The supplycacyon of soulys made by syr Thomas More knyght councellour to our souerayn lorde the Kynge and chauncellour of hys Duchy of Lancaster. Agaynst the supplycacyon of beggars

The supplycacyon of soulys made by syr Thomas More knyght councellour to our souerayn lorde the Kynge and chauncellour of hys Duchy of Lancaster. Agaynst the supplycacyon of beggars

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Title page

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¶The ſeconde boke.

¶The fawtys eſcapyd in the pryntyng.

§

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¶The ſupplycacyon of ſoulys Made by ſyr Thomas More knyght councellour to our ſouerayn lorde the Kynge and chauncellour of hys Duchy of Lancaſter.

¶Agaynſt the ſupplycacyon of beggars.

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¶To all good Cryſten people.

IN moſt pytuouſe wyſe cōtinually calleth & cryeth vppon your deuout cherite & moſte tēder pyte / for helpe cūfort & relyefe / your late aquayntaūce / kindred / ſpouſes / cōpanions / play felowes / & frēdꝭ / & now your humble & vnacquaynted & halfe forgotē ſupplyaūtys / pore pryſoners of god y• ſely ſowlys in purgatory / here abydyng & enduryng y• greuouſe paynys & hote clēſynge fyre / y• freteth & burneth owte ye ruſtye & fylthy ſpottꝭ of our ſynne / tyll y• mercy of almighty god y• rather by your good & cherytable meanes / vowcheſaufe to delyuer vs henſe.

¶From whēſe yf ye meruayll why we more now moleſte and trouble you wyth our wrytyng then euer we were wonte byfore: yt may lyke you to wyt and vnderſtand / that hytherto / though we haue bene wyth many folke mych forgoten of neglygēce / yet hath alway good folke remembred vs / and we haue bene recommended vnto god and eaſed / holpen / and relieued / both by the pryuate prayers of good vertuouſe people / and ſpecyally by the dayly maſſes & other goſtely ſuffrages of preſtys / relygyouſe / and folke of holy churche. But now ſyth that of late there are ſprong [...] vp certayne ſedycyouſe perſones / whych not onely trauayle and labour to dyſtroy them by whome we be mych holpen / but alſo to ſowe and ſette forth ſuch a peſtylent opynyon agaynſt our ſelfe / as ones receyued and byleued among y• people / muſt nedys take frome vs the relyefe & cūforte that euer ſhuld come to vs by the cherytable almeſſe / prayour / and good wurkes of the world: ye may take yt for no wonder though we ſely ſowlys that haue longe lyen and cryed ſo farre frome you that we ſeldome brake your ſlepe / do now in thys oure great fere of our vtter loſſe for euer of your louyng remembraunce and relyefe / not yet importunatly by [...]eue you of your reſte wyth cryenge at your eares at vnſeaſonable tyme when ye wold (as we do neuer) repoſe your ſelf and take eaſe / but onely procure to be preſented vnto you thys pore boke thys humble ſupplycacyon of owrs / whyche yt may pleaſe you ꝑcell meale at your leyſure to loke ouer for all ſely ſowlys ſake: that yt may be as an holſome tryacle at your harte agaynſt the dedely poyſon of theyre peſtylent ꝑſuaſyon / that wold bryng you in that errour to wene there were no purgatory. Of all whych cruell perſones ſo procuring not y• mynyſſhement of your mercy toward vs / but the vtter ſpoyle & robbery of our hole helpe and comforte that ſhuld come from you: ye very wurſte and thereby the moſte dedely deuyſour of our paynys and heuynes (god forgeue hym) ys that dyſpytuouſe & dyſpytefull perſon / which of late vnder pretexte of pyte / made and put forth among [Page] you / a boke that he namyd the ſupplycacyon for the beggars / a booke indede nothynge leſſe intendyng / then the pyte that yt pretendeth: nothyng myndyng y• weale of eny mā / but as we ſhall hereafter ſhew you / mych harme and myſchyefe to all men / and among other great ſorow dyſcūfort and heuenyſſe vnto vs your euen cryſten and nygh kynne / your late neyghbours and pleſaunt companyōs vppon erth / and now pore pryſoners here.

¶And albe yt yt hys vnhappy boke / doth for our owne ꝑte towche vs very nere: yet we be mych more moued to geue y• world warnyng of hys venymous wrytynge / for the dere loue & cheryte that we bere to you / then for the reſpecte of our owne relyefe. For as for vs / albeyt that the gracyouſe helpe of your pryour / almeſſe dede / and other good warkis for vs / may be the meanes of relyeuyng and releaſyng of our preſēt paynis / yet ſuch ys the mercyfull goodnes of god / that though the hole world wold clene forgete vs / yet wold his mercy ſo remember vs / that after temporall punyſſhement and purgyng here he wyll not fynally forgete to take vs henſe: and wypyng all y• terys owt of our eyē / tranſlate vs at ſondry tymes as hys hygh wyſedom ſee [...]h conuenyent / in to that eternal heuenly bleſſe / to whych his holy blyſſyd blood hath bought vs. But ſurely to you worldly people lyuynge there vppon erth / not onely for this preſent tyme / but alſo for as longe as thys world ſhall endure: the wreched maker of that vngracyouſe boke (whome god giue onys the grace to repēte & amend) yf folke were ſo fonde to folowe hym / ſhulde not fayle to worke / as well myche worldely trouble to euery kynde of people / as ouer that (whych moſt loſſe were of all) to brynge many a good ſymple ſoule / for lakke of belefe of purgatory / the very ſtrayght way to hell.

¶And the caſe ſo ſtandynge / there wold we thynke no man dowte / but thoughe the man that made the boke were well knowen amonge you and in holde alſo / whereby hys heyghnouſe treaſon to god and y• world dyſcloſed & declared by vs / he myght be in parell of exquyſyte paynefull punyſſhement: yet we both myght and ought / rather to put hym in the daunger of hys awne demeanure / then for the ſparyng of hys iuſte correccyon / to ſuffer hym abuſe y• people wyth hys peſtylent wrytynge / to the ineſtymable harme of the hole worlde in goodys / body / & ſowle. And ſyth we ſo myght of reaſon / & ſo ſhuld of cheryte though the man were knowen and taken / how myche may we nowe more frankely tell you all and nothynge ſhall nede to ſpare hym / ſyth hys boke ys nameles / & ſo hym ſelf among you vnknowē and therby owte of the parell of eny punyſſhement for hys vnhappy dede?

¶But for that both ye & he ſhall well perceyue / that we deſyre but your weale and ours by gyuyng you warnynge of hys malyce / and [Page] nothyng entend to procure hys punyſſhement / whyche we rather beſeche our lord of hys mercy to remytte: ye ſhall vnderſtand that neyther ys his name nor perſone vnknowen among vs / and therfore wemight well diſcouer hym yf we were ſo mynded. For there is not onely ſome of hys acquayntaūce and counſeyll / whome god gaue at theyre deth the grace to repente / comen hyther to purgatory / nothyng more now lamentyng among vs / then theyre cruell vnkyndeneſſe toward vs / in geuyng counſeyll agaynſt vs / to the makyng of that vngracyouſe boke / wyth infydelyte and lakke of bylyefe of the pourgyng fyre whych they now fynde and fele: but he ys alſo named and boſted among vs by that euell aungell of hys / owre and your goſtely enemy the deuyll. whych as ſone as he had ſet hym a wurke wyth that pernycyouſe boke / ceaced not to come hyther and boſte yt among vs: but wyth his enmyouſe & enuoyuſe laughter gnaſſhyng the teeth and grynnynge / he tolde vs that hys peopyll had by the aduyſe and coūſayll of hym and of ſome heretyques almoſt as euill as he / made ſuche a boke for beggars / that yt ſhuld make vs begge longe are we gete aught. wherby he truſted that ſom of vs ſhuld not ſo ſone crepe owte of our payne as we had hoped.

¶Wytte ye well theſe wordes were heuy tidyngꝭ to vs. But yet bycauſe y• deuyll ys wonte to ly / we toke ſome comfort in that we could not belyue hym / ſpecyally tellynge a thynge ſo farre incredyble. For who could euer haue thought that eny cryſten man could for very pyte haue founden in hys harte to ſeke and ſtudy the meanes / whereby a cryſten man ſhuld thynke yt labour loſte to pray for all cryſtē ſowlys. But alakke the whyle we foūde ſone after / that the falſhed and malyce of the man / preued y• dyuyll trewe. For by ſome that dyed ſone after the boke put forth / we haue herde & perceyued the wreched contentys therof / well and playnely declarynge / what euyll ſpyryte inſpyred hym whyle yt was in makynge. For albe yt that yt ys ſo contryued / and the wordys ſo cowched / that by the ſecrete inwarde wurkynge of the deuyll that holpe to dyuyſe yt / a ſymple reder myght by delyte in the redyng be dedely corrupted and venemed: yet yf a wyſe man well warned / aduyſedly wyll way the ſentence / he ſhall fynde the hole boke nothyng elles / but falſhed vnder pretext of playneſſe / crueltye vnder the cloke of pyte / ſedycyon vnder the colour of counſayle / prowde arrogās vnder y• name of ſupplycacyō / & vnder y• pretēce of fauour vnto pore folke / a deuyl ſhe deſyre of noyaūce both to pore & rich / preſte / religiouſe / & ſay mā / prynce / lord / & peple / as well quycke as dede.

¶He deuyſeth a pytuouſe byll of complaynte and ſupplycacyon / fayned to be by the pore ſykke and ſore beggers put vpp to the kyng / lamentyng theryn theyre nomber ſo ſore encreaced / that good folkes [Page] almoyſe not half ſuffyſyng to fynde them mete / they be conſtraynyd heuely to dye for hunger. Then layth he y• cauſe of all theſe pore beggars / both theyr encreſe in nomber & theyr defaut in fyndyng / all this he layth to the onely faut of the clergy: namyng them in hys bederoll byſhops / abbotꝭ / pryours / deacons / archedecōs / ſuffragans / preſtꝭ / monkys / chanons / frerys / ꝑdoners / & ſōmoners. All theſe he calleth myghty ſturdy beggars & ydle holy theuys / whych he ſayth hath beggyd ſo importunatly / that they haue gotten in to theyr handys y• thyrd parte of all the realm of Englond / beſyde tythys / preuy tythys / probatys of teſtamentꝭ & offryngꝭ / wyth maſſe pens & mortuaryes / blyſſyng & curſyng / cytyng / ſuſpendyng & ſoylyng. Then cūmeth he pertyculerly to freres: to whom he maketh as he thynketh a playn & opē rekenyng / that they reſeyue by beggyng thorow ye realm yerely .xliii. thouſand .iii.Cxxxiii. pound .vi.s.viii.d. ſterlyng. Then ſhewyth he that all thys caſt to gyther / amounteth yerely farre aboue the half of the hole ſubſtaūce of the realme. After this preſuppoſyng as though he had prouyd yt that the clergy hath the half / he thē to proue the two hundred parte of that they haue were more then ſuffycyent for them: taketh for hys ground that yf the nomber of them be compared wyth the nomber of lay men / the clergy be not ye hundreth parte: & y• yf they be cōpared wyth the lay men women & children / the clergy vs not thē the foure hūdred ꝑſon of that nomber. And then entendyth he therby to proue & conclude / that ſyth they haue as he ſayth more then the half of all to gether / & be them ſelf [...] not fully the foure hundred parte: therfore if that better half that they haue were deuyded into two hūdreth partꝭ / then were yet one parte of thoſe two hundreth ꝑtys as he thynketh to mych for them / ſpecyally becauſe they labour not. After thys he gathereth a great hepe of euyls / wherwyth he belyeth the clergy / to bryng them in dyſpleaſure of the kynge and hatered of the people. And leſte men ſhuld eny thyng eſteeme the clergye for the ſuffragys of theyre pr [...]youre in relyefe of vs ſely cryſten ſowlys in purgatory / to take a way that good mynde oute of good cryſten mennys hartes / he laboreth to make the worlde wene that there were no purgatorye at all. Wherein when he hathe done what he canne / then laboureth he to the kynge for a lycence to rayle vppon the clergye: ſayeng that there ys none other effectuall remedye agaynſte theym / but that yt myght pleaſe the kynge to gyue hym and ſuche other fre lycenſe and lyberte / to dyffame the clergy at theyr pleaſure amonge the people. For he ſayth that yf any of them be punyſhed any thyng by the temporall lawes / than they ſore troble the laborers therof by the ſpyrytuall law / and then the heddys of the clergy do ſo hyghly more than recompence the loſſe of theyre felows / that they may be bolde to do the lyke offēce agayn at theyr pleaſure. And for to proue that yt ys alway ſo / [Page] he layth that yt hath bene ſo thryfe: and as yt ſhall after be ſhewed he lyeth in all thre. The furſte he layth that the byſhop of London was in a grete rage for endyghtynge of certayn curatys of extorcyon and incontynency the laſt yere in the wardmote queſtis. And for the ſecōd he laith that doctour Aleyn after that he was puniſhed by premunire for his cōtempt commytted agaynſt the kyngys temporall law / was therfore by the byſhoppys hyghly recōpēſed in benefyces. And for y• third he layth that Richard Hunne becauſe he had ſued a premunire agaynſt a preeſt for ſuyng hym in y• ſpyrytuall court in a mater determynable in the kyngys court / was accuſed of hereſy and commytted to byſhoppys pryſō: where he ſayth that all the world knowyth that he was murtheryd by doctour Horſey wyth his complyces then the byſhoppys chauncellour. And that y• ſame doctour Horſey he ſayth vppon other mennys mouthis payed .vi. hundred poūdes for hym & hys complyces: & after obteyned the kyngys moſt gracyous pardon. Wheruppō he ſayth the captayns of the ſpyrytualte becauſe he had faughten ſo manfully agaynſt the kyngꝭ crown and dygnyte / promotyd hym forth wyth benefyce vppō benefyce to the valew of .iiii. tymes as myche. And by theſe enſaumples he cōcludyth there wyll no ſuch punyſhment ſerue agaynſt the ſpyritualte: and alſo who y• iuſtly punyſh a preeſt by the temporall law / ys vniuſtly trobled agayn in y• ſpyrytuall law. Wherof he wold include that of neceſſyte for a ſpecyall remedy / the kyng muſt nedis graūt a ſicence to ſuch lewd felows to [...]ayle vppon thē. Thā cometh he at laſte vnto the deuyce of ſome remedy for the pore beggars. Wherin he wold in no wyſe haue none hoſpytals made / becauſe he ſayth that therin the profyte goeth to the preſtys. What remedy than for the pore beggars. He deuyſyth nor deſyreth nothynge to be geuen them / nor none other almoyſe or helpe requyreth for thē: but onely that y• kyngis hyghnes would furſt take frome the hole clergye all theyre hole lyuynge / and then ſette theym abrode in the worlde to gette theym wyues / and to get theyre lyuyng wyth y• labour of theyr handys and in the ſwete of theyr facys / as he ſayeth yt ys the cōmaundement of god in the furſt chapiter of Geneſis: and fynally to tay them to the car [...]es to be whyppyd naked about euery market towne tyll they fall to labour. And then yf theſe petycions were onys arauntyd and parformyd / he ſheweth many great cō modytees that wold as he ſayth enſue theruppō / both to the kynge & the people / and to the pore beggars. Which thyngys we ſhall ere we leue / in ſuch wyſe repete and ponder / that your wyſdoms may conſyder and parceiue in your ſelf / what good frute wold folow the ſpede of hys goodly ſupplycacion / whereof we haue reherſed you the hole ſome and effect.

¶Trewthe yt ys y• many thyngys wherewyth he floryſheth hys [Page] maters to make thē ſeme gay to the reders at a ſodayn ſhew / we leue out for the while / becauſe we wold ere we come therto / that ye ſhuld furſt haue the mater ſelf in ſhort ſet forthe before your eyen. And thā ſhall we peruſe hys prouys / and in ſuch wyſe conſyder euery thynge aparte / that we nothyng dout but who ſo ſhall rede hys worſhypfull wrytyng after / ſhall ſone parceyue therin / floryſhyng without frute / futtelte wythout ſubſtaūce / rethoryk wythout reaſō / bolde babelyng wythout lernyng / & wylynes wythout wyt. And fynally for y• foundacyon and ground of all hys prouys: ye ſhall fynde in hys boke not half ſo many leuys as lyes / but almoſt as many lyes as lynes.

¶And albe yt we lye here in that caſe that about thexamynacyō and anſweryng of ſuch a mad malycyouſe boke we haue neyther luſt nor leyſoure to beſtow the tyme / wherof miſpēt in our lyfe we geue now an hard and a heuy rekenynge: yet not only the neceſſyte of our cauſe dryueth vs to declare vnto you the feblenes of hys reaſons / wherewyth he wold bryng you in the caſe to care nothyng for vs / beleuyng yt there were no purgatory / but alſo moſt ſpecyally dothe our charite towarde you / ſtyrre vs to ſhew you the myſchefe that he myndeth to your ſelf / aſwell in that poynt of infidelyte / as in all the remnaunt of hys ſedicyouſe boke. In anſweryng wherof we wold gladly let hys foly and lak of lernyng paſſe / yf yt were not more thā neceſſary / that all folk ſhuld parceyue hys lyttell lernyng and leſſe wyt / leſt ſymple folk wenyng hym wyſe and well lernyd / myght vnto theyr harm eſteme hys euyll wrytyng the better for theyr wronge opynyon of hys wyt and lernyng. As for hys malycyouſe mynde and vntreuth / there can no man loke that we ſhuld leue vnto wchyd / but he that wold rather the man were beleued than anſweryd / and wold wyſh hys byll ſped were yt neuer ſo malycyouſe and falſe.

¶For where he to deuyſeth hys introduccyon / as all hys purpoſe ſhuld haue a great face of charyte / by that he ſpeketh all in the name of the pore beggars / thys ys nothyng els but the deuyls dryft / alway coueryng hys poyſon vnder ſome taſt of ſuger. As for vs we truſte there wyll no wyſe mā doute what fauour we bere to beggers as folk of theyr own felyſhyp and faculte / and of all whom / there be no where in the world nether ſo nedy nor ſo ſore / and ſo ſyk nor ſo impotent / and ſo ſore in paynes as we. And that ſo farforth that yf ye myght ſe them all on the tone ſyde / and but one of vs on the tother ſyde / we be very ſure that the world wolde pyte one of vs / more thā them all. But although we be more beggars then your beggers be / as folk dayly beggyng our almes of you and them both: yet ēuy we not them as one of them dothe a nother / but we pray and require you to gyue them for our ſakes / wherby your gyft gretly cumfortyth vs both. And they be alſo our proctours and beg in our name / and in our [Page] name receaue your money / wherof we receyue both your deuocyon and theyr prayours. So yt ye may be well aſſured / there coud be put no byll nor ſupplycacyon forth for theyr aduaūtage / whych we wold in eny wyſe hynder / but very gladly forther in all y• euer we myghte. But in good fayth as our pore brethern the beggars be for many cauſes greatly to be pytyed for theyr dyſeaſe and ſyknes / ſorow / payn & pouerte: ſo do we mych in thys caſe ſorow theyre myſhap / that they haue nott had at the leſte wyſe ſo muche fortune / as to fall vppon a wyſer ſcryuener to make theyr ſupplycacyon: but vppon ſuch a one as vnder hys great wylynes ſheweth ſo lyttell wyt / that begynnyng wyth a cloke of charyte / doth by and by no leſſe dyſcloſe hys hatered and malice / than yf be nothyng els had entēded / but to caſt of yt cloke and ſet out hys malyce naked to the ſhew. Whyrin lyke a beggars ꝓctour he goeth forth ſo nakedly / yt no begger ys there ſo bare of cloth or money / as he ſheweth hym ſelfe bare of faythe / lernynge / trouth / wyt or charite. Whych thyng as it all redy well appereth to wyſe mē: ſo wyll we make yt euydent to all men / takyng our bygynnynge at the declaracyon of hys vntrewth: whych one thyng well perceyued / w [...]ll be ſuffycyent to anſwer and ouertorne all hys hole enterpryſe. How be yt we nether ſhall nede nor do purpoſe to cūber you wyth reherſall and reprofe of all hys lyes: for that were to long a work / wherof we fere ye ſhuld be wery to abyde the heryng. But of ſo many we ſhall pray you take pacyence whyle we ſhewe you ſome / and ſuch as for the matter be requyſyte to be knowen / for as much as all hys proues be ſpecyally grounded vppon them.

¶And furſt to begyn where he begynneth / whē he ſayth that the nō ber of ſuch beggars as he pretendeth to ſpeke for / that is as hym ſelf calleth them the wretched hyduouſe monſters / on whō he ſayth ſcarcely eny eye dare loke / the foule vnhappy ſort of lepers & other ſore people / nedy / impotēt / blynde / lame and ſyh / lyuyng onely of almes: haue theyre numbere nowe ſo ſore encreaſed / that all the almoyſe of all the well dyſpoſed people of the realme ys nott halfe inowghe to ſuſtayne theym / but that for very conſtraynte they dye for hunger: vnto all thoſe wordys of hys / were yt not that though we well wyſt our ſelf he ſayd vntrew / yet wold we be lothe ſo to lay as a lye to his charge eny thyng / wherof the vntrewth were not ſo playnly parceyued / but that he myghte fynde ſome fauourers whych myghte ſay he ſayd trew: els wold we paraduēture not let to tell hym / that for a bygynnyng in theſe few wordes he had wrytten two lyes at onys. If we ſhuld tell you what nōber ther was of pore ſyk folke in days paſſed iōg before your tyme: ye were at lyberte not to beleue vs. How be yt he cānot not yet on y• tother ſyde for hys part nether / bryng you forth a bederoll of theyr namys: wherfore we muſt for bothe our ꝑtꝭ [Page] be fayn to remyt you to your owne tyme / & yet not frō your chyldhed (whereof many thynges men forget when they come to farr greater age) but vnto the days of your good remēbraunce. And ſo doyng / we ſuppoſe yf the ſory ſyghtys yt mē haue ſene / had left as gret impreſſyon ſtyll remaynyng in theyr hartys / as the ſyght maketh of the preſēt ſorow that they ſe: men ſhuld thynk & ſay yt they haue in days paſſed ſene as many ſykke beggers as they ſe now. For as for other ſyknes they rayn not god be thanked but after ſuch rate as they haue done in tymes paſſed. And thē of the frēch pokkys .xxx. yere ago went there about ſyk / fyue agaynſt one yt beggeth wyth them now. Wherof who ſo lyſt to ſay that he ſeeth it otherwyſe: we wyll hold no great dyſpycyons wyth hym theruppon / becauſe we lakke the namys of both the ſydes to make the tryall wyth. But ſurely who ſo ſhall ſay the cōtrary: ſhall as we ſuppoſe eyther ſaye ſo for his pleaſure / or els ſhall it fare by his ſight as folkis fare with theyr felyng / which what they fele they whyne at / but what they haue felt the [...] haue more then half forgotten / though they felt it ryght late. Whych maketh one that hath but a pore boyle vppon hys fynger / thynk the grefe more great / than was the payne of a great boch that greued hys hole hād lyttell more than a moneth a fore. So that in thys poynt of the nomber of ſyk beggers ſo ſore encreaſed ſo late / albeit we wyll forbere ſo to ſay to hym as we mighte well ſay: yet will we be ſo bolde to denye it hym till he bryng in ſome better thyng than hys bare word for the profe.

¶And in good faith if he be put to the profe of the tother poynt alſo / that is to wyt that for very conſtraynt thoſe pore ſyk folk dye for hū ger: we verely truſt & think he ſhall ſeke farr and fynde very few yf he fynde any at all: For albeit that pore houſeholders haue theſe d [...]e yeres made ryght hard ſhyft for corne: yet our lorde be thanked men haue not bene ſo farr from all pyte / as to ſuffer pore impotēt parſons dye at theyr doorys for hunger.

¶Now where as he ſayth that the almes of all well diſpoſed peple of thys reame is not half inough to ſuſtayn them / and the well dyſpoſed people he calleth in this matter all thē that gyueth them almoyſe / & he ſpeketh not of one yere nor twayn but of theſe many yerys now paſſed / for neyther be the nomber of the clergy nor theyr poſſeſſyons nor the freres almes in whych thyngꝭ he layeth the cauſe why the almes of good people ys not half ſuffycyent to kepe & ſuſtayn the pore and ſyk beggers fro famyſhyng / any great thynge encreaſed in theſe x. or .xii. or .xx. yeres laſt paſſed / & therfore yf that he ſayd were trew: then by all theſe .x. yeres at the leſt / the almoyſe of good people hath not bene half able to ſuſteyn the pore & ſyk beggers frō famyſhynge. And ſurely yf that were ſo that in .iiii. or .v. yerys in which was plenty of corne / the pore & ſyk beggars for lak of mennys almes died ſo faſt [Page] for hūger: thogh many ſhuld fall ſik neuer ſo faſt again / yet had they in y• laſte .ii. dere yerys dyed vp of lyklyhod almoſt euerychone. And whether thys be trew or not we purpoſe not to dyſpute: but to referr and report our ſelf to euery mānys eyen and eares / whether any mā here of ſo many dede / or ſe ſo many the fewer.

¶When he hath layd theſe ſure ſtonys to begyn the ground & foundacyon of hys byldyng wyth / that ſore and ſyk beggars be ſo ſore encreaſyd / that the almeſſe of all the good people of thys realme is not half inough to ſuſtayn thē / and that therfore by very conſtraynt they dayly dye for hunger: vppon them he layeth a nother ſtone / that the cauſe of all thys euyll is the great poſſeſſyōs of the ſpyrtualte / and the great almys gyuen to the frerys. But herein furſt he layth that beſydys tythes and all ſuch other profettꝭ as ryſe vnto the chyrh by reaſon of the ſpyrytuall law or of mennys deuocyon / that they haue the thyrd parte of all the temporall landes of the realme. Whych who ſo can tell as much of the reuenews of the realme as he can tell lytell that made the booke / doth well know that though they haue mych: yet is the thyrd part of all farre an other thing / & y• he ſayth in thys poynt vn [...]r [...]w. Than goeth he to the pore frerys. And there as we told you he ſhewyth that y• almes geuen them / of certeynte amounteth yerely vnto .x.iii. thouſand .CCC.xxxiii.li. vis .s.viii.d. ſterlyng: paraduenture men wold wene the man were ſome apoſtata / and that he neuer coud be ſo pryuy to the frerys reconyng / but if he had bene long their lymytour / and ſene ſome generall vyew of all theyr hole accountys. But ſurely ſyth the man is bad inough beſyde / we wold be loth folk ſhuld rekē hym for apoſtata / for ſurely he was neuer frere for aught tha. we know / for we neuer wyſt that euer in hys lyfe he was half ſo well dyſpoſed. And alſo when ye here the groūd of hys reconyng: ye well your ſelf thynk that he nether knoweth mych of theyr maters / & of all the realme beſyde make as though he knew many thyngys for trew / which many men know for fals. ¶For furſt he putteth for the groūde of hys rekenyng that there are in the realme / twoo and fyfty thouſāde paryſh churches / whych ys one playne lye to begynne with Then he putteth yt euery paryſhe one wyth a nother / hath ten howſe holdes in yt: meanynge beſyde ſuche pore howſes as rather aſke almes thē gyue / for of ſuch ye wot well y• frerys get no quarterag. & y• poynte albe yt the grounde be not ſure / yet bycauſe yt may to many men ſeme lykely / therfore we lette yt paſſe. But then he ſheweth ferther for a ſure trouth a thynge that all men knowe ſurely for a great lye: that ys to ſay that of euery howſholde in euery paryſhe / euery of y• fyue ordres of freres hath euery quarter a peny: for we knowe full well & ſo do many of you to / fyrſt yt the comen people ſpeke but of .iiii. ordres / the whyte / the blakke / the auſtayne / and the grey / and whych [Page] ys the fyft in many partes of the realme fewe folke can tell you. For yf the queſtyone were aſked abowte / there wolde be peraduenture founden many mo the more pyte it is / that coulde name you the grene freris then the crowched. ye know ryght well alſo that in many a paryſhe in england / of fourty howſeholders ye ſhall not fynde fowre pay neyther .v. pēſe a quarter nor .iiii. nother / and many a paryſſhe neuer a peny. And as for the .v.d. quarterly / we dare boldely ſay that ye ſhall fynde yt payed in very fewe paryſhes thorow the realme / yf ye fynde yt payed in any. And yet this thynge beynge ſuche a ſtarke lye as many men all redy knoweth / & euery man ſhortely may fynde it / he putteth as a playne well knowen trouth for a ſpecyall poſte to bere vpp his rekenynge. For vppon theſe growndes now maketh he a clere rekenynge in this maner enſuynge / whyche is good alſo to be known for folke that wyll lern to caſt acōpt. Ther be .lii.M. ꝑyſhes and in eche of them .x. howſholdes So haue ye the hole ſome of the howſholdes .v. hondred thowſand and twenty thowſande. Euen iuſt Go nowe to the money then. Euery order of the .v. orders of freres hathe of euery of theſe howſholdes a peny a quarter Sūma for euery howſe amonge all the .v. orders euery quarter .v. d. & here by may ye lerne that fyue tymes one maketh .v. Nowe this is he ſheweth you amonge the .v. orders of euery howſe for the hole yere .xx.d. and ſo lerne ye there that .iiii. tymes fyue maketh .xx. Sūma ſayth he .v. hondreth thowſande and .xx. thouſande quarters of angelles. Here we woulde not that bycauſe the realme hath no coyne called the quarter aungell / ye ſhulde therfore ſo farre myſtake the man as to wene that he ment ſo many quarter ſackes of aungels. For in dede (as we take hym) by the namynge and comptyng of ſo many quarters of aū gels / he meneth nothynge elles but to teche you a poynt of rekenyng and to make you perceyue and knowe / that .xx.d. is the fourth parte of .vi.s.viii.d. For after that ra [...]e it ſemeth that he valueth the aūgell noble. Then goeth he forthe with his rekenyng & ſheweth you that fyue hundred thowſand and .xx. thowſand quarters of aungels / maketh .ii. hundred thre ſcore thowſand halfe aungellys. And by thys ſo ye may perceyue clerely / that he ment not quarter ſackes of aungels for then they woulde haue holden ye wote well many moo pecys of fourty pence / then fourty tymes thys hole ſome commeth to. Then he ſheweth you ferther that .CC.lx. thowſand halfe aungellys / amounte iuſt vnto .C.xxx. thowſand aūgels. wheryn euery man may lerne that the halfe of .lx. ys .xxx. and that the half of twayne ys one. Fynally then he caſteth yt all to gyther and bryngeth yt in to poūdes Sūma totalis .xliii. thowſand poūdꝭ .iii. hūdred & .xxxiii.li.vi.s.viii.d But here to contynewe the playneſſe of hys rekenynge / he forgote to tell you yt .iii. nobles make .xx.s. & that .xx.s. make a poūd But who [Page] can now dowte of thys rekenynge whan yt cometh ſo rounde / that of ſo great a ſōme he leueth not out y• ode noble But now ſyth all thys rek [...]nynge ys grounded vppon two falſe groundes / one vppon .lii. thowſande paryſhe churches: the other that euery of the fyue orders hath euery quarter of euery howſhold a peny: thys rekenyng of .xliii. thowſād CCC.xxx.ii.li.vi.s.viii.d. ſemeth to cōe mych lyke to pas as yf he wold make a rekening wyth you y• euery aſſe hath .viii. eares And for to proue yt wyth / bere you furſt in hande that euery aſſe hath fowre heddes / and then make ſumma .iiii. heddes. Thene myght he boldely tell you ferther / that euery aſſe hed hathe two eares / for that ys comenly trew excepte any be cutte of. Sūma then .ii. eares and ſo ſumma totalis eyght eares. At thys accompte of eyght eares of one a [...]e ye make a lyppe and thynke yt ſo madde that no man wold make no ſuche. Surely yt were a madde compt yn dede / and yet as mad as yt were / yt were not ſo madde by halfe as ys hys ſadde and ereneſte compt that he maketh you now ſo ſolempnely of the frerys quarterage. For thys ſhu [...]d he groūd but vpon one lye / where he grounddih y• tother vpon twayne as open lyes as thys & as greate. Now myght we and we wold) ſay that all hys rekenynge were naught / bycauſe he rekeneh .xx.d. for the quarter of the aungell / and all the remenaūt of hys rekenyng foloweth forth vpon the ſame rate. But we wolde be lothe to put hym in the fawlte that he deſerue not. For ſurely yt myght he that he was not ware of the new valuacyon: for he ranne awaye byfore the valuacyon chaūged? But now vpon thys greate ſome of .xliii. thuſād .CCC.xxxiii.li.vi.s.viii.d. vpon theſe good ground [...] heped vp to gether he bryngeth in hys ragmānes roll of his rude r [...]tory [...]u [...] agaynſt the pore freres / begynnyng wyth ſuch a gret exclamacyon that we herde hym hyther / & ſodaynly were all afrayed whē we herd hi cry out ſo loude / Oh greuous & paynfull exaccyōs: thus yerely to be payed / frome the whyche the people of your noble ꝓgenytours auncyent Brytons euer ſtode fre. And ſo goeth he forth agaynſt the pore freres wyth Danes / and Saxons / and noble kyng A [...]ure / and Lucius the emperoure / the Romaynes / the Grekys / & the greate Turke / ſhewynge that all theſe had ben vtterly marred & neuer had ben able to do nothynge yn the warre / yf theyr people had gyuen theyre almoyſe to freres.

