ALbeit (mooste deare and wel­beloued coun­try men) many thinges bothe there be at this present, & also haue bene now of late yeares in this oure na­tiue contrie, that wold great­ly pitye any faythful and true Englyshe mans hart to consi­der, as our outragiouse misbehauioure in worshyppynge of God, oure abhominable blas­phemy agaynst him, & his blessed spouse y^e catholike church, our wicked geastyng and ray­lyng agaynst the holy Sacra­mentes thereof, oure detesta­ble swearyng by all the mem­bers of oure Sauioure Iesu Christe, oure presumptuouse [Page] hartes puft vp with vntolerable pride, our gredy couetous­nes, that can neuer be satisfi­ed, oure extreame oppression of the poore and neadye, oure maliciouse hatred one against another, our bribery, extorsiō, and oure false dealinge: for all whych (excepte we earnestlye repent vs and amend betime) God wil powre downe his vē geaunce vpō vs, & wyth some miserable plages miserablye destroye vs, yet nothynge is there in mine opinion, that e­uery good manne ought with wepynge teares so sore to la­mente, as to remembre suche deadly dissention & discord, as of late hath bene amonge vs, and as yet is, insomuche, that one cruellye seketh to shed an [Page] others bloude, & one doth re­ioyse in an others destructiō. Wherby we well declare, that bothe the feare of God is ba­nished from vs, wherewyth a Christen mans lustes and af­fections shuld be bridled, and charitie also, which is y^e bonde of perfection, vtterlye broken amonge vs: for yf we feared God, we wold not so boldelye breake his holy will and com­maundement, who hath most streyghtlye charged vs, that we beware of sedition & shed­dyng of bloude. Or yf we lo­ued one another, as we ought to do, we wold not one be glad of anothers displeasure, & one seke anothers death, but con­trarywise, one reioyse in ano­thers welfare, and one studye [Page] to defende another, one gent­ly beare with another, and la­boure by brotherlye loue to ioyne oure selues together a­gayne, whome discorde hathe so piteouslye torne asonder. But we fare lyke a noughtye surgion, that doth not go a­bout to cure the wound of his patient, but layeth suche play­sters vnto it, as may encreace it, and so prolonge the time, to thintent that he maye gayne more moneye thereby: for wheresoeuer we fynd but a litle sparkell of dissension, we so kindle it and set it on fire, that it turneth into a great flame, insomuche that where as be­fore it might haue bene quen­ched with smal trauayle, now it is almooste vnpossible too [Page] quenche it.

Suche folkes as go about so wicked an enterprise,Makers of dissension. do litle remembre Salomons wordes, where he sayeth thus.Proue. 6. ‘Sixe thinges there be, that oure Lorde God hateth, and the seuenth his soule doth specially abhorre: Prowde hyghe lookes: a lying tonge: handes, that shede innocent bloude: an hearte, that forgeth noughtie diuises: feete, that be readye to runne vnto mischiefe: a deceptfull wit­nesse, that vttereth lyes: and one, that soweth discorde amonges bretherne.’ Nowe therfore seing, that we be all bretherne, partly by reason we professe one fayth, and partlye that we all be borne & broughte vp in one countrye, whosoeuer they be, y^t seke to set vs at debate, they hepe vp y^e hatred of God agaynst thē: for suche (as Salomon hathe told you) the soule of our lord [Page] God dothe vtterlye abhorre. Let them be wel assured, that albeit they be spared at Gods hande for a season, to thintent that they maye forsake their synne betyme, and hartely be sory therfore, yet yf they walk forthe in their wyckednesse, they shalbe payed home at length for altogether, & then bewayle the tyme, that euer they were borne: and say with Hieremye the Prophete:Hier. 20. ‘Cur­sed be the daye of our birth, and cursed be the tyme, that our mother brought vs into the world:’ and wyshe styll for death, and shall not dye. This kynde of men doth continual­ly trauayle to make strife, not only betwixt neighbor & neighbor, betwixte children & their parentes, betwixt husbandes [Page] and their wiues, betwixt ser­uauntes and their maysters, but also betwixte subiectes & their Prince, and encourage them bothe to grudge at him, to disobey him, & also to make opē warre in the field agaynst him. And to thintēt that they may moue men more easely to such a mischeuouse enterprise,The wordes of re­belles. they cloke the matter with a goodly pretense, and tel them, that they intende nothynge elles, but to deliuer the poore commons from oppression, to restore them to their olde li­berties, to cause the fermes y^t be enhansed, to be lette for the olde rente, and the common pastures, that be taken in by gentlemen, to be layd open a­gayne, and to se that iustice be [Page] executed in all partes, where as nowe moneye only (as thei saye) maketh a mans matter eyther good or badde, & who­soeuer wyll spede hys suite, must giue large rewardes, so that the poore manne, be his cause neuer so iust, shall haue a fall. They tell them besyde, that euerye man is bounde to loue his countrye, and to seke for the preseruation thereof, y^t the good state of it do not de­caye by meanes of euil rulers & counseylours. As for their Prince (they saye) they wyll dye and lyue with him, & they meane no more harme to him, then they doe to their owne soules. Be not these I praye you goodly paynted wordes to blynde the symple people [Page] withall, yea and able to make men thynke and saye to, that suche folke meane well, & are faythfull Englishe menne, and tenderly loue their contrye? But it shalbe wisdome for euerye one of vs herein to folowe the example of the great wise man Vlysses, who saylynge by a daungerous sea, wherin were certayne mōsters called Sirenes, Homer. libr. 12. Odyss. (whych were wont with their swete & pleasaunte songes to allure the passengers to ap­proche vnto them, and then to drowne them & their shyppes to) both caused hym selfe to be fast bounde to the maste of the shyppe, & also with waxe stop­ped y^e eares of all his felowes, that were in companye wyth him, to thintent that neyther [Page] he, nor they should fall in anye peril by hearing of their swete voyces. For yf we suffer oure eares to be open, and let suche gaye glosynge wordes enter thereat, we shall surely be de­ceaued, as they be, that heare the sugered voyces of the Sire­nes, & shall runne or we beware into extreame daunger, bothe of bodye and soule. For these folkes because they haue caste away the feare of God,The fashions of re­belles. which worketh in mens hartes humble & dewe obedience to god & their Prince, and also are ey­ther so desirous of honour, or so farre forth gone in obstinat heresye, that they passe not. what wickednes they attēpt: they runne forth headlyng to all kynde of mischiefe, and be­cause [Page] they loue well to haue company, they trauayle by all meanes to drawe other wyth them, & to make thē as madde as they them selfes be: And to thintent they may more ease­lye wynne them, they fall to flatter thē, & so (as the cōmon prouerbe is) with fayre woor­des wold make fooles fayne, & tel thē one thing, whē they intend another, & saye they seke their welth, whē in dede they seke their destructiō: for it hath bene a cōmon practise alway­es amōges y^e captaynes of re­bels, to giue the simple people gaye wordes, & w^t subtile drif­tes to entyce thē to myschiefe. Therfore let al subiectes, whē soeuer they are by anye suche cursed counseyle prouoked to [Page] rebellion, and that they heare y^e authors thereof vtter suche goodlye fayre wordes to per­swade them, thynke verelye that those men are the deuyls ministers, and that they mind nothyng els, but the destruction bothe of their Prince▪ and their contrye to. But here let vs consider, yf their purpose were good, as thei wold make menne beleue, whether they ought to go aboute by force & rebellion to bringe it to passe, or rather to suffer theyr wronges patiently, and praye God hartely to reuenge them, yea and with an humble hart con­fesse, that such plages are iust­lye fallen vpon them for theyr offēces, and earnestly beseche God to pardon them, and to [Page] delyuer them from miserye, when his wyll is: for our lord God sayeth vnto all suche,Rom. 13 as are wrongfully oppressed, ‘that they muste referre their wronges vnto him,Psal. 49. and he wyll reuenge them: And call vpon him in their tribulation, and he wyll ayde and comfort them.’ But of this I purpose hereafter to speake more at large. And nowe wyll I first brieflye note both in what poyntes rebelli­on consisteth, and also the cau­ses, that moue men specially to rebellion, & then se whether there be any cause at all, that oughte to moue them in anye wyse thereto.

There are three poyntes,Three poyntes, wherein rebellion standeth, wherein rebellion agaynste a Prince chiefly dothe consiste: murmur and grudge of mind, malitiouse and sclaunderous [Page] wordes, and open force of ar­mes and violence: Of the first growe priuie conspiracies, & misconstruing of all matters: of the seconde false rumours, and raylynge libelles: of the third mortall warre and cru­el bloudeshed.

The causes that specially moue men to rebellion,The cau­ses of re­bellion. as the excellent and greate learned Philosopher Aristotell wri­teth, are lucre,Polit. 5. losse of goodes, honoure, dishonoure, welth, feare, contempt, and diuersite of maners or contryes, where vnto we may very well adde, the diuersitie of opinions and religion.

And nowe to beginne with the first cause, and so to come to the rest in order, those that [Page] for lucre and gayne make re­bellion,Lucre are of two sortes, ey­ther they be poore and desyre to waxe riche, or els they be ri­che, and are not cōtented but still wold haue more, & thinke them happiest, y^t are richest, so that theyr myndes are alway vnquiete, & care not by what meanes they get goodes, so they may be satisfyed.

Suche folkes oftentymes do make sedition, thinkinge therby to come to theyr pur­pose. For the poore trust to be made riche by the spoile of the welthye,Poore men. wherevpon a great nombre of late yeres not only in forreyne realmes,The re­belles of Neath­folke. but also here at home amonge vs be­inge blindely persuaded, that all mens goodes ought to be [Page] common (which is an opinion most wicked and damnable) thought they shulde do god highe seruice, if they ridded al gentlemen out of the waye, robbed them of theyr riches, and made euery man equall with other.

Riche men.The riche likewise, whose hartes the vncurable disease of couetousnes hath so sore in­fected, because they can no o­therwise comme by more ry­ches, laye theyr heades toge­ther, and with folye so flatter them selfe, that they thynke with a litle money to make so many men, that none shalbe able to resiste theyr pestilent purpose, and so shall they get more richesse vpon one daye▪ then they had gathered all [Page] theyr life before.

Other there be,Losse of goodes & oppressiō. y^t for losse of godes, as for that thei haue bene, or are with taxes and tributes sore oppressed, do de­speratly aduenture to make rebellion, and will eyther by force ease them selfes of suche oppression, and wynne theyr libertye, that they hope for, or elles loose all that they haue, and theyr lyues to.

Some folkes are so ambi­tiouse, y^t all be it percase they be worthye no honoure,Ambitiō & desyre of honour yet will they seke alwayes possi­ble to comme by honour, and whē no way els can be found, whereby they maye acheue theyr deuelishe desire, runne they headlyng to rebellion, & eyther with wickednes will [Page] they wynne the horse (as the prouerbe is) or els loose bothe the horse and the sadle to, to theyr vtter confusion.

Agayne manye there be, that when they haue bene in great honour,Losse of honour. and be eyther throughe theyr owne deme­rites, or otherwise depriued thereof, are so sore bitten by the stomake, that nothyng is there, that canne contente them, but they fume and frete, and fare like madde men, in so muche y^t being weary of theyr lyues, they care not what be­come of them, and muche ra­ther hadde they aduenture some wicked enterprise, and therein to dye, then longer to lyue in suche heauye miserye, & often repete thei with them [Page] selfes thys sentence of Cicero:Epist. [...]a [...] ­li. 6. epi. 3 ‘when a man is not, as he hath bene, there is no cause, why he shuld desyre to lyue, and then go they forward in theyr frā ­tike folye, & settinge all vpon sixe & seuen, thinke to be reuenged by trayterouse rebellion.’

Certayne are there, that welth maketh so wanton, that they wishe for warre to proue theyr valiantnesse,welth: and they counte peace to be cause of ydlenes, & that it maketh men hodipekes and cowardes. Therefore (saye they) menne must haue warre for the triall of their manhode. Suche fol­kes when they can pike anye pretēsed quarel agaynst their Prince, they thynke it but a pastyme to make sedition.

[Page]Some also haue there bene in the worlde,Feare of punysh­ment. that for feare of punishment for their offences committed, became rebelles, & muche leuer had they to fight it out, then to fal into the han­des of those, that had auctho­ritie to punishe them: and because they were well assured, that yf they were ones taken, they shuld dye some shamefull death, coūted it better to take their aduenture in the open fielde, & rather so to dye wyth honour (as they thought) thē both to be pined in prison, and also to suffre deathe w^t shame.

Sometime rebellion chaun­seth,Cont [...]pt. by reason that the prince is a person of no good qualiti­es, but is peraduenture defor­med, or croked, or hathe lytle [Page] witte and lesse experience, or is a cowardly caytife and da­starde, or is corrupted with al kynde of vyce. For when the subiectes playnelye perceaue these defautes in the Prince, they begynne to contemne & despyse hym, and muche desyryng to haue a chaunge, they fall to make insurrection, and eyther by openforce, or priuie conspiracie they seke to rydde hym oute of the waye, tru­stynge thereby to gette them a better gouernoure: for so was both Sardanapalus spynnyng amonge women slayne,Arist. Po­lit lib. 5. and Denyse the lesse also because he was a dronkarde, by Dion with thaduyse of the people killed.

Manye tymes also ariseth sedition, by meanes that men [Page] be of diuerse maners,Diuersi­tie of ma­ners and contries. diuerse contries, and diuerse sortes of religion: for euery man loueth him, that is lyke in conditions to himselfe, and hateth the cō ­trary: so that faythfull frend­shyp spryngeth of likelynes in maners: for whosoeuer is not delited wyth suche fantasies as we be delyted with, we can in no wyse hartely loue hym.

The same happeneth amonges suche, as be of diuerse contries: for it hath oftentimes bene sene, that in cities where two sortes of people beyng of dyuerse nations haue dwel­led, because that one could not beare another, they haue cau­sed notable sedition, as we reade of the Troezenians & Achaeanes in a citie called Siba [...]is, and of the [Page] Iewes and Gentyles in Hie­rusalem, & of the Catanianes and Siracusanes in Sicilie, of the Scottes and Pictes in Scotlande▪ and of the Saxo­nes & Britones here in Eng­lande.

The same cometh often to passe, when as menne be of di­uerse opinions,Diuersi­tie of opi­nions and religion. concernynge their fayth and religion: for albeit that many other matters make one to hate another, yet nothing is there. that bredeth so deadly hatred, as diuersitie of myndes, touching religion: whych thyng caused many notable and cruell cōmotions in the noble citie of Alexandria.

And yf it so be, y^t the Prince be of one fayth, and manye of hys subictes of another, al­though [Page] he be neuer so good a ruler and gouernoure other­wise, yet can they by no mea­nes fauoure him, by reason of his religion, but sore grudge and repine styll at hym, & stu­dye alwayes that they can, to withdrawe the heartes of all men from him, and at lengthe when they se occasion, openly rebell agaynst hym.

Thus haue you heard short­lye the speciall causes, y^t moue men to rebellion. Then let vs nowe wel weye, whether any of these, or anye other, that a man can ymagyne, oughte in anye wyse to make men aryse & rebell agaynst their Prince and gouernoure.

If men be poore and nea­dye, and thynke they haue [Page] wronge, because they haue no more good,Rebelliō of poore men for iucre and riche [...]. and therfore wyll by force shyfte for them selfes, and hazarde their lyues ra­ther, then they wyll lyue anye longer in suche pouertie, such haue forgotten God, and do not remember,Prou. 2 [...] ‘that our Lord (as Salomon saith) made both, y^e rich and the poore.’And this they must cōsider, that there be degrees in euery cōmon welth, whiche be necessary for the good state thereof: and some be higher, & some be lower, as it pleaseth God to appoynt them, & the one canne not lacke the other. For lyke as in a natural body there be some mēbers of more excellencie then the rest, part­lye for the preseruation of it & partly for y^e beautifying ther­of: [Page] So there be in euery real­me and common welth ryche and poore, gentlemen and simple▪ rulers and subiectes. And euerye one are placed in their degree. And as necessarye is it for the poore to haue men of hygher estate to defend them from the assaultes of their enemies, as it is for men of honor to haue poore men to toyle & trauayle for them: for we see, that the hyghe trees in euery foreste do defende the vnder­woode from all stormye and violente blastes. And albeit y^t percace great men sometimes do not defende the poore, as they shuld do from wronges, but rather doe them wronge themselfes: yet let the poore praye God to amende them, & [Page] by that meanes seke for remedye, and not repyne agaynste them, and so be disappoynted of all remedye. Besyde thys poore men (me thynke) shulde be ryghte glad of their estate, seyng that they be much more farther from daunger, then great men be, as daylye expe­rience doth teache them.

Agayne yf they would wel weye wyth them selfes, for what purpose menne be made poore by the hande of God, & that manye good folkes are pinched w^t pouertie to proue their patience withall, to thin tente that they maye be more perfyte: and many euyll to are punished therewith for theyr synnefull lyfe to make them a­mende, and that god alwayes [Page] dothe all for the beste, and ma­keth men eyther riche or pore, as he knoweth is mooste mete for them, they wold patiently suffer their pouertie, & thanke God hartelye for it, and of the miserye that their bodies are bewrapped with. they would make a soueraygne medicine to heale their sicke and sinfull soules withall. And yf they woulde learne this one lesson of saynt Augustyne, & practise it, I doubt not, but they shuld make their punyshmente me­dicinable.Super Psal. 99. The lesson is this. ‘My sonne yf thou wepe, wepe wyth de­uotion, wepe not wi [...]h grudge, nor wepe not wyth any token of stubborne pr [...]de: why wepest thou I praye th [...]e? because thou suffrest paynfull misery? That is a medicine for thee, and no punyshmente: It is to correcte thee, and not to dam [...]e thee: Go not aboute to putte the scourge [Page] from thee, yf thou wilt not be put from the heritage of heauen, whych is prepa­red for thee.De ue [...]. Apo. Se [...] ▪ 28.’And agayne he sayth in another place thus: ‘Lette not thy pouertye agreue thee, because thou can fynde nothynge, that is so riche as it. [...]or what treasure can be compared with heauen, whyche is the rewarde of pouertie?Epist. a [...] Heb. ho [...] 18.’ And S. Chrysostome sayeth: ‘None is richer then he, that wyllyngly loueth pouertie, and embra­ceth the same wyth a gladde and ioyfull heart.’ Therefore let suche as be in pouertye, learne to suffre it patiently, and quietlye beare suche temporal punishment, y^t they maye be rewarded ther­fore eternally. And whensoe­uer their deadly enemy the deuil dothe make thē grudge at their pouertie, & moueth them eyther by robbynge, or by re­bellion to seke for ryches, let them remembre, that yf they [Page] eyther robbe their neyghbor, or rebel agaynst their Prince: firste their bodies by the lawe shall iustly be put to most vyle and shamefull death, and after their cursed soules, that haue wroughte suche wyckednesse agaynst the expresse commaū ­dement of God, shalbe by most horrible feendes perpetually pyned in hell. But some synful wretches will not let to saye, that for an howre hangynge they wyll not lyue in care all their whole life. Such miserable folkes I feare me (I praye God they do not) thynke that their bodyes and soules dye both together, and that there is no other lyfe but thys: But alas they shall fynd after their departyng hence suche a lyfe, [Page] or rather suche a myserable death, wherin they shall conti­nually dye, and neuer be dead, insomuche that they shal most wofullye crye: wo be vnto vs, that when we liued in y^e world passed, we wold neuer thynke vpon this worlde, that was then to come. Wherfore lette menne that eyther be borne in pouertie, & so cōtinue, or haue bene riche, and by their misdemenour are fallen into pouer­tie, remembre these lessons, & so shal they wel perceaue, that neyther ought thei to grudge at their pouertie, whyche is sent thē for their soules helth, nor go about to spoile, or make rebellion▪ which be playnly a­gaynst the cōmaundemente of God: for he sayth, ‘Thou shalt not [Page] steale or robbe.’And saynt Paule sayth:‘Rom. 13. That euery man ought to obey y^t higher powers, because they be ordeyned of God: and whosoeuer withstan­deth the power, withstandeth the ordi­naunce of God.’ If they then wyl wythstande Gods ordinaūce, they wrastell with their bet­ter, and shalbe shortlye ouer­throwen to their great confu­sion. For what became of the beggerye armye of Viriatus a thefe & a robber? Albeit that they (because they were poore and loked to get goodes by rebellion) wroughte muche wo to the Romaynes, agaynste whome they rebelled,Oros. lib. 5. Cap. 4. and sore spoyled the noble countrye of Spayne, yet at lengthe were they by Fabius ouercome, and their captayne by the traynes [Page] of his owne men was murde­red. We reade also of a greate nombre of slaues, that rose in Sicilia who beinge persuaded, y^t by rebellion they shulde bothe wynne their libertie, & also be come riche men,Oros. lib. 5. ca. 9. made a sore commotion, and sore troubled the countrye of Sicilye, and some partes of Italy to, wher they hadde a great nombre to ioyne with them. But in con­clusion they were rewarded accordyngly: for at a towne in Italye called Sinuessa, iiij. thou­sand of them were killed, and at Minturne an other towne in Italye foure hundreth were hanged. Such lyke lucke had the poore slaues, that rose in Sicilie, when Rutilius was Con­sul: for when Rutilius had taken [Page] Taurominium and Aetna, two of the strongest holdes, that the re­belles had to succoure them, there were slayne aboue .xx. thousande of these slaues and rebelles. ‘The cause of whych warre (as Orosius writeth) was miserable and wretched: for yf (as he sayeth) these slaues had not bene resisted, theyr maysters and rulers had bene vtterlye vndone and destroyed. And yet neyther part had any cause to triumphe: for both in the greate and heauye miseries, that this warre brought with it, and also in the vnluckye gayne that was gotten in the victorye, euen those that wanne the victory, hadde as greate a losse, as those that lost the fielde.’ Wherefore no cause hath anye man to rebell for pouertie sake, and thereby to make him selfe riche, seinge that pouertie is the waye to perfection. (as I sayd before) [Page] and rebellion leadeth a man to destruction of both body & soule: who then is so madde, or hath so lytle regard of hys owne helth, that wyll forsake that state, whyche God hathe sent him for a remedy, where­wyth to saue hys soule, and by vnlawfull meanes seke for y^t state, that the deuyll dryueth hym to, therby to damne hys soule?

As for riche men yf they rebell to encrease their ryches,Rebelliō of riche men to encrease their ri­ches. their cause surelye is muche worse then y^• cause of y^e poore▪ whych is (as you haue heard) very nought to: for suche haue no neade at all, as the poore haue, except we cal those nea­die, that are neuer contented, and so all couetouse wretches [Page] may be wel called neady. But these folkes haue no neade to seke for liuynge, because they haue ynough, or elles a great deale to muche. And yf they hadde neade, yet neade is no cause (as we proued before) to moue a man to fall to rebelli­on. For albeit that gready gaping for godes is daūgerous, ‘And all they that desire to be riche (as wytnesseth Saynte Paule) fall into temptation,1. Tim. 6 and into the deuils s [...]are, and into many vayne & noysome despres, whych dryue men downe to vt­ter ruine and destruction,’ yet those that by violence trauayle to be riche, shall at lengthe loose their riches, and become pore or they beware. For the ho­ly Prophete sayeth, ‘wo be to thee y^• spoyleth men by force,Esa. 33. for thou shalbe [Page] spoyled.I [...]ac. 2.’ And Abacuc the Pro­phete sayth lykewyse,‘That be­cause thou haste robbed muche people, they that shal remayne, shal robbe thee,’ And besyde this al riche folke that by reason of their grea­dye desire are moued to make commotion, shoulde consider with them selfes. that the go­uernement of a Prince is the sauegarde of all their riches: for when gouernement is ta­ken awaye, the lawes are tro­den vnder mens fete, and eue­ry seditiouse personne will do what hym lyketh, because he feareth no punyshmente. So y^• robbery then shalbe thought wel gotten good, and he that hath mooste yf he be feble and faynte harted, shall shortlye haue leest, and he that hath no [Page] thyng, yf he be stronge & cou­ragiouse, shall sone become a ryche man. Then is it not better for riche men euermore to beware of rebellion, and so quietlye to enioye that, that they haue, then for greadynes of gettynge more by some mischeuouse enterprice to loose all y^t they haue? For he were a very foolishe marchaunt, me thynke, that when he passeth by the sea, & hath a fayre wind to driue him to the cōmon ha­uen, where he shoulde arriue, wold leaue his cōmon course, and trustyng that by saylyng throughe a certeyne daunge­rous sea, he shuld come to a cō trye, where he shoulde fynde muche riches, and althoughe he were in maner assured, that [Page] in that peryllous passage he shulde drowne his shyppe and hym selfe to, yet wold he aduē ture, and so loose all the sub­staunce, that wyth great tra­uayle he had gotten before. Wherfore all they that by re­bellion seke to be riche, seke in dede to be poore: Insomuche that suche haue no cause, why they shoulde rebell, but greate cause haue they, why they shuld by all meanes auoyde rebelliō, both for that they most greuously offende theyr lord God therby, & also that when soeuer it chaunseth they stand in daunger of loosyng all that they haue, and theyr lyues to. And as for ryches, seynge it oftentimes hurteth manye y^t haue it, and that it is a greate [Page] care both safely to kepe it, and godlye to bestowe it: I mer­uayle, that men eyther make so muche of it, or wyll by vn­lawfull meanes go aboute to get it.Augusty. e [...]. 140. For saynte Augustyne sayeth, ‘That yf we lacke worldly ry­ches, let vs not by wycked wayes seke it here in this worlde, and yf we haue it, let vs by good dedes doyng lay it vp in heauen.’ Whych thyng consyde­red, let all riche men contente them selfes with that, y^• they haue, and care more for the well bestowynge of it, then for the gettynge of more, and al­way beware, that neyther by rebellion, nor by no other vn­lawfull meanes they seke for ryches.

But nowe let vs see what cause they haue to rebell, that [Page] be sore oppressed with taxes,Rebelliō for oppression in hope of libertie. and tributes, with pollynge & pilling, with rentes raysed, and with pastures enclosed: such perhappes haue cause to complayne, but no cause at all to make rebellion: but put the cace that y^• prince be a nough­ty man, and so sore infected w^e the sinne of couetousnes, that he passeth not howe he come by money, so that he haue it, & so polleth the people with sore subsidies to satisfie hys vnsaciable auarice withal, must men therfore being thus piteously pylled, reuenge their owne quarell, and rebell agaynste hym, and goo aboute so to set thē selfes at libertie, or rather putte their whole matter to god, & pray to hym earnestlye, [Page] to be their succoure. For it is wrytten of the children of Is­raell, when they were in Ae­gypte,Exod. 5. and were w^t intollera­ble laboure and trauayle very sore afflicted by Pharao, king of that contry, howe that thei went vnto hym, & complained of their grefe, & made humble requeste, that they myght be more easely delt with, but no­thinge got they at his hande, but a frowarde answere: And albeit that they coulde haue no remedy, yet wold they not rebell agaynst him, but went to Moyses and Aarō, & made their cōplaynt to them, & said: ‘Oure lorde loke vpon vs. and iudge our cause: by reason wherof Moyses sayd to god: why lorde d [...]ste thou suffre thy people thus to be troubled? Then sayde oure lorde god to hym agayne:Exod. 6. Tell [Page] the children of Israell, that I wyll both leade them oute of the paynfull prison of the Aegyptiās, wherin they be so sore afflicted, and also deliuer them oute of their thaldome and bondage▪’ If men that be vnder an euill prince, wolde earnestly weye this storye, they might learne two profytable lessōs of it: one to make their complaynt to y^e prince, and humbly desire him to relieue them, and not by force to resist him, and rashely to rebel agaynst him: another to committe their matter to god, and complayne to hym, and truste suerly, that he will at lengthe deliuer them from their trouble, as he dydde the children of Israell. Agayne y^e chyldren of Israel,Iudic. 3. when they were made slaues to Chusan Rasathaun the kyng of Mesopotamia, [Page] and lyued vnder hym in sore seruitude the space of viij yeare, they went not about to ryse agaynst hym, and so to deliuer them selfes oute of bon­dage, but called to GOD for helpe and succoure, and he de­liuered them by the helpe of Othoniel. And after that likewise whē they were brought into bondage by Eglon,I [...]d. 3, the kyng of Moab, and lyued vn­der hym in great thraldome & misery .xviij. whole yeares together, they made no insur­rection agaynste hym, that by that meanes they myghte be deliuered, but humblye suited to God for ayde: who merci­fully lokyng vpon them, dely­uered them by the handes of Aod, the sonne of Gera. [Page] Wherfore yf it chaunce at any time, that an euil Prince hath the gouernement of a realme, let the people first make theyr humble petition to the prince, and beseche hym to be fauou­rable to them: and yf that wyl not auayle them, to seke then to his counseyle, and cōplayne vnto them, desyryng them to gyue him good aduertisemēt and entreate hym to be good to hys subiectes: for oftenty­mes good counseyle maye do muche in suche a cace. And let them neuer contrary to gods wyll & pleasure, eyther iudge of their Princes cōditions, because God is his iudge, nor seditiously lyfte vy theyr swor­des agaynste hym, but folow­ynge the example of the chyl­dren [Page] of Israel, let them wholy referre their cause to God, & make their humble petition to hym to be relieued, and they shal vndoub [...]edlye at his han­des haue remedye. Further­more it were wysedome too thinke, yea & we must neades beleue it to, that Princes are appoynted by God: for Salo­mon sayth in the person of wisdome,Proue. 8. which is God him selfe, That by me kynges haue their rule. And then to ponder wel with our selfes, for what purpose God hath sent vs suche a wic­ked prince, whether through our noughtye lyfe we haue deserued to haue such a nough­tye ruler, or y^t God hathe suf­fred him to reygne ouer vs for a trial of oure patience. If we [Page] haue deserued by our nough­tye demeanour to haue suche one, as it may well be, that we haue, (for Iob sayth▪ Iob. 34. that god sendeth a noughty dissembling ruler for the synnes of the people) then let vs do penaunce betyme, and by fer­uent prayer aske God hartely of pardon, & desyre hym, that whē he hath wel punished vs, to be merciful vnto vs, and deliuer vs from our misery, & alway earnestly beseche hym to giue y^• prince grace to amend: for so shal we both helpe to sa­ue him, & our selfes to. Agayn if such one be suffred to rule o­uer vs for a trial of oure pati­ence, thē leest we loose our pa­tience, & the reward therof w^t al, let vs patiētly beare him, & by patient suffringe encrease our patience. Furthermore yf [Page] be, that we be by him so sore afflicted, that we can not possi­bly beare suche a burden anye longer, then muste we call to God for helpe and comfort▪ At whych tyme wythout doubte he wyll saye thus:Psal. 11. ‘For the misery that the neady suffre, and the lamentati­on that the poore make to me, I wyll now aryse.Iob. 36. And so (as Iob sayeth) he wyll deliuer vs from our oppression.’ In suche aduersitie we maye not loke to be deliuered, when we wil our selfes, but we must tary Gods pleasure, hauynge sure trust, that he will deliuer vs at length: for Salomon wryteth thus.Pro. 20. Tary for thy Lorde God, and he wyll delyuer thee. Lyke as the husbandman by & by after he hath sowen his ground loketh not to reape the frute [Page] therof in all haste, but tarieth for a season: So we, when we haue made our petitiō to god, we muste patiently abide his pleasure, and he wyll surely send vs succour, when he shal thinke it moste conuenient for vs. Thus by prayer and pa­tient suffringe shall we obtein oure purpose: And not onely that, but shalbe highlye re­warded to at goddes hande for our godly patience. Therfore all such as are for a season wyth sore paymentes or with enhansed rentes, or by any o­ther meanes sore oppressed, let them neuer by vnlawfull wayes seke their deliuerye, & so be the cause of their owne destruction, seynge that they maye be well assured, that by [Page] prayer and patience they shal not only haue their requeste, but also greate thākes of god, to whose wil they holy betoke thē. For yf a man were set fast in a close prison, and there sore pāged with painful tormētes, the same man yf so be, that he had a sure promisse of hym, y^t had authoritie to deliuer him, that he should not only come forthe therof at a certein day, but shulde besides haue some liberal reward to recompence his greuouse punishment, y^t he hadde so patientlye borne, were he not then worse then madde, if he would go aboute eyther to fight with y^e gailour, auenturing with y^e ieoperdie of his lyfe to get out by strong hande, or els to digge vp the [Page] foundation of the prison, or to breake out, & so perhappes fall in hazarde of hanginge? wherfore whosoeuer is thus troubled, and longeth for the day of his deliuery, let hym passe on y^• tyme wyth patience for a whyle, and take good comforte in his care, because he is assured, that god wyll at lengthe mercifully delyuer hym. But some men wyll say percase we shalbe deade, or y^e day come. It may be so in veri dede, and therfore muche lesse nede they to passe for their tribulation. For yf death come, then shall they be not only of good comforte, because they haue borne their trouble pati­entli, but also glad of their paynes passed, because y^t then shal [Page] they be rewarded for them. Yet som there be, into whose heades these thinges wil not syncke, but they saye styl, why shulde we be obedien [...]e to a noughty prince, or why shuld he haue al, and we littel or no­thing? These haue not lerned S. Peters lesson,1. Pet. 2. ‘that men ought to obeye not only good godlye princes, but also such, as be threwed & rigorous.’ For y^t is verye cōmendable, yf a man suffre trouble, and that wrongfully to, because he knoweth the same to be accepta­ble before GOD. Nor they haue not redde the fable of y^e belye and the other members of y^e body,Liu. Dec. 1. lib. 2. which Menenius Agrippa recyted vnto the people of Rome, when as they beganne to rebel against the consules and [Page] chiefe rulers of y^e citie, & were al ready gathered together in the hyll called Auentine, whych fable is written in Liuie after this sort.

