¶ The fall of Rebellion.
WHen
Phoebus abated from the abundant fragiditie,
And
Ianus Bifrons past his situation,
Whē
Vere nigh entred to his humiditie,
Soon after
Februa y
• Goddesse dedication,
When
Sol in
Pisces tooke his habitation:
Then mused I the
Zodiak instabilitie,
And howe that nature is naught but variation,
Reserued the Astripotent of his benignitie.
Thus compassing my senses, soone after
Aurora,
When
Lucifer the watch Star was past his illucident,
In the surrection of
Titan then tooke I my iorney,
To a Riuer in a Mountaine towarde the Occident,
Where beames of
Ipergeus come from the Orient,
Glystring in resplendishor right goodly to beholde,
Where
Nayades the Nymph had doone her denorment,
And scummed the water more cleare than any golde.
For the bemes with the glemes were faire & refulgent,
More clearer than Carbuncle, Electrum or Christall,
With rasis and trasis, al siluer and orient,
Whose pulchritude to beholde it séemed supernaturall:
Thus gasping and gasing, I heard a voyce vocall
Languishing in dolour, lament and complaine,
Am I a Queene (quod she,) or Empresse imperiall?
Nay Aposlata, like Dalida, a Meretrix certaine.
At the clamor all obstupefact, I started in that stéede,
And fatally I sawe a Lady mysticall,
With a Crowne of golde, and a Diademe on hir heade,
Dight all with Diamonds and Rubies so royall,
[Page]With Emeraudes & Iacincts, & many Gemmes generall,
As Turkas, and Topasion, with Saphirs blewe and bise,
That
Plinius in his practise coulde not discribe them al,
Nor yet
Pithagoras was able to summe the prise.
But
Pigmalion, the Mason in crafte artificiall,
Could not transforme so wofull a Creature,
Nor yet
Appelles the Pictor principall,
So macerate and leane a doleful portraiture,
In a Frock black as Sables, dark citrine and obscure,
With a Kyrtle bloudy of colour bombesine,
And a Rayle all to ryuen more blonkysh than azure,
With an antick deaurate with letters argentine.
She sobbed and sighed with ample teares lacrimable,
But with asper voice and clamor vehement
In a furie (quod she with wordes intollerable,)
Holme, I am
Anglia the Princesse excellent,
Whose renoumed benignitie through causes negligent
Is like to be exturped, expulsed, and expelled
Through insurrection and copious detriment,
Of people peruerse amongst themselues rebelled.
Immediatly to mée hir Seruaunt obedient,
She commaunded to pronounce some stories of sedition,
I replyed vnto hir grace, she being not discontent,
Me for to pardon and therefore haue remyssion,
For I was timorous and afraide of punition,
And as a Gemme without glosse vnpullished to shyne,
With senses obtused, and brayne in oppression,
For default of Literature, and lack of discipline.
But so importunate forsooth was hir request,
That ignorance notwithstanding I began to descriue,
How that in the Historiographie it is playne expressed,
That
Graccus by suggestion falsly did contriue
The Romains to rebel with the Senatours to striue,
Chalenging equipolent all things to be deuided,
[Page]Through whose discention as
Oroke doth discriue,
Much ruine there befell, and many men occided.
Also the triumphant Troyans victorious,
By
Anthenor and
Aeneas false confederacie,
Sending
Polidamus to
Neoptholemus,
Was vanquished, and subdued by their conspiracie.
O dolorens fortune and fatall miserie,
For multitude of people was there mortificate,
With condigne
Priamus and all his progenie,
And flagrant
Polixene that Lady delicate.
The iugling of
Iugurth with strife and dissention,
Destroyed all
Numidie, (as
Salust doth declare)
And
Percius of Macedone with craftie inuention
Rebelled (saith
Eutropius) with the Romains to compare.
His host was destroyed, and who will contemplare.
Trogus declareth that in prolixitie,
Where as before, but contributers they were,
They were after subdued to their great miserie.
Titus Liuius, (de gestis Romanorum)
Describeth whē y
e Combres & Numides were destroyed,
Ex Maurio condigno flore Senatorum,
Then
Maurius woulde haue had his office fayne renued,
To the seuenth time Consull, but
Silla that eschued,
Through which sedition and high ingratitude,
I say more mischéefe to the Romaines ensued,
Than did by
Haniball for all his fortitude.
The dissention of two brethren the sonnes of
Oedippus,
Which resolued the probleme of the Shpinx in the
[...]lie▪
Was the principall cause of destruction of Thebes,
Which
Amphion builded with the Harpe of Mercurie,
The stones lept vp with the harmonious melodie,
Which fiction Poetique is nothing to be tried,
But by prolixing & pronouncing in facunde Retorie,
The Commons them selues the Citie edified.
Petrus Comestor in his storye Scolasticall,
Publisheth and declareth, howe
Aristobilus
Discorded with
Hircanus his brother naturall,
Through whose occasion the noble
Pompeius,
With power potentiall and actes victorious,
W
[...]nne all Hierusalem, with the place dedicate,
With great occision to them calumnious,
Difringing the Walles with wayes most toxicate.
The Romaine Topographie declareth how
Marcellus,
With the excellent
Pompeius, by their biplicitie
The Lauriat triumphe denied vnto
Iulius,
Whose noblenesse surmounted with great famositie,
Which was the occasion of great mortalitie:
For
Pompeius was slaine by this altercation,
With mortall battailes and great calamitie,
To the Romains domage and great desolation.
Diuers cruell battailes amongst the Romains hath ben,
One was
Lepidus fought against
Catullus,
In an other the Commontie fought with
Cateline,
And
Antonius with
Octauianus,
Another,
Sertorius was against
Pompeius,
Wherein was slaine by this last detraction,
Twelue hundred Kings, and that right cheualrous,
Of worthy parentage and valiant extraction.
Was not
Iulius Caesar the victor bellipotent,
Occided and slayne by people maleuolent?
But
Octauian his Nephew the Emperour excellent,
Repugned with those Rascals and Traitours fradulent:
For
Marcus Anthonius and he, by consent,
Destroyed those choorles and rebels furibund,
Both
Brutus and
Crassus the harlottes rabient,
With diuers Senatours, and many a Uacabund.
Such murder, such treason, and such disobedience
As the Romains haue had, was neuer specified,
And
Emilaine, Gallus, and
Luciane mortified,
And
Probus, and
Gordaine, as plaine is notified,
Were slayne by villaines to Romes great perdition,
And foure ciuil battels by
Otho was magnified,
But pouertie at the length was the diffinition.
Rose not
Maxencius, with Knights of the Pretorie,
Against
Seuerus and
Galerius Augustus?
And
Seuerus Knightes betrayed him by Trecherie,
And then came assistaunce of noble
Herculius,
Which was onely father to the saide
Maxentius,
Prouoking
Dioclesian, for to take the dignitie,
But in my coniecture this was to them dolorous,
Pondring this mutable and sodeine diuersitie.
There
Marcus the Consull, in Italie confounded
Three score thousand Riotors of that domination,
And also
Metredas, in force which abounded,
Contrarie to alegiance, made great litigation
Aboue twentie yeares, with great confutation,
But in the sequele, as Fortune did execute,
Destroyed was he and his procreation,
His posteritie slaine, his Regions destitute.
The Bible is euident, how Sichem congregation,
By slaying of Abimeleck them selues made fatigate,
And the storye
Iudicum maketh cleare declaration,
How a Concubine was wrapped with lecherie insatiate,
Whose husband in twelue her members mutilate,
Sending to the Tribes with great lamentation:
Wherefore Israell had almost abrogate
The whole tribe of Beniamin for their abomination.
In the seconde booke of Samuell it is playne expressed,
How Absolons disobedience and false peruersitie,
Made himselfe to be slayne and Israell oppressed,
With great effusion of bloude by his dualitie,
[Page]By the doughtinesse of Dauid, and his nobilitie,
And eke Achitophell the counseller sapient,
Was so dispaired and in perplexitie,
That he hanged himselfe the traitor negligent.
Fiue hundred thousand of Israell were slaine & necated
Of the house of Ieroboam, their king and principal,
In
Paralipomenon it is cleare dilated,
How Abia of Iuda destroyed them for beliall,
And Iehu slew Achab, and his sonnes collaterall
Uanquished his bloud, his stocke and Genealogie,
And also Ochosias of Iuda most royall,
Was slaine and his bretherne by Iehues conspiracie.
Sundry ingratitudes amongs the Iewes haue bene,
As Saul against Dauid, and Ioab with Abnere,
And the séede of Ochozias, with Alathia the Quéene,
With deuiding of Kingdomes as plainly doth appéere,
Of Iuda and Israell which was the cause cléere
Of their captiuitie, and the transmigration,
For diuers heades made diuers Gods seyre,
Wherefore God gaue them vp to their great damnation.
The bookes of
Machabes discribeth the perturbance,
Of the male Caliditie that came by
Alcinous,
To them pestiserous, and to their great doliance,
Besides the destruction of noble
Machabeus,
And eke the discorde of yong
Antiochus,
Against
Phillip the Traytor disloyal,
With the treason of
Triphon against King
Demetrius,
With the vniustnesse of
Iason the théefe most vnnaturall.