¶After hys raylyng re [...]oryque ended agaynſt the freres / then thys ſome of .xliii. thowſād .CCC.xxxiii.li.vi.s.viii.d. he addeth vnto all y• tother that he ſayd byfore that all the clergye hath beſyde whych he ſūmeth not but ſayth that thys and that to gyther amounte vnto more bytwene theym then halfe of the hole ſubſtaunce of the realme. And thys he affirmeth as boldylylas though he could reken the hole reuenews and ſubſtaunce of all england / as redely as make the rekenyng [Page] of thys beggers purſe.

¶Then ſheweth he that thys better halfe of the hole ſubſtaunce ys ſhyfted amonge fewer then the fowre hundred parte of the people. Whyche he proueth by that he ſayth that all the clergye compared vnto the remannaunte of the men onely / be not the hundreth ꝑſone. And yf they be compared vnto the remanaunte of men / women / and chyldren / ſo are they not he ſaeth the fowre hundreth perſon. But nowe ſome folke that haue not very longe ago vppon greatoccaſyons taken the rekenynge of preſtꝭ and relygyous places yn euery diociſe / & on the other ſyde the rekenynge and the nomber of the temporall men yn euery coūtye: know well y• thys mannes madde rekenynge goeth very farr wyde / and ſemeth that he hath herd theſe wyſe rekenyngis a [...] ſome congregacyon of beggers. And yet as thoughe bycauſe he hath ſayd yt he had therfore proued yt / he rūneth forth in his raylyng rei [...]ryque agaynſt the hole clergye / and that yn ſuche a ſorte and faſſyon that very harde yt were to dyſcerne whyther yt be more falſe or more folyſhe. For fyrſte all the fawtes that any lewde preeſt or frere doth / all that layeth he to the hole clergye / as well and as wyſely as though he wold lay the fawtes of ſome lewde lay people to yt defaut and blame of all the hole temporaltye. But thys way lyketh hym ſo well that thus layeng to the hole clergye y• fawtes of ſuche as be ſimple & fawty theryn / and yet not onely layeng to theyr charge yt breche of chaſtyte & abuſe in fleſhely lyuyng of ſuche as be nought / but alſo madly lyke a fonde felow layeng mych more to theyr charge & myche more erneſtly reprouynge y• good & honeſt lyuynge of thoſe yt be good whome he rebukethe and aborreth bycauſe they kepe theyr vewes & perſeuer yn chaſtyte (for he ſayeth that they be the marrars and dyſſtroyers of the realme / bryngeng the lād yn to wylderneſſe for lacke of generacyon by theyr abſtaynynge from weddyng) then aggreuyth he hys great crymes wyth heynouſe wordys / gay repetycyons / & greuous exclamacyōs / callyng them blood ſuppers & dronken in y• blood of holy marters & ſayntes / whyche he meanyth for the condemnynge of holy heretykes. Gredy goſophers he calleth them and ynſacyable whyrlpoolys / becauſe the temporalte hath gyuen theym poſſeſſyōs / & gyue to the freres theyr almoyſe. And all vertuouſe good preeſtys & relygyous folke he calleth ydle holy theues / becauſe they ſpēd theyr tyme yn prechynge and prayour. And than ſayth he / theſe be they that make ſo many ſyk & ſore beggers. Theſe be they that make theſe horys & baudys. Theſe be they that make theſe theuys. Theſe be they that make ſo many ydle parſons: Theſe be they that corrupte y• generacyons. And theſe be they that wyth the abſtaynyng from weddyng hynder ſo the generacyon of the people / y• the realme ſhall at lenght fall yn wyldernes but yf they wed y• ſoner. And now vpō theſe hygh [Page] nous crymes layed vnto the hole clergye / & layd as euery wyſe man ſeeth ſome very falſely and ſome very folyſhly: after hys goodly repetycyons be falleth to hys great and greuous exclamacyons / cryēg out vppon the great brode botomleſſe occean ſee of yuels / and vppō the greuouſe ſhypwrak of the comen welth / the tranſlatynge of the kyngys kyngdōe / and the ruyne of the kynges crown. And therwyth rollynge in hys retoryke from fygure to fygure / he falleth to a vehement inuocacyon of the kynge / & gyueth hym warnyng of hys greate loſſe / aſkynge hym feruently: where ys / your ſword / power / crown / and dygnyte bycome [...] as though the kynges grace had clene loſte hys realme ſpecyally for lacke of people to reygne vppon / bycauſe that preſtes haue no wyuys. And ſurely the man cannot fayle of ſuche eloquence: for he hath gathered theſe goodly flowres out of Luthers gardyne almoſt worde for worde wythout any more laboure but onely the tranſlacynge owte of the latyn into the englyſhe tonge.

¶But to enflame the kyngys hyghnes againſt the church / he ſayth that the clergye laboureth nothyng elles / but to make the kynges ſubg [...]es fall in to dyſobedyence and rebellyon agaynſt hys grace.

¶Thys tale ys a very lykely thynge / as though the clergye knew not that there ys nothyng erthly yt ſo moche kepeth them ſelf in quyet reſt and ſuertye / as doth the dew obedyence of the people to the vertuouſe mynde of the prynce. Whoſe hygh goodneſſe muſt nedes haue myche more dyffycultye to defende the clargye and kepe the churche in peace / yf y• people fell to dyſobedyence & rebellyon agaynſte theyr prynce. And therfore euery chyld may ſe that the clergye woulde neuer be ſo madde as to be glad to brynge the people to dyſobedyence & rebellyon agaynſt the prynce / by whoſe goodnes they be preſerued in peace / and were in ſuche rebellyō of the people lykely to be the fyrſt that ſhold fall in parell. But neyther ys there deſyred by the clergye nor neuer ſhall by goddes grace happen / any ſuch rebellyon as y• beggars ꝓctoure & hys felowes what ſo euer they ſay lōg full ſore to ſe.

¶But thys man agaynſt y• clergye fetcheth forth old farne yeres & [...]neth vp to kyng Ihāns days / ſpēdyng mych labour about y• prayſe & cōmendacyō of yt good gracyous kyng & cryeng out vppō y• pope yt then was and the clergye of England / and all the lordys and all y• comēs of the realme / becauſe kynge Ihān as he ſayth made y• realm trybu [...]ary to the pope / wherin he meaneth peraduēture the peter pēſe But ſurely therin ys all hys hote accuſacyon a very colde tale when y• trouth ys knowen. For ſo ys yt in dede yt albe yt there be wrytars y• ſay y• peter pē [...]e were graunted by kyng Ihān for the releaſe of the incerdyccyō: yet were they payed in dede ere euer kyng Ihāns grete graūdfather was borne / & therof ys there profe ynough. Now yf he ſay as in dede ſome wryters ſay / that kynge Ihān made Englāde & [Page] Irland trybutary to the pope & the ſee apoſtolyque by the graunt of a thowſand markys: we dare ſurely ſay agayn that yt ys vntrew / & that all Rome neyther cā ſhew ſuche a graunt nor neuer could / and if they could yt were right nought worth. For neuer coulde eny kyng of England geue away the realm to y• pope / or make the lāde tributary though he wolde / nor no ſuch money ys there payed nor neuer was And as for the peter penſe if he meane thē / neyther was ye realme trybutary by thē / nor king Ihān neuer graūted thē. For they were payed before the cōqueſt to the apoſtolyk ſee toward the mayntenaūce therof but onely by way of gratytude & almes. Now as for the archbyſſhop Stephen / whom he ſayth beyng a traytour to the kynge / ye pope made archebyſhop of Canturbury agaynſt ye kyngys wyll / therin be there as we ſuppoſe .ii. lyes at onys. For neyther was yt Stephē euer traytour agaynſt the kyng as farre as euer we haue herd / nor ye pope none otherwyſe made hym archebyſhop thē he made all other at that tyme: but y• ſame Stephē was well & canonycally choſē archebyſhop of Cāturbury by y• couēt of y• mōkis at Criſtꝭ church in Cāturbury to whō as y• kyng well knew & denyed yt not / y• eleccyō of ye archebyſſhop at y• time belōged. Nor ye kyng reſyſtyd not hys eleccyō bycauſe of any treaſō yt was layd agaynſt hym: but was diſcōtētyd therwith / & after yt his eleccyō was paſſyd & cōfirmed by ye pope: he wold not of long ſeaſō ſuffer hym to enioy y• byſhoprich / becauſe hym ſelfe had recōmēdyd another vnto y• mōkys / whō they reiectyd & preferryd Stephē. And that thys ys as we tell you / & not as the beggars prec [...]our wryteth for a falſe foūdacyō of hys raylyng: ye ſhall mow parceyue not onely by dyuers cronycles / but alſo by dyuers monumētis yet remaynynge as well of the eleccyon and cōfyrmacyō of the ſayd arche byſhop / as of the long ſute and proces that after folowed theruppō.

¶Nowe ſheweth he hym ſelfe very wrothe wyth the ſpyrytuall iuryſdyccyon / whyche he wolde in any wyſe were clene taken awaye / ſaynge that yt muſte nedys dyſtroy the iuryſdyccyon temporall: where as the good prynces paſſed haue graunted / and y• nobles in theyre tymes / and the people to / haue by playne parleamentes confermed them / and yet hytherto bleſſed be god they agre better to gyther / then to fall at varyaunce for the wylde wordes of ſuche a malycyouſe make bate: whyche for to brynge the ſpyrytualtye in to hatered / ſayth that they call theyr iuryſdyccyon a kyngdome. In whyche word he may ſay his pleaſure / but of trewth he ſeldom ſeeth eny ſpyrytuall man at thys daye that ſo calleth eny ſpyrytuall iuryſdyccyō yt he vſeth.

¶Nowe where thys man vſeth as a profe therof / that y• ſpyrytualte nameth theym ſelfe alwaye byfore the temporaltye: thys maner of namyng cometh not of them / but of the good mynde and deuocyon [Page] of the temporaltye: ſo farre forthe that at the parlyament when that eny ac [...]es be conceyued / the wordes be comenly ſo cowched / that the byll ſayth it ys enacted fyrſte by our ſouerayne lorde y• kyng and by y• lordes ſpyrytuall & temporall & the comens in that preſent parlyamēt aſſembled. And theſe byllys be often drawen put forth & paſſed fyrſte in the comen howſe / where there ys not one ſpyrytuall man preſent.

¶But ſuche trewth as the man vſeth in thys poynte / ſuche vſeth he where he calleth the pore freres almoyſe an axaccyon: ſurmyſynge that yt ys exacted by force and the people compelled to pay yt / where euery man well wotteth that they haue pore men no way to compelle no man to gyue thē aught not though they ſhulde dy for defawt. But thys good honeſt true man ſayth that who ſo wyll not pay the freres theyre quarterage they wyll make hym be taken as an heretyque.

We be wyll contente that ye take thys for no lye / as manye as euer haue knowen yt trew. But who herd euer yet that eny man taken for an here [...]yque / dyd ſo myche as ones ſaye that he thought yt conuayd by the malyce of any frere for refuſyng to paye y• freres quarterage. Thys lye lo ys a lytle to lowde / for eny man that were not waxen ſhameles.

¶Lyke treuth ys there in thys that he ſayeth / yf any man trouble a preeſte for any tēporall ſuyte: the clergye forth wyth wyll make hym an heretyque and burne hym / but yf he be cōtent to bere a fagotte for theyre pleaſure. The falſehed of thys can not be vnknowen. For mē know well in many a ſhyre how often that many folk endyght preſtꝭ of rape at the ſeſſynos. And as there ys ſomtyme a rape committed in dede / ſo ys there euer a rape ſurmyſed were the women neuer ſo wyllynge / and oftentyme where there was nothynge done at all.

And yet of eny ſuche that ſo procured preeſtes to be indyghted: howe many haue men herd taken and accuſed for heretyques? ye ſe not very many ſeſſyōs paſſe / but in one ſhyre or other thys page an [...] ys playd / where as thorow the realme ſuch as be put to penaunce for hereſy / be not ſo many in many yeres as there be preſtys endyghtyd in few yerys. And yet of all ſuch ſo taken for hereſye / he ſhall not fynde foure this four ſcore yere / peraduenture not thys four hūdreth yere / that euer precended them ſelfe ſo troubled for endyghtyng of a preſte. So that hys lye ys herein to large to get eny cloke to couer yt

¶Nowe where he ſaith that the captayns of doctours Aleyns kyngdome / haue hepyd hym vp benefyce vppon benefyce / & haue rewardyd hym .x. tymes as mych as the .v.C. poundis whych he payd for a fyne by the premunire / and that thus hath the ſpyrytualtye rewarded [...]ym becauſe he fought ſo māfully agaynſt the kyngys crowne & hys dygnyte: all that know the matter do well parceyue that the man doth in hys mater as he doth in other / eyther lyeth for hys pleaſure / or els [Page] lyttell wotteth how that the matter ſtode. For it ys well knowen that doctour Aleyn was in the premunire purſued only by ſpyrytuall mē and had moch leſſe fauour & myche more rygour ſhewed hym therin by the greateſt of the clergy / then by any temporall men.

¶He ſayth alſo to the kynges hyghnes / your grace may ſe what a worke there ys in London / how the byſhop rageth for endyghtyng of certayne curates of extorcyon and incontynencye the laſte yere in the warmoll queſt / wolde not vppon theſe wordes euery ſtraunger wene that there had bene in Londō many curates endyghted of extorcyō and rape / and that the byſhop wold labour ſore to defend theyr fautꝭ and that there wer aboute yt matter a greate cōmocyon in all the cyte? How ſhameles ys he that can tell thys tale in wrytynge to y• kyng [...] hyghnes for a trouth / wherof neyther byſhop / nor curate / nor mayre / nor alderman / nor eny man ellys / euer hard word ſpoken? Hyt were harde to ſay whether we ſhulde take yt for wylynes or lacke of wytt y• he ſayth all thys worke was in the cyte the laſt yere: & then hys boke neyther was put vp to the kynge / nor bereth eny date. So y• a man wold wene he were a fole that ſo wryteth of the laſt yere / y• the reder cānot wyt whych yere yt was. But yet wene we he doth yt for a wylynes. For ſyth he knoweth hys tale falſe: yt ys wyſdome to leue the tyme vnknowen / that hys lye may be vncontrolled. For he wold that men ſhulde wene alwaye that yt was in one yere or other.

¶But fynally for a ſpecyall poynt he bryngeth in Rychard Hūne and ſayth yt yf he had not commencyd an accyō of premunire agaynſt a preſte / he had bene yet alyue and none heretyke at all. Now ys yt of trewthe well knowen / that he was detectyd of hereſye before the premunyre ſued or thought vppon.

And he began that ſuyte to helpe to ſtop the tother wythall / as in dede yt dyd for the whyle. For all be yt that he that was ſued in the premunire was nothynge bylongynge to the byſhop of London byfore whome Rycharde Hunne was detectyd of heryſy: yet left ſuche as wolde be glad ſynyſterly to myſſeconſter euery thynge towarde the clergye / myght haue occaſyon to ſay that the matter were hotely handeled agaynſt hym to force hym to forbere his ſuyt of the premunire / the byſſhop therefore dyd the more forbere / tyll yt appered clerely to the temporall iudges and all that were eny thyng lerned in the tēporall law / that hys ſuyte of the premunire was nothynge worthe in the kynges lawe / for as moche as by playne ſtatute the matter was owt of queſtyon that the ple to be holden vpon mortuaryes / belonge vnto the ſpyrytuall courte. After whyche thynge well aperynge / the matter wente forth afore the byſhop / & he there well proued nought / and hys bokes after brought forth / ſuche and ſo noted wyth hys own hande in the margentes / as euery wyſe man well ſaw what he was / [Page] and was full ſore to ſe that he was ſuche as they theyre ſawe hym preued.

¶Now goeth he ferther and aſketh the kynge / dyd not doctor Horſay and hys complyces mooſt heynouſly as all the worlde kneweth / murder in pryſon that honeſt marchaūt Rychard Hunne / for that he ſuede your wrytt of premunire agaynſt a preſt that wrongfully held hym in ple in a ſpyrytuall courte / for a mater wherof the knowlege bylonged vnto your hyghe courtes? And what punyſment hathe he for yt [...] After that he had payed as yt ys ſayd .vi. hundreth poundꝭ for hym and hys complyces / as ſone as he had obtayned your mooſt gracyouſe pardon: he was immedyatly promoted by y• captaynes of hys kyngdome wyth benefyce vpon benefyce to the value of .iiii. tymes as myche. Who ys he of theyr kyngdome that wyll not rather take corage to commyt lyke offenſe / ſeyng the promocyons that fell to ſuche men for theyr ſo offendyng / ſo weke & blunt ys your ſwerd to ſtryke a [...] one of the offenders of thys croked and paruerſe generacyon.

We haue here ſumwhat cōbred you wyth a pece of hys awn wordꝭ / bycauſe ye ſhuld haue a ſhew of hys vehemēt eloquēce: wyth whych the bolde beagers proctours ſo arrogantly preſumethe in hys byll to aſ [...] the kynge a queſtyon / and to bynde hys hyghnes to anſwere as hys mayſterſhyp appoyntted hym. For yf hys grace ſay nay: then he telleth hym byfore / that all the worlde woteth yes. But ſurely yf he call all the world all that euer god made: then ys there .iii. partes that knoweth the contrary. For we dare be bolde to wa [...]aunt you / that in heuen / hell / and here among vs in purgatory / of all that thys man ſo boldely affermeth / the contrary ys well and clerely knowen. And yf be call y• world but onely men among you ther lyuyng vppon mydle yerth: yet ſo ſhall be peraduenture fynde in ſome parte of the worlde yf he ſeke yt well / mo than .iiii. or .v. good honeſt men that neuer hard ſpeke of the mater. And of ſuche as haue hard of the mater & knowen yt well [...]he ſhall fynde mow and ſpecyally we thynk the kyngꝭ grace hym ſelf / whoſe hyghnes he ys ſo homly to aſke the queſtyon and appoynt hym hys anſwer hym ſelfe that of all fyue thynges whych he hathe here in ſo fewe lynes affyrmed / there ys not one trew but lyes euery one. For fyrſt to begyn where he leueth / when he ſayth that the clergy haue ſyns the deth of Rychard Hūne / ꝓmoted doctor Horſay wyth benefyce vpō bene fyce .iiii. tymes as mych as .vi.C. poūdꝭ he playn vntreuth of thys poynt may euery man ſone know yt wyll ſone enquyre. For he lyueth yet at exeſter / and theyr lyueth vpō ſuche as he had before / wythout that new hepe of benefyce gyuen hym by ye captaynes of hys kyngdō for kyllyng of Rychard Hūne / or thank ether ſaue onely of god for hys lōg pacyence in hys vndeſerued trouble. But to thēd yt ye may ſe how lyttell thys man forceth how lowd [Page] he lye: conſyder y• he ſayth that the clergye gaue vnto doctor Horſay after he cam out of pryſon benefyce vppon benefyce to the valew of .iiii. tymes as much as .vi.C. poundꝭ. Now yf thys be trew / thē hath doccoure Horſay had in benefyces beſydes all ſuch as he had before hys troble / the valew of .ii. thouſand .iiii.C. pounde. we truſte that the man hys ſubſtaunce and hys lyuelod ys ſo well known / that we nede not to tell that the beggers proctor in thys poynt hath made one lowd lye. A nother ys that he ſayth that Hunne was kept in ple in the ſpyrytuall law for a matter determynable in the kyngꝭ court: for the mater was for a mortuary / whych by playn ſtatute ys declared to playne to the ſpyrytuall law. The thyrd ys that Hunne was honeſt / except hereſy be honeſte. The fourth ys that doctour Horſey and hys complyces murdred hym in pryſon: for therof ys y• cōtrary well knowen / and that the man hanged hym ſelfe for dyſpayre / dyſpyte / and for ſak of grace. we myght an we wold lay for the fyft / the payment whych he ſpeketh of the .vi.C. poundes / wyth whyche money he wolde men ſhuld wene that he bought hys pardon. wherin he layeth a good great ſome / to thend that folk well wyttyng that doctour Horſay was not lyke to haue ſo mych money of hys awn / ſhuld wene therwyth that y• clergye layed out the money among them / & thē gaue hym benefyces wherof he myght pay them ageyn. But thys layth he frō hym ſelf / and ſhewyth not to whom / for he ſayth yt ys ſayd ſo. And yet were yt no wrong that yt were accounted hys owne / tyll he put yt better from hym / and proue of whome he herde yt. How be yt ſyth there ys other ſtore ynough: we ſhall leue thys lye in queſtyō betwene hym and we wote nere whom ellys / and we ſhall for the fyfte laye you that lye y• he layeth forth hym ſelfe / that ys to wytte / where he ſayeth that the chaunceller purchaſed the kynges mooſte gracyouſe pardon for the murderyng of Hūne. For thys ys the trouhe that he neuer ſued eny pardon therfore. But after that the matter had ben by longe tyme & great dylygence ſo ferre forth examyned / that the kyngꝭ hyghnes at length (as tyme alwaye tryeth owte the trouth [...] well perceyuyd hys innocency & theyrs alſo that were accuſed and endyghted with hym [...] hys noble grace when they were arraygned vppon that endyghment and therto pleded that they were not gyltye / commaunded hys attornay generall to confeſſe theyr ple to be true / whyche is the thyng that hys hyghnes as a mooſt vertuouſe prynce vſeth for to do / when the mater ys not onely iuſte / but alſo knowen for iuſt vppon the parte of the partye defendaunte. Bycauſe that lyke as where the mater appereth dowtefull he doth as reaſon ys / ſuffer yt to go forth and [...] y• trouth be tryed / ſo where he ſeeth and perceyueth the ryght to be on y• other ſyde / hys hyghnes wyll in no wyſe haue the wrōg ſette forth or mayntayned in hys name. Now when yt was then thus in dede / that [Page] neyther the chaunceller nor eny man elles euer ſuede eny charter of pardon for y• mater: thys ys then y• fyftlye that thys man hath made in ſo few lynes. Whych thyngꝭ who ſo well cōſyder / can not but meruayle of the ſore pyththy poynt where wyth he knytteth vppe all hys heuy matter / ſaynge to the kyng: who ys there of theyr kyngdome y• wyll not take corage to commyt lyke offence ſeynge the promocyons that fall to ſuche menne for theyre offendyng: ſo weke and ſo blunte ys your ſworde to ſiryke at one of the offenders of thys croked and peruerſe generacyon. Loo how thys greate zelator of the commen welthe cryeth owte vppon the kynge / that hys ſword ys not ſtronge a ſharpe to ſtryke of innocencys heddis. He hath of lykelyhed ranſaked vppe all dame retoryques rolles to fynd owte thys goodly fygure / to call vppon the kynge and aſke hys hyghnes where ys youre ſwerde / and tell hym hys ſwerde ys to dull: as though he wolde byd hym bere yt to the cutlers to grynde / that he myghte ſtryke of doctor Horſayes hed whome hys grace had founde fawteleſſe / and teſtyfyed hym hym ſelfe for an innocence. If thys man were here matched wyth ſome ſuche as he ys hym ſelfe / that hathe the eloquence that he hath that coulde fynde out ſuche comely fygures of retoryque as he fyndeth ſette forthe and furnyſhed wyth ſuche vehement wordes as he thundreth owte lyke thunder blaſtys / that hathe no leſſe maters in hys mouth than the greate brode botomleſſe occean ſee full of euyls / the wekenes and dulnes of the kynges ſwerde / the tranſlacyon of y• kyngys kyngdome / the ruyne of the kynges crowne / wyth greate exclamacyons / Oh greuouſe and paynfull exaccyons / oh cauſe moſt horryble oh greuouſe ſhyp wracke of the comen welth: what myght one that had ſuche lyke eloquence ſaye here to hym? ſurely ſo myche and in ſuche wyſe as we ſely poore pewlyng ſowles neyther can deuyſe nor vtter. But verely two or thre thynges we ſe and maye well ſaye that neyther be theſe greate maters mete for the mouthe of the beggers proctour / nor ſuche prechyng of reformacyon and amēdemēt of the world mete maters for hym to medle wyth / whych wyth open hereſyes and playne peſtylent errors / beſely goeth aboute to poyſon and infecte the worlde: nor very conuenyent for hym to take vppon hym to gyue counſayle to a kynge / when he ſheweth hym ſelf to haue ſo moche preſumpcyon and ſo lytell wytt / as to aſke the kyng a queſtyon and appoynte hym hys anſwer: and therin to tell hym that all y• worlde knoweth that thynge to be trew / whych the kynge hathe hym ſelfe all redy by hys atturney and hys iudges in open iugement / and in hys hygh courte of recorde teſtefyed & confeſſed for falſe. If that man were not for malyce as mad not as marche hare / but as a madde dogge that rūneth forth and ſnatcheth he ſeeth not at whome: the felowe could neuer elles wyth ſuche open foly ſo ſodenly ouer ſe hym [Page] ſelfe. But yt were wrong wyth the worlde yf malyce had as myche wytte / cyrcumſpeccyon and prouydence in the purſute of an vngracyouſe purpoſe / as yt hath haſt / yuell wyll and wylyneſſe in the fyrſt in terpryſynge. For as an ape hath ſome ſymylytude of a man / and as a fox hath a certayne wylyneſſe ſomewhat reſemblyng an vnperfayte wytte: ſo fareth thys felowe / that begynneth as one wolde wene at good zeale and cheryte borne towarde the poore beggers. But forthe wyth he ſheweth hym ſelfe that he nothyng ellys entendeth: but opē ly to dyſtroy the clergye fyrſt / & after that couertly as many as haue aught aboue the ſtate of beggers. And where as he wold in y• begynnynge by y• towchyng of great maters / fayne ſeme very wyſe: wyth in a whyle in the progreſſe he proueth hym ſelf a very ſtark fole. And where he wolde ſeme to ſhewe many notable thynges whych no man had marked but he / he prouydeth wyſely that no mā may beleue hym he maketh ſo many lyes / and all that euer he dothe ferther / he buyldeth vppon the ſame.

¶He layeth that the lyuynge whych the clergye hathe ys the onely cauſe that there be ſo many beggers that be ſyk and ſore. Very well and wyſely / as though the clergye by theyre ſubſtaunce made men blynde and lame. The clergye alſo ys the cauſe he ſayth why they dye for hunger / as thoughe euery lay man gaue to beggers all that euer he coulde / and the clergye gyue them neuer a grote: & as though there wolde not mo beggers walke a brode yf the clergye lefte of ſuche lay men as they fynde.

¶But he proueth you that the clergy muſt nedys be the cauſe why there be ſo many poore men and beggers. For he ſayth that before the clergy came in theyr were but few pore people: and yet they beggyd not neyther / but men he ſayth gaue them ynough vnaſked. But now where ſa [...]he whē he ſaw the people gyue pore folke ſo faſt theyr allmes vnaſked y• no man neded to beg before the clergy began. Thys man of lyklyhod ys of grete age / & or ere y• clergy began was wonte to ſyt at ſaynt Sauours wyth a ſore leg: but he beggyd not mē gaue hym ſo mych vnaſked. For where as he alledgyth the byble for hym in the actes of the appoſtles / verely we meruayll mych what the mā meneth. For there he may ſe that the apoſtels and the deacons whych were then the clergy / had all to gyther in there own handys / & dyſtrybuted to euery man as them ſelf thought good. And therfore we wonder what he meaneth to ſpeke of that boke. For we thynke that he meneth not to hurt the clergy ſo now / as to put all in to theyr handꝭ. And ſurely but yf he meane ſo / els ys thys place nothīg for hys purpoſe. ¶Now herein he ſheweth alſo an hygh poynt of hys wyt / where he ſayth that the greate lyuyng that the clergy hath / whyche he layeth & lyeth to be more then half of the hole reuenews and ſubſtaunce of the [Page] realme: ys ſhyfted among fewer then the foure hundreth part of the people. As though y• of the clergyes parte there had no lay people theyr lyuyng / no ſeruaunt eny wagys / none artyfycer eny money for workyng / no carpenter no maſyn eny money for byldyng: but all the money that euer cūmeth in theyr handes / they put yt by & by in theyre own belyes / and no lay man hath eny relyef therof. And therfor thys poynt was wyſely wrytten ye ſe as well as we. Now for the trouthe therof / yf yt were trew that he ſayth / that the clergy compared to the reſydew of the men onely / be not one to an .C. then ſhall ye not nede to fere y• greate Turke and he cam to morow / except ye ſuffer amōg you to grow in great nomber theſe Lutherans that fauoure hym. For we dare make you the warantyſe that yf hys lye be true / there be mo men a greate meany in Londō and wythin .iiii. ſhyres next adioynyng / than the great Turk bryngeth in to Hungary. But in thys ye muſt hold hī excuſed / for he medleth not mych wyth angry in to ſe to what ſūme the nōber of men aryſeth that ys multyplyed by an .C. All hys practyſe in multyplycacyon medleth wyth nothyng but lyes: & therin mache hym wyth whō ye wyll / he wyll gyue you a .C. for one. wherof yf ye lack let thys be the ſāple y• he ſayth / yf thabbot of weſtmynſter ſhuld ſyng euery day as many maſſes for hys foūders as he ys boūdē to do by hys foūdacyō. M. mōk [...] were to few / ye dout not we think but he cā tell you who hath boūd thē to how many / & ſo cā make ye y• playn rekenīge y• thabbot ys boūd in the yere to no fewer maſſes than .iii.C.lxv.M. He knoweth what ys euery mannes dutye ſaue hys owne. He ys mete to be a beggers proctour / that can ſoo proll aboute and can tell all thynge.

¶But now were all his payntyd ꝓces ye wot well nothing worth / but yf he deuyſed agaynſte all theſe myſcheues ſome good and holſō help. It ys therfore a world to ſe what polytyke deuyces he fyndeth agaynſt y• great brode botomleſſe occean ſee of euyls: what remedyes to repayre the ruyne of the kyngys crown: to reſtore and vphold hys honour and dygnyte: to make hys ſwerd ſharp and ſtrong: & fynally to ſaue all the ſhyp wrak of the comen welth. ye wolde peraduenture wene y• the man wolde now deuyſe ſō good holſome lawes for helpe of all theſe maters. Nay he wyll none therof. For he ſayth he douteth that the kyng ys not able to make any law agaynſt them. For he ſayth that the clergy ys ſtronger in the parliament than the kyng hym ſelf. For in the hygher houſe / he rekenyth that the ſpyrytualte ys more in nomber and ſtronger than the temporalte. And in the comen houſe he ſayth that all the lerned men of the realme except the kynges lerned councell / be feed wyth the church to ſpeke agaynſt the kynges crown and dygnyte in the parlyamēt for theym: and therfore he thynketh the kynge vnable to make eny law agaynſt the fawtys of the clergye.

[Page] ¶Thys beggars ꝓctour wold fayn ſhew hym ſelf a man of great experyence / and one that had great knowlege of the maner & order vſed in the kyngys parlyamētys. But than he ſpeketh ſo ſauourly herof: that yt well apperyth of hys wyſe wordꝭ he neyther canneth eny ſkyll therof / nor neuer cā in the houſe. For as for y• hygher houſe furſt y• kyngꝭ own ryall parſon alone more than coūterpayſyth all y• lordys ſpyrytuall preſent wyth hym and the temporyll to. And ouer thys the ſpyrytual lordys can neuer in nomber excede the lordys temporall / but muſt nedys be farre vnderneth thē yf yt pleaſe the kyng. For hys hyghnes may call thyder by hys wryt many mo tēporall lordys at hys own pleaſure. And beyng as they be / there was neuer yet ſene that the ſpyrytuall lordes bendyd them ſelfe there as a partye agaynſt the temporall lordes. But yt hath bene ſene that the thynge whych the ſpyrytuall lordes haue moued and thought reſonable / the temporall lordes haue denyed & refuſed: as appereth vppon the mocyon made for legytymacyō of the chyldrē borne before the maryage of theyr parentys. Wherin albe yt yt the reformacyon whych the lordꝭ ſpyrytuall moued / was a thyng that nothyng partayned to ther awn commodyte / and albe yt that they layed alſo for theyr parte the conſtytucyon and ordynaunce of the church and the lawes of other cryſten cuntrees: yet could they not obtayne agaynſt the lordes temporall that nothynge alleged to the contrary but theyre owne wylles.

