apply them to your owne vse and superfluously consume them, and contrary to their intente / that were the gyuers / and also of the resceyuers / lasshe them out to an yll vse: do ye not damna­bly hurte and hynderaunce, bothe to them that be alyue / and also to them that be deed? Ye recke not for honestye, no nor for your owne lawe, nor for dedes of mercye and charite, but in foly and bobance, and in lykynge of this worlde, ye dis­pende [Page] al that was gyuen you for an holy entent. Shal not his wages be stopped / that wyll not doo dedes of knyghthode. He that holdeth of an nother, and dothe not his due office and seruice, he shall lose and forgoo his fee. And for to make an ende of this question, and to put you to sy­lence, I shall shewe you that▪ that shall make you sorye, and gladde to fynde the mene to set a remedy. Re­deth in holy wrytte. 2. Parali. ca. 14. There it is wrytten of kynge Ioas, that he dydde that that good was and pleasynge to oure lorde alle the dayes of Ioidas the preeste. And of the same kynge we rede .iiij. Re­gum. 12. Kynge Ioas called Ioida the bysshoppe / and also the prestes, and to them he sayd: why repayre ye not the couerynge of the temple? Loke therfore that ye take no more money of the people by your owne ordynaunce / but applye it to the in­stauration [Page 15] of the temple / and of goddes house. And thus the pree­stes were forbydden to take any more money of the people. Wher­fore thou seest / that kynge Ioas was preysed of our lord, for that he toke hede / that the offrynges shulde be spended to goddes worshyppe / that is to saye, to the instauration of the temple / accordynge to the holye entente of them that gaue suche thynges. God preysethe this kynge Ioas / for to shewe and leaue vnto vs ensaumple, that the sayde kynge, in his soo doynge, dydde not offende / for so moche as he dydde hit not for any coue­tousnesse, but of goddelye zeale, not of ambition, but of deuoute relygyon. And the kynge / to the entente to eschewe yuelle suspec­cion, he wolde haue the bysshoppe with hym to beare wytnesse / as foloweth. And whanne he sawe [Page] to moche moneye in the Treasau­rye / the kynges wryter and the bysshoppe wente vppe in to the Treasaurye, and poured oute and tolde the money / that was founde in goddes house / and they gaue hit after the noumbre and weyghte in to theyr handes / that were sour­ueyours of the masonrye of god­des house. Lo the good intention of the kynge is preysed / that tooke hede / that the goodes of this olde churche shulde be besylye saued, and spente to a good and a holye vse. I knowe well it lyketh not you to here these wordes, and yet neuer the lesse I speke not but wor­des of holy writte. It is sayde to you before / that ye haue resceyued all suche lordeshyppes and riches to the helpe of youre lyfe, and as the wages of holy chiualry / and to the intent to haue cloth and foode: with whiche two the apostell saythe,1. Tim. 6. he [Page 16] helde hym payde: and all the ouer plus besyde clothe and foode, ye ought to spende in dedes of mercye & pitie, as on poore people that haue nede, and on suche as be sycke and diseased / and opressed with misery. And if ye do not so, than muste we haue to do therwith: for than it fal­leth to vs to take hede of your tem­poraltie / that ye begyle not and de­ceyue the quycke and the deed.

This kynge Ioas toke not the goodes and cattell to his owne vse / but he bestowed them on holye churches vse. But nowe a dayes ye take our goodes, whiche ye spende not to the vse of holy churche, but on your busy and vnruly souldiors, and on shippes and ingins of warre. And therfore the ensaumple that ye brynge forthe, is not agaynst vs / nor agaynst our warkes and dedes: but ye wold therby colour your violēce and wronge.