In
Iosephus we may sée, that the Iewes for Rebellion
Were conquered of
Titus the sonne of
Vaspasian,
And other stories say ther was slayne a Mylion,
With a hundreth M. moe and C. thousand tane,
And afterward, contempt oppressed them by
Adrian,
And cleane deiect them from their habitation,
[Page]Making in Ierusalem Foreners remayne,
And now pay they tribute in euery other Nation.
What should I recounte the Rebellion of
Cresius,
With a thousand such moe, to make macrologie,
My matter to prolong? it were but superfluous.
But yet I will rehearse to touch somewhat briefly,
As concerning England, our owne natiue Countrey,
For why, the Auctors do wonderously dissent,
Therefore I will rehearse to this antilloquie,
But only the cognisaunce which appéereth verament.
This Region was maculate, and put to rapacitie
With the force of the Danes, by Buerne contention,
And slaine was King Edmund, King Osbridge, and Ellée,
And ouer this, one Mordred, he made false preuention
With Arthur his Soueraigne, with such great dissention,
That only it caused not greate desolation,
But also perturbed the Royall intention,
From the Romaine Diademe, with the Coronation.
Iulius Caesar, for all his audacitie,
Was twice expulsed of
Cassibolanus,
And made to recuile for all his Artillerie,
To the maledict conflict of one
Andragius
The Earle of London, a Traitour contagious,
Whose ayde, procurement and false introduction,
Foundred al Britaine from the estate prosperous,
And made vs be subiect, to our great destruction.
Sithens the Conquest hath ben mischiefe inestimable,
As against king Stephen, Maude the Empresse excitation.
But Henry the yonger, an acte more myrable,
Contended with his Father, with strife and mination:
What sapience was héere in this procuration,
To subdue his Father by his conuexitie,
Was not the Deuill in this inclination,
To make such discorde amongst the commontie?
The well redoubted king, in act as most martiall,
Richard Curedelion, from his Conquest ineffable
Was made to recule by his brother naturall.
Pretending the Crowne with wayes inexecrable.
But alas for sorowe, this Prince inexpugnable
Was taken by the way, but yet difficulate
At the last was he, with Raunsom innumerable,
And his enimies were taken and cleane exuperate.
I am ashamed to pronounce, to publish and declare
The Baronage commotion, against Iohn their King,
And how to extringe his Sonne they did compare,
It museth my mynde suche naughty demeaning,
But what was the finall that came by transgressing?
Murder and death to the Realme right exial,
Destroying of Fortresses, which yet is remayning,
Subduing of Townes, to vs all preiudiciall.
Thomas Earle of Lancaster, was hanged and decollate,
With sixtene Barrons moe in Edward the secōds days,
The filthy demeanor that then was approbate,
I abhor to recite, they tooke such naughtie wayes.
For
Tullius were not able, at the full to disprayse
The naughtinesse of the Queene, with her malignitie,
But GOD doth requite with a corrosie alwayes:
For
Mortimer was slaine, for all his pompositie.
Iacke Straw, Wat Tiler, y
t Chiestains of Essex & Kent,
Against Richard the seconde began to make pretence,
But after a little rumour on Gallous were they hente,
By fortie, by fyftie, this was their best defence,
And the Ear
[...] of Ratcot bridge, which had the preheminence,
By processe were slaine & with doth enterlarded,
For iniquitie by Iustice of very congruence,
Against true alegiance is oft thus rewarded.
The Dukes of Surrey and Exeter with treason infect,
With the Earle of Glocester & the Earle of Salisburie,
[Page]Pretended in a mumming, like traitours detect,
To
[...]lea their liege Lorde the noble fourthe Henry:
But headed were they with all their affinitie,
By the Commons purveyance and the diuine regiment.
In likewise with battell was slayne the yong Percie,
His Uncle hanged and drawen, of Gallous first pendent.
The Archbishop of Yorke w
t the Earle Marshall of England,
For their insult was hanged & their inquietude,
And the Lord Bardolfe, w
t the Earle of Northumberlād,
Was instigate to insurge their Prince to illude,
To their intermission the veritie to conclude,
For by the Commons they were hanged and inquinate.
Here may be perceyued how that a small valitude,
Wyll reskue a Prince from subiects insaciate.
In the dayes of the sixth Henrie, Iacke Cade made a brag
With a multitude of people, but in the consequence,
After a little insanie they fled tag and rag:
For Alexander Iden he did his diligence,
So interuention was Iacke Cades recompence,
And the commons were hanged in diuers partes séere,
By the kings iustices and his magnificence,
By due execution by Oyere Determinere.
The fielde of Saint Albons was a battell violent,
Another the Lord Audley with the Earle of Salisburie,
The field of Northampton was a cruell cruciament,
Againe at Saint Albons was great immiserie▪
And at Mortimer Crosse was much languitude.
But at Pamleson field was moste lamentation,
The deitie gaue the battailes of his true equitie,
Considering the title and true generation.
In Henries dayes the seuenth of famous memorie,
The Blackheath fielde to the commons was pernicious,
Martin Swarth and his adherents for all their pollicie,
Was slaine and percuted with clamor languishous.
[Page]And
Bladis that burned Yorke, was too impetuous,
But the iudgement of a traytor to him was adiect.
Thus was he rewarded for his acte iniurious,
With diuers other principals the which were suspect.
But for conclusion to ende and define,
Contributers and homagers, the which hath rebelled,
Almost all storyes saithe, the truthe to combine,
They were slain & subdued, or frō their realmes expelled▪
As Ireland, Scotland or Fraunce when they medled
Within this our region: and as for sedition
Within realmes politike, it hath cleane compelled
The inuasion of aliants to their great submission.
When I had thus finished, I had thought to haue named
The blandishing Scorpions with discord most violate,
The Bishops of Rome for my espirites confremed,
But yet I refrained the stories most maculate,
Supplying to
Anglia the Princesse prenominate,
Beseeching hir honor, by the way of protestation,
What ample thing more shée would haue determinate,
And why shée commaunded me this declaration.
Hir bounteous beneuolence made me thus replie,
A
Holme, Holme, my seruaunt inseparable,
This same late commotion that was the cause why,
Wherfore I beséeche thée, their rising so variable
To me to declare, with their causes detestable.
I reconed to hir grace I durst not bring it to passe:
God will defend thée quod shée, for he is not variable,
For inuincible is veritie, so sayth Es
[...]ras.
The Insurrection.
Then briefly I declared how the olde Leuiathan
Whispered with the Papistes, this region to deuide,
[Page]And they like true aduocates declared to euery man,
How Antechriste was borne, this rumor went ful wide.
For of Abbeys they said there might not one abide,
And churches and chappels they shall be oppressed,
Fasting and prayer, and good workes are set a side,
And y
e sacraments shalbe naught, these words they expressed.
When this could not auaile, then properly they inuented
Friers, Pardoners to the people for to prate,
How burials and mariages they should be presented,
With churchings and christenings to pay a noble rate.
Plough nobles yéerely, they were clere determinate,
And Hen, Chicken, Goose, Capon, Pig and Cony,
They should not be eaten but with men of estate,
Nor yet no white bread without a summe of money.
Also a perpetuitie of horsse and beast a grote,
With a penie a shéepe: now these words fascinorous,
They moued the ignorant and debill wits God wote,
Thus persuaded by intisement of priests auaritidus,
A Cobler pretended a title ambitious,
In Lowth in Lincolnshire, and made insurrection,
Some of worship was of counsel, but mo was contrarious
But as for the commons to arise had affection.
This noise and rumor redounded in Yorkeshire,
Then by appointment one Robert Aske gentleman,
Toke in hand for captaine to accomplishe their desire,
Then Houldeine and Beuerlay to insurge they began,
They would with Holdernesse collected to them than,
Thus of a smal vnion was aggregate a more,
Many men of woorship to fortresses they ran,
Some had their cattel taken, & their goods spoiled therfore.
Then Hul made a brag, but anone it was yèelded,
Then Yorkshire in general, it was nigh collected,
Yorke receiued them for there they abode, and builded
Til the Countreis adiacent with the rumor wer infected▪
[Page]And as I suppose they had letters directed,
Wherby was raised all Richmondshire and Tindale,
The borders of Lancashire began to be suspected,
Bishoprike rose cleare, with Sedbare Dent, & Kendale.
They spoiled and robbed those which were fugitiue,
To the Abbeys suppressed the people they restaurate,
Rudent incessantly with clamor excessiue,
Faith and common weale, and in the way obuiate
They were with procession and ringing insaciate,
And the Sacrament Christes body called
Eucharistia,
Was borne by Prelates with the crucifixe associate,
With pipes, Drums, Tabrets, and Fidlers alway.
A little beside Doncaster they came to Scanceby leyes,
And furnished their battell, and set forth their vaward,
They were .xxv.M. of able mennes bodies,
Well horssed and harnessed right puissant to regarde,
The noble men were surrepted, the truthe to awarde,
Of these Countreys predict from their purpose indeuided,
But toke vpon hand, and was not retrograde,
This handfull folowing excepted and forprised,
The Earle of Northumberland, for he was diseased,
The Earle of Westmerland, for he had the Podagree,
The Earle of Comberland the commons displeased,
Lying in Shipton castell with all their artillerie,
Like to his auncestors, his allegeance to fortefie,
And the Lord Dacres at the rising so variable,
Like an honorable man, his truthe to magnifie,
Went straite to the South, and there abode perdurable.