Here you maye perceaue the stoute courage of Christes mightye champion, & the sore bruntes that he was mooste gladde to abide for the obtey­nyng [Page] of that heauenlye victo­rye. For he knewe, that after this sort only shulde Christes souldiars fyghte. Lykewyse dyd the holy and blessed mar­tyr Polycarpus, Euseb [...] lib. 4. when men were sent to take hym, and to bring him to the offices of that countrye, that he might be tormented for Christes fayth, came downe to them, & with a pleasaunt and mild countenaunce talked wyth them, and com­maunded a table, and greate plentye of meate to be prepa­red for thē, and prayed them to eate & make good cheare: & desyred them, that in y^e meane season he mighte haue licence to praye. Whych done, he dyd not resiste them, nor wente a­boute to prepare a companye [Page] of men (whych he being so wel loued in that countrie, might belike easelye haue done) to fight wyth them, & so to saue him selfe from theyr tormen­trye, but most mekely & gent­lye wente he forth with them, and after longe talke, that he had with the officers, as tou­chyng hys fayth, most frely & frankely in a greate audience of people defended it. Where­vpon all the people cried, this is the greate doctor of Asia, the father of the christen men, and y^e destroyer of our Gods. Let hym be burned quicke. So when the fyre was made rea­dy, he most wyllyngly lowsed hys gyrdell him selfe, and put of his clothes. And when thei would haue nayled hym faste [Page] to the stake: no, sayd he, let me alone, as I am. For he that gi­ueth me strength, to endure the hoate flames of fyre, wyl, I doubte not, gyue me grace stedfastly to stande by it with­out anye naylinge. So y^t they dyd not nayle him at all, but onlye bounde his handes be­hynde hym. That done, he made his feruente prayer to GOD. Whyche ones ended, they set the stacke of woode on fyre, where was sene a wōderful miracle. For y^e flame of fire lyke to a sayle clothe puffed ful of winde, compassed his body much like a vaulte, and his fleshe within was like burnynge golde. And there was felt a swete odour com­mynge from hym lyke fran­kensence [Page] lye killed, and the other by a conspiracye murdred in the common counseyle house of Rome. Therefore ambition may be wel compared to a vi­per, whose bely the yonge vi­pers,Aristot. lib. 6. de histor. a­nim. that she hath conceaued, eate oute, and so destroye her. For euery ambitious wretche that seketh by sedition to ob­teyne his purpose, when he hathe conceaued his trayte­rouse diuises, & goeth aboute to put them in practise, he ac­cordyng to the vipers exam­ple is by the same broughte to his destruction.2. reg. 15. So dyd it happen to Absalon in old time whych hauyng a very ambiti­ous mynde, sought by al mea­nes possible to withdrawe the hartes of the people from his [Page] good godlye father king Da­uid. And standynge at the en­trynge in of his fathers gate, said vnto euery one that came thither as a suiter: ‘of what ci­tie arte thou, or what is thy matter? Whych when he had hearde, me thinke (quod he) thou sayest good reason: but alas that I were a iudge, that al men that haue anye matter in suite, might come vnto me to thintent, that I might giue iust iudgement in his behalf.’ And vnto euerye one y^t came vnto hym, and hayist hym, he put forth his hand, and not only louingly embraced him, but kyndely kyssed hym to, suppo­sing by that meanes to winne the heartes of the people. Whyche done, he gathered a [Page] great armye, and made rebel­lion agaynste his owne natu­rall and most louynge father, thereby to dispossesse him of his crowne. But in the fielde a great nombre of his menne were slayne, and he hym selfe rydynge throughe a thycke woode, was taken betwixt y^e bowes of a tree, and piteously hanged by the heere of hys heade. So that through hys presumptuouse ambitiō, whi­che he thoughte to satisfye by rebellion, he came to a misera­ble & wretched end. Wherfore all ambitiouse folkes, that a­uenture suche cursed enterprises, let thē loke for the lyke, yf they take not hede, & beware betyme. For what broughte the wretched tyraunte Maximus [Page] to vtter ruine, but that in the Emperoure Theodosius dayes,Socrates lib. 5. hist ecclesias. when Valentinian (to whom thē ­pire of the West partes apperteyned) was but a childe, he made a sore rebellion, & was in good hope by force of ar­mes to obteyne themperiall crowne. But Theodosius them­perour being at the same time in the Easte partes, sore agre­ued with those newes, gathe­red a great power to fyght a­gaynst this rebelliouse tyraūt Maximus. And came in al haste to Melane, where the tyraunte was. Then the souldiars of Maximus hearyng of the cōming of themperour Theodosius, were sore affrayed of the matter, & streyght waye toke Maximus a­monge them, bounde him, and [Page] ledde him by and by to Theodosi [...] us. Who anone after recea­ued the rewarde of his rebel­lion, vnto whyche his ambiti­ous heart had broughte hym.Socra. lib. 5. histor. ecclesias. Agayne what a wretched end had Andragathius, an ambitiouse wretche, who by a priuie con­spiracie kylled Gratianus them­perour? Dyd he not in conclusion as sone as he hearde, that Maximus his mayster was putte to death, lepe into a riuer, and drowned him selfe? We reade also of one Eugenius a tyraunte,Socra. lib. 5. histor. ecclesias. that in the sayde Emperours dayes blinded with ambition, aduentured too conspyre the yonge Emperoure Ualentinians death. And that he might more easelye brynge hys mat­ter to passe, he vsed the coun­seyle [Page] and ayde of Arbogastus, a man mete for suche a purpose. These two together wanne wyth fayre wordes and large promises themperours chamberlaynes, and made them kil their owne lord and mayster. Which done, Eugenius obteyned thempire of all the West par­tes. Wherfore Theodosius assone as he was certified hereof, ta­kyng the matter very greuouslye (as he hadde good cause) streyght way prepared an ar­mye agaynste hym, and made as muche haste toward hym, as he could possibly. And whē the armyes mette together, and that Theodosius hoste was in the field sore discomfited, Theo­dosius fallyng downe vpon hys knees in the middest of the armye, [Page] prayed God most harte­ly to ayde and succoure him in that daungerous conflicte. And by and by all the dartes that were caste, and the arro­wes that were shotte by Eugenius souldyars agaynst Theodosius men, were with a vehemente wynde dryuen backe agayne vpon them selfes: and the ar­rowes of Theodosius souldyars came also vpon thē with much more violence, wherewyth when Eugenius see his men sore endaungered, runnyng wyth all spede to Theodosius, fel downe at hys fete, most humbly bese­chyng hym of pardon. But or euer he had made an ende of hys tale▪ he was miserablye slayne of the souldyars.

Many mo stories could I [Page] recite for the proue hereof, but these at this present shall suf­fice▪ seing that by these onlye euery man may playnlye per­ceaue, that all those, y^t seke for honor by rebellion, come at lengthe to a miserable and a wretched ende. And therby it well appeareth, y^t their cause is moste wycked & damnable. For cōmonly whēsoeuer men take any enterprise on hande▪ yf their cause be iust, God will prosper them therein, but yf their cause be noughte▪ then shal they spede accordinglye.

Pro. 5.For as Salomon wryteth, ‘Wycked men shalbe catched in their owne cursed diuises, and fast fettred in the boundes of their offences.’ Putte the case y^t honor wolde make a man good, as it manye tymes [Page] doth the contrary, shuld thou then labour to be good by vn­lawfull meanes, or rather be good before y^t thou mighte be better, when thou comeste to honor.Rome. 3. ‘Fro [...] we must not (as saynt Paule writeth) do euill, that good may come thereof, but we must (as y^e holy Prophete Dauid moni­sheth vs) eschue euil,Psal. 33. and do good, & euery daye ware better & better, & thinke y^t when we are best of al, we be bad ynoughe.’ Moreouer me think we shuld rather wisely despise worldly honor, then wretchedly desire it, both because y^t those, y^t haue it, manye times, yf they vsed not wel, are in daunger bothe of body & soule throughe it, & also y^t whosoeuer commeth to it, by reason of their shorte & [Page] transitory lyfe, they shall not long enioy it:Epist. 82. and beside this, (as Seneca saith)‘Riches, honor, authoritie, & suche lyke, which be in our conceite muche este­med, and yet of them selfes be very vile, do wythdrawe vs from that thinge, whiche is certaine, and yet haue they nothinge in them so gay and preciouse, that shulde allure oure myndes so to esteme thē, but only because we vse to set muche by them. For they are not praysed, because they be desyred, but they are desy­red, because they be praysed.’

Nowe yf so be, we be desyrous of honoure in thys worlde, then seynge (as we reade in Aristotle) that honor is the reward of vertue, lette [Page] vs earnestly studie for vertue, & vndoubtedlye we shalbe re­warded with honour. Let vs feare god, whych is the roote of wysdome and vertue, and honour shalbe giuen vs with­out our seking. But yf we wil walke in the pathes of vnrighteousnes, & go about to winne vs honour by wicked wayes we shall at length haue shame therby, and great dishonour. For the Scripture sayth,Eccle. 10 ‘that the sede of men, that feare God, shalbe honoured, and such as transgresse gods commaundementes, shall haue dishonor and shame.’ And who I pray the transgresse and breake the cō ­maundement of GOD more, then rebelles, seynge that all men are strayghtly commaunded to honour their Prince, & [Page] obeye him? Thus we see, that honor ought to cause no man to make rebellion, but all those that desire it, muste go the ryghte waye to it, that is to say, by vertue. There were in olde time at Rome .i [...]. tem­ples, thone called the temple of honoure, and thother the temple of vertue: and no man coulde comme to the Temple of honor, except he passed tho­roughe the temple of vertue. And Saluste sayeth,Salust. in coniur, [...]atil. ‘y^t a good man goeth the right waye to honor: but a wretche, because he lacketh good qualities, trauayleth to gette it by subtyll dryftes, and crafty deuises.’Therfore whosoeuer longeth to gette honoure, lette hym [Page] practsie him selfe in the schole of vertue, and he shal not fayle to come by his purpose.

The same is to be conside­red of all suche,Rebelliō for y^e losse of honor. as throughe theyr owne demerytes, or o­therwyse are put from theyr honoure. For yf they be iust­lye depryued, then no cause haue they to grudge or com­playne. And yf they be wrongfullye, lette them commytte theyr matter wholy to God, and he wyll surelye reuenge them. For GOD reuen­geth the quarell of all those, that suffre iniurye,psal. 10 [...]. and (as Dauid sayeth) ‘sheweth them mercye, and ryghteouslye iudgeth theyr cause.’

If they haue iustlye deser­ued [Page] suche a fall, then the beste is to thanke God hartelye for it, & to thinke that therby thei shal learne to feare God, to acknowledge his iustice, and to knowe them selfes to, whiche they percase wold neuer haue done, yf suche a chaunce had not happened.

And if they patiently beare their aduersitie & become better by it, both god wil promot them to honoure agayne, and euery good man will haue pi­tie vpon them, will loue them, muche esteme them. and be glad to do for them. So that no cause haue they to be sory for suche a pr [...]fytable and lucky losse. for as muche as by the losse of transitorye honor they haue wonne them gods [Page] fauoure, and therby sure to haue eternall honoure: yea & whereas before by their misdemeanour they were so hated, and vtterly dispised, now thei are hartelye loued of all men, and muche estemed: for albe­it that euerye man, y^t is in ad­uersitie, if he patiently suffer y^e same, is muche pitied, yet men of honour in such like case are muche more lamented. And therfore Cicero sayth,Orat. pro le. Manil. ‘that the misery and heauy chaunses of princes and noble men moste of al other moue mens hartes to pitye.’ Why will then suche folkes seke any other remedy to recouer their honour, then patience, seinge that therby they shall gette them selfes very honoure in dede, whereas [Page] they had but the shadowe of honour before. For although that men be honored, y^t haue great possessions and landes, be they neuer so bad, yet those only deserue honour, y^t lyue a godly lyfe, and embrace all kinde of vertue. In whiche poynte, if a man be surely per­suaded, bothe will he be con­tente wyth a meane estate, what honoure soeuer he haue had, and thinke to that he lac­keth no honour, if he haue the fauoure of god, whiche farre passeth all worldlye honoure. But when a man is put from honour, eyther that he hath deserued it, or elles that y^e ru­lers vniustlye so order hym, & can in no wise patiētly beare it but sekethe to reuenge hys [Page] quarell by rebellion, then men that somethinge perhappes e­stemed hym before, beginne to abhorre hym, & all y^e worlde, excepte those, that be his com­plices, crye out vpon hym, So that if he be neuer so no­ble a man borne, he shalbe from thence forth of all menne dis­pised, and his house & familye wyth all his posteritie therby much desteyned. For whē any of his children after his death falleth at wordes with anye person of estimation, he shalbe called by and by a traytours sōne. Whych word wil pearce him to y^e very hart, because he perceaueth his stocke so sore dishonored. Whyche thinges depely cōsidered, these y^t be in suche case, yf they haue anye [Page] regarde eyther to their bounden duetie to Godward, or to the safegarde of them selfes, or to the estimation of theyr stocke, muste neades quiete theyr myndes, and contente thē selfes with the state that God hath sent them.

Rebelliō [...]ōmynge of welth.As for those that fall to re­belliō through welth, I neade not to speake of them, because that eyther some of the fore­said causes, or els som of those y^t folowe, do cōmonlye muche more moue thē, thē their wel­the, so y^t with those lessons, y^t partly go before, & partli come after, they maye, I trust, be satisfied.

Rebelliō for feare of punish­ment.Nowe as for suche, as make rebellion for to auoyde any daunger or punyshment, [Page] when they labour to eschewe the lesser daunger, or euer they beware, they fall into the greater. For yf they haue cō ­mitted any offence, that deserueth punishment. yf so be thei patientlye suffre the punysh­ment, and thynke that they are worthelye punyshed, then men wyl pitie them, & thanke god for them, and wishe them wel, and wel report them. In somuche, that by their punishment they shall please God, & recouer their estimation a­gayne. But suche as for feare of punyshmente, whyche they haue most iustly deserued, wil spurne agaynst it, & to auoyde it, wyll make rebellion, where as by patiente suffrynge they myghte easelye haue made a­mendes, [Page] & [...]o saued thē selfes and their estimation to, nowe most worthely shal loose both, & prouoke the indignation & wrath of God agaynst them. But yf so be they did remēbre, y^t men ought not to lea [...]e thē, that haue power to kill only y^e body,Mat, 10. but him▪ that maye caste both body and soule into the paynful pitte of hel, they wold neuer for the sauing of y^e one, put in aduenture the loosinge o [...] both. Were not he, I praye you, a very foole, y^t woulde ra­ther, then he would loose one poore peny, loose al y^t he hath, and for the auoydynge of one dayes punishment, and y^t with out any daunger of his lyfe at all, wold lye lingeryng all the dayes, y^t he hathe to lyue in a [Page] most greuous and paynful prison? Or were not he wel worthye to be sicke, that rather then he wold take a medicine, whyche shoulde putte hym to payne but for a whyle, conti­nue in hys sicknesse styll, and at lengthe put hys lyfe in ieo­perdy therby? What causeth a wyse mayster of a shyppe, when he is in daunger, wyl­lyngly to cast out some of hys goodes, but that he had leuer loose some parte for sauynge of the reste, then loose altoge­ther and hym selfe to? Wher­fore all suche as feare punish­ment, it is better for thē with a shorte punishmente to paye their raunsom, then w^t vnlawful eschewinge thereof, fall in daunger of perpetual punish­mēt. [Page] Cause then haue they none, yf they well consider, to make rebellion for feare of punyshe­ment.

Some there hath bene in the world,Rebelliō cominge of contēpt that by reason they did see their prince lacke good qualities, or for that he was croked or deformed, or that he was a noughty vicious liuer, haue rebelled, because they thoughte by y^• meanes to get thē another. But such litle remēbred the sayinges of Salomon & Iob, y^t I recited before, of whyche the one telleth vs, ‘that kynges and rulers be appoynted by God: and the o­ther, that God oftentimes sendeth a noughtye dissemblyng Prince for the synnes of the people.’ For yf the prince lacke [Page] good qualities, it is not oure part to fynde faute with him, but to desire GOD to sende him better. Or yf he be defor­med, we blame the worke of God, yf we disprayse him. For he made not him selfe, but god made him. Or yf he lyue viti­ouslye, we be bounde to praye God hartely, that he wil vou­chesafe to amende him, and to send him good counseyle, that maye and wyll earnestlye ad­monyshe him. As for to rebell agaynst him, because Goddes lawe, and the lawes of manne to do expresselye forbydde it, we oughte euermore to a­uoyde.

But now let vs well weye the cause of those,Rebelli [...] for reli­gion. that rebell for religion sake, whyche is [Page] thought to some a mooste vr­gent & weyghtye cause. Here men wyll saye, that yf they be constreyned by superiour po­we [...]s to forsake anye parte of their fayth, by which they are wel assured to be saued, that then they must rather obeye God, then man: and put their lyues in ieoperdie, rather thē they wil leaue their religion. This is verye wel sayde, and euerye Christen man must so do.

But howe shuld we obeye ra­ther God then man, or howe ought we to put our lyues in ieoperdie? Must we take the sworde in oure handes, and playe the part, that Peter did at the takyng of oure Saui­our? shall it not be sayde then [Page] vnto vs,Mat. 26. as it was sayd to S. Peter at the same time, Put vp your swordes? For whosoeuer taketh a sword, intending to smite ther­wyth, shall peryshe by the sworde▪ Had not Peter, think you, as good cause to defend his may­ster Christ, as anye man hath to defende his fayth and reli­gion? Yes truelye. For yf we haue any cause to defend our fayth by the sworde, then as good cause had saynte Peter therewyth to defende our sa­uioure, the author of fayth. Why dyd not the holy Apost­les, when they were commaū ­ded,Act. 9. that they shulde preache no more in Christes name, & that they were beaten for the same, defende them selfes by [Page] stronge hande, and fight with their enemyes in such a good quarell? Or why did they pa­tiently suffre persecution, and went their waye, much reioy­syng, that they were thought worthye to suffre rebuke and displeasure for the name of Iesu? It is not in thys warre, y^t menne make for their Lorde Christ, as it is in the warre betwixte prince and prince. For in the warre of worldly prin­ces, suche alway gette the vi­ctory, as eyther by force beate downe their enemyes, or by policye putte them to flyght. But in Christes warre, those wynne the fielde, that beare awaye the strokes, & he that suffreth most, getteth y^e moste noble victory. For the blessed [Page] martyr Ignatius, Euseb. histo. ec­cles. lib. 3. when he was conueyed out of Syria to Rome by tenne rigorous and rough souldyars (whome for theyr crueltye he calleth tenne leo­pardes) and was miserablye torne in peaces by wylde bea­stes▪ got a more excellent vic­torye, then euer dyd eyther Scipio Africanus, or Pompeius Magnus, two of the mooste noble cap­taynes of the Romaynes. And yet dyd he neuer eyther grudge at the matter, or giue them euil wordes, or lyfte vp hys hande to smyte eyther man or beast, but most feruently desyred to be beatē & buffe­ted, to be assaulted him selfe & tormented. For by that mea­nes was he assured, that he shoulde receaue at Christes [Page] hande the victorious crowne in martyrdome, as it doth wel appeare by his owne wordes in an epystle, that he wrote to y^e Romaynes,Euseb his j [...]o. eccle. li [...]. [...]. wherin he saith thus. ‘Wolde to god I had y^e beastes, y^t are prepared to de­uoure me, whome shortlye to find out is mine earnest desire: whome I shall flatter & make muche of, to thintente they may out of hand deuoure me. For I wolde not they shulde so handle me, as they haue done other, whome for feare thei did not ones touche. But if so be they be lothe to medle with me, I shal prouoke them to teare me. Pardō me good frendes I praye you, for I know, wh [...]t is expediente for me.’ Nowe begynne I to be Christes

[Page]So surely it fareth in a cō ­mon welth, when as the peo­ple grudge, y^t their heades & gouernours lyue at ease, and eate vp al, as they thinke, that they wyth muche toyle and trauayle haue gotten, iud­ging him to be an ydle and an vnnecessarye membre, & ther­fore do they cōspire & rebel a­gaynst him. So y^t therby it co­meth to passe, y^• with misera­ble spoyle & cruel bloudshede y^e members of all the common welthe are in short space most miserably cōsumed & wasted. Therfore lette no man, that eyther loueth god, his contry, or hym selfe, when as he is oppressed, go aboute to seke remedy by rebellion, seinge y^t both his cause is very nought [Page] and that therby he shall not only prouoke Goddes wrath agaynst hym, but also put his contry and hym selfe to in ieo­pardye of destroynge.

Rebelliō for ambi­tion, and desire of honor.But nowe there be an other sort, that are so sore inflamed with ambition & desire of ho­nor, y^t thei think euery howre a day, and euery day a yeare. vntyll they may winne their wicked purpose. They be like to men that be sicke of a fer­uent burninge feuer, whiche drinke styl, and euer are drye, and the more that they drink, the more they desier to drink: Euen so it fareth wyth am­bitiouse folke, whiche yf they come to anye worshippefull e­state, are not so contented, but labour by al maner of meanes [Page] still to clyme higher: & when neyther by flattery, nor frind­shippe, nor liberall rewardes they cā satisfie their wretched desier, then fall they to con­spiracy, & folow the steppes of cursed Catiline,Salust. in coniur. Catil. whiche made men wene, that he mynded to reforme the common welthe of Rome, & restore y^e libertie therof, when he intended no­thinge elles, but to put downe the noble and wise rulers of y^e citie, and place him selfe & his complices in their honorable rowines. But he was shortly spied out, and by the wyse po­licye of Cicero cleane disappoynted of hys purpose. What made Caesar and Pompeye the great to make ciuil warre, but only ambition? For as y^e good [Page] historiographer Dion sayeth▪ Vide Epit [...]nen Di [...]is in ui­ [...] Pōpeij albeit that manye other causes of that sedition were rekened to be, yet the verye cause in dede was their greate desire of honoure. ‘For the same wryter reporteth, that Pom­peye would be inferiour to no man, and Caesar desired to be a­boue al men.’ Therfore caring nothing what became of their noble countrye, they thought to trye their manhode in ciuil warre. And so was law layde downe, and might was made ryght, and a roughe souldiar was more estemed, then a graue counseyler. But bothe twayne had an euyl ende. For the one (Pompeye I meane) was miserably at lengthe put to flight, & in conclusion cruel­lye [Page] kensence. At lengthe, when the officers see, that the fyre woulde not burne hym, they commaunded the hangeman to thrust hym through with a sword: Out of which wounde there issued so muche bloude, that it quenched all the fyre, insomuche that it made the people greatlye to merueyle. Thus thys gloriouse martyr by his patient suffring wonne the fielde, and gotte a mooste glorious victory.

Lykewyse a blessed Mar­tyr,Euseb. histo. [...]e­cles. lib. 5. whose name was Sanctus, when he was wyth all kynde of tormentes by the wycked paynems assaulted, to thin­tente that he shoulde denye CHRIST, and forsake his fayth and that he ioyfullye [Page] suffred all, & constantlye stode in his profession, and therev­pon at length had hoate bur­nyng plates of brasse layed to hys bare naked body, where­wyth hys skynne was so sore blistered, and bowned vp, that no man could knowe him, and after that because his enemi­es purposed to vanquish him, was tormented a freshe, whē his body as yet was all full of blysters, thys blessed martyr I saye, gladlye suffrynge all these bitter bruntes, gotte a more glorious victorye, then euer dyd the great conqueror Alexander. For Alexander got onlye a worldly estimation, y^e short­ly dothe fade & fall. But Sanctus wyth hys paynefull passion wonne himself such renowne [Page] and glorye, as neuer shall pe­rishe: Alexander by sheddynge of other mennes bloude became a conqueroure. But Sanctus by sheddyng of hys owne bloude gotte thys noble victory. Alexander had alwaye wyth him in his warres a greate and hughe hoste of men. But Sanctus armed wyth sure aff [...]aunce in God, foughte the fielde alone withoute ayde and helpe of a­ny man. Alexander ouercame only his worldlye enemyes, but Sanctus ouercame both worldly and goostly. So that such as valiantlye fyghte in Christes warre, gette a more glorious victory in suffryng thē selfes, then the most couragious captayne of all the worlde get­teth in beatynge of other. [Page] Wherefore whosoeuer wyll fyghte for hys fayth, muste fyght after this sort. He must not by moneye or fayre wor­des gather together an hoste of men, and so make his par­tie good, but he muste by fer­uent prayer seke for helpe and ayde at Goddes hande, and so prepare him to the battayle. He must not put vpon him an helmet of steele, ‘but he must put v­pon him the helmet of helth.’He must not arme him selfe with an habergeon of yron or syluer,Ephe. 6. ‘but he must arme him with the habergeon of fayth and charitie.’ He muste not take a sworde in his hande of mans makyng,1. thess. 5. ‘but he muste take the sworde of Gods spirite, whyche is the worde of GOD.’ And when he is thus armed, he [Page] muste not rashelye vncalled steppe forth, and offer strokes to his enemyes, but he muste fyrste eyther moued by the spirite of God, offer him selfe, as many martyrs haue done, to suffer death, or elles be cal­led forthe for the trial of hys fayth, and then gladly go, and abyde mooste greuouse and bitter tormentes, rather then he wyll denye anye parte of hys fayth.

Thus the blessed and holy martyrs of Christe dydde al­wayes in suche a lyke case. For those that suffred perse­cution in the two cruell ty­rauntes dayes Decius, Euseb. his sto. eccle. li. 6. &. 7 and Va­lerian, when the paynems went aboute by violence to destroy the fayth of CHRIST. [Page] they made no conspiraces or rebellions agaynst those wyc­ked princes, nor putte no har­nes vpō their backes to fight openly in the field with them, nor intended not by force to withstande their deuelishe di­uises, but mekely offred them selfes to dye for oure Saui­ours sake, and besides they so embraced theyr enemies. that tormented them, that they prayed God most earnestly to pardon them.

So dyd also y^e godly martirs,Euseb. his sto. eccle. li. 8. &. 9 that were cruelly persecuted by Diocletian & Maximine, two most fearce & frantike emperours. For when they did se not only their churches pulled downe to the grounde, but also many christen men violently hayled [Page] and pulled to worshyp Idols, albeit that they were sore dis­mayed with the matter, yet woulde they not gather them selfes together, and make re­bellion, and by that meanes defende bothe their fayth and thē selfes to, leste they might so loose the gloriouse crowne of martirdome, y^t christe their head capitayne had prepared for thē. But when time came, y^t they shuld be examined cōcernynge their fayth, they frelye confessynge the same, offered them selfes to be put to payn­full tormentrye, whyche they were farre more glade to goo to, then any man is to go to a feast. We read also a very no­table story of the inhabitaūtes of Edessa:Socra hi [...] stor. eccle. lib. 4. ‘It chaunsed on a time [Page] that the Emperoure Valens, which was an heretike of the Arrians se [...]te, & bare deadlye hatred agayns [...]e all catholike folke, came thether, and com­maunded all the folkes of that cytye, because they were very catholike, and hated his opi­nion, that they shulde not vpō payne of death come together to praye. Yet they not wyth­standinge his cōmaundement the nexte daye after came to y^e churche, as they were wonte to do. And when thēperours lieuetenaunt accompanied w^t a great nomber of souldiars, mynded vpon the emperours cōmaundement to put thē to death, a pore woman with her childe braste throughe the middest of the souldyars, pur­posing [Page] posinge to go to the churche. Wherewith the lieuetenaunt being sore offended, called her to hym, & asked her, whither she ranne so faste: And she an­swered, to y^e churche, whervnto other folke resorted. Then the lieuetenaunte sayde. haste thou not hearde, y^t the Empe­rours lieuetenaunt wil kil al, y^t he shal find there? Yes verely, sayd y^e woman: & therefore I make hast, y^t I may be foūde among thē. Whiche when the lieuetenaunt heard, he muche maruayled at the madnes (as he thought) of those, y^t so not­withstāding themperours cō maundement, repayred together to y^e churche. Whervpon he came to thēperour, & tolde him, that they were all verye [Page] ready & willing to die for their faith.’ These folkes albeit they were a great nōbre, yet would they make no resistence, but mekely offred them selfes to suffre death for their faythe, & so to declare their obedience both to god, and to the prince to. Saynte Ambrose likewise writeth of the cit [...]zins of Me­lane,Ambros. ad Mar­cel Soro [...] [...]pi [...]t. 33. where he was byshoppe▪ that when themperor yonge Ualentiniane wold haue had them to haue delyuered vp their churches into the hādes of Auxentius an Heretyke, and y^e rest of his adherentes, they refused to do hys cōmaunde­ment, & yet neuertheles wold they not by force withstand or rebel agaynst him, but went & made humble suite vnto hym▪ [Page] and sayde: ‘We come to make request vnto your grace (most noble Emperour) and not to fyght with you. As for death or punyshmente we feare not, but we humbly beseche youre hyghnes to be good vnto vs. Thus to do, sayeth Saynte Ambrose, is mete for christen men, to thintente that bothe peace may be soughte for, and also the cōstant mayntenaūce of fayth and trueth shall not for daunger of death be giuen ouer.’ Thus wryteth Saynt Ambrose. Lykewyse dyd the souldiars,Socr [...]. [...]i­stor. eccle lib. 3. that were of Iuli­ane themperours garde, of whome a great nombre (amō ­ges whyche were Iouiniane, Ualentiniane, and Ualens, who were Emperours after­ward) [Page] when as they were cō ­maunded eyther to forsake their fayth, and to do sacrifice to Idols, or els to leaue their [...]owmes, and get them oute of the courte, were not onelye contented to loose their row­mes, but also all their goodes and lyues to for the defence of their fayth. And not ones dyd they murmur or grudge at the matter, nor wente not aboute to rebell agaynste Iu­lian, beynge a wretched ty­raunte, but were ryghte glad to suffer wronge for Christes sake. And thus all godlye and blessed folkes vse to obeye ra­ther God then man, and are well contented to dye for the mayntenaunce of their fayth: whyche rule euery good chri­sten [Page] man oughte alwaye to obserue. For when the prince commaundeth him to forsake hys fayth, then muste he pre­pare hym selfe to suffre all kynde of tormentes, rather then to fall from God, and his fayth. But yf the deuyll do moue hym to rebell and fyght agaynste hys Prince, and tell him that so he shal obeye God, do hym good seruice, and defende hys fayth, then lette hym remembre, that he is cō ­maunded by the holye worde of God, to be obediente not onely to good princes, but to noughtie princes to, and then let him tell the deuill, y^t he ly­eth, because al men are bidden to be obedient by expresse and plaine wordes of y^e scripture.