Alway to your [Page] owne harme ye kycke agaynste the pricke of kynges. It is not greuous to you, that your cousins and kyns­men take to them of holy churches goodes and cattelles, and somtyme other persons, that be not honest, to the sklaunder of you, and of all the people that be vnder you: and ye be full venomous through your owne yuell ensample of lyuynge. This ye suffre / the whiche may be cause of goddes wrath vpon the kynge, and vpon all the realme / the whiche rec­klesly suffreth you so frowardly to worke agaynst almyghty god. But to you it semeth a greuous wronge, and in no wyse to be suffered, that the kyng asketh mekely of you, and thanketh you for it, as for a thynge graciously granted: and yet he doth not spende hit to his owne vse / but for your saufegarde, and in the de­fence of holy churche / and of your goodes and cattell.

[Page 17]Alas wo is me wretched man, ye tere & hale away my flesshe and my skynne, and that ye calle saufgarde.

I praye you lettethe be your noyse and your grutchynge / and harkeneth paciently. Consyder your neyghbours about you, that be many in londe, whiche wantyng, wherwith to lyue, gape stylle after your goodes. If the kynges power faylled, what reste shulde ye haue? wolde not the gentyll men / suche as be nedy, and suche as prodigallye haue spende away theyr substance, whanne they haue consumed theyr owne, wol not they turne to yours, and waste and distroye all that ye haue? Therfore the kynges strength is to you in stede of a stronge walle. And ye wotte very welle, that the kynges peace is youre peace: and the kynges saufegarde is your saufegarde. For if the kynges power wanted / or elles were withdrawen [Page] from you: than (as your synnes as­keth) they that commune with you now, and they that wayte vpon you nowe, wold dystroy / waste, and consume your goodes, and compell you to be theyr thralles. And if ye wold not, all that ye haue were vtterlye loste. Howe moche than wolde ye paye for to haue the kynges succour his helpe and defence / as ye had be­fore? Than thus ye se and perceyue manyfestlye / that whan ye gyue a lyttell portion to the kynge, you bye therwith your owne safegarde / and therby ye saue to youre selfe / youre goodes and your cattals, that shuld be distroyde by your ennemies, and by men of straunge londes, ne were the kynges helpe and his succour. But as ye haue alway ben vnkynd, for the goodnes that he hathe done to you: euen so nowe ye playne and grutche, agaynste that that is youre owne profyte. If the kynge fayled [Page 18] you, wolde not youre ennemyes warre vppon you, and putte you oute of your place, and out of your lande, and take frome you all that ye haue, and leue you poore, naked, and bare? and so stryken with ter­rible drede / wolde ye not put your selfe to flyghte / and wander ye for­ced not whyther? But and kynges and princis, at theyr owne costes, and to theyr great peryll and daun­ger of theyr lyfes, be holden to de­fende you: and you to reste vnder theyr wynges, and to eate & drynke with great solace and myrthe, and to lye in softe and delicate beddes / and sikerly to slepe / than it semethe, that ye wolde meane, that onely ye be verye lordes, and kynges and princis be of bonde condicion, and vnto you seruantes and thralles. If reste be graunted to men of the churche / it is no great thynge / if the ryches be reserued for vs of the lay [Page] fee. This is an harde thynge / saye ye, but ye wyll not reste, tylle ye be (as ye are wont) conuicted and also confoūded by holy scripture: ageinst the whiche ye can not resiste. For of Ioas the kynge (of whome we spake before) hit is wrytten in the. 4. boke of kynges, the .12. chaptre. and in the seconde booke of Parali. the .24. chapyter thus: Wherfore Ioas the kynge of Iuda tooke all that was halowed / the which thin­ges Ioram & Ochozias his fathers / kynges of Iuda had halowed, and whiche thynges he hym selfe hadde offered vppe / and all the syluer that he coude fynde in the treasaurye of the lorde, and Palaice of the kynge / and sente it to Azael / the kynge of Syrie, and he departed from Ieru­salem. Lo here thou mayst plain­ly see, that for to paye the peoples raunsomme, he toke those thynges oute of the temple / not withstan­dynge [Page 19] he spared not the kynges pa­layce / whan he toke those thynges out of the temple.

¶Also in the .4. boke of kynges, cap. 18. it is thus redde of the holy kynge Ezechias. The same season Ezechias braake the gates of the temple of the lorde / and toke the plates of golde / that he hym selfe had there stycked vppe, and gaue them to the kynge of Assiriens.