Sir Henrie Sauil, sir Marmaduke Constable,
Sir Briā Hastings, sir Iohn Neuil, the king they assisted,
Master Euers at Scarburgh to them was agreeable,
With all his companions, and would faine haue resisted.
The Maire of Yorke wold, but the cōmons he mistrusted,
William Maunsel also, and Knolles of Hullcleere,
[Page]With the Archdecon of Duresme of y
e same part cōsisted,
And flée from the Riotors did Leonard Bequet Esquire.
Doctor Stephens, phisitian to Therle of Northūberland,
And Ratclif had done wel, if Yorke had bene contented,
The Parson of Castlegate was of the same comnant,
And the Bishop of Duresme of the same parte consented:
I know but another which ought to be presented,
But which after spoyler to the commons did resorte:
Yet sir Thomas Curwen earnestly inuented.
With sir Thomas Wharton to stay their counterporte.
Then with an ardent fury quod
Anglia and frouned,
Holme it is but fiction I say thou doste deuise,
Shewedst thou not me that gentlemē & men that wer renoumed
Fled to Castles & fortresses, what made them then to rise?
And it like your grace quod I, bicause they wer not wise,
Yet diuers were cōpelde, for the Cōmons did them take,
But mo were seduced with the Papistes deuise,
Drinking the venome of Aspes which neuer can awake.
They noysed the Emperour with them was participate,
And the Bishop of Rome with the Scotish king cōnuxed,
With them to commilitare they were clerely fundate,
And Ireland and Wales of their parte was fixed,
The Earle of Darby outlawed, and of their part mixed,
And the Duke of Norfolke euery cause accounted,
Al commoners cōmoned with the Earle Staffort enixed,
And as for they of Lincolnshire a great sum surmounted.
But the duke of Suffolke with such a power inuaded
Lincolnshire predict, that they had small esperaunce,
The lord Admiral and sir Anthony Brown thē persuaded
With Richard Cromwell esquire there master of thordināce,
Their wepōs & armor was lost by gods puruciāce,
They did I assure you behaue themselues nobly,
To requite the kings grace they had good perseuerance,
Ponde
[...]ing the preferment by his magnanimitie.
This notwithstanding the commons besides Doncaster,
Ascribed a Carter to a King coequall in degrée,
With coshe Crommoke coshe, I would we had thée here,
Like sauage beastes loosed and put to their libertie,
Enioying in the splendent after obscuritie,
Deuising and inuenting Articles presumptuous,
Euery one discording from other verily,
Two Gentlemen did open their quarel contentious.
But one lanterne of Englande and patrone of defence,
A shield for vs Borials, and floure of audacitie,
The Duke of Norfolke with all his violence,
To the kings armie Royall to Doncaster came he,
With the noble prince Pere of the kings consanguinitie,
The Marques of Exeter nigh to the bloud Royall,
With the auncient Lord therle of Shrewesbury,
Whose truthe in decrepitie approueth the tryall.
Their veritie to their Prince my hart hath enrachened,
Like a woman rauished with the rase of loue esprised,
And many nobles mo them selues so well demeaned,
That of me their worthynesse it can not be deuised,
As Therle of Surrey with these Earles comprised,
That is to say, of Huntington and Rutlande also,
With many other nobles which was there surmised,
And as for Lords honorable there was many mo.
Thus lay they in Doncaster with Curtall & Serpentine,
With Bombard & Basilisk, with men prone & vigorous,
The Commons knew it not, to them it was claudestine,
That made them more malapart, and also more rigorous,
For they sent home for money their harts was so furious,
Purposing openly at London to holde a Parliament,
But the king herauld came to know their minds furious,
Uiewing them twise or thrise with faire words & diligēt.
But ere the Battell was ready procincte and proponed,
Sir Arthure Darcy knight with y
e cōmons was segregate,
[Page]And fled to the kings grace, and by the way commoned
With the duke of Norff. where promtly he promulgate
All the Commons priuitie, and I suppose effugate
He was by the consent of his brother confiducion,
For at the first rising sir George with letters ornate,
Aduertised all gentlemen to leaue that ill conclusion.
But whē the duke of Norf. of the Barons had intelligēce,
And so many knights & squires with the cōmons in defēce
It incrampished his hart that they should make pretence,
Weying his fathers honor by their magnificence,
Their antique zeale & amitie he thought to recompence,
Bringing both the parts to a communication:
So diuers of the principals met with diligence,
Concluding a purpose with good deliberation.
So sir Rafe Ellerker, and Robert Bowes Esquire,
With the articles intitled went to the kings maiestie,
The battels both prorumped and went euery where,
For the duke behight to intercéede in their sedulitie
In causes reasonable, but not in their cecitie,
And so within a moneth according to promission,
An answere correspondent to their secularitie,
Was made by the kings grace to their whole petition.
The firste Article.
To the first article, Fayth, the kings grace replied,
It was a terme to general that which they did present,
But if they meaned christes faith, he was y
e prince y
e certified,
That the sincere puritie therof was his intent,
And like a valiaunt prince he spake these words vrgent:
Who dare set his foote to ours the contrary to proue,
And said he reckned learned he was what the faith ment,
Marueling that y
e ignorant in this thing shold him moue.
To the Article.
To know which fayth was prudēce, perceiuing we Christians
He hath herd of such heresies, as of the
Selcucians
Of
Sabelline and
Neotus with the
Patrispassians,
The
Origenistes, the
Ebionites and the
Donacianes,
The
Epicures, the
Iacobites, with the
Nestoriens,
Of
Seuerus, of
Menander, and eke of
Valentine,
The
Antropomorphites, and also the
Spalmeniens,
The
Ariens and
Manacheis of
Pallas and
Scotine.
Also of
Marcio, Basillid es, and
Saturnius,
Of
Carpocrates, of
Photyne, and of
Macedonius,
Of
Chiliastes, of
Corinthius, and of
Heluidius,
Of
Eutiches, Galanus, and also
Seleucius,
Of
Eunonius, Elsesates, with many a secte mo,
Of
Montanus, of
Apelles, and also
Nouatus,
And
Samosatenses, and
Appolinarius also,
With
Antichrist the Romane the Idoll monstruous.
4,
Reg 22.
Zacha. 10.
Dan. 14.
Dan. 8.
Luc. 18.
This is the groue image which the sinful world
ManassesPut in the congregation the house perpetuall,
This is the Idoll shepheard which
Zachary doth expresse,
And also the deuourer the false God Baall.
An vnshamefull King with faces Daniell doth him call.
This is the Iudge in earth in the xviij. of Luke expressed,
For wée haue lost our Husband Chryst w
t his bloud royal
And Sathan our enimie he is not yet oppressed.
2
Thes. 2.
Apoca. 18.
Psal. 72.
This is the childe of perdition prophesied of by Paule,In our conscience sitting, Gods Temple verament,
The Apocalips fysgyg the whoore Babilonicall,
Of whom Prophets, & Apostles rehearseth words t
[...]rg
[...]t
Nowe to this particle fayth, was it not expedient,
They to haue recognised what fayth was their intention,
For besides Christs faith there reigneth faithes negligēt,
As Turke, Iew, Pagane, with Mah
[...]mites inuention.
As touching Christes faith sithence Christes incarnation,
Neither Emperour nor king, nor prince of nobilitie,
Was like to the kings grace, for in his conuocation
The
Anabaptists and
Pelagians confuted hath he,
And permitted shadowes positiue of olde antiquitie
For error of the people by a new altercation,
And also shewed like Gods knight elect in fidelitie,
Chrystes bloud and his death with the true iustification.
Of Fayth.
But to the misbeléeuers I put this proposition,
By way of interrogatorie, if one of them should dye,
And know no refuge nor no propiciation,
But in Mormet in fistill they should euer lye,
And the prince they offended should fortune come thē by,
And say, loue my friends, and forgiue as I will thée,
And when thou can not repent my sonne shal for thée die,
And doo but this to day, and rewarded shalt thou bée,
For to morrow thy riches shal abounde like to
Croesus,
Thy force▪ like Hercules, thy sapience like Salomon,
Thou shalt haue meates delicate far aboue
Vitellus,
In fame like Alexander, thy fortune like Gedeon,
The luste of Augustus, the pulchritude of Absolon,
The science of Aristotle and his Philosophie,
As facunde in Rethorike as was king
Amphion,
With the health of
Galen, and age of
Methusalie.
What man liuing considering this gratitude,
But for loue of this Prince, & feare of this miserie,
And for hope of this ioy, but with his fortitude
He would one day labour and suffer aduersitie,
And passe for no riches, nor yet of iocunditie,
Nor of no fortune dolorous, nor yet of no payne,
Nor of meate, drinke, ne cloth, ne no felicitie,
But would fayne haue to morrow this glory to obtayne.
Then may we consider Adams disobedience,
By whose transgression equitie hath giuen death eternal:
Gene. 3.