[Page] Mat, [...]6.And our Sauiour Christe him self hath giuen vs a playn example thereof. For when saynt Peter woulde haue de­fended hym with the sworde agaynst his enemyes, he sayd to hym thus: ‘Doste thou not thynke, that I can make re­queste to my father, and that he wyll sende me mo, then .xi [...] legions of Aungels to helpe me?’ Therfore to be obedient, and to suffer for oure fayth, is Gods holy wyl and pleasure. But we neuer reade neyther in Scripture, nor in no holye wryter. that we shoulde ey­ther for our fayth, or for anye other cause ryse and rebell a­gaynst oure prince, nor arme o [...]r selfe to fyght wyth him in the open fielde. For whosoe­uer [Page] do so,Rom. 13 they (as witnesseth saynt Paule) ‘seke theyr owne damnation.’ Yet notwyth­standynge yf the prince com­maunde any thyng contrarye to the wyll of GOD, neyther must we do it, lest we highlye displease God, nor we muste not by force of armes resiste the Prince, lest we damne our owne soules, but bothe we must obeye God in styckynge fast to our fayth, and we must obeye the Prince to, I meane not in doing hys commaundement, whych is damnable, but in patient suffryng of paynful tormentes, that he will putte vs to, by reason we refuse to do that, that he biddeth vs. For thus wylleth y^• scripture vs to do, and thus hathe all [Page] good godly men done in time paste, and wyll do styll euen to the worldes ende. Yet lette men be well ware,We must weye, whether our fayth be sounde or no. and take good hede, whether their fayth, that they wil suffre for, be sounde or no. For manye due hath herein bene sore de­ceaued. We read in Eusebius sto­rye of Montanus a pestilent here­tike,Euse. hi­stor. eccle lib. 5. ‘that when he and his ad­herentes were conuyc [...]ed of theyr heresie, and so confoun­ded, that they had nothing to saye, they began to boast, that they hadde many martyrs of their secte, & that that was a sure argument, that they had y^e spirite of god. Unto whome it was aunswered, y^t that was not alwayes true. For cer­teyn other sectes of heretikes [Page] there be, that haue their false martyrs, but yet for all that we will not agree with them, and saye that they haue the trueth of their side. For the Marcionites, which do denie Christ, saye that they haue verye manye martyrs.’ Thus wryteth Eusebius. Lykewyse now of late yeares, since Wi­cliffe here in Englande, Hus in Boheme▪ Luther in Ger­many, and Occolampadius amōges the Swichers began their he res [...]es,Our f [...] ­se mar­tyrs. many haue there bene in England, Fraunce, Germany, and in other countries to, that stiflye standynge in their fond opinions, haue bene burned at a stake. By reasō wher of amonge them, that fauored such false doctrine, they were taken for martyrs.

[Page]But suche folkes lytle consi­der, what saynte Augustyne sayeth in an epistle, that he wryteth to Festus, as touchyng the Heretykes called Dona­tistes in thys wyse. ‘What is more wretched, or more per­uerse, then that menne (as the Donaristes do, whyche boaste themselfes, that they suffre persecution) wyll, when they be punyshed for their wicked­nesse, not only not be ashamed thereof, but loke to be praysed therfore. Who truelye are so enueygled eyther with a meruelous blindnes, or with a dā nable presumption, that they wyll not knowe, or elles they make, as they dyd not know, that the paynes, that the martyrs do suffre, do not make [Page] them true martyrs, [...]span; ma­keth no [...] martyr [...] ▪ but the cause. 1. P [...]t. [...] ▪ but the cause, wherfore they suffre. For what thanke shall menne haue, as saynt Peter sayeth, yf they suffre as synners, and be well buffeted and beaten therfore? Then what reward shall those haue, that beynge infected with heresye, wyll rather dye, then reuoke y^e same?’ But many y^• see the outward conuersation of diuerse of thē the pretensed vertue and ho­lynesse, [...]he [...] crisis of heretik [...] the zeale y^t they seme to beare to Gods trueth, the simplenesse, that appeareth in theyr life, the contempt of the worlde in apparence, the sted­fast sticking in their opinions euen to then duryng of moste greuouse tormentes, do not onlye saye, but thinke to, that [Page] they be very saynctes, and wil not let openly so to call them. Yet shall it be very necessarye for those folkes to take dili­gent hede, leste they be not by suche hipocrisie farre decea­ued. For it is not y^e outwarde vertuous behauiour onlye, y^t maketh a man perfect and holye, nor it is not his stiffe stic­king in errour and blindnesse, that maketh him a martyr. Wherefore suche men as pre­tende such holinesse, are most of al other to be taken hede of, [...] hereti­ke of ho­nest life is moost pe­ritious. by reason y^t they seming holy to the world, most easelye de­ceaue y^e people. For Origen in an homelie vpō the .xvi. chap. of Ezechiel sayeth thus.

[Page] Thus wryteth Origene of the pretēsed vertue of heretikes.The pre­tensed cō ­s [...]antie of heretikes Which as he aduiseth vs, it is necessary for vs to eschewe, leste it at the length deceaue vs. Now as for their earnest sticking in their lewde opini­ons, is no [...]ause, why any man shulde the▪ more credite them. For we read of diuerse anabaptistes, which is a sec [...]e of here­tykes as [...] as the [...] whyche haue suffred sond [...]y kyndes of sore tormentes, yea and death to, rather th [...]n they woulde refuse their adhomi­nable heresie.Ioan. Ga­stius de Anabap [...] starū er­ro. lib. 1. For in a citie of Germany called Passakia, eyght of this see [...] were burned vpon one day, and abode the [...]hole flames of fyre with suche pa­tience, as they made all men▪ [Page] that were present, to wonder at thē. Amonges whom was one man, that had two sonnes burned with hym, whome he most earnestli exhorted, y^• thei shulde neuer for feare of the fyre, nor for the vntolerable paynes, y^t they suffered therin forsake their opiniō. And ofte recited vnto them the martir­dome of y^e blessed Machabees.

Agayne at a certayne place beside the ryuer of Rheue, [...]iue Anabaptistes in their flo­ryshinge age, for their heresie were cast into the sayd ryuer, and drowned. Whyche when they were led to their death,In the same bok [...] not ones shranke at y^e matter. At Basile lykewyse two chiefe ringleaders of this sect, when they were ledde throughe the [Page] citie, & beatē with roddes, cast their eyes vpon hym, that bette them, with a mery coun­tenaunce, and exhorted hym stoutly to do his office in that behalfe. For we (sayde they) most gladly do suffre for christ and the true vnderstanding of his worde in baptisme. Now then whēas we see folkes suf­fer greate punyshement with suche wonderfull patience, & pretende that they suffer for goddes word, shall we saye by and by that suche be martyrs, and take example of them to stycke to heresye, and so caste awaye both oure bodyes and soules? No no god forbyd, y^• any christen man shuld do so, & through the noughtye exāple of the deuyls false martyrs, [Page] become as mad as they. For yf constante and patiente suf­ [...]yng were [...]noughe to make martyrs, then shulde Turkes be martyrs. For we read of certayne Turkes,Ioan. Ga­stius de erro. Ana baptistar. that had bur­ned a good parte of Transilu [...]n [...] and VVulachi [...]: whyche were ta­ken prysoners by Chrystenmen. Who when as they shuld be put to execution, and be be­headed at [...] they were of­fred their pardon▪ if so be they woulde forsake. Mahometes law, and become christen. But ne­uer one of them woulde take y^• offer, but most stifly standing [...] their wicked profession, willingly went to their death. Wherfore let no man, eyther when he feeth an heretike flie out of his countrye, because he [Page] wyll contynewe in heresye, or is banished for thesame, saye y^t he is a confessoure, and suf­freth persecution for y^• truth, or when he seeth hym gladlye go to the fyre, & patiently suf­fer it, saye y^t he dyeth a mar­tyr, and that twentye thow­sande wil rise of his asshes, but let hym be ryght sorye in his harte and lamente, that the deuyll was so great wyth him that he coulde make hym suf­fer the hoa [...]e flames of fire for his wicked opinion, and so led hym streighte to the [...]eruente flames of euerlastynge fyre. And let him exhorte al men to take hede betyme, howe they enter into heresy, leste their goostlye enemy leade them so farre forth in it, that they shal [Page] neuer turne backe agayne frō it. And let neyther such suffe­rynge of heretikes, nor their pretensed holines by any meanes deceaue vs. Nor lette vs not thinke, that any such thinges, howe gaye soeuer they seme in the sight of some men, can in any wise auayle the do­ers of them, because they be done not onelye agaynste the churche of God, but also without the circui [...]ie & vnitie of y^e same, and be contrarye to the catholike fayth thereof.

For if suche folkes woulde bestowe all that they haue in helpinge the poore,No good dedes a­nay [...]eth, y^• are done withoute the catho­like churche. or if they woulde tame their bodyes w^t fastynge and abstinence, or if they so loued their neighbors, that they would be content to [Page] suffre death for theyr sakes, or if they were so earnestly bente to prayer, that they wold not cease to praye continually, or if they hadde suche a zeale to preache, that they wold most diligently occupie them selfes in that behalfe, yet shuld they bestowe all their trauayle in vayne, if so be they haue forsa­ken the catholike churche, and the true faith therof.De fid. ad Pet. For. S. Augustyn sayth, ‘that neyther baptisme, nor any workes of mercy can profyte a man with out the felowshyppe of the ca­tholike Churche.De baptis lib. 4. contru. donat And in an other place he sayeth, that those workes, that apper­tayne to the Churche, if they be done without the churche, they auaile nothinge to oure [Page] saluation, because that with out the vnitye of the churche of god, there is no saluation at all.’ The blessed martyr saynt Cyprian wryteth likewise,Desim­pli [...] pra­lat. as touching y^e same poynte thus: ‘Such as are gathered toge­ther withoute Christes chur­che, thinke they, that when they be so gathered together, that they haue Christe with them? All suche, yf so be they be slayne for confessing Chri­stes name, the blottes, y^t they be defiled with all, are not washed away with the effusi­on of their bloud. For the heynous and sore sinne of discord is not purged from them by suffringe a paynfull passion.No man can be a martyr, y^• is [...]oute Christes churche. And a martyr can no man be, y^t is not in the churche. Nor [Page] no man can come to the king­dome of Christ, whiche hathe forsaken the churche, that shal reygne with Christe.’ Then best it is for euery man, that mynded to be saued, yf he fall in trouble for his fayth sake, first to consider depelye, whe­ther he be a member of Chri­stes churche,Fayth is to be tri­ed & how. and then to weye well, whether his fayth agre­eth with the catholike fayth or no. And in weying thereof let him not sticke onlye to hys owne iudgement, which may sone deceaue him, but folowe the iudgemēte of those, whose doctrine hath euer from time to tyme bene by the whole churche of God well lyked & alowed.The spi­rite to be tried. And besyde to trye y^e spirite, wherewith he is mo­ued, [Page] whether it be of God, or otherwise. Whyche maye in dede be very easely tried. For yf it be of God,Gods spirite. it will not re­sist the authoritie of the chur­che, nor laboure to disanull the same, but will alwayes submytte it selfe thervnto, as to the true spouse of Chryste, and gladly embrace the doc­trine therof, as the doctrine of helth and saluation.The de­uils spi­rite. But if it be the deuilles spirite, it wil then contemne the authoritie of the Churche, and wil tra­uayle to treade that vnder foote, and lewdly oftentimes belye it to, and rage and rayle agyanst the godly ordre ther­of, and blaspheme the blessed mysteryes and sacramentes therin, and call fastinge and [Page] praying superstition, and call all them worke wongers, that medle wyth any such matters And presumptuously wil take vpon it to iudge of the depe secretes of the scripture, and despise the doctrine of the old holy fathers & doctors of the churche, & wil say y^t they were men, & both might & did erre, and that men must beleue and read nothing but scripture, & allowe none interpretation thereof, but suche as they ga­ther thē selfes by conferringe place with place, & that euery manne oughte to be his owne iudge in y^t behalfe. Such a spirite of al those, y^t be mēbres of Christes catholike churche, & purpose so to continue, & be saued at length, is to be vtterly auoyded, [Page] lest lyke a snake, when it hath ones gotten in the heade, it drawe the whole bodye after it, and so be the destruction of all them, that receaue it. For suche a spirite will at lengthe moue men to disobeye theyr prince, yf he be a godly catho­like man, yea and openly to rebell agaynst him. And hereby it may easelye be perceaued, y^t it is not the spirite of God, be­cause it stirreth men to fyghte agaynst God. For whosoeuer maketh warre agaynste hys prince, he maketh warre a­gaynst God, forasmuch as the prince is (as I sayd before) appoynted by God. And lyke as yf a worldly prince shulde or­deyn an officer, and giue him full aucthoritye to examyne [Page] causes, and to execute suffice vnder hym, whosoeuer shuld withstande this officer, & go about to fight with him, shuld be worthely taken for a tray­tour, and shoulde haue, as he had deserued. So truelye se­ynge, that God hath appoyn­ted the prince to be his officer and minister of iustice here in earth, what man soeuer rebelleth agaynste him, is a false traytour to God, and excepte he repente betime, he sha [...] re­ceaue the rewarde of a tray­tour in hell. Besydes this the foresayde spirite maye be well knowen by the doctrine, that cometh from it. For the do­ctrine there of is full of pryde and presumption,The doc­trine of y^• deuils spirite. full of hypocrisie, full of blasphemie. It is [Page] also contentiouse, stubborne and vnpatient, it is licentiouse and carnall, it is for the moste parte grounded vpon lyes, & blind ignorance.The doc­trine of God. Iac. 3. ‘But the doctrine and wisdome that cometh from heauen, (as saynt Iames sayeth) firste it is pure, secondarelye it is peaceable, & beside it is gentle, and obedient: it is also full of mercye and good workes: it will not iudge other: finallye it is simple and vnfayned.’ Therfore whēsoeuer we be tempted to receaue any newe doctrine,New doctrine how it is to be [...]eyed. lette vs weye wel not only who are the tea­chers thereof, and whether it selfe haue the qualities of the wisedome and doctrine, that the holye Apostle sayeth, com­meth from heauen aboue, but also what fruites springe out of it. For if we perceaue both y^e ministers therof to be good [Page] godly men, and fauourers of Christes catholike churche, & also▪ the doctrine it selfe to be peaceable, gentle, obediente, and mercyful, and finally that it bringe for the suche fruytes, as saint Paul calleth‘the fruites of the spirite,Ga [...]. 5. that is to saye, Charitie, ioye, peace, longe suffrynge, gentlenes, goodnes, fayth, mekenes, and tempe­raunce,’ then maye we be bolde to embrace it, as the doctrine of GOD commynge from aboue, and to frame oure fayth, and beleue according to it. But contrarye, yf not onelye the doctrine, that is taughte vs to be busye, vn­quiete, headye, dysobedi­ente, and cruell, but also the ministers thereof be hyghe mynded, presumptuouse, ene­mies [Page] to the churche of Christ, raylers and gesters, lewde in their preaching, & morelewd in their behauiour, authors of carnal liberties, and maynteyners of the same, yea and be­side this, if the fruites of their preaching be such,Gal. 5. as the bles­sed Apostle Paule calleth‘the workes of the fleshe, that is to we [...]e, ad­u [...]utrye, horedo [...]e, filthines, wanton­nesse, worshpppynge of Idols, witche­craffe, hatred, stryfe, emulation, anger▪ debate, dissention, sectes enuye, murder dronkennes, riotous ba [...]kettyng, & such [...]ike,’ then must we thinke▪ that such doctrine is sowē abroad by our deadly enemye the de­uyll, to poyson oure soules withall. And we must be well ware, that we taste not there­of, leste it seminge to vs plea­saunte and swete at the fyrste, [Page] worke in vs at the lengthe a sowre and sorowfull effecte. For yf we be ones infected with it, hardly shall we be deliuered of it. For it is a commō saying in England, that frenesie, heresie, & yelousie are hard to be cured. And yf it remayn styll within vs, it will in con­clusion so corrupte oure selye souses, that they shalbe in daū ger of death euerlastinge. Therfore let euery man that loueth his soule, and is desy­rous to saue it, take hede of peruerse doctrine, & neyther leane to muche to hys owne will and iudgement, lest ther­by he be foule deceaued, nor aduenture to sticke fast in the defence of a false fayth, and to ieoparde both body and soule [Page] therfore. For yf he stande in it to the shedding of his bloude, althoughe he please him selfe neuer so muche therewith in this life, yet shall he not fayl to receaue the reward y^t is prepared for obstinate blindnesse in another life. Of suche folke there be two sortes:Two sortes of stubborne he­retikes. one that hath spiced cōsciences, & of a folishe feruent zeale, y^t they haue to their fonde opinion, beinge persuaded, y^t thei be in a truth wil rather loose al y^t they haue & their liues to, thē any thing relent in their pretēsed truth. And no merueyle it is, foras­much as both they be so with presūption blinded, y^t they wil folow no mans iudgemēt, but their owne. & also so wedded to their will, y^t they counte all [Page] other mens counseyle vayne madnes & folye. By meanes where of they iudge lyes to be trueth, darkenes to be lighte, lewdenes to be learning, fan­tasticall folye to be perfite wisdome, blasphemous bablynge to be pure preachinge, vayne wordes to be wise reasons, pestilent heresie to be holesome doctrine, iust punishmente for the same to be persecution, obstinate stubbornesse to be patiente constancie, and death for false fayth to be martyrdome. So y^t they may wel say by reason of their vncurable blinde­nes these wordes of the holye Prophete Esaye.Esa. 59. ‘We haue loked for the lyghte, and [...]o here is darkenesse, we haue soughte for cleare brightnes, & haue walked in cloudie mistes, we haue [Page] groped for the wall like blindemen, and lyke folkes that haue lost their light, we haue touched the same. We haue stum­bled At noo [...] daye, as though we hadde [...]ked light, and haue bene besette with darkenes, as though we had bene dead.’ For who, I praye you, seketh more for the lyghte of trueth in apparence, then these men do▪ Yet when they haue long loked for it,Truth is onlye in y^e church of God. they fynde it not, [...]ecause that where it is, that is to saye in the Churche of God, they seke it not. There­fore after their longe sekyng▪ they may well saye, lo here is darkenes. They seke also the cleare brightnes of the Gos­pell, but by reason they take a wronge waye to come to it, they neuer come neare it. For all such folke leauing the high way of the catholike fayth, do [Page] take the pathe of pestilent he­resie. And whē they are ones wel entred into their iorneye▪ The by­wayes of heresie. they fynde many bywayes, & one sayeth this is the waye, and another sayth, that is the waye, and the thirde fyndeth the thirde waye, and euerye one taketh his owne waye, in so muche y^t after they be gone out of the hyghe waye, they neuer mete together agayne, nor neuer one of them findeth the [...] trueth of the Gospell, that he seketh for, except God sende hym grace to returne backe to the highe waye a­gayne. For they that intende to come to the cleare lighte of the trueth must folowe thex­ample of the children of Isra­andThe way to truth. saye as they sayde to the [Page] king of Edom,Num. 20 ‘we will go the com­mon hyghe waye, and turne ney [...]her on the ryght hande, nor on the left hande▪’ By which cōmon hyghe waye is vnderstanded the waye, y^t leadeth a man to trueth & life. And yf a man knowe not this waye, & that one tell him this is it, and another tell him that is it, howe shall he then do [...]o learne it.The gui­de to tru­the is the catholike churche. Sure guyde hathe he none, but only the holye ca­tholike churche, y^e true spouse of Christ. Therfore lette hym learne the waye of her, & then shall he not fayle to go righte in his iourneye.

Agayne that sorte of men, that I a litle before tolde you of, like blindemen they grope for the wall, wherof Christ is the corner stone, but they ne­uer [Page] find it. And somtyme they stumble vpon some peece of it, but they neuer come within in it, by reason that they will not ones open their eyes to find out the dore, that leadeth a man into it. Yea and if there come anye good manne to the doore, and spye them thus sometyme gropynge, and sometyme stumblynge, and bydde them open theyr eyes, and come to the dore, they go forth gropinge still, and tell hym, that they see verye well, and that he is blind hym [...]elfe, and moue hym to come to them▪ and grope as they do. For they feare nothinge, but that at length they shall finde oute the true dore. Thus for oughte that anye good chari­table [Page] man can do, they wil not leaue their groping, till in conclusion they percase stumble vpon some peuish wicket,Wicliffes wicket. such one as Wicliffe made for hys churche, when he had forsakē the churche of Christe. And then thinke they them selfes well spedde, and beleue that that is the true dore, where in dede it is but a very wicket made only to wynde men in­to the mayse of heresye, in whiche they shalbe alwaye se­king, and neuer finde ende, sauing the wofull ende, that the wicked fende leadeth al them to, that haue forsaken the common waye of the Catholike churche, and walke styll forth in the perillous pathes of pe­stilent heresye.

[Page]Another sort is there,The se­cond sorte of stub­borne he­retikes. that because they haue eyther by preaching, or elles by writing setforth and maynteyned he­resye before, they will sticke fast to it, lest yf they should re­cant, and returne home to the catholike churche, they shulde be taken for light and vncon­stant men, and so loose their estimation. Be not these very wise men trowe you, that al­beit they knowe, y^t the trueth is agaynst them, and that thei haue labored by all meanes to subdue the same, yet neuer­thelesse forasmuche as they wyll seme constant, they will not receaue the trueth, but stande stiflye in their opinion▪ and rather suffre death bothe of bodye and soule, then they [Page] will acknowledge their error and blindnes? Might not the Prophete Hiere my speake vnto them,Hiere. 5. as he did in olde time to the Iewes after this [...]orte. ‘Heare you folyshe people, which be hartlesse, and haue eyes and see not, & eares & heare not.’ For these folke both see and heare the trueth, and yet for wilfull pryde will they neyther see it, nor heare it. They be very lyke to a folishe man, that goeth a iourneye, & when he hath taken y^e wronge waye him selfe, and caused o­ther to folowe hym to, at length albeit he perceaueth▪ y^t he hath gone amisse, yet neuerthelesse will he holde on styll, rather thē turne to the right waye agayne, because he wyl not [...]eme to his cōpanye to be [Page] deceaued. But such folke for­gette (I thinke) that for the sauyng of their worldlye esti­mation, they shall loose their estimation with God, and so fall in daunger to be damned for euer. But yf so be they shuld repent their folye, & re­turne to the catholike fayth, of whome (I praye you) shuld they loose estimation▪ whiche they studye so muche to saue? Of none in dede, saue onely of those, that be blynded, as they be. What greate losse then shall they haue, yf they loose the estimation of suche, as be noughte? Me thynke rather, that they should muche gayne by it. For lyke as a mar­chaunt that getteth a greate deale of golde for a litle leade, [Page] winneth muche, and waxeth verye riche thereby▪ so those that for loosing the commen­dation of euill men, winne thē selfes the prayse of good men, hathe vndoubtedlye a greate au [...]untage. Why do they not folowe the example of Hector, Ci [...]er. in epist. ad Catonē. li 14. epist. [...]. which sayd, that he was glad to be praysed of him, that was a man worthye of prayse hym selfe. If they wold so do, what a great comfort then shoulde they conceaue in their hartes seing that they might be well assured, that bothe all good godlye menne woulde muche commende them, if they mekelye acknowledginge their er­roure, woulde be sorye for it, and God hymselfe to, would be gratious and mercifull to [Page] them. By meanes whereof, they shuld not onlye encrease their estimation in the world▪ but also saue their soules, which shulde otherwise haue perished.

Therfore for such a fayth, as they hold, let neyther thē, nor no man elles, that eyther feareth GOD, or loueth hys owne soule aduenture to suf­fre death. And yf they be troubled for it, and peraduenture shutte vp in prison, lette them not then glorye in their fet­ters, as though they were A­postles, and write letters of comforte one to another in an Apostles style after this sorte, ‘Grace and peace be with you from god our father, and the Lord Iesus Christe,’ nor lette them not exhort one [Page] another to sticke fast in theyr fonde opinion, and say good brother in the lordes name shewe youre selfe nowe to be the true minister of god in maynteyning his holy word, nor let them not craftly couer theyr contagiouse heresye with suche a gaye coloured cloke, lest they both deceaue them selfes, and a great many mo to, for whose soules they shall make aunswere, but let them call to remembraunce the wordes of saynte Paule, that he wryteth to the Corin­thians, whiche be these: ‘Such false apostles are crafty workemen,2. cor. 11. and fashion them selfes to be like Christes apostels: and no marueyle is it. For satā chaunseth hym selfe into the forme of [Page] an Aungell of lyghte. Therefore it is no greate wonder then, yf hys mini­sters fashion them selfes lyke to the mi­nisters of Iustice.’ And when they haue throughlye weyed these wordes, let them marke well, whether they be not such like them selfes, as saynt Paule speaketh of, and so spying at length theyr wrong fayth, let them neuer stand longer in it, nor thinke that they are wiser then all the worlde beside, but like good children with we­ping teares returne to their mother the church, humblie aske hir spouse mercy, & desire hym to pardon their folie. For excepte they do thus, let them neuer looke to be Gods chyl­dren.

[Page]Because that as saynt Cypri­an sayeth,Cyp [...]lan. in epist. ‘no manne can haue god his father, excep [...] he take the Churche for his mother.’ Now then seing, that for such a fond fayth no man ought to put him selfe in anye trouble, muche lesse ought he to make rebellion for the mayntey­naunce of it. For yf it be true, (as we haue proued before) y^• for the syncere and true fayth of Christ no man maye with­oute daunger of damnation aduēture to rebell▪ then much lesse ought he for a false fayth to rebell and ryse agaynst his prince. Wherfore when as for anye cause that can be ymagi­ned, our aduersary the deuil, the aucthor of discord moueth vs to rebellion, let vs then re­mēbre, [Page] that no cause is there▪ (as we haue declared before, for which a man may make rebellion, & so shall we alwayes vanquishe the deuyll, be obe­dient to our prince, and ther­in obey god to, and finally es­chewe the deuelishe and dete­stable crime of rebelliō, which bringeth all those, that auen­ture vpon it, to vtter destruc­tion and ruine. Now moste dearly beloued contrye men, seyng that hetherto we haue both opened the causes, that commonly moue men to re­bellion, and also proued, that for none of them, nor no other beside them, men must rebell, it shall be well done hereafter to cōsider likewise the causes. which haue now of late made [Page] men to rebell agaynste oure mooste gratiouse soueraygne Ladye the Queene, and to gyue all men warnynge to take hede from hence forth of suche a wicked and cruell en­terprise.The cau­ses of [...] rebellion. Wise men that haue well weyed this matter, re­ken two causes specially, that made men this last time make rebellion: One, to delyuer our countrie from the oppres­sion of straungers, as it was reported, and another to re­store agayne Luthers lewde religion, which god and the Queenes highnes had lately banished out of the realme. Which two causes may be wel referred to the causes decla­red heretofore, seing y^• in effect they be included in them. [Page] Yet forasmuche as it is neces­sary at this present particularly to speake of them, I shall hereafter set them forthe at large, to thintēt that al mens hartes may be the better qui­eted in that behalfe.

The fyrst cause was only a cause pretensed, and was thought to many men some­what reasonable, and therby was not a few deceaued with the goodly colowre therof. For when the simple people heard, that the head capitayne of this rebellion, intended nothing els, but to stoppe the Spanyardes from entringe into this realme, and to bring to passe, that no foreyne prince shuld mary with the queenes highnes, lest we shuld by that [Page] meanes (as he sayde) be made bondemen and slaues contra­ry to the nature of all English menne, and that he loued the Queenes grace & all her sub­iectes, as his owne lyfe, and sought nothing, but y^t shoulde be to her honour, and the commoditie & welth of the whole realme, they thought it was a good godlye purpose, & were by & by persuaded therewith, and sayde that there was no man, that was faythful and louynge to his countrie, but he would be gladde to spend his bloude in such a good quarel.

Thus were the sely folke, that knew not the very cause, why this rebellion was made, by this subtyll pretense foulye deceaued. And like poore bir­des▪ [Page] that in a great snowe can get no meate, with this bayte were (or euer they wiste) cat­ched to their great confusion. But putte the case. that this had bene their intent in dede▪ shuld they therfore haue gone aboute to make rebellion, and where as they be commaun­ded by GOD to obeye the Queene, their mooste lawfull heade and gouernesse, shulde they rule her, and in a matter wherin euery bodye bothe by Goddes lawe and mans hath free libertie to do, as hym ly­keth, shulde they by force lyke rigorouse tyrauntes, cōstrayn her to satisfie their fantasies, in that behalfe, and to marry whome they would appoynte her? Who hath so muche auc­thoritie [Page] (I praye you) in ma­king other folkes marriages, as the parētes haue in marryinge of their owne children? And yet for al that, they may not compell them to marrye, whome they lyste, but they must haue their consent ther­in. [...]. 24 For so dyd Laban and Ba­th [...]ell, when their doughter Rebecca shuld be sent with Abraams seruaūt to be married to Isaac, saying thus. ‘Let vs cal the gyrle, and aske her minde. And when she came, they asked her: Wilt thou go with this man? who aunswered: I am well contented to go.’ Therefore se­ing the children, which ought to be at the parentes cōmaundement, muste agree and con­sent to their owne marriage, shall not princes then, to [Page] whome al subiectes are bound to be obedient, be at libertie to appoynt their owne marria­ges?What ma­riage i [...]. And agayne because y^e marriage is a ioyninge toge­ther of a man and a womanne freely and lawfullye made for the bryngyng forth of childrē, howe can it freelye be made, when eyther the man, or the woman is by force constray­ned therevnto. And lawfull matrimonye can it not be, ex­cept it freelye be made by the full consent of bothe parties.Super Mat. hom 32. For S. Chrysostome sayeth▪ that ‘carnall copulatiō maketh not matrimony, but the wyl & consent of the parties.’ Then forasmuche as bothe by Gods lawe and mans it playnly ap­peareth, that matrimony can [Page] not be good, except it be made by the free consent of the par­ties, let no true subiect thinke muche, that the Quenes highnes hathe bestowed her selfe, where she lyketh and loueth. No no euery one that loueth her grace hartely, wil be glad that she marieth suche one, as she maye hereafter take plea­sure and comforte in. If her grace shuld haue married one that she could not haue fanta­sied, it shuld so sore haue agreued her, that she woulde haue wished to be out of the world. And besydes that, it shoulde haue bene occasion of conten­tion betwixte them, whereby God shuld haue bene hyghlye displeased.Cap. 3. ‘For wheresoeuer (as witnesseth saynt Iames) is en­uye [Page] and contention, there is vnstablenes and all wycked workes.’