¶And if thou woldest saye, that Ezechias dyd amysse, I aunswere as it is sayde secundo Paralipo. cap. 32. Ezechias is not blamed for any of all his workes, that he dyd, but onely for the message of the princis of Babylon. Thanne who shall dampne hym / the whiche holye wrytte preysethe in all his dedes? If he erre, not vnderstandynge the sothenesse and the veritie of holye wrytte / wherfore than stryue you agaynste kynges and princis? [Page] It is red secundo Machab. quinto. Godde chose not the people for the place / but the place for the people.

Therfore the churche of lyme and stone shuld not be spared / whan the chrysten people be in perylle. The which thynge the holy kynge Eze­chiel and Ioseph vnderstode and truly dyd fulfyll. If your goodes be ho­ly churches goodes / and the people is a great parte of holy church: shal not than holy churches goodes skylfully be spended for the succour and saufegarde of the people? And so it foloweth / that it longethe to the ghostlyche of holy churche. And our lorde saythe, Matthei duodesi­mo. I tell you / this is more than the temple. For it is no doubt the ghostly temple, that is mankynde, is more worth than the temple that is made of lyme and stone.

Therfore a mylde and a prudente kynge mote by these wordes knowe [Page 20] the wylle of all myghty god: and hym nedeth not to seke auctorite of other. Nor the temple of lyme and stone / nor the thynges dedicated therin / shulde not be spared / to wyn peace and saufegarde to the people, that is in perill. Nor we shuld not smyle (after a flaterynge facion) at the superfluite of the churche / but se that the great multitude of christen people be holpe and succoured in theyr nede. And though the kynge dealeth gratiouslye with you / and goodly gouerneth you alway / yet ye be not ashamed to withsay hym in that that he may laufully do by the lawe of god almyghty, and wyll not with your good wyll therto as­sent. But take hede and beware by the wordes of Salomon: The kyn­ges wrathe is the messanger of deathe.

If those thynges that are ones gyuen to god, may be withdrawen & taken away agayne: [Page] than all vowes may be made voyde & fordone.

That that I haue sayd is not to withdrawe and take away gyftes, that are gyuen to all­myghty god: but to tourne and ap­ply those gyftes to suche vse, for the whiche they were fyrste gyuen. For those gyftes that are gyuen to god / the very same gyftes are dedi­cated to holy and charitable vses. And what thynge can be more holy thanne the sauation of christen peo­ple? And what is more precious vnto oure lorde / thanne to defende and sauely kepe the christen people from the inuasiō of theyr ennemies, theues & murtherers / & to bye peace to the true and faythfull subiectes? Therfore whan the goodes of the churche be spent on this wyse / than are they bestowed to suche vse / for the whiche they were fyrst dedicate and gyuen.

If ye take you to holy wryt, why do ye with­saye [Page 21] and breake our priuileges and fredomes: whiche lybertyes we haue by holy wrytte? For our lorde Matt. 17. sayde vnto Peter: Howe semeth hit vnto the Symon, The kynges of the erthe, of whome take they trybute / of theyr owne sonnes, or elles of other? of other sayde Peter. Iesus sayde to hym: Than are the sonnes free. But leste we offende them, goo vnto the see / and caste in a fysshe hooke / and the fyrste fysshe that commeth vppe / open his mouthe / and thou shalte fynde a stater, take that, and gyue it for me and for the. Ye se sir knight that the clergie, bonde to the seruice of god, is free in all poyntes.