And therfor in the hygher houſe the ſpyrytuall parte neuer apperyd yet ſo ſtrong / that they myght ouer matche the temporall lordes. And then how mych ar they to feble for them and the kyng to / whoſe hyghnes alone ys ouer ſtrong for thē both / & may by hys wryt call to hys parlyamēt mo temporall lordes whan he wyll. Now where he ſayth y• in the comen houſe all the lerned men of the realme ar feed to ſpeke for the clergy except the kynges lerned counſell: there be .ii. folyes at ones. For neyther be all the lernyd men of the realme knyghtes or burgeyſes in the comen houſe / and the kyngys lerned coūcell ys not there at all. And therfore yt ſemeth that he hath hard ſumwhat of ſū men that had ſene as lytell as hym ſelf. And ſurely yf he had bene in the comen houſe as ſome of vs haue bene: he ſhuld haue ſene the ſpyrytualte nat gladly ſpoken for. And we lytell dout but that ye remember actes and ſtatutes paſſyd at ſōdry parlyamētes / ſuche and in ſuch wyſe & ſome of them ſo late / as your ſelf may ſe that eyther y• clergy ys not the ſtrenger ꝑte in the kyngꝭ ꝑlyement / or elles haue no mynd to ſtryue. And for the ferther profe that the kynges hyghnes ys not ſo weke & vnable in hys owne parlyamēt as thys beggers proctour ſo preſumptuouſly telleth hym / hys grace well knowyth and all hys people to / y• in theyr own conuocacyons hys grace neuer deuyſed nor deſyred any thyng in hys lyfe / y• euer was denyed hym. And therfore thys gay inuencyō of thys beggers proctour / y• he fayneth the kyngꝭ [Page] hyghnes to be in hys hygh courte of parlyament more weke and feble then the clergye / ys a feble deuyce.

¶But now ſyth he wyll haue no law deuyſed for the remedy of his greate complayntes / what helpe hath he deuyſed els. The helpe of all thys gere ys he ſayth none other thing / but to lett hym & ſuche ryall raylers rayle & geſt vppō the church / and tell the people y• preſtꝭ fawtes: and for the lewdnes of parte / brynge y• hole clergy in cōtēpt and hatered amonge all the temporall folke. Whych thyng he ſayth y• kyng muſt nedes ſuffer / yf he wyll eſchew the ruyne of hys crowne [...] dygnyce / And thys thyng he ſayth ſhalbe more ſpedefull & effectuall in the matter / than all the lawes that euer can be made be they neuer to ſtrōg. Lo good lordys & maſters then ſhall ye nede no mo parlyamēt ys. For here ys god be thankyd an eaſye way wyſely founden to remedye wythe raylynge the greate brode botomleſſe occean ſe of yuels and to ſaue the comen weale frome ſhyp wracke / & the kynges crowne from ruyne.

¶But now to the poore beggers. what remedy fyndeth theyr proctour for therto make hoſpytals? Nay ware of yt / therof he wyll none in no wyſe. For therof he ſayth the mo y• worſe / becauſe they be ꝓfytable to preſtꝭ what remedy thā? Gyue thē any money? Nay nay not a grot [...]. what other thyng thē? Nothyng in y• world wyll ſerue but this that yf y• kynges grace wyll byld a ſure hoſpytall y• neuer ſhall fayle to releue all the ſycke beggers for euer / let hym gyue nothynge to thē but loke what the clergye hath & take all that from them. Is nott here a goodly myſchef for a remedy? Is not thys a ryall feſt to leue theſe beggers meteles / and then ſend mo to dyner to theym? Oh the wyſe. Here want we voyce and eloquēce to ſet out an exclamacyon in the prayſe and commendacyon of thys ſpecyall hygh prouyſyon.

Thys byll putteth he forth in the poore beggers name. But we verely thynk yf them ſelf haue as myche wyt as their proctour lacketh / they had leuer ſee theyr byll maker burned / then theyr ſupplycacyon ſped. For they may ſone ꝑceyue that he myndeth nor theyr almoyſe / but onely the ſpoyle of the clergye. For ſo that the clergye leſe yt: he neyther deuyſeth ferther / nor ferther forcyth who haue yt.

¶But yt ys ethe to ſe wherof ſpryngeth all hys dyſpleaſure. He ys angry & fretyth at the ſpyrytuall iuryſdyccyon for the ponyſhmēt of heretykes and burnyng of theyr erronyouſe bokes: for euer vppō that ſtryng he harpeth: very angry wyth the burnyng of Tyndals teſtament. For theſe matters he calleth them blood ſuppers dronken in the blood of holy ſayntes and marters. ye merueyll paraduenture which holy ſayntes & martyrs he menyth. Surely by hys holy ſayntꝭ and marters he meanyth theyr holy ſcyſmatykes and heretykes / for whoſe iuſt ponyſhment theſe folk that ar of y• ſame ſect / fume / frete / [Page] frote and fome / as fyerce and as angerly as a new huntyd ſow. And for the rācour conceyuyd vppon this dyſpleſure / cometh vp all hys cōplaynt of the poſſeſſyons of the clergye. Wheryn he ſpareth & forbereth the nūnys yet / becauſe they haue no iuriſdyccyon vppon heretykys: for els he wold haue cryed out vppō theyr poſſeſſyōs to. But thys ys now no new thyng nor yt furſte tyme yt heretykes haue bene in hād wyth the mater. For furſte was there in the .xi. yere of kynge Henry the fourth / one Ihān Badby burned for hereſy. And forth wyth theruppon was there at the next ꝑlyment holden y• ſame yere / a byll put in / declaryng how mych temporall lād was in the church / which rekenyng the maker therof geſſyd at by y• nomber of knygh [...]s fees / of whych he had went he had made a very iuſte account. And in thys byll was yt deuyſed to take theyr poſſeſſyons out agayn. How be yt by the byll yt appered well vnto thē whych well vnderſ [...]de y• mater / that the maker of the byll neither wyſt what land there [...] / nor how many knyghtꝭ fees there was in the church / nor well what thyng a knyghtes fee ys: but the byll deuyſed of rancour & yuell will by ſome ſuch as fauoured Badby that was burned / and wolde haue hys hereſyes fayne go forward.

¶And ſo yt byll ſuche as yt was / ſuch was yt eſtemed and ſet a ſyde for nought. So happed yt thē ſone after that in y• firſt yereof y• kyngꝭ mooſte noble progenytour kynge Henry the fyfte thoſe hereſyes ſecretely crepyng on ſtyll among the people: a great nomber of theym had fyrſt couertely cōſpyred and after openly gathred and aſſembled theym ſelfe / purpoſyng by opē warre and batayle to deſtroy y• kyng and hys nobles and ſubuerte the realme. Whoſe traytorouſe ma [...]yce that good catholyque kynge preuented / wythſtode / ouerthrew / and punyſhed: by many of them takē in the feld / and after for theyr traytorouſe hereſyes bothe hanged and burned. Whervppon forthwyth at y• parlymēt holdē y• ſame yere / lyke wyſe as that ryall prynce [...] vertuouſe nobles & his good cryſten cōmunes / deuyſed good lawes agaynſt heretyques: ſo dyd ſome of ſuche as fauored theym / efte ſonys put in the byll agaynſt the ſpyrytualltye. Whyche efte ſonys conſydered for ſuche as it was and cummynge of ſuche malyciouſe purpoſe as yt cam: was agayne reiected and ſet a ſyde for nought. Thē was there longe after that / one Rycharde howndon burned for here ſye. And thē forthe wyth were there a rable of heretyques gatheryd theym ſelf to gyther at Abyndon: whych not entēdyd to leſe eny more labour by puttynge vp of byllys in the parlementꝭ / but to make an open inſurreccyon and ſubuerte all the realme / and then to kyll vp y• clergye and ſell preeſtes heddes as good chepe as ſhepys heddꝭ threfor a peny bye who wold. But god ſaued y• chyrch & y• realm both & tourned theyre malyce vppō theyre awne heddꝭ. And yet after theyr [Page] punyſhment then were there ſome that renewed the byll agayn. And [...] after this was ther one Ihān Gooſe roſted at y• towre hyll. And [...] forth wyth ſome other. Ihān gooſe bygā to bere that bell a br [...]de agayn / & made ſome gag [...]ing a whyle but yt auayled hym not. And now bycauſe ſome heretyques haue bene of [...] ab [...]red / thys [...] therfore hath made thys beggers byll / and gageleth a [...] vppon the ſame mater / and that as he thynketh by a ꝓper [...] lykely to ſpede now / bycauſe he maketh his byll in the name of the [...] and hys byll cowhed as full of lyes as any begger ſwarmeth full of lyce.

¶We neyther wyll nor ſhall nede to make myche buſynes abowte thys [...] myche better in the goodneſſe of good men / thē [...] nede for thys thyng to reaſon agaynſt an vnreſonable [...]. We be ſure ynoughe that good men were they y• gaue this [...] and therfore nought ſhuld they be of lykelyhed that [...] thenſe agayn. To whych rauyne and ſacrylege our lord [...] [...] ſhall neuer ſuffer thys realme to fall.

¶ [...] Auſteyn in his dayes when he parceyuyd that ſome [...] at the poſſeſſyons that then were geuen in to [...] in an open ſermon amonge all the people [...]ffer them [...] agayne and that hys church and he wold forſake thē / [...] theym take theym who wolde. And yet was there not [...]found [...] in all the towne aloe yt that the people were as theſe Affrycanis [...] barbarouſe / fyerce & boyſtuouſe / yet was there none as we ſay fowden eny one ſo badde / that his [...] word ſerue hym to en [...]e in to one fo [...]e.

¶When Phargo the kynge of Egypte bought vp in the dere yeres all the landys that were in euery mānes hande / ſo that all the people were fayne to ſell theyre enherytaunce for hunger: yet ydolater as he was he wold neuer ſuffer for eny nede the poſſeſſyons of y• preſtꝭ to be [...] / but made prouyſyon for theym beſide / and ſuffred theym to kepe theyre landys ſtyll / as the byble bereth wytneſſe / And we verely truſte that the good chryſten prynces of the chryſten realme of Englonde ſhall neuer fayle of more fauour towarde the clergye of Cryſte / then had that prynce Idolatre to the preeſtes of hys ydollꝭ. ye [...] ys yt not ynough to the cruell mynde of thys man to take frome the hole clergy all that euer they haue / but that he wold ferther haue theym bounden vnto cartes and whypped to dryue theym to labour. ¶Of all theues ys thys one of the wurſte and moſte cruell kynde. For of all theues mē moſt abhorre them that whan they haue takē a mannes money frome hym / thē take and bynde hym and bete hym to. But ye [...] ys this wretche mych wurſe. For he fareth as a cruell thefe that wolde wythout reſpecte of hys awne commodyte / take a mannꝭ [Page] money frome hym and caſte yt he care not where / and then bynde the man to a tree and bete hym for hys pleaſure. Oh the cheryte.

¶But he ſayeth he wolde haue theym whypped to compell them to laboure and gette theyre lyuynge in the ſwete of theyre faces. And thys wold he not good man but for fulfullyng of goddys commaundement. For he ſayeth that yt ys cōmaunded them in the fyrſt chapter of Geneſys. And therfore ys he theryn ſo indifferēt th [...]t he excepteth none / but calleth the beſte but ydle holy theues / and ſo wold haue th [...] all robbed and ſpoyled / bounden and beten to compell them to w [...]k wyth theyre handes / to gete theyre lyuyng in the ſwete of theyr faces for the fulfullyng of goddys commaundement. Amonge thys company that he wolde ſodaynely ſende forthe newe robbed wyth ryght naught lefte theym: ys there many a good man that hath lyued full godly many a fayre day / and duely ſerued god & prayd for vs / which we haue well founden: many an olde man: many a ſore ſyk man: and many blynde and many ſame to. All whyche as ſone as they be dreuē owte of theyre awne dores / this cherytable man wolde be very well content to ſee them bounden and beten to / bycauſe they be of y• clergy For excepcyon maketh he none / in thys world.

¶He layeth vnto the charge of the clergy that they lyue ydle [...] that they be all bounde to labour and gette theyre lyuyng in the ſwe [...]e of theyre faces / by the precepte y• god gaue to Adam in the fyrſte chapiter of Geneſys. Here this mā ſheweth hys cōnyng. For yf [...] be ſo: then were the preeſtes in the olde lawe bounden therto as well as ys y• clergy now. And then howe happed yt that of thys poy [...]e there was no mencyon made by Moyſes? howe happed yt that god in that lawe prouyded theym myche larger lyuynge then he dyd the lay people? & that ſuch kynde of lyuynge as declared that hys pleaſure was that they ſhuld lyue owt of labour and vppon y• labour of other mannes handes? The holy apoſtle ſaynt Powle / all though hym ſelf in ſome places forbare to take hys lyuinge frely / but rather choſe to lyue of hys owne labour then to be in theyre daungeour whych wolde happely haue ſayd yt he preched becauſe he wold lyue at [...]aſe therby / and thys dyd he ſpecyally to put ſuche falſe apoſtles to [...] / as for ſuche deſyre of ydle lyuynge fell ſome where to falſe prechynge: yet neyther dyd he ſo in euery place / and alſo cōfeſſed and ſayed that he myght well and lawfully haue done the contrary / affyrmynge yt for good reaſon y• he that ſerueth the awter ſhuld lyue of the [...] & ſayng alſo: yf we ſow vnto you ſpirituall thyngꝭ / ys yt a great thing yf we repe your carnall thyngꝭ? Now chryſt hys awne mouth ſayd vnto the people / that they ſhulde not leue theyr dutyes vnpayed vnto the preeſts. And thys good chryſtē man wold haue theym all clene taken frome theym and yet the preeſtes well beten to.

[Page] ¶He rekeneth all the clergye ydle / bycauſe they labour not wyth theyre handes tyll theyre faces ſwete. But our ſauyour chryſt rekened farre other wyſe in bleſſyd Mary Magdalene / [...] ſyttyng at her caſe and herkenyng / he accounted and declared [...] buſynes then the buſy ſtyryng & walkyng abowt of his good [...] Martha whyche was yet of all worldly buſynes occupyed abowte the beſte: for ſhe was buſye abowte almoyſe and hoſpetalyte / and y• geſtynge of the beſte pore man and moſte gracyouſe geſte that euer was geſted in thys worlde.

¶Now yf thys can not yet content thys good man bycauſe of goddꝭ commaundement geuen vnto Adam that he ſhuld eate hys brede in y• ſwete of hys face: thē wo [...]d we fayne wyt whycher h [...]m ſelf neuer go to me [...]e tyll he haue wrought ſo ſore wyth hys handes if at hys face ſweteth Surely we beleue he laboureth not ſo ſore before euery meale. [...] w [...]renor good to truſte hys anſwere / for he wyll happely ſay yes / and not le [...]e for one lye amonge ſo manye. How be yt he thynketh yt per [...]duēture inough for hym / y• [...] ſwete in ſekynge owte olde hereſyes / & deuyſyng n [...]we And verely yf he loke y• ſuche buſynes ſhulde ſerue hym for a dyſcharge of harde labour moche be [...]er may we thynk [...] of many good men whome he wold haue beten [...] lyues in faſtyng / prayer & prechyng / and ſtudyeng abow [...] the trouth. ¶But yt ys good to loke bytyme what this beggers [...] meaneth by thys commaundement of [...]and labour that he ſpeketh of whe [...] yf he cōfeſſe that yt byndeth not euery mā: then ys yt layed [...]o no purpoſe agaynſte the clergye. For [...] was a ſmall clergye [...] that word was ſayed to our firſt foder Adam. But now yf he call as be [...] / and then wyll that yt [...] vnto all the hol [...] kynd of man / as a thynge by god commaunded vnto Adam and all hys of ſpryng thē thogh he ſay litle now / he meneth to go [...] then he ſpeketh of yet. For yf he myght fyrſt haue the clergy put owt of theyre lyuynge / and all that they haue clene taken frome theym / a myght haue theym ioyned to theſe beggers if a [...] be now / and ouer y• added vnto them and ſend a beggyng to / all [...]hoſe y• the clergye fynd now full honeſtly: thys pageaūt ones played / and hys beggers byll ſo well ſpedde / then whan the beggers ſhould haue ſo mych [...] lyuynge and be ſo many moo in multytude: ſurely lyke wyſe as for the beggers he now maketh hys byll to the kyngys hyghneſſe agaynſte byſſhops / abbo [...]tys / pryours / prela [...]ys / and preeſtys: ſo wold he then wychyn a whyle after make a nother byll to the people agaynſt merchauntys / gentylmen / kyngys / lordys / and prynces / and complayne that they haue all / and ſaye that they do nothyng for yt but lyue ydle / and that they be cōmaunded in Geneſys to lyue by y• labour of theyr [Page] handys in the ſwete of theyre facys / as he ſayth by the clergye now. Wherein yf they wene that they ſhall ſtande in other caſe thē the clergye doth now: they may peraduenture ſore deceyue theym ſelfe. For yf they wyll thynk that theyre caſe ſhall not be called all one bycauſe they haue landys and goodys to lyue vppon / they muſt conſyder ſo hath the clergye to. But yt ys the thyng yt thys beggers ꝓctor cōplayneth vppon / and wold haue theym taken away. Now yf the landed men ſuppoſe that theyre caſe ſhall not ſeme one wyth the caſe of the clergye / bycauſe they ſhall happely thynk that the church hath theyre poſſeſſyons gyuen theym for cauſes whych they fulfyll not / and that yf theyre poſſeſſyons happen to be taken frome theym yt ſhalbe done vppon that grounde / and ſo the lay landed men owte of that fere bycauſe they thynke that ſuche lyke occaſyon and ground and conſyderacyon fayleth and can not be founden in them a theyre enherytaūce: ſurely yf any mā clerk or lay haue landis in y• gyft wherof hath bene eny cōdycyon adioynyd whych he fulfylleth not / the geuer may well with reſō vſe theryn ſuch aduaūtage as yt law geueth him. But on y• tother ſyde who ſo wyll aduyſe pryncys or lay people to take from y• clergy theyr poſſeſſyōs / allegyng maters at large / as layng to theyr charge that they liue not as they ſhuld / nor vſe not well theyr poſſeſſions / and that therfore yt were well done to take them from theym by force and dyſpoſe them beter: we dare boldly ſay who ſo gyueth this deuyce as now doth this beggars proc [...]our / we worde gyue you coū ſell to loke well what wyll folow. For he ſhall not fayle as we ſayd before yf thys byll of his were ſped / to fynde you ſone after in a new ſupplicacyon new balde reaſons ynow yt ſhuld pleaſe the peoples cares / wherewych he wold labour to haue lordys landis and all honeſt mēnys goodys to be pulled fom them by force a dyſiry bu [...]ed among beggars. Of whych there ſhuld in thys wyſe yt he deuyſeth encreace and grow ſo many / that they ſhuld be able for a ſodayn ſhyft to make a ſtrong parle. And ſurely as the fyre euer [...]epeth forward and laboreth to turn all into fyre: ſo wyll ſuch bold beggars as thys is / neuer ceaſe to ſolycyte and precure all that they can / the ſpoyle and robbery of all that ought haue / and to make all beggars as they be them ſelf.

¶We be cō [...]ent y• ye beleue vs not / but yf yt haue ſo ꝓuyd all redy by thoſe vplandyſh Lutherās that roſe vp in Almaygne. Whych beyng onys rayſed by ſuch ſedycyoſe bokꝭ as ys thys beggars ſupplycacyon / & ſuch ſedycyouſe heretykys as ys he that made yt: ſet furſte vppon ſpyrytuall prelatys. But ſhortly theruppon they ſo ſirechyd vnto the temporall pryncys / that they were fayne to ioyne in ayde of them ſelf with thoſe whom they laughed at furſt to ſe them put in the paryll / hopynge to haue had the profyte of theyr loſſe / tyll they ſaw y• they were lykly to leſe theyr owne wyth them. And for all the ponyſhment [Page] yt they purſued vppon thoſe rebellyouſe parſōs / of whom ther were in one ſomer ſlayn aboue .lx.M. yet ys that fyre rather couored than quenchyd [...] becauſe they ſuffered yt crepe forth ſo farre at furſt / yt [...] ar [...]ow therby amōg the lordys thē ſelf / as there cā neuer [...] ſome nedy rauenouſe ſāded men / that ſhalbe redy to be captayns in all ſuch rebellyons: as was the lord Cobham called Olde caſtell ſomtyme a captayn of heretykes in Englande in the dayes of kynge [...] the fyft. And ſurely there would ſone folow ſome ſore chaū ge in the temporalie / yf thys beggers proctour haue hys malycyouſe ſupplycacyon ſpedde agaynſt the ſpyrytualte.

¶ [...]ut yet leſt folk ſhulde abhorre hys hard harte and cruelte: ye mā tēperyth hys mater wyth a goodly vyſage of the ſore inwarde ſorow yt he taketh for the [...] of mankynd / and wyth the greate zele that he hereth to generacyō for the good encreace of cryſten people in the ſād. For he wold for that cauſe in eny wyſe that all ye clergy ſhuld haue wyues. For he aſketh ye kyngꝭ hyghnes as the mā ha [...]h caught a great pleaſure to appoſe the kyng / wherin he vſeth a fygure of rethoryk that mē call ſawce malaper [...]e what an infynyte nūber of people mygh [...] haue bene encreaſed to haue peopled your realme / yf thys ſort of folk had ben ma [...]ed lyke other men. This mater that preſtes muſt nedys haue [...]wyues he brynge lhe dyuerſ [...]y in .iii. or .iiii. placys. And amonge other he hathe one / wherin he ſheweth in rayſynge agaynſt the clergy a princypall par [...]e of hys excellence eloquence. For there he vſeth hys ryall fygure of rethoryke called repetycyō / repetyng often by ye hole clergy: theſe be they in ye begīnyng of hys clauſe▪ Theſe be they yt haue made .C.M. idle hores in your realme. Theſe be they y• corrupt the generacyō of mākynd in your realm. Theſe be they that draw mennys wyues in to incontynency in your realme. And after dyuers of ſuch theſe be theſe / he cōcludeth & knytteth vp the ma [...]er wyth his accuſtomyd vehemence [...]et out of Luthers volumys aſkyng who is able to nomber the great brode botomleſſe occeā ſee full of yuels / that thys myſcheuouſe and ſynfull generacyō bryngeth vp vppon vs? As though all the hole clergy were of thys cōdycion and no man els but they. But among all hys theſe be thays / this ys one whych as the ſoreſt and the moſt vehemente / he ſecteth in the fore front of thē all: Theſe be they that by theyr abſtaynyng fro maryage [...] do let the generacyon of the people / wherby all the realme at lenght yf yt ſhuld be contynued ſhalbe made deſert and inhabytable.

[...] Lo the depe inſyght that thys beggars proctour hathe in the brode botomleſſe occeā ſee full of yuels to ſaue the greuouſe ſhypwrak of the comen welth. He ſeeth farre farther than euer Cryſt was ware of / or eny of hys blyſſed apoſtles / or eny of ye old holy fathers of cryſtys fayth and reſigyon ſyns hys holy aſſencyō hetherto / tyll now yt [Page] Luther cam of late and Tyndale after hym / & ſpyed out thys great ſecrete myſtery that neyther god nor good man coud eſpye. If theyr abſtaynyng fro maryage ſhuld make all the lād deſort and inhabytable / how happeth yt that habytacyon endureth theryn ſo long: for the lande hathe laſted ſyth the begynnynge of theyre abſteynynge frome maryage ye wot well many a fayre day. And now yf theyr abſtaynīg from maryage not wythſtandyng / the land hath bene vpholden with the generacyon of you yt ar the temporalie ſo long: ye ſhall lykewyſe hereafter be goddꝭ grace and the helpe of good prayours for kepyng the land from wyldernes / be able to get chyldren ſtyll your ſelf / and ſhall not nede to call neyther monkys nor freres to helpe you.

¶Now yf yt be ſo that ye clergy be as he ſayth but the hundred p [...]rt of the men / and yet not ſo mych nether: there ys not then ſo great parell of the land to fall to wyldernes / but yt the .lxxxxix. partes may mayntayn yt populouſe / though the hūdred part abſtayn. [...] for to ſhew that he hath not left hys anxyouſe fauour toward his natyue cōtrey though he be ronne away from yt for hereſy [...] fereth ſore leſt ye hundred par [...]e forberyng maryage / all the .lxxxxix. [...] ſhall not be able ſo to preſerue yt with generacyon / but that yt ſhall wa [...] not onely deſert / but alſo / wherof we moſt wonder inhabitable / yt is to ſay ſuche as of yt ſelf ſhall not be able for manny [...] habytacyon: But he paraduenture taketh inhabytable for deſart / deſola [...]e and not inhabyted / becauſe men ſhuld ſe that he can ſo roll in hys rethoryk / that he wotteth not what hys owne wordys meane.

¶And ſumwhat yet ys yt to be conſydered / that in ſuch parte of his boke that he wold haue yt appere that theyr lyuyng is to mych: there he wold make yt ſeme that they were very few. And where he wold haue them take wyuys: he wold haue them ſeme ſo many / that theyr abſtaynyng from maryage were able to bryng all the land into deſolacyon and wildernes. And thus he handleth eyther parte ſo wyſely: yt there lakketh hym nothyng yerthly theryn / but euē a peny weyght of wyt. For faw [...] wherof / hys wyly foly foreſeeth not that one par [...]e of his proces euer impugneth a nother. For they that were right now ſo ſmall a parte of people that a littell wold ſuffyſe for theyr lyuyng: be now ſodenly ſo many that yf they were maryed infynyte nomber of people he ſayth to ye kyng wold increaſe to people his [...] in wyth Now yf that be trew that of them alone yf they were maryed / ſo infynyte nomber of people wold encreaſe / that yt wold make ye realm populouſe: then eyther ar they contrary to hys count mo then the hū dreth part (for one out of a .C. is no very parceyuable myſſe / nor one added to an .C. no very parceuable encreaſe) or els yf they be but the hundred parte as he made hys rekenyng ryght now / yet yf yt be then trew that he ſayth ſyns / that of the hūdred parte maryed ſo infynyte [Page] nomber of people myght yncreaſe to people the realme: then can he not deny but that of the .lxxxxix. partys there may grow .lxxxxix. tymes infinite nōber of people. And then they beyng ſo / thoughe ye clergye beyng as he ſayth but y• hundred part neuer mary: yet ſhall y• po [...] fole not nede to wake & wax lene for fere of the realm fallynge to wyldernes. In whych he ſeeth y• there maye of the .lxxxxix. partis re [...]ew / grow and encreaſe .lxxxxix. tymes infynyte nomber of people to make yt land populouſe. ¶Yet maruayle we mych of one thyng ye in all his fere yt generacyon ſhuld fayle becauſe y• clergye maryeth not: he ſeeth no man vnmaried in all the realme but thē How many ſeruaūtys? How many tall ſeruynge men are there in the realm that myght yf men ſaw ſuch a ſodayn neceſſyte / rather mary then the clergy y• haue vowed to god the contrary? But he forceth nott ſo mych for the mater that he maketh hys pretext / as he doth in dede to haue all vowes voyd / that he myght get Luther ſum lewd companyons in England.

¶But now what yf thys good man had the rule of this mater / and wold put out all the clergy and byd them go wed? He ſhuld paradu [...]ture fynde ſome that wold not mych ſtyk therat: but they ſhuld be of the worſt ſort / and ſuch as now be ſklaunder of theyr order / & whō yt were moſt nede to kepe fro generacyon / leſte yuell crowes bringe you forthe yuer byrdys. But as for the good preſtys & good relygyouſe whoſe chylderne were like to be beſt and to be beſt brought vp: they wolde not mary for breche of theyr vowes. And thus ſhulde ye haue the naughty generacyons encreaſe wherof there be to many all ready: and of the better neuer the mo.

¶What wold thys good mā do now wyth good folk of the clergy y• wold not mary? He wold of lyklyhod bynde them to cartꝭ and bete them and make them wed in the wanyand. But now what yf womē wyll not wed thē / namely ſyth he ſendith thē out wyth ryght noght / ſauynge ſlaunder / ſhame and vylanye? what remedy wyll he fynde therfore? He wyll of lyklyhod compell the women to wed theym: & yf the wēch be nyce and play the wanton and make the mater ſtrāge then wyll he bete her to bed to.

¶Surely we can not but here cōfeſſe the trouth / theſe nyce and wā ton wordis do not very well with vs: but we muſt pray god and you to pardon vs. For in good fayth hys mater of monkys maryagys ys ſo mere and ſo mad / that yt were able to make one laugh that ſieth in the fyre: & ſo mych the more / in how mych he more erneſtly preacyth vppon the kyng in thys poynt / to haue in any wyſe the clergy robbed ſpoylyd / boūden / beten and weddyd. Wherby what oppynyon he hath of weddyng / ye may ſone parceyue: for ye ſe well that yf he thought yt good / he woulde not wyſſh yt theym. ¶Many that rede hys [Page] wordys / wene that he were ſome mery mad geſte: but he ſeemeth vs farre otherwyſe. For excepte he were a wonderouſe ſad mā of hym ſelfe / he coud neuer ſpeke ſo erneſtely in ſo mad a mater.

¶Yet one thīg wold we very fayn wyt of hym. Whē he had robbed ſpoyled / boūden / beten and wedded all the clergy / what wold he thē ▪ Shuld eny of them be curatys of mennys ſoules and preche and mynyſter the ſacramentys to the people or nat?

¶If they ſhuld: yt were a very ſtrange faſſyon to robb hym / bynde hym / and bete hym on the tone daye: and then knele to hym / and confeſſe to hym / and receyue the ſacrament of hys hāde on y• tother day / reuerently here hym preche in the pulpytte / and then bydde hym go gette hym home and clowte ſhone. Eyther he muſte mene to haue yt thus / whyche none honeſte mā coulde endure to ſe: or ellys of whych twayne we wote nere well whyther is the wurſe / he entendeth to haue all holy orders accompted as nothynge / and to haue no mo ſacramentys mynyſtred at all: but where as ſone after cryſtes aſcencyon hys church buryed the ceremonyes of the iewes ſynagoge wyth honour and reuerence / ſo wold he now that cryſten people ſhuld kyll & caſt owte on a donge hyll the bleſſyd ſacramentys of cryſte wyth v [...] lany rebuke and ſhame. And ſurely to tell you y• trouth / thys ys hys very fynall intent and purpoſe / and the very marke that he ſhoteth at / as a ſpecyall poynt and foūdacyon of all Luthers hereſyes wherof thys man ys one of the baner berers. And therfore here wold his awne hygh ſore wordys haue good place agaynſt hym ſelfe. For this myſcheuouſe deuyſe of hys / ys in dede a great brode botomeleſſe occean ſee full of euyllys / wheryn wold not fayle the greuouſe ſhypwrake of the comen welth whych god wold ſone forſake yf ye people ones forſake hys fayth / and contempned hys holy ſacramentys / as thys beggers proctour laboureth to brynge abowte. Whyche thynge hys deuyce and conueyaunce well declareth / all though he forbere expreſly to ſaye ſo farre / bycauſe of the good [...] & gracyouſe catholyke mynde that he well knoweth and by hys gracys excellent wrytynge perceyueth to be borne by the kyngꝭ hyghnes / to the catholyk fayth. For whyche he couereth hys malycyouſe entēt and purpoſe toward the fayth / vnder y• cloke of many temporall benefytes / that he ſayth ſhuld ſuccede and folow to the kyngys hyghnes and hys realme / yf theſe hys hygh polytyque deuyces were ones by hys grace agreed.

¶For in ye ende of all hys byll: he gathereth hys high cōmoditees together / ſaynge that yf the kynge take all frome the clergye / ſette thē abrode at the wyde world wyth ryght nought to wed & take wyues / and make theym labour for theyre lyuynge tyll they ſwete / bynde theym to cartes and bete theym well / he ſaythe to the kynge in ye beggers names: then ſhall as well the nombre of our forſayd monſ [...]ruouſe [Page] ſort / as of the bawdes / hores / theuys / and idle people decreace. Then ſhall theſe great yerely exaccyons ceace / Thē ſhall not your ſworde / power / crowne / dygnyte and obedyence of your people be tranſlated frome you. Then ſhall you haue full obedyence of your people. Then ſhall the ydle people be ſet awork. Then ſhall matrymony be myche better kepte. Then ſhall the generacyon of your people be encreaſed. Then ſhall your comēs encreaſe in ryches. Thē ſhall none take owre almoyſe frome vs. Then ſhall the goſpell be preached. Then ſhall we haue inough and more. Thē ſhalbe y• beſte hoſpytall that euer was founded for vs. Then ſhall we pray to god for your noble eſtate longe to endure.