Ouer thys yf we woulde throughly weye,How the Queenes marriage came to passe. howe thys marriage hath bene broughte to passe, we should haue cause muche to meruayle at it, and not to grudge agaynst it. For when as the Queenes hygh­nes was by the Parliamente house most humblye sued vn­to, that it woulde please her grace for the quietnes and cō ­forte of the whole Realme to take an husbande, she was in wonderfull doubte wyth her selfe, what she myghte do in y^• behalfe. And great payne had she to applye her mynde and fantasie that waye, seyng that her grace had nowe so manye yeares lyued a pure virgine, [Page] and had great pleasure to liue so styll, and so wold haue con­tinued, had it not bene that by Gods goodnesse she myght in lawfull marriage haue issue, (for which it is our bounden duetie earnestlye to praye) to thintent y^t all her louyng sub­iectes therby myght be satis­fied, & the whole realme pre­serued in peace and quietnes. And therfore seing it was a thing most expedient for vs, that her highnes shuld marri, she forced her selfe contrary to hyr owne fantasye thervnto. And to thende that God myght assiste her godly intent fell to prayer, and most fer­uently called vpon god (seing that for our sakes she shuld marrye) that it wolde please [Page] hym to put her in mynde of suche one, as his glory might be anaunced by, and all her subiectes haue good cause to reioyce in. For as for worldly pleasure, whice folkes com­monly take in marriage, she nothinge passed: but her care was only to marry with such one, as myght throughe his singuler vertue please god, through his greate wisdome helpe well to gouerne this realme, and for his noble ly­nage be occasion of muche ho­nour and quietnesse to our countrye. As for beautye, strengthe of body, talnes of personage, and suche like, to those had her highnes no re­specte at all. Therfore while her grace made this godly & [Page] humble petition to almightye god, came there into her re­mēbraunce this noble prince of Spayne. And sone after were embassadors sent from the emperours maiestye for that selfe purpose. So that it well appeareth, that the first motiō of this marriage came of god, without the counseyle or aduise of any man. And we must also consider, ‘that the hartes of princes (as we read in the Prouerbes of Salo­mon) be in the hande of god,P [...]o. [...]. and that he moueth the same that way, that hym liketh.’ And then howsoeuer the matter seme in oure syghte, we oughte to iudge the beste, and thynke that God by his hea­uenly wysdome hath done it [Page] for the best▪ and we must har­tely praye hym, that hys wyll alwaye maye be done in all suche matters. For as he is the gyuer of all other good thynges, so is he most special­ly of a good marriage. And that may we learne of Salo­mon,Pro, 1 [...] ▪ where he sayeth: ‘An house & ryches are gyuen vs of our parentes, but a wyse wyfe is giuen of GOD.’ Therefore it is euerye good mans parte earnestly to pray to almyghtye God, that seing that by his prouidence (as we verelye trust) thys noble marriage is made betwixte suche two princelye personages, it maye please hys goodnesse so to worke in that behalfe, as maye be to the aduauncemēte of hys glorye, to both their honours, [Page] and hartes ease, and to the commoditie and quietnes of oure countrye. But it was maliciously and falsely repor­ted not longe ago by the re­belles (as I told you before) that the Queenes Highnesse wold haue marryed a straun­ger of set purpose to make vs slaues. And they dyd not let to say beside after this sorte. Shall men suffer this,The Kentishe re­bels wor­des. or shal we haue our heades thrust vnder a straungers girdle, & become his bondmen? Or shal we suffer our wiues & dough­ters to be rauyshed by vyle velaynes? What true English hart can abide this? And be­yng thus vaynely persuaded, rashely without any further delyberation fell they to open [Page] rebellion, & did muche like, as the Iewes did in olde tyme▪ which through y^e counseyle of Iudas Gaulanites rebelled agaynste the emperoure of Rome.Iosep. de anti. li. 8. ca. 1. at such tyme as Qui [...]inus a senator was sent by thēperour into Sy­ria & Iudaea to sesse these coūtries‘For this Iudas Gaulanites (as Iosephus telleth) hauinge a companyō muche lyke hym selfe ioyned with him, moued the Iewes to rebellion, and told thē, that this sessinge was for no other purpose, but that they shulde graunt them selfes to become bondemen & slaues: and ther­fore he exhorted al his contrymen to defende & maynteyne their libertie. For so (sayd he) shuld it come to passe, y^t yf they had good lucke, they shoulde [Page] not onelye enioye their owne goodes in muche prosperitie, but also beynge establyshed. in their possessions, gette great prayse for their manhode. And that they must not looke to be helped at Gods hande, except that withall they wold studye to helpe them selfes. The rascold people were glad to heare thys, insomuch that therby they were muche mo­ued to aduenture thys their wretched enterprise. Who for desyre of lucre vnder the pre­tense of defendynge their li­bertie so much troubled their whole countreye, as it is not wel able to be told. For where soeuer they came, they mur­dered men, and robbed them and wythoute respect kylled, [Page] as well frendes as enemyes: and al such as were noble and notable men they rydded out of the way. And whyle as in a furious rage one slewe ano­ther amonges them selfes, fo­reyne enemies dydde inuade them, and greate dearth and famine befell amonge them.’ Thys telleth Iosephus. So that whosoeuer wyll cōpare these two rebellions together, shal easelye perceaue, howe bothe they them selfes by their detestable enterpryse wroughte theyr owne destruction, and God sent his vengeaunce vpō them besyde, as a scourge for their frantike madnes. Wherfore yf we wyl saue our soules from damning, saue our bodi­es from killing, saue our countrye [Page] from spoyling, and auoyd the great vengeaunce of god, let vs frō henceforth beware of rebellion. And surelye per­suade our selfes, that our gratiouse Lady & maystresse the Quene, because she is the humble hande mayde of God, elec­ted and chosen by him to rule and reforme this realme, whi­che was so farre oute of order and [...]rame, will go aboute no­thyng but that shalbe to gods glorye, and the welth of all vs her louynge subiectes. For all her delyte and pleasure is, to see gods glory auaunced, and this her Realme recouer the honorable state, that it hathe bene in time past.

Nowe then consideringe her godlye purpose in this be­halfe, [Page] it shalbe euerye good mans duetie euerye daye to praye hartely for her, that she may longe liue, & reygne ouer vs▪ & whēsoeuer any enemies go about to assault her, mooste willingly to spende oure goo­des & liues to in her defence. As for her mariage, let vs (as I sayd before) referre the matter to God the author therof, & to her owne wisdome, which hath chosen it. For yf we shuld rebel therfore, we shoulde not only seme to be w [...]er thē god, that (as we verely trust) hath made y^e marriage, but also to knowe better then her grace, whome she shulde most loue & like. Now where as some percase both hath said, & as yet do saye, that this noble prince of [Page] Spayne is a straunger, and therfore both thei themselfes grudge at the Quene, because she hath married him, and al­so make other by their noughtie persuasion to grudge like­wyse, herein surelye they not onelye declare their lacke of knowledge, as touching their duetie & obediēce to her grace but also displease almyghtye god her defendour. Therfore it shuld be verye well done for all suche to call to memorye a storye, that is wrytten in holy scripture▪ as concernynge the lyke matter. We reade, howe that Marye and Aaron dyd sore murmer and grudge a­gaynste Moyses,Num. 12 because he married a wyfe, whyche was a straunger, & borne in Aethi­ope. [Page] Wyth which their grud­ge God beinge sore agreued, smote Marye wyth a lepro­sye, insomuche that by reason that she was so greatly infec­ted with it, she semed as white as snowe, and was in daun­ger therby to be destroyed. Do we not thynke that God nowe is iuste, as he was then, and is as sore offended wyth our murmurynge heartes a­gaynst the Quene, as he was then wyth theirs agaynste Moyses, and wyll punyshe our wickednes, as well as he dyd theirs, and the more that we grudge, the more greuou­slye wyll he plage vs▪ Why then seynge we haue no iuste cause of grudge, do we not leaue our grudging, for feare [Page] that we so d [...]please god, that he wyl not only smyte vs with the horrible disease of leprosie in our bodyes, but also punish our soules with euerlastinge fyre.

And albeit y^e priuate grudge that one beareth towarde a­nother, doth muche prouoke goddes wrath agaynst vs, yet the grudge, that we beare to­warde our prince is muche more greuouse. [...]. 14 For when the children of Iraell murmured agaynst Moyses and Aaron their rulers, because they [...]ea­red to be destroyed of the in­habitantes of Iurye at suche tyme, as they shuld enter into it▪ and wished y^t they had died in Aegypte, God was so sore displeased with their grudge▪ [Page] that he sayde to Moyses, I will distroye them all wyth plage and pestilence, & make thee a ruler ouer a greater numbre of people, and much more valiant. Agayne when they went from the hill called Hor, Num. [...] and were with their long trauayle sore wer [...]ed, and by reason therof much muttered agaynst god and Moyses, and sayde,‘why hast thou brought vs of oute Aegypte▪ that we shulde dye in wildernesse,’ god sente amonge them fyrye ser­pentes, which sore tormented them, and killed many of them insomuche that they came to Moyses and sayde. ‘We haue [...]ore offended in that we haue spoken a­gaynst GOD and the [...].’

Therefore all they that for [Page] any cause grudge agaynst the quenes grace, let thē looke for suche lyke plages, yf they do not amend, & let thē learne by these examples to laye away their grudgyng heartes, and mekely to acknowledge their folye, to aske God mercy, and to saye with the chyldren of Israell, we haue greuously offended, for that we haue murmered agaynst thee, O Lord, and agaynst our moste grati­ous Queene. And lette them neyther secretly in their har­tes grudge agaynste theyr Prince, nor openlye in theyr woordes speake euyll by her, but folowe the counseyle of Salomon, [...]ap. 1. where he sayeth: ‘Kepe your selfes from grudge, whyche au [...]yleth nothynge, and temper poure [Page] tongue, that it sclaunder nobodye.’ For all they, y^t eyther in theyr hartes conceaue anye malice toward y^e Queene, or grudge at her, or vtter euil wordes a­gaynst her, are as wel to be cō mitted rebelles, as those that beare harnesse agaynste her. For these be the thre speciall poyntes (as you heard at the beginning) wherein rebellion standeth. As for their mutte­ring y^t they make for her mar­riage, yf they knewe, how the Prince of Spayne is vnto vs no straunger, but one of the bloude royall of Englande, by reason that his father the emperours Maiestie,That the prince of Spayne is to vs no straunger. that nowe is, bothe by hys father syde & mothers cometh of the Kin­ges of Englande, they wolde [Page] perhappes (as they haue iust cau [...]e) lay it aparte, and both thanke god hartelye, that hath vouchesaued by hys di­uine prouidence to bringe to passe, that such two noble per­sonages, comming both of one stocke and linage, that is to say, of the moste valiant and famouse Prince Kinge Ed­ward the third, shuld for tha­uauncement of y^e noble bloud of Englande be ioyned toge­ther in marriage, & also be verye gladde in their heartes to know, y^t such a noble progeny, as themperours is, hathe spronge oute of the race of the kinges of Englād, but to thintent that it may playnely ap­peare, y^t this is of an vndoub­ted trueth, I shall sette forth, [Page] as it were in a table for al men to loke vpon, the lineall dys­cent bothe of the Queenes Highnes, and also of the sayd prince from Kinge Edwarde the thirde, which lineall dis­cent haue I gathered partely out of the stories of England, and partly out of the stories of Spayne, to thintent that the trueth thereof shoulde throughly be knowen to all meane

[Page]Hereby maye we wel per­ceaue, that the Quenes grace taketh no straunger to marry wyth, but suche one, as bothe by father and mother cometh of the royall bloude of Eng­lande, and nowe at lengthe is called home, as it were to hys natyue countrye, insomuch y^t no true Englishe man hath a­ny cause to grudge at the matter, but great cause hath he to merueyle at the wonderfull prouidence of god therin, and hartely to thanke him to, that he of hys goodnes both hath so auaunced the noble bloude of Englande abroade in the worlde, by raysing vp thereof so manye noble princes to go­uerne his people, & also nowe in the ende hath sent vnto vs [Page] a noble prince of y^e same bloud to be ioyned in marriage with the Queenes hyghnes, to the great honour of our countrye and all oure comfortes. For what can be more honorable for vs, then to ioyne with such a prince, whose progenitours haue ben for their noble actes renomed throughout y^e whole worlde, and for their singuler vertue moste hyghlye promo­ted? For manye noble victori­es haue they gotten, manye countries haue they subdued, and alwayes by their force & policie defended the state of Christendome agaynste oure mortal enemies the Turkes.

And because they were so muche estemed for theyr excellente vertue, vj. of their fami­lie▪ [Page] that is to saye, of the house of Austria, hathe bene of late dayes chosen to be emperors. Of whom two were called Alberte, & other two Frederike, the .v. was named Maximili­an, and the .vj. Charles that nowe reygneth.

Or what [...]an be more com­fortable to vs, then that the Queenes highnes shuld haue a Prince to her husband, that cometh of such a noble stocke? Who although he was borne in a straunge countrie, yet to vs, because he cometh of the royall bloude of England (as I sayd before) neyther is, nor ought to be taken, as a straun­ger. And yf any man doubt of this, let him peruse the croni­cles of Englande & Spayne, [Page] and he shall finde my wordes true. Agayne yf we feare him, because he was borne in Spa­yne, let vs cal to remēbraunce the two most famous and no­table Emperours of Rome, Traian and Theodosius the greate, both Spaniardes borne. Who beynge promoted to the Empeyre, so, whyle they raygned, dyd gouerne the same, as euer since of al men in al ages, they haue bene moste highlye commended▪

Lette vs besyde reade the lyues of the Kynges of Spa­yne, and we shall perceaue ve­rye manye of them to haue bene of suche wysedome and vertue, and of so synguler good qualytyes▪ as they maye be thoughte able too [Page] matche the Princes and ru­lers of anye other countreye besyde. But now some do say, that the Spaniardes be so proude and hyghe mynded, y^t no man can well awaye wyth their behauiour. And y^e same reporte oftentymes in other countryes hath gone vpō vs, that we were both proude & stubborne. But put the case, that diuers of them and of vs to were such in dede, shall we by and by iudge al the reste to be of the same sort? Such perhappes of bothe twayne as lacke wisdome, be for the most parte of that condition. But surely they, that be wyse, be al so sobre, discrete and gentle. For wisdome alway worketh suche effectes in those, that [Page] hath it.

As for the prince hym selfe, he is not only wise and sobre, but also of a very gētle behauiour.

And good cause surely hath he to be so.The princes quali­ [...]ies. For bothe hath he an excellent wyt of nature, & also a father of singuler wis­dom to learne at▪ yea & graue counseylours continually about hym, whose sage and so­ber aduise he is alway readie and willing to folowe. And nothing is there, that more declareth a man to be wyse, then that he wyll stycke to much to his owne fantasie, but gladly both heare those, that be wyse, and also folowe their counseyll. Now that he is of gentle behauiour well appea­reth in that, that all his sub­iectes [Page] so harth loue him, & are very loth to lacke his presēce, which thing they haue of late wel declared. For whē it was knowen amonge them, y^t he shoulde come to marrye oure quene, albeit they much reioysed in the marriage, yet they much lamented, & toke great sorowe for his departinge, by reason y^t he hathe at all times in all poyntes so gently beha­ued him selfe toward them, & therfore thei had rather haue dyed, then y^t he shuld haue de­parted from them.Thre speciall ver­tues of y^e prince. And thre special vertues god hath gy­uē him to winne mens hartes withal, liberalitie, mercy, and patience. For both to noble & meane men, to gentle and sim­ple, to ryche and poore he is [Page] so liberall, that all, that haue to do with hym, haue greate cause to beare hym good wyl. And agayne yf any man of­fende hym, yf he be sory ther­fore, he is readie to pardō him, and mercyfully to deale with hym. And in these pointes he is very like to our moste gra­ous Soueraygne the quene, As for his patience that is so singuler, that for the same he may well be compared with the sage and famouse philoso­pher Socrates. For those that perfitely know hym, reporte y^t no displeasure, misfortune, or aduersitye can moue hym, and that no man hath for any cause sene hym at any time angrie. And although that al o­ther vertues are in a Prince [Page] very commendable, yet none is there, that is so much to be estemed in him, as godly pati­ence.

Wherfore seing this noble Prince of Spayne is garni­shed with suche goodlye ver­tues, as y^e Spaniardes haue good cause to lament for hys departing, so we English men haue iuste occasion to reioyse for his comming. By meanes whereof we shalbe ioyned in sure amitie with two or three noble countryes▪ Spayne, Flaunders, & the rest of lowe Germany.

And greate commodities hath thys realme alwayes receaued by trafike hadde with these countries, as al they, y^t vse the trade of marchaun­dise [Page] beyonde the seas, can ve­ry well shewe vs. For what a benefite is it for thys realme to haue free libertie to cōueye suche thinges from hence thi­ther, as we haue plentye of, & to bring in those agayne from thence hyther, that we haue nede of? Ouer thys our coun­trye hereby shall greatlye be strengthed, and well fortified agaynst our aunciente enemi­es, who are very sore displea­sed with this noble marriage, because they feare, that from henceforth they shall not be so able to worke vs displeasure▪ but that we shall be more able on thother syde alwayes by Gods helpe not onelye to de­fende oure selfes, but also to giue them an ouerthrowe, & [Page] to reuenge theyr malyce a­gaynst vs. Wherefore seynge that our enemies are so sore a greued with this marriage, it is our partes, yf we loue oure countrie, to be very glad of it. For oure enemyes euermore are sorye for our commoditie, because y^t whatsoeuer is hurt­full to vs, they muche reioyse thereat. For men for the most part are naturally enclined to be glad of their enemies har­mes. Then let vs not be sorye for that, that our enemies are sory for, leste we seme to haue the same affection, that they haue, and so to hate our coun­trye, but because they be sory, let vs be gladde, therby decla­ring, that we hartely loue our countrye.

[Page]Let vs folowe the Spa­niardes example in reioysing for thys marriage. Who at suche tyme, as sure tydynges were broughte into Spayne, as touchynge the same, they were all so gladde of it, as thoughe they hadde receaued some ioyefull tydynges from heauen. Whyche theyr great gladnesse they well declared at the commynge thyther of oure Embassadours, whome they receaued wyth suche greate honoure, wyth so sin­guler gentlenes, and wonder full ioye, as the lyke hereto­fore hath bene verye seldome heard of. Why then do not we the same, and shewe our selfes ready with as glad hartes to receaue them?

[Page]If perhappes oure loue to­ward them be so colde, that it doth nothing moue vs there­to, yet let eyther the honoure of our owne countreye, which we owe speciallye to regarde, or elles the commodities▪ that we shal receaue by them, some thynge moue vs in thys be­halfe.

And suche as at the fyrste can not frame their fantasyes so frely to do it, as it wolde be done, let them yet at the leste dissemble & beare them fayre countenaunce vnto such time, as they shal haue cause by rea­son of their gentle behauiour, bothe to like and loue them. Agayne sythen that the frendship and amytie of their coun­trye is so necessary for vs, me [Page] thinke, that we should both be ryghte glad of them, and also muche reioyse in that, whyche is cause thereof. And trueth is it (as Herodotus wryteth) that no one region or countrye is there,Herodot. in Clio. that hath not oftenti­mes nede both of the ayde of any other, and also of the commodities thereof.

Wherfore suche folkes, as are not contented with suche a noble marriage, may be rekened litle to consider eyther y^e welth of their countrie, or the Queenes honoure. Agayne the conditions of the marri­age, whych be expressed in an Acte of Parliament, made onlye for that purpose, are so ho­norable and so commodious for Englande, as all Englyshemen, [Page] that fauoure their coun­trye, are greatlye bounded to gyue God hartye thankes for suche a marriage. And there be also suche prouisions in the conditions thereof for y^e good and quiete behauioure of all those, that shall come in wyth the sayd noble Prince, that no man hath cause to feare anye trouble at their handes.

Lette vs then behaue our selfes towarde them, as it becommeth vs: And no doubt but that we shall fynde suche gentle frendship in them▪ that we shal haue iust cause to loue them, and gently to entertein them. And besydes this no straunge thinge is it, that the quene marrieth wyth a foren prince. For it is the common [Page] practise of all princes of the worlde in a maner to ioyne marriage for the moste parte with foreyne princes, bothe for to make sure frendship be­twixt realme and realme, and also for the cōmodities that comonlye ensue thereof. Yea and good stories make men­tion, that the like case, that the Quenes Highnes marriage standeth in, hath oftētimes in other realmes bene sene. For Isabell doughter too Iohn king of Castell, that was bro­ther to Henry, when as her brother Henry died withoute yssue,Tarapha. de orig. reg. Histo. and that she was crow­ned Queene of Castle, by & by was ioyned in marriage with Ferdinand y^e .v. king of Arra­gō, & so was those .ij. kingdōs [Page] that marriage made all one. Whyche Ferdinande so well and wiselye gouerned those countries, that al menne both hartely loued him, and great­ly also commended hym.

Besyde he expulsed out of that part of Spayne, whiche is called Granade, the Mo­res that had by force holden that countrye seuen hundreth yeares. And ouer y^t he thrust out a great numbre of Sara­cenes and Turkes, and bani­shed with thē their false fayth, and after buylded goodlye churches to the glory and honoure of God.

Marye also doughter to Charles, Duke of Burgun­die, being heyre to her father, was married to Maximilian [Page] themperor a forreyne prince. Who was for his excellente wisedome and vertue muche renoumed, and for his noble actes wanne him selfe in the worlde great honour.

Isabell lykewyse doughter to Ferdinande king of Castle and Arragone, after her bro­ther Iohns, and her eldest si­ster Isabels death, beyng the heyre to the crowne of Castle and Arragone, was married to Philip Arch. Duke of Au­stria, a forreyn prince to. Who so noblely gouerned those coū tries, that all the people there­of dyd greatlye honoure him, hartely loue him, and mooste humbly obeye hym.

And many other suche lyke marriages haue bene made in [Page] the worlde, whyche haue had so prosperouse successe, that not onelye the parties, that made them, toke muche com­fortes therein, but also the coū tries, wherin thei were made, receaued alwayes muche ho­nour and commoditie therby. Therfore this marriage of the Queenes highnes ought not to seme straunge to any man, because the like in other real­mes hathe oftentymes bene made before. Agayne manye marriages haue bene made at sondrye times, (as both oure owne cronicles, and the cronitles of Spayne do testifie) be­twixte the noble countrye of Spayne and vs, & good suc­cesse haue they had, and much frendshyp by meanes thereof [Page] hath growen betwixt vs and them. And bothe the realmes haue muche reioysed therin, & waxed riche and welthie therby, insomuch that al good men and suche as earnestly tender y^e good & prosperous estate of our countrie, these causes wel considered▪ wyll reken vs happie, that only God, as it appeareth, hath thus honorably prouided for vs, and hath by this meanes renewed the olde amitie and frendshippe, that hath bene betwixte Englande and Spayne.

But nowe as for those that rebelled of late, albeit y^t they pretended, that all theyr grefe came of this marriage, & gotte them a Spanishe cloke to couer their cursed deuyse [Page] withall, and so shewed them selfes disobedient to God and vnkynde to theyr prince, yet meaned they nothing lesse. For a man may be bolde to say this, y^t yf the prince of Spayn had bene a fauorer of heresye, and giuen to suche fonde fan­tasies, as these folkes were thēselfes, howesoeuer he had bene qualified otherwise, thei would neuer haue made rebellion for the matter, but wyth most glad hartes haue recea­ued him, hopynge thereby to haue recouered their abhominable and blasphemouse here­sye agayne. But because he is a catholike prince, a fauorer & defendour of Christes church, and sonne to the Emperours maiestie, who alwayes hathe [Page] moste earnestlye maynteyned the catholike faith, they could not abyde hym, nor in no wise heare of hys commynge, fea­ryng that thereby theyr wic­ked heresye shoulde be bany­shed oute of this realme, and all the preachers therof from thenceforth myghte putte vp theyr pypes, wherewith they had (as Mercurye did wyth Argos) not only brought the people a slepe,Ould. Metamorph. lib. 1. but also after­ward put out theyr eyes, and made them starke blynde.

Therfore the verye cause of this last commotion was religion nowe by God and the Queenes highnes broughte agayne to the olde aunciente order and state,The very causes of our last rebellion. appoynted by Christes catholike Churche: [Page] agaynst whych these rebelles dare so deadlye hatred, that they hadde rather haue loste their liues (as manye of them haue done) then to be brought to receaue it.

And because they mynded to mayntayne theyr wicked he­resye still, they purposed like most miserable and cruel wretches by force of armes firste to putte doune the Queenes Highnes, to depriue her of her crowne, to ridde her and all her faythfull counseylours out of the waye, and then to haue set vp suche rulers and counseylours, as wolde haue set forthe heresye a freshe. And after that all the disper­sed bretherne, that be of he­resyes guylde and fraternitie [Page] shulde haue repayred toge­ther agayne, and broched the dregges of their deuelish doc­trine to the people, as they had done before. But god, whose glory they mynded vt­terlye to desace, whose hand­mayden they had contriued cruelly to kyl, whose true ser­uauntes they fully purposed with fire and sworde to per­secute, suffred them to runne forth headlyng to their owne destruction, for when as they hoped surelye to haue their purpose, and came euen to the very poynt, sodenly god or e­uer they were aware, lift vp hys myghtye hande agaynst them, and in a very moment vanquished them, and gaue them into the handes of his [Page] faythfull seruante oure soue­rayne ladye the Quene. Who while the field was in fygh­tynge, was feruentlye occu­pied in prayinge. And when as tidinges was brought her, that by treason all was loste, she like a valiaunt Champion of Christe nothynge abashed therewith, sayd that she doubted not at al, but her captayne (meanyng thereby oure saui­our Christe) woulde haue the victory at lengthe, and falling to her prayers agayne, anone after had she worde broughte her, that her men had wonne the field, and that Wyate her enemies Capitayne was ta­ken.

So that hereby euery man maye euidently see, that God [Page] woulde not suffer eyther such a vertuouse Lady, and a pure virgine to be destroyed, or his catholike fayth, whych he had of late by her so gratiously re­stored, to be by thenemyes of his church with violent force ouerthrowen. Whych thinge he well declared lykewyse in the wonderfull fall of the late Duke of Northumberlande, who rebelled bothe agaynste the Queenes hyghnesse, and also agaynste Christes catho­like Churche. Which two mi­raculouse victories are sufficient to make al men take hede, as they rebell eyther to de­stroye the true fayth of our sauiour Christ, or agaynst suche a godly heade & ruler, whose greate godlye vertue maye [Page] wel be perceaued in that, that she neuer goeth aboute any weyghty matter, or attemp­teth any great enterprise, but first entreth she into her pry­uye closet▪ and there vpon her knees prayeth god most har­telye, that he wyl of his good­nesse assiste her in that she en­tendeth, and so bring her pur­pose to passe, that the same may be to his glory and the welthe of all her subiectes.

And whensoeuer she falleth into any trouble or daunger, she fayleth not to do the lyke▪ so that men may wel thynke, that hauing god on her syde, as both she most earnestly prayeth to haue, and also it plain­ly appeareth, that she hath, she shalbe alwayes able to gyue [Page] her enemies an ouerthrow, & saye wyth the holy prophete Dauid,Psal. 26. ‘myne enemyes that troubled me are discomfited, and hath catched a fall.’ But alas what harde hartes haue those, that if she were but a priuate woman, being so gen­tle of nature, so vertuouse and so merciful, coulde drawe theyr sworde agaynste her▪ and go aboute to shedde such innocente bloude? For albeit that all bloudeshedde is cruel and horrible in the syght of god, yet the sheddynge of so a pure virgyns bloude, is of all other moste cruell and de­testable. For bothe mennes eares vtterli abhorre to heare it, and god hym selfe is moste greuouslye offended with it.

[Page]Do we not reade of cruell paynems, that when they had gotten the vpperhande of their enemyes in battayl, and murdered many men therin, alwaies had compassion of the the women, and virgins spe­cially, vpon whome they wold lay no violent handes. As it is written of Alexander the great,Plutar­chus in uita Alexandri. who when he had ouer­comme Darius in the fielde, and taken two doughters of his, because they were virgyns, he had pitye vpon them, and very mercyfully and gentelye entreated them, and wyth most frendly wordes & greate honour enterteyned them. What shuld christen men then do with suche as be virgyns, shuld they, if they were their [Page] dedly enemyes, go aboute to shed theyr bloud? No no they shuld spare them, and for pure pitye they shuld pardon them to. For the Children of Israel were commaūded,Deut. 20 that when they beseged anye citie, they shulde firste offer peace to the inhabitauntes thereof. And if they refused it, then shuld thei kill all the menne, that were founde within it, the women and yonge tender babes al­wayes excepted. So that se­ing al women were excepted, the virgins by this commaundemente in the daungers of warre, were alwayes kepte harmelesse.

Then forasmuche as vir­gins, that be our enemies children, muste haue mercye she­wed [Page] them, how shuld men vse those virgins, that neuer offē ­ded them, that be their fren­des, yea that most hartly loue thē? Or after what sort shuld we behaue our selfes toward our gratiouse Ladye & may­stresse, a most pure and perfite virgine, who loueth euerye one of vs as her owne life, who most carefullye trauayleth to enriche vs, & set vs at quiete. Who desireth to liue onlye for oure welth and commoditie. For to dye were muche more acceptable to her, (as she saith oftentimes) then to lyue in this miserable and wretched world.

Whiche earnestlye conside­red, great cause haue we to aduenture oure goodes, lyues, [Page] and landes in her highnes de­fence, and to do,2. Re. 15 as one Ethai Getheus dydde to kinge Da­uid, when his sonne Absalon rebelled agaynste hym.

‘Thys Ethai when he hearde of Da­uids trouble, repayred to hym wyth spede. To whome Dauid sayde: Why commest thou from thy place and man­sion? Thou comeste but nowe, and arte constreyned to go forthe with vs. But it is best for thee to returne home, and take thy retinewe wyth thee. And for thy gentlenes and fidelitye towarde me, I praye GOD requite thee. To whome aunswered Ethai. As true as God ly­ueth, and as true as your grace lyueth, wheresoeuer you shall become, there wyll I your seruaunte be, and take such parte, as you shall do, and wyth you to dye and liue.’

[Page]Such hartes ought al fayth­full subiectes to beare to their Prince▪ that they vncalled shulde most gladly offer theyr seruice, when occasion serueth and be well contented to ad­uenture theyr lyues in such a good quarell, and so to tender theyr head and gouernour, as the childe is bounde to tender his mother. And were not he to be counted a cruel wretche, that woulde kill his owne mother▪ as dydde Orestes? Then seyng that our noble Quene is to euery one of vs, as a most tender and louing mother, how miserable a man shuld he be, that wold ones lift vp his hand to destroye her? For al­beit that it is a most heynous and detestable acte for a man [Page] to shedde hys owne priuate & natural mothers bloude, yet much more heynous & horri­ble is it for one to go aboute the destruction of her, that is y^e mother of a whole realme. And we shulde herein folowe thexample of the simple bees, whych so tender their king & gouernoure, that yf he haue missed his waye, they wil dili­gently seke for him, smell hym out, and folowe him to suche time, as they haue found him. And when he waxeth old, and is not able to flye, they beare him vpon their backes, and yf he dye, then depart they al frō that place. Dothe not nature herein teache all subiectes to tender & loue their prince, as the poore bees do their king? [Page] And besides thys we oughte to consider, that she is the an­oynted of God, as all lawfull Princes and gouernours be, and that we are commaunded in scripture, that we laye no violent handes vpon thē that be anoynted.psal. 104.

