To the Reader.
[...]minated, and him selfe decyphered, by the infallyble woorde of God: he nowe (I saye) doubles & tryples his inuentions, (as by the sequell shall appeare) twentie tymes tenne folde, to subuert and ouerthrowe the true professours of the same VVherefore, as in a myrrour, I delyuer this vnto thee, (gentle and loouing Reader) manifesting by this my emulation, most of his leger demaynes, against God, and our lawfull Kings and Gouernors. Farewell.
L. Ramsey.
❧ The Practise of the Diuell.
I Sathan most cursed, and childe of perdition,
Enuy hate and malice, the tyme that is present:
Spytefully complayning, in euery condition,
Against all the world, and all States resident:
For putting downe the Pope, my Vicar superintendent,
Oh England, England, thou bringest me in a rage,
By Preaching true Doctrine, in this thy latter age.
¶ But séeing that from Heauen, for pride I was cast,
Downe into the Helles, in paines perpetuall:
Assure then your selues, as long as tyme shall last,
Like a roring Lyon, aun Tiger tyrannycall:
I wyll poyson your hearts, with sectes diabolicall,
With Atheists, with Papists, with Epicures and Scribes,
As Caine and Beniamyne, were horror to the Tribes.
¶ I will rayse vp Sedicion, Lust and selfe Loue,
Wylfulnesse and Ignoraunce, and carnall affection:
That God and all Veritie, I will séeke to reproue,
Reuerting their mindes, to diuelish subiection:
By slaundering and lying, to bréede such infection,
That all honest meaning, both of young and olde,
Shall cleane be peruerted, and voide of all holde.
¶ Anabaptists and Arrians, shall euery where associate,
Pelagians and Libertines, in lyke shall beare a sway:
Vsurers and dissemblers, by clusters shall accumulate,
That none shall trust other, afore the latter day:
Treason, theft, and murder, shall one an other slay.
By Magick and Witchery, I mynde you so to trouble,
That one sinne afore, shall nowe be ten double.
Parasites and Flatterers, I wyll make so to abound,
That Trueth shalbe defaced, and stand aloofe behinde:
Auarice and Couetousnesse, shall compasse euerie ground,
That fewe shall haue credite, freendship to finde,
Wauerers and Neuters shall houer in the winde,
That Sycophants and brablers, preheminence shall haue,
To predicate and iudicate, before the wyse and graue.
¶ Hypocrisie, I knowe my Childe to be assured,
To lyue in all Ages, he hath Wil sufficient:
In all kindes of Religion, he is well inured,
A Doctor in all Artes, to propone an argument:
Square Cappe and Typpet, the fellowe shalbe decent,
To créepe in among them, hee practises to endeuer,
That I the Diuell his father, may extoll him for euer.
¶ Blasphemy and Periurie, shalbe mates for the rout,
Flatterie and lying, shalbe counted great curtesie:
With Whordome, I wyll infect the world throughout,
And that shalbe Loue, cloked with great honestie,
Dronkennesse & Gluttony, shalbe counted great temperancy.
Couetousnesse Wisdome, Wantonnesse but Youth,
These are my practises, to blot or dym the Trueth.
Infamie and slaunder, shall runne from place to place,
Against Gods Preachers, or professors of the same:
Terming them Puritans, if ought they haue of Grace,
Exclayming of theyr lyberties, to hinder theyr good name:
All that euer is right, I wyll bring out of frame.
For the malice I beare, to England at this season,
I wyll styrre vp vnspeakable, diuers kindes of Treason.
¶ By Magicke and Sorcerie, such practise I wyll worke,
Respecting no degrée, if of God he doo smell:
More cruell then the Tiger, more diuellishe then the Turke,
More madder then Saule, more vyle then Iezabell:
More stubborne then Pharao, more false then Achytophell.
More traytor then Iudas, more vnnaturall then Caine,
More villaine then Absalon, which by Ioab was slaine.
¶ More Tyraunt then Antyochus, or any of his kinde,
As Herodeor Nero, that tyraunt most odious:
With Phalaris and Domitian, with thousands I could finde,
That to God in this world, haue bene most opprobrious:
But yet in respect of my minde malicious,
They are all but counterfeyts, to that which I intende,
For the spyte that I beare, to the world in th'ende.