Rom. 5.
Math. 1.
Iohn. 1.
Math 4.
Mark. 1.
Math. 3.
Rom. 5.
Esai. 53.
Math. 8.
Peter. 2.
Iohn. 3.
Rom. 6.
Rom. 8.
And as for Moyses law it gathered more offenceTo the highe deitie and Plasmator potentiall,
Tooke pitie and mercy to make his sonne carnall,
And Sathanas hath loste him for all his temptation,
He hath pleased his father, and giuen life perpetuall
By his true obedience, and made iustification.
He hath ouercome death and sin by his painful affliction,
And borne our iniquities vpon the crosse crucified,
And made vs reuiue by his resurrection:
And by him and by Baptime from sin we are mortified,
And as he is, shall we in ioy bee glorified:
So that we beléeue it without mutabilitie,
For he is our Sauiour by all Prophets prophecied,
Therfore let vs trust him with hope and fidelitie.
For his payne and death he asketh our amitie,
To obserue his precepts his kindnesse to reuiue,
But for this life
[...]iurnall, which in equalitie
To any parte sempiternall no man can contriue
As a day to
Methusalie or any life aliue,
And the furies infernall, and the ioyes celestiall,
Excéedeth mans brayne and nature to describe,
As things incomprehensible aboue things naturall.
Now hauing this affirmitie of gladnesse and dolor,
A man would worke for the glory or for the paine repēt,
Math 3.
Mark. 1.
Luke. 3.
Iohn. 14.
Actes. 1.
But to him that thinketh iustified he is by our Sauiour,Baptised is he with the espirite omnipotent:
Which comforter by instinction deliuereth the talent,
To some lesse or more with charitie inflated,
To loue God and his neighbor in spite of the Serpent,
From the ground of his hert, & his sinnes shall be abated.
And if the flesh rebell seuen times on a day,
Yet by fayth and hope he shall be tutelate
[Page]Agayne to reuiue and his sinne done away,
With perfect charitie in his harte condurate:
This confessed maketh the law and him coadunate,
With grounded repentaunce to walke of a new,
And when he doth not, Chrystes fayth is vacillate,
And he must turne agayne to make his charter new.
But this fayth hath no man but by inspiration,
Though they can speake Ebrue, Greke, Latin or Caldie,
For they are borne of God,
Iohn. 1.
and elect in creation,And trust not to their works like to a Pharisie,
But inward from their hearts they worke them of dutie,
So that Scripture cōmand thē by gods diuine testament:
Timoth. 2.
Iohn. 1.
Psal. 126.
For by christ cōmeth their fauor, their truth & their verity,
And the house is built in vayne without God consent.
And Chryst for his brethren in baptisme regenerate,
Gods sonnes by adoption doth euer make attonement,
As though they be damned by their ill works operate,
Aswell as for Adam, as ofte as they repente,
And one may get heauen to fulfil euery commandement:
Rom. 2.
But nature can not that without Gods coaction:
For Adam for an apple was damned by the Serpent,
Gen. 3.
And neuer was able to make satisfaction.
For the man
Microcosinus the which was wounded sore
With the théeues disobedience and incredulitie,
Luke. 10.
The Priest nor the Leuite would not him restore,
But Gods sonne the Samaritane Chryst full of pitie,
With wine and oyle annoynted his maladie,
And caste him on his horse, and had him to his stable,
And gaue two pence to the kéeper to sée his enormitie,
And payed the sum total to heale his wounds miserable.
But our Prelates beléeueth that vice naturally,
Destroyed the body by
Aristotles lore,
And that vertue by
Zeno and mo in Philosophie,
Giueth quietnesse of minde, and the body doth restore,
[Page]But for life euerlasting they doo not looke therfore,
And though they ascribe the soule intellectiue
Or immortall, yet they thinke it flyeth euermore,
But mo thinke like beasts our soules be but sensatiue.
But thinke yée that
Plato or the Philosophers olde,
Would haue iudged Adam and his posteritie
To be damned by an element either hote or colde,
Or by nature working by moysture or deciccitie:
Or the sacrifice of a beast should giue fertilitie,
And make attonement where there was offence?
Oh here the blinde Balaams may euidently sée,
Howe loue asketh loue with perfecte obedience.
Now he that worketh good works shall be saued,
And he that trusteth in his works shall be damned,
And that worketh not good works shall be damned,
And he that dyeth in ill works shall be damned,
He that dispaireth for his works shall be damned,
Luke. 5.
Mark. 9.
And that thinketh he sinneth not shall be damned:For Chryst came not for the righteous deliuerance,
But for to call sinners to perfecte repentance.
The seconde Article.
Now to the seconde article, to their proposition
To answere sayd the king, it needeth a distinction,
But if we knew (quod his grace) of what Church ye ment
We doubt not a response to your incitament:
But meane what Church ye will by your improbitie,
And we wil proue therein we haue nought institute,
But Gods law and mans for all your procacitie,
With more groūd thā our auncesters before haue execute.
He shewed thē Edward the first, with the .v. &. vj. Henry,
His noble auncesters of famous memorie,
To their owne vse subuerted of Abbeys a multitude,
Some a hundred some mo, then accounted no turpitude,
[Page]In like wise his grādmother, ten bishops w
t the Cardinal,
Thē maruelled he that rather they had a knaue or twain,
To lead a prophane life, than he their Prince naturall,
To enioy them from forenners, his charges to sustaine.
To the Article Churche.
It was reason to know their purpose effrenate,
Whether they meaned Christes churche the christen congregatiō
Or the Lapidous sinagoge procript & relegate,
The great citie I suppose of the whore of Babilon:
Apoc. 18
Rom. 9 1.
Peter. 2
Esay. 28
Dan. 8
For Christ of the true Church he is the corner stone,
The which the edifiers and builders refused,
But alasse for pitie, his church is almost gone,
These Antechristes with faces them selfe haue so abused.
For Paule saithe that we are the temple sanctificate,
And Cephas, Iohn, and Iames, séemed pillers for to be,
1.
Corin. 6
Galath. 2 2.
Peter. 1 2.
Corin. 5
Iohn. 4.
Peter and Paule, tabernacles them selfe do nominate,
And Christ to the Samaritane saide, woman trust me,
The time is and shall, that in espirite and veritie
The true honorers shal honor, but not in the mountaine,
Nor yet in Ierusalem, for my father verily
Is a spirite, and requireth suche honor for certaine.
They confesse and denie not that the christen cōgregation
Gene. 28
Exod. 25 3.
Reg. 6.
Math. 23
Hiere. 7
Esay. 55
Iohn. 2
Math. 21
Is a Church espiritual, but they Iacob signified,
The other Church moral, pouring out of the stone,
And after the Tabernacle the temple was edified,
And Christ saide, the temple, the golde sanctified,
And my house shal be called the house of oration,
Where he whipped them in the temple, these woordes he specified
And a place for to worke in it needeth to saluation.
But I say the stone, tabernacle and temple that stoode,
Was figures of Christe, for by disobedience
Of Adam, the earth was maledict of God.
[Page]Wherfore God and his word, with mans true diligence,
Sanctified those things to giue God reuerence
Psalm. 32 1.
Timo. 4
But now all creatures are blessed and dedicate,By Gods word and his prayer by Christes due obediēce,
And worthely restored to their first estate.
Nowe where Christe saide the temple the golde sanctified,
Iohn 2
Hiere. 7
And that my house shall be called the house of oration,At that time these shadowes might wel be specified,
For they were not ful defined to his mortification.
Iohn. 2
But where he whipt the sellers for their il ornation,It was not only for their indecent actes onerous,
But signified our prelates with the whips of damnation,
For selling Christes sheepe, and his doues most amorous.
And least the elect shuld haue iudged the thing permanent,
Marke the prompt purueiance of the diuine deitie:
For the Iewes asked a signe for to proue him negligent.
Iohn. 2
Destroy this temple quod he, and within dayes thréeI shal build it againe, and Iohn saith verely,
He meaned of his body the temple omnipotent,
Thus to the Iewes parables he spake in obscuritie,
Math. 13
But to his disciples he shewed the truth indigent.The Apostles remembred after the resurrection,
Iohn. 2
Mark. 15
What Iesus Christe saide, and vnderstoode the scripture,And the temple vaile roue at his death and passion:
Which signified by similitude, the temple lost his cure.
Act. 7
Act. 17
Saint Steuen, and S. Paule this thing doe discure,Saying of a suretie, who wil vnderstand,
That the highest of all dwelleth not, I make you sure,
In no temple nor mansion made with mans hand.
Moreouer Saint Steuen toke scripture to recorde,
Esay. 66
The Prophet saith heauen is my seat, and earth is my fote stoleThen what house wil ye build for me saith the lord,
Or what place shal I rest in, to make my propre soile?
Hath not my hands made all this by my ministration?
[Page]Meaning who can edifie a better thing than I,
And all things I sanctified in the inchoation,
And the earth curssed for Adam, for Christ do I sanctifie.