And herein ought we to folowe thexample of the holye Prophete Dauid. Who when he was persecuted by kynge Saul,1. Re. 24 and cōstrayned for safe­garde of his life to flye to roc­kes, and there to hyde hym, & all hys retinewe in a denne, and that Saule entred into the same denne to do hys na­turall easement, and that Da­uids menne sayd to him, that nowe the day was come, that GOD hadde promysed be­fore, [Page] that Saul should be ge­uen into his handes, wente to Saul, and didde no more, but priuelye cut away the edge of hys cloke. And yet hys con­science was so agreued for that dede, that he sayde to his men.

‘GOD be mercifull to me, and suffre me neuer to laye handes vpon my Lorde Saul, the anoynted of God. For I sweare, that as surely as God lyueth, that I wyll neuer laye my hande vpon hym, be [...]ng the anoynted of God. But he shall for me dye eyther by the plage of God, or by naturall death, when hys daye cometh, or be kylled in battayle. God forbydde that euer I shoulde ones stretche forthe my hande to hurte hym, beyng Gods anoynted.’

Suche a conscience hadde Dauid, and so he ynouse an of­fence thoughte he it to laye [Page] handes vpon hym, that cruel­lye persecuted him, and was hys deadly enemye. But alas what a sore troubled consci­ence oughte suche folkes to haue, as mynded cruellye to murder their moste gratiouse soueraygne Lady the quene, who so hartelye loued them, who was alwayes so carefull for them, and tendereth their welthe and cōmoditie no lesse, then her owne? How vnkind folkes be those, that hateth her, that loueth them, and go­eth about to reward kindnes wyth kyllyng, and to destroye her, that studieth alwayes possible to saue them? These men remember lytle the wordes▪ that God sayd to Cain, when he hadde kylled hys brother,Gen. 4. ‘[Page] The bloud of thy brother crieth vp to me frō the earth. Wherfore thou shalbe accursed vpō the earth, which is opened and hath dronke vp thy brothers bloud.’

And in another place he say­eth:Gene. 9▪ ‘Whosoeuer shedeth mans bloude vpon earth, his bloude shalbe shedde.’ And albeit that the killyng of euery priuate person is horri­ble in the syght of god, and is neuer fusfred vnpunished, yet the killing of a prince is much more detestable, & those that aduenture that wicked acte, escape not at length some mi­serable & wretched ende. For what became of Abimelecke, y^e (to thintent,Iudic. 9. that he might be king him selfe) killed his thre­score & tenne bretherne, that shoulde haue ruled and reyg­ned in Sichē with him? Was he not at the last miserablely [Page] killed by a woman? For when he assaulted a towre, & came to the gate therof to set it on fyre, a woman hauinge in her hande a pece of a broken mil­stone, hurled it downe at his head, and therwith dashed out his braynes? Thus was this wretche rewarded for hys wretched enterprise. Came not the like punishment vpon those,2. Re. 2. 2. Re. 4. that killed Isboseth the king of Irael vpon his bedde, as he was slepinge? whose head afterward they brought to Dauid, thinking therby to get thankes at his hande, be­cause then he shulde be kinge ouer all Israell. But Dauid highlye displeased wyth the murder, cōmaunded his men streight way to kyl them, and [Page] to cut of their handes and fete, and hange them ouer a ponde in Hebron.

What nede I here to recite you the storye of Achitophell,2. Re. 17 who when Absalon rebelled agaynst his father Kyng Da­uyd, sayd vnto Absalon thus:

‘I wyll appoynte my selfe .xij. thow­sand men, and this nyght wyll I pur­sewe thy father Kinge Dauid, and I wyll set vpon hym nowe, being [...]ore we­ried, and faynte. And when all his men are sledde from hym, and he left alone, then will I kyll hym.’

But to what conclusyon came this coursed counseil and cru­el entent of his? when as Da­uid had escaped this daunger by meanes of pryuye messen­gers, that were sent by cer­tayne secrete frendes of hys, Achitophel perceauing, that his counseyle was not done, [Page] gotte him home to his howse, and like a miserable wretche hanged him selfe. And so was he moste iustly plaged for hys rebelliouse and cruel diuise.P [...]lydore Sir Thomas Mo­re knight in y^e life of king Ri­chard the third. Edward Ha [...] in the first yeare of king. Richarde the third. Or what shall I nede here to call to memorye a story wryt­ten in oure owne cronicles of kinge Richarde the thirde. Who when he was Duke of Glocestre, because he woulde be king him selfe, put the chil­dren of Edward the .iiij. whi­che were the true and lawfull heyres of this realme into the towre, and after lyke a moste cruel tyraunt, caused them to be smored betwixt two fether beddes? But what became of him after? Was he not within short space slayne in the fielde by king Henry the seuenthe, & [Page] so iustly rewarded for the cru­ell bloudeshedde of those innocent children? Therfore lette no manne, that eyther kylleth the anoynted of God, or elles purposeth to kyll him, thinke that he shall escape vnpuny­shed, but lette hym assure hym felfe, that thoughe he auoyde daunger for a sea­son, yet shall he at lengthe be payed home with double pu­nishmente. And let him learne by these examples to eschewe suche an heynouse offence, & whensoeuer he is by the deuil prouoked thereto, lette hym praye to God (as Dauid dyd) and saye: ‘Lord be merciful to me, and suffer me neuer to laye handes vpon my Soueraygne,’ nor to contriue any trayterous diuises agaynste [Page] the anoynted of God. For so shal he disappoynt the deuil of his purpose, and saue him selfe from peryll of perishinge. And yf the deuil wil not thus cease (most louyng countrye men) but still stirre vp oure hartes to make rebellion, yet lette vs consider, that what cause soe­uer he putteth in our heades, and laboreth to make vs be­leue, that it is a good cause, we oughte neuer to beleue hym, both because that whatsoeuer he telleth vs▪ it is but a lye, by reason that he is the father of lyinge, and also that no cause is there at all, for whyche we maye iustelye make commo­tion.

Yea and thys wil I saye, that yf euer we Englyshe men had [Page] cause to be quiete, and to loue oure heade and ruler, nowe is the tyme. For those that be poore, yf they be by anye manne wrongfully oppressed, the Queenes pleasure is, that they shall haue iustice, and re­couer their right. Or if they be riche, she is gladde of it, and wisheth that they, (so that it be by honest meanes) waxe more riche. If they be gentle­men, or men of honour▪ they may be assured to continue in their state and degre, so that they do their duetye to god­warde, and beare alwayes a faythfull hart to their prince. But some percase wil say, that iustice is not so dewly execu­ted, as it oughte to be: And that moneye and frendshippe [Page] maketh of a badde matter a good, and of a good matter a badde. And that there is as much bribery, and takynge of rewardes (which is a pitifull hearyng) vsed nowe a dayes, as euer was.

All thys maye be true, and yet the Prince nothing to be blamed therfore. For seynge y^t her grace hath so often exhor­ted all suche, as be in aucthoritie & office to minister iustice without partialitie, and to be­ware alwaye of takynge of bribes, yf any cause be vniustly determined, or any bribes ta­ken for anye matter▪ she is dis­charged thereof, and the bur­den lyeth vpon their backes, that is the ministers of iustice, and whose handes are reple­nyshed [Page] wyth brybes and re­wardes.

Therefore sithen that her hyghnesse trauayleth by all meanes to see euerye man to haue his righte, and doubteth not by Goddes helpe, yf God sende her life, to redresse thin­ges that are out of order, and so to prouide, that all her lo­uynge subiectes shall haue a prosperous and happie life vnder her, me thynke, euery one of vs shuld most hartelye loue her, wyshe her longe lyfe and good helthe▪ praye God to as­siste her, and to sende her strength to vanquishe her enemies, and not to hate her, not to wishe her death, not to re­bell agaynste her, not to seke her bloud, as men of late haue [Page] done. For then might a man▪ that hartely loueth bothe her grace, and vs, say thus very well in her behalfe vnto vs.

Nowe then (moste [Page] deare & louing contrye men) seing that we are wel assured, that our most gratiouse lady the Quene by reason of her godlye vertue, wherin she ex­celleth, and for the greate fer­uēt loue, that she beareth to e­ueri one of vs, she wil throughly performe these thinges, we haue great cause to gyue god most hartely thankes▪ y^• sente her vnto vs, & hath so gratiously delte with vs for her sake. For it semeth, that as God sayd to the children of Israell in Kynge Dauids tyme,2. Reg. 5 ‘I wyll by the hande of my seruaunt Da­uid saue my people of Israell from the handes of the Philistians, and all their enemyes,’ so sayeth he nowe to: I wyll by the hande of myne humble handemayde Marye [Page] saue my people of Englande from the assaultes of their e­nemyes. If we were oppres­sed by her, if we were spoy­led throughe her meanes, or yf we were cruellye handled at her hand, then might men haue somthing to say. But no suche matter is there. For her grace is so gentle, so buxome, so merciful, so liberal, of so god lye conuersation & excellente vertue, y^t if she were amonge Turkes, Saracenes, or Ie­wes, she woulde vndoubtedly winne their harts, & cause thē both hartly to loue her, & also to be ready to defēd her. How vngentle then maye we be thought, y^t can not loue such a gratious lady, & with gladde hartes be obedient to her? [Page] But the very matter of al our grudge is (as we were tolde a lytle before) her catholike religion. Whych howe good and godly it is, we may easely perceaue, yf we compare it with that, that hathe bene nowe of late yeares amonge vs.

It is grounded vpon the consent of al christes catholike church, which is the sure foū ­dation of truth. Thother is grounded only vpon the con­sent of a few in corners, and yet neuer one of thē agreeth with another. The religion y^t the Queenes grace mayntey­neth, is fiftenne hūdreth yeare olde: thys new religion is scarcelye twoo hundreth yeares olde. The catholike religion is, and hath bene vniuersallye [Page] receaued througheoute the whole world: This of theyrs hath bene receaued but here and there in a few places, and of all the worlde besyde con­demned. And Vincentius a good holy writer thinketh, that these be the speciall poyntes to trye religion (that is to say) the auncientnes of tyme, the vniuersall receauinge of it,Vincent. lib. aduer sus pro­phanashae resum no­uirates. and the whole consent of the churche. For thus he wri­teth. In the catholike church we muste take diligent hede, that we stycke to that, which is in euery place, alwaies, and of all men beleued. ‘For this in dede is catholike▪ as the worde it selfe dothe playnely declare, which verely contey­neth al vniuersally. But this [Page] shall we do, if we folowe the vniuersall faythe, and beleue the auncientnesse of tyme and the whole consent of Christes churche. And nowe for the vniuersall beleue, that shal we folowe after this sorte. If we thynke that fayth to be true, whyche all Christes Churche throughout the worlde dothe confesse. As for auncientnesse of time, that shall we folowe, if we in no wyse go from the senses & interpretations of scrip­ture, that we manifestli know to haue bene commonlye vsed and allowed of the holye and aunciente fathers. The whole consent of Christes Churche shall we folowe, yf we submit our selfes to the auncient de­terminations and sentences [Page] eyther of all bisshops, priestes, and doctours, or elles at the lest of al most al.’ And the same writer a litle after teacheth vs how to know a true christen Catholike man thus. ‘He is a true catholike man in dede, whiche loueth goddes truth, his churche, and the bodye of Christe: which also preferreth nothing, that is to say▪ nether any one mans authoritie, nor loue▪ nor witte, nor eloquence, nor knowledge of philosophy, before godly religion and the fayth catholike, but dispising all these, and stickinge sted fast­ly and surely to his fayth, thinketh that he is bounden to hold and beleue only that, y^e he knoweth the catholike church of olde vniuersallye to haue [Page] holden and maynteyned. And let hym suppose surely, that what new and straunge doctrine or order soeuer is co­uertly and craftly brought in by any one man, eyther beside the mindes of al holy and god­ly men, or els vtterly cōtrary to them is brought in, not for to encrease mennes deuotion & religion, but only to tempte them with all.’ Thus by the wordes of this godly author, who wrote aboue a thowsand yeares ago, we may easely perceaue, what sorte of religion men ought to folowe. Againe the authors of the catholike religion are the apostles, and their successors: As Ireneus, Iustinus martyr▪ Cyprian, Clemens Alexandrinus, O­rigene, [Page] S. Hierom, S. Am­brose, S. Augustyne, S. Chrisostom, Basil, Gregorius Nazianzene, Cyrill, with infinite many mo. The authors of this new sect, are Wic [...]ffe, Hus, Luther, Oecolampadi­us, Zuinglius, Bucer, Bul­linger, Caluine, and a greate rable beside. The authours of Christes true religion were Martyrs, confessors, and holi sayntes all: The authours of this new religion were Apostatas that is to say, such as had bene monkes and frears, whiche broke their vowes, cast of their cootes, became like lay men, marryed nonnes, called them wiues, and so lyued in abho­minable inceste. The authors of the catholike religion were [Page] [...]ke, gentle, lowly, full of vertue, and godlye conuersation, despicers of the worlde, and the vanities thereof, chast, a­uoyde of ambition and coue­tousnes, gyuen all to fastyng, prayer, and almose dedes. The authours of oure newe doctrine were prowde, stub­borne, presumptuous, of smal vertue, and that only in appa­rence, louers of the world, and muche delited wyth the plea­sures thereof, lecherous, and carnal, gready of honour, and of gettyng of goodes: slacke in praying▪ more slacke in fa­stynge, and altogether negli­gent in good dedes doynge. For they thought fasting was Poperye, and prayer supersti­tion, & good dedes to auayle [Page] vs nothynge at all. The au­thors of the catholike fayth and religion were careful for peace, desirous of vnitie, fauorers of obedience, and mayn­teyners of all good order. The authours of our late re­ligion, were causers of warre not onely bitwixt prince and prince▪ but also bitwixte prin­ces & their subiects, breakers of the vnitie of Christes catholike churche, sowers of sediti­on, workers of disobedience, and bryngers in of al confusiō & disorder: captaynes of car­nal libertie, & defendors of the same. Of these .ii. sortes of mē whome ought we gyue more credite to trowe you? Shall we better trust Wicliffe, that because he could not come by [Page] the Bisshoprike of Worcester, forsoke Christe & his churche, and became an heretike: or holy Ireneus, who for the mainteynaunce of Christes fayth and his churche forsoke both his Bisshoprike and hys lyfe to? Or shall we better beleue Hus, that was a professed fre­ar, and had vowed chastitie, obedience, and wilfull po­uertie, and after brake all, became a married manne, and preached heresye in Boheme: Or S. Cyprian, that when he was a yonge man, was ta­ken in loue wyth a yonge wo­man, and after most earnestly repentyng hym thereof, liued chastlye all his dayes, and en­ded hys life by martyrdome? What shal we saye to Luther [Page] that lewde lyinge frear, who because he could not obteyne the prefermente of a pardon, whych he would haue hadde thorderynge of, layde awaye his cote and his honestye to, passed not a pinne for y^e breche of hys vowe. And then began he to bable and rayle agaynst the aucthoritie of the church, and the Sacramentes there­of▪ And anone got he him selfe a [...] Nonne, so that men loked, that Antichrist shoulde haue ben borne betwixt those twayne, because that it hadde bene sayde of olde, that Anti­christ shuld be borne betwixt a frear and a Nonne. And here in folkes were not muche de­ceaued: For albeit that Anti­christ him selfe was not borne [Page] betwixt thē, yet they brought forth a forerider of his, called false doctrine, which hath poysoned a great many, and pre­pared their hartes to receaue their mayster Antichriste. Shall we then truste better this licentiouse limitour, then S. Hierome, that commen­deth vnto vs chaste lyfe and virginitie, and lyued him selfe all hys life time in perfite cha­stitie? But to compare them one by one▪ it were to longe, and yet not necessarye. For you may learne by these what the rest be. Loke vpon the ly­ues of bothe sortes, and you shall fynde the one to be cor­rupt, sensuall and vitious the other to be pure, sobre, & ver­tuouse. [Page] Consider their doctrine. The one is perniciouse, lewde, and carnall, the other is holsome, substantiall and godly. Reade their bokes, and you shall per­ceaue in the one blasphemye for blessing, rayling for reaso­nyng, and malice for modesty. And in the other, reuerente speaking, sound knowledge, and an humble spirite. And this is certayne, that whatso­euer this new erroniouse wri­ters haue, that is good, they haue taken it out of the olde writers. And whatsoeuer is nought, as the most parte is, that is their owne. Therfore if a man purpose to learne vertue, to learne good knowled­ge, & to learne the trueth, let hym read the old writers, and [Page] he shalbe satisfyed. For as Plantus sayth, that old wine and old comedies be best, so may we well say, that old writers farre excelleth the new, by reason that the one sort are, as it were pure fountaynes, oute of whiche these other beynge like riuers, are deriued and drawen. And Cicero writeth, y^• it is great foly for a man, [...] Acad. [...]st. that may come to the fountaynes, to [...] to the ryuers. But scarcely may we compare these new noughty writers to ryuers, because they be more like to standing pooles. For the lon­ger they contynue, the more corrupted they seme, and moo fo [...]kes they infecte. But a ry­uer the lōger that it runneth, the better is it purged, and [Page] purgeth other thinges with­all. Now then seing, that this late religion and sect came out of these new fangled writers, I much maruayle, why men, that mynde to be saued, will so muche esteme it, and put their lyues in ieopardy for it. If a man wold well way it, he shuld easely perceaue it to be nought, by reason of y^e nough­ty fruites, that are sprong out of it. Let our owne countrye only be taken as an example herin.A dis­course of y^e fruites, y^• sprong [...] of our ne­we religion in Englande. Diuision from the catholike churche. When sensual lust of the bodye, and selfe will, (two mete mates for it) had ones brought it into this realme, the first thing that he toke in hande, was to cutte vs of, and diuide vs from the whole vni­uersall churche of god. And [Page] where as we were in dede but a member before, it wolde make vs a whole bodye, and ioyne thervnto suche a head, as the lyke in all the worlde hath neuer bene hearde of, in so muche that our churche be­came as monstrouse, as euer was eyther Chimera or Centaurus, that the Poetes speake of. Which ones done, euery man (as Esaye sayeth) waxed wise in his owne conceyte,Esa. 5. Presumption. and so presumed to searche for the secrete misteries of GOD. For as sone as they had the scripture trāslated into Eng­lyshe (albeit very vntruly as it well appeareth! in a great number of places, then begon they,Socrae. histor ec­cles. lib. 2. as the Arrians did in Constantius dayes, to reason and [Page] dispute, & euery man thought his owne iudgement best, and euery daye in a maner would he haue a newe iudgemente, and contemne al other folkes iudgemente besyde, and saye that the holy fathers and writers aucthorities was but mennes traditions, and that they all were oftentimes de­ceaued. As for to seke anye doctrine of God at their han­des, it shuld be but foly. For e­uery manne was taughte by the spirite of God sayde they: And so rekened they them selfes, that they were well ynoughe learned, & that they were able to expounde the holy scriptures of God of theyr owne braynes. And when they were ones [Page] thus persuaded,The title of a good iudgemēt they were called men of a good iudgement, which was a great commen­dation at that tyme: a goodly title to cloke their noughty purpose withall. But how good a iudgement was it, I praye you, that iudged badde to be good, vice to be vertue, and contagiouse heresye to be holsome doctrine. It is an old saying and a true, that blinde men can iudge no colours. But verely this is as true. that blind ignoraunce can not iudge of sounde learninge. Wolde we not call him a Phi­sition of a noughtye iudge­ment, that wold when he had sene a sicke mans water, that were sore sycke in dede, saye that this man is not sicke, but [Page] he is I warrant you hole and sounde: So when we hearde in tyme paste a newe brother saye, that a presumptuouse ig­noraunt felow, was a learned man, and of a good iudgemēt, myghte we not well saye a­gayne, that suche a mans iud­gement was to be muche mi­strusted. For he that wold tell me, that a man, that had a poc­kye face, had a goodly fayre visa [...]e, might not I saye to him, that he were foule deceaued. But what yf he wold brynge another as blynd as him selfe, to saye the same, then had I good cause to saye, as a good homelye seruaunt sayde ones to his mayster, that wolde ne­des beare him downe in a false matter, well mayster well I [Page] will not saye you lye, because it be cometh me not, but neuer the lesse I wote, what I wote. If a man had gotte hym selfe this goodly tytle, that he was of a good iudgemente, then yf he were verye ignoraunte, he shulde be called learned, yf he were but a foole, he shuld be taken for a wise man, yf he were but a verye babler in dede, he shuld be taken for a ready wit­ted felowe: & were he neuer so lewde in behauiour, yet shuld he be coūted a right honest mā. For this good iudgement, y^t I spoke of, was a cloke to couer all noughtie cōditions. More ouer a watcheword had they, y^t they might be knowen from other. For then wold they not say, our lord saue vs, as al christen [Page] men vse to saye,The lord but y^e lord saue vs. Wherby thei wold be knowen to haue a seueral lord of their owne. And albeit that S. Paul very ofte vseth this speakynge (our Lorde) to de­clare that all we Christen men do serue one Lorde and may­ster,Our lord & that we be of one house­hold, y^t is to say, of one church, insomuche that we may moste conueniently saye (our Lord) because we be all chyldren of one father, and seruauntes of one mayster, and knytte toge­ther with the bounde of cha­ritie, yet woulde these folkes neuer saye (oure Lord) which they sayde was a papisticall terme, but (the Lord) whiche declared thē to be fauorers of gods word, as they thought. [Page] And this terme was so vni­uersallye vsed, that the poore beggers hadde gotte it by the ende, by reason that begginge thus (for the lordes sake haue pitie vpon the poore) they thoughte the soner to spede, & you shall heare it of manye of their mouthes as yet. Neuerthelesse the terme of it selfe is good and godly, if it be not abused for such a noughty purpose. For the holy Scrip­ture both in the old testament and the new to, verye often speaketh so. But surely for all christen men, whē they speake of god, it is most conueniente to say, our lorde which is a terme of mutual loue, concord and vnitie. When they had ones learned this wacheword [Page] then beganne they to talke of the libertye of the gospell, and to exhort men earnestly to embrace the same. But what was this same li­bertye of the Gospell,Libertie of the go­spel amō ­ges oure newe bretherne what it signifieth. was it ought elles, but the libertie of the fleshe? For the deuyll their mayster had taught them this lesson, that they shuld gyue to wicked diuises godlye names: as to call carnall libertie,Godly names for wicked diuises. the libertie of the Gospell: abhomi­nable heresye, true doctrine: scripture falselye interpreted▪ Goddes worde: an [...] arrogant spirite, the spirite of God: bold presumption, a godlye zeale: a blasphemouse raylour, a wor­thye preacher: bookes full of heresye, good godlye bookes.