¶ Lyke a roring Lyon, I rampe, stampe, and stare,
Watching iust howre, my praye to obtayne:
Aryse Infidelytie, voyde of all care,
Aryse Hypocrisie, thy Father to maintayne:
Aryse Suspicion, and all Ceremonies vayne,
Aryse vp ranke heresies, against God and his Christ,
Aryse my Papistes, and defend the Pope your Preest.
Aryse vp Dunce and Dorbell, and stande to your Sacrament,
And spare for no Logicke, theyr natures to alienate:
Of Breade into Flesh, I thinke it conuenient,
And Wine into Blood, quicke for to translate:
I might be more siner, with transubstanciate.
But ye knowe my meaning, my owne sweete Boyes,
I speake to you Papistes, to reuiue my ioyes.
¶ Peter Lombardus, and Thomas of Aquyne,
Eckius and Anselm, Prelates of some trust:
Aryse I say quickly, with your doctrine Serpentine,
And fyll me the worlde, with your ranke Rebell rust:
Your Bookes dooth remaine, though your bodyes be dust.
Whereby that some séede, in this time may growe,
To the prayse of your father, which full well ye doo knowe.
¶ Aryse vp Hyldebrand, for nowe it is hye tyme,
To poyson the world, by one meane or other:
Thrust in all helpes, slaunder, lye, and cryme,
Playe as Alphoncius, played vy his owne Brother:
Stryke out theyr braines be it Father or Mother,
As Cayne dyd Abell, and I wyll you reward,
With wylde fire and Brimstone, or else it shall goe hard.
¶ Aryse vp Becker, Traytor to thy King,
Sweate, sweare and swell, against all those procéedinges:
That fayth, lyght or rise, by any meanes bring.
Resist it betymes, and I will furder your spéedinges:
And what I can doo, to hinder theyr féedinges,
Assure your selues, as Sathan is my name,
An aduersary I am, and will perfourme the same.
¶ Aryse vp Dun̄s [...], Wolston, and Gooderick,
Aryse vp all ye Scorpious of Rome:
Aryse vp Benedick, Frauncis, and Domynick,
Aryse vp all the Papisticall some:
Out with your Portises, and defend my kingdome?
Your Grayelles, and A [...]yueners, Legendare and all,
Crosse, Cope, and Candlesstick, is else lyke to fall.
¶ Beswinge them with holy Water, & ring out your Bels,
Blinde them with Pardons, disple downe theyr sinnes:
Bleare them with Idols, and many thinges els,
As Dirge, Mattens, and Masse, for scabbes and sore shinnes:
Some of Requiem some of Scala cali, not worth two pinnes,
Yet out with them, though I am driuen to that néede,
That all will be to lytle, nowe to doo the déede.
¶ Stand to it Stapleton, Dorman and Harding▪
And Rastall that rakehell, to mainteyne my order:
Bonner and Gardener, are worth the regarding,
For kéeping my Articles, so long in this border:
Do Story, Story, thou art worthy of Recorder,
Thou stoodst to it stoutly, against God and King.
And at Tiborne desperatly, gaue me an offering.
¶ Frier Forrest, and all his mery mates,
Dyd yéeld me the like, with heart and good will:
They puld of their Cowles, and hangd all saue the pates,
In the honour of me, and thought it not yll:
And Sir Thomas More, likewise at Tower hyll,
Lost there his head, for denying the King,
To do supreame head, and for no other thing.
¶ What should I speake, what feates haue bene wrought,
By Hypocrites and Papistes, my Children naturall:
What Rebellion and sedicion, by them hath bene sought,
Against King and Realme, it is knowen in generall:
Lincolneshyre, and Yorkshyre, were first the originall,
And then came the West partes, with courage lustily,
To defend the Masse, and the groundes of Papistry.
¶ But nowe alas, their cloyning is so spide,
That no way but flye, quite ouer the Sea:
In England but a fewe, in respect I can hide:
The Gospell so be wrayes their obscured knauerie.
But yet some doe scape, by the meane of Hypocrisie,
And beares it out braglie, and little will say,
For fewe woordes is best, they hope for a day.
¶ And those that are fled, out of Countreyes foyle,
Haue friendshippe priuelie to their contentation,
And watche for the vauntage, to come to some spoyle,
Gréeting by Letters, their whole generation,
By subtill cyphering, is their demonstration,
Alluring the rest, to stand to their hope,
That the day is comming to haue againe their Pope.