If ye well consider, and vnderstande the gospell aryght / ye may se / that the tribute or dragme was demaun­ded onely of Christe: And onelye for Christe this answere semeth to be gyuen: For he is the verye sonne [Page] of god, the sonne of the greatte myghty kynge. And as the kynges sonne is greatter than the bysshop: so is goddes sonne greatter than the emperour. And so that aunswere was gyuen for Christe, and not for you. Neuer the lesse bycause they, that chieffely serue the kynge in his presence, shulde not be put to cōmon and greuous charges / so we grant, that clerkes in theyr owne persones be free / but not they, that leade theyr lyfes as lewde men, and not as clerkes to the worshyppe / but to the gyle and fraude of oure lorde / as hit is all day sene. But clerkes that folowe Christe, as pristes that serue at the aulter, and that are fully gyuen and occupied in the seruyce of god, we graunt, that those be free, I saye not clerely by the gospelle: but by cause in theyr soo doynge hit discordethe not from the gospelle / that fredome is gyuen [Page 22] them by priuileges of princis. For sith the begynnyng of the churche Paule ad Ro. 13. sayth: Euery soule be subiect to the higher powers / not onely (sayth he after) for wrathe / but also for conscience. And after folowynge he sayth, yelde and paye to all men that is due to them: to whome tribute is due / pay tribute: to whome custome is due, paye cu­stome. Than ye se / that euery soule muste be subiecte, beare tribute, and pay custome. But as I haue sayd / ye be nowe free in your owne per­son, by priuileges of princis: but shal your feldes haue now the same freedome? If holy churche bye a felde, that is able to be tylled: shall he that hath therof euery yere rent and tribute lose his rente and try­bute?

Our cōmunication nowe is not of rent and tribute, but of exactions.

Like as I haue of some felde certayne rente: so the [Page] emperour of his empire / and the kynge of his kyngdome, may at his owne wyll reyse skylfull tribute for the defence of the common welthe. It is graunted by clere reason / that the common welthe shall be defen­ded at the costes of the commontie: and what so euer parte therof enioyeth this defence / it is most agreenge with ryght / that he sette to his shulder, and helpe to beare the burthen. Than if possessions be as ryghtfully subiecte to the common charge / as to the yeres rent, he shall be vnder charge / who so euer oweth them, specially if it nedeth for the defence of the comon welthe: for they nede the comon defence, as al other nede. If ye say nay, bycause of prescripti­on and custome, that ye haue of so longe tyme vsed that lybertie: We answere you / In as moche longer / and of olde continuaunce that your fredome and liberty is / by the good­nes [Page 23] and liberall benignite of kynges and princis, so moche the sooner ye shulde be prompte and redye with harte and mynde to pay your part, and helpe forwarde, where nede required. For holy wrytte fordoth this prescription / that ye alledge. For from Salomon to Ioas / and from Ioas to Ezechiell it is redde of no suche doynge, as Ezechiell dydde in tyme of nede. Also many cytyes, that were by priuileges and custome free from payenge of exactions: haue bothe paciently payde / and also do pay with good wyll at this day, at their princis pleasure / for the defence of the realme / of the commonaltie, or of persons. If god for vnkynde­nes / calleth agayne forgyuenes of synne: beware lest for your rebelly­on / that ye deserue no lesse, but al­so to be further charged, and at the laste to be strypped from al your goodes and power.

Shall [Page] the kynge beryue and take awaye from vs, the gracis granted vs by kynges, that were his predecessours and by other noble princis? And may he fordo the priuileges of bles­sed fathers granted to holy church?

I deny not it is trouthe / great and large priuileges be to you gran­ted by kynges and princis. Ther­fore ye oughte to vnderstande and knowe, that what so euer the gouernours of the comon welth do / they intended it all to gether for the pro­fite of the common weale / hauynge regarde speciallye thervnto accor­dynge to this rule: They dispose all thynges in suche wyse, that they preferre the common welthe before theyr owne: whiche in a prince is a thynge moste gloryous, wherof Dauid is example .ij. Regum. Therfore it is knowē by witnes clere & true, and eke by very reason, that they graunte nothyng by theyr wri­tynge [Page 24] / that shulde afterwarde be harme and domage to the common weale. But if any priuilege / that is graunted, be founde and knowen hurtefull / and greuous to the cōmon weale, it maye be repelled and for­done in tyme of nede. Therfore it is not to be doubted, but that the hygh princis for the necessary busy­nes of the realme, maye alter and chaunge (as reason and tyme requi­reth) the gracis and priuileges to you granted, and by the lawes esta­blysshed. As we rede of the mooste wyse kynge Salomon, in the peyne of thefte, chaunged some what of goddes lawe.