And what folowed thys li­centiouse [Page] libertye?Fastinge abolished Was not thē al fasting abolished? Wold not men then, as Eustathius dyd, an heretike condemned in a generall counsayle holden at Gā ­gris, Socra. hi­stor eccle lib. 2. breake all fastynge dayes appoynted by the church, and some would fast vpon the son­daye, and vpon fridaye, which hath euer since Christes time bene duelye kepte, in stede of fasting they fell to delicate fe­dyng, and in stede of chastising the bodye, nourished it with deynteouse meates, and so made it well at ease? And yf they had had but meane sim­ple cheare all the weke before, that day wold they haue their capons, coneys▪ chekins, and such fine meates to tame their bodies withall. And whosoe­uer [Page] wold not thus do, he fauored not Gods worde, as they sayde, but was enemye to the truth, & a papiste to. And they wold bidde men to dinner vpō the fridaye, to thintente that they might allure thē to eate fleshe. For yf they coulde ones bring them to y^t, they thought they wold waxe shortly fauourers of Gods worde (as they termed it) that is to saye, of their heresye. Was not thys (trowe you) a goodly memory of Christes payniull passion,Why we fast vpon the Fri­daye. y^t he vpon the friday suffred for vs? were not these folkes wel cōtented to subdue their car­nal lustes as y^t day, and to offer vp to god the swete sacrifice of fasting and prayer, thereby to giue him most hartie thankes [Page] for the greuouse tormentes, & sorowfull death, that he suffe­red as that daye for oure re­demption, for whiche ende the catholike churche of god hath moste godlye appoynted that day alwayes to be fasted? No no, where suche good cheare was kept, there was smal re­membraunce (I feare me) of Christes holy passion. For to thinke thervpō, was to sowre and bytter sawce for suche swete and pleasaunt meates. Was not this a goodly mea­nes to make the fleshe obedi­ent to the spirite, and to pre­pare mens hartes humbly and reuerently to serue their lorde god? Herof came it to passe,Married priestes. that lecherous priestes, that loued no fastinge, sayd: [Page] they must nedes haue women which they called wyues. For it is not possible (sayd they) for a man to lyue chaste. That myght be truely sayd in dede of them, that soughte not the meanes, wherby to lyue chast. For seyng that fast they wold not, and for prayer they cared not, and for studye they much passed not, whiche be speciall helpes to lyue chaste, no mer­uayle was it, thoughe they were prouoked to leaue theyr chaste lyfe, and fall to wiuing. But yf so be they had tamed theyr tykkell lustes with ofte fastyng, and called vpon God by earnest praying, they shuld neuer haue fallen to such fond folye, for whych they are now at Gods hande most iustly plaged. [Page] And I pray god, as they be worthelye plaged, so they maye humblye acknowledge the same, and with wepynge eyes aske God mercy betime, that a greater plage fall not vpon them at lengthe. Lette them consider their wycked acte in marrying, and their abhominable inceste and aduoutrye therin, & beside that their noughtie doctrine, which thei haue taught since they hadde women, and howe that they wold not let to preache what men wold haue them, because they had nowe gotten their purpose. And men that were thē in greatest authority, (perceauing their folie) thoughte they shuld get thē to say what they wold, when as ones they [Page] had giuen them licence to marrye. And because these lewde priestes shulde not lacke com­panye, the deuyl moued suche religious folkes, as were of an vngodly conuersation,Religi­ouse fol­kes mar­ried. y^t when they were ones set abroade, & had caste of their cowles, they shulde seke al meanes possible to satisfie their synfull lustes. Whervpon many of them be­came preachers of this newe doctrine, and made the people beleue, that licentious liuinge (as I sayd before) was the li­bertye of the Gospell, to thin­tent that the breaking of their solemne vowes, whiche they had made to god, their taking of women, whome they na­med wiued & their voluptu­ouse pleasure, which thei most [Page] earnestly soughte for, myghte be well lyked and alowed of the people. For like as those, that be de­lyted wyth cardyng and dy­sing, much trauayle in persua­ding other, that they intende nothing, but honest pastyme, and that pastime is necessarie for al men to dryue away fan­tasies withall, so these religi­ouse, that I speake of, when they had tasted of the cuppe of carnall concupiscence, they told men, that they sought nothynge, but the libertie of the Gospell, and folowynge the fotesteppes of their mayster Martin Luther, became as stowte and stubborne Apostatas, as euer he was him selfe. And these were the great pillours [Page] of our newe English churche, wherevpon menne grounded their fayth, and vpon whose backes they hange their saluation: whose names I could rehearse, yf it were necessarye, & whose licentiouse lyuynge I coulde easelye describe. But both twayne euery man in maner knoweth without any tellyng. And I praye GOD, as they know them, so they may take hede of them, and as S. Paule warneth vtterlye flye from them, yea (and as they haue good cause) sore repent, that euer they knewe them. When these folkes had gottē this fleshly libertie, then here­sye went forward apace. But yf they well weye, howe many haue bene deceaued by them, [Page] and how sore, except they re­pent, they shalbe punished for euery of them, they (me think) shulde haue good cause to put sacke cloth vpon them, and to lye them downe at the church dore, as one Grebolius dyd, and praye all menne,Socra. lib 3. histor. eccles. that entre in there to treade vpon them, as being vnsauery salte. And af­ter in open audience to cōfesse their false doctrine, that they haue preached, and willingly to recante the same, and giue all men warning to beware of it, and to returne to their mo­ther the Catholike Churche agayne. And thus both to pa­cifie Goddes wrath agaynste them, and also to brynge all suche to the sure and sounde fayth of the Churche, as they [Page] haue throughe theyr wycked preachynges vtterly diuided therefro. Moreouer hath not this carnall libertie broughte to passe likewise, that menne that abhorred fasting, beynge delicately fedde, wold to satis­fie their wanton lustes, be di­uorced from their wiues, yea and after marry agayne,Folkes diuorced did marry agayne. their wyues beynge as yet alyue? And had they not maysters, that wolde teache them this, and preache the same openly, and make bookes in mayn­teynaunce of suche abhomina­tion? Whyche maysters tolde them, that there were two sortes of fornication, for whiche men or women might be diuorced, one carnal, & another spiritual. Carnall, as whē the wise [Page] had commited aduoutry with another man, or the husbande with another woman. Spiritual, when the woman▪ or man was a papist, and an enemye to Goddes worde, as they called it. For which two kindes of fornication men and women to. might lawfulli (sayd these iolye maysters) be diuorced, and marry agayne. So that both the husband, whensoeuer hym lyste, might at his pleasure cast of his wife and take another, and also the wyfe in lyke maner take another husbande. Was not this very holsome doctrine, I pray you, and mete to be preached in pulpittes, set forth in bookes, and the authours therof worthy to be compared [Page] with Saynt Paule (as they were of many) for theyr fa­mouse preaching? God gyue grace to all christen people to beware of such maysters, lest by them they be ledde or euer they be aware▪ streight to the deuyll the great mayster of al such mischeuouse doctrine: of which as he is the first father and founder, so all they, that eyther teache it, or embrace it, shall in conclusion, except they earnestly repent, be par­takers with hym of the pain­full pitte of hell. Besides this, it wold pitie anye good mans hart, to thinke, what disorder & disobedience came of this li­berty.Discorde and diso­bedience. Wold not the seruaun­tes controll their maysters, and tel them, when they were [Page] chekked for leauing their busines vndone,Disobedience of seruaūtes to their maysters.▪ y^t they had bene occupied eyther in readynge gods word, or in hearing some sermon, yea & so godly lessons hadde they learned, since they had tasted of this newe doc­trine, y^e very few of their may­sters could after truste them. And if y^e mayster were a catholike mā, & one that feared god, then wold his seruaunte, if he were of a contrary iudgemēt, handel hym like awarde, and in maner make a loute of him, and do his busynesse as he list, and when he lyste, and lette it be vndone, if he list.. For the mayster fearing, that he shuld haue displeasure by him, durst neyther put hym away from hym, nor ones asmuch as re­buke [Page] hym for any matter. After the same sorte dyd chil­dren order their parentes,Disobedience of childrē to their pa­rentes. wyues their husbandes, and subiectes their magystrates: So that the fete ruled the head, and the cart was set be­fore y^e horse. For childrē when they had bene brought vp in schole a while with some lewd Lutherane▪ then would they write letters to their catho­like parentes, and exhorte them in the lordes name to leaue their papistry and blind ignoraunce, that they were in, and fall at lenght to folow goddes worde, and gladly to receaue the truth. And if the parentes would not folowe this their childishe aduise, streight way would they not [Page] let to talke with their compa­nyons, and tell them, that their parentes were blinde papistes. Yea and make a me­ry mockinge stocke of them, & lay: my father is an old doting foole▪ and will fast vpon the fryday, and my mother goeth alwayes mumblinge on her beades. But you shall se me of another sorte, I warraunt you. For I will neuer folowe no suche superstitiouse folye, nor walke in the Papisticall pathes of my parentes. Were not men well at ease, trow you, when they had bestowed a great deale of money vpon suche graceles graftes, who neyther feared god, nor reue­renced their parentes? Thus did mens wyues to, that were [Page] become systers of the new fra­ternitye,Disobedience of wiues to their hus­bandes. order their husban­des. For where as the hus­bande dyd not fauoure their secte, then would the wyfe no longer go to schole with hym in silence,1. Tim. 2 as Saynt Paule byddeth her, but would bold­lye fall to teache hym, and tell hym of his duety.1. Cor, 14 And many of them were offended with Saynte Paule, that hadde commaunded them, that they shuld holde their peace in the churches. For gladly would they haue preached, if they might haue bene suffred, as some of thē neuertheles did in corners. At which tyme also y^e deuil, for y^e better furtheraūce of heresy piked out two sorts of people, that shuld in ta­uernes [Page] and innes, at commentables, and in open stretes set forwarde his purpose, as wel as false preachers dyd in the pulpet: that is to say, minstrels and players of enterludes. The one to singe pestilente and abhominable songes, and the other to set forth openly before mens eyes the wicked blasphemye, that they had cōtriued for the defacing of all rites, ceremonies, and all the whole order, vsed in the administration of the beissed Sa­cramentes. Then the scrip­ture being in suche folkes handes, was sore studied not for amendement of life, which they neuer mynded, but part­ly to mayntayne their loude heresye, wherwith they were [Page] infected, partelye to controll the priestes, whome they had in great derision, and partlye to find faulte with other, whē they had anye occasion at all. For yf a man were a good vertuous priest, he had bene bet­ter a great deale to haue liued amonge Turkes and Sara­cenes, then amonge this kind of folke:mockyng of priestes by reason that when­soeuer they mette with him in anye place, they woulde aske him: Nowe syr Iohn where fynde you your Masse in scripture, or who gaue you auctho­ritie to make god? As though the prieste by his owne power had made Christes blessed bo­dy in the holye Sacramente of the aultare, and not the ho­lye worde of God. And then [Page] woulde they saye beside, it is pitie, that anye suche popishe wretches lyues, y^e thus haue deceaued Christes flocke. But nowe I warrante you must you turne your tippet, & laye away your olde mumpsi­mus, and shutte vp youre por­tesse and your Masse boke to, and putte awaye cleane your purgatory Masses. You must nowe olde foole go to schole agayne, and learne a newe les­son. And agayne whensoeuer they see one of his cote walke by the strete, they wolde whi­stell and hemme at him, & say, go walke in a mischiefe you bald headed knaue. Yea & as yet thys maliciouse mockers cease not in many places, whē they can spie a prieste, to playe [Page] the like part. But thinke you, that suche mockers shal not at length be plaged for their taū tinge of Gods ministers, euen as the children were, that mocked Heliseus the Prophete?4 [...] Reg. [...] These children that I speake of, as Heliseus the anoynted Prophete of God, went to Bethell, came forth of the citie, & mocked him, saying, walke vp you bald headed horson, walke vp. Who loking backe, & seyng them, cursed thē in the name of GOD: and by and by came two beeres oute of the foreste, and tore in peces two & four­tye of them. Therefore let all men take hede, as they mocke the priestes and ministers of God, whome they are bounde to reuerēce both for Christes [Page] sake,Luc. 10. which sayth, Whosoeuer dis­piseth you, dispiseth me, and also for their office sake, which is so necessarye for al mens helth and saluation: And let them remē ­bre no more, but this one ex­ample of Chrysostome,Lib 3. de [...]g. sacer The dig­nitie and auchtori­tye of priestes, who wryteth thus. ‘If a greate prince wold giue this auctho­ritie to one of his seruauntes, that he shuld deliuer out of prison, whome he lyste, & whome he lyste shutte vppe in prison, wolde not all menne, and that not wythout good cause, both feare him and reuerence hym to? Howe then shuld men ho­nour the priestes, which hath aucthoritie by Christ, kyng of all kynges, committed vnto them to lowse mens sowles out of the fetters of sinne, and [Page] agayne to bynd them, as they see occasiō? And the same wri­ter sayeth in the same worke, that we can neyther at our comyng into the worlde become Christen wythoute them, nor at oure departynge out of the worlde, receaue the blessed sa­cramentes of the aulter, and aneyling without thē.’ Whych thynges considered, lette no man, y^e eyther loueth Christe, whiche is the hyghe Prieste of all, and the authour of priest hode, or loueth hys owne sou­les helth, and purposeth to be saued, mocke the priestes, leste they be worthelye punyshed therfore, but reuerence them, as Gods shepeherdes here in [...]arth, to whose cure mens soules are committed. And al­though [Page] they see some of them eyther lacke good knowledge and learnynge, or to be lyghte and lewde of behauioure, yet muste they not contemne the office for the mens euyll ly­uynge. For yf the officers vn­der a Prince be of noughtye conuersation, we may not for that say, their office is nought and disobeye the officers, but as the princes officers hum­blye obeye them, and as euyll lyuers, hartely praye God to amende them. But to returne to the Lutherans libertie, y^• we talked of before, was not al thinges through it brought so farre out of order, that vice ruled vertue,Gouernement tur­ned vpside downe. & folishnes ruled wisdome, lightnesse ruled grauitie, and youth ruled age? [Page] So that the olde mens say­ing was herein verified, that when Antichrist shulde come. the rootes of the trees shulde growe vpwarde. Was there not beside such deadly dissention for our diuersitie in opini­ons,Dissen [...]on for opinions. that euen amōges those, that were mooste verye deare frendes,Hatred & malice for opinions. arose moste greuouse hatred. For the sonne hated hys owne father, the sister her brother, the wyfe her hus­band, the seruaunte hys may­ster, the subiect the ruler. And in euery house, at euery mans table, in euery corner, in euery strete, at euerye tauerne and inne,Unreue­rent reasonyng of Goddes word. at all tymes was there suche vnreuerent reasonynge of Gods highe mysteries, that those that mette together frē ­des, [Page] departed enemyes, and sometymes were at daggers drawyng for the matter. And then you shulde haue hearde, thou Papiste, and thou here­tike. And in a small number of yeares it came to passe, that no neyghbour could loue an­other, no man do for another, no one agree wyth another. Thus was the membres of Christes Churche by such de­uelishe discorde,The mē ­bers of Christes Church [...] [...]o [...]ne asonder. miserably rent a sonder. Which thinge deepely to thinke vpon, wold make anye charitable mans harte to blede. For if we shuld se before our eyes a mans bo­dye first to haue the heade cut of, then the fingers and toes, then the handes and fete, af­ter the legges and armes, [Page] then the bowelles piteouslye pulled oute of the belye, and last of all, the rest of the bodye being thus mangled and mai­med, cut in small gobbets and peces, woulde we not thinke it a sorowfull and lamentable spectable to behold, and count these folkes very cruell but­chers, that thus cruelly had handled it? How muche then ought we to lament, when we se y^e churche,Colloss. [...] which S. Paule calleth y^e bodie of Christ▪ thus by debate & strife rufully rent, & so māgled with mischeuous heresye, that the beauty ther­of is in maner vtterly defa­ced. Might not we well say thus with the holy prophete Hieremye.Hier. 14. Let our eyes ne­uer cease from wepinge night [Page] nor daye, because the virgin and doughter of my people is wonderfully brused, and al to broken in peces, and a mooste miserable plage fallen vpon her. But now to make a brefe rehersal of the other noughty fruytes, y^t came of thys loose libertye, begon not the au­thours of it first with the ba­sest ceremonies in the Chur­che,The ba­sest cere­monies [...] taken [...]waye. and abolished them they coulde not tell why, and af­ter went forth still euen to the greatest mistery of our fayth, and at length made vp their mischiefe with the takinge a­way of those. For first they dyd forbyd holy bread and ho­ly water to be vsed any lon­ger,Holye bread and holy wa­ter what they signifye. two very godly and liue­ly ceremonyes: thone to put [Page] vs in remembraunce, that as those peces of breade be all of one loafe, so we be all mēbers of one body, y^e is to say, of the catholike churche, and kni [...]e together in one fayth and one charitie: the other to cause vs to call to mynde the passion of Christ, with whose blessed bloud we are sprinckled & wasshed from the fylthines of synne. And then they com­maunded Images to be pluc­ked downe in euery churche,Images pulled downe. which put vs in memorye of the holy lyues of confessours, martyrs, and virgins: yea and they were not so contented. but they would haue the I­mage of our sauiour Iesus Christ likewise spitefully to be hurled downe,Christes Image hurled downe▪ and eyther [Page] with fire to be burned, or with instrumentes broken all in pe­ces. And some sinfull wret­ches were there, that digged vp,Crosses in highe wayes why they were sette vp. and ouerthrewe the cros­ses in highe wayes, whiche were sette vp, partly to make men that passed by, remember Christes death and passion, and partly to shewe them the right way, that knew not the same. Who I pray you would thinke, that these folkes bare any good affection to our sa­uiour Christ, which could nei­ther abide his Image, nor the holsome Signe of hys crosse. For like as if a man shuld come into the kinges palaice, and first rashelye pull downe the kinges armes, then breake them in peces, and after tread [Page] them vnder his fete, no man woulde suppose, that such one loued the kinge, but that he were a ranke traytoure, and worthy to suffer a most shame full death, so yf a man shuld entre into a churche, whiche is as it were Goddes palaice in earth, and there pluckedowne violentlye Christes owne I­mage, and eyther breake it, or burne it, and sette vp the kin­ges armes in stede thereof, be­cause he woulde make him a God (as Caius themperoure did in the holy temple of Hie­rusalem, where he caused his owne Image to be set vp, and would be called a God, & that the temple there shulde be na­med the temple of the goodly newe Iuppiter Caius) I be­leue, [Page] that no good Christen man woulde iudge hym to be Christes frende, but a wret­ched heretike, and an arrende traytour both to our sauiour Iesus Christ, and also to hys blessed spouse the Catholyke Churche. But truelye greate merueyle is it, that suche fol­kes are not so plaged for their abhomination, as was Iulianus Apostata, Sozome­nus histo. eccle. li. 5. whyche pulled downe the Image of oure Sauioure Christ, & set his owne Image in the place, where it stode. Whych Image of hys was a­none after wyth a thunder bolte, cut in sonder euen by the myddel, and hurled downe to the grounde, and he hym selfe to sor his wickednes came at lengthe to a miserable and cursed [Page] ende.

But for what purpose was thys done, trowe you, of oure goodlye Gospellers? Was it not done onlye to put Christe & all his holye saynctes cleane out of memorye, as they were in dede (more pitie is it) wyth a great manye. For why doth many men desyre to haue the Images of their deare fren­des paynted in tables, and honge vp in their chambers, but because they woulde not forget thē, eyther when they be absent, or els when they be dead. Doth not a liuely ymage I beseche you, make folkes re­mēber the man, that is repre­sented by it better, then a bare naked white wall? or when a man cometh into a house, and [Page] [...]yndeth the Image of Kinge Edwarde, whether doth he then more remember hym, or when he goeth into another house, and findeth no Image of hym at all? It was wonte to be sayd, that suche as were the kinges very frēdes, wold haue y^e kinges Image in their howses, bothe to make them remember their dueties to­ward hym, and also to declare their good wil, that they bare him. But oure Image brea­kers be lyke the Iewes, the deadly enemies of our Saui­our,Ware I­mage breake to be like the Ie­wes. whych can by no meanes abyde anye Image, eyther of Christ, or hys Saynctes, but they bable and rayle agaynst them, because they wold haue Christe and all hys blessed [Page] Saynctes cleane put oute of memorye.

After thys was procession abolished,Processiō what it signifieth. which is a common prayer for the whole churche, and by which is signified, that we be all Christes souldyars, and hauynge Christes crosse, as a banner goyng before vs, do fyghte together by prayer agaynste oure goostlye ene­mye the deuil. And here with­all were censynge▪ candelles, asshes, and palmes cleane ta­ken awaye, whyche be not domme ceremonies, as the deuils ministers call them, but very lyuely & godlye ceremo­nies. For censinge signifieth y^e offring vp of the pleasaunt o­dour of godly prayer,Candels what thei signifie. & there­at the prieste desireth of God, [Page] that the prayers of all that be present, maye ascende vp into his syght, as the swete odour of frankensence. And bryghte burnyng candels betokeneth Christ hym selfe, ‘whych (as S. Iohn sayeth) is the trewe lyghtes that illumineth euery man,Ioan. 1. that cometh into the worlde.’ And so the good godlye manne Simeon vpon Candelmasse daye, when he mette Christe in the temple, & toke him in his armes, sayde: ‘Nowe Lorde thou lettest thy seruaunte,Luc. 2. accordynge to thy promise, departe in peace. Because myne eyes hath sene the sauioure of the world sent from thee. Whome thou hast prepared in the [...]ight of all people to be a lyght to the gentils and paynems, and greate glorye and re­nowne to the people of Israell.’

So that by oure candels bea­ryng [Page] we declare, that our ve­rye lyght Christe, is come to lyghten oure soules▪ whyche were darkened with y^e blacke cloudes of fowle fylthye sinne before.

Agayne when we are mar­ked wyth asshes in the fore­heade,Asshes what thei signifye. we are playnlye tolde therbi, what we be. That is to wete, nothing els, but as Ab­raham sayd,Gene. 12 verye duste and asshes. And remembrynge the same, haue good cause to laye away oure pryde, to become humble and meke, and euerye daye to thynke vpon oure ende, when as oure bodyes shall become vyle wormes meate, and all our goodly beautie be turned into dust.

Nowe as for bearynge of [Page] palmes,Bearyng of palmes what it meaneth. that is to put vs in remembraunce of Christes com­ming to Hierusalem, when as the people cutte bowes of the trees,Mat. 21. & cast them in the way, where he shoulde passe, & that as we be glad to strawe pal­mes in the way▪ where Chri­stes most blessed bodye is pre­sented, so we ought to garnish the house of oure soules wyth swete floures, & firste washe it cleane with y^e cleare water of holsom penaūce, & then straw the pleasaunt Psalmes of perfite fayth & charitie in it, with a sure hope of gods promisses: ‘& so prepare it, y^t it may please our sauior to say,Luc. 19. as he sayd to zacheus, this day must [...] rest in your houses.’ Withal they toke away creping to the crosse vpō good [Page] friday▪ Crepinge to y^e crosse wherby euery man de­clareth hys hūble obeysaunce to Christ: & as Christ our sauiour as y^e day humbled him selfe to y^e death of the crosse,Philip. 2 (as S. Paule" sayth) so euery christen man in remēbraunce therof doth hū ­bly crepe vpō his knees to the Image and signe of the crosse there to do worship to Christ, y^e died for him vpon the crosse, & to giue him most harty thā ­kes for the redēption of al mā kind, which was done by him vpō the crosse.Halow­ing of the foute. Then was for­bidden also the halowing of y^e font, which euen frō the Apo­stles time had alwayes bene, (as it appeareth by Tertullian, Ba­sile, & other good wryters) w^t great reuerence obserued, be­cause it is so necessari in y^e churche of god.

[Page]And therewithall went away all the other rites and ceremonies, that are vsed vpō Easter euen. When al these godly ce­remonies were ridded out of the waye, then in a furiouse rage lyke menne besyde theyr wittes, fell they to pul downe the holy aulters,Aulters pulled downe. where oure Sauiours blessed bodye was wonte to be consecrated, and the same there offred vp, as a mooste pleasaunte sacrifice to God the father.

And to make vp their malici­ouse mischiefe withal, plucked they downe the pixe,The pixe wherin the very body of our lord and sauiour was reserued & kept. And some vyle verlettes, to thintente they might do the Deuyll their mayster better [Page] seruice, hurled the same bles­sed sacramēt vnder their fete, & certayne of them would not let to say, as the Iewes sayd to our sauiour hangyng vpon the crosse.Mat. 27 It thou be god, saue thy selfe. But suche shalbe wel assured to be at length moste miserably plaged, as the Ie­wes were, except they betime repent them of their abhomi­ble wickednes and blasphe­mye. After this was the most holye and blessed sacrifice of Christes body and bloude in the masse taken away,The Masse ta­ken away wher­in is commen prayer vsed for the whole catholike church of Christ, and for all states that be in it, and the very passion of our sauyour is there lyuelye represented, partli by the godlye [Page] ceremonyes, that be vsed therein, and partly by the de­cent apparel and vestimentes, that the prieste weareth in the celebration therof. For al the clothes that Christ dyd weare at his blessed passion,The prie­stes vestimentes what thei signifie. as the purpel robe, that was put vp­on hym by the Iewes, the cordes that he was bounde withall, the clothe wherwith they couered his eyes, when they bette him, and the white garmente, that he was cladde with, when Herode mocked him, are by y^e priestes vestimē ­tes represented. For the Am­messe,The Ammesse. y^t the priest putteth vpō his head, representeth y^e cloth, wherwith Christes eyes were couered, whē Pilates men buffeted him, & in mockage badde [Page] gesse, who smote him, as we reade in the .xxij. chapt. of S. Lukes Gospell. The whyte lynnen albe,The [...] that he putteth nexte vpon him, representeth the white garmente, wherein Christ our sauior was cladde, when Herode mocked him, as it is written by S. Luke in y^e xxiij. chapt. The girdle y^t the priest putteth aboute him,The gir­dle. re­presenteth the whippe, wher­w^t Christ was bette by Pilate, as we read in y^e .xix. chapt. of S. Iohn. The stole y^t the priest putteth aboute hys necke,The stole re­presēteth y^e cord or rope, wherwith our sauior was bounde, whē he was bette w^t whippes as S. Marke declareth in y^e xv. Chapter of his Gospell. The fannel, that the prieste [Page] putteth vpon his lefte arme,The fan­ [...]t. representeth the rope, where­with the Iewes dyd bynde oure Sauiour Iesus, when they brought hym before An­nas, as Saint Iohn telleth in his gospell the .xviij. chapt. The vppermoste vestiment, called the tunicle,The tuni [...]e. which the priest putteth vpon him last of all, representeth the purple robe, that the Iewes put vpō our lorde and sauiour when they sayd to him in mockage: Hayle kinge of the Iewes. In so much that the prieste, when he is thus apparelled, and goeth to the aulter, doth manifestly set before our eyes our swete sauiour Iesus, whē he suffred his paynful passion, and went to offer vp to his [Page] father his blessed bodye vpon the crosse for our redemption. In remembraunce of whiche holy passion the prieste repre­senting Christ our high priest, whose priesthode contynueth for euer, offereth vp vpon the aulter the very same bodye to god the father, that suffred for vs, & the very same bloud, that was shedde for vs. So that whosoeuer desyre to be partakers of that blessed passion,The hea­rynge of Masse. let them with moste humble reuerence come to masse, heare it with feruēt de­uotion, and earnestly thinke vpon the greate and painfull tormentes, suffred by our sa­uiour for their sakes, which be represented therin. And gyue hym moste hartye thankes [Page] therfore, and desyre hym of pardone for all their offences committed in tyme past, and to gyue them grace to auoyde al vice and sinne from thence­forthe. For thus shal they vn­doubtedli receaue much fruite by hearinge of Masse. And when their deuotion serueth them,Recea­uyng of y^e sacramēte oftenty­mes. to receaue the moste blessed sacrament therat, were in they shall (if they worthely receaue it) take singuler com­modite and comforte. And to do the same at lest at euery so­lemne feaste in the yeare, or oftener, if they be so disposed. For so we se the people com­monlye do in other Christen realmes: Who first do confesse them selfes vnto a priest, and then come they to receaue [Page] that blessed foode with suche lowly reuerence and earneste deuotion, as a good christen man would much reioyce to se them. Which thinge, I praye god, may shortly come to passe amonge vs, and that we may both stedfastly beleue it to be our sauiour Christes blessed bodye, as it is in dede, (and not as our laste wicked and blasphemouse cōmunion boke and all oure newe preachers most vntruely and damnably taught vs, that it was but breade only) and also deuout­ly and godly receaue it to our soules helthe and comforte. Nowe as for all the rites and ceremonies of the masse, and al the praiers conteined ther­in, they are so godly, and so [Page] well placed, as all the worlde is not able to inuente the like, nor so well to dispose and set them together: as all good men, that will deepelye weye them, and consider the order of them, shall easely perceaue. As for suche, as haue mooste wickedlye called the Masse a Maskarye, and the priestes vestimentes,Mockers of the Masse. maskynge clo­thes, and mocked all the ceremonies thereof, and spytte at them, & did smite the priestes, maye well be compared wyth Pylates menne, who (as we reade in S. Mathewes Go­spell) bowynge downe theyr knees,Mat. 27. mocked our Sauioure Christe, spitte at him, & smote him vpon the heade. For surely it is not vnlyke, y^t yf Christ [Page] were here amonge vs perso­nallye present in a mans lyke­nes and nature, as he was then amonge the Iewes, but that these vngodlye folkes woulde take the Iewes part, and mocke him, as they dyd, seyng that they playe the ve­ry same partes with hys prie­stes and ministers▪ that repre­sent hym vnto vs, that the Iewes in olde tyme dydde playe wyth hym. But oure Lorde graunt, that they maye espye betyme theyr [...]rye and mad­nes, that the miserable plages that fell vpon the Iewes for theyr mockyng of Christe, fall not lykewyse vpon them for mocking of his priestes & mi­nisters. But manye grudge and are offended, that the [Page] Masse,Diuine seruice in Latine. and al other diuine seruice is in Latyn, so that when they be in the Churche, they do not vnderstande, what the priest sayeth. I would gladly aske one question of such, why they come to the churche, whether to heare, or to pray: they wyll aunswere, I doubte not, to do bothe. For there they both learne theyr duetye by hearyng of sermons, and also practise it by diligent and ser­uent praying. Nowe then se­ynge, that to do our duetie is muche better, then to learne our duetie, because that euery manne learneth, to this ende, that he may practise, although both twayne be good and ne­cessarye, yet the one farre pas­seth the other. And the one [Page] maye be gotten in shorte space with small trauayle, but the other asketh longe tyme, and much payne to get it. As con­cerninge whiche purpose we reade a notable storye of one Pambo, Socra. hist eccle. li. 4 a man vtterly vnlearned who on a tyme came to learne a psalme of the psalter. And when he had hearde the firste verse of the .xxxvii [...]. psalme, which is thus muche to say in Englishe. ‘I haue determined with my selfe, that I will so directe and order my life, that I do not offende wyth my tounge: departed, and wolde in no wise heare the seconde verse, but sayd, that one verse was sufficient, if he could practise it in dede.’ After that when he had taught hym this verse, [Page] dyd rebuke hym, because he hadde not sene hym nowe the space of syxe monethes, he aunswered▪ that he hadde not as yet in dede learned y^t verse of y^e Psalme. Agayne along time after▪ one of his familiar fren­des demaunded of hym whe­ther he had learned his verse, and he sayde: Now or .xix. yeares passed, and truely, as yet. I haue scarcely learned to practise it. Wherby it well appeareth, that a man maye learne as much vpon one day, at one sermon, as he can well learne perfytly to practise in a whole yeare. Wherfore I haue oftentymes muche mar­uayled at vs Englishe men of late, that we came to the chur­che at the tyme of our English [Page] seruice to heare only, and not to pray our selfes. By meanes wherof many folkes are so in­ured, that they can hardlye frame them selfes as yet to pray in the churche, which, as our sauiour sayth is the house of prayer.Mat. 21. And moste mete were it for folkes comming to the churche, to pray earnestly them selfes, and both to think vpon their synnes. where­with they haue offended their lorde god, and to be sory for them, and to desire god to for­gyue them, yea and beside to gyue hym harty thankes for all his benefites bestowed vp­on them, and to beseche hym to assiste them with his grace agaynst the assaultes of their aduersary the deuil. For thus [Page] ought men to spende the holy daye, and thus ought they to bestow their tyme in the chur­che of God, when they come thyther. For what dyd Anna the doughter of Phanuell, (who had lyued with her hus­bande .vij. yeares, and after his death continued widowe, tyll she was foure score and foure yeares old, and so died) is it not written of her by S. Luke,Luc. 2. that she departed not from the temple, but serued God there nyght and daye in fastyng and praying? The E­uāgelist telleth not, that there she was occupied in hearynge, but that she was occupied in praying. Many heare and ey­ther they shortly forget, what they haue hearde, or elles yf [Page] they remembre it▪ yet they do not practise it: and one howre spente in practisynge, is more worthe to vs, then twentye spent in hearynge. Therefore when they come to Churche, and heare the priestes, who sayeth common prayer for all the whole multitude, albeit they vnderstand them not, yet yf they be occupied in godlye prayer them selfes, it is sufficient for them. And lette them not so greatly passe for vnder­standynge, what the priestes saye, but trauayle them selfes in feruent praying, and so shal they hyghly please God. Yea and experience hath playnlye taught vs, that it is much better for them not to vnder­stande the common seruice of [Page] the Churche, then to vnder­stande it, because that when they heare other prayinge with a lowde voyce in the language, that they vnderstand, they are letted from prayer them selfe, and so come they to suche a slacknes and negli­gence in prayinge, that they at lengthe (as we haue well sene of late dayes) in maner pray not at al. And let thē first thynke thys (for it is vndoub­tedly true) that the diuine seruice here in Englande hath e­uer bene in Latyn synce the first tyme, that the fayth was among vs receaued (saue on­lye this .vi. or .vij. yeares laste passed). And then how godly the people all that while were disposed, how many vertuous [Page] and holy men & women haue bene within this realme, and howe God dyd in all thinges prosper vs. And reade who so lyste the godly ecclesiastical story of sayncte Bede, and he shall fynde my sayinges here­in moste true. By whych story he shal learne besyde, how the same fayth, the same forme of religion, the same rites and ceremonies, that we now vse in the churche, haue bene since kynge Lucius dayes (in whose reygne the fayth was firste receaued in Englande) continu­allye vsed.Bed hist. eccle. li. [...] cap. 4. And eyther muste we graunte thys, that there was neuer any godly men in thys realme, neuer one sowle saued, neuer any grace of God among vs, neuer the assistence [Page] of the holye gooste wyth vs, (whych no good, nor reasona­ble manne eyther can, or wyll graunte) yf thys be not the true fayth and belefe (wher­by mens soules shalbe saued), that nowe is amonges vs. For where true belefe is not, there is not God, nor none of hys grace, nor no parte of his holy spirite. And therefore yf thys be a false fayth and belefe that we nowe haue, then god both is, and hath bene most vnkynde, not onlye to vs, but to all Christendome besyde, whi­che is in the same belefe, that we be: seyng that he hath not before these .vij. yeares laste passed, reuealed & opened hys trueth vnto vs, but suffered bothe vs, and all our progeni­tours [Page] and elders to, yea and all Christendome, euer synce Christes incarnation euen to these latter dayes to lyue in blyndnes, and to let vs conti­nue styll in daunger of damnation. But God forbydde, that any man myght iustly, eyther thynke or saye thus, For then myght we, commynge before our sauiour Christ at the day of iudgement, yf we shulde for our belefe be there condēned, aunswere that we were not to blame, nor worthie of dāna­tiō therfore: because that hys blessed spouse the Catholike churche, hadde from tyme to tyme taught vs thys belefe, & that he hadde promised to be with his churche to the worl­des ende. Whyche promyse [Page] caused vs alwaye to giue cre­dence to hys holye Churche, whiche we thought could not erre, nor be deceaued in anye matter concerning our fayth. Therfore no man hathe cause to iudge thys religion, that we nowe haue, to be noughte, and so to thinke, that the wor­shyppynge of Christes blessed body in the sacrament is Ido­latrye (as manye of late haue most wyckedlye both beleued and taught) and by that mea­nes condemne all oure fa­thers, grandfathers, and the reste of oure elders, whyche haue so beleued, but verye good cause hath he to suspect the religion, that hathe bene brought in of late, yea and vt­terlye to abhorre it, bothe for [Page] that he seeth so playnly before his eyes y^e abhominable fruy­tes, that it hath brought forth in this realme, and also that he knoweth, that it was ne­uer receaued in thys realme before these laste .vij. yeares paste, saue onelye that wycked Wyclyffe hadde in corners taught the same in kinge Ed­ward the thirdes dayes, whi­che his doctrine ended in no­table treason, euen as this did that was latelye receaued a­mong vs: as after I shal more playnly declare. But some say that they woulde haue vs be­leue,The tra­de of the primitiue churche. and lyue accordynge as menne dydde in the primitiue churche. Howe was that I praye you? was it as we haue bene taughte of late in bele­uing▪ [Page] that Christes blessed bo­dye in the sacrament is but a pece of breade, & to abolish the Masse, to cast awaye praying and fastyng? No no: Heare, I praye you,Beda hist. ecles. lib. 1. cap. 26. what saynct Bede sayeth, concernynge the state of the primitiue churche.

Thus writeth sayncte Bede, howe sayncte Augustyne and his felowes obserued the or­der and trade of the primitiue church. Thys was done here in Englande almoste a thow­sand yeare ago. And the same forme of religion both was before, and after euen to oure dayes euermore kepte & vsed amonge vs. And here we find [Page] fasting, prayinge, watchynge, singing, and saying of Masses, whyche sayncte Bede calleth the Apostolicall trade of lyfe, that was in y^e primitiue chur­che▪ But our preachers of late when they talked of the primitiue churche, which they wold haue had vs to folowe, they meaned no other churche, but the malignaūt churche of Wi­cliffe, Husse, Luther, Decolā ­padius, & of suche like herety­kes. But to returne to our former purpose, concerninge the wretched fruites, that came of this doctrine, when aulters were pulled downe, and masse put away, then were all chur­ches without any lawe, spoy­led of all their ornamentes,The churches spoyled. as of copes, vestimentes, aulter-clothes, [Page] corporaxes, chalishes crosses, candelstickes, censers, cruettes, bokes, and all other thinges belōging therto, and y^e same put to prophane vses, as to hanginges of beddes, curteynes, cusshins, and o­ther such like. And some men made Ioly mocking and gea­ [...]t [...]ge, and called them the priestes masking clothes, as we tolde you before. But I beseche our lorde God, that suche spoylers of the churche, may repent & make amendes for their spoyle, that they haue not the like ende, that one Iulianus had, who was vn­cle to the noughty emperour Iulianus Apostata ▪ [...] 5 hist [...] Of whom Sozome [...]nus wryteth, ‘that he mindynge to take away the precious or­namentes [Page] and Iewels of the Churche of Antioche in Syria, whiche were a greate sorte in nombre, and to encrease them perours treasure withal, cau­sed the churche to be shut vp, that no man shuld resort thy­ther, insomuche that all the clergye apperteynng to that churche, fledde awaye, sauing one priest onelye, whose name was Theodorius, whome Iulianus caused to be taken, because he could tel, where the ornamentes of the Churche were, and first made hym to be sore bea­ten, & after to be panged with many sore tormentes, and at length to be beheaded. Which done, the sayde Iulianus after he had robbed the church, & takē al the holy ornamentes away, [Page] in great dispite dyd straw thē vpon the grounde, sate him downe vpon them, and so de­clared his spitefull malice a­gaynste them. Whose priuye members and the necessarye partes beneath did by and by putrifye and rotte, insomuche that the fleshe beynge rotten, turned al into wormes, and hys syckenes was so greate and greuouse, that it passed al phisicions power to cure it. So that at lengthe after ma­nye paynfull panges he made an ende of hys wretched lyfe.’ Thus by the hande of GOD was thys wycked man for the robbyng of Christes churche worthelye plaged. By whose example lette euery Christen man learne thre poyntes: first [Page] that he robbe not the churche of any holy ornamentes apperteynyng thereto. Secondarely that he put them not to any profane vse, as this Iulianus did. Thirdly that he do not make a mockyng stocke of them, and vnreuerentlye handle them▪ lest the same plage, that befell to the sayd Iulianus, fal vpon him lykewyse.