¶ Well, I will helpe, and reason to you knowe,
To plant in these plaintiues, with all that I can:
With all deuise possible, to seeke to ouerthrowe,
All true obedience, and fidelitie from man:
Therefore marke what I say, and marke what I scan,
By Hypocriste and pollycie, as I sayd before,
I will augment my kingdome, twise as much more.
¶ One thousand yéeres, in captiuitie I was,
And so restrayned from my libertie and will:
That nothing to my purpose, I could bring to passe,
Which nowe makes me hungrie, to worke double yll:
Respecting no person, but all I would kill,
By all deuise possible, to infect them with euill,
Loe, this is my practise, being Sathan the deuill.
¶ Wherefore my owne Boyes, ye Papists in generall,
Masculine and▪ Feminine, of eyther kinde and gender:
Woorke for your Father, and his kingdome infernall,
That double torments, for your paines I may render:
Blase out my benefites, that they be not slender,
Kingdomes I can giue, beauty and renowne.
To as many as before me, will stoope and fall downe.
¶ Regard not these Preachers, but sclaunder them as thus,
That they be but men, and preach for lucres sake:
Againe, howe they are prowde, and too too couetous,
Vicious, lasciuious, and can both marre and make:
Praters and lyers, which nothing doe but crak [...]
And howe that their Wiues are like [...]their degre [...],
Lyke Curtizans of Venice, for ought that all men sées.
¶ Their Children are by Lawe, called [...]llegitymats,
Holde in that Lawe to proue their Mariage vile:
And seeke by all meanes, their doinges to contaminate.
To bring in contempt, and Gods v [...] to exile:
Be craftie my B [...]s, these Prote [...]t to beguile.
Be Vsurers among them, and doe what ye can,
Against right and reason, to hurt euerie man.
¶ I charge my faire Papists. [...] and birth [...]
That hath Vicaridge [...] in th [...] [...]ds to bestow [...]:
To giue it those [...] which knowes not [...] B [...]
Nor yet can discerne the [...] from the Crowe
They are Curates good inough, they s [...]nd but for a showe,
To mumble out the matter, of that which comes next,
Making men beleeue, that their lyes in the [...]ent.
¶ Then let the learned sort, of the Papistes & doe use ane,
Powder so their Phrases, with reasons sophisticall:
Alledging auncient custome, and what tofore hath bene,
From Fathers vnto Fathers, and Bishops pontificall:
From Councell to Councell, and lawes Canonycall,
To say it must be thus, and that standes with [...].
Though Scripture to the contrary, cōmaūds that to drawe.
¶ And euer kéepe in corners, a Psalter of Saint Mary,
A Challice and a Pare, for Masse if néede require:
A Crewsible and a Stone, called Superaltary,
A Ship for your Franckencense, and a Pan for your Fire:
A Saints bell beside, to ring all in the Quire,
That when the blessed Host, shall come ouer his head,
The verie body of Christe, a lye in forme of bread.
¶ As for Vestments and Coapes, excuse them by pretence,
That Cushins and Curtens, of them ye will make:
If ye chaunce to be spied, ye sée that the offence,
Is but a hundred Markes, for our God in a Cake:
Ye shalbe borne withall beside, for your fréendes sake,
The penaltie is not great, I thinke it not too mych,
Because that I doe knowe, my Papistes are too rych.
¶ Externlie be couetous, and cappe to euery Dogge.
Giue openlie to the poore, that all the world may sée:
In secrets be as gentle, as any rauening Hogge,
And for loue giue nothing, but all for vaine glorie:
Exclude the Scriptures, and byd them reade the storie
Of Robin hood, and Guye, which was both tall and stout,
And Beuis of Southampton, to séeke the matter out.
¶ With these and such lyke, perswade them day by day,
To reade and learne, yea perfectly by hart:
The Scriptures will but bréede, great heresies, so say,
And make them to dispayre, in searching euery part:
Byd them followe their vocation, and that is Plough & Cart,
For Tinckers and Coblers, it is nothing conuenient,
To desire to know the waight of Gods commaundement.