The em­perours and not the kynges haue establisshed tho thynges. Therfore nowe syr knyghte / the emperours must gyde the raynes of the lawes.

This answer is blasphemous: And eyther (as it semeth) ye are ig­noraunte of the begynnynge of a [Page] kyngedome, or els (whiche is moste lykely) ye enuie the hygh estate of the realme. If ye well beholde the actes of greatte Charlemayne, or lysted to rede the auncient approued hystories: ye shall fynde, that the realme of Fraunce is but a portion of the empire / by a iust diuision sepe­rated from it / and was by the space of .500. yeres egall therto bothe in dignitee and auctoritie. Therfore what so euer priuilege of dignite the empire holdeth in one part / the same holdeth the realme of Fraunce in an other. For whan by brotherne the realme of Fraunce was deuyded from the other parte of the empire: what so euer lawes / power, or dig­nite the empire opteined and exercy­sed ouer and vppon the sayde parte thus diuided, the verye selfe power fell to the frenche kynge. And ther­fore lyke as all thynges conteyned within the boundes of the empire, [Page 25] is well knowen to be subiecte to the empyre: so lykewyse all thynges within the boundes of the realme / be subiecte to the realme. And lyke as the emperour may make la­wes ouer al his empire, and to them adde more or diminisshe, as he thin­keth good: so maye the kynge of Fraunce, eyther vtterly repelle the emperours lawes, or change which of them hym lyste: or els cleane exi­lynge and fordoynge these lawes / maye at his pleasure ordeyne and make newe. For whan nede shuld requyre (as it ofte chaunceth) to enact and ordeyne a statute, if the kynge that is the chiefe, coude not do it: thā there is none other that canne: for there is none aboue hym. And ther­fore syr clerke refrayne your tongue, and aknowlege the kynge by his royall power to be aboue your la­wes, customes / priuileges / and liberties: and that he may by the aduise [Page] of his nobuls adde or diminysshe / what so euer he thynke accordynge with equite and reson: and therfore what so euer he changeth in those dayes for the welthe of the realme, take it well in worthe and paciently suffre it. For so Paule teachethe you writynge to the Romaynes the xiij. chapter, where he sayth: Who that resisteth the hygh power / resy­steth the ordynaunce of god. And a­gayne in the ende of the pistell to the Hebrewes he saythe: Obeye ye to your soueraynes / and humble your selfe to them.

Also kyng Dauid .1. Reḡ. 21. vnder Abiathar the prince of the pristis / in tyme of nede dyd not alonelye eate the breade called panes propositionis, (wherof to eate it was not lefull for any man / except the priestes) but also gaue the same breade to eate / to them that were with hym. And it is written Marke the .ij. chap. The [Page 26] holy day is made for man, and not man for the holy day. And so the lorde is the sonne of man, and also is lorde of the holy day. It is writ­ten in the fyrst boke of Parali. the 39. chap. In thy hande is the great­nes and empire of all. It sayth far­ther there: They honored god, and than the kynge. And it sayth there. They secondely anointed Salomon the sonne of kynge Dauid / they a­noynted him in our lorde to be their prince, and Sadoch to be theyr bys­shop. And .2. Parali. 23. it saythe: Nor none other shulde entre in to the house of our lorde but priestes, and suche of the deacons as mini­stred, they all onely shulde entre in, bycause they be halowed: and all the residue of the common people shulde kepe the watche of our lorde. The deacons inuironned the kynge aboute, euery man hauynge his ar­mour. And if any other entred in to [Page] the temple of the lord he was slayn. They shulde attende vpon the kynge bothe whan he entred in / and whan he wente out. Also Ioada the bys­shoppe anoynted hym / and his chil­dren prayde for hym and sayd.

God saue the kynge.

It draweth faste towarde nyght: to morowe mornyng I wyll answere you to euery thynge.