¶Lo here here ye heped vp many great cōmodytees / yf they were all trew. But we ſhewed you byfore and haue alſo proued you / that hys byll ys myche grounded vppon many great lyes / wherof he by and by byganne wyth ſome and after went forth wyth mo. And now to thentent that thende ſhuld be ſomewhat ſurely to the remanaunte as he byganne wyth lyes and went forth wyth lyes / ſo wyll he with lyes lykewyſe make an ende: ſauyng that in the bygynnyng he gaue theym oute by tale / and in the ende he bryngeth theym in by hepes. For fyrſt he ſayth y• then ſhall the nomber of ſore and lyke beggers decreace. How ſo? ſhall there by the robbyng / weddyng / byndynge and betynge of the clergye [...] blynde beggers gette theyre ſyght agayn or ſame beggers theyre legges? ys there no man in all the clergy ſyk and ſore that ſhalbe by thys way ſent vnto them? ſhold there not many that now be in good helthe waxe ſhortely ſyk and ſore / and ſytte and begge wyth theym? were thys a mynyſhement of ſyk and ſore beggers to make mo and ſend to them?

¶Thē ſhall / he ſayth [...] bawdꝭ / [...]hores / theues / & ydle peple decrece. Thys mā weneth he were coſyn to god / & coud do as he dyd: Dixit & facta ſunt. For as ſone as he hath dyuyſed yt / nowe weneth he yt yf they were all put owte & ſo ſerued by & by / thē were all forthwith in good order. As ſone as he ſayth lette theym wedde / nowe he weneth yt forthwyth euery preeſte monke & frere hath a wyfe. As ſone as he hath ſayd bind theym & bete thē to wurke / forthwyth he weneth euery man ys at hys wurke. And all thys he rekeneth ſure ere euer he prouyde wurke for theym / or where they ſhall dwell / or who ſhall take ſo many to wurk at onys y• neuer were wōte to wurke byfore / and thys where he ſeeth many walke ydle all redy / that eyther no betyng can dryue to wurke / or ellys no man wyll take to wurke. Fyrſte we truſt that among the clergye there be many men of that goodnes and vertue / that ſcante a deuyll could fynde in hys harte to handle them in ſuche dyſpytuouſe and dyſpyghtfull maner. But go to ſette theyre honeſt lyuyng and vertue lye ſtyll in queſtyon / yet at the leſte [Page] wyſe he wyll graunte they be good or nought. Nowe then yf they be good: he ys to very a vylayn y• wold ſarue good men ſo. And on y• to ther ſyde yf they be all as he wolde haue them all ſeme / vnthryfty / ſewde / and nought: howe can yt be that by that reaſon of ſo many ſo noughty / ſo ſodaynly ſette owte at large / ye ſhuld haue bawdes / harlottys / theuys / & ydle people decreace? except he thynke that thoſe whome he calleth nought all redy beynge as they nowe be kepte in / and in honeſt faſſyō refrayned / & many kepte vp in cloyſters / wylbe better ruled abrode runnyng at y• wyld world as bukkys broken owt of a parke. Ouer thys howe can there by the maryagys of preeſtys / monkys / & fryres / be fewer hores and bawdys / whē by the very maryage yt ſelf beynge as yt were inceſtuouſe & abhomynable / all were ſtarke harlottys that maryed them / and all ſtark bawdys that ſhuld helpe to bryng them to gether.

¶Thē ſhall he ſayth / theſe great yerely exaccyōs ceace. How can ſuch thyngys ceace as neuer yet byganne. Ye remēber what thyngys he calied exaccyons / the freres quarterage / whych he ſayd that they exacte of euery houſehold / and compell theym to pay yt vppon payn of hereſye / beryng of a fagot or burnyng. Can he among ſo many as payeth yt not / lay you one ſample y• euer any ſayd he was ſo ſerued thys ſeuen yere / thys .vii. ſcore yere / thys .vii.C. yere? Can he ſaye yt euer yt was exacted of hym ſelfe? We knowe where he dwelled / and that yf he had had none other cauſe to rūne away / ſurely for eny fere of freres y• euer exacted of hym quarterage / he wold not haue bene afrayed to dwell by the beſte of theyre berdes.

¶Then ſhall ydle folke he ſayeth be ſette a wurke. By what meanys? whom hath he deuyſed mo to ſette ydle men a wurke? but yf he loke that ydle men ſhalbe ſette a wurke by theym whome he ſendeth owte of theyre awne houſys wythout money or waxe / neyther he nor they wote whyther.

¶Then ſhall matrymony by myche better kepte. Why ſo? bycauſe there be mo men vnmaryed ſent owt abrode to brek yt? Who (yf they be ſuche as he calleth theym) were (yf they wente all abrode) well lykely to breke many a nother mannys maryage ere they made all theyre awne.

¶Then ſhall the generacyon of your people be encreaced. Is that the greateſte fawte he fyndeth the lak of generacyon? If he ſaw as farr as he wold ſeme to ſe / thē ſhuld be ſpyre yt it were firſt more nede to prouyde houſes to dwell in / wyth lande layde therto for tyllage: or ellys experyence techeth that there is generacyon ynough for ye corne that the groūde bereth. And that thynge ones well ꝓuyded for / there wyll ynowe be founden to multyply more generacyon of ſuche as may laufully wedde ād wold wedde / yf they wyſte where after weddynge [Page] theyre wyfe and theyre chyldren ſhuld dwell.

¶Then ſhall not your ſwerde / power / crowne / and dygnyte / and obedyence of your people / be taken frome you. Who hath taken yt away nowe? who hath hys ſworde borne but hys hyghnes hym ſelfe or ſuche hys deputyes as he appoynteth yt vnto? his crowne no man wereth but hym ſelfe / as farre as euer any of vs herde. And yet yf hys hyghnes haue any crowned kyngꝭ vnder hym / his ſwerd / power crown & dignyte / ys nothyng defaced nor mynyſſhed: but honowred & enhaunced by that. But all the myſchefe ys that the ſpyrytuall court hath examynacyon of heretyques / thys ys all the gryefe. For as for obedyence of the kyngys people / hys hyghnes fyndeth none takē frō hym. Was there euer kynge in thys realm better obayd thē he? Hath his hyghnes of eny part of hys realm bene better obayd or more hū bly ſerued thē of hys clergy? Was there euer eny kynge in the realm that had hys crowne tranſlated frome hym / bycauſe the clergye had landys geuē them / or bycauſe men gaue almoyſe to the pore freres? in good fayth ye may truſte vs we neuer knewe none ſuche. Whan y• beggers proctour preueth any ſuche ye may then byleue hym: and in the meane tyme ye may well byleue he lyeth.

¶Then ſhall ye haue obedyēce of your people. yet agayn? Tyll he fynde in the kyngys realm ſome that dare dyſobay hym / yt were not myche agaynſt reaſon that harpynge ſo myche vppon that ſtrynge / yt euery mannys care perceyueth ſo falſe and ſo farre owte of tune: he ſhulde confeſſe hym ſelfe a fole.

¶Then ſhall your people encreace in rycheſſe. Wherfore y• rather? Not one halfepeny for aught that he hath ſpokē yet / except he mean when he taketh the lande frome the clergye / then to dyuyde yt amōg the people and make a dole of the freres almoyſe to. And yf he mean ſo: when he ſayeth yt owte playnely then wyll we tell you what he meaneth more. But in the meane ſeaſon to proue hym both falſe and folyſſhe / yt ys ynough to tell hym / that the people can not waxe rych by theyr cōmyng to them that are ſent owte naked and bryng naught wyth theym.

¶Then ſhall none begge our almoyſe frome vs. No parde / none but all they that ye wyll haue ſent owte naked to you / whyche wolde be mo then ye wolde be gladde to ſe ſytte and begge wyth you / and ſe thē aſk your almoyſe frō you y• were wonte to gyue almoyſe to you.

¶Then ſhall the goſpell be preched. ye mary that that. There is y• great mater that all thys gapyng ys for. For vndowtedly all the gapynge ys for a new goſpell. Men haue bene wonte thys many yeres to preche the goſpell of criſte in ſuche wyſe as ſaynt Mathew / ſaynt Mark / ſaynt Luke / and ſaynt Ihān hath wrytē yt / and in ſuch wyſe as y• old holy doctours ſaynt Hyero [...] / ſaynt Auſtyn / ſaint Ambroſe [Page] ſaynt Gregory / ſaynt Chryſoſtome / ſaynt Baſyle / ſaynt Cypryan / ſaynt Barnerd / ſaynt Thomas / and all the olde holy faders ſynnis cryſtys dayes vntyll your awne dayes haue vnderſtande yt. Thys goſpell hath bene as we ſay alway thus preched. Why ſayeth he now that yf ye clergy were caſte owte for nought / that then y• goſpell ſhold be prechyd. Who ſhuld then be theſe prechours? He meaneth not yt ye clergy ſhall / ye may ſe that well. Who than? Who but ſome ley Lutheranes? And what goſpell ſhall they preche? Not your old goſpell of Cryſte: for yt is yt whych was wonte to be preched vnto you. And he wold ye ſhuld now thynk that the goſpell ſhall begyn to be prechyd: and yet not begyn to be prechyd amōg you / tyll the clergy be caſt out. What goſpell ſhall that be than that ſhall then be prechyd? What goſpell but Luthers goſpell and Tyndals goſpell? tellyng you yt onely fayth ſuffyſeth you for ſaluacayn: and that there nedyth no good workys / but yt yt were ſacrylege and abhomynacyō to go about to pleaſe god wyth eny good workys: and that there ys no purgatory / nor that the ſacramentys be nothyng worth / nor y• no law can be made by mā to bynde you: but that by your onely fayth ye may do what ye wyll: & yt yf ye obey any law or gouernour / all ys of your owne curteſye & not of eny duty at all: fayth hath ſet you in ſuch a lewd lyberte.

¶Thys & many a mad frantyke foly ſhalbe the goſpell yt thē ſhall be prechyd / wherof he boſteth now as of one of the moſte ſpecyall cō modytees / that ſhall ſuccede vppon hys goodly and godly deuyces.

¶Wyll ye playnly parceyue yt he meaneth thus: After all hys myſcheuys reherſyd agaynſt the church: he hathe an other matter in hys mynde / whych he dare not yet ſpeke of / but he maketh therof a ſecret ouerture leuyng yt in ſuch wyſe at large / as he wold that men ſhulde geſſe what he men / & yet he reſeruyth hym ſelf ſome refuge to flytte therfro when he lyſt. For yf he ſhuld ſe that men ſhuld myſlyke yt / he wold in ſuch caſe ſay that he ment ſome other thyng. And therfore he purpoſeth yt vnder theſe wordys: Here leue we out y• greatyſt mater of all / leſt we declaring ſuch an horrible carrayn of euyll agaynſt the mynyſters of iniquyte / ſhuld ſeme to declare the one onely fawte or rather y• ignoraūce of our beſt belouyd mynyſter of ryghtuouſnes. whych ys to be hyd tyll he may be lerned by theſe ſmall enormytees y• we haue ſpoken of / to know yt playnly hym ſelfe.

¶Thys thyng put forth lyke a rydle / harde to rede what yt ſhulde ſygnyfye: we haue had ſynnys / by ſuche as we byfore ſhewed you y• dyed and cam hyther / playnly declared vnto vs. And ſurely who ſo well aduyſeth hys wordꝭ / and well pondereth hys hole purpoſe / and the ſummary effecte of his boke: ſhall mowe ſone perceyue what he meaneth in that place. For what ſhuld that thyng be that he leueth out that ſhuld be the greateſt of all / and that ſhuld be layed agaynſte the [Page] mynyſters of inyquyte whych he meaneth and calleth y• hole clergye and that ſhuld be ſuch an horryble carayne of euyll / y• yt ſhud paſſe & excede any myſcheuouſe matter that he had all redy ſpoken agaynſte byfore? what maner of mycheuouſe mater ſhuld thys be?

Thys horryble carrayn of yuell that he leuyth out / ſyth yt ys as he ſayth the greateſt mater of all [...] muſt nedys ye wot well be greater agaynſt the clergy / than all that great brode botomeleſſe occean ſee of yuels: more than all hys Theſe be theys: more than the makyng of ſuch great nomber of beggars / of ydle men / bawdy / hoorys and theuys: more than the hyndryng of matrymony / corruptyng of generacion: more than tranſlatyng the kyngys kyngdom: more thā bryngyng the kyngys crown to ruyne: more than bryngyng the comen weale to ſhypwrak / and all the realm to wyldernes. What thyng can thys horrible carrayn be that the clergy dothe / that he leueth out for a whyle / that ſo farre excedyth theſe mycheuouſe maters before remembryd / that in comparyſon of yt he calleth them all ſmall enormytees / & as a man wold ſay lytle prety peccadulyans? Verely by thys thyng meaneth he none other / but the prechyng of the very hole corps and body of the bleſſed fayth of Cryſte / & the mynyſtryng of the blyſſed ſacraments of our ſauyour Cryſte / and of all thoſe in eſpecyall the conſecratyng of the ſacred body the fleſh and blood of our ſauyour Cryſt. For the techynh & prechyng of all whych thyngys / thys beggers ꝓctour or rather the dyuels proctour wyth other beggers that lak grace and nether beg nor loke for none: bere all thys theyr malyce & wrathe to the churche of Cryſte. And ſeynge there ys no way for attaynyng theyr entēt but one of the twayn / yt ys to wyt eyther playnly to wryte agaynſt the fayth and the ſacramentys (wheryn yf they gat them credēce and obtaynyd / they then ſe well the church muſt nedys fall therwyth [...] or els to labour agaynſt the church alone / & get the clergye dyſtroyd / wheruppon they parceyue well that the ſayth and ſacramentꝭ wold not fayle to decay: they parce yuyng thys / haue therfore furſte aſſayd the furſt way all redy / ſendyng forth Tyndals trāſlacyon of the new teſtament in ſuch wyſe hādled as yt ſhuld haue bene the foū tayn and well ſpryng of all theyr hole hereſyes. For he had corrupted and purpoſely chāged in many placys the text / wyth ſuch wordys as he myght make yt ſeme to the vnlerned people / that the ſcryputre affyrmed theyr hereſyes it ſelfe. Then cam ſone after out in prynt the dyaloge of frere Roy & frere Hyerome / betwene y• father & y• ſonne agaynſt y• ſacrament of y• aulter: & the blaſphemouſe boke entytled the beryeng of the maſ [...]e. Then cam forth after Tyndals wykkyd boke of Māmona / & after that his more wykkyd boke of obydyence. In whych bokys afore ſpecyfyed they go forth playnly agaynſt the fayth and holy ſacraments of Cryſtys church / and moſt eſpecyally [Page] agaynſt the blyſſed ſacrament of y• aulter / wyth as vylanous wordꝭ as the wreches coud deuyſe. But whē they haue ꝑceuyd by exꝑyēce yt good people abhorred theyr abomynable bokꝭ: thē they beyng therby lernyd yt the furſt way was not y• beſt for y• furtherance of theyr purpoſe / haue now determined thē ſelfe to aſſay the ſecūde way / that ys to wytte y• forberynge to wryte ſo openly and dyrectely agaynſte all the fayth & the ſacramētys as good cryſten men coulde not abyde the redyng / they wolde / wyth lyttell towchyng of theyre other hereſyes / make one boke ſpecially agaynſt y• church & loke how that wold proue. Whyche yf yt ſuccede after theyre appetytys that they myght wyth falſe crymes ſayd vnto ſome / or wyth the very fawtis of ſome brynge the hole churche in hatered and haue the clergye dyſtroyed: thē ſhuld they more eſely wynne theyre purpoſe that waye. For whē the prechours of the fayth and very goſpell were dyſtroyed or farre owte of credence wyth y• people / then ſhulde they haue theyre awne falſe goſpellys preched / as ye may perceyue that thys man meaneth where he ſayth y• thē ſhall the goſpell be preched. And therfore thys ys the thynge whych thys man as yet leueth owt agaynſt thē / that is to wytte the prechyng of the ryght fayth and the ſacramētys / whych thynge he rekeneth in the clergye a more horryble carayn / thē all the crymes wheryn he hath bylyed them byfore: And therfore ſayth he yt he leueth yt owte / leſte he ſhulde ſeme to declare the one and onely fawt of the kyngis hyghnes. Whych one onely fawte he meaneth his gracys moſte famouſe and moſt gracyouſe boke / that hys hyghnes as a prynce of excellent crudycyon / vertue / and deuocyon toward y• catholyke fayth of cryſt / made of thaſſercyon of the ſacramentys agaynſt y• furyouſe boke of Marthin Luther. Thys godly dede done by hys hyghnes / wyth thacceptacyō of hys godly well deſerued tytle of defenſoure of the fayth gyuē his grace by the ſee apoſtolyque / thys calleth thys beggers proctoure the kyngys one and onely fawt and ignorance of theyre falſe fayth in eſtymacyon of theſe heretyques / whych this beggers proctour ſayth that he wyll for the whyle hyde and couer vnder hys cloke of ſylence / tyll the kynge may by theſe enormytyes where wyth he bylyeth the churche in hys beggers byll (wyche enormytyes he calleth ſmale enormyties in comparyſon of the prechyng of the catholyke fayth and the ſacramentys) be lerned. What leſſon trow ye? None other ſurely / but that they hope that as well hys hyghnes as hys peple / may by ſuche beggers byllys be fyrſte alured and brought in / to cōtemne / hate and dyſtroye y• church: and then therby lerne the tother leſſon whych he now leueth owte for the whyle / that ys to wytte to ſette at nought the catholyque fayth and all the bleſſyd ſacramentys / after the techyng of Luthers and Tyndallys goſpell. And therfore ſayth he as we tolde you byfar / [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] that then ſhall the goſpell be preched.

¶And in the mene tyme y• mā vſeth as he weneth hym ſelf to ward y• kyngys grace a very wyſe faſſyon of flatery / callynge hym theyre beſt belouyd mynyſter of ryghtuouſnes: yet be they not onely ronne away for fere of the ryghtuouſnes of theyr beſt belouyd myniſter of ryghtuouſnes / but alſo wold yt ſhuld ſeme yt his hyghnes were ſuch a mynyſter of ryghtuouſnes / as eyther ſet ſo lyttel by ryghtuouſnes that he wold wyttyngly ſuffer / or els had ſo lytyll inſyght in ryghtuouſnes that he coud not parceyue / ſo great a mater and ſuch an horryble carrayn of yuell commyttyd by the church / as were ſo heynouſe / ſo houge and ſo great: that in comparyſon therof / the tranſlatyng of hys kyngdome / the ruyne of hys crown / the ſhypwrak of hys comen w [...]ale / the dyſpeplyng of hys realm / and bryngyng all hys land in to deſolacyon and wyldernes: were but ſleyght maters and ſmall enormytees. And that hys hyghenes ſhuld towarde thys great horrible a intollerable myſcheuouſe demeanu [...]e of the church / be ayding and aſſyſtent eyther of yuell mynde or of ygnoraunce / tyll that by theyr beggarly byll beyng torned into the hatred & the dyſtruccyon of y• church he myght thereby be illumynyd to lerne and parceyue that the faythe whych hys grace had before both lernyd & taughte / and wherof hym ſelf ys the deffenſor / ys falſe and faynyd: and if at the ſacramentꝭ be but m [...]nnys inuencyons / and that theruppon he ſhuld be contente to lern the goſpel of Luther and the teſtament of Tyndale. And thus ye may ſe what the beggars ꝓctour ment by his proꝑ inuētyd rydle / by whych as ye ſe vnder a fond face of flatery he vſeth towarde his prince and ſouerayn lord [...] [...]whoſe maieſte both by the law of god & the dutye of hys allegyaunce he were hyghely bounden to reuerence) an open playn dyſpyte and contumely.

¶Now to thentent yt ye may yet farther parceyue and ſe y• they by the dyſtruccyon of the clergy / meane the clere abolycyon of Cryſtys fayth: yt may lyke you to conferre and compare to gether .ii. placis of hys beggars byll. In one place after that he hath heped vp to gether all hys lyes agaynſt the hole clergy / & therto adioyned hys greuouſe exclamacyon: Oh y• greuouſe ſhypwrak of the comē weale: he ſayth that in aūcyent tyme before the comyng of the clergy / there were but few pore people & yet they dyd not beg / but there was gyuen them ynogh vnaſked / becauſe at yt tyme he ſayth there was no clergy (whō he calleth alway rauenouſe woluys) to aſk yt fro thē: and thys ſayth he appereth in y• boke of the actys of y• apoſtles. In this place we let paſſe hys threfold foly. One that he wold by that there were no beggars in one place / proue therby that there were none in all y• worlde beſyde. For as he for lakke of wyt and vnderſtandyng myſtaketh the booke / he weneth that there were none that beggyd in Hyeruſalem. [Page] whych yf yt were trew / yet myghte there be ynow in other placys.

A nother of hys folyes is in that he alledgeth a boke for hym that no thyng proueth hys purpoſe. For in all that hole boke ſhall he neyther fynde that there was at that tyme few pore peple / nor yt pore peple at that tyme begged not. Far of trouthe there were pore people and beggers / ydle people / and theues to / good plenty bothe then and all way byfore / ſynnes almoſte as longe as Noes flode / and yet peraduenture ſeuen yere afore that to. And ſo were there in dede in Heyruſalē alſo amonge theym all / tyll cryſtendome came in / and yet remayned then amonge ſuch peple there as tourned not to the fayth of Cryſt. The thyrde foly ys / he layeth that boke for hym whyche in dede preueth playne agaynſt hym. For where he ſayeth yt appereth there that the clergy was not then come / we can not in y• worlde deuyſe of what people he ſpeketh Paynyms / Iewes / or cryſten men. If he meane amonge Paynyms / hys folye and hys falſehed both ys to euydent. For who knoweth not that amonge the Paynyms they had aL way theyre preeſtys / whoſe lyuynge was well and plentuouſly prouyded for / as ye may perceyue not onely by many other ſtoryes / but alſo by many places in the byble / and ſpecyally in the .xlvii. chapyter of geneſys. If he ſpeke of the Iewes / euery mā woteth well that they had a clergy thouſandꝭ of yeres bifore the boke that he alledgeth / & theyr lyuynge farre more largely prouyded for / then eny parte of ye people byſyde / and that by goddys awne ordynaunce. Now yf he ſpeke of y• cryſten people that was at that tyme in Hieruſalem where y• fayeth byganne / hys boke maketh ſore agaynſt hym. For there was a clergy as ſone as there was eny chryſten peple. For the clergy byganne thē. And that clergye had not a parte of the cryſten peples ſubſtaūce / but had yt all to gether / and dyd dyſtrybute yt as they ſawe nede / whych no man dowteth but that the partyes ſhewed theym / or ellys in ſome nedys they muſt nedys haue laked. So that here were many pore mē yf they be pore that haue naught left / & all they beggers / yf they be beggers that be fayne to ſhew theyr nede and aſke / and y• clergy had all to gyther. And yet layeth this wyſe mā thys boke for hym / beyng ſuche as yf he ſhulde haue ſytten and ſtudyed therfore / he could not haue founden a boke that made more agaynſt hym.

¶But as we ſayed byfore / we ſhall lette hys falſe foly paſſe / and praye you to cōſyder what he wold haue you byleue. He ſayeth and wold ye ſhuld wene that there were few pore folke / and no beggers no where byfore y• clergy of cryſtēdom cā in / but that all y• pouerte & beggary cā in to y• world wyth the criſtē clergy. Now knoweth euery man y• the cryſten clergy & the cryſten fayth / cam in to the cryſten people to gether / ſo that in effecte hys wordys way to thys y• all pouerte and beggary came in to the worlde wyth the cryſten fayth.

[Page] ¶Sette nowe to thys place the tother place of hys in the ende and concluſyon of hys boke / where he ſayth that after the clergy ſpoylyd onys and caſt out / then ſhall the goſpell be preched / and thē ſhall we beggars haue ynough & more: lo lyke as in the tone place he ſheweth that all begary cam in wyth y• clergy yt brought in ye fayth / ſo ſheweth be in the tother that there ſhuld wyth the clergy all beggary go forth agayn / yf they were ſo clene caſt out that Criſtys goſpell beyng caſt out wyth them / and the fayth whych cam in wyth them / they myghte haue that goſpell prechid as they ſay they ſhulde and as in dede they ſhuld whych they call the goſpell / that is to wit Luthers goſpell and Tyndallys teſtament / prechynge the dyſtruccyon of Cryſtys very fayth & hys holy ſacramentꝭ / auauncyng & ſettyng forth all boldenes of ſynne & wrechydnes / and vnder the falſe name of cryſtē fredome / ſpurryng forward the dyuylyſh vnbrydeled appetyte of lewd ſedycyouſe and rebellyouſe lyberte / that ſlew in one ſomer as we ſhewed you before aboue .lx.M. of y• pore vplādyſh Lutheranis in Almayn. And thys ys all that theſe heretykys loke for as the frute of theyr ſe dycyouſe bokys and beggars byllys / truſtyng by ſome ſuch ways to be eaſed of theyr beggary / whych they now ſuſtayn beyng ronne oute of the realm for hereſy. For yf they might as they fayn wold [...] haue ye clergy caſt out / and Cryſtys goſpell caſt of / and theyr owne goſpell preched: thē hope they to fynde that word trew where he ſayth: then ſhall we haue ynough and more.

¶For of all that euer he hath ſayd / he hath not almoſt ſayd one trew word ſaue thys. And ſurely this word wold after theyr goſpell onys prechyd & receyuyd be foūden ouer trew. For thē ſhuld the beggers / nat ſuch beggars as he ſemeth to ſpeke for that be ſyk ſore and lame / but ſuch bold preſumptuouſe beggars as he ys in dede / hole & ſtrong in body but weke & ſyk in ſoule / yt haue theyr bodys clene fro ſkabbys and theyr ſoulys foule infect wyth vgly great pokkys & leprye: theſe beggars wold hope to haue & except good men take good hede wolde not fayle to haue ynough and a great deale more. For after that they myght the clergy furſt dyſtroyd bryng in onys after yt the prechyng of Luthers goſpell and Tyndals teſtament / and myght wyth theyr heryſyes and fals fayth infect and corrupt the people / cauſyng them to ſet the blyſſed ſacramentꝭ aſyde / to ſet holy days and faſtyng days at yought / to contemne all good workys / to geſt & rayle agaynſt holy vowed caſtyte / to blaſpheme the olde holy fathers and doctours of Criſtys church / to mok and ſcorne the blyſſed ſayntys and martyrs y• dyed for Cryſtys fayth / to reiect and refuſe y• fayth that thoſe holy martyrys lyued and dyed for / and in the ſtede of y• true fayth of cryſt contynued thys .xv.C. yeres / to take nowe the falſe fayth of a fond frere / of olde condemnyd and of new reforgyd wythyn ſo few days [Page] wyth contempte of god and all good men / and obſtynate rebellyouſe mynde agaynſt all lawes rule and gouernaunce / wyth arrogante preſumpcyon to medle wyth euery mannys ſubſtaunce / wyth euery mā nys lande / and euery mannys mater nothynge partaynynge to them: yt ys we ſay no dowte / but that ſuche bolde preſumptuouſe beggers wyll / yf ye loke not well to theyre handꝭ / not fayle to haue as he wryteth ynough and more to. For they ſhall gather to gyder at laſte / and aſſemble theym ſelfes in plumpes and in great rowtes / and from aſkynge fall to the takynge of theyre almoyſe theym ſelfe / and vnder pretexte of reformacyon (berynge euery man that aught hath / in hande that he hath to myche) ſhall aſſay to make newe dyuyſyon of euery mannys lande and ſubſtaunce: neuer ceacynge yf ye ſuffer theym / tyll they make all beggers as they be theym ſelfe / and at laſte bryng all the realme to ruyne / and thys not wythout bochery and fowle blody handys.

¶And therfore this beggers proctour or rather the proctour of hell ſhuld haue concluded hys ſupplycacyon not vnder the maner that he hath done / that after the clergye caſte owte / thā ſhall the goſpell be preched: then ſhall beggers and bawdys decreace: thē ſhall ydle folk and theuys be fewer: then ſhall the realme encreace in rycheſſe and ſo forth. But he ſhuld haue ſayed: After that the clergye ys thus deſtroyed and caſte owt / then ſhall Luthers goſpell come in / then ſhall Tyndallys teſtament be taken vp: Thē ſhall falſe hereſyes be preched: Thē ſhall ye ſacramentꝭ be ſett ate nough: Thē ſhall faſtyng & prayour be neglected: Thē ſhall holy ſayntꝭ be blaſphemed: Then ſhall almyghty god be dyſpleaſed: Then ſhall he wythdrade hys grace and lette all rūne to ruyne: Then ſhall all vertue be hadde in deryſy [...]n: Then ſhall all vyce reygne and runne forth vnbrydeled: Then ſhall youth leue labour and all occupacyon: Then ſhall folk waxe ydle and fall to vnthryftyneſſe: Then ſhall horys and theuys beggers and bawdys encreace: Thē ſhall vnthryftys flok togyder and ſwarme abowte and eche bere hym bolde of other: Then ſhall all lawes be laughed to ſcorne: Then ſhall the ſeruauntꝭ ſet nought by theyre mayſters / and vnruly people rebelle agaynſt theyr rulers: Then wyll ryſe vp ryflyng and robbery / murder and myſcheyfe / & playn inſurreccyon / wherof what wold be thende or when you ſhuld ſe yt / onely god knoweth. All whych myſchyefe may yet be wythſtā den eaſely and wyth goddꝭ grace ſo ſhall yt / yf ye ſuffer no ſuch bold beggers to ſeduce you wyth ſedycyouſe byllys. But well ꝑceyuyng that theyre malycyouſe purpoſe ys to brynge you to deſtruccyon / ye lyke good cryſtē people auoydyng theyre falſe traynes and grynnꝭ / geue none eare to theyre heynowſe hereſyes / nor walke theyr ſedycyouſe wayes. But perſeueryng in your olde fayth of criſte / and obſeruyng [Page] hys lawes wyth good and godly warkis and obedyēce of your moſte gracyouſe kyng and gouernour / go forth in goodneſſe and vertue / whereby ye can not fayle to flowre and proſpere in ryches and worldely ſubſtaunce: whyche well employed wyth helpe of goddys grace abowte cherytable dedes to the nedy / and the rather in remembraūce and relyefe of vs / whoſe nede ys relyued by you charyte ſhewed for our ſake to your neyghboure / be able to purchace you myche pardon of the bytter payn of thys paynfull place / and bryng you to yt ioyefull bleſſe / to whyche god hath wyth hys bleſſyd blode bought you and wyth hys holy ſacramentys enſeygned you. And thus wyll we leue the mannys malycyouſe foly / tēdyng to the dyſtruccyō fyrſt of the clergye and after of your ſelfe / wheryn hys madde rekenynge hath conſtrayned vs to trouble you with meny tryfles god wote full vnmete for vs: and nowe wyll we tourne vs to the treatyng of that one poynte / whyche thoughe yt ſpecyally perteyneth to our ſelfe / yet mych more ſpecyally ꝑteyneth yt vnto you: yt ys to wytte the impugnacyon of that vncherytable hereſye wherwhyth he wolde make you to owre great harme and mych more your awne / byleue that we nede none [...]elpe and that there were no purgatory.

¶The ende of the fyrſt boke⸫

¶The ſeconde boke.

WHen we cōſyder in our ſelf dere brothern & ſyſtern in our ſauyour Cryſte / y• preſent paynfull pangꝭ yt we fele / & therwyth ponder vppō the tother parte / y• parylouſe eſtate of you y• ar our frendys there lyuyng in yt wrechyd world: wyt you very ſurely that thys peſtylēt oppynyō begō agaynſt purgatory / not ſo mych greuyth vs for y• lak yt we ſhuld fynde therby in y• relyefe of our own intollerable tormētꝭ / as doth for the loue y• we bere you / the fere & heuynes yt we take for yt parell & ieopardy yt ſhuld euerlyſtyngly fall to youre owne ſowlys therby. Nor of all the heuy tydyngys y• euer we hard here / was there neuer none ſo ſore ſmote vs to y• hart / as to here the world wax ſo faynt in the fayth of Criſte / that eny mā [Page] ſhulde nede nowe to proue purgatory to cryſten men / or that any man could be founden / whych wold in ſo great a thyng ſo fully and faſtly beleuyd for an vndowted artycle thys .xv.C. yere / begynne now to ſtaggar and ſtand in dowt / for the vnwyſe wordys of eny ſuch malycyouſe parſon / as ys he yt made the beggars ſupplicacyon. For whoſe anſwere & full confutacyon yt ſemeth vs ſuffyciēt / that ye may clere parceyue hys wordys to be of lytle weyght / whyle ye ſe that the mā hath neyther lernyng / wyſdome nor good entent: but all hys byll vtterly groūded vppō errour / euyll wyll & vntrouth. And ſurely thys were to vs greate wonder yf cryſten men ſhuldē nede eny other ꝓfe in thys world to reproue ſuch ſedycyouſe folk wythall / thē the onely tokē of the dyuels badge whych theym ſelfe bere euer about thē: the badge we mene of malyce and of a very dedely dyuelyſhe hate.