¶ Make their burthens heauie, and yours to be but lyght,
As the Pharasies dyd, to whome was cried woe:
And more then this, ye must call the blacke all whight,
And the whyte the blacke, with other lyings moe:
And how that sprites doe walke, if one doe crye but boe,
And that Soules in purgatorie, for pardon still doe crye,
For a thousand dayes and od, and say it is no lye▪
¶ For other kinde of Ceremonies, that holy is to name,
As holy Water, holy Bread, holy Fire, holy Oyle:
Holy Beades holy Candle, holy Smoke, holy Flame,
Holy Ground, holy Church, holy Sanctuary soyle:
Holy Bels, holy Banners, holy Horse, holy Moyle,
These are the common people to induse.
By the reason that long time, hath brought them out of vse.
¶ But if the world chaunge, as you looke that it should,
And as my Magicians, by Arte so dooth hope,
Assure your selues Villaines, and thereof be bold,
These Ceremonies shall vp, by the power of the Pope:
Yea, and the Sacrament too, shalbe hangd in a Rope,
Ouer the hye Alter, as it was wont to bée,
And honored as God, both with cap and knée.
¶ Munkes, Nunnes and Friers, black, white, and graie,
Chanons, Anckres, and Anckresses, all shall vp againe:
Pilgrimages, and Chappels, standing by the hie waie,
Crosses, single and double, for Saint Iones to be plaine:
Gang dayes, and Procession, with other trifles vaine,
Displing and Confession, for our stunes in Lent,
All must vp againe, my Papistes hath so ment.
¶ Practise, prate and Coniure, plaie Siluesters part,
Or Hildebrand that hell hound most execrable:
Poison Prince, or King, and consume them by Arte,
As diuers haue bene stirred, by the Romish rable:
Flatter, lye, and cogge, at euerie mans Table,
Hauing blinde Prophecies, and whisper in their eare,
That ere long we shall haue, great chaunge of this geare.
¶ Hang together lyke burres, against these prating Protestants,
Charge them to liue ill, and out of all good order:
Terme them bréeders of sects, and painted Presscians,
And howe they Preache for money, in euerie border:
Séeke Scriptures against them, and many a false Recorder,
Béelie them in corners, yet flatter to their face,
Till iust time shall serue, their state to disgrace.
¶ Your nature of it selfe, hath practises vnspeakable,
As occasion serueth, so prosecute your mindes:
And I your olde Father, wyll be to you as fauourable,
And worke by all meanes, to furder your kindes:
Séeme Angels of lyght, which all the world blindes,
But be verie Woolues, if néede doe so require,
That once againe in time, we may haue our desire.
¶ Persecute these Protestants, as long as ye haue breath,
Ye sée in securitie, they lull them selues a sléepe:
Fraught with all ydlenesse, and great feares of death,
Tymerous and weake, faynt hearted lyke Shéepe,
Breakers of promise, no touch they wyll kéepe,
The Papist is more constant, for all their protestation,
And so giue it out, to euerie Congregation.
¶ These and such sclaunders, on them ye must rayse.
As carnall cauyllers, to maynteyne their affection:
Lyke flatterers and dissemblers, in these latter dayes,
Not séeing their selues, but all others correction:
Proude puffed Prelates, which standes vpon election,
Precise Hypocrites, rebukers of others workes,
When secretly them selues, are worse then any Turkes.
¶ Thus ye must handle, your cloynings by clouting,
And whisper in corners, this world wyll not last:
In euerie honest thing, make you a doubting,
To turne all good meanings, as a iugling cast:
That thing that's to come, say you it is past.
As the Resurrection, the chéefe hope and ioy:
Like Saduces and Epicures, séeke you it to annoy.
¶ I speake to you Papists, which are of some calling,
Setled in security, no Lawe to detect you:
Face out these Protestants, with facing and bralling,
Calling them beggers, and why should they correct you:
Ye haue Statute against them, if they once suspect you.
Or call you Papists, eyther though Papists ye be:
Suffer no such crime, against your Hypocrisie.
¶ Other meanes there is, and marke my practise well,
Linke with them in Mariage, much for honors sake:
Your Sōnes with their Daughters, for a thing that I smell,
Your Daughters with their Sonnes, iu [...] ioynter to take:
This coniunction copulatiue, I my selfe will make,
Knowing that the Woman, within a yeere or twaine,
Will turne my new Gospeller, to olde custome againe.
¶ As Iezabell did Achab, oh my owne Deuile,
As the Amonites and Edomytes, caused the wise Salomon,
To commit Idolatrie, and the hie God to despise,
So let your Daughters be the lyke patron:
And to make them deleeue, there is no God to Mammon,
Drawing their mindes; both at [...]ed and at bord,
Cleane from the trueth, and to deny the Lord.