To these woordes predict Esay the Prophet,
Esay. 66
He saith to what thing should I regard too than,
But only to the pure, simple, contrite espirite,
And the fearer of my woords, meaning by a man,
And sacrifice he dispraiseth, in as odious wayes as he can,
Esay. 1
So doth Dauid also with the outward operation,
Accepting a faithful, humble, contrite man,
And nother stone ne place, ne foren demonstration.
Iesus commaunded to make our supplication,
In our conclaue priuely, and to shut fast the doore,
And Paule intmate his messe and his iteracion,
In a chamber where the yong man fel in the store.
Math. 6
Whome to life he reuiued after his fal and pressure,
And two yeares in his lodging he made his predication,
Act. 20
Act. 28
Without superaltare I dare make you sure,
Thus saide he his messe with a heauenly incantation.
To the Hebrues we may see the things ceremonial,
Are extinct and expired,
Heb. 9
Heb. 10
Deut. 5
Exod. 20
Galath. 3 1.
Corin. 12
and cleerely abrogateBy Christ our sauioure, and if they were moral,
Fructuous abundance commeth by their workes operate,
But life euerlasting that is by Christe preparate,
And we are sonnes to Abraham, and his heirs naturall,
By faith and fidelitie, but not of fleshe carnate,
And in likewise Gods temple, and one body mistical.
Yet this notwithstanding it is conuenient,
To haue places appointed by lawes positiue,
Where the congregation may méete indifferent,
To receiue Christes sacraments, their faith to reuiue,
And to pray in Communion with harts intentiue,
And to heare Christes woords and true Euangelion.
[Page]So men in their hearts could faithfully discriue
Euery place, as necessary as it for saluation.
Of Religion.
Now touching the Abbots to liue with paine solitarie,
It is a morall vertue, for so did Elizeus,
Elias and Iohn, and sithens Christes mortalitie,
Diuers Monks and women haue led a life vertuous,
Bothe togither confecte, so sayth
Eusebius,
In likewise did
Ephraim, Macarie, and
Martine,
And also Sainte
Ierome and
Hellodorus,
Liuing in pouertie like to Christes discipline.
These with perfite loue and with a pure deuotion,
Knowing that by Christ they were iustified and redéemed,
They kept them selfe solitarie vpō their owne méere motion
By no mannes coaction, but fréely vnconstrained.
They passed of no liuing, nor yet the world esteemed,
But solde that they had, and tooke wilful pouertie,
Thus liuing sole alone, therby they rather déemed
To followe Christes crosse with all their simplicitie.
They watched and abstained when that the flesh rebelled,
To mortifie themselues to kéepe perfect chastitie,
Many vertues voluntarie they wrought vncompelled,
Math. 15
Esay. 29
As prayer with the minde, but not with lippes only.Louing one God in their communion busily,
The profession of baptisme, was their whole intention,
Galath. 4
Ezod. 20
They passed of no belles, no senser nor ceremonie,But to kepe gods cōmaundements, y
t was their inuētion.
They liued by works industrious as did the Apostle Paul
And I suppose sectante to his fibralitie,
Was better than theirs and more beneficiall,
For many were conuerted by suche publike libertie.
For to be made a gasing stocke, he thought no inanitie,
[Page]Yet the lawes of God in him was irrefragable,
He liued chaste and sobre alwayes in mendacitie,
For where God inspireth, man is not culpable.
There followed after
Palla and
Marcill,
Eustochin and other with contemplation,
Then
Gregorie, and
Montane began an other spell,
So did
Benet make Religion after an other fashion,
Putting in olde Uessels new wine of delectation,
And patched a newe clout to a broken garment olde,
Math. 9.
Luc. 5. 1.
Timo 4.
Professing this and that, by a newe altercation,
Thus mark w
t a hote yrō their cōscience néeds they wold.
But Sainct
Bernard reformed those little abusions,
After that
Frauncis Norberius and
Dominick come to,
And of them is come Sectes with diuers yll conclusions,
As Collectes and Mynors, and Obseruaunts also,
With a monstrous multitude of Frier beggers moe,
Professing Coule and Cap, with things of ociositie,
Not trusting Christ, a meane sufficient in woe,
But mixeth him with others for their opportunitie.
But nowe Religion is a vile abomination,
For
Peters name was
Cephas which is a very stone,
And we are liuing stones, by
Peters declaration,
And Christ is the head Capitall, and other head is none,
But they haue this reuersed and lefte this Church alone,
And haue gotten a newe God,
Dani. 9.
Dani. 12.
euen Daniels desolation,And haue set vp Cragges coopert with houses many one,
To cloke their déedes libidinous and incest fornication.
They incline with their heades to figure humilitie,
With garments dysguised as the Pharisies dyd before,
Nume. 15.
But alasse, they lack their pricks to put them in memorie,
And the precepts described in their garments euermore,
Nume. 15.
But
Tunica inconsutilis, that is not in their lore,
Thereat muse I much in their actes scrupulous,
But tu
[...]he it were to colde, it is abiect therfore,
[Page]And they néede mediatours moe than Christ Iesus.
They mumble with their lippes, with rich Copes & kels,
And chaunting with their chastes lyke Owles in a frost,
They duck & they sence, and they trumpe vp their Bels
Nume. 18.
And sprynkle water fast, but the red Cowe is lost,Candles are illuminate and let on euery post,
Before a gorgious Idol freshe figured and gylt,
And though it maye be suffered, yet thereby hath ben lost
Many a Christian man, and many a soule spylt.
Of Images and Religion.
1.
Cor. 6.
But let vs leaue things léeful, and kéepe things expediente,For I may eat, drynk, & sléep, but it profiteth not my soule,
But in my coniecture that is not expediente,
The which may prouoke to a thing preiudiciall,
And questionlesse the first commaundement is morall,
3.
Reg. 6.
Although there were Cherubyns in the temple edified,It was but a shadow, and these things ceremoniall,
By Chryst were replete before he was gloryfied.
And in case one commaunded their Pastors to refrayne
From putting in of Catell in his great close seuerall,
And afterward commaunded they shoulde put in twayne,
Which after he repelled, then by their myndes actuall,
They should eate vp the close against their accomptall,
But might he say then he being discontent,
Bycause he put in twain, they thought it iudicial?
To this resembleth the aforesayd argument.
Yet Images no doubt they might be permanent,
If they were vsed according to the kings conuocation,
But that will not be, men are so negligent,
For one shewed me of two Roods besides the Friers habitation
In Gréenwitch, which wold sweat for equal ministration,
S. Williā of york (quod an other) wil sweat w
t abundance
To kéepe House bridge from flouds, now this abominatiō
[Page]Our Prelates say, is scripture & Gods diuine purueyance.
So the Iewes when they honored Astroloch and Baall,
With the groue Images and Gods of gentilitie,
I thinke they beléeue they had a God Iudaicall,
But yet they suffered other to get more fertilitie,
Then may it be sayde, sure they forsooke him truely,
To myx him with the Starres in the skye stelliferall,
And other Gods being bound to serue him only,
Nowe as they dyd do we,
Esay. Math. 7.
with our sence allegoricall.The ceremonies of Religion are a hundred and moe,
As breade, and ashes, and Organs verily,
With
Te Deum laudamus Simbalis & organo,
But Dauid meaned to loue God in euery iocunditie,
I maruell they dannce not as he did properly,
For the dumb dogs haue lost Gods Organs most diligent,
Suffring Wolues to deuoure his Shéep with rapacitie,
For defaulte of declaring the truthe of his Testament.
For dame Nice and dame Wanton, they set in the quire,
Chéeping lyke a Gosling, and loking one sir Iohn,
They had rather than fiue pence to haue him elsewhere,
If one aske how I knowe it, I will ground on this stone,
They are fat, and fayre of flesh bloud and done,
And haue not receyued the spirit of veritie,
And seing they be carnall, I maye iudge them euery one,
To be fraile and incontinent with fleshly lubricitie,
None entreth to religion with any true deuotion,
For the most part be infantes, and put in by coaction,
And none of frée will, except for promotion,
Or else for dispaire to do satisfaction,
And some for very slouth to do no worldly action,
Professing obedience, pouertie and chastitie,
To which thrée essentialls they make their contraction,
And to many trifles moe the which is but vanitie.
And as for their pouertie, ther is neither Knight nor Lord,
[Page]Earle, Marques, nor Duke like them in abundaunce:
And as for their obedience, al men can recorde,
They are high Rebellions against true allegiance,
Hauing both their King and their God at defiance:
And as for their chastitie the visitours knoweth wel,
Gene. 18.
For Sodome and Gomor had neuer such ordinance,Their polution and wayes, I ashame for to tell.
Nowe beléeuing in workes is dispaire & carnalitie,
Their vowes are like Iewes vowes, therefore they be vacuate:
For here is Christ, or ther is Christ, & hope not in him only
Is lyke to the deuils faith frō hope cléerely seperate:
Therefore they may marrie and leaue their fond estate,
Bicause they were ignorant and make reuocation,
For smal auaileth baptym though they be regenerate,
Where after they dispaire in Christes iustification.
The iij. and iiij. Article.