¶For where as oure ſauyoure Cryſte hathe ſo lefte loue & charyte for the badge of his cryſten people / that he cōmaundeth euery man ſo largely to loue other / that hys loue ſhold extend and ſtrech vnto hys enmy / nor there ys no naturall man nether Paynym / Iew / Turk nor Saracene / but he wyll rather ſpare his foo than hurt his frende: thys kynde of folk ys ſo farre fallen not onely from all cryſten charyte but alſo from all humanite and felyng of eny good effeccyon naturall / and ſo chaūgede into a wylde fyerce cruell appetyte more thā brutyſh and beſtyall / that they furſte wythout grounde or cauſe take theyre frēdys for theyre foes / hatynge the churche dedely becauſe yt wylleth theyr weale and laboureth to amend thē: and after to do the chirch hurt whō they take for theyr ēmyes / they labour to do vs much more hurt whom they call ſtyll for theyr frendys. For they to get pulled from the clergy the frayle cōmodytees of a lytle worldy lyuyng / labour to haue vs theyr fathers / theyr mothers / theyr frendꝭ and all theyr kynne left lyeng in thy fyre here helpleſſe & forgottē / they lytle force how long. And in thys they ſhew theyr affeccyon mych more vnnaturall & abomynable / thā he yt wold wyth his ſwerd thruſt his frēd thorow the hole body to the hard haft / to gyue hys enmy behynd hym a lytle pryk with the poynt. Thys ways of theyrs were very noght & deteſtable / although they truly ment in dede / as mych good as they falſly pretēd. For where as they cloke theyr cruell purpoſe & intēt / vnder colour of a gret zele toward y• comen welth / which they lay to before ēpayryd by gret pōp & inordynate lynyng vſed in y• church: we be ſo farre fro the mynde of defēding eny ſuch ſpyrytuall vyce / carnall vnclēnes / or worldly pomp & vanyte vſed in y• clergy / yt we wold to god yt were mych leſſe thā yt is / not in thē only but alſo in y• tēporalte. And there is none of nether ſort but yf he were here with vs but one half houre / he wold ſet lytle by all ſuch worldly vanitees all his life after / & lytle wold he force or rek whether he ware ſylk or ſak cloth.

[Page] ¶But ſurely thys man yf he ment well: the faulys of yuell folk he wold lay to them ſelf / & not vnto y• hole clergy. He wold alſo labour for amendment & betteryng / not for dyſtruccyon & vndoyng fynally. He wold hold hym ſelf wythyn hys boūdꝭ / onely deuyſyng agaynſt mennys vyes / & not ſtart owt therwith in to playn & open hereſyes. But ſurely ſo hath yt euer hetherto ꝓuyd / that neuer was there any that ſhewed hym ſelf an enmy to the church / but though he couered it neuer ſo cloſe for the whyle / yet at the laſt alway he prouyd hym ſelf in ſome parte of hys work [...] ſo very an enmy to the catholyk faythe of Cryſte / that men myght well parceyue that hys malyce towarde the clergy grew furſt & ſprang of infydelyte & lak of ryghte belyefe. And of thys poynt was there neuer a clerer enſample than thys beggars proctour: whych was ſo far forth farſed / ſtuffed & ſwollen w [...]th ſuch venamouſe hereſys / that albe yt he longed ſore to kepe them in for the ſeaſon / and onely to rayle aganſt the clergy & hyde hys enmyouſe intent toward the fayth: yet was he not able to cōteyn and hold / but was fayn for braſtyng to puffe out one blaſt of his poyſon [...]d ſe [...]t agaynſt vs ſely ſowlys: y• goodnes of god dryuyng hym to y• dyſcloſyng and dyſcoueryng of hys malycyouſe hereſy / to thētent ye ſhuld therby parceyue out of what vngracyouſe groūd hys enmyte ſprang that he bare agaynſte the churche. Whyche thyngys ones parceyu [...]d and conſyderyd: muſte nedys mynyſhe and byreue hym hys credence am [...]ng all ſuch as ar not affeccyonate toward hys errours and infect and venomed wyth hys mortall hereſyes / and of ſuche folk we truſt he ſhall fynde very few.

¶For ſurely not onely among cryſten peple and Iewys / of whome the tone hath / the tother hath had / the perceyuyng and lyght of fayth / but alſo amonge the very myſcreaunt and ydolaters Turkys / [...]aracens / and Paynyms / excepte onely ſuche as haue ſo farre fallen from the nature of man in to a brutyſhe beſtely ꝑſuaſyon as to byleue y• ſoule & body dye both at onys: ellys hath allwaye y• remanaurt comonly thought & byleued / y• after the bodyes dede and deceaced / the ſoulys of ſuch as were neyther dedely dāpned wreches for euer / nor on the tother ſyde / ſo good but that theyre offences done in this wor [...]d hath deſerued more punyſhement thē they had ſuffred and ſuſtayned there / were punyſhed and pourged by payn after y• deth ere euer they were admytted vnto theyre welth and reſte.

¶Thys fayth hath allwey not onely faythfull peple had: but alſo as we ſay very myſcreauntꝭ and ydolaters haue euer had a certayne opynyon and perſuaſyon of y• ſame: whyther that of the fyrſte lyght and reuelacyon gyuen of ſuche thyngys to our formar fathers / there hath allway remayned a glymerynge that hath gone forth fro mā to man / fro one generacyon to a nother / and ſo contynued and kepte amonge [Page] all peple: or ellys that nature and reaſon haue tought men euery where to perceyue yt. For ſurely that they haue ſuch bylefe not onely by ſuch as haue bene trauayled in many cuntrees among ſēdry ſectys / but alſo by y• olde and auncyent wryters that haue bene amōg theym: we maye well & euydentely perceyue. And in good fayth yf neuer had there bene reuelacyō gyuen therof / nor other lyght thē reaſon: yet preſuppoſed the immortalyte of mānys ſoule whych no reſonable man dyſtruſted / and therto agreed the ryghtuouſenes of god & hys goodnes whyche ſcant the deuyll hym ſelfe denyeth / purgatory muſt nedꝭ appere: For ſyth that god of hys ryghtuouſeneſſe wyll not leue ſynne vnpunyſhed / nor hys goodnes wyll perpetually punyſh the fawt after y• mānys conuerſyon: yt foloweth that y• punyſhemēt ſhall be temporall. And now ſyth the mā often dyeth byfore ſuche punyſhement had / eyther at goddys hand by ſome afflyccyon ſent hym or at hys awne by due penaunce done / whych y• moſte parte of people wantonely doth forſlouth: a very chylde almoſt may ſe the cōſequēt yt the punyſhemēt at y• deth remaynyng due & vndone / ys to be endured a ſuſtayned after. whych / ſyth hys maieſtye ys ſo excellēt whom we haue offended / can not of ryght & iuſtyce be but heuy and ſore.

¶Now yf they wolde peraduenture as in magnyfyenge of goddys hygh goodnes ſaye / that after a mannys conuerſyon onys to god agayn / not onely all hys ſynne ys forgyuen but all the hole payn alſo / or that they wyll vnder colour of enhaūcing the merite and goodnes of Cryſtꝭ paſſyon tell vs yt hys payn ſuffred for vs / ſtādeth in ſtede of all our payn & penaunce / ſo that neyther purgatory can haue place nor eny penaūce nede to be done by our ſelf for our own ſynne: theſe folk that ſo ſhall ſay / ſhall vnder pretext of magnyfyēg hys marcy / not onely ſore mynyſhe his vertewe of iuſtyce / but alſo mych hinder the opynyon and parſuaſyon that mē haue of hys goodnes. For albeyt yt god of his great marcy may forthwith forgyue ſome folke frely theyr ſynne and payn both wythout preiudyce of hys ryghtuouſnes / eyther of hys lyberall boūte or for ſome reſpect had vnto the feruēt ſorowfull harte that fere and loue wyth helpe of ſpecyall grace haue brought into the penytente at the tyme of his retorne to god / and alſo that the bytter paſſyon of our ſauyour beſyde the remyſſyon of the ꝑpetuyte of our payn do alſo leſſen our purgatory and ſtand vs here in maruelouſe hygh ſtede: yet yf he ſhuld vſe thys poynt for a generall r [...]le / that at euery conuerſyon fro ſynne with purpoſe of amendemēt and recourſe to cōfeſſyon / he ſhall forthwyth fully forgyue wythout the partyes payn or eny other recompence for the ſynnys commyttyd ſaue onely Cryſtys paſſyon payd for thē all: then ſhuld he gyue gret occaſyon of lyghtnes and bold corage to ſynne.

¶For when mē were onys parſuaded that be theyr ſynnys neuer ſo [Page] ſore / neuer ſo many / neuer ſo myſcheuouſe / neuer lōg ſo cōtynued / yet thay ſhall neuer bere payn therfore: but by theyr onely fayth and theyr baptyſm wyth a ſhort returne agayn to god / ſhall haue all theyr ſynne & payn alſo clene forgeuen and forgottē / nothyng els but onely to cry hym marcy as one womā wold yt tredyth on a nothers trayne: thys way wolde as we ſayd gyue the worlde great occaſyō & corage not onely to fall boldly to ſynne and wrechednes / but alſo careleſſe to contynew theryn / preſumyng vppon that thyng that ſuche heretykes haue parſuaded vnto ſome mē all redy / that .iii. or .iiii. wordys ere they dye ſhall ſuffycyently ſarue them to bringe them ſtrayghte to heuen. where as beſydys the fere that they ſhulde haue leſt they ſhall lak at laſt the grace to turne at all / and ſo for faut of thoſe .iii. or .iiii. wordys fall to the fyre of hell: yf they beleue ther wyth the thyng y• trewth is byſyde / that ys to wyt that though they happe to haue the grace to repent & be forgeuen the ſynne & ſo to be delyueryd of the endleſſe payn of hell / yet they ſhall not ſo frely be deliuered of purgatory / but that beſyde the generall relyefe of Cryſtys hole paſſyon extended vnto euery man not after the valure therof but after the ſtynt and rate appoyntyd by godd [...]s wyſdom / great and long payn abydyth them here amonge vs / wherof theyre wyllyngly taken penaunce in the world / & afflyccyon there put vnto them by god / & there pacyently borne and ſuffred wyth other good dedys there in theyr lyfe done by theym / & fynally the merytꝭ and preyours of other good folkys for thē / may mynyſhe and abbredge the payne / whyche wyll ellys hold them here wyth vs in fyre and turmentys intollerable onely god knowyth how long: thys thyng we ſay as yt ys trew indede / ſo yf the world well & fyrmely for a ſure trewth beleue yt / can not fayle to be to many folke a good brydle and a ſharpe bytte to refrayne theym from ſynne. And on y• tother ſyde y• cōtrary belyefe wolde ſende many folke forward to ſynne / & therby in ſtede of purgatory in to euerlaſtynge payne.

¶And therfore ys thys place of our temporall payne of purgatory not onely cōſonaunt vnto hys ryghtuouſe iuſtyce / but alſo the thyng that hyghly declareth hys greate mercy and goodnes / not onely for that the payn therof hough and ſore ys yt / ys yet leſſe then owr ſynne deſerueth: but alſo moſte eſpecyally in that by the fere of payn to be ſuffred and ſuſteyned here / hys goodnes refrayneth men from the boldenes of ſynne and neclygence of penaunce / & therby kepeth and preſerueth theym from payne euerlaſtynge: where as the lyght forgeuenes of all to gether / wold geue occaſyon by boldenes of ſynne and preſumpſyon of eaſy remyſſyon / myche people to runne downe hedlynge thyther. And therfore were as we ſayed that way very far cōtrary not onely to goddys iuſtyce & ryghtuouſenes / but alſo to hys goodneſſe & mercy. Wheruppō as we ſayd byfore it muſt nedꝭ folow [Page] that ſyth the payne ys allway due to ſynne / and is not allwaye clene forgeuen wythout cōuenyēt penaunce done or other recōpence made / nor payne ys not allwey done / nor eny recompence made in the mānꝭ lyfe / and yet the mā dyſcharged of hell by hys cōuerſyon: all y• payn y• remayneth muſte nedys be ſuſtayned here wyth vs in purgatory.

¶But nowe yf theſe heretyques as they be very ſelfe wylled and wylle full / wyll ſette at nought the comen opynyon and beleyfe and perſuaſyon of almoſte all the world: and as they be very vnreſonable make lyttel force of reaſon and euer aſke for ſcripture / as though they beleued holy ſcrypture / and yet when yt maketh agaynſt them / they then wyth falſe and fonde gloſys of theyre owne makynge / do but mok and ſhyfte ouer in ſuche a tryflynge maner that yt may well appere they byleue not ſcrypture neyther: yet ſyth they make as they byleued ſcripture & nothyng els / let vs therfore ſe whether that purgatory do not appere opened and reueled vnto cryſten people in holy ſcrypture ſelfe.

¶And fyrſte yt ſemeth very probable and lykely / that y• good kyng Ezechias for none other cauſe wepte at the warnyng of hys deth geuen hym by the ꝓphete / but onely for the fere of purgatory. For albe yt that dyuers doctours alledge dyuers cauſes of hys heuynes and lothenes at that tyme to deꝑt and dye: yet ſemeth there none ſo lykly as the cauſe that auncyent doctours alledge / that ys to wyt y• he was lothe to dye for the fere of hys eſtate after hys deth / for as mych as he had offendyd god by ouermych lykyng of hym ſelf: wherwyth he wyſt y• god was dyſpleſyd wyth hym & gaue hym warnyng by the ꝓphete / that he ſhuld lyue no lēger. Now cōſyderyd he ſo the weyght of hys offence / yt he thought and eſtemyd the onely loſſe of thys preſent lyfe farre vnder the iuſt & condygne ponyſhmēt therof / and therfore fell in gret drede of farre ſorer ponyſhmēt after. But beyng as he was a good faythfull kyng / he coud not lak ſure hope thorow hys repentaūce of ſuch forgyneues / as ſhold preſarue hym frō hell. But ſyth his time ſhuld be ſo ſhort yt he ſhuld haue no layſour to do penāce for hys faut: he therfore fered yt the remaūte of hys ryghtuouſe ponyſhment ſhuld be parformyd in purgatory. And therfore wept he tē derly & longyd to lyue lenger / that hys ſatyſfaccyon done there in the world in prayour & other good vertuouſe dedꝭ / might aboliſh & were out all the payn y• els were toward hym here among vs. To whych hys feruēt boone & deſyre at the cōtēplacyon of his penitēt hart / our lord of his hygh pyte cōdyſcended & grauntyd hym the lengthyng of hys lyfe for .xv. yerꝭ / makyng hym for his farther cūfort ſure therof by y• ſhew of a manyfeſt myracle. But wherto graūtid our lord y• lē ger lyfe / to be beſtowed vppō worldy delite and pleaſure? Nay nay verely. But to thentēt yt myght appere that it was of goddys great [Page] marer grauntyd for the redemyng of his purgatory by good workys for hys ſatyſfaccyon: he was ꝓmyſed by the prophete not onely y• he ſhuld wythin .iii. days be recouered and hole / but alſo that he ſhuld go in to the temple to pray. So that yt may therby appere for what end and entent he longed ſo ſore for a lenger lyfe.

¶Now yf the beggars proctour or Tyndale or Luther eyther / lyſt to ſay y• in thys poynt we do but geſſe at that good kyngꝭ mynde / and therfore purgatory therby rather ſūwhat reſoned thā well & ſurely prouyd: therto may we well anſwer and ſay / that the cyrcumſtaunce of the mater conſyderyd / wyth the vertuouſe holynes and cōnyng of ſuch as ſo longe ago haue taken the ſcrypture thus: y• place alone is a farr better profe for purgatory / thā euer eny of thē coud hetherto lay agaynſt yt yet. For albeyt thys beggars proctour ſayth y• ryght wyſe & cōnynge mē wyll ſay y• there ys no purgatory at all / by which wyſe men he menyth Luther and Tyndall & him ſelf: yet was there neuer any of theym all that yet layed anye ſubſtancyall thynge eyther reaſon or authorytye for theym / but onely geſte and rayle / and ſaye that purgatory ys a thyng of the popꝭ awne makynge / and that ſoulys do nothyng tyll domis day but lye ſtyll and ſlepe. And thus tellyng ſuch wyſe talys for theyre owne parte / and makyng mokkys and mowes at euery thyng that maketh agaynſt theyr foly for our parte: they go forth in theyre euyll wyll and obſtynacy / and with murmur & grudge of theyre owne conſyence / cōtent theym ſelfe wyth y• onely feding of theyre malycyouſe myndis by the encreace of theyre faccyon / of ſuch as fall in to theyre felyſhype rather of a lyght mynde and lewde pleaſure to taire a parte / then of eny greate credence that they gyue vnto theym or greately force whyche way they byleue. For ſurely yf theſe folke were reſonable and indyfferent as yt ys not well poſſyble for them to be / after that they refuſe onys to byleue y• catholyque church & in y• vnderſtandyng of ſcripture lene onely to theyre awne wyttys / but ellys as we ſay yf they could wyth an equall & indyfferent mynd conſyder and way what they here: they ſhulde ſone ſe theyre hereſye reproued and purgatory ſurely cōfermed / not onely by probable reaſon taken of the ſcrypture as in y• place that we reherſed you of Ezechyas / but alſo by playne and euydent textys.

¶For haue ye not the wordys of ſcrypture wryten in the boke of the kyngys: Dominus deducit ad inferos et reducit: our lord bryngeth folke downe in to hell and bryngeth theym thenſe agayne? But they yt be in that hell where the dāpned ſowlꝭ be: they be neuer delyuered thenſe agayne. Wherfore yt appereth well that they whom god delyuereth and bryngeth thēſe agayn / be in that part of hell that ys callyd purgatory.

¶What ſay they to the wordys of the ꝓphete zachary: Tu quoque [Page] in ſaguine teſtamenti tui eduxiſti vinctos tuos de lacu in quo non erat aqua: Thou haſt in the blode of thy teſtament brought out thy bounden pryſoners owte of the pyt or lake in whych there was no water. In that they whom the prophete there ſpeketh of were bounden / we may well perceyue that they were in [...] pryſon of punyſhement. And in that he calleth theym the pryſoners of god: yt ys eth to perceyue that he meaneth not eny that were takē and empryſoned by eny other than the dampned ſpyrytys the very gaolers of god. And in that he ſayth that there ys in that lake no water: we may well perceyue that he ſpake yt in deſcrypcyon of that drye pyt of fyre / where in there ys no refreſhyng: For as hote are we here as they are in hell. And what [...]ete ys in the pyt where there lakketh water: our ſauyour hym ſelfe declareth by the wordys of the rych gloton lyeng in ſuch a lake from whenſe at ſyght of pore Lazarus in Abrahams boſom / he deſyred heuely to haue hym ſent vnto hym wyth one droppe of water to refreſhe hys tonge / that after all the delycates that yt had taſted in his lyfe / lay there thē ſore burnyng / & neuer ſet half ſo mych by twenty tonne of wyne / as he ſet by one pore drop of water. So that as we ſhewe you / theſe wordys of y• ꝓphete zachary. Thou haſte brought owte thy boundē preſoners owte of the lake where in ys no water: do ryght well appere to be ſpokē of theſe pore ēpreſoned ſowlys whom cryſt after hys bytter paſſyon by hys precyouſe blode wherwyth he conſecrated hys church in hys newe teſtament / delyuered owt of the lake of fyre wherin they lay boundē for theyre ſynnys. But nowe ys there no man y• dowteth whyther cryſte delyuered the dāpned ſowlis owt of hell or not. For in y• hell ys there no redempcyon / & in limbo patrum the ſowlys were in reſte. Wherfore it appereth clerely that thoſe [...]ſoners whom he brought owte of theyre payne / he brought onely owte of purgatory: And ſo ſe theſe heretyques purgatory clerly proued by the playn wordys of thys holy prophete.

¶A nother place ys there alſo in the olde teſtament that putteh purgatory quyte owt of queſtyon. For what ys playnner then the places whych in the boke of the Machabees make mencyon / of the deuowt remembraūce / prayoure / almoyſe / & ſacryfyce / to be done for ſowlys when the good and holy man Iudas Machabeus gathered money among the peple to by ſacryfyce wythall to be offred vp for y• ſowlys of theym that were dede in the batayle. Doth not thys place of ſcrypture ſo openly declare the nede that we ſowlys haue in purgatorye / & the relyefe that we fynd by the prayour and ſuffragys of good peple vppon erthe / that all the heretyques that barke ſo faſte agaynſt vs / can fynd neyther gloſe nor colour to the contrary?

¶What ſhyfte fynde they here? ſurely a very ſhameleſſe ſhyfte / and are fayne to take theym to that take lynge that ys theyre ſhote anker [Page] allway / when they fynde the ſtorme ſo great that they ſe theyr ſhyp goth all to wrekk. For firſt they vſe to ſet ſome falſe gloſe to the text that ys layed agaynſt theym / and deny the ryght ſenſe.

¶But now yf the texte be ſo playne that they can haue no ſuche colour: then when they can haue no more holde but ſe that theyre parte goth all to naught / they fall to a ſhameleſſe boldnes & let no to deny the ſcrypture and all / & ſay y• hole ſcrypture whych ys layd agaynſte them ys none holy ſcrypture at all / as Luther playth wyth the godly epyſtle of Cryſtys blyſſed apoſtle ſaynt Iamys. And euyn the ſame do thoſe heretykꝭ wyth the authoryte of this holy boke of Machabees: they be not aſhamed to ſay that yt ys not ſcrypture. But vppon what grownd do they deny yt for ſcrypture / becauſe yt is not found [...] and accompted for holy ſcrypture among y• Iewys? They neyther do nor can deny but that yt ys taken for holy ſcripture by the churche of Cryſte. For yf they wold denye / that both the hole chyrche bereth wytnes agaynſt them at this day / & it alſo appereth playnly by ſaynt Hyerome / ſaynt Auſtayn / & other old holy doctours / that the church ſo toke yt alſo in theyr days & before: thē wold we gladly wit of theſe new men theſe enmyes we mean of ours / whyther the chyrch of criſt be not of as great authoryte and as mych to be beleuyd in the choyſe & eleccyō of holy ſcrypture as the Iewes. If they wyll ſay yes: thē anſwere they them ſelf: for then ys the boke of the Machabees by y• choyce of the chyrch prouyd holy ſcrypture though the Iewes neuer accounted yt ſo. Now yf they will ſay no / and wyll contend that yt cā not be accountyd holy ſcrypture though the chyrch of Cryſte ſo take take yt / but yf the Iewes ſo toke yt too: then go they nere to put out ſaynt Ihāns goſpell out of ſcrypture too / for the Iewes neuer toke yt for none. And ſurely yf they admyt for ſcripture that book that the Iewes admytted / & deny that boke to be ſcrypture whych the church of Cryſte receyueth for ſcrypture: thē do they ſay that the ſpyryte of god was more effectually preſent and aſſyſtēt vnto the ſynagoge of the Iewys in the law of hys prophete Moyſes / thē vnto the church of hys awne onely bygoten ſonne in the law of cryſtys goſpell.

¶If they conſyder well the bokꝭ of y• Machabeys / they ſhall fynd ſuche thynge therin as maye geue theym good occaſyon to put lyttell dowte but that yt ſhuld be of great and vndenyable authoryte. For they ſhall fynde there that the greate good and godly valyaunt capytayne of goddys people dyd inſtytute and ordayne the great feſte of the dedycacyon of the temple of Hieruſalē called feſtū encemorū of the annuall inſtytucyon / of whyche feſte we rede no where ellys but in y• boke of the Machabeys. And yet fynde we that feſte euer after contynued and had in honour vntyll cryſtꝭ awne dayes / and our ſauyour hym ſelfe went to the celebracyon of that ſame feſte / as appereth [Page] in the goſpell of ſaynt Ihān. So that yt may well appere that ye bokys of that noble hyſtory wherof remeaneth ſo noble a monument and remembraunce / contynually kepte and reſerued ſo longe after / and honowred by cryſtes awne precyouſe ꝑſon and teſtyfyed by hys holy Euangelyſte in the boke of hys holy goſpell: can not be but vndowted trewth and of dyuyne authoryte.

¶And ſurely yf they deny ye boke of the Machabeys for holy ſcripture bycauſe the Iewys accompte yt not for ſuche: then ſhall they by the ſame reaſon refuſe the authoryte of the boke of Sapyence / and proue theym ſelfe inſypyentys. And lyke wyſe yf they take all ſcrypture byſyde the newe teſtament to be of none other force and authoryte then yt ys accomptyd in the rule and canon of the Iewes: then ſhall the hole pſalter of Dauyd the very ſomme of clere and lyghte ſome propheſyes / leeſe amonge theym greate parte of his authoryte / ſyth yt ys not taken in lyke force and ſtrenght among the Iewes as yt ys in Cryſtys church.

¶Fynall for the boke of the Machabees / ſyth the church of Cryſte accounteth yt for holy ſcrypture: there can no man dout therof but he that wyll take awaye all credence and authoryte from the hole ſcrypture of god the very goſpellys and all. For yf theſe heretykys deny for holy ſcrypture eny boke that the chyrche of Cryſte accounteh for holy ſcrypture: then deny they one of the grettyſt foundacyons of all cryſtē fayth / and the thyng whych theyr maſter Marten Luther hym ſelf hath all redy confeſſed for trew. For he affyrmyth hym ſelfe that god hath gyuen vnto the church of Cryſte that gyfte / that the church cannot fayle ſurely and certeynly to diſcerne betwene the wordys of god and the wordys of men: & yt yt cannot be deſceyuyd in the choyſe of holy ſcrypture and reiectyng of the contrary: ſo farforth that he cō feſſyth as he nedys muſt of neceſſyte / that the noble doctour and gloryouſe cōfeſſour ſaynt Auſteyne ſayth very well / when he ſayd that he ſhuld not haue beleuyd the goſpell but for ye authorite of ye church. For he had not knowen whych had bene the very boke of the goſpels and whych not amōg ſo many as were wryten / but by the authoryte of the church / whom the ſpyryte of god aſſyſted as yt euer dothe and euer ſhall / in the choyſe and receyuyng of holy ſcripture and reieccyō of the coūterfete and falſe. Wherby yt apperyth clerely not onely by that holy doctour ſaynt Auſteyn / but alſo by the confeſſyon of ye arche heretyke Luther hym ſelfe / that the church cannot be dyſſeyuyd in the choyce of holy ſcrypture and reieccyon of the contrary: ſo farforthe yt yt neyther can receyue as holy ſcrypture eny booke that ys none / nor reiect for other then holy ſcrypture eny boke that is holy ſcrypture in dede. And ſurely yf the churche myghte ſo be deceyuyd in the choyſe of holy ſcripture / that they myghte take & approue for holy ſcrypture [Page] eny boke that were none: then ſtode all cryſtendome in dout and vnſurety / whether ſaynt Ihāns goſpell were holy ſcripture or not / and ſo forth of all the new teſtament.

¶And therfore ſyth as we haue ſhewed you by the heretykes owne confeſſyons / the church of Cryſte cannot be deceyuyd in the choyſe & eleccyon of holye ſcrypture / by whyche theyre confeſſyon they muſte nedys abyde and not flyt therfro / as they dayly do chaūge and vary from theyr owne wordꝭ in many other thyngis / except that they wyll in the fallyng from that poynte refuſe the ſtrēghte and authoryte of the newe teſtament of cryſte: and ſyth as your ſelfe well perceyueth alſo the churche of cryſte receyueth and taketh and (as ye ſe by ſaynt Hyerome and other olde holy doctours thys thowſande yere) hath approued and fermely byleued the holy boke of the Machabeys to be one of the volumes of holy ſcrypture: and then in that boke ye ſe ſo manyfeſtely purgatory proued / that none heretyque as ſhameleſſe as they be can yet for ſhame ſay the cōtrary / but are by the playn and open wordys of that holy boke ſo dreuen vp to y• hard wall / that they can no ferther but are fayne to ſay that the boke ys no parte of ſcrypture / whyche ſhyfte they muſt nedys forſake agayne or ellys reuoke theyre awne wordys and therwyth alſo thauthoryte of all cryſtꝭ goſpell: there ſhall yf eyther reaſon or ſhame can holde / neuer nede eny ferther thyng for the profe of purgatory to ſtoppe y• mowthys of all the heretyques that are or ſhalbe to the worldys ende.

¶But yet ſyth they be ſo hameleſſe and vnreſonable that the thyng whyche they can in no wyſe defende / they can not yet fynde in theyre prowde harte to gyue ouer / but when yt ys prouyd by dyuers playne textis of y• olde teſtament / then hauyng no probable reaſon for theyre parte they neuer the more gyue place to trewth / but ſtykke to theyre obſtynate nay: let vs ſe whyther our purpoſe be not preued by good and ſubſtancyall authoryte in the newe teſtament alſo.

¶And fyrſte let vs conſyder the wordys of the bleſſyd apoſtle and euāgelyſt ſaynt Ihān / where he ſayth: Eſt peccatū vſque ad mortē non dico vt pro to roget quis. There ys ſayth he ſome ſynne that ys vnto the deth / I bydde not that eny man ſhall praye for that. Thys ſynne as the interpreters agre / ys vnderſtanden of deſperacyon and impenytens: as though ſaynt Ihān wolde ſay / yt who ſo depart owt of thys world impenitēt or in diſpayre / eny prayour after made cā neuer ſtande hym in ſtede. Then appereth yt clerely that ſaynt Ihān meaneth that there be other whyche dye not in ſuch caſe for whom he wolde men ſhuld pray / bycauſe y• prayour to ſuche ſowlys may be ꝓfytable. But that profyte can no man take neyther beyng in heuen where yt nedeth not / nor beyng in hell where yt boteth not. Wherfore it appereth plaine yt ſuch prayour helpeth onely for purgatory: whych [Page] they muſte therfore nedys graunte / excepte they deny ſaynt Ihān.

¶What ſaye they to the wordys of ſaynte Ihān in the fyfte chapyter of the Apocalyps: I haue harde ſaythe he euery creature that ys in heuen and vppon the yerth and vnder the yerthe and that be in the ſee and all thyngys that be in them / all theſe haue I harde ſay: benedyccyon and honoure and glorye and power for euer / be to hym that ys ſyttyng in the trone / and vnto the lamb.

¶Now wotteth euery man well / that in hell among damnyd ſoulys ys there none that gyueth glory to Criſte for the redempcyon of mā. For they for anger that by theyr owne defaut they haue loſt theyr ꝑte therof / and cannot for prowd hart take theyr faut to them ſelf / fall to blaſphemy as the deuyll doth hym ſelf / and impute theyr ſynne to the faut of goodys grace / and theyr damnacyon to the blame of hys creacyō. So that the prayſe and glory that ys geuen by creatures in hell vnto the lamb for mannys redempcyon / ys onely by the ſowlys in purgatory / that be and ſhalbe partyners of that redempcyon: as the creaturys walkyng vppon yerth ſaylynge in the ſe / that gyue the honour to Cryſte for mannys redempcyon / be onely the cryſten people whyche loke and hope to be parteners therof / and not infydels that beleue yt not. But the bleſſyd creaturis in heuen geue honour to Criſte for mannys redempcyon / for that ioy and pleaſure that theyre charyte taketh in the ſocyete and felyſhyp of ſaued ſoules. And in thys place yt ys a worlde to ſe the foly of ſome heretykys / what euaſyon they ſeke to voyd from thys place of ſcrypture. They ſey that yt ys no more to be vnderſtanden by ſowlys here in purgatory nor cryſten men lyuyng vppon erth / then by fyſhes in the ſee and the dyuell and damnyd ſoulys in hell: becauſe the text ſayth that euery creature in theſe and in hell ſpake that laud and honour to the lamb. But by this wyſe way myght they preue / that when ye pray for all cryſten ſowlys / ye mean to pray for our Ladyes ſouly and for Iudas too: and that our ſauyour when he ſent hys apoſtles and bad them preche his goſpell to euery creature / thay may bere you in hand that he bad thē preche to oxen and keene and theyre caluys to / becauſe all they be creaturis. But as they were ſente to none other creature / then ſuche as he mēt of thoughe he ſpake of all / nor ye meane to pray for no ſoulys but ſuch as haue nede and may haue help though ye ſpeke of all: ſo though ſaynt Ihān ſpake of euery creature in hell geuyng honour to Cryſte for mannys redempcyon / yet ment he but ſuch as be in the hell in whych they reioyce therin and ſhalbe parteners therof / whych be onely we in purgatorye / and not the dyuels and damnyd ſoulys yt blaſpheme hym though theyr iuſt poniſhmēte redownd agaynſt theyr wyll to the glory of goddys ryghtuouſnes.