¶ Also I charge you, to succor helpe and inde;
All obscure Papistes, yea, Traytors in effect:
Blinde Chaplaines in your hyntes, you néede not be afraide,
The Lawes hath that charitie, that none shall you correct.
Let Scholemaisters likewise all yonglings infect,
And kéepe them in their house, your Familie to teach,
To [...]out, [...]eare, and mocke, those that trueth doe preach.
¶ And within your lyberties, if any tyrant dwell,
That praties of the Testament, eyther olde or new:
Remoue me that fellowe, and say he is a rebell,
A Iacke, a busie body, of the little flocke or crew:
Ioyne so your friendship, whatsoeuer then ensew,
That twenty for one, may then be on your side,
Your knaueries to mainteine, and your treasons to hide.
¶ And then your abilities, your credife shall aduaunce,
Your friendship by Mariage, shall complaint qualifie:
That in twenty miles compasse, without it be a chaunce,
None shall dare say, once against your Papistrie:
Marrie some will thinke that you are Apostasie,
Because in times past, ye were great professors,
And nowe are become, euen my owne successors.
¶ And I will about to Rome, and to Spaine,
And styrre vp your Pope, great part for to take:
With Gallies, with Men, to helpe to mainteine,
His friendes in all partes, for me the Diuels sake:
In euerie Princes Court, some spies I will make,
To sée and not sée, till time shalbe méete,
Then Letters within Letters, shall trot about the stréete.
¶ Bulles, curses, and Pardons, in cornors shalbe lost,
And Images of waxe, in dunghyls shalbe found:
Coniuring to consume, the best in euery cost,
To frustrats the trueth, and vice for to abound:
And eke the professors, to haue them hangd or drownd,
This is my intent, and to this I set my hand,
Lyke a Diuell incarnate, to poison euery Land.
¶ And specially this England, which cléerely hath exilde,
The Pope my owne Boy, and all his supreme power:
As Monkes, Nuns, and Friers, whose lying hath beguilde,
Euery Christian Realme, time day and hower:
Altering all swéete thinges, to intollerable sower,
These I say are voyde, which now makes me so mad,
That thousandes I will reuenge, if it be to be had.
¶ Respecting no man, for this ye doe knowe,
That Christ I assaulted, and little could preuaile:
He was too strong for me, when it came to the shows,
His power was so great, I began for to quaile:
He had me anoide, and I turnd my taile▪
But as for the rest, that nowe are here behinde,
Are lesse in the spirite, and more shall knowe my minde.
¶ For I sée that all men, giuen to self loue,
And affection so rules, nowo in euerie condition:
That easely I may enter, and my practise proue,
In euery Estate, without feare or Commission:
And most I knowe by text are children of perdicion,
Then haue among my owne, giuen me by prouidence,
Reproued by God, for their beastly insolence.
¶ Hardened is their hearts, more obstinate then Pharao,
That they cannot repent, so stony is their hearts:
As trayterous as Iudas, as tyrannous as Nero,
As letcherous as Goates, more vile in all partes:
Babylonicall Hoores, mates for all Martes,
Lyers, flatterers, defilers of Virginitie,
Breakers of wedlocke, detesters of Diuinitie.
¶ Fraught with vaine glorie, farre beyond measure,
Pufte vp with pride, excessiue in Apparell:
Couetous as Diuels, insaciate in Treasure:
As malicious as Mahound, more ready to quarrell,
As dronken as Bacchus, sitting on a Barrell:
As poison as Adders, as gentle as curre Dogges,
As filthy as carion, as rausnous as Hogges.
¶ These are one sort of the Babylonicall kinde,
An other more finer, their praie to allure:
Adulate créepers, in corners farre behinde,
Soothing those thinges, which is lykest to endare:
Well séene in Palmestrie, and in Phisicke sure,
To whisper with the Feminine, of Venus and her ginnes,
Prouing their complexion, not for their Husbands skinnes.