Then was the holy order of priesthode vtterly disanul­led,The or­der of priesthode ta­ken away so that the name of a priest shuld not be anye longer vsed, but such as shuld preache and minister sacramentes, shoulde be called ministers, & not prie­stes, and that they shuld be apparelled lyke lay men, so that a minister shuld not be knowē from a laye man, but all shulde [Page] be a lyke: whyche neuer was sene in the churche of God frō Christes tyme hytherto, but only amonges heretykes.

Then was there meanes founde, that there shuld be many such ministers. For exhi­bition was begged by certain to be bestowed in the vniuer­sities. Which ones gotten, they bestowed it only vpon such, as eyther were infected with heresy, or elles in whom men had good hope, that they would in tyme be heretikes. And thus was folkes hyred to forsake Christes catholyke fayth, and not only to deceaue them selfes, but many other beside. Would to god y^t men were as wel willinge nowe to giue exhibition to set forward [Page] godlye learninge and vertue, as they were then to set forth vice and heresye. But to come to our purpose. Then became those, y^t were lewde & vnlear­ned very worthy preachers,Lewde preachers yea & suche as had neuer bene at any vniuersitie, wold teach the people, and preache vnto them, and were neuer sente, and boaste of them selfes, that they had the spirite. Truth is it, they had the spirite of error and blindnesse. And the more blind that they were, the more bold and shameles were they, so that the sayinge of Hier [...]mye the Prophete myghte be well veryfyed in them:Hier. 3. ‘They had the shameles forhead of a drabbe▪ and wold not be ashamed at al.’ For he that was most ignorant, was most [Page] bolde, so that suche dydde wel proue the olde prouerbe to be true, that none is bolder, then blynde Bayarde. Thys sorte of men stepped stoutelye into the pulpit, and caring neyther for God nor deuyll, kylled mo soules vpon one daye, then all the noughty phisitiōs in Eng­lande hadde kylled bodyes in twentye yeares: and alway­es had they in theyr mouthes Gods worde, Goddes worde, & some of them called it gods boke, whereas their doctrine was nothing els, but lyes and fables forged of theyr owne braynes, and scriptures false­ly translated, and more falsely expounded, according as they had learned of Luther, Bucer Decolampadius, Bullinger, [Page] Caluyne, and suche lyke here­tykes.

And all theyr preaching or rather bablyng was spente in raylyng agaynste the order of Christes churche,Our new preachers doctrine. agaynst I­mages and candels, agaynste Masse and mattyns, agaynste purgatorye and prayinge for the deade, agaynste free wyll and prayinge to saynctes, a­gaynste crosses and belles, a­gaynste copes and vestimen­tes, agaynste the Blessed Sacramentes, whereof the moste parte were by them ta­ken awaye, and the reste were so handled, as would make a­nye good mans hearte sore to lament therefore. Ouer thys muche pratinge made they of onelye fayth, that thereby we [Page] were [...]ustified,Onelye [...]ayth preached. whereof they talked so longe, that at length a great many had no fayth at al. And in these matters were they so well practised, y^t when they talked of them in a pul­pit, they semed to the people very eloquent. But yf they at anye tyme toke occasion (as they dydde verye seldome) to speake of deathe or deadlye sinne, or of the feare of God, and his terrible iudgemente, or of good workes as of pray­er, fastinge, and almose, they were so baren in their talke, that their auditours thought thē altogyther vnlearned, as they were without fayle. For so haue many of them com­ming to their triall, well de­clared of late.

[Page]And althoughe they lacked sounde learninge,The pre­sumption of our ne­we prea­chers. yet lacked they no arrogant presūption. For some of them woulde not lette to boaste, that they were singulerly learned in Latine, greke, & hebrew, and say, y^t thei had red ouer all the ecclesiasti­call writers, and often tymes alledge thē for their purpose. But how I pray you?False al­ledging of authors. Ey­ther dyd they misconstrue and vntruely expounde the places, that they alledged, or at lest wise falsely alledged thē or elles cut the sentence in the middest, that it mighte seme to make for their purpose, and all that made agaynste them left they clean out. And so like wise hādled they y^e holy scrip­ture to: as it well appeareth [Page] in sondrye of their detestable and deuilishe bokes, whoso­euer list to searche them. But they were not the firste,Depra­uyng of y^e holy scripture. that thus went aboute to depraue both the scripture, and also the old auncient writers. For Ascle­piades, Theodotus, Hermophilus, and A­pollonius olde heretikes of Artemones sect,Euseb, lib 5. hist. ec­cles. trauayled much in corruptinge the examples of ho­ly scripture, to the intent, that they might bringe scriptures to cōfirme their abhominable opinions wythall. And Denyse the byshop of Corinthe wri­teth thus of suche like men.Euseb. lib 4. hist. ecclesiast. ‘At the request of certayne bretherne I wrote certayne epi­stles, which y^e deuils Apostles haue filled ful of cockel, darnil. For some wordes haue they [Page] put out of them, and some ad­ded vnto them, for whom the wofull curse of Christe at the day of iudgemēt is reserued. And no maruaile is it, though they wente aboute to falsifye the scriptures of our lord and sauiour Iesus, seing that they haue corrupted these pore simple writinges of mine, whiche are not of such weight, as tho­se be.’ Many authors could I alledge to declare, y^t heretikes haue alwayes played the like part both with the scriptures & the good interpretors ther­of, but here it nedeth not. Som other were there of our new preachers, whose presūp­tuouse arrogancie myght also be well knowen in that, that many of them would preache [Page] and were neuer sent.Prea­chers that were ne­uer sene. And a great meany, that had in ma­ner no learninge, and as litle wit, wold start vp into y^e pul­pet, and tell the people, that the spyrite moued them, and then would they blaspheme and rayle, as though they had bene possessed with an euil spirite, as in dede it is very likely they were. Such are wel des­cribed of Saint Peter after this sorte.2. Pet. 2. ‘These be welles without water, and mystes tossed with whorle wyndes, for whome is reserued euer­lastinge darkenesse. For by vtteringe their presumptuouse bablinge, they al­lure and catche such, as through the cō ­cupiscence of the flesh, are fallen in dede to folowe wanton pleasures and con­tynue in error. And they promise other men liberty, wheras they thē selfes are y^e very slaues of filthye corruptiō.’ Such godly maysters because they ranne and [Page] were not sent (as the prophete saith) came into the shepefold of Christ not by the dore,Hier. 13. but an other way, so that Saynt Iohn the euangeliste, if he had bene alyue, would haue called them theues.Ioan. 10 ‘And a thefe, as the same euangelist writeth, commeth for no other purpose, but to steale, to kyll, and to distroye.’ For first dyd they steale Christes shepe out of the folde, that is to say, out of the Catholike churche, by carnall libertye, whiche (as I sayde before) they craftlye named y^e libertye of the gospell. Then killed they their soules with pestilence doctrine, and so at lengthe by their deuelishe di­uises so blinded thē, that they destroyed them all together. And when they had thus mi­serably [Page] handled them, they gloried in their graceles acte▪ as though they had done god good seruyce. But if they would remember what O [...]igene sayth concernyng suche men, as they them selfes be, and well wey his sayinge, they shoulde haue good cause to leaue their glorying in malice and blindnes, and fall to be­wayle the miserable murder,Super e­pist [...]ad Roman. that they in Christes flocke haue committed. For he sayth that the dānation of al those, that haue eyther preached or wrytten heresye, doth styll in­crease to the daye of iudge­ment, that is to saye, as longe as the contagion of theyr he­resye dothe remayne, and in­fect any man. For the mo that [Page] perish through their doctrine, the more greuouse shall their punishement be. Which sen­tence I beseche our lord god, y^• betime they maye earnestlie consider, and y^t eyther by rea­son, learning, and gentle ex­hortation, or otherwise they may be brought to acknow­ledge their error and blinde­nes, to detest it, and to per­suade other, that haue bene deceaued by them, to forsake it.Lib. 3. epist. 2. And let them heare, what S. Cyprian writeth to Maximus and Nicostratus after this sorte. ‘Thynke not (sayeth he) that you defende Christes gospell, while as you diuide your sel­fes from the flocke of Christe, and from the peace and con­corde thereof, sithen that it is [Page] more fitte for the valiant and gloriouse souldiars of Christe to be wythin theyr owne ten­tes, & there abiding to do, and prouide for those thynges to­gyther wyth other, that are to be done and prouided for: because that oure vnitie and concorde ought in no wyse to be cut asonder. As for vs, we can not forsake the Churche, go forthe of it, & come to you. Therfore we in al that we possible can, exhort and pray you, that you wyl returne to your mother the churche agayne.’ Whych exhortation of saynte Cyprian God giue grace, that those, that haue by heresy di­uided themselfes from Chri­stes catholike churche, maye gladlye heare, and thereby be [Page] persuaded to come home, and embrace the holesom doctrine of their deare mother, y^e bles­sed spouse of Christ. For what a comfort shuld it be for them selfes, yea and what a greate ioye for all good Christen fol­kes, yf they would forsake the synagoge of heresie, & repayre to Christes holye Churche a­gayne.Epist. 12. lib. 2. Luc. 15. For sayncte Cyprian writeth that, ‘seing that Christ sayeth in the Gospell, y^t there is in heauen the greatest ioye, that canne be, for one synner that doeth penaunce, howe much more ioye is there then both in heauen and in earthe for suche▪ as with glorye and prayse returne to the churche of God agayne: and by their example, by their fayth, and [Page] trial, giue occasion to other to returne lykewyse.’ And as it shuld be great comforte for all good folkes to see them re­turne, so men oughte by dili­gent preaching, by gentle ex­hortation, by feruent prayer, and by all meanes possible trauayle to make them returne. And whosoeuer can by per­suasion or otherwise pull any of them frō their blinde error, he shal haue great thankes at Gods hande therefore. For the [...]olye Apostle S. Iames sayeth,Iac. 5. ‘That whatsoeuer he be, that turneth a synner from the errour, wher­by he hath gone amysse, shall saue the mans soule from death, and blotte out a great many of hys owne synnes.’

But to our purpose. Of these fo [...]kes preachyng spronge all [Page] our sectes and sondrye opini­ons: whych were so diuers & many folde, that so many hea­des, so many opinions in ma­ner were amonges vs. And lyke as no fonde opinion was there euer (as we reade in Cicero) that was not maynteyned by some folish philopher,Cicero de diuinat. so no lewde heresye was euer in­uēted, that had not some wise mayster here in Englande to set it forth, and defende it. For some helde, that all thynges oughte to be common▪ as the Anabaptistes do.Sondrye sectes in England Some said, that all thynges were ruled by destenie and by mere neces­sitye, as the heretikes called Genethliaci sayd: And so toke they awaye mans free wyll. Some affirmed, that GOD [Page] was the authour of euyll, as we reade of certayne in Basilius Magnus dayes, whyche were without God. Some agayne toke awaye the prouidence of GOD, as the Epicures do. Some beleued not the resur­rection of oure bodies, folow­ynge the heretykes, whyche were named Seuerians. Some dyd mayntayne, that all should be saued, as the Origenians dydde. Some sayde, that Christe toke no fleshe of the blessed virgin Marye, as dyd the Martionistes & Apollinaristes. Some taughte, that he was lesse then the fa­ther, as the Arians of old had taughte. Some denyed, that he descended into hell, & sayd, that there was neyther hell [Page] nor heauen. Some preached, that heauen was nothing els, but a quiete conscience, and hell a troubled conscience. Some would saye, that mens soules do sleape to the day of iudgemente: and some bele­ued that they were mortall. Some thoughte, that there was no predestinatiō. Some sayd, that Christe died as wel for his owne sinnes, as for o­ther mens synnes. Some held, that a man hauinge the spirite of god, myght lawfully lye with another mans wife. Some affirmed, that the in­warde man dyd not synne, when the outwarde man syn­ned. Some sayd, that it was deadly synne to play at anye game for monie. Som taught [Page] that it was lawfull for a man in a Christen commen welth, without imposition of hādes of any bishop to preache open­ly. Some were persuaded, y^t a man might become so per­fite in this life, y^t he coulde not sinne. But to cōclude, I think verely there was almost no abhominable or fond heresi, since Christes tyme to our dayes, which was not in some folkes heades nowe of late here in England. And thus haue you heard (most entyerly beloued contrye men) a breue rehersal of the perillouse and pestilent fruites that our new doctrine hath brought forth here in our contrye these few yeares last passed. By means where­of Christes true religion hath [Page] bene vtterly defaced. Which truly I am right sory to recite But (as Iosephus sayth) I shuld do my contry smal plea­sure to leaue those miseryes vntouched in my wordes, that it hath suffred in dede. If a manne shulde likewise recken vp the great incommodities, that hath chaunsed to the commen welthe of this realme by reason of the same doctrine, he shuld be very longe and per­case tedious to. But thus muche will I say, and euery man, that is aboute thirtye yeares olde, shall witnes with me, that I say true, that be­fore we forsoke y^e whole catholike churche of god, and made vs a seueral and priuate chur­che of our owne, our commenwelthe [Page] was so riche, was in such good order. was so strōge and myghty, that no other was there, consideringe the quantitie of it, that myght be compared with it. Agayne if a man would particulerly re­cite the failes of diuerse noble and gentle men, that partly by reason of the same doctrine haue suffred synce the fyrste commyng of it,Nobility destroyed throughe heresye. he shuld make a longe processe. And seynge that as yet they be freshe in mens memories, as it is not necessarye to tel of them, so let them that be noble and gentle men by their example take hede of such wicked doctrine, lest if they in any poynt eyther further or maintayne it, they folowynge their fote steppes [Page] stomble vpon the same blocke and take a like fall. For it ne­uer came in any realme yet, where it hath not vtterly in maner destroyed the nobilite. As for example in Germany, where it hath now contynued so longe▪ [...]t hath not onelye de­stroied the rest of the commenwelth, but also the moste part of the nobilitie. And in diuers rebellions, that were made in that contrye, by reason of it, the rebelles intended to de­stroy al noble and gentlemen, as it appeareth by their arti­cles, which as yet remayne in writing. For in the articles of the rebelles y^t rose at Spiers, whyche Artycles be wryt­ten by one Nicolaus Baselius and ioyned with the cronicle of Io­annes [Page] Na [...]clerus, y^e fourth is, y^t thei intēded to kil al the nobilitie, & all heades and rulers, to thin­tent that they wold be subiect to no man, but liue at theyr li­bertye. In an insurrection that was made vnder the pretense of the Gospell, in the yeare of oure Lorde, a thow­sande, fiue hundreth, twentye and two, in the same countrie likewyse the rebelles, because they wold be vnder no obedi­ence, purposed to dysanull all lawes, and put away iudges, to robbe churches and mona­steries, to kyll all noble menne and gentlemen, because they wolde paye no more rentes, customes, or taxes. Therfore it is all noble and gentlemens partes to be well ware of such [Page] doctrine, yf they eyther loue to be partakers of heauen, or desyre to kepe their worldlye estate, to continue in it, and to haue theyr chyldren quietlye to enioye it after them. For they maye well perceaue by these examples, that where it taketh place, it is the ruine & destruction of al nobilitie. Let them besydes weye wel, what harme it hathe done to theyr chyldren, that were nowe of late brought vp in it.

And thys wote they well, that the rynge leaders of the Lutheranes or rather Zwin glianes in kynge Edwardes reygne, sought alwayes possi­ble to corrupt al the noble and gentlemens chyldren wythin this realme. And eyther pro­procured [Page] they, that they might be brought vp in the courte, or els that some newe fangled scholemayster myght be put vnto them, or els to be put to the vniuersities, and there to be brought vp vnder one of this newe secte. For what purpose was this done, but only to maynteyne their mischeuouse errors withall, and to establyshe the same within our contrye for euer▪ But god by miracle hath o­uerturned all their cursed deuises, and suffred them by his diuine prouidence to worke their owne confusion. Now then seing that this errone­ouse doctrine hath so harmed both noble & gentle men thē selfes, and their children to, [Page] let them at lengthe spye the wickednesse of it, and helpe be tyme to banishe it out of their contrye, and exhorte theyr children to detest and abhorre it. For so shall they make thē to feare god, and serue hym, to exercise vertue, and eschew vice, and to be humble and o­bedient to them selfes to▪ As for the yeonianry of our contrye,The de­cay of the yeomanry wherin dyd consiste a great parte of the force of this realme, it hath so notably decayed synce the tyme, that this pestilent doctrine began first within this realme, that it would pitye any true Eng­lishe mannes hearte to consi­der it. For where as the yeo­men thirty or fourtye yeares passed, were well able to do [Page] theyr prince and theyr coun­trye very good seruice, when as any occasion required, and that euery one of them dydde kepe a substantiall howse, by reason that theyr rentes then were very reasonable.

Now since thys perillouse plage of heresye hath infected thys realme, theyr rētes hath bene so enhaunsed. and they so miserably polled, that neyther seruice were they well able to do for theyr prince and coun­trye, nor to kepe any plenteful house for the relieuynge of theyr poore neyghbours. For men that became Lordes of suche fermes, when as by rea­son of thys lewde doctrine they had cast awaye in maner the feare of GOD and good [Page] conscience to, & in stede there­of had caught suche couetouse heartes, as wold neuer be sa­tisfied, and ioyned withall a large licentiouse conscience, whych told them, they might go forth in their purpose with out any scruple at al, then doubled they theyr rentes, and some tripled them, and toke suche incommes for theyr lea­ses, as where able to begger the fermers, that toke them: insomuche that where as the fermers had bene verye wel­thye before they came by this meanes to suche neade and necessitie, that scarce were they able to paye theyr rent.

The misery lykewise that the poore cōmons haue bene bewrapped wyth since the re­receauynge [Page] of this deuelishe doctrine, can no man without a longe processe throughly de­clare. For what with taxes and tributes, what with the chaunge of our money and fall of the same, what with gressams and incōmes, what with extortion and briberye, what with puttyng out of their ferme holdes and tene­mentes, what with craft and false dealing, and what with all other kindes of oppression beside, they haue bene so sore impouerished, that better had it bene for them to haue dyed in their cradles, then to haue lyued to suffer such wretched and miserable calamities. For when cōscience was banished and charitable hartes wa [...]ed [Page] keye colde, then cared no man from the hyest degree to the lowest, how he got goodes, so that he had them, in so muche that this saying of the holye Prophete Hieremye myghte be well verified in them,Hier. 6. that e­uerye one from the lowest de­gree to the hyghest had giuen them selfes to couetousnesse. And when this came thus to passe, they that were mooste mightie▪ were greatest oppressours▪ and lyke greate fysshes deuoured the smal. And oftē ­times would they take worke of artificers, wares & stuffe of marchauntes, & differ the payment so longe, y^t the poore ar­tificers and marchauntes to, were in maner beggered therby. And when they demaūded [Page] theyr payment, they had of di­uerse a froward aunswere: in so much that the poorer a man was, more iniury he suffred at theyr handes, and the vnsaci­able hartes of suche couetous men coulde neuer content thē selfes. But wo be vnto al such, excepte they betyme repente them, and if there be any such, lette them thynke, y^t at length they shal depart from all that they haue, and remembre, that they for al theyr gaye and gorgiouse apparel, they shal haue no more, but a symple shete to wrappe theyr vyle bodye in, and for al theyr fayre buyldin­ges and sumptuouse houses, a poore pytte in the earthe to dwel in.

And wythal let them learne [Page] one preatye lesson, that Eusebius wryteth in the life of Constantine. Thys good Emperoure Constantyne makyng an ora­tion to a great company, that was gathered to heare hym, specially inuehed and spake a­gaynste those, that were spoy­lers, and verye couetouse fol­kes, sayinge thus: ‘Wyll youre greadye couetousnes neuer haue ende?’ Then wyth a litle staffe that he had in his hand, he measured vpon the ground the iust lengthe of a man, and sayde: ‘If a man haue all the riches in the world, & the whole earth in hys possession, he shall at hys ende haue no more, but suche a smal peece of grounde, as I haue here measured.’ Therfore let al gready hartes [Page] remembre this wel, and leaue their care, that they take in goodes getting, and consider their duetie in wel bestowing of them, and thynke besyde, howe they haue gotten them. ‘For euyll gotten goodes (as Salust sayeth) euill cheueth.’ Ouer this yf they wold com­pare their bodies and sowles with their goodes and riches me thynke they shuld beware to loose those thinges that be better, for those that be worse. For goodes and riches be gy­uen vs of god for the commo­ditie and vse both of our bodi­es & soules. And like as brute beastes are muche better then grasse, strawe, and hay, which be ordeyned to nourishe thē: So is a mans body and soule [Page] more to be estemed, then goo­des & riches. whiche be prepa­red for them. Who then is so vnwise, that wil for the sauing of those thinges, that be much more vile, put in daūger those that be farre more precious? For both oure bodies & soules are of suche estimation in the sight of God, y^t for the recoue­ry of them oute of thraldome, he vouche saued to send down into the earth his only sonne, our sauiour Christe Iesus, by whose blessed bloud, which far surmounteth al golde & preci­ous stones, both our corruptible & frayle bodies, & also oure very sicke & sore wounded soules are redemed frō endles dā nation, & restored agayne to y^e celestiall kyngedome, whyche [Page] was from the begynnynge of the world prepared for them. Therfore seynge, that god of his gratious goodnes hathe taken so much paynes to saue them▪ we throughe our folye and negligence ought not to trauayle to loose them, nor to put them in hazarde, for the loue that we beare to our wel thy estate in this worlde, and so to chaunge heauen with hell, ioye with payne, myrthe with sorowe, quietnesse with trouble, lyfe with death, the▪ pleasaunt presence of god with the horrible syght of the deuyll, and the glorious com­pany of aungels and sainctes, with the hydious and fowle felowship of fendes. In consi­deracion whereof, because of [Page] the tender and vnfeyned loue, that I (as our lord knoweth) beare to the welth and helthe of all my coūtry mens bodyes and soules, most earnestly be­seche almighty God, y^t he wil vouchesafe so to prouide, that for euyll gotten goodes no man in conclusion perishe, but that euery man cast away his couetouse harte betyme, and begynne to care for his ende, and searche the bottome of his brest, whether he perfitly beleue, that both his bodye & his soule shal eyther euer liue in ioye inestimable, or euer dye abiding moste bitter and paynful tormentes. ‘And remēbre as he came naked into this worlde (as Iob sayeth) so shal he naked depart out of it.’

[Page]Agayne amonges these thre sortes of men, the nobles, the [...]eomen, & the poore cōmons, since the time they had sole or onlye fayth preached amonge thē,Fayth onlye. they haue had such a sel [...]e simple fayth, y^t not one in ma­ner could trust another. For as in old tyme a mans worde was as sure as an obligation, so of late dayes wordes were but wind, & writinges to, werby some mē not much wey [...]d. Insomuche y^t when fayth to­ward god was in man̄er vtterly abolished, fayth toward mā was banished therw^t, & al good workes was throughe lewde preachyng cleane layd apart: Wherfore our fayth aswel to god, as to mā was so naked & single, y^t it might be very well [Page] called a faythles fayth, & like­ned to a broken staffe, y^t decea­ueth al thē, that leane vpon it. And as oure fayth was verye badde, so our workes were no whit better. For there was neuer sene such malice & hatred, such deceyte & subteltie, suche pride & ambition, so y^t the vn­saciable desire of honor was in conclusion so roted in mens hartes, y^t it brought forth such notable treason, as y^• like hath not ben heard of in this realme before. And beside it hath stuf­fed diuerse folkes hartes w^t so deadlye malice, y^t the wycked works, y^t are wrought by such wel declare, y^t it is no doctrine come frō god y^e father of light, (as I said before) but it (as S. Iames sayth) is ful of car [...]al affections of deuelishe.Iac. 3.

[Page]For seing that such tumultes, and suche sedition among our selfes, such grudginge against our prince▪ suche blasphemye agaynst god, suche raylinge, and suche vile wordes vsed a­gaynst his ministers, are gro­wen of it (as to cal them foxes in the pulpit, yea & sometimes while they be godly occupyed in preachinge, to hurle dag­gers and to shote gonnes at thē) it is a playne argumente, that it cometh from the deuil, the authour of malice, and is as it were some contagiouse veneme spitte out of his brest, to poysen mens soules withal. Agayne the bookes, that be made by y^e mainteyners of it, are altogether farsed wyth lyes, as it well appeareth by a [Page] litle peuishe boke, conteynyng the disputation made in the conuocation house, wherin are scarcely two lines true to­gether, as al the learned men, that were there present, can euidently testifye. What shuld I speake of the false rumours that haue bene of late by the fauorers therof spred abroad in this realme, to prouoke the people to grudge agaynst the Quenes highnes? What pe­stilente libelles agaynste cer­tayne of the Quenes most ho­norable counseyll, yea and a­gaynst her graces owne per­son, haue bene cast in corners to sowe sedition?

Beside what mischeuouse misconstruyng is there of actes, lawes and statutes, and of all [Page] thinges in maner, that be set forth by the Quenes highnes and her counsayle? yea and will they not say, that when we haue any euyll wether▪ as to much rayne, or to muche drought, that it commeth be­cause the worde of god (wherby they meane their heresye) is suppressed among vs? they wyll neuer say, as all good folkes vse to say, that it com­meth, by reason of our synne and wickednesse. But truth is it. that God plageth this realme, and hath done▪ yea and yet wyll do, partly for our wretched liues, and partly for that suche as be infected with heresye, wil not acknowledge theyr erroure and maliciouse blindnes, and turne to the [Page] churche agayne.

Ouer this are there not diuerse, that for verye stubbor­nes, wyll in hucker mucker a­gaynste the lawes of thys realme, yea and agaynst gods will, vse the pernitiouse boke of the last Communion, and teache the Englishe catechis­me, to grafte in chyldrens hartes their blasphemouse and abhominable heresye? If men wel consider these folkes wicked malyce, they haue good cause to hate such deue­lishe doctrine, while they lyue, and whensoeuer they heare any parte of it, to stoppe their eares▪ that no such cursed blasphemye enter in at them. But to say very truth, it was in maner necessarye, that it shuld [Page] be reuealed, & opened in this realme. For no man woulde haue thought, that euer anye such incomuenience woulde haue come of it, if they had not sene it present before their eyes. So that whosoeuer shal hereafter heare of the ab­homination of it, shall haue iuste cause with all their hart to abhorre it.

Many mo noughty fruites could I reken vp, that haue sprong out of this newe fonde doctrine, but these are suffici­ent for my purpose, wherby euery man, that is not starke blynde may clearely se, that yf there were anye cause, that shuld moue a man to rebellion (as there is none in dede) this were the worst of all other. [Page] For seinge that not onelye al­mighty god hateth this doc­trine, because it is contrary to his holy worde, contrary to his blessed spouse the chur­ [...]he, cōtrary to the writinges and authorities of al his bles­sed martyrs and confessours, and of all holy men besyde, and contrary to y^e whole con­sent of Christendome, but al­so that is the vtter destructiō of al commen welthes whersoeuer it commeth, it is no mannes parte to fight for it, to aduenture his life in the defence of it, but rather to trauayle earnestly to abolishe it, and to exhorte all men e­uermore to beware of it. Wherfore whensoeuer the deuyll, who is the only authour [Page] of rebellion, goeth about to persuade any man, that suche doctrine is goddes word, and that there is no other truthe but it, and that he ought to sticke faste to it, and feare not to suffre death for it, & if nede be, to rayse vp rebellion, and boldely steppe forth, and fight stoutly agaynst his prince in the maynteinance of it: Then may he well know, that it is neyther the worde of god, nor no truth is there in it, because the deuill, who is the deadlye enemye both of goddes holy worde and of all truth, not only moueth hym to sticke to it, but also with the sworde a­gainst his prince manfully to defend it. But if he be by y^e de­uyll throughly persuaded to [Page] rebell agaynste his prince, ra­ther then to forsake it, yet let hym loke or he lepe, and cal to remembraunce the wretched ende of all such, as hathe for the like quarrel made rebelli­on. And first let hym wel con­sider the rebellions, that hath bene made in Boheme for the same religiō. When Wicliffes wicked doctrine was conuey­ed out of Englande into Bo­heme, and there by Iohn Hus translated into theyr vulgare tounge, & preached there by the same Hus, and one Hie­rome de Prage, a great num­bre at lengthe were infected wyth it, and because they minded to rule the whole coun­trie, and to subdue & destroye all, that were contrary to thē [Page] in religion,Rebelliō in Bohe­me for re­ligion. founde they oute a cruell capitayne very mete for their pestilent purpose (whose name was Ziska) vnder whom they wrought much mischiefe to that goodly countrie.Ziska. And first buylded they them selfes a citie, and named it Thabor. after the hylles name, where oure sauioure was transfigu­red,Aeneas Syl. in hist c. 40. Histor Huss. li 5 because they thoughte, y^t in that citie all truth shulde be reuealed and opened. And af­ter wold they no more be cal­led Hussites, but Thaborites.

Then pulled they downe churches and monasteries, & most miserably persecuted all catholike folke, and speciallye priestes. Of whome some Ziska theyr Capitayne caused to be burned quicke, and some to be [Page] murdered with other tormentrye. and the preuie members of some to be cutte of, to thin­tent that they shuld be a moc­kyng stocke to the people. Whyche cruell and detestable monstre (for so Aeneas Siluius cal­leth him) because no mens po­wer coulde vanquyshe hym▪ God wyth hys myghtie hand at lengthe for hys manifolde rebellion ouerthrewe hym. For as he was goyng to Prisco­uia to mete Sigismundus thempe­roure, he was by the waye so­denlye taken wyth the pesti­lence, and so made he an ende of hys cursed life. After whose death the Thaborites gotte them a new captayne, named Procopius: whose cruelty, spoyle, and oppression the Lordes & [Page] barrons of Boheme well per­ceauyng and greatlye lamen­tyng, thought suche wycked­nesse no longer to be suffred, but to putte in aduenture all that they had, and their liues to, rather then they wolde see theyr countrye by such rebels so miserablye spoyled and wa­sted. Wherevpon gettynge a great armye together, mette wyth them betwixt Broda & Buris, and sette vpon them sodenly, insomuch that the Thaborytes fledde awaye apace. Wherfore Procopius theyr Cap­tayne, when he coulde by no persuasion kepe them from flyght, lyke a desperate wret­che, ronne headlynge into the thycke of hys enemies, where fyghtynge a whyle, and sore [Page] vexynge hys enemyes, at last with an arowe was shotte through. And when the ba [...] ­tayle was ended, an infinite numbre of the Thaborites were taken prisoners,The miserable end of the re­bels in Boheme. and af­ter putte in great barnes, the dores shutte vp. And because that countrye shulde no lon­ger be troubled wyth suche wretched people, the barnes were set on fyre, and they and the barnes were burned vppe altogether. Thys woful ende had these seditiouse and cruel heretykes, the maynteyners of Wicliffes and Hussis doc­trine, by whose meanes the noble countrye of Boheme, was brought from a moste honora­ble state, to very slauery, from great ryches to very begge­rye, [Page] from good ordre, to vtter confusion, from noble libertye to vyle bondage, and from a royall kyngedome to a wret­ched tyranny. We reade like­wyse of the greate rebellion, that was made in Germanye by the Lutheranes,Loke vpō the chronic [...]e of the bokes of Burgun­dye, & the chronicle of Carion called Bel­lum rusticum, whiche intended to haue destroyed Christes ca­tholike fayth, all the clergye, and all the nobilitie of Germanye, and neuer to haue bene vnder anye rulers or gouer­nours any longer. For the deuill and Luther together had taught them, that the libertie of the Gospel shuld not be sub­iect to such tyrauntes▪ as thē ­peroure was: and Luther in hys sermons called thempe­roure a sacke of wormes, and [Page] sayde, that the greate Turke was a wyser prince and a bet­ter, then the gouernours of our Christen commen welth, and vsed commonlye to saye, Lord delyuer vs from suche tyrauntes. Where wythal the people beyng prouoked to se­dition, gathered together a greate armye, and yf they had not bene resisted betyme, they had destroyed al Germa­nye. And when they came to the fielde, and were compelled to make battayle, they fought wonderfull fearslye, so that there were slayne at sondrye conflictes aboue an hundreth thousande men. And both the authors of al this mischiefe in the same battayles were kyl­led, and all the rebelles beside [Page] were eyther slayne, or taken prisoners. Such cruel bloud­shed, and suche manslaughter broughte for the thys cursed enterpryse.