¶If all thys wyll not ſatyſfye theym / wyll ye ſe yet a nother clere [Page] place and ſuche as none heretyque can auoyde? Doth not the bleſſyd apoſtle ſaynt Peter as appereth in y• ſecūd chapiter of y• apoſtles actꝭ / ſay of our ſauyour cryſte in this wyſe: Quē deus ſuſcitauit ſolutis doloribus inferm: In theſe wordꝭ he ſheweth that paynys of hell were loſed. But theſe paynys were neyther paynys of that hell in whych the dāpned ſowlys be payned / whych nether were loſed then nor neuer be loſed / but be and ſhalbe as oure ſauyour ſayth hym ſelf euerlaſtyng: nor theſe paynys y• were than loſed were not y• paynys in limbo patrum / for there were none to be loſed / for the good ſoulys were there as our ſauyour ſheweth hym ſelfe in quiete cumforte and reſte. And ſo appereth yt euydētly / that the paynys of hell that were loſed / were onely the paynys of purgatory whych ys alſo called hell by occaſyon of the latyn word and the greke worde both. For in theſe tongys for as mych as byfore the reſurreccyon of our ſauyour cryſt there was neuer none y• aſcended vp in to heuen) there was no peple that ony otherwyſe ſpake of ſowlys / then that they were gone down byneth in to the lowe place. And therfore in the wordys of the comē crede ys yt ſayed of our ſauyour cryſte after hys paſſyon: deſcendit ad inferna: that ys to ſay he deſcended downe byneth in to the lowe placys. In ſtede of whyche low placys the englyſhe tonge hath euer vſed thys worde hell. And certayne ys yt and very ſure / that cryſte deſcended not in to all theſe low placys / nor in to euery place of hell / but onely in to lymbus patrum and purgatory. Whych two placys becauſe they be partys of habytacyons of ſowlys byneth (all whych habytacyons byneth haue in englyſhe bene allway called hell) therfore are theſe two placys amonge other taken and comprehēded vnder y• name of hell. Whych word hell nothynge ellys ſygnyfyeth vnto vs in hys generall ſygnyfycacyon / but y• habytacyons of ſowlys byneth or vnder vs in y• low placys vnder y• groūd. Albe yt bycauſe limbus patrum and purgatory be called in englyſhe alſo by theyre ſpecyall namys beſyde: therfore ys moſte comenly thys word hell reſtayned to the ſpecyall ſygnyfycacyon of that low place byneth in whych the dāpned ſoulꝭ be punyſhed. Thys mych haue we ſhewed you of this word hell / bycauſe we wold not that the comen takyng therof myght bryng you in to eny errour. So that by thys place ye ſe preued by the playne wordys of ſaynt Peter / that cryſte at hys reſurreccyon dyd loſe and vnbynd paynys in hell / whych as we haue ſhewed you coud be no where there but in purgatory. For in the ſpeciall hell of damned ſowlys y• paynꝭ were not loſed. And in lymbus patrū was no paynꝭ to be loſyd. And therfore except they denye ſaynt Peter / they cannot deny purgatory.

¶And yet yf they deny ſaynt Peter: we ſhall then alledge thē ſaynt Poule / whom they be beſt content to here of / becauſe that of the dyffyculte [Page] of his wrytyng / they cach ſumtyme ſome mater of cōtencyon for the deffēce of theyr falſe expoſycyō. Thys blyſſed apoſtle in his furſt epyſtle to the Corynthyes the thyrd chapyter ſpekynge of oure ſauyoure Cryſte the very foundacyon and the onely foundacyon of all our fayth & ſaluacyon: ſayth: If any man bylde vppon thys foundacyon gold / ſyluer / [...]cyouſe ſtonys / wood / hay / or ſtraw: euery mā nys work ſhalbe made opē / for the day of our lorde ſhall declare yt / for in the fyre yt ſhalbe ſhewed / & the fyre ſhall proue what maner of thyng euery mānys work ys. If any mānys work yt he hath bylded theron do abyde: he ſhall haue a reward. If eny mānys work burne: he ſhall ſuffer harme / but he ſhalbe ſafe / but yet as by fyre. In theſe wordꝭ y• apoſtle ſhewith y• lykewyſe as ſum mē abydyng vppō criſte & hys very lyuely fayth / bylde vp theruppō ſuch good workꝭ as are ſo good & ſo pure yt they be lyke fyne gold / fyne ſiluer / or ſuch fyne [...] cyous ſtonys / as whē they be caſte in the fyre yt cā fynde no fyfth to fech out of thē / and therefore they remayn in the fyre ſafe and vnmynyſhed: ſo ar there ſum on the tother ſyde / whych thogh they do not as many other do / wyth mortall ſynnys & lak of good workꝭ / wound theyr fayth vnto y• deth & fall fro criſte the fundacyon that they muſt byld vppon: yet do they abydyng vppō yt fūdacyon / byld vp theruppon many ſuch ſymple & frayle and corruptyble workꝭ as can neuer enter heuē. And ſuch be veniall ſynnys / as ydle wordys / vayne & wā ton myrth / & ſuch other thyngys lyke: whych be but lyke wood / hay / or ſtraw. Whych work [...] whē the ſoule after hys departyng out of the world bryngeth hether into purgatory: he cānot ſo gette thorow yt as dothe the ſoule whoſe wurkꝭ were wrought clene or fully purged by penaūce ere he dyed. For yt ſoule in the fyre can fele no harm / lyke as fyne gold can in y• fyre nothyng leſe of hys weyght. But this ſoule yt bryngeth wyth hym ſuch frayle workys eyther wrought by thē ſelf or inſertyd ꝑaduenture & myxyd a myddys of ſum good & vertuouſe wurk / as for ēſample ſum lak ꝑaduēture ſuffyciēte attencyon & hede taken by ſū ſodayn waueryng of the mynde in tyme of prayouce / or ſome ſurrepcyō & k [...]epyng in of vayne glory & lykyng of theyr owne prayſe in theyr almes geuē or other good dede done / not forthewith reſyſted & caſte oute / but kepte and fedde vppon to longe / and yet neyther ſo longe paraduenture nor ſo greate as oure lorde wyll for that thought depryue hym the meryte and reward of hys work: lo in ſuch caſys as the apoſtle ſayth the day of oure lorde whych ys to the hole world the day of the generall iugement and to euery man particuler / the day of hys owne iugement after hys dethe / ſhall ſhew hys work what maner thynge yt ys: the fyre ſhall proue and declare. For here in purgatory lyke as the fyre cā in the clene ſowlys take none holde / but they ſhalbe theryn wythoute any maner payne or gryefe: ſo ſhall [Page] yt in the ſowlys that are vnclenſyd and haue theyr wurk [...] imperfyte vnclene and ſpottyd: haſtely catch / holde and kepe them faſt & burne thē wyth inceſſaunt payn: tyll the fylthynes of theyre ſynne be clene purged & gone / & yt ſhalbe in ſum ſener in ſum later / as theyr ſynnys or the ſpott [...] remaynyng therof be more eaſy or more hard to get owt. And yt ys the thyng y• Poule ſygnyfyeth by ye wood / haye / & ſtrawe of whych the tone ys a lyght flame ſone endede, y• tether ſmowdreth [...] and the thyrd ys hoteſte and endureth lengeſt. But yet hath [...] an ende / and ſo ſhall haue at length all the paynys of theym y• ſhalbe purged here. But what ſo euer ſoule miſſhappe to dy in dedely [...] and impenytent: ſyth he ys therby fallen of for euer frome our ſauyour cryſte / yt was hys funda [...]yō & hath byelded vp wreched [...] vppon your [...] enemy the deuyllwherwhyth he hath ſo [...] poyſend hym ſelf that he can neuer be purged: the fyre ſhall therfore lye burmyng vppon hym for euer / and his payne neuer leſſed nor hys fylthy ſpottys neuer the more mynyſhed.

¶And for as mych as ye neuer can conceyue a very ryght imagynacyon of theſe thyngys whych ye neuer felte / nor yt ys not poſſyble to fynde you eny example in the world very lyke vnto the paynys that ſely ſow [...]rs fele when they be departed thenſe: we ſhall therfore put you in remembraunce of one kynde of payne / whych though yt be nothynge lyke for the quantyte of the mater yet may yt ſomwhat be reſemb [...]d be reaſon of the faſſyon and maner. If there were enbarked many peple at onys to be by ſhyppe conuayed a long iourney by ſe of ſuch as neuer cam theron byfore and ſhuld happe all the way to haue the [...]ryſe hygh & ſore wrought and ſomtyme ſone vppō a ſtorme to [...] long after walowyng at an anker: there ſhuld ye fynd dyuerſe f [...]ſyons of folke. Some peraduenture but of theym very fewe / ſo clene from all euyll humours and ſo well attempred of theym ſelfe / that they ſhalbe all that long vyage by ſee as luſty and as [...]ocunde as yf they were on lande. But farre the moſt parte ſhall ye ſe ſore ſyk / [...] in many ſondry maner ſome more / ſome leſſe / ſome lenger tyme dyſeaſed and ſome myche ſoner amended. And dyuers that a whyle had went they ſhulde haue dyed for payne / yet after ons vomyte or twayne ſo clene rydde of theyre gryefe / that they neuer fele dyſpleaſure of yt after. And thys happeth after as the body ys more or leſſe dyſpoſed in yt ſelfe therto. But then ſhall ye ſomtyme ſe there ſome other whoſe body ys ſo incurably corrupted / that they ſhall walter & tolte [...] and wryng theyre handys / and gnaſh the teeth / and theyr eyen water / theyr hed ake [...] theyre body frete / theyr ſtomake wamble / and all theyre body ſhyuer for payne / and yet ſhall neuer vomete at all: or yf they vomyte / yet ſhall they vomyte ſtyll and neuer fynde eaſe therof. Lo thus fareth yt as a ſmall thyng may be reſēbled to a great [Page] by the ſoulys deceaced and departed the world: that ſuch as be clene and vnſpotted can in the fyre feele no dyſeaſe at all / and on the tother ſyde ſuch as come thenſe ſo dedely poyſoned wyth ſynne / that theyre ſpottys bene indelyble and theyre fylthynes vnpourgeable / lye f [...]etynge and fryenge in the fyre for euer. And onely ſuche as neyther be fully clenſed nor yet ſore defyled but that the fyre may frete owt the ſpottys of theyre ſynne: of thys ſorte onely be we yt here lye in purgatory / whych theſe cruell heretyques wolde make you byleue that we fele none harme at all: wherof the blee [...]ſyd apoſtle as we haue ſhewed you wryteh vnto the Corynthyes the cōtrary.

¶Now yf they wolde bere you in hāde that bycauſe ſome doctours do cōſter thoſe wordys of thappoſtle in dyuerſe other ſenſys / as they do conſter in dyuerſe ſenſys allmoſt euery texte in ſcrypture / ſometyme after the letter / ſomtyme morall and ſomtyme other wyſe / and all to the profyte & edyfyēg of the herers: yf theſe heretyques wold therfore pretend that ſaynt Poule in that placement nothyng of purgatory / but the fyre that ſhalbe ſent byfore the dome / or worldely trybulacyon / or ſome ſuche other thynge: ye ſhall well vnderſtand that though hys wordys may be veryfyed and well and ꝓfytably applyed vnto ſuche thyngys alſo / yet letteth that nothyng theſe wordys to be ꝓprely by ſaynt Poule ſpokē of purgatory / no more thē yt letteth theſe wordꝭ to be proprely ſpokē by cryſte: Ego in flagella paratus ſum: & many an other verſe in y• pſalter alſo / though y• ſame wordys may be well applyed & veryfyed of many an other mā offrynge hym ſelfe pacyently to the ſufferaunce of vniuſt punyſhement. And therfore leſte theſe heretyques ſhold wyth eny ſuch inuencyons bygyle you & make you beleue / yt we for the furtheraūce of oure awne cauſe expoune y• apoſtles wordꝭ wrōg & ſo make theym ſeme to ſay for our parte: ye ſhall vnderſtande that thoſe wordys haue bene expowned and vnderſtanden of purgatory thys thowſande yere and more by y• auncyent holy doctours of cryſtys churche aſ well grekys as latyns. And amōg other the great clerke Orygene in mo placys of hys wurkys then one / declareth playnely that the afore remembred wordꝭ of the apoſtle / are ſpokē by y• paynis of purgatory. The holy cōfeſſour and great pyller of criſtys church ſaynt Auſtayne / in dyuerſe of hys godly and erudite bokys / expowneth that place of ſaynt Poule to be clerely ſpoken of purgatory. And ouer thys the bleſſyd Pope ſaynt Gregory in the fourth boke of hys godly dyalogys / bereth wytneſſe that the apoſtle in the place aforeſayd wrote thoſe wordys of purgatory. So that ye may playnely perceyue that thys expoſycyon ys neyther our deuyce no eny newe foundē fanteſy / but a very trewth well perceyued and wytneſſed by great conyng men & holy bleſſyd ſayntꝭ more then a thowſand yere ago.

[Page] ¶Now yf theſe heretyques wyll be ſo madde to flyt in thys caſe from ſaynt Poule / and ſay they be bounden to beleue nothynge but onely y• goſpell: let. vs thē yet ſee ferther whyther we may not playnly proue you purgatory by y• very wordys of the goſpell ſelfe. Doth not our blyſſed ſauyoure hym ſelfe ſay that there ys a certayne ſynne whych a man may ſo commyt agaynſt the holy goſte / yt yt ſhall neuer be remyttyd nor forgyuen neyther in thys worlde nor in the world to [...] Now as for to dyſpute what maner ſynne that ſhuld be / both y• mater were very hard / and alſo we ſhall here nothing nede to touche yt. But of one thing both ye & we may make vs very ſure / that there ys nor cā be eny ſynne cōmytted in the world ſo ſore / ſo greuouſe / nor ſo abomynable / but that yf a man wurk wyth goddys [...]race by cōtry cyon and heuynes of hart / wyth humble confeſſyon of mouth & good endeuour of penaūce and ſatyſfaccyon in dede / agaynſt hys thought word and dede by whych god was offended / he ſhall obtayn of goddꝭ goodnes remyſſyen / forgyuenes / and pardon.

¶But yt may paraduenture ſo befall that by ſum kinde of vnkyndnes [...]ſyd toward god extēdyng to the blaſphemy of his holy ſpiryte / the cōmytter of yt ſynne may ſo farr offend / that he ſhall for hys deſert & demeryte haue y• grace of almyghty god ſo clerely wythdrawn from hym / that our lorde ſhall neuer offer hys grace after / nor neuer more call vppon hym. And then hys grace onys clerely wythdrawen from a man: he can neuer be able to repent and returne agayn to god. For grace ys y• lyght wher wyth men ſe y• way to walk out of ſynne: and grace ys the ſtaf wythout help wherof no man is able to ryſe out of ſynne: accordyng to the wordys of holy wrytt ſpoken to man in the parſon of our lord god: Exte perditio tua / e [...]me ſaluatio tua: Thy perdycyon cūmeth of thy ſelf / but thy ſaluacyon cummeth of me by y• ayd and help of my grace. Which grace as we tell you beyng fro ſum man vtterly wythdrawn for ſum ma [...] vnkynd behauour towarde god and blaſphemy agaynſt the holy goſte / that ſynne for lak of repē taunce whych can neuer cum where grace ys clene gone / ſhall neuer be forgeuen in thys world nor in y• world to cū. And in ſuch a maner kynde of vnkyndenes towarde god and blaſphemy towarde the holy goſte / fall alſo all ſuch wretchys as haue y• grace of god euer callyng & knokkyng vppon thē for repentaūce all the days of theyr lyfe: and yet all that notwyhſtandynge wyll not vſe ye nor worke there wyth nor turne to god: but wyllyngly wyll dye deſperate and impenytente wretchys.

¶Thys kynde of blaſphemees of goddys goodnes & hys holy ſpyryte / haue in y• myſerable paſſyng of theyr ſynfull ſoule out of theyr ſenſuall bodys the grace of god ſo fully and ſo fynally wytdrawen from theym for euer: that they be thereby fyxed and confyrmed in an [Page] vnchaungeable malyce / whyche eternally dwellyng wyth theym / is the very ſpecyall cauſe of theyre euerlaſtynge turment. But in thys mater as we ſayed we wade owte of our purpoſe / ſauynge that yt ſemed vs yet neceſſary / ſyth our ſauyour in the place that we ſpeke of doth hym ſelfe ſhew that there ys a certayne ſynne ſo to wchynge the holy gooſte that it ſhall neuer by forgyuen neyther in thys world nor in the world to come: yt ſemed as we ſay ſome what neceſſary to ſaye ſum what theryn / leſte ſum that rede yt myght conceyue a wrong opynion and a falſe fere drawyng theym towarde dyſpayre / that yf they myſhappenyd (whych our lorde forbede) to fall in to blaſphemy agaynſt the holy gooſte / they coud neuer after be forgeuen how ſore ſo euer they repentyd / or how hartely and how byſely ſo euer they ſhuld pray therfore. In whyche thynge ſyth we haue ſhewed you what we take for trouth: we ſhall leue that mater and ſhew you how thoſe wordys of Cryſte proue you our pryncypall purpoſe / that ys to ſay that there ys a purgatory. How be yt we ſhall ſcan [...]ly nede to ſhew you that: for the very wordys be playn and euydent of them ſelf. For when our lorde ſayth that the blaphemy agaynſte the holy goſte ſhall not by forgeuen nether in thys world nor in the worlde to come / he geueth vs clere knowlege that of other ſynnys ſum ſhalbe forgeuen in thys world and ſum in the world to come.

¶Now ar there in this world euery ſynne forgeuen in ſuch as ſhall be ſaued ſowles / except ſuch venyall ſynnys and ſuch tēporall payn as yet due to the dedely ſynnys / reſt and remayn to be purged here in purgatory. For none other place ys there then thys in the worlde to cum after mannys lyfe / in whych eyther ſynne or payne dew to eny ſynne ſhalbe remitted. For in to heuē ſhall neyther ſynne nor payn enter: and in hell ſhall neuer none be releaſyd. And therefore when Cryſte by ſhewynge that ſum kynde of ſynne ſhall not be remyttyd in the worlde to cum: doth geue men knowlege that on the tother ſyde ſum ſynnys ſhall in the worlde to come be remytted and forgeuen. And then ſyth no man douteth but that neyther in hell ſhall eny ſynnys by forgeuen nor in heuen: very reſon techyth that the place in whych ſome ſynnys ſhalbe forgeuen after thys lyfe / can be none other but purgatory.

¶There is as we ſuppoſe no cryſtē mā lyuyng / but he wyll thynk that eny one place of holye ſcrypture ys ynoughe to the profe of eny trouthe. Now haue we prouyd you purgatory by the playne textis of mo places thā one two or thre. And yet ſhall we geue you a nother ſo playn as we ſuppoſe & ſo euydēt for the profe of purgatory / as none heretyke ſhall fynde eny good coloure of eſcape. For oure ſauyoure Cryſte ſayeth as yt ys reherſyd in the .xii. chapyter of Mathew / that men ſhall yelde a rekenyng of euery ydle word / and that ſhalbe after [Page] thys preſent lyfe. Then woteth euery man that by that rekenyng ys vnderſtanden a punyſhement therfore: whyche ſhall not be in hell / [...] mych leſſe in heuen. And therfore can yt be no where ellys but in purgatory.

¶ [...]o thus may ye ſe purgatory clerely proued by the very ſcripture ſelf by the boke of the kyngꝭ / by y• ꝓphete zachary / by the holy boke of y• Machabees, by y• wordꝭ of ſaynt Ihān / by thapoſtle ſaynt Peter [...]by the writyng of our ſauyour cryſt hym ſelf: ſo y• we not a lytell meruayle eyther of the ignoraunce or ſhameleſſe boldnes of all ſuche as hauynge eny lernynge / dare call theym ſelfe cryſten men and yet deny pargatory. For yf they haue lernynge & perceyue not theſe clere [...] we meruayle of theyre ignoraunce. Wyth whych whyte they ioyne a prowde pretence of lernynge / they fall in to the reproſe y• ſaint Poule ſpake of the paynym phyloſophers: dicentes ſe eſſe ſapien [...]es ſtulti facti ſunt: whyle they called theym ſelfe wyſe they proued ſturke folys. Now yf they perceyue well theſe textys of holy ſcrypture ſo playnely prouyng purgatory / and yet them ſelfe ſtykke [...] in the denyeng: we then meruayle mych more that they dore for ſhame call theym ſelfe cryſten men / and then deny the thynge whych the blſſyd apoſtles of cryſte / y• ſacred maieſtye of our ſauyour cryſt hym ſelfe / in the holy ſcrypture / in hys holy goſpellys / ſo manefeſtely and ſo playnele affyrmeth.

¶And yet many an other playne texte ys there in holy ſcrypture / y• as the olde holy doctours bere witneſſe well proueth our purpoſe for purgatory / whych we ſpeke here nothyng of / ſyth fewer textys thē we haue all redy ſhewed you / both myght and ought to ſuffyce you. For eny one playne texte of ſcrypture ſuffyſeth for the porfe of eny trouth / excepte eny man be of the mynde / that he wyll haue god tell hys [...] wyſe ere [...]he byleue hym.

¶Now yf th [...]ſe heretyques fall to theyr accuſtumed frowardneſſe and as they be wont to do wyll rather deny that the ſwāne ys whyte and the crow blakke / then agre that eny texte in holy ſcrypture hath eny other ſenſe then theym ſelfe lyſte to ſay / and wyll in thys poynte for the meyntenaunce of theyre hereſye ſet at nought ſaynt Auſtayn / ſaynt Hyerome / ſaynt Ambroſe / ſaynt Gregory / ſaynt Chryſoſteme / ſaynt Baſyle / ſaynt Cypryane / and fynally all the olde holy fathers and bleſſyd ſayntys that eny thynge ſay agaynſt theym: yet can they neyther deny that the catholyque churche of cryſte hath allwaye byleued purgatory / condempnyng for heretyques all ſuche as wolde holde the contrary. Nor yf they graunt that: can they then by eny maner meane auoyde yt / but that the thynge ys trew that all the churche ſo full and hole ſo lōge hath in ſuche wyſe byleued / all though there were not founden in all holy ſcrypture one texte y• ſo playnely ꝓued [Page] yt: as they myght fynde many that ſemed to ſaye the contrary / except they wyll not onely ſay that our bleſſyd lady loſt her vyrginite after the byrth of cryſt / but ouer yt be dreuē ferther to mynyſhe the ſtrēght and authoryte of the very goſpell ſelf: whych yf the church may erre in the ryght fayth / had clerely loſt hys credence.

¶And therfore as we ſay / where as we by playn ſcripture haue prouyd you purgatory: yet yf there were theryn not one text yt eny thyng ſemed to ſay for yt / but dyuerſe and many textys whyche as farre ſemed vnto the myſſe vnderſtanders to ſpeke agaynſte purgatory / as many dyuerſe textys of y• goſpell appered vnto the greate heretyque Eluidius to ſpeke agaynſt the perpetuall vyrgynyte of cryſtys bleſſyd mother: yet ſyth the catholyque churche of cryſte hath allway ſo fermely byleued yt for a playne trowthe / that they haue allway takē the obſtynate affermers of y• contrary for playne erronyouſe heretyques / yt ys a profe full and ſuffycyent for purgatory to eny man that wyll be taken for a member of cryſtys church / and ys alone a thyng ſuffycyent in eny good cryſten and yēce to ſtoppe the mowthys of all the prowde hygh harted malycyouſe heretykꝭ / that eny thynge wold barke agaynſt vs.

¶But when they be ſo confuted and concluded / that they haue nothyng to ſay: yet cā they not hold theyre peace / but fall to blaſphemy and aſke why there cometh none of vs owte of purgatory and ſpeke wyth theym. By whyche blaſphemouſe queſtyon they may as well deny hell and heuen to / as they deny purgatory. For there cometh as many to them owt of purgatory / as owt of ether of the other [...]wayn. And ſurely yf there came one owte of eny of theym all thre / vnto folke of ſuche incredulyte as thoſe heretyque [...]e: yet wolde they be neuer the better. For yf they byleue not now them whome they [...] byleue / no more wold they byleue hym neyther that ſhold come owte of purgatory to tell yt them: as Abraam anſwered the rych man that requyred̄ the ſame in hell / and as yt well appered alſo by the myſcreaunte Iewys whych were ſo lyttell amended by the comynge agayn of lazare owte of lymbus patrum / that leſte other ſhold byleue hym they deuyſed to deſtroye hym. And yet yf the thyng that they requyre wold contēt theym: yt hath not lakked. For there hath in euery cōtrey and in euery age apparycyons bene had and well knowen and teſtyfyed / by whyche men haue had ſuffycyent reuelacyon and profe of purgatory / excepte ſuche as lyſte not to byleue theym: & they be ſuch as wolde be neuer the better yf they ſaw theym.

¶For who ſo lyſteth to beleue that all to gether ys lyes that he hereth ſo mych people ſpeke of & ſeeth ſo many good men wryte of: for no cūtrey ys there in cryſtēdome in whych he ſhall not here credably reported of ſuch apparycyōs dyuers tymys there ſene & apperyng / [Page] and in the bokis of many an holy ſayntꝭ wrytyng / ſhall he fynde ſuch apparycyons in ſuch wyſe told and teſtyfyed / as no good mā coud in any wyſe myſtruſt them: and ouer thys when the apoſtles at Cryſtꝭ apperyng to the .xi. in the houſe / toke hym at the furſt for a ſpyryte / yt well apperyth that apparycyons of ſpyrytꝭ was no new thyng amōg y• Iewys: which ye may well parceyue alſo by y• y• better ſorte of thē ſayd ī excuſyng of ſaynt Poule / what yf ſome angell or ſome ſpyryt haue ſpokē to hym as ys mencyoned in the apoſtles actys: ſo that as we ſay who ſo lyſt to take all thys for lyes / & ys ſo faythleſſe and ſo proudly curyouſe that he loketh ere he beleue them to haue ſuch apparycyons ſpecyally ſhewed vnto hym ſelf & myracles wrought in hys preſens: wold war y• wurſe and he ſaw theym / and wold aſcrybe yt eyther to ſome fantaſy or to the dyuels workis / as dyd thoſe Iewes that aſcrybyd Cryſtys myracles to Belzabub.

¶For ſurely yf ſuche people were in the caſe of ſaynte Thomas of Inde / that they were otherwyſe very vertuouſe and good / hauynge in that onely poynt ſome hardnes of belefe as he had in Criſtꝭ reſurreccyō: our lord we dout not wold of hys ſpecyall goodnes prouyde ſum ſpecyell way for theyr ſatyſfaccyon to recouer them wyth. But now ſyth they be playn carnall hygh harted and malycyouſe / lōgyng for myracles as dyd theſe croked harted Iewes / whych ſayde vnto Cryſte y• they longed to ſe hym ſhew ſum myracle. he dothe therfore wyth theſe folk as Cryſt dyd with them. For as he anſwerd them by the ſample of Ionas the ꝓphete / that he wolde none ſhew byfore yt pu [...]ſe & faythleſſe peple tyll he were dede: ſo anſwereth he theſe ꝑuers & croked malycyous peple / yt he wyll ſhew thē no ſuche apparycions tyll they be dede. And then ſhall he ſend them where they ſhall ſent ſo ſurely / & to theyr payne ſe ſuch a gryſly ſyght as ſhall ſo greue theyr hartys to loke therō / that they ſhall ſay as Criſte ſayd to ſaynt Thomas of Inde: Beatiqui nō viderunt et crediderunt: Bleſſyd & happy be they that beleuyd thys gere and neuer ſaw yt. For ſurely in thys world y• goodnes of god ſo tēperyth ſuch apparycyōs / as hys hygh wyſedome ſeeth yt moſt ꝓfytable for help & reliefe of the dede and inſtruccyon and amendement of the quyk: kepynge ſuche apparycyōs of hys great marcy moſt comenly frō y• ſyght of ſuch as wold turne hys godnes in to theyre awne harme. And ſurely of hys tender fauoure toward you / doth hys great goodnes prouyde: that ſuch apparycyons / reuelacyons / and myracles / ſhold not be to copyouſe and commune: wherby good men ſeyng the thynge at eye / ſhold leſe the great parte of that they now meryte by fayth: ayd euyll folke when they were onys famelyer wyth yt / wolde then as lytle regarde yt as they now lytle beleue yt.

¶Now it is a world to ſee wyth what folye they fortefy theyr falſe [Page] belyefe / and in to what fonde fanteſyes they fall / whyle they declyne from the trouth. For whyle they deny purgatory / they now afferm / & ſpecyally Luther hym ſelf) that ſoules vnto doomys day do nothyng els but ſlepe. Wo wold they be yf they fell in ſuch a ſlepe as many a ſoule ſlepeth here / & as Iudas hath all redy ſlept .xv. C. yere in hell.

¶Then ſay they that yf there were eny purgatory / oute of whych the pope myght delyuer eny ſoule by his pardō: thē were he very cruell in that he delyueryth theym not wythout mony: a alſo that he ryddyth them not henſe all to gether at onys. The furſt ys a great foly that ſyth our lord ſendyth them thyder for ſatyſfaccyon to be made in ſum maner for theyr ſynne: the pope ſhuld rather agaynſt goddys purpoſe delyuer them fre / then chaunge the maner of theyr ſatyſfaccyon from payne into prayour / almes dede / or other good workys to be done by theyr frend [...] for them in ſome poynt ꝓfytable & neceſſary for the hole corps of cryſtendome or ſome good member of the ſame.

¶Now ys there in the ſeconde not onely mych more foly / but yt importeth alſo playn and opē blaſphemy. For preſuppoſed that the pope may delyuer all ſowlys out of purgatory: yet yf he were therfore cruell as oft as he leueth any there / th [...]s vnreſonable reaſon layeth cruelte to y• blame of god / which may vndoutedly delyuer all ſowlys thys and yet he leueth thē there. Thys blaſphemy ſhuld alſo to wch hys hygh maieſte for kepyng any ſoule in hell / frō whens no mā douteth but that he myght yf he lyſt delyuer them all for euer. But as he wyll not delyuer eny thens: ſo wyll he not wythout good order delyuer eny ſoule hēce. For as of hys iuſtice they be worthy to ly there for euer: ſo be we worthy to lye here for the whyle / and in god no cruelte though he ſuffer hys mercy to be cōmunely ſuſpendyd and temperyd wyth the balaunce of hys iuſtyce. And though he take vs not hēce all at onys orderleſſe & at aduenture: hys hygh wyſdome ys prayſe worthy & not worthy blame. Our lord forbede y• euer we ſo ſhuld & ſuch ys hys grace y• we neuer ſhall for eny payne poſſible y• we can ſuffer here / hold our ſelf cōtēt to here ſuch folyſh wordes as ēply ſo playn blaſphemy agaynſt goddys hygh marcyfull maieſte. For ſurely theſe folk in puttyng forth of thys theyr vnwyſe argument / make a coūtetenaunce to throw yt agaynſt the pope / but in very dede they caſte ye at goddys hed.

¶For as for the pope who ſo conſyder yt well / goeth forther from the ſample of god that ys ſet for cryſtes vycar in hys church by geuyng ouer lyberall pardon: thā by beyng theryn to ſcarce & ſtrayght. For god remytteth not here at aduenture though he may do hys pleaſure / but obſerueth ryght good and great reſpecte / as the prayours & interceſſyons made for vs or other ſatyſfaccyon done for vs by ſome other men. And thys order vſeth and of reaſon ought to vſe hys vycar [Page] alſo in the dyſpenſynge toward oure relyefe / the precyouſe treaſure of our comforte that cryſte hath put in his kepynge. For ellys yf other the pope or god ſhold alway forthwith delyuer euery mā here / or rather kepe euery man henſe as theſe heretyques wold make men byleue that god doth in dede / and wolde that the world ſholde ſo take yt: thē ſhold god or the pope as we ſomewhat haue ſayd byfore / gyue a greate occaſyon to men bordely to fall in ſynne / and lytell to care or force how ſlowly they ryſe agayne. Whych thyng neyther were mete for the popys offyce / nor agreable to the great wyſedome of god / and myche leſſe mete for hys marcy. For by that meane ſhuld he gyue innumerable folke greate occaſyon of damnacyon / whyche preſumyng vppon ſuche eaſy ſhorte remiſſyon / wolde luſtely draw to lewdenes wyth lytell care of amendement.

¶And ſo appereth yt that the thynge whyche theſe wyſe men wolde haue ye take for cruell / ys of tre [...]th moſte mercyfull: and the thynge whych they wold haue to ſeme very benygne and pytyouſe ys in very dede moſte rygorouſe and moſt cruell: lyke wyſe as a ſharpe mayſter that chaſtyſeth hys ſeruaunt / is in that poynt more fauorable thā ys an eaſy one that for lakke of punyſhement letteth theym runne on the brydle and gyueth theym occaſyon of hangynge / Whyche thynge hath place alſo bytwene the father and the child / And therfore in holy ſcrypture that father is not accompted for vnlouyng and cruell / that beteth hys chyld / but rather he that leueth yt vndone. For he that ſpareth the rodde ſayth holy wrytt hateth the chyld. / And god thefore that ys of all fathers the moſt tyder / louyng / and moſt benygne and mercyfull / leueth no chyld of his vncorrected: but ſcourgeth euery chyld that he taketh to hym. And therfore neyther god remytteth at aduenture the paynys of purgatory: nor no more muſt the pope nether / but yf that he wyll whyle he laboureth to do good and be pytuouſe to vs that are dede / be cruell & do mych more harme to theym that be quyk: and whyle he wyll draw vs owte of purgatory / dryue many of them in to hell. Frome deſyre of which kynd of helpe / we ſo farre abhorre / that we wold all rather choſe to dwell here long in moſt bytter payn / than by ſuch way to gete henſe as myght gyue occaſyon of eny mānꝭ damnacyon.