¶ In the blinde world, as the Heretikes doe it call,
Then tooke I most ease, my mischéefes to prefarre:
The Popes Traditions, by force of Lawes canonicall,
Did alwayes fight for me, all godlinesse to marre:
I let them burne and hang, and séeke them where they ware,
While I lay at mine ease, in hell with flaming fiers,
With Popes, Bishops, & Munks, with fat growe head Friers,
¶ And of euerie sort some, I néede not them to name,
Of both kindes and genders, of hye and lowe degrée:
Many a mynsing Nunne, and many a noble Dame,
In hell is nowe resident, which dines and suppes with me:
As Semiramis and Cleopatra, which liued all in glorie,
Flora and Lais, gyrles of such report,
That since their time, the proudest may come short.
¶ What shall I speake of Nemroth, buylding so hie,
That God he moude to wrath, by his great ambition:
A Towre for to reare: he meant to touch the Skie,
The wonder of the world, a large and great commission:
What should I speake of Pharao, the lyke proued condition,
Which through the red Seas, his power so would leade,
In the spight of God, which all dooth excende.
¶ Holophernes and Herod, had like aspiring mindes,
And diuers other, which in Stories I haue read:
The Diuell is not ignoraunt, of his owne proper kindes,
Which God threwe downe, and made their doings dead:
Innumerable there haue bene, as afore I sayd,
Which in working mischiefe, in this world did excell,
That nowe take reward, with me the Diuell of hell.
¶ Wherefore my owne Boyes my councell nowe obserue,
And my practises also put in execution:
And rich I can make you, if that your turne will serue,
By giuing you lybertie, by my institution:
To oppresse, to extort, without restitution,
To powle, pill, and pinch, by force power and might,
By hooke, crooke, and councell, be doing day and night.
¶ Let all thinges be common, goods, mayde, and wife,
Take time while time is, there is no resurrection:
Be not beastly cowards, but styrre vp all strife,
To Princes and Rulers, be in no subiection:
A figge for the Lawes, passe for no correction,
Styrre vp sedition, rebellion and filthy lyes,
And sweare it out lyke tyraunts, for God he hath no eyes.
¶ Search about for sectes, of all sorts and kindes,
Mainteyne your affections, make Scriptures but a cloke:
Let that be your Religion, that best please your mindes,
Stand vpon selfe will, and by craft séeke to choke
Simple honest men; if argument they prouoke,
And say they haue no skill, trueth to vnderstand,
But if they will receyue, let them takte at your hand.
¶ Loose no kinde of credite, in your spirituall function,
Say that you be called, as plainly dooth appeare:
Binde the people whole to some olde Iniunction,
That hath not bene in print, this forty, or fifty yeare:
Tell them you are Lordes, ouer Towne and Sheare,
Striue with them for tythes, to kéepe them in good awe,
To kéepe their heads occupied, in following of your Lawe.
¶ And then may you the whyles, preach and teach your fill,
And call them rascall rebelles, which no order will kéepe:
Forbid them Communion, séeke their soules to kill,
Lyke a raging Woolfe among the simple Shéepe:
And when the poore doth crie, be you fast a sléepe,
Yet speake you to the parish, their charitie to extend,
But take you all & giue nothing, to neyther foe nor fréend.
¶ And where you are constrained, to preach once a quarter,
Or else to hyre one fowre times in the yéere:
Preach me such stuffe, as includes no great matter,
As woorkes for to iustifie, when saith is nothing néere:
All out of Apoerypha, let your woordes appeers,
Or els by vaine fables, as Ouid or Horace,
To beautifie your sentence, lyke a glorious Asse.
¶ Medle not with Christ, nor with his holy Passion;
Nor yet with faith, neyther say it is vnsearchable:
Come not neere Election, nor Gods Predestination,
It is no meate for Mowers, to be talk't at their table:
And howe the new Testament, is all inscrutable.
Put them in a feare to driue them from the loue,
For running into errors, your argument to proue.
¶ And some of you be gentle, and subtill as the Foxe,
Holde in with the rychest, and ducke at euery word:
That if the time should chaunge, and God againe in boxe,
Ye were an honest man, and thereof take record:
Play on both handes, for that will best accord,
To preuent the times, howsoeuer they fall out,
And you to haue the place, of that you goe about.
¶ Marry not in any wise, for that is greatest charge.
But borrowe of your neyghbours, as I will you assigne:
And against those that doe marry, speake somewhat large,
Their chyldren to be bastardes, and bréede vnlawfull lyne:
Their Wiues to be Peacockes, or Mistresse new diuine,
These termes ye must haue, Vertue to disgrace,
Whyle you lyke vsurpers, may créepe into their place.