Nowe to the iij. and iiij. Articles, Laws and cōmon weale,
Was replyed this xxviij. yeare, we being a King,
We thinke in those things our wit should more excell,
Than in our adolescence, or yet our beginning:
And he reckned his constāt subiects for al their contriuing
Would account an
[...] repute & describe none other wayes,
And what should they redargue, nought but cōmons being,
Which knewe not the vsage concerning friendly affaires.
To this and of the iij. Estates of the Church.
Nowe to the ryght of this request contumelious,
And hath not the King condemned mortuaries,
And prouing of Testaments which was ryght tortuous,
With the abusion of tot quots and pluralities,
[Page]And the fermholdes of Prelates and their yll qualities,
With Hariots and much to vs right odible:
As the warwolfe of Rome deuouring thesaurizes
Of region and soule to vs ryght odible?
For I would it were noted, that euery other sect
Not being vnder grace, comprehendeth one estate,
And we that are Christned Gods children elect,
Comprehend an holy Priesthoode and a Church dedicat
[...],
1.
Peter. 2
Which in thrée estates hath long time béen nominate,
First the spiritualtie, and then the temporaltie,
The third the Commons, which in my consent,
The vsing thereof hath caused much heresie.
For all are spirituall in baptim regenerate,
And Gods sonnes by adoption to a newe reuocation,
Beléeuing in Christ, and repenting their estate,
They be brethren coequall of one generation,
Though there be diuersitie in the mynistration:
And I suppose verely this Church called mylitant,
May be signified lyke the heauenly habitation,
With orders nyne a very Church triumphant.
These orders notwithstanding may well procéede of thrée
Euen as it doth of Hierarchies celestiall,
And in lykewise we maye resemble the Trinitie,
Thrée estates vndeuided and one deitie at all:
For we are one body and Chryst the head capitall,
Rom. 12.
Ephe. 4.
Therefore I think in myne imagination,
It were well doone we all were called spirituall,
By names thus folowing by this protestation,
The spiritualtie of the eternall ministration,
The spiritualtie of the temporal Iustification,
The spiritualtie of the mundane occupation,
Nowe these men are one, but not their operation:
For thinke yée that Moses was not as good as Aaron,
Reg. Iob. Iud.
And was not Dauid, and Iob and Iudith ryght vertuous?
[Page]
Leuit. 10.
And Nadab and Abihn of yll conuersation.And many moe than they with déedes supersticious.
It is not Frauncis gyrdle nor Aarons myter hye,
Nor yet sir Iohns crowne, nor gentle sir Thomas typpet,
That maketh a more vertue, nor yet a greater degrée,
But blessed are the hearers of Gods word which is kepte,
Yet if an yl man may minister heauenly ministration,
The influence should be good, it appéereth very well,
Though an yl trée heare no good fruite of his own operatiō
Yet of y
e tree it is grafted, me think this fruite shuld smell.
These should followe Chryst with al their simplicitie,
To mortifie themselues as nyghe as nature can,
With pouertie, with payne, and in humilitie,
Without ypocrysie to giue lyght to euery man,
Their vertues should resplendsh, as doth the bright
Titā
Math. 5.
To gloryfie their father which is celestiall,They should be salt to season, to subdue Leuiathan,
And abstaine from sinnes, and passe of nothing carnall.
They be frée to wed or not, it is at their libertie,
1
Cor. 9 1.
Cor 7.
Math 14. 1
Tmo 3
Titus 1
Cor 9.
If eyther were commaunded, the other were inhibite,Howbeit, it were well to followe Christ in chastitie,
For Iesus sayth himselfe, who as may let him take it,
But it is better wed than burne, so saith y
e apostle Paule,
It is léefull he sayth both to Titus and Timothie,
And he sayth that Peter and the Lordes brethern all,
Led Sisters to wiues without ambiguitie.
1.
Cor. 9.
In this chapter Paul sheweth great libertie,They that sowe things spiritual, should reape things carnall,
And that as mynisters vsed of olde antiquitie,
So should they haue for preaching the truth Euangelical,
But yet in his Epistles this is the summe totall,
Cor. 7.
Ma
[...]h. 10.
The workeman his meate and reward should be deuised,And so sayth Chryst him selfe, wherein concludeth Paule,
That they ought with meate and clothes to be suffised.
These should preach with true predication,
Gen. 3.
Rom. 5.
Gala. 3.
Rom. 10.
Eze 20.
Lu
[...]. 16.
Rom. 7.
Gala. 3.
Deu. 27.
Math. 5.
Luc. 20.
How that disobedience hath giuen death and damnation,
And how the law was giuen to know to reconcile agayn,
Whose works wrought outward is litle more than vain
For therby commeth abundance and copious fertilitie,
But inward from the hart that giueth life eternall,
But if one once thinke agaynst it by Gods true equitie,
There is death & condemnation vnto the paines infernal .
And after these things timorous they shuld preach repentāce
And remission of sins by our sauiour christs diligēce,
As a lambe vndefiled he hath made deliueraunce,
And made our attonement by his true obedience,
His death hath slayne death & al the Diuels pretence:
To them that beléeueth it and made iustification,
After they be baptised they haue for their defence
The gift of the holy ghost to kéepe them to saluation.
Now who beléeueth not this with this key is bound,
That it can not be dissolued with the Roman
Acheron,
Nor with all his children liuing on the grounde,
As
Aletho, Megers, nor yet
Tesiphone,
Nor by his owne works, nor no mans optation,
But beléeuing this truth the other key dissolueth,
For on this stone is builded the Christen congregation,
which y
e edifiers must build on,
1.
Cor. 3.
or els it nought profiteth.Thou art Chryst quod Peter, the son of the liuing God,
Here Peter confesseth al,
Math. 16.
not knowing it no fayleOf him selfe, for he spake it not of fleshe and bloud,
And agaynst this Rocke hell gates nor sin can preuayle,
Christ promised the keys of knowledge bicause the wits are frail:
In the same chapter to declare it Christ began,
I must dye and ryse (quod he) to Peter let his tale,
Math. 16
Spare thy self master he said, thou offēdest me quod christ sathā,
Thou finellest worldly things (quod he) but not things celestial.
Math. 16.
Here is to be noted that Peter reckned playne,
[Page]That he was Messias or a Sauiour temporall,
Therefore Chryst behight the Keyes the truth to certaine.
Math. 18
In the eyghtéene of Mathewe he sheweth more agayne,For bynding of Heresies vnto the apostles al,
Ioh 20.
In Iohn we may sée the Keyes they did obtayne,To lose and bynde sinnes and that with power coequall.
Luc. 16.
Chryst commaunded saith Luke before his ascention,The apostles to go to the world vniuersall,
To preach his tydings glad and true Euangelion,
And who is baptised and beléeueth it, they shalbe saued all.
Nowe this key loseth from all sinnes in generall:
And who beléeueth it not, damned shall he bée,
Now this key bindeth, and Chryst in especiall,
Of fayth wrought the miracles in his humanitie.
In Hierusalem the Apostles by inspyration,
Act. 2.
Were inflamed by instinction of the holy ghost,And receyued newe tongs, with the declaration
Equally deuided as wel to least as most,
Act 15.
Gala. 2.
In the xv. of the Actes, there Iames he ruled the rost,And Paule checked Peter this appéereth verament:
I marueile why then of Peter that they best,
For their power and their déedes were all equipolent,
Euery Apostle, Priest, Deacon, and Senior,
In his Sée or personage or his habitation,
Should after twice monishing call euery Lepor,
Denying Gods lawes before the congregation,
And if he repent not then is their ministration,
To expulse him as an erronious Publican,
1.
Cor. 5. 1.
Timo. 1.
And giue him to the Deuill by excommunication,As was
Himeneus and
Alexander and the
Corinthian.
But when he beléeueth with perfect repentance,
2.
Cor. 13.
Math. 18.
They must edifie & not destroye, and absolue him againe,And it be seuēti times vij. times thei must make deliuerāce
But for close sinnes confession in sinketh not in my brayne
[Page]In the eare so particuler for to be had so playne,
As to shew
quo,
2.
Reg. 12.
vbi, quomodo, quando,For Dauid sayde to God
peccaui for certayne,
And
confitebor tibi in toto corde meo.
As concerning confession particuler,
There is no priuate Scripture, nor yet auriculer,
Except the veterous antique shadowe olde,
Leuit. 16.
Of the scape Gote with the sinnes vpon hir horne inrold:
But by sainct Iohn Baptist, and Scripture much more,
Generall confession that is euident,
Math. 3.
So should our Prelates by their office euermore
Giue absolution vnto the men penitent,
And minister the Sacraments with good reformation,
To eschue from sinnes, and to liue in amitie,
To loue God & their neighbors,
Gala. 5. 1.
Iohn. 3.
Iacob. 2.
Math. 6.
and in their predicationDeclare how the lawe is grounded on charitie,
And as they remit others, forgiuen shall they bée,
Instructing from debate, rancor and detraction,
And if this auayle not, then belongeth it properly
To the power of iustice to correct by coaction.
Here may wée fetche the temporall iustification,
By the father commaunded to Noe to do equitie,
Gene. 9.
As death to haue death, and for reformation
Iuda would haue brent Thamar for incontinence,
Gene. 28.
Exod 21.
Exod. 22. 1.
Reg 10.