¶Now where they lykewyſe obiecte in countenaunce agaynſte the clergy / but yet in very dede they ſtryke the ſtroke at vs whome they wolde byreue the ſuffragys of good people / obiectynge that no man may ſatyſfye for a nother / nor that the prayour nor almoyſe nor other good dede done by one man may ſtande a nother in ſtede / but y• euery man muſt nedys all thynge y• he wyll haue helpe of / do it euery whyt hym ſelfe / and ſo that no mānys good dede done amonge you for vs in relyefe of our payn could in eny maner ſerue vs: this oppinyon as [Page] yt ys toward vs very peſtylent and pernycyouſe / ſo ys yt of yt ſelfe very falſe and folyſſhe. For fyrſte yf all that euer muſte auayle eny man / muſte nedys be done by hym ſelfe / and no mannys meryte may be applyed to the helpe of a nother / then were wyped a way from all men all the merytys of cryſtys bytter paſſyon / in whych though yt be trew that god dyed on the croſſe bycauſe of the vnite of god and man in perſon / yet had hys tender manhed all the payne for vs / and hys impaſſyble godhed felte no payne at all / Wherof ſerueth alſo ye prayours that euery man prayeth for other? Wherfore dyd ſaynt Powle pray for all other criſtē men / and deſyre them all to pray for hym alſo and eche of them for other / that they myght be ſaued?

¶And why ys there ſo ſpecyall a mencyon made in the actys of the apoſtles / that at the deliuery of ſaynt Peter owt of pryſon / ye church made contynuall prayour and interceſſyon for hym? but for to ſhewe that god the rather delyuered hym for other mēnys prayours. And thynke ye that yf god haue pyte vppon one man for an others ſake / & delyuereth hym at a nother mannys petycyon from a lyttell payne or pryſonement in the worlde there vppon erth: he hath not at other mē nys humble and harty prayour myche more pytye vppō ſuche as lye in myche more heuy payne and turment here in the hote fyre of purgatory?

¶Then fynd theſe folke a nother knotte hard as they thynke to vndo. For they ſay yt yf a nother mānys merytys may ſerue me / wherto ſhuld I nede to do eny good my ſelfe. Thys obieccyon ys mych lyke as yf they wold ſay yf other men may take me owt of ye fyre: wherto ſhulde I labour to ryſe my ſelfe. Very trewth yt ys that ſometyme the good wurkꝭ of one man wrought wyth good affeccyon / may purchaſe an other man grace for to mende and wurke for hym ſelf. But ſurely of comē courſe he that wyll not hym ſelfe wurk wyth theym / geteth lyttell good of other mennys good dedys. For yf thy ſelfe do ſtyll drawe bakward whyle other good men wyth theyre prayour laboure to pull the forward: yt wyll be longe ere thou make eny good days iourney. And therfore ye holy doctour ſaynt Auſtayne / in ye bleſſyd boke that he made of the cure and care that men ſhuld haue of vs ſely parted ſowlys: towcheth quykly the very poynte that there can none take profyte of other mennys good dedys / but onely ſuch as haue deſerued by ſome good thynge in theyre awne dedys / that other mennys dedys ſhuld helpe them: and that hath euery men done at the leſte wyſe by hys fynall repentaunce and purpoſe of amendement / that departeth the world in the ſtate of grace.

¶For he that ys owte of that ſtate / can not take the profyte of other mennys merytys done for hym. And therfore damned ſoulys can not by other mennys merytys be delyuered of damnacyon: nor in lykewyſe [Page] he that entendeth to perſeruer in ſynne and do no good for hym ſelfe. But ſyth that we be not in y• caſe / but haue with helpe of gedd [...] grace deſerued to be parteners of ſuch good dedys as ye that are our frēd [...] wyll of your goodnes do for vs: ye may by your meryt [...] hyghly releue vs here and helpe to gete vs henſe. And ſurely great wonder were yt yf we ſhulde not be able to take ꝓfyte of your prayours. For there wyll no wyſe man dowte but that the prayour of eny member of criſtendom may pro [...]yte eny other that yt ys made for / whych hath nede and ys a mēber of the ſame. But none ys there yet lyuyng that ys more very mēber of cryſtys myſtycall body y• ys hys church then we be [...] nor no man lyuyng that hath more nede of helpe thē we. Form ſurety of ſaluacyon we be felowes wyth angellys: in nede of relyefe we be yet felowes wyth you. And therfore beyng ſo ſure mē bers of one body wyth angells holy [...]aymys / and you: and hauyng nece [...]ſyte both of theyre helpe and yours: there ys no dowte but ſyth euery member that nede both maye take good by other / we ſtande in the caſe that both aungells and ſayntys interceſſyons and your good prayours & almoyſe dede done for vs what ſo euer theſe heretyques bable may do vs meruaylouſe mych good.

¶How many haue by godd moſte aracyouſe fauour appered vnto theyre frendys after the deth and ſhewed theym ſelfe holpen and delyuered henſe by pilgrymage almoyſe dede / and prayour / and ſpecyall by the ſacred ob [...]cyon of that holy ſacrament offred for theym in the maſſe. If theſe heretyques ſay that all ſuche thyngys be lyes: then be they myche wurſe yet then theyre mayſter was Luther hym ſelfe as longe as eny ſparke of ſhame was in hym. For he confeſſeth in hys ſermons that many ſuche apparycyons be trew: and hys hart could not nor for very ſhame ſerue hym / that ſo many ſo often told in ſo many placis ſo faythfully reported by ſo many honeſte folke / and ſo ſub ancya [...]y wrytten by ſo many bleſſyd ſaymys: ſhulde be all falſe. Wheryn yf theſe men lyſte lyke luſty ſholers to paſſe and ouer go theyre madde mayſter in thys poynt / & deny theſe thyngꝭ all to gether: yet ſhall there ſtyk in theyr teeth / y• ſcrypture of y• Machabees wherof we told you that Iudas Machabeus gatheryd & ſent a great offryna to Hyeruſalem / for to bye ſacrifyce to be offred for theym y• he found ſlayne in the felde / and certeyne thyngys about them taken of the Idol [...]ys forbeden them by the law / whych cauſed hym to fere leſte they were for theyr ſynne fallen after theyr deth in to payne / and therfore made that gatheryng / y• almes & offring as hym ſelfe ſayth / that they myghte therby be loſyd and delyueryd of theyr ſynnys. So that there appereth playnly by ſcrypture / that ſuch ſuffragys ſtande vs ſely ſoulys in ſtede. Agaynſte whych authorite yf they wyll wyth theyr maſter labour to breke out & denye that boke for holy ſcripture / [Page] we haue ſtopped them that gap all redy with ſuch a buſh of thornys / as will pryk theyr hādys thorow a payre of hedgyng glouys ere they pull yt out.

¶And fynally for thys poynt that the ſuffragys of the church and y• prayours of good cryſten people / ſtand vs here in relyef and cūfort / there nedeth in thys world (as ſaynt Auſtayn ſayth & ſaynte Damaſcene) none other maner profe then that all criſtēdome hath euer vſed to do ſo / & haue thought them ſelf alway ſo bounden to do / damnynge alway for heretykys all them that wold afferme the contrary.

¶And in thys poynt may they haue a marueloſe gret thyng agaynſt them in the iugement of euery good man the gret antiquyte of the ſeruyſe of Cryſtys church / by whych the church hath ſo long ago cuſtomably recommendyd in theyr prayours all cryſten ſoulys to god. For we truſt that though theſe heretykys fynde many men bothe glad to here and lyght to beleue euery lewd tale that cū be ſurmyſed agaynſt the church that now is: yet truſt we that they ſhall fynde few or none ſo farre out of all frame / but that they wyll at the leſt beleue y• there hath bene ſum good and godly men wyſe and well lerned too among the clergy in days paſſed one tyme or other. By then to the old tyme and to the good men that then were / & here what they ſayd / & ſe what they dyd / and beleue & folow them. There remayneth yet and bokys ynow therof / the very maſſe in the very forme and faſſyon / as ſaynt Baſyle / & ſaynt Chryſoſtheme / and other holy fathers in that vertuouſe tyme ſayed yt: in whych ye ſhall fynd that in theyr dayly maſſes they prayd euer for all cryſten ſoules.

¶Ye ſhall alſo parceyue clerely by ſaynt Chriſoſtheme in a ſermon of hys / that in his tyme there were in the funerall ſeruyce at the beryeng of the corps / the ſelf ſame pſalmes ſongen that ye ſyng now at y• dirige. Wherby yt well appareth that yt is no new foūd thyng: for his tyme was farr aboue a. M. yere ago: and yet was y• thyng ſong vſed afore hys dayes. And becauſe ye ſhall know that the more ſurely: he ſayth y• the gyſe & cuſtume to pray for ſoulys / was inſtytute and bygone in the church by the bleſſyd apoſtles theym ſelfe. And ſo whyle ſo good men ſo long a go bygan yt / and good folke hath euer ſynnys contynued yt / ye may ſone geſſe whyther they be good men or no that now prouoke you to breke yt.

¶Now where they ſay that yf the maſſe could do vs eny good / that then the preſtys be very cruell that wyll ſay none for vs but they be waged: thys word ys as trew as theyre entent ys fraudulēt & falſe. For theyre purpoſe ys in thoſe wordys to make the world wene / that the clergy were ſo couetouſe and cruell therwyth / that there wyll no preſte pray for vs pore ſoulys here / without he be hyred therto: wherof our lorde be thanked we fynde full well the contrary. For albe yt [Page] that of Luthers preſtꝭ we can haue none helpe / ſyth theyr maſſys offer not vp the ſacrament to god neyther for quyk nor dede / nor make no very preſtꝭ among theym ſyth they take preſ [...]hed for no ſacramēt: yet of good criſten preſtys we fynde great relyeſe as well in theyre dyryges and mych other ſuffragys by olde inſtytucyon of the churche ſpecyally ſayed for vs though no man [...] one peny thorow the yere. And ſo may all the worlde wyt that thys word of theſe here tyques hath myche malyce and lyttell effecte theryn.

¶But nowe thowghe the preſtys praye for vs of theyre awne [...] yet when good people deſyre theym thereto and gyue theym theyre almoyſe therefore: then are they dowble bounden / and then ryſeth there myche more good and profyt vppon all ſydys. For thē take we fru [...] both of the prayour of y• tone and the almoyſe of the tother. And the taketh the preſte benyfyte of hys awne prayour made bothe for the geuer and for vs. The geuer alſo getteth frute both of hys own [...] full almoyſe / and of double prayour alſo / that ys to wyt bothe the prayour of the preſte that prayeth for vs / whyche com [...]nly prayeth for hym to / and alſo the prayour of vs / whyche wyth great feruour of hart pray for our benefactours inceſſaūtly / and are ſo [...] forth in goddys vndowted fauour / that very few mē lyuyng vppon erth are ſo well herd as we / byſydys that of all kynd of almoyſe that eny man can geue / the moſte men [...]oryouſe ys y• whych ys byſtowed vppon vs as well for that yt ys vnto the moſte nedy and alſo to thē that are abſent and fynally for that of all maner almoyſe yt is moſte grownded vppon the foundacyon of all cryſten vertuoſe fayth. For as for to pore folke a naturall man wyll gyue almoyſe eyther. for pytye of ſome pytuoſe ſyght / or for weryneſſe of theyre imporcune. [...]. But as for as pore ſow [...]ys paſſed the world / whome be that gyueth almoyſe neyther ſeeth nor hereth: wolde neuer beſtowe one peny vppon vs but yf he had a ſayth that we lyue ſtyll / and that [...] that we lye in payne and hopyd of hys reward in heuen. Whych kynde of fayth and good hope ioyned wy [...]h his gyft and good wurck muſt nedys make it one of the beſt kynd of almoyſed. de that eny man can do in the world.

¶And ſyth that yt ſo ys as in dede yt ys: what vncharytable & what vnfaythfull folk at theſe that for hatred whych they ow to preſ [...]ed / wolke make you beleue that there were no purgatory / & wold rather wyſh by theyr wyllys that theyr owne fathers ſhuld lye here in fyre tyll the day of doome / then eny man ſhulde geue a preſte one peny to pray for them?

¶And yet ys there here one thyng well to be cōſyderyd / that they rather hate preſtys for hatred of Cryſtꝭ fayth / then ſpeke agaynſt purgatory for hatred of preſtys. Whych thyng though yt ſeme you derke [Page] at the furſt heryng: ye ſhall yet yf ye loke well / very well parceyue. For yf it ſo were that thys kynde of people dyd ſpeke agaynſt purgatory onely for y• hatred of the pope & y• clergy / then wold they graunte that ſaued ſoules at yet purged in the fyre here for theyr ſynnis vnſatyſfyed in the worlde: and yt ſhulde then ſuffyce thē to ſay for theyre purpoſe / that neyther preſt nor pope nor eny man els nor eny mānys almes or prayour / can in thys place of ponyſhmēt eny thynge releue vs. For thys were ynough ye ſe well to ſarue theyr purpoſe agaynſt y• clergy. But yet becauſe they haue a farre farther purpoſe agaynſt all good cryſtē fayth: they be not cōtent therfore to leue at hys poynt but ſteppe them forthe farther and deny purgatory vtterly / to thēde that men ſhuld take boldnes to care the leſſe for theyre ſynne. And yf they myght onys be beleuyd theryn: thē wold they ſtep yet farther & denye hell and all / and after that heuen to. But as for heuen albeyt y• as yet they denye yt not: yet pull they many a ſymple ſowle thence / whych were yt not for theyr myſcheuous doctrine were els well lykly to be there a full bryght and gloryouſe ſaynt.

¶And ſurely the more that wyſe men aduyſe them ſelfe vppon this mater: the more ſhall they meruayle of the mad mynd of theym that deny purgatory / or ſay y• the prayours or good workys of mē lyuyng in the world cā do vs here no good. For euery mā that eny wyt hath: wotteth well that the ſureſt way were in euery dowt beſt to be taken Now ſuppoſe then that purgatory could in no wyſe be prouyd / and y• ſome wold yet ſay playnly y• there were one / & ſome wold ſay playnly nay [...]let vs now ſee whether ſorte of theſe twayne might take moſt harm / if theyr part were the wrong. Furſt he that beleued there were purgatory / & that hys prayour and good wurkꝭ wrought for hys [...] dys ſoule myghte relyeue thē theyrn / and becauſe therof vſed mych prayour and almoyſe for theym: he could not leſe the reward of hys good wyll / all though hys opynyon were vntrew / & that there were no purgatory at all / no more then he leſeth hys labour new y• prayeth for one whō he fereth to ly in purgatory where he ys all redy in heuē. But on the tother ſyde / he that beleueth there ys none / and therefore prayeth for none: yf hys opynyō be falſe / and that there be purgatory in dede as in dede there ys / he leſeth mych good and getteth hym alſo myche harme / for he both fereth myche y• leſſe to ſynne and to ly long in purgatory / ſauyng that hys hereſye ſhall ſaue hym thenſe and ſend hym downe depe in to hell.

¶And yt fareth bytwene theſe two kynd of folk as yt fa [...]ed bytwene a lewde galād & a pore frere. Whom when the galand ſaw goynge barefote in a great froſte and ſnowe / he aſked hym why he dyd take ſuche payne. And he anſwered y• yt was very lytell payne yf a man wold remēber hell. ye frere quoth y• galant but what & there be none [Page] hell thā arte thou a great fole. ye mayſter quoth the frere but what & there be hell than ys your mayſter ſhyppe a mych more ſole.

¶More ouer there was neuer yet eny of that ſorte / that coulde for ſhame ſaye that eny man ys in parell for byleuynge that there ys purgatory. But they ſaye onely that there ys none in dede / and that they may wythout eny ſynne afferme theyre opynrō for trouth. But now vpon the tother ſyde many an hundred thowſand / that ys to wyt all the hole churche of cryſte that ys or euer hath bene / afferme that the aff [...]myng of theyre opynyon agaynſt purgatory / ys a playne dampnable hereſy. Wherfore it well and playnly appereth and euery wyſe mā well ſeeth that yt ys the farre ſurer way to belyue in ſuch wyſe as hath the partys agree to be owt of all parell / thē that way whych ſo farre the greter parte and myche farther the better parte afferme to be vndowted dedely ſynne. And now where as euery fole maye ſe that eny wyſe man wyll take the ſureſte way / which ys as ye ſe dowble proued to belyue that there ys purgatory: yet ſayd the wyſe proctour of beggars y• wyſe men wyll ſaye there ys none. For [...]e ſayth y• many greate letterd men and ryght conynge men / wyll not let to put thē ſelf [...] [...]eoperdye of ſhame & of deth alſo / to ſhewe theyre mynd [...] that there ys no purgatory. He ys loth to ſay y• theſe be heretyques but he ſayeth theſe be they that men call heretyques. Wherin he ſpeketh [...] lyke as yf he word poynt wyth hys fynger to a flokke of fa [...] wethers and [...]a [...] theſe be ſuche beſtys as men call ſhepe.

¶ [...] now wolde we fayne ſe whyche be theſe wyſe men and well le [...]red whych ſhall not fayle vppon theyre awne confeſſyon to agre that theyre aduerſaryes take the ſure way and f [...]rtheſie owte of parell and theym ſelfe the moſte daungerouſe and fertheſt from all ſurety. But yet wolde we for y• whyle fayn here who they be. Surely none other but Luther and Tyndale / and thys beggars proctoure / & a few ſuch of that ſect / mē of ſuch vertew / wyſdome and lerning / as theyre lewd wry [...]ynge and mych more theyre lewd lyuyng ſhewyth.

¶But now at they farre an other maner ſorte both in nomber / wyſdome / lernyng / trewth and good lyuyng / whych affyrme and ſay the contrary. And ſurely yf .iii. or iiii. C. good and honeſt men wold fayth fully cum forth & tell one y• ſum of hys frend [...] were in a farre cūtrey for d [...]t kept in pryſon / & that hys charyte myght relyeue them thence: yf then .iii. or iiii. fond felows wold cum and ſay the contrary / and tell hym playn there ys no ſuch priſon at all as he ys borne in hād that his frr̄dys at pryſoned in: yf he wold now be ſo lyght to beleue thoſe .iii. or .iiii. noughty ꝑſons / agaynſt thoſe .iii. or .iiii. C. good and honeſt mē: he thē ſhuld well decypher hym ſelf / and well declare therby that he wold gladly cach hold of ſum ſmall handell to kepe hys money faſt / rather then help hys frendys in theyre neceſſyte.

[Page] ¶Now yf ye cōſider how late thys lewd ſect began / whych among cryſtē men barketh agaynſt purgatory / and how few alway for very ſhame of theyr foly hath hetherto fallen in to them: and then yf ye cō ſyder on the tother ſyde how full and hole the gret corps of all cryſtē cuntreys ſo many hundred yerys / haue euer told you the contrary: ye ſhall we be very ſure for euery perſon ſpekyng agaynſte purgatory / fynde for the tother parte mo than many an hundred.

¶Now yf theſe men wyll ꝑaduenture ſay that they care no for ſuch cōparyſon / neyther of tyme wyth tyme / nōber wyth nōber / nor cūpany wyth cūpany / but ſyth ſum one man ys in credēce worth ſum. vu. ſcore: yf they wyll therfore call vs to ſum other rekening & wyll that we compare of the beſt choyſe on both ſydes a certayn / & match them man for man: then haue we (yf we myght for ſhame matche ſuch blyſſed ſayntꝭ wyth a ſorte ſo farre vnlyke) ſaynt Auſtayn agaynſt frere Luther / ſaynt Hyerom agaynſt frere Lambert / ſaynt Ambroſe agaynſt frere Huſken / ſaynt Gregory agaynſt preeſte Pomeran / ſaynt Chriſoſteme agaynſt Tindale / ſaynt Baſyle agaynſt y• beggars proctour.

¶Now yf our enmyes wyll for lak of other choyſe / help forth theyr owne ꝑte wyth theyre wyuys: thē haue they ſome aduātage in dede / for y• tother holy ſayntꝭ had none. But yet ſhall we not lack bleſſyd holy women agaynſt theſe frerys wy [...]s. For we ſhall haue ſaynt Anaſtace agaynſt frere Luthers wyfe / ſaynt Hildegardꝭ agaynſt frere Huſkyns wyfe / ſaynt Brygyte agaynſt frere Lābert [...] wyfe and ſaynt Katheryn of ſenys agaynſt preſt Pomeranys wyfe. Now yf they wyll haue in theſe matches y• qualityes of ether ſyde cōſyderyd: thē haue we wyſdō agaynſt foly / cūnyng agaynſt ignoraūce / charyte agaynſt malyce / trew fayth agaynſt hereſyes / humilite agaynſt arrogaūce / reuelacyōs agaynſt illuſyōs / inſpyracyō of god agaynſt muē cyons of y• deuyll / cōſtaunce agaynſt waueryng / abſtynence agaynſt glotony / cōtynēce agaynſt lechery / & fynally euery kynde of vertue agaynſt euery kynde of vyce. And ouer thys where as we be not yet very ſure whyther y• all theſe nawghty ꝑſons whome we haue reherſed you of y• worſe ſyde / be fully fall ſo madde as vterly to deny purgatory / ſauynge in y• we ſe theym in many thyngꝭ all of one ſecte: yet yf there were of theym farre many ſuch mo / they ſhall not yet fynd of y• ſymple ſute half ſo many / as for our ꝑte remayneth holy bleſſyd ſayntꝭ to matche theym. For lyke wyſe as many theyre holy workys eruditely wrytē & by the helpe of y• holy gooſt endyghted: euydentely declare y• not onely ſaynt Auſtayne / ſaynt Hierome / ſaynt Ambroſe & y• holy pope ſaynt Gregory / wyth ſaynt Chriſoſtē / & ſaynt Baſyle afore remēbred / & thoſe holy womē alſo y• we haue ſpokē of / but ouer y• the great ſolēpne doctour Oregene / all y• thre great doctours & holy [Page] ſayntys of one name in grece / Gregorius Naſianzenus / Gregorius Niſſenus / Gregorius Emiſſenus / ſaynt Cyryllus / ſaynt Damaſcene / y• famouſe doctour & holy martyr ſaynt Cipryane / ſaynt Hylory / ſaynt Bede / & ſaynt Thomas / & fynally all ſuche as are of y• ſuyt & ſorte eyther grekꝭ or latyns / haue euer taught & reſtyfyed and exhorted y• peple to pray for all cryſtyn ſoulys & preched for purgatory: ſo doth there no man dowte but y• all good & deuowte cryſtē peple from cryſtys dayes hytherto / hath ferme & faſte bene of y• ſame bylyefe / & wyth thyr dayly prayours and almoyſe dede done for vs haue done vs great relyefe. So that as we ſayed both for nōber of many folke and goodnes of choſen folke: our enemyes are farre vnder vs. And yet haue we for the vauntage as we haue byfore declared you y• fere of Ezechyas / the boke of the kyngys / the wordꝭ of the prophete zachary the fayth of Machabeus y• authoryte of ſaynt Ihān / the wordys of ſaynt Peter the ſentēce of ſaynt Poule / y• teſtimony of ſaynt Mathew and the playne ſentence of our ſauyour cryſte.

¶Now yf theſe heretyques be ſo ſtyffe & ſtoborne / that rather then they wyll confeſſe theym ſelfe concluded / they wyll holde on theyre olde wayes and fall frome wurſe to wurſe / and lyke as they haue allredy agaynſt theyre formar promyſe fyrſt reiected reaſon and after lawe / & then all y• doctours and olde holy fathers of cryſtys churche / and fynally the hole churche yt ſelfe: ſo yf they wyll at length as we greatly fere they wyll reiect all ſcrypture & caſt of Criſte & all: now as we ſay yf they ſo do yet haue we left at the wurſt way Luther agaynſt Luther Huſkyn agaynſt Huſkyn / Tyndall agaynſt Tyndall & fynally euery heretyke agaynſt hym ſelf. And thē when theſe folk ſyt in Almayn vppon theyr bere bench in iugement on vs & our maters: we may as the knyght of kyng Alexander appelyd frō Alexander to Alexāder frō Alexander the dronk to Alexāder the ſober: ſo ſhall we appele from Luther to Luther / frō Luther the dronken to Luther the ſober / from Luther the heretyke to Luther the catholyke / & lykewyſe in all the remenaunt. For thys dothe no man dout but that euery one of thē all / before they fell dronk of the dreggys of olde poyſonyd hereſyes / in whych they fell a quaftyng wyth the dyuell: they dyd full ſadly & ſoberly pray for all cryſten ſoulys. But ſynnys that they be fallen dronken in wrechyd & ſynfull hereſyes: they neyther care for other mennys ſoulys nor for theyr owne neyther. And on the tother ſyde yf euer they wurk wyth grace to purge them ſelf of thoſe poyſoned hereſyes / wherwyth they be now ſo dronk / they wyll than geue ſentēce on our ſyde as they dyd before. It were not yuell y• we ſhewed you ſūwhat for exſample wherby ye may ſe what ſobernes they were in before / & in what dronkennes the dyuels drawghte hath brought them. And in whom ſhuld we ſhew yt better than in Luther [Page] hym ſelf archeheretyke and father abbot of all that dronkē feliſhype Furſt thys man was ſo faſt of our ſyde whyle he was well & ſober / that yet when he began to be well waſhed / he could not fynde in his hart vtterly to fall from vs. But when his hed furſte began to daſe of that euyll drynke: he wrote that purgatory coud not prouyd by ſcrypture. And yet that not wythſtandyng he wrote in this wyſe therwyth. I am very ſure that there ys purgatory / & yt lytle moueth me what heretykis bable. Shuld I beleue an heretyke borne of late ſcāt fyſty yerys ago / and ſay the fayth were falſe that hathe bene holden ſo many hūdred yere? Lo here thys man ſpake well vppon our ſyde. But yet ſayed he therwith one thyng or twayne / that coud not ſtande therwyth: and therby may ye ſe that he began to reele. For he both affyrmyd that purgatory coud not be ꝓuyd by ſcripture / and affyrmyd ferther that nothyng coud be takē for a ſure & certayn trewth / but yf yt appered by clere and euydent ſcrypture. Whych two thyngys preſuppoſed: how coud eny man be ſure of purgatory? But the help ys that both thoſe poynt [...] be falſe. For both ys purgatory ꝓuyd by ſcrypture / and the chatholyke fayth of Cryſtys church were ſuffyeyent to make men ſure therof / albe yt there were not in all ſcrypture one text for yt / and dyuers y• ſemyd agaynſt it as we haue ſhewed you before.

¶But here as we ſay ye ſe how ſhamfully he ſtaggared & began to reele: howe be it ſone after beyng ſo dowſy drōk y• he coulde neyther ſtand nor reele but fell downe ſow dronk in the myre: then lyke one y• nothyng remembred what he had ſayd / nor herd not hys awn voyce / he begā to be hym felf y• babelynge heretike agaynſt whō he had wrytē before: & beyng not fully fyfty yere old / began to gaynſay y• fayth of almoſt .xv. hūdred yere afore his days in the churche of Criſte / be ſydys .xv. C. yere thre tymys told amōg other faythfull folk before. For now in hys dronken ſermon that he wrote vppon the goſpell of y• ryche man & Lazare / where as he had in hys other bokys before framyd of hys owne fantaſy / new fond faſſyons of purgatory / and told them forth for as playn matters as though he had bene here and ſene them: now in thys mad ſermon of hys he ſayth playnly that there ys none at all / but that all ſoulysly ſtill and ſlepe / and ſo ſlepe ſhall / vn tyll the day of dome. O ſow dronken ſoule drownyd in ſuch an inſenſyble ſlepe that he lyeth and rowghteth / whyle the apoſtles / the euā gelyſtys / all the doctours of Cryſtꝭ church / all the hole cryſten people / and among them cryſte hym ſelfe / ſtande and cry at hys ere / that we ſely cryſten ſowlys lye and burne in purgatory / & he can not here but lyeth ſtyll in the myre and ſnorteth and there dremeth that we lye ſtyll and ſlepe as he doth.

¶And thus where the beggars proctour wryteth that wyſe mē ſay there ys no purgatory: ye ſe now your ſelfe how wyſe ys he whome [Page] they take for the wyſeſte of all that ſort / as hym that ys now y• very well ſpryng & archeherytyque of all theyre ſecte. Of all which wyſe men we leue yt to your wyſedome to cōſyder: whyther ye fynde eny whom your wyſedomes wold in wyſedom cōpare wyth eny of thoſe old holy doctours and ſayntys whom we haue reherſed you byfore. But thys man we wote well for a nother of theſe wyſe mē meaneth Wyllyam Tyndall. Whoſe wyſedom well appereth in y• mater by y• he layeth agaynſt yt nothyng but ſkoffynge: wheryn he ſayth that y• pope may be bold in purgatory / bycauſe yt ys he ſayth a thyng of hys awne makyng: where as we haue proued you by ſcrypture that purgatory was perceyued and taught and dede mennys ſoulys prayed for / ſo longe ere euer eny pope bygan.

¶But for as myche as he ſayth that wyſe men wyll ſay there ys no purgatory / among whych wyſe men we dowte not but the wyſe man accompteth hym ſelfe [...] for he layeth for that parte as hym ſelfe weneth very wiſe & weyghty reſons / y• wyſdō wherof we haue all redy ꝓuyd you very playne frantyke foly) we wyll nowe finyſhe the dyſpycyons of all thys debate and queſtyon / wyth y• declaracyon of one or twoo poyntys of hys eſpecyall wyſdome / and wyth one of whych hym ſelfe wyſely deſtroyeth all hys holy mater.

¶Furſte ye ſe well that albe yt in dede he entendeth to go ferther yf hys byll were ones well ſp [...]dde: yet he pretendyth nothyng in vyſage but onely the ſpoyle / weddynge / and beatynge of the clergye: to whom he layth not all onely ſuch fautys as ye haue hard / and hath ꝓuyd hys purpoſe wyth ſuch groundys as we haue prouyd falſe: but alſo layth one great neceſſyte to take all from thē / becauſe they breke y• ſtatute made of mortmayn / & purchaſe more landys ſtyll agaynſt y• ꝓuyſyon therof. And thē ſayth he y• eny land whych onys cūmeth in theyr handys / cūmyth neuer ont agayn. For he ſayth y• they haue ſuch lawes cōcernyng theyr lādes / as they may neyther geue eny nor ſell. For whyche cauſe leſt they ſhuld at length haue all / he deuyſeth to let them haue nothyng.

¶Now furſt where he maketh as though there cā yet for all the ſtatute dayly much land in to thē / & y• there can none at all come frō thē: neyther ys the tone ſo much as he wold make yt ſeme / & the tother ys very falſe. For truly there may cū and doth cū ſād fro thē by eſchete / as we be ſure many of you haue had experyence: & alſo what lawes ſo euer they haue of theyr own y• ꝓhibyte thē to ſell theyr landys / yet of thys are we very ſure y• not wythſtandyng all y• lawes they haue / they may ſell in ſuch wyſe yf they wyll all the lande they haue / y• they cā neuer recouer fote agayn. And beſidys all y• albe it there be lawes made by the chyrch agaynſt ſuch ſalys as ſhrewd huſband [...] wold els boldly make of y• lād [...] of theyr moneſtaryes: yet ys there not ſo p̄cyſe [Page] ꝓuyſyon made agaynſt all ſalys of theyr landꝭ / but y• they may be alienyd for cauſe reſonable apꝓuid by y• aduyſe & coūſell of theyr chefe hed. And many a mā ys there in y• realm y• hath landꝭ geuē or ſold out of abbays & out of byſhoppriches both: ſo y• this ꝑte is a playn lye

¶The tother part ys alſo neyther very certayne nor very mych to purpoſe. For truly though that in the cytee of London to whych there ys grauntyd by authoryte of parliament / that men may there deuyſe theyr landys in to mortemayn by theyr teſtamentꝭ / there is ſumwhat among geuen into the church / and yet not all to them but the great ꝑte vnto the cumpanyes & felyſhyppys of the craftys: in nother placys of the realme there ys now a days no great thyng geuen / but yf yt be ſometyme ſome ſmall thynge for the foundacyon of a chauntery. For as for abbays or ſuch other great foūdacyōs there be not now a days many made nor haue bene of good whyle / excepte ſomewhat done in the vnyuerſytees. And yet who ſo conſyder thoſe great foundacyons that haue thys great whyle bene made eny where / ſhall well parceyue that the ſubſtaunce of thē be not all fownden vppon temporall landys new token owte of the temporall handys in to the churche / but of ſuche as the church had longe a fore / & now the ſame tranſlated from one place vnto a nother: And ouer this ſhall he fynd that many an abbey (whoſe hole lyuyng thys man weneth ſtoode all by tēporall landys geuen them in theyre foundacyon) haue the great parte therof in be [...]efycys gyuen in and empropred vnto theym. So that yf he conſyder the ſubſtaūce of all the greate foūdacyons made thys great whyle / and all that hath in to eny ſuche theſe many dayes be gyuen / & then cōſyder well therwyth how cold the charyte of cryſtē people waxeth by the meanys of ſuche deuyls proctours as vnder pretexte of beggynge for the pore / entend and labour to quench the feruour of deuocyō to godwarde in ſymple and ſone ledde ſowlys: he ſhall not nede to fere that all the tēporall lande in the realm ſhall come in to the ſpyrytualtye. And yet yf men went nowe ſo faſte to gyue in ſtyll to the church as they dyd byfore whyle deuocyon was ſeruēt in the people and vertu plentuouſe in the church: yet myght yt be and in other cuntrees ys ꝓuyded for well ynough / both that mēnys deuocyon myght be be fauored / and yet not the churche haue all.