¶ Suffer all sclaunder, against God and his trueth,
And prayse the olde fashion, in king Arthurs dayes:
Of Abbaies, of Monasteries, howe it is great rueth,
To haue them pluckt downe, and so the eldest sayes:
And howe it was merrie, when Robin hoods playes,
Was in euerie Towne, the Morrice and the foole,
The May poll, & the Drum, to bring the Calfe from schoole.
¶ With Megge, Madge, and Marian, about the poll to daunce,
And Stephen that tall stripling, to leade Volans dale:
With roging Gangwéeke, a goodly remembraunce,
With Banners all a flaunt, with Cakes, Chéese, and Ale:
With beades in euery hand, our Prayers stoode by tale,
This was a merie world, talke among your meany,
And then of good Egges, ye might haue twenty for a penny.
¶ With this and such paultrie, when ye sée time and place,
And the people apte, this way to be fead:
Step in for a vauntage, and exclude Gods grace,
Let the blinde leade the blinde, this text I haue read:
For in kéeping them blinde, without cléere discerning,
Ye make them subiect, and reserue your owne learning,
¶ Ye sée and you knowe, that all is not cleare,
Because that some profite on them doth depend:
As Aduent, Lent, and rynging all the whole yeare,
Organs and singing, I knowe not to what end:
Images in Glasse windowes, and none will it amend,
Crisome cloath and offeringes, still they doe stand,
Because they bring profite, my Boyes to this Land.
¶ Bishoprickes and Benefices, my owne Childe the Pope.
Enlarged vnto thousands, and still they doe stand:
And made them Lord Bishops, because they should not slope,
Where Christe had no sea, nor money in his hand:
When Caesar should haue custome, in Scripture it is scand,
Peter went a fishing, money in fishe to finde,
To pay the full duetie, as Christ had him assignde.
¶ But goe you a fleashing, ye haue no such power,
But yet gather money, for that will helpe at néede:
Ye see and ye knowe, at this present hower,
That all the packes of Prelates are couetous in déede:
For some of them I knowe, so much in wealth excéede.
That Vsurers they be, and yet doe serue the cure,
These be olde Boyes, to make their liuing sure,
¶ Corne masters beside, and learne to buie and sell,
Thus ye must blase them, and perchaunce say true:
But whether it be or no, I the Diuell of hell,
Doe teach you to practise, their names to subdue:
Be busie among them, both with olde and new,
And you shall haue my blessing, for all your lewd workes,
Among all Reprobates, Infidels and Turkes.
¶ Out vpon Luther, Wycklese, and Zwynglius,
For they wrought my spoyle, by their predycation:
Out vpon Caluyne, and Oecolampadius,
Out vpon Tyndale, and all his generation:
Out vpon Bale for by his demonstration,
The whole Realme of England, receyued such light,
That world without ende, I beare them all spight.
¶ Ye out of all Protestants, all Papists nowe crie,
And specially those that set out large Bookes:
As the Byble and Testament, or the holy Euangelie,
A pockes lyght vpon them, that on them oft lookes:
They haue caught my sonne, the Pope in such hookes,
That in England nowe he is little regarded,
But as by Antichrist, is often rewarded.
¶ Bale with his Pageant of Popes, hath set them so out.
Their whole liues and trades, and all their conditions:
The Image of Iniquitie, hath rypt euery dout.
That the Pope is known, the father of Superstitions:
Caluȳne againe, with his Booke of Institutions,
Hath so vnabled the Popes cannon lawes,
That all that is Romish, is not woorth two strawes.
Yea and diuers others, against him haue written,
As Foxe in his Booke, that Monuments he calles:
Which the Popes guttes out of his belly hath bitten,
By arguments strong, hath throwne the Popes bralles:
But by fire and faggot, I sought all their falles,
And will doo still, my malice to satisfie,
Against these Heretikes, which doe vexe me daylie.
Farewell my Babes, and newe borne Apostates,
Farewell my Papistes, and whoremonger villaines:
Farewell all Epicures, and all dronken balde pates,
Farewell my Chaplaines, most filthy fountaines:
Farewell my dissembling knaues, that heaps like mountains
Farewell my Hypocrites, fraught with adulation,
For I must to hell, to prepare your damnation.
FINIS.
Laurence Ramsey.