And Moyses had lawes for debts and for felonie,
For lecherie and murther, and things m
[...] a multitude,
And after Iudges kings had the same authoritie,
For punishment of sinnes with the outwarde turpitude.
Some happily wil say this power was abrogate,
I confesse it and deny not, vnto a man righteous
There is no lawe giuen, but for sinners intoxicate:
But inasmuch as the tares wold destroy y
e corne fructuous
And many be called & few chosen, this power must be prosperous,
To correct al tyrannie by a brotherly zeale,
[Page]And there is no man liuing so perfect and vertuous,
But the olde Adam in his flesh sometime he will féele.
Though the gospel know no lawes, but groūdeth on charitie,
Yet we may take in hande for the disobediente,
Which wil not reconcile them by humilitie,
To complayne to the iudge to make them to be shente,
And he to the Minister to giue the prefermente,
To put them irremediable into captiuitie
Till they haue payed the last farthing, this in not tegent,
Math. 6.
But permitted by Chryst in Mathew we may sée.Who layeth hand on the sword (quod Christ vnto Peter)
Shall perish with the same, and for the théeues crucified
Math. 26.
He gaue no rebuke, and he sayd to the Minister,If I haue saide ill, recorde ill, these words he specified,
Iohn. 18.
Math. 8.
To the Centurion souldiors was nothing notified,Yet Chryst praysed his fayth and humble submission.
Saint Iohn to the souldiers these words modefied,
Luk. 3
Be content with your wages, and worke no oppression.Thus it foloweth these men should be as vertuous,
As the other power should but for ministration,
By a brotherly zeale to correcte things tedious,
As murther, rape, theft, felonie or treason,
Sin, incest, adulterie,
stuprum, and fornication,
Extortion, oppression, simony, and vsury,
And euery detestable outwarde abhomination,
As disceite, periurie, buggerie and Sodomie.
The third office, the mundayne occupation,
Was commaunded to Adam in Genesis we may sée,
Gene. 3.
And by the holy ghost and his inspirationThe influence thereof hath muche diuersitie
For the profite of man and his vtilitie,
And in Moyses law commaunded was the same,
And Chryst of his goodnesse and benignitie,
This office and power did not correct ne blame.
He commaunded not to care for meate drinke and cleth,
Math 6.
Luk 12.
Psal. 4. 1.
Pet. 3. 1.
Timo. 5. 1
Pet. 2.
Ephe 6.
Col. 3.
Titu 2.
As who say, our minds on such things should not be,
But to prouide it and haue it he hath confirmed both,
For he vsed it him selfe in his cathedralitie.
Paule sayth, worse than an Infidell in cenositie
Is he which will not for his housholde prouide,
Peter and Paule to seruaunts for industrie,
Commaunded to obey their maisters for their guide.
Muche Scripture recordeth this office not prophane,
If they be wrought in fayth they be good works no doubt,
These shuld be always operous mens nedes to sustaine,
And not inprōpt, but assiduous their works to bring about
As to delue, to dike, to spin, to grinde or boulte,
For their housholde charges and their reparation,
Be it Tinker or Cobler which setteth but on a clout,
They may worke when they nede, & hinder no saluation.
For necessitie Paule wrought and made diuers tentes,
Acts. 18.
And for error of the weake as I suppose and gesse.
But our Prelates should not so, hauing léefull stipends,
For feare of filthy lucre, and hindring their office,
Artificers and laborers should worke this businesse,
And Iusticiers do iustice with all their might & puissance.
Here the hande and the foote can not well expresse,
Nor the foote to the loynes, I néede not thy assistance.
This churche or body muste haue a head generall,
Which is Chryst God and man, our Lorde essentiall,
And his generall minister for gracious influence
Is the holy ghost promised by his magnificence,
And I am with you sayd he vnto the worlds ende,
Math 28.
That is, with vs say the prelates, for his churche can not erre:
That is not so say I, marry God defende,
For of all creatures there is no men werre.
Was the holy Ghost in him that deceiued
Celestinus,
With a trumpe in his eare, and so got the Papasie?
[Page]Or with him that tooke out of his graue
Formosus,
And dight him in a chayre in his pontificalitie,
And stroke of his head to reuenge his olde iniurie,
And one depriued another without any fayle,
And made him ride to Rome to his incommoditie,
With his face reuersed spectant to the tayle.
One bequest him selfe long life by the spirit of prophesie,
And soone after brake his necke without incolumitie,
And through discorde in seuen yeres there were puppets nyne
And one through strife put out anothers eyne:
And Semachus, and Laurence, and many mo did come
To the Romane Sée with great abhomination,
And fortie mo then these in
Catholico pontificum,
Their déedes are not described for their great detestation.
Thrée at once was a trifle for the roume to compare,
Or with the
Arians opinion
Liberius infecte,
Their vice in ten volumes one can not well declare,
As Ioane English, a woman their puppet elect,
Which trauelled in procession, which is an ill respecte,
That the holy Ghost with them shuld gouerne & domine,
For let their déedes be wayed vnto a true effecte,
And by al gracious vertue their works hath lost the signe.
I maruell by what signes they do thus inherite,
By thrée crownes, or by crosses, or pillers principall,
Or orders deuised should thus haue the espirite,
Or Myters, Crochet or Crownes, or hattes Cardinall,
With
[...]ippets or rochets, or garments Pharisaicall:
Chryst vsed not this, nor his Apostles deare,
But were prudent as Serpents, and simple as doues all,
With pouertie and payne to make their fayth appeare.
They spake with new tongs without humane instructiō,
Actes. 2.
Actes. 24.
Some reuiued the dead and maladies mortiferous,To palpe Serpents ne venime to them was destruction:
Some Disciples prophesied with many signes vertuous,
[Page]And said not master, master, and vsed things sumptuous,
For whē Christ said, I am with you vnto the worlds end
That was with you, & with such elect to faith prosperous,
My grace by instinction wil I euer send.
Of the supreme head of the Church in earth.
Now to punishe, not procéeding vpon the holy Ghost,
Within realmes politike there must be heads capital,
And to commaund those things to be done to y
e vttermost,
With all humane businesse and iustice terrestial.
Our prelates shuld not their works shuld séeme temporal
Christes kingdom was not héere, then who shuld haue the power
But the owners of the soiles to kéepe truth legal
Be he Marques or Duke, Prince, king, or Emperor?
All power in heauen & earth quod Christ is giuen to me,
Our prelates can chalenge by this no domination,
Math. 18
For they must follow Chryst in his humilitie,
And not in the power of his glorification,
Who would be maister,
Math. 10
must serue to do ministration,And the disciple aboue his master should not bée,
It is inough to be equall by Chrystes declaration,
Now our Prelats by this shuld haue no gret souerainty,
When Chryst sayd all power, that is to vnderstande,
Both kings power,
Math. 28.
and euery power by my father constituteAs now corroborate and put into my hande,
Their offices vnder me to do and execute:
For he came to lose no lawes by his father institute,
But to make that perfect which should giue life perpetual,
And that should those ministers alway execute,
And preache to all creatures the truthe euangelicall.
In the same Chapter it foloweth apparant,
His precepts should be obserued before which he had said,
[Page]
Math. 28.
And which is Gods giue it God, these words are illustrāt,And which is Cesars giue Cesar, no mā can this persuade,
And Peter for Christ and him tribute to Cesar paide,
Luke. 22
Math. 20
Marke. 10
some wil say like gentils, they shuld haue no king ne lord,This maketh not for their purpose by no reason made,
But against their Romaine Uiper al scripture to record.
When Christe said there shalbe no king ouer you,
That was, your rightuousnesse all other shuld transcend,
Yee shuld néede no law, for vice yee shuld eschue,
For Christe came to minister all vertue to amend,
And not to haue a minister for that he would offend,
But for obedience and vnder gouernance,
When he payed the tribute that doth the truth pretend,
And Peter proueth it plaine Gods diuine purueyance.
Some wil say in the Actes, and by Paule we may sée
That the Apostles to Princes were not obedient,
In election ne vsage, but among them selues frée
To them I put the case by way of argument.
If the kings grace shuld send by his minde beneuolent,
Twelue discrete persons to the regions of
Asia,
To the Turks lāds or Sophies to preach Christ omnipotēt
And to Prester Iohns, and the great Canis of
Catha,
These wold elect those which in faith were constant,
To minister and preach and make predication,
And cleane abiecte those in faith which were variant,
And of the Turke and the Sophie make no reputation,
Of Prester Iohn nor the Cane, nor their lawes of damnation,
Yet peraduenture they would consult in one,
To persecute for their lawes and make indagacion,
To mixt them w
t Christes to make their faith more prone
But if they had once their purpose obteined,
As to conuert the great Turke or any such potestate,
Were it reason that then the Prince shuld be constrained
To relinque and forsake the power of his principate?
[Page]No, for reason would this, he should be onustate,
To commaund and sée Christes lawes in execution,
And to kéepe temporal iustice by his lawes inueterate,
So they repugne not from Gods constitution.
To this may resemble the Apostles vsage,
As to electe Mathias and other for certaine,
Act. 1
And to mixe with Moises lawe the people to encorage,
Commaunding from strangled and bloud to abstaine,
And Timothe was circumcised,
Act. 15
Act. 6
Act. 21
this doth apeare plaine,And Paule made a Iewish vowe at Iames request.