What shuld I speake of a citie in Germany called Munstere,Monaste­ri [...]. which before it was with the perillouse plage of heresye infected, was a very riche and a welthy citye, and meruelouslye dyd flouryshe both for y^e prosperouse estate. that it was in, and also for the honest behauiour, and ciuyll maners of the people. But af­ter that heresye was cropen into it, and that the people had receaued it, and a greate numbre of them became Ana­baptistes, then would they no longer obey their prince, but [Page] become a fre citye. Then false prophetes arose amonges them, and all good men were thrust out of the cytye, and spoyled of all that they had. After that made they a kynge amonges them selfes, who most cruelly tormented all, y^t wold not obey his denelish in­tentes & purposes, & hanged a great meany vpon trees. But consyder thende of this rebel­lion. By and by after this, the cytye was beseged, and with in a shorte space taken to. In the tyme of the beseginge wherof, they that were with in the cytye were so famished, that many of them were glad to eate y^• coueringes of greate bokes, that were couered wyth leather, & some of them [Page] eate their owne children.

And yet notwithstandynge al this misery, some desperate wretches would not let to daunce in the streates, and set forth spectacles and showes openly. As for to pull downe churches and chappels, they counted it a good pastime. And they were sore agreued with images, that if they se a­ny picture eyther in walles or in glase windowes. they wold vtterly deface it. But at leng­the when the citye was ta­ken, both the lewde king, that they had made, and all his ad­herentes, were taken withal, and burned at a stacke, and so receaued the reward of their wicked rebellion. If any man be desyrous to know more of [Page] this story, let him reade an e­pistle of one Antony Coruine, which he wrote to George Spalatine. What was the speciall cause (I praye you) of the great rebellion, that was made by y^e princes of Germa­nye agaynst themperours maiestye Charles the .v. that now reygneth, but only the maynteynaunce of Luthers doctrine. For albeit they pre­tended many other causes to cloke the matter, yet in very dede (as Lodouicus ab Auila telleth, by whom the storye is wryt­ten) the princypall cause was Luthers heresye, that they so muche estemed. But suche as their cause was, such lucke [...]ad they. For albeit that thē ­perours armye was but smal, [Page] and nothing to be compared in force and power with the Lutherans armye, yet them­peror putting his whole affi­aunce in god, and trustynge that he woulde assiste hym in maynteynaunce of his church and catholike fayth, gotte by goddes helpe a very notable and merueylouse victorye. For bothe was Iohn Fede­rike Duke of Saxonye taken in the fielde, and Philippe the Landgraue of Hesse, yelded hym [...]elfe, which be two of the chiefe Princes of all Germa­nye. And as for the rest of the rebelles, some were taken, & some were slaine, & som put to flyght. By these examples all men may euidently perceaue, that suche as haue made re­bellion [Page] for this noughty doc­trine, haue euer bene misera­bly plaged at the ende. But to let passe thexamples of fo­reyne realmes, and to come home to our owne, as sone as the fauorers of Wicliffes wic­ked heresye heard, that Hus and Hierome of Prage two of Wiclifs chief scholers were condemned at Constance, and there burned for their heresie, they fell therfore into a [...]ury­ouse rage. And first conspired agaynste the byshoppes and priestes,Polydor. hist. li. 22 & then like vile tray­tours agaynst their liege lord and soueraygne, kyng Henry the .v. because he was a catholike Prince, and a vertuouse. And streyght way made they open assembles, and determi­ned [Page] to maynteine their cursed doctrine by force of armes. Then gotte they them two mete Capitaynes for suche a purpose, Iohn Oldcastell, and Roger Acton: and wyth a de­sperate company, which were assembled wyth them, made they hast to London, to thin­tent they myghte take the ci­tie, and so there encrease their army with men much like thē selfes, and in cōclusion by that meanes put downe the kyng. But the kyng being certified of the matter, thoughte it ne­cessary to preuente them, and to be readye to set vpon them before they shoulde enter into the citie. Who when he was well prepared for them, pyt­ched hys tētes in a place mete [Page] for the purpose, and taried for their comming. But the wretches assone as they hearde of the kynges cōmyng, streyght waye, as thoughe they hadde lost the fielde, ronne away as fast▪ as their fete wolde beare them. Of whome some were taken in the flight, and by and by committed to the fyre and burned. Anone after their two captaynes were taken, & cast in prison. Beside this, the tragicall ende of our last rebellion made by captayne Wiat, & hys complices for the same religion, may be a sufficient warnyng for all men, as longe as the worlde continueth, to be­ware both of such a detestable and deuelishe enterprise, and also of the peruerse doctrine, [Page] that droue them vnto it. And let euerye man, that is infec­ted wyth the same doctrine, & loketh for a daye (as a great meanye do) be well assured, that whensoeuer he aduentu­reth the like acte, he shal haue a lyke daye, that is to saye, a daye of his vtter confusion. For God is al one, and fayleth not to defende all those, that put their sure trust in him (as our most gratious soueraigne Ladye the Queene doth) and punisheth all such, as fighteth agaynste his churche, and a­gaynst princes, whiche be hys ministers. And whatsoeuer the matter be, that moueth hym to rebelliō, let him thinke surely, that the deuyll, that se­keth [Page] to destroye him both bo­dye and soule, hath putte it in his mynde. And let him waxe wise betime thoroughe other mens harmes. And yf he wyl call to memorye the wordes that certayne of our rebelles sayde at their death,The kentishe re­bels wor­des at their [...]ea­the. he shall haue good cause to beware by theyr example. For diuerse of them (as it is reported) said to the people, that were pre­sente, when they were putte to execution after this sort. ‘Good people, seyng that god for my most greuouse offence commytted agaynst the Que­nes highnes hath thus wor­thely plaged me and punished me with this vile and shame­full death, I beseche you al for your owne sauegarde, learne [Page] by myne example euermore to beware of rebellion. And specially agaynste your moste vertuouse & most gratiouse soueraygne Lady, y^t now reyg­neth ouer you, whom god (as it wel appeareth) hath elected and chosen to gouerne you, & whom he ceaseth not dayly w^t his myghty hand to defend a­gaynst al her enemyes. Wherfore all they, that goeth about to resiste her, or to worke any treason agaynst her noble person, wittingly worketh their owne destructiō. For there is no deceyptful driftes, or force of armes, that can preuayle a­gaynst the faythful seruaūtes of god. Therfore may I most miserably bewayle my misfor­tune, that it was my chaunce [Page] to be one of that number, that contrary to Goddes wyll and pleasure, dyd rebell agaynste suche a gracious prince. And well maye I saye wyth a sigh­inge hearte, alas, that euer I was so madde, as to folow the pestilent persuasion of such, as moued me thereto. But nowe the acte is paste, and it is not possible to call agayne yester­daye. But notwythstandyng that to late it is to amend the matter, yet it is not to late to repent. And remedy fynde I none, but only to be sory for it, and hartely to beseche both almyghtye God to be mercifull vnto me, and the Queenes hyghnes of her goodnesse to pardon me. And I exhorte all you, that be present to beware [Page] by me, and that my plage may be a plaster for all them, whose heartes be wounded wyth wycked rebellion. And I praye God, that all Englyshe menne maye take hede by me▪ and learne to obeye theyr Prince by mine example, and waxe wise throughe my folie.’ Suche like wordes sayde di­uerse of the late rebelles at theyr death. But to be shorte, there was neuer rebellion yet, for what cause soeuer it was made, that euer hadde prosperouse ende.

And yf a manne woulde recite foreyne rebellions, that haue bene done in other real­mes, he shoulde be very longe in the matter. But lette vs at thys presente go no fur­ther, [Page] but to oure owne coun­trye, and we shall fynde thys, that I haue sayde, to be vn­doubtedlye true. For Iacke Strawe & Watt Tyler,Iacke Strawe. Cap­taines of the commotion, that was in Kente, in kynge Ri­charde the secondes dayes,Polydor. hist. li. 20 when they had taken South warke, spoyled it, broken vp the prysons, lette out the pri­soners, and after robbed the whole citye of London, and kylled meanye, both straun­gers and citezins, and ioyned to them all ruffians, theues, slaues, and vile velaynes, that were within the citie, at laste the Lord Maior, whose name was William Walworth, and all the Aldermen of the citye sore moued wyth the matter, [Page] gathered a cōpanye together well armed, and the sayd lord Maior, whyle all men prepa­red them selfes to go agaynst these rebelles, hauyng a com­panye wyth hym, at the kyn­ges commaundement wente into Smithfielde, where the rebelles were. At whose com­ming the rebelles being some what abashed, [...]uffred hym to entre in amonges thē wyth­out any harme. Then the lord Maior toke aparte Iacke Strawe, pretendyng that he woulde be glad to make peace wyth hym. But assone as he had gotte him aside, in a great rage drewe he hys dagger, & kylled hym out of hande. Whych when the rebels ones perceaued, they fledde awaye [Page] apace, and in the flight many were taken, and manye were slayne: and so for their outra­gious acte receaued they worthy punishment.

The lyke ende had the great captayne of the Kentyshe re­belles, called Iacke Cade.Iack [...] Cade. Whyche Iacke in the reygne of kynge Henrye the .vj. toke Southwarke,Polydor. hist. lib. 3. and when he was assaulted of one Mathew Goth at mydnyght, stoutly resisted him, and droue him back to the bridge: and so hard pursued hym, that he fledde into the citie agayne. Then Iacke wyth hys men sette fire vpon the houses, that were on the brydge: where was sene a la­mentable spectakle to behold. For some flying the daunger [Page] of the fyre, ranne vpon the drawen swordes of theyr enemi­es. Some piteouslye cryinge for helpe, were choked vppe wyth the smoke. Some that coulde not escape oute of the houses, were miserablye bur­ned. Some to auoide y^e peril­louse flame, lept downe head­ling into y^e middest of Temes, & there were drowned. Somwere oppressed with the fal of the houses. O what a misera­ble sighte was it, to see yonge children sprauling in the mid­dest of the fyre, & to heare thē crye out so rufully? Or what a cruel wretche was he, y^t had bene y^e cause of suche a cruell tragedy? Then the king seing that these rebelles could not by force be vanquished▪ made [Page] a proclamation, that all that would depart quietly home to their houses, shulde haue their pardon, saue only Iacke Cade, y^e author of al y^e misery. Whervpō y^e rebels departed, & so was Iacke Cade taken, & shortly after put to death, as he had wel deserued. Further more what was y^e ende of the greate rebellion, y^t was in the North, in the time of king Hē ­ry y^e eyght. Were not a great nūbre of y^e rebels in conclusion hanged vp? Had not also y^e re­bels in Northfolke & Deuon­shiere, in the reygne of kynge Edward the .vj. such like suc­cesse? were not an infinite nū ­bre of them slayne, and manye after the battayle was ended put to a vile & shameful death? [Page] Therfore let no man, of what degree soeuer he be, that ad­uentureth to worke such wic­kednes, thinke that he shall escape such lyke punyshment, as these foresayd rebels haue suffred: for God, which is the author of peace & concorde, by whome all princes haue their rule & gouernement, will not suffer to escape vnpunished suche, as agaynst his expresse will and commaundemente do make rebellyon. Ouer this seinge that a Prince,2. Reg. 5 as god said to Dauid, is appoyn­ted to fede & nourishe the peo­ple, what an vnkynde subiecte is that, whiche trauayleth to destroye the prince, who by al meanes seketh to fede & nou­rishe him? And if a man be ne­uer [Page] so high in honor being no prince, yet let hym take hym selfe but as a subiecte, and let hym behaue hym selfe, as an obediente subiecte to, and al­way be well ware, that ambi­tion crepynge into hys brest, moue hym not to couet the crowne, leste therefore he be crowned at lengthe with an hatched. And let hym conty­nually remember this wittye and wise sentence of Sayncte Gregorye Nazianzene.In oratio­ne de [...]r­dine. Why goeste thou aboute to make thy selfe a shepeherde, beynge but a shepe? ‘Or why laborest thou to be a heade, seing thou art but a fote? Or why wilte thou become a captayn, where as thou art but a souldyar?’ That is a very vngētle shepe, [Page] that will go aboute to destroy y^e shepeherd, who doth so carefully prouide for it, and saueth it from the daunger of the wolfe. And so is that a wret­ched fote, that will labour to cut of the heade, to thintent it may become a monstruouse heade it selfe, seing y^t the true head doth study so diligently to kepe it from all harme and incōmoditie. Yea and an vn­kynde souldyar is he, that wil trauayle to put downe his captayne, by whose polycye, wisdome, and force he hath at all tymes escaped the handes of his enemyes. And as the shepeherde is the defence of the shepe, the head of the fote, the captayne of the souldyar, so in very dede the Prince is [Page] the tuition and safegard of all his subiectes. And our prince and gouernesse the Quene, requireth nothing of vs agayne but gentle & obedient hartes, which if we shewe vnfeynedly towarde her grace, we shall saue our soules, our bodyes, our goodes, & our coūtry therby. For as disobedence dam­neth our soules, killeth our bodies, spoyleth vs of oure goo­des, & destroyeth our coūtrie: So obedience is the helthe & safegarde thereof. What mis­chiefe, disobedience,The har­m [...]s that c [...]me of rebellion [...] & rebelliō worketh in euerye countrye, where it cōmeth, we may ease­lye learne by y^e exāples before recited. For whē rebelliō reigneth, then peace which is cause of plenty is broken. Then all [Page] concorde and vnitie, whiche byndeth the felowship of men together, is cleane takē away. Then all charitie whiche is mother of all godly vertue, is banished out of mens hartes. Then all lawes, wherwith the commen welthe is gouer­ned, is vtterly disanulled. For then (as Seneca sayth) law standeth onelye in force of ar­mes. Then all officers that cause good order to be kept, and do minister iustice, are displaced. Then graue wyse­dome and policye, whereby holesome counseyle is gyuen, are thrust out of the doores, and rashe foly and headynesse take their p [...]aces. Then all good order, which is the beautye of euerye commen welthe [Page] is troden vnder fote, and mis­rule and confusion haue the vpper hande. Then foloweth spoylinge of mens goodes. burnyng of theyr houses, cru­ell murder and bloudshed, ra­uishinge of mens wyues, de­flowring of their doughters, rape, incest, & all beastlye vice. Thē fal they to set at nought al religion, to contemne God, and to blaspheme his holye name, & in conclusion destroye they them selfes & their coun­trye to. For when men are by spoyle sore impouerished, and their strength and courage by ciuill dissension greatly aba­ted, then shall they be a preye for theyr enemyes. And then shall it so come to passe, as Ho­race sayth by Rome,Od. 16. [...]pod. that that [Page] noble citie, whyche no foreyne enemies coulde ouercome, is nowe by ciuill warre and sedi­tion come to vtter ruine. For lyke as in a mans body, yf the fo [...]e shuld fight with the hand, the heade with the necke, the backe with the belye, and eue­ry part with other, the bodye shuld vtterly perishe, so a con­trye, where the inhabitaūtes make warre one agaynst ano­ther, & one seketh to destroye another, must nedes come to vtter confusion. For the holye scripture can not be false,An [...]. 11. whi­che sayeth, ‘That euerye kyngedome diuided within it selfe, shalbe destroyed.’

And Gregorye Nazianzene asketh▪ what is y^e worst thinge & most noysome in the world: and by and by he aunswered: [Page] discorde. And then asketh he agayne: What is the best? and streight he aunswereth, peace And Democritus a wise Philoso­pher sayeth, ‘that ciuill dissension is daungerouse and noy­some for both parties. For it is the destruction as well of those that get the victory, as of those that lese it.’ For then commeth foreyne enemyes, and inuade the countrye, and easelye vanquyshe it. For like as when two dogges fyghte for a bone (as the prouerbe is) oftentymes the thirde com­meth, and catcheth it from them bothe: So when two partes of a realme stryue for the gouernmēt, their enemies enter, and take it from them.

For howe wanne Willyam [Page] duke of Normandy this con­trye of ours,Polydor. lib. 8. but only through the sore dissension of two bre­therne, (whose names were Haralde, and Tosto) that contended for the crowne. For the ciuill warre & sore bloude­shed that they made, by rea­son therof, so abated the force and strength of this realme, that the sayd Wyllyam arry­uing at the same tyme vpon the coastes of England, easely entred into it, and after one battayl foughtē with Harald, toke it. Or howe wanne the Turke all grece, and toke the goodly cytye of Constantino­ple, but only by meanes that the princes and rulers of that contry could not agree with­in themselfes. And I praye [Page] god that the deadly dissension and cruell warre, that is now in Christendom amonges the princes therof do not make a­waye at the lengthe for the Turke to subdue all the reste of Christendome. For nothing is there that maketh so much, for his purpose, as our ciuill warre and discorde. Ther­fore let vs pray god earnestly, that it wil please hym to paci­fye the hartes of all christen princes. And all we, that be true English men, let vs laye away our maliciouse heartes, and betime reconcile vs one to another, and seke not the meanes to destroye our coun­trye by discorde. For as mari­ners, that be in one shippe to­gether, yf they fal at variance [Page] when they be vpon the sea, and euery one fight with ano­ther, and care not what be­come of the shippe, it is likely that when the tempeste com­meth, they shall al perishe, and their shippe to: Euen so when the inhabitauntes of one con­trye are at debate within thē selfes, and passe not at all for the daunger▪ that is lyke to fal to their countrie, then when they are by foreyne enemyes assaulted, they are by and by or euer they be aware ouer­throwen and vanquished. And then God sendeth vnto them the foure plages, that he sayde, he wold sende vpon the chyldren of Israell for their wyckednes,Hier. 15. that is to saye,‘the sworde to kyll them, dogges to teare [Page] their bodies, byrdes of the ayre to eate them, and wilde beastes of the earth to d [...]uoure them.’ And after shall the whole countrie be spoyled of all her welthe and riches, and become a slaue to her enemy­es, and repent her of her wyc­kednes, when it shalbe to late, and crye with Hieremye,Hier. 15. ‘Why good Lorde is my sorowe endles, and how chaunseth it, that my plage is vncurable?’Therfore let al true har­ted Englishe men for the loue that we owe to GOD, for the good will, that we are bounde to beare to our prince, and for the feruēt zeale, that we haue to the safegarde of our coun­trye, refrayne from discorde, represse our rebelliouse hear­tes, and beginne one to loue another, one to do for ano­ther, [Page] and neyther by discorde make a waye for our enemies, nor by malice wyshe them to come agaynst vs, but hartelye loue our most gratious soue­raygne Ladye the Queene, and most willingly obeye her, loue our natiue countrye, and gladly spend our goodes and liues in the defence thereof: & lette this deuelishe dissension reygne no longer amonge vs, and consider that no commen welth can stande, where it ta­keth place. For a house or fa­milie where discorde is, dothe neuer prosper, but by litle & litle it commeth to misery. Wherfore seing that almygh­tye God of his mere goodnes hath sent vs such a vertuous Lady to reygne ouer vs, and [Page] by her delyuered vs from bondage and tyrannie, and by her broughte vs from blindnesse and heresye, and by her reconciled vs to his spouse the Ca­tholike Churche agayne, and so by her saued both our bodi­es & our soules, it is al our partes to seke alwaies possible to set vs at peace and concorde, which shal at length make our countrye to florishe a freshe, & to banyshe all malice and ha­tred, all diuision and discorde, whiche hath bene the cause of our miserye. And firste those that be of the clergye,The clergies due­tie. as Bis­hops, priestes, and other mi­nisters, let them partly by diligente preachinge them selfes, partly by sending learned men to preache, & partlie by godly [Page] visitations, call home the peo­ple to true fayth agayne, and teache them the feare of god, whiche is farre to seke in ma­ny mens hartes. For yf they ones feare GOD, then wyll they easelye conforme them selfes to the godlye order of Christes churche, and bothe serue God reuerently, and al­so humblie obeye their prince. For all these that so rage a­gaynste the blessed spouse of Christ, and so blasphemouslye mocke the ministers thereof, and so outragiouslye rayle a­gaynst the blessed misteries & sacramentes therin, and caste bookes and libels abroad, and disperse false rumors euerye where (as I sayd before) both to maynteyne their heresye, [Page] and also to sowe sedition therby, they neyther loue GOD, nor feare hym, nor take anye care for eyther soule or body, nor willinglye wil they obeye their prince. For suche verely are the children of Core.Num. 16 Da­than, and Abyron, who so sore grudged at Moyses & Aaron for that they only shuld mini­ster in the tabernacle of God. But let thē, yf euer they mind to be saued, repent thē betime of their greuouse grudge, & maliciouse hatred, that they beare to Christes Catholike churche, lest eyther the earth open and swalow them vp, as it dyd wyth Core, Dathan, & Abyron, or els at length, whē they shal depart thys life, hell open (whych God forbid) and [Page] most miserablye deuoure thē. And lette all other that well knowe them, folowe the xam­ple of the people, who seynge when Core, Dathan, and Abyron were swalowed vp, fledde awaye. and sayde: ‘Let vs gette vs hence, lest perhappes the earth deuoure vs lykewyse.’ Besyde let the cler­gye not onelye in their prea­ching, but also in their liuinge so behaue them selfes, as becometh the true mynysters of God, to thintente they maye gyue suche example of al god­lye vertue to Christes flocke, that the same flocke being prouoked by their good workes, may become such lyke, as they be.Osee. 4. For as the Prophete Osee sayeth, ‘Suche as the people be, suche are the priestes,’ and contrary wise [Page] suche as the priestes be, suche are the people. For if the prie­stes be noughte, the people be also nought: but if the priestes be honest, vertuouse, and god­ly, the people folowinge theyr example, will become like vn­to them. Lette the noble and gentlemen also,Noble & gentle­mens d [...]tie. and all magi­strates of this realme do their dueties to God and to their prince, & se all those, that they haue cure ouer, to be kepte in good ordre, and to correct and punishe, as apperteyneth to their office, all them, that be stubborne & disobediente, and speciallye suche as be rebelles to God, and to his Catholike churche: and then this realme shal not nede to feare any ciuil warre or rebellion: and they [Page] in so doyng shall highly please GOD, do their prince verye faythfull seruice, and both get them selfes greate honor, and also preserue the honorable state, that they haue gotten. But yf they be slacke herein, and wynke at wycked folkes actes, and namelye at those, that be detestable in Goddes sight, and iniuriouse to Chri­stes holy churche, and the ca­tholike fayth, then shall they vndoubtedly at lengthe loose al their honor, loose their esti­mation, putte their prince in daunger, and their countrye to. For when men that be in aucthoritie, be slacke in mayn­teynyng and furtheryng the Catholike fayth, then by lytle and lytle groweth heresy, and [Page] spreadeth abroade, that at lengthe, except menne be well ware, it preuayleth, and de­stroyeth the countrye, where it reygneth. It is wel compa­red by S. Paule to a cancre. For as a cancre,2. Tim, 2 yf it be suffred encreaseth daylye, and so cre­peth forwarde, that in conclu­sion it corrupteth the whole body: so heresye, whensoeuer it is entred into any commen welth, it so goeth forwarde, yf it be not repressed, that in the ende it destroyeth the whole, as the xamples before rehear­sed, do wel declare. And truth is it, that no common welthe can stande, yf religion be neg­lected. In consideration wherof all they, that in olde tyme wrote of commen welthes, as [Page] Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, and many o­ther besyde, thoughte it moste necessary for the gouernours of euery commen welth, chief­ly to trauayle in establyshyng religion. Whych done it shuld be easye to kepe the people in good ordre. For the verye paynems & infidels, to whom they wrote, hauynge a greate feare and a reuerence to the false Goddes, that they wor­shipped, were gentle, meke, humble, and very obedient to their rulers: So all Christen men withoute doubte, yf they be keped in the feare of God. and in the true religion of his catholike churche, they wyll moste willinglye obeye their prince, obserue the lawes of their countrye, and quietlye [Page] behaue them selfes euery one in their vocation.

Ouer thys let all parentes haue a diligent eye to the bringynge vp of their children in the feare of God,Parētes. in his holye seruice, & in all godlye vertue, and teache them to obeye God, to obeye his Churche, and their lawfull prince. But yf they them selfes percase fa­uoure not Christes churche, nor the order therof, and their children folowinge their fote­steppes, do the same, and so continue in their foly, and re­ioyse in the same, let the chil­dren loke for as wretched an ende,1. Reg. [...] and .4. as euer had Helyes chil­dren, and the parentes to be punyshed for bearynge wyth their childrens offences, accordyng [Page] as Hely hym selfe was. Therfore let al parentes take hede, and chastice thei [...] chyl­dren in dewe season. For yf the children throughe the pa­rentes defaulte fall into here­sye, or any kynde of vice, the parentes shal make aunswere for them, and shall at lengthe suffre greuouse punishmente for not correctynge them.Ephe. 6. For S. Paule cōmaundeth them to brynge them vp wyth due correction & discipline. Which yf they do, they shall haue lo­uynge and obediente children both to God, and their prince, and to them selfes to.

MaistersLet also all maysters take hede to their seruauntes and prentises, that they learne to feare God, learne to faste and [Page] pray, and to leade a godly life, and not to folowe their sensu­all appetite and carnal lustes, as a great sort do, and thinke that they be fauorers of gods worde, because they can take their libertie: and counte thē selfes wittie, yf they can make a merye mocke at the Masse, and at the ceremonies therof, and geste at priestes, Goddes ministers, and prate and bable agaynst the holy sacramentes of the churche, and the diuine seruice done therein. But for suche mockers (as witnesseth Salomon) ‘Gods iudgementes are prepared,Pro. 1 [...] and beatynge hammers for suche fooles bodies.’ But yf al maysters woulde do their dueties in correctynge their seruaun­tes, they woulde not thus be­haue [Page] them selfes, and prouoke Gods wrath agaynste them. But it is to be feared, that suche as the seruauntes be, suche be their maysters. For if their maysters were good & godly, they wold neuer suffer their seruaūts to be so nough­ty. For as a man y^• as he rideth by the highe waye, letteth the bridell go, & suffreth his horse to breake downe hedges, and to destroye mens corne, it is not lyke, that he is vnwilling, that suche harme shuld there be done: euen so a mayster that letteth his seruaūt haue his owne swinge, and suffreth hym to mocke & geste at gods mysteries, no man wil thinke, but that such one is well wyl­lyng, that he shuld so do, yea & [Page] glorieth to in that he hathe suche a iolye man. But let him take hede, howe he suffreth his seruaunte so to runne at large. For it is not vnlyke, that suche seruauntes besy­des other greuouse enormiti­es, wyll at length fal to spoyle their maysters, and so shal the maysters be iustlye punyshed here in thys lyfe for the licen­tiouse libertie, that they gyue to them: yea and moreouer both the mayster and the man shall one daye, excepte GOD sende them grace to amende, most earnestlye repente them, and bewayle the time that e­uer they were borne: and spe­cially y^e mayster, because that hauing charge of his seruaūt, and seyng him so farre oute of [Page] order, wold neuer correct nor chastice him. Let all maysters therefore betime take hede to their seruauntes, al parentes to their children, all superiour powers to them, whome they haue in theyr gouernemente, and cause them leaue their contentiouse reasonyng of re­ligion, and fall to stedfaste be­leuynge, and throughlye per­suade them, that in matters of our belefe, our senses and rea­son muste alwaye gyue place to fayth. For so shal God be reuerentlye serued, so shall oure most gratiouse and vertuous Soueraygne be duelye obey­ed, so shall al rebellion be ease­lye auoyded, so shall peace and concorde reygne amonge vs, and so shall our countrye, that [Page] of late hathe bene mooste mi­serablye spoyled, waxe riche and welthye agayne, and re­couer the honorable and no­ble estate, that it hath bene in, in tyme paste. Therefore most hartelye beloued countrye menne, seynge that GOD of hys bountefull goodnesse hathe of late bene so mercy­full to vs, and deliuered vs from mooste cruell tyrannye by hys dearlye beloued hand­mayde, our most noble quene, and hathe sente vs suche a maystresse and gouernesse, as thys Realme hath not hadde the lyke, and that she so ten­derlye loueth euerye one of vs, careth so muche for vs, studyeth mooste earnestlye, how to auaunce vs, seketh no­thing [Page] els, but the welthe, safe­gard, and honor of oure coun­trye, taketh so greate paynes for oure cōmoditie, watcheth for vs, prayeth for vs, & moste mercifullye dealeth with vs, let vs altogether with one cō ­sent, most humblye obeye her, most tenderly loue her, & with our goodes & oure liues most willingly defende her. And because she is the very faythfull seruaunt of God, as bothe al­mightye God by miracle hath playnly shewed, and also she in her most godlye conuersation doth dayly declare, lette vs in all thynges folowe her exam­ple, and become lyke vnto her, and beleue as she dothe, feare GOD as she dothe, serue God as she doth, and laboure [Page] to kepe his cōmaundementes as she laboreth, be merciful as she is, be lowly and humble as she is, be charitable as she is, cast awaye malice as she doth, be ready to helpe the poore as she is ready, be gētle to speake to, as she is gentle, kepe oure cōscience cleane as she kepeth hers, take hede of briberye, as she dothe, abhorre couetous­nesse as she doth, hate oppres­sion as she hateth it, hate de­bate as she doth, loue one another, as she loueth vs all, care one for another as she careth for vs all, loue al godly vertue as she loueth it, flye from all vice as she doth, & to be short, fashyon our lyfe to her lyfe in all poyntes, that the sayinge of Plato may be verified in vs [Page] that such as the prince is, such are the people, and so vndoubtedlye shall we please our lord GOD, and seme to be thankefull to hym for hys benefytes bestowed vpon vs of late, please our gratiouse Queene, that is delyted wyth al good­nesse, please all good Christen folkes, that longe to heare of our vertuouse behauiour, re­concile oure selfes wholye to Christes Catholike churche, from whyche we haue so long bene diuided, saue oure selye soules, which otherwise were like to haue perished, saue our bodies, which shuld haue bene oppressed with miserable ser­uitude, saue oure goodes, whereof we should haue bene vtterlye spoyled, saue oure [Page] countrye, whyche was likelye to haue bene brought into perpetual thraldome, recouer the honour thereof, whyche was altogether defaced, and both in this life lyue well & welthe­lye, and after oure death re­ceaue at Goddes hande the crowne of glorye, that neuer shall decaye, in his celestial and euerlasting taber­nacle.