¶But thys wyſe man leſte they ſhulde haue all: wolde leue theym ryght nought. For hys wyſedom weneth there were no meane way bytwene euery whyt and neuer a whyt but nothynge at all. And ſurely where that he layeth ſo ſore vnto theym / the newe purchaſynge of more temporall landys eyther bought or gyuen them: yt appereth well he wolde ſaye ſore to theym yf they pulled the land fro men by force / whyche nowe layeth ſo hyghly to theyr charge bycauſe they take yt when men gyue yt theym: whyche thyng we ſuppoſe hym ſelfe as holy as he ys / wolde not myche refuſe. Nor they be not myche to [Page] be blamed yf they receyue mennys deuocyon / but yf they beſtow yt not well. And yet where he ſayth there can no ſtatute holde them / but they purcha [...]e ſtyll and breke the ſtatute / where in he wolde ſeme cō nynge bycauſe he had a lytell ſmatterynge in the lawe: yt were good ere he be ſo bold to put hys ignoraūce in wrytynge / that he ſhulde ſe the ſtatute better. Whyche when he lyſte to loke vppon agayne and lette ſome wyſer man loke wyth hym / yf he conſyder well what remedy the ſtatutꝭ prouyde & for whom: he ſhall fynd yt the makers of the ſtatute not ſo mych fered the great hygh poynt that prykketh hym now leſte the hole temporall landys ſhuld come in to the churche / as they dyd the loſſe of theyre wardys and theyr vnlykelyhed of eſchetꝭ & ſum other cōmoditees yt they lakked whē theyr lād [...] were alyened in to the church: & yet not in to the church onely but alſo in to eny mort mayn. And for this they prouyded y• yf eny more were alyened in to ye churche or in to eny maner of morte mayne / the kyng or eny other lord medyate or immedyate that myght take loſſe therby myght entre ther in to / to thentēt y• ere euer the purchaſe were made / they ſhuld be fayn in ſuch wyſe to ſue to euery one of thē for his lycēce & good will / that eche of them ſhuld be arbyte [...] of hys owne hurte or loſſe and take hys amendys at hys own hand. And thys ſtatute ys not made onely for y• aduauntage of the tēporall lordys agaynſt the clergy / but yt ys made indyfferently agaynſt all mortmayn: whych ys as well tēporall folk as ſpyrytuall / and for the benefyte as well of ſpyrituall men as temporall. For as well ſhall a byſhop or an abbot haue the aduauntage of that ſtatute yf hys tenaunt alyen hys landys in to eny mortemayn / as ſhall an erle or a duke▪ And now when the churche pulleth not away y• land from the owner by force / but hath yt of hys deuocyon and hys gyft geuē of hys owne offer vnaſked / & yet not wythout lycēce of all ſuch as the ſtatute lymyteth: where ys thys great faut of theyrs / for whych leſt they ſhuld take more in y• ſame maner / he wold they ſhuld leſe all that they haue all redy? What wyſdome ys thys whē he layth agaynſt them theyr dede wherin they breke no law? And yet ſyth they can not take yt wythout the kyng and the lordys / hys wordys yf they wayd ought / ſhuld rōne to the reproche and blame of them whom he wold fayn flater / wythout faut founden in them whom he ſo ſore accuſeth. But now the ſpecyall hygh poynt of his wyſdome for whych we be dryuen to ſpeke of thys matter he ſpecyally declareth in thys. Ye ſe well that he wold that the temporall mē ſhuld take fro the clergy / not onely all theſe landys purchaſed ſynnys the ſtatute of mortemayn / but alſo all that euer they had before too / and yet ouer thys all the hole lyuyng y• euer they haue by eny maner mean beſyde: becauſe he thynketh that they haue to much by all to gether. And whē he hath gyuen hys aduyſe therto and ſayd that they haue to much: then ſayth [Page] he by and by that yf there were eny purgatorye in dede / yt were well done to gyue them yet more / and that they haue then a great dele to lytle. But now ſo ys yt that purgatory there ys in dede / nor no good cryſten man is there but he wyll and must beleue & confeſſe the ſame. wherof yt playnly folowyth that hys own agrement added vnto the trouth / that ys to ſay that the church hath as he ſayth to lytle yf there be a purgatory / added vnto the trouth that there ys a purgatory / and that euery trew cryſten man doth & muſt cōfeſſe yt: then hath loo the wyſe man brought all hys purpoſe ſo ſubſtancyally to paſſe / that by hys own playne agrement added vnto the vndoutable trouth / no mā may do that he wold haue all men do / ſpoyle and pyll the church / but he that wyll furſte playnly profeſſe hym ſelf a playn and vndo wtyd heretyke.

¶And therfore ſyth ye now ſe the wyt of thys wyſe man / yt laboreth to bryng vs owte of your remēbraunce / ſyth ye ſe the ſymple groūde of hys prowde ſupplycacyon / and ye perceyue the rancour and malyce that hys mater ſtandeth on: for fulfyllyng wherof he wold by his wyll bryng all the worlde in trouble: & ſyth ye ſe that he hateth ye clergye for the fayth / and vs for the clergy / and in reprouyng purgatory proueth hym ſelfe an infydele: ſyth we haue made yt you clere that your prayour may do vs good / and haue ſhewed yt you ſo playnely that a chylde may perceyue yt / not onely by the comen opynyon of all people and the faſte vnfallyble fayth of all cryſten peple from Cryſtys dayes vntyll your owne tyme / confermed by the doctryne of all holy doctours / declared by good reaſon / and proued by the ſcrypture of god / both apoſtles / and euangelyſtys / and our ſauyour Cryſte hym ſelf: we wyll encumber you no ferther wyth dyſputyng vppon the mater / nor argue the thynge as dowtefull / that is vndowted and queſtyonleſſe. But lettyng paſſe ouer ſuch heretiques as are our malycyouſe mortall enemyes / prayenge god of his, grace to gyue theym better mynde: we ſhall tourne vs to you that are faythfull folke and our dere louyng frēdys / beſechyng your goodnes of your tēder pyte that we may be remembred wyth your cherytable almoyſe and prayour. And in thys parte albe yt we ſtande in ſuche caſe that yt better bycummeth vs to beſeeche and praye euery man / then to fynde eny fawte wyth eny man: yet are we ſomwhat conſtrayned not to make eny mater of quarell or cōplaynt agaynſt eny mānys vnkidenes / but ſurely to mourne & lamēt our awne harde fortune & chaūce in ye lakke of relyefe & cūforte / which we miſſe frō our frēdis / not of euyll mynde wythdrawē vs / or of vnfaythfulnes / but of neglygēs forſlouthed & foded forth of forgetfulnes. If ye yt ar ſuch (for ye be not all ſuch) might loke vppō vs & byhold in what heuy plyght we ly: your ſlouth wold ſone be quikened & your oblyuion tourne to freſhe remēbraūce.

[Page] ¶For yf youre father / youre mother / youre chylde / youre brother / youre ſuſter, youre huſbande / youre wyfe / or a very ſtraunger to / lay in youre ſyghte ſome where in fyre / and that your meanes myght helpe hym: what hart were ſo hard / what ſtomake were ſo ſtony / that could ſyt in reſte at ſupper or ſlepe in reſte a bedde / and let a manly and burne▪ We fynde therefore full trew that olde ſayd ſaw / owte of ſyght owte of mynde. And yet ſurely to ſay the trewth / we can not theryn wyth reaſon mych complayne vppon you. For whyle we were wyth you there, for wantonnes of that wreched world we forgate in lyke wyſe our good frendys here. And therfore can we not maruayle myche though the iuſtyce of god ſuffer vs to be forgoten of you as other haue bene before forgoten of vs. But we beſeche our lorde for both our ſakys to gyue you the grace to mend for your parte that comen faut of vs both / leſt when ye cum hether here after / god of lyke [...] ſuffer you to be forgoten of them that ye leue there behynde you / as ye forgete vs that ar come hether afore you But albe yt we can not well as we ſay for the lyke faut in our ſelfe greatly rebuke or blame thys neglygence and forgetfulnes in you: yet wolde we for the better wyſh you that ye myght wythowt your payn / onys at the leſte wyſe behold / parceyue / and ſe / what heuynes of hart & what a ſorowfull ſhame the ſely ſoule hath at hys furſt cō myng hyther to loke his old frendys in the face here / whom he remē bryth hym ſelf to haue ſo foule forgoten whyle he lyued there. When albe yt that in thys place no man cā be angry / yet theyr pytuouſe loke and lamentable countenaunce caſteth hys vnkynd forgetfulnes in to hys mynde: wyt ye well dere frendꝭ that among the manyfold great and greuouſe payne whyche he ſuffreth here / wherof god ſend you y• grace to ſuffer eyther none or few: the grudge and greefe of hys conſ [...]yence in the conſyderacyon of hys vnkynde forgetfulnes / is not of all them the leſte. Therfore dere frendys let our foly lerne you wyſdome. Send hether your prayour: ſende hether your almoyſe before you: ſo ſhall we fynde ea [...]e therof / and yet ſhall ye fynde yt ſtyll. For as he that lyghtyth another the cādell hath neuer the leſſe lyght hym ſelf / & he that blowyth y• fyre for another to warme hym doth warm hym ſelf alſo ther wyth: ſo ſurely good frendys the good that ye ſend hether before you / both greatly refreſheth vs / and yet ys holly reſeruyd here for you with oure prayours added thereto for youre ferther aduauntage.

¶Wold god we coud haue done our ſelf as we now counſell you. And god gyue you y• grace whych many of vs refuſed / to make better ꝓuyſyon whyle ye lyue thā many of vs haue done. For mich haue we left in our executours hand [...] / whych wold god we had beſtowed vppō pore folk for our owne ſoulys & our frēdys wyth our own handys. [Page] Mych haue many of vs beſtowyd vppō rych mē in gold ryngꝭ and blak gownys: mych in many tapers & torchys: mych in worldly pomp and hygh ſolempne ceremonyes about our funerallys / wherof the brotle glory ſtandeth vs here god wot in very litle ſtede / but hath on the tother ſyde done vs great dyſpleaſure. For albe yt yt the kynde ſolycytude & louyng dylygence of the quyk vſed about the beryeng of the dede / is well allowed and approuyd afore the face of god: yet mych ſuperfluouſe charge vſed for boſte and oſtētacyon / namely deuyſed by the dede before hys dethe / ys of god greatly myſlyked: and moſte eſpecially that kynde & faſſyon therof wherin ſome of vs haue fallen / and many beſydys vs that now lye damnyd in hell. for ſome hathe there of vs whyle we were in helthe / not ſo mych ſtudyed how we myght dye penytēt and in good cryſten plyght / as how we myght be ſolempnely borne owte to beryeng / haue gay & goodly funerallys wyth herawdys at our herſys / and ofrynge vp oure helmettys / ſettyng vp our ſkouchyn and cote armours on the wall though there neuer cam harneyſe on our bakkys / nor neuer aunceſtour of ours euer bare armis byfore. Thē deuyſed we ſome doctour to make a ſermon at our maſſe in our monthys mynde / and there preche to our prayſe wyth ſome fond fanteſy deuyſed of our name / and after maſſe / mych feſtyng ryotouſe and coſtly / and fynally lyke madde men made men mery at our dethe / and take our beryeng for a brydeale. For ſpecyall punyſhement whereof / ſome of vs haue bene by our euyll [...] brought forth full heuely in full great deſpyght to be holde our owne beryeng / and ſo ſtanden in great payne inayſyble among the [...] / and made to loke on our cateyn corps caryed owte wyth great pope / wherof our lorde knoweth we haue taken heuy pleaſure.

¶Yet wolde ye peraduenture wene that we were in one thyng well eaſed / in that we were for the tyme taken henſe owt of the fyre of our purgatory. But in thys poynt yf ye ſo thynke / ye be ſarre deceyued. For lyke wyſe as good aungels and ſaued ſoulys in heuē / neuer leſe nor leſſen theyre ioy by chaungyng of theyre placys / but though there be eny ſpecyall place appoynted for heuē fertheſt from the centre of the hole worlde or where ſo euer yt be / be yt bodyly or aboue all bodyly ſpace / the bleſſyd heuenly ſpyrytys where ſo euer they bycū be eyther ſtyll in heuen or in theyr heuenly ioy: nor Gabryell when he comdown to our lady / neuer forbare eny parte of his pleaſure / but he had yt ꝑaduēture wyth ſome newe degre encreaced by the cūforte of hys ioyfull meſſage / but mynyſſhed myght yt neuer be / not and he had an erand in to hell; ryght ſo fareth it on y• tother ſyde / that neyther dāpned wreches at eny tyme / nor we for the ſpace of our clenſynge tyme though we haue for the generaltye our comen place of payne appoynted vs here in purgatory: yet yf it pleaſe our lorde that at eny ſeaſon [Page] our gardayns conuay ſome of vs to be for ſome conſyderacyons eny tyme ellys where / as ſome percaſe to appere to ſome frēd of ours & ſhew hym how we ſtand / & by y• ſufferaūs of goddys ſouerayn goodnes to tell hym wyth what almoyſe / prayour / pylgrymage / or other good dede done for vs he may helpe vs henſe / in whyche thynge the deuyll ys loth to walke wyth vs but he may not cheſe and can no ferther wythſtand vs thē god wyll gyue hym leue / but whyther ſo euer he cary vs we cary our payne wyth vs: & lyke as the body that hath an hote feuer as feruētly burneth yf he ryde an horſbake as yf he lay lapped in hys bedde: ſo cary we ſtyll about no leſſe hete wyth vs / thē yf we lay bounden he [...]e. And yet the dyſp yghtfull ſyghtys that our euyll aungellis brynge vs to beholde abrode / ſo farre augmēteth ourturment: that we wolde wyſhe to be drowned in the darkenes that ys here / rather than ſe the ſyghtys that they ſhew vs there.

¶For among they conuay vs in to our owne houſys / & ther dowble ys our payne wyth ſyght ſometyme of y• ſelfe ſame thyngys whych whyle we lyued was halfe our heuen to behold. There ſhew they vs our ſubſtaunce and our baggys ſtuffed wyth gold: whych when we now ſe / we ſette myche leſſe by theym then wold an old man that foūd a bag of chery ſtonys whych he layd vp when he was a chylde. What a ſorow hath it bē to ſome of vs whē y• deuils hath in diſpyghtfull mokkage / caſte in oure teeth our old loue borne to our money / & thē ſhewed vs our executours as byſyly ryfling a rāſakyng our houſys / as thogh they were men of warr that had taken a town by force.

¶Howe heuely hath yt thynke you gone vnto our harte / when our euyll aūgellys haue grynned and lawghed and ſhewed vs our late wyuys ſo ſone wa [...]en wanton / & forgetyng vs theyre old̄ huſbandys that haue loued theym ſo tendrely and lefte theym ſo ryche / ſytte and lawgh & make mery and more to ſumtyme / wyth theyr new woars / whyle our kepers in dyſpyte kepe vs there in payne to ſtande ſtyll / & loke on. Many tymes wold we then ſpeke yf we coulde be ſuffred / & ſore we long to ſay to her: Ah wyfe wyfe y wyſſe this was not couenaunt wyfe / when ye wepte and tolde me that yf I lefte you to lyue by / ye wold neuer wedde agayne. We ſe there our chyldren to / whō we loued ſo well / pype ſyng and dawnce / & no more thynke on theyre fathers ſoulys then on theyre olde ſhone: ſauyng that ſometyme cū meth owt god haue mercy on all cryſten ſowlys. But yt cūmeth owt ſo coldely and wyth ſo dull affeccyon / that yt lyeth but in the lyppys and neuer cam nere the harte. Yet here we ſometyme our wyuis pray for vs more warmely. For in chydynge wyth her ſecunde huſbande to ſpyghte hym wyth all / god haue mercy ſayeth ſhe on my fyrſt huſbandꝭ ſowle / for he was ywyſſe an honeſt mā farr vnlyke you. And then meruayle we myche whē we here theym ſay ſo well by vs. For [Page] they were euer wont to tell vs otherwyſe.

¶But when we fynde in thys wyſe our wiuys / or chyldren and frē dys / ſo ſone and ſo clerely forgete vs / and ſe our executours rap and rend vnto theym ſelfe / catche euery man what he can and holde faſte that he catcheth and care nothyng for vs: lorde god what yt greueth vs that we lefte ſo mych bihynd vs / and had not ſent hyther more of our ſubſtaunce byfore vs by our owne handys. For happy fynde we hym among vs / y• ſendeth byfore all y• may be forborne. And he that ys ſo loth to parte wyth aught / that hordeth vp his good and had as lyue dye almoſt as to breke hys hepe / and then at laſt when there ys none other remedye but that he muſte nedys leue yt / repenteth hym ſelf ſodēly & lakketh tyme to dyſpoſe yt / & therfore byddeth his frendys to beſtow yt well for hym: our lord ys yet ſo marcyfull yt of hys goodnes he acceptyd y• good dedys y• hys executours do in ꝑformyng his deuyce. And ſyth that late is better thē neuer: our lord ſomewhat alloweth the mannys mynde / by whych he wold hys goodys that he hath immoderately gathered and gredily kepte together as longe as he myght / were yet at the leſte wyſe well beſtowed at laſte when he muſt nedys go fro thē. Whych mynde yet more pleaſeth god / thē that a man cared not what were done wyth them. And therfor as we ſay the goodnes of god ſomewhat doth accepte yt. But yet ſurely ſyth we myght and ought to haue done yt our ſelf / and of a fylthy affeccyon toward our goodys could not fynde in our hart to parte from eny parte of thē / yf our executours now deceyue vs & do no more for vs then we dyd for our ſelfe: our lord dyd vs no wronge though he neuer gaue vs thanke of all our hole teſtament / but imputed the fruſtracyon and not ꝑformynge of our laſte wyll vnto our owne fawte: ſyth the delay of our good dedys dreuen of to our deth / grew but of our awne ſlewth and fleſſhely loue to the worldward / wyth faynteneſſe of deuocyon to god ward / and of lytle reſpect and regard vnto our awne ſoule. And ouer thys yf our executours do theſe good thyngys indede that we do thus at laſte deuyſe in out teſtament: yet our defawte dryuynge all to our deth as we told you byfore / though god as we ſayd of hys hygh goodnes leueth not all vnrewarded / yet thys warnynge wyll we gyue you / that ye deceyue not your ſelfe: we that haue ſo dyed haue thus foūde yt / that the goodys diſpoſed after vs / gete our executours great thāke / & be toward vs ward accōpted afore god myche leſſe then half our awn / nor our thanke nothyng lyke to that yt wolde haue bene yf we had in our helth geuen half as mych for goddys ſake wyth our awne handys. Of whyche we geue you thys frendely warnyng not for that we wold dyſcorage you to dyſpoſe well your goodys whē ye dye: but for that we wold aduyſe you to dyſpoſe then better whyle ye lyue.

[Page] ¶And amonge all your almoyſe / ſumwhat remēber vs: Our wyuys there remēber here your huſbandys. Our chyldren there remē ber here your parentys. Our parentys there remēber here your chyldren. Our huſbādys there remēber here your wyuys. Ah ſwete huſbandys whyle we lyued there in that wreched world with you / whyle ye were glad to pleaſe vs: y [...] beſtowed mych vppō vs & put your ſelfe to greate coſte and dyd vs great harme therwyth? Wyth gay [...]ow [...]ys and gay kyrtels & mych waſte in apparell ryngꝭ & [...] / wyth [...] & paſti [...] garneſhed wyth perl [...] / wyth whych proude pykynge vp: both ye toke hurte and we to / many mo ways [...] though we told you not ſo than. But two thyngys were the [...]e ſpecyall of whych your ſelfe felt then that [...]on [...] and we fele now the [...]other. For ye had vs the [...] and the more ſtoburn to you: and god [...]ad vs in leſſe fauour: and that alak we l [...]i [...]. For now that gay gere burneth vppon our [...]akkys: and thoſe prowd p [...]rled peſt [...]s hang [...] about our [...] ▪ thoſe par [...]e [...]ettye and thoſe ow [...] hang heuy abowt our nekkes and cleue faſt fyre hote / that wo be we there and wyſhe that whyle we lyued ye neuer had folowed our [...] nor neuer [...] vs nor made vs ſo wanton / nor had geuen vs other [...] than ymons or gret garlyk heddys / nor other ꝑles for our [...] and our paſtrys then farre orient peaſon. But now for as mych as that [...] and cannot be called agayn: we beſech you ſyth [...] vs haue them [...] let them hurt none other woman but help to do vs good: ſell them for our ſaky [...] to [...] and [...] the money [...]ether by maſſe pennys & by pore men that may [...] for our [...].

¶Our fathers [...] whyle we lyued foſtred vs vp ſo tēderly [...] [...]ndured to ſe vs ſuffer payn: now opē your hertꝭ & [...] at the leſte wyſe wyth a pore mannis [...] a [...]mes▪ ye [...] not when we were wyth you have letted to lay out myche money for a great mariage. whych yf ye mēt for our ſakꝭ & not for your own worldly worſhyp / gyue vs now ſum ꝑte therof & releue vs here wyth mych leſſe coſt then one maryage / & more pleſure then .xv. though euery one were a prynce or a prynceſſe of a realm.

¶Fynally all our other frendys & euery good criſten man & woman open your hartys & haue ſum pyte vppon vs. If ye beleue not yt we nede your help / alas the lak of fayth. If ye beleue our nede and care not for vs / alas the lak of pyte. For who ſo pytyeth not vs / whom cā he pyte? If ye pyte the pore / there ys none ſo pore as we / yt haue not a bra [...]te to put on our [...]akkys. If ye pyte the blynde / there ys none ſo blynd as we whych ar here in the dark ſauyng for ſyghtis vnpleſaūt and lotheſum tyll ſum cūfort cum. If ye pyte the ſame / there is none ſo lame as we / that nether cā crepe one fote out of the fyre / nor haue one hād at lyberte to defend our face fro the flame. Fynally yf ye pyte [Page] any man in payn / neuer knew ye payn comparable to ours: whoſe fyre as farre paſſeth in hete all the firys that euer burned vppō erth / as the hoſteſt of all thoſe paſſeth a [...]eynyd fyre payntyd on a wall. If euer ye lay ſyk and thought the nyght ſong / & longed ſore for day whyle euery howre ſemed longer than fyue: bethynk you then what a long nyght we ſely ſoulys endure / that ly ſlepeleſſe / reſtleſſe / burnyng / and broylyng in the dark fyre one long myght of many days / of many wekys / and ſum of many yeres to gether. You walter peraduē ture and toſter in ſyknes fro ſyde to ſyde & fynde lytle reſt in eny parte of the bed: we ly boundē to the brondys and cānot lyft vp our heddys. You haue your phyſycyōs wyth you that ſumtyme cure and hele you: no phiſyk wyll help our payn / nor no plaſter cole our hete. Your kepars do you great eaſe and put you in good cūfort: our kepars at ſuch as god kepe you from / cruell damned ſpyry [...] odyouſe / enuyouſe / and hatefull / dyſpytuouſe ēmys and dyſpytefull turmentours / and theyr cūpany more horryble and greuous to vs then ys the payn yt ſelf and thintollerable turment that they do vs wherwyth frō top to too they ceace not contynually to tere vs.

¶But now yf our other enmys theſe heretikys almoſt as cruell as they / procuryng to theyr power that we ſhulde be lō [...] left in y• dyuels handys wyll as theyr vſage ys to rayle in ſtede of reſonyng / make a game and a [...]eſie now of our heuy payn / and ꝑaduenture laugh at our lamētacyon / bycauſe we ſpeke of our hedd [...] / our handys / our feele / and ſuche our other groſe bodyly mēbers as lye beryed in our grauis & of our garmentys that we dyd were whyche come not hether wyth vs: we byſech you for our dere ladyes loue to let theyre foly go by / and to conſyder in your owne wyſdom that yt were impoſſyble to make eny mortall man lyuyng perceyue what maner payn & in what maner wyſe we bodyleſſe ſoulys do ſuffer and ſuſtayne: or to make eny man vppon erth perfytely to conceyue in hys ymagynacyon and fantaſy / what maner of ſubſtaūce we be: mych more impoſſyble then to make a borne blynd man to perceyue in hys mynd the nature and dyfferēce of colours. And therfore except we ſhuld of our painfull [...] tell you nothynge at all (and there wold they haue yt we muſt of neceſſyte vſe you ſuch wordys as your ſelfe vnderſtand / and vſe you the ſymylytudꝭ of ſuch thyngys as your ſelf ys in vre with. For ſyth neyther god / angell nor ſoule / ys in ſuch wyſe blynd / dome / defe / or lame / as be thoſe mē yt for lak of eyen / leggꝭ / handꝭ / tonge / or ere / be weke & impotent in y• powers yt ꝓcede frō them: but haue in thē ſelfe a farre more excellēt ſyght / heryng / delyuerneſſe / and ſpech / by meanys vncognable to man / then eny mā can haue liuyng there on yerth: therfore doth holy ſcripture in ſpekyng of ſuch thingꝭ / vſe to r [...]ſent thē to y• people by y• namys of ſuche powers inſtrumentꝭ / & mēbers / [Page] as men in ſuch thyngys vſe and occupye thē ſelfe. Whyche maner of ſpekynge in ſuch caſ [...] who ſo euer haue in deryſyon: declareth very well how lytle fayth he hath in Cryſtys awne wordꝭ / in whychy our ſauyour hym ſelfe ſpekyng of the ſowlys of the ryche gloton & pore nedy Lazarus and of the Patriarch Abraam alſo ſpeketh in lyke maner as we do / of fynger and tōge to [...] wherof they had neyther nother there. And therfore who ſo maketh a mok at our wordꝭ in this poynt: ye may ſone ſe what credence ye ſhuld geue hym / wheryn we be content ye gyue hym euen as mych as ye ſe your ſelfe that he gyueth to god: for more ye ought not and ſurely leſſe ye can not. For he geueth god not a whyt: but taketh in hys harte that ſtory told by god for a very fantaſtyke fable.

¶And therfore as we ſay paſſing ouer ſuche [...]eſtyng and raylyng of thoſe vncherytable heretykys mortall enymyes vnto vs and to then ſelf both: conſyder you our paynys / and pyte thē in your hartys / and helpe vs wyth your prayours / pylarymagys and other almoyſe dedy [...]: & of all thyng in ſpecyall ꝓcure vs the ſuff [...]a [...]s and bleſſyd obla [...]yon of the holy maſſe wherof no man lyuyng ſo well can tell the frute as we that here fele yt.

¶The cūforte that we haue here except our cōtinuall hope in our lord god cummeth at ſeaſons from our Lady / wyth ſuch gloryouſe ſayntys as either our ſelf wyth our own deuocyō whyle we lyued / or ye wyth yours for vs ſynnys our deceaſe and departyng haue made interceſſours for vs. And among other ryght eſpecyally be we beholden to the bleſſyd ſpyrytys our own proper good angels / Whō when w [...] behold cūmyng wyth cūfort to vs / albe yt that we take great pleſure and [...] theryn: yet ys yt not wythout mych confuſyon and [...] to conſyder how lytle we regardyd our good angels & how ſe▪ d [...] we thoght vppon thē whyle we lyued. Thay [...] vp our prayers to god & good ſayntꝭ for vs: & they bryng down fro thē the cūfort and conſolacyon to vs. Wyth whych when they cum & cūfort vs: only god and we know what ioy yt is to our hartys & how hartely we pray for you. And therfore yf god accept the prayour after hys own fauour born toward hym that prayeth & thaffeccyon that he prayeth wyth: our prayer muſt nedys be profytable / for we ſta [...]d ſure of hys grace. And our prayer ys for you ſo feruent / that ye can no where fynde eny ſuch affeccyon vppō erth. And therfore ſyth we [...] ſo ſore in paynys & haue in our great neceſſyte ſo gret nede of your help & y• ye may ſo well do yt / wherby ſhall alſo rebownd vppō your ſelf an ineſtymable ꝓfyte: let neuer eny ſlouthfull oblyuyon race vs out of your remēbraūce / or malicyouſe enmy of ours cauſe you to be careleſſe of vs / or eny gredy mynde vppō your good withdraw your gracyouſe almes frō vs. Thynk how ſone ye ſhall cū hether to vs: [Page] thynk what great grefe and rebuke wold then your vnkyndnes be to you: what cūfort on the cōtrary part when all we ſhall thank you: what help ye ſhall haue here of your good ſent hether. Remember what kyn ye and we be to gether: what familier frēdſyp hath ere this bene betwene vs: what ſwete wordys ye haue ſpoken and what promyſe ye haue made vs. Let now your wordis appere and your fayre promyſe be kept. Now dere frendys remēber how nature & cryſtendom byndeth you to remēber vs. If eny poynt of your old fauour / eny pece of your old loue / eny kindnes of kinred / eny c [...]re of acquayntance / eny fauour of old frendſhyp / eny ſpark of charyte / eny tender poynt of pyte / eny regard of nature / eny reſpect of cryſtendū / be left in your breſtys: let neuer the malyce of a few fond felowes a few peſtylent perſons born toward preſthod / relygyon / and your cryſten fayth: race out of your hartys the care of your kynred / all force of your old frendys / and all remembraunce of all cryſten ſoulys. Remē ber our thurſt whyle ye ſyt & drynk: out honger whyle ye be feſting: our reſtleſſe wach whyle ye be ſlepyng: our ſore and greuouſe payn whyle ye be playng: our hote burnyng fyre whyle ye be in pleſure & ſportyng: ſo mote god make yourof ſprynge after remēber you: ſo god kepe you hens or not long here: but brynge you ſhortely to that blyſſe / to whych for our lordys loue help you to brynge vs / and we ſhall ſet hand to help you thyther to vs⸫

Finis. Cum priuilegio⸫

¶The fawtys eſcapyd in the pryntyng.

Fol. | Pagi. | Linea | ¶The fautys. | ¶The amendemētys.
ii. | ii. | xiiii. | enuoyuſe | enuyouſe
iii. | i. | xxxi. | pryoure | prayour
iiii. | i. | xxix. | to | ſo
viii. | ii. | xliii. | in hys | in thys
ix. | ii. | xxxviii. | he | the
xxi. | ii. | xxxvii. | at yought | at nought
xxii. | i. | xxvi. | wythdrade | wythdraw
xxii. | ii. | xxxi. | euerlyſtyng | euerlaſtyng
xxiiii. | ii. | i. | long ſo | ſo long
xxvi. | ii. | vii. | hole | holy
xxxvi. | i. | x. | hys | thys

⸫ [Page] [...] [Page] [...]

Information about this book

Title statement

The supplycacyon of soulys made by syr Thomas More knyght councellour to our souerayn lorde the Kynge and chauncellour of hys Duchy of Lancaster. Agaynst the supplycacyon of beggars

More, Thomas, Sir, Saint, 1478-1535.

Edition statement

1529

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A68478

ID [STC]

STC 18092

ID [STC]

ESTC S104281

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99840019

ID [PROQUEST]

99840019

ID [VID]

4487

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Early English books online.

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A68478)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 4487)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 125:07, 448:07)

Source

— The supplycacyon of soulys made by syr Thomas More knyght councellour to our souerayn lorde the Kynge and chauncellour of hys Duchy of Lancaster. Agaynst the supplycacyon of beggars, More, Thomas, Sir, Saint, 1478-1535..

Extent

xliiii leaves

W. Rastell,. [London :: not after 25 Oct. 1529]. (Written in reply to: Fish, Simon. A supplicacyon for the beggers.) (Imprint from STC.) (Identified as STC 18093 on UMI microfilm reel 448.) (Signatures: a² b-l⁴ m² .) (Cambridge University Library copy imperfect; 2 leaves only.) (Reproduction of the original in the Bodleian Library.) (Appears at reel 125 #7 (Bodleian Library copy), and at reel 448 #7 (Cambridge University Library copy, identified as STC 18093).)

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