Thus diuersly they wrought their purpose to obtaine,
Sometime depriuing lawes to bring all to the best.
Paule saith, among Iewes he became as a Iewe,
And a Gentile with Gentiles, thus was his direction,
But when he perceiued the men firme and true
Conuerted to Christ with faith and perfection,
He vsed no cautel nor no suche suggestion.
This is euident where to his fréend Timothée,
He commaunded for kings to make intercession,
1.
Tim. 2
Tit. 3
And to Titus to obey to power and aucthoritie.
To the Romaines he saith,
Rom. 13
let euery soule submitHim selfe to the aucthoritie of the higher powers,
Concluding of God constitute is it,
And who as it resisteth Gods ordinance deuoures
To his owne damnation, and he saith, gouernors
Beare not a sweard for naught, nor onely to take vengeance
Of the iricund and ill which be malefactors,
But also must be feared as touching vnto conscience.
For this cause pay yée tribute further there saith he,
For they are Gods ministers for the same seruing,
And Peter all this with woordes of facunditie
In his Epistle doth expresse without a word swaruing,
Further commaunding by a Paraphrase speaking,
To honor their king: now these things iterate,
[Page]Do proue all powers of God from beginning.
Without any question or any thing excusable.
Gene. 17.
Gene. 34.
Now all powers béeing by the Apostles approbate,These indoct dulbarts with senses obtusate,
In the Bible may see how fathers alway,
As Abraham, Isaac, Iacob and Iuda,
In the lawe of nature ruled ouer circumcision,
Iudic. 6
Iudic. 7.
Nume. 15.16.
And in the lawe written Iudges of habitacle,As Moyses, Iosue, Samson and Gedeon,
Commaunded priest and Leuite to rule in the tabernacle.
And in tabernacle & temple kings had the duction
Of Prophet Priest and Leuite, and euery thing sacrate,
Reg. 10.
Saule had not onely this, but by Gods instructionThe vertuous had the same, as Dauid veterate,
Ezechie, Iosias, and Iosaphat sanctificate,
Salomon and all after the captiuitie,
The imperiall gentiles ruled the Church dedicate,
And ofte by the prophets confuted much heresie.
Nabuchodonosor was one, and Darius also,
Dan 14.
At Daniels intercession destroying false Baall,Searche the Bible through and ye shall finde mo
Authorities than these by a thousands cléere seuerall,
Yet if the gréedy Griffons and vile todes terrestiall,
Which feareth the world by their auiditie,
Beléeue expositers more than truthe canonicall,
Then let them looke
Hamo for their securitie.
Et Epistola Gregorij ad Mauricium,
Et Epistola Gregorij ad Theodorum,
Et descriptio Augustini contra Cresconium,
Et Epistola Augustini ad Bonifacium,
Et diuus Thomas de regimine principum,
And the writing of
Isidore with
Origens declaration,
And many mo than these too long to shew or summe,
Unso mefull and sourrill to length such protestation.
What can they saye now, but by a Counsell generall
Contrary was determined with great sagacitie,
The which cannot erre, and there was all scrutal,
To them I respond and their naughtie semitie,
That Counsell had not the spirite of veritie,
For then they beléeued not Chrystes iustification,
But mixed it with workes, the which made properly
Their Counsell to be naught to Christes derogation.
For that not in scripture it is naught but sinne,
Rom. 14
Ios. 1
Deute. 5
Deute. 17
Deute. 4
Deute. 13
Iohn 15.
Math. 25.
Ergo, it is naught their Counsell is vacuate,
From the left nor the ryght hand they maye not beginne,
Nor ad nor detray from Gods lawe most dedicate,
All plants that he planteth not they must be eradicate,
And thirdly Princes thinking it was good deuotion,
To haue Gods lawes from worldly things sequestrate,
They consented to a Gouernour vppon a small motion.
This was done conditionally the fayth to refirme,
And not for traditious and false Ipocrisye,
And if there were no more for the whole aphorisme,
This was sufficient to defeate the false papacie,
And Iames of Hierusalem was the first Byshop verily,
And who so lyst to search in the Counsels of
Neceyne,
Among foure Patriarkes Rome had the lest Auncientie,
As of
Antiochia and of
Alexandrine.
Constantinople sayde they were superiour,
When
Focas the Emperour elect the fourth
Boneface.
Questionlesse Rome was rather inferioure
To this, vsurped power al ryght dyd deface,
Who lyst to knowe the truth, reade the storie of
[...]ocas ▪
And we haue no authors but by Apocripha,
That do testifie that euer Peter was,
At Rome in his life, but at
Antiochia,
And Paul recordeth to the Gentiles he preached,
Gala. 2.
Rom. 11
Actes. 9.
Ephe. 3
Rom. 15
And also Ananias in the actes doth declare,
How the Kings of the gentiles by Paul should be teached:
Now what can the Locustes aleage or yet pare,
[Page]Except a wrong custome who wil contemplare,
For after Christes dayes this is plaine manifest,
Sixe hundred yéere the custome was contrary,
Therfore haue they plaine confirmed their Antichrist.
Of Holidayes.
In an other thing than this, our Prelates haue deuotion,
That is, to haue dayes for Halowes sabbatizate:
Who wold think such acts nebulous, to be of gods motiō,
Gala. 4.
Collos. 2
When y
e Saboth day, for god which was only preparate,Séemeth by Paule to be more than semilacerate?
For he saith, it is a shadow of certain things future,
Math. 12.
Luke. 6
And Christ said he was Lord ouer the Saboth figurate,And affirmeth it made for man, and man not for it sure.
And this is plaine, who giueth honor spiritual
Exod. 20
Deute. 5
To any creature, but vnto God alone,He breaketh the commaundemēt, the which is most principal:
And to fast and kéepe Saboth but vnto him in throne,
Math. 19
Mark. 10
Luke. 18
From the Metaphore of Christ thēselues they do sepone.For to the yongman which said to Christ, good maister
What shall I doe to get heauen? Christ answered,
There is no man good, but in heauen my only father.
And if men wil aleage with reasons rubiginous,
As to honor God in Saintes with such turpiloque,
Their reasons are nought but diuelish words rixous,
The
Apocalips is plaine against their aucthoritie,
Apoc. 19
Apoc. 22
For the Angel said to Iohn, knéeling in humilitie,Take héede thou do it not: but honor God he saide.
Now this is sufficient, at a bréefe micrologie,
All Sillogismes and reasons shortly to persuade.
Of Purgatorie.
Also for polling they haue picked vp a Purgatorie,
Spoiling Christes bloud and his misericorde,
And by Machabeus they make such aucthoritie,
[...].
Macha. 12
That precation for the dead it neede to our Lord,
[Page]Yet in the Olde testament of a better recorde,
Dauid for his sonne which he had by Barsabee,
2.
Reg. 12
After he was dead, would neuer concorde
To pray any whit for his soules salubritie.
And in the ninthe chapter of Ecclesiastes,
Eccle. 9
These words are contrary to the booke of Machabées,
Which saith, that dead men the truthe to discusse,
Haue no part of the worke that is done vnder Phebus.
And in case this were not any thing dissonant
To the prayer and oblation done to Machabeus,
Yet to vs now it is cleane discordant,
For we haue attonement in light, and not vmbrous.
For our heauenly father these words did expresse,
That he would be to vs a father of all mercy,
Gene 23
Math. 1 1.
Iohn. 1
Heb 10
Gala. 3. 1.
Iohn. 3
And he hath giuen vs Christ to fulfil his promisse,
Which hath purged vs with his bloud without rusticitie,
And hath satisfied for our sinnes to our taciturnitie,
And by him we are righteous, perfectly iustified,
And to make right no right, it is no veritie.
Thus nought is their purgatori which they haue specified▪
And if one would aleage to the Corinthians, where is said
How our selues shall be saued,
1.
Cor. 3.
yet as it were by fire,That is, by Christ the foundation which is laide,
By whose deseruing the spirite doth inspire
With the burning zeale of charitie only at his desire,
1.
Iohn. 2
Math. 6.
To loue God and our neighbors, causing repentance,
Making vs to remit all trespasses and ire,
Wherby we obtaine of our sinnes deliuerance.
For God him selfe is charitie,
1.
Iohn. 4
and who abideth in itGod remaineth in him, and
[...]e in God againe,
In the forsaid Chapter it is shewed euery whit
By Paules exposition, though it be not so plaine,
For folowing immediate, he saith these words againe:
Are yée not ware that the temple of God are yee?
And Peter in his Epistle he doth concord againe
1.
Cor 3. 1.
Peter. 4
To much of this purpose without nebulositie.
For Peter saith that God wold haue al men to repentāce,
Certifying that the elements shal waste with caliditie,
1.
Peter. 4
The heauens and the earth with euery work & distance.As who say, who repenteth shal passe that minacitie,
And repentance procéedeth vpon grounded charitie.
Now, what can our prelates allege for their excuse,
Except by a vsage of a false sequacitie,
This woord
poenitentia the which they do abuse?
Diuers haue pronounced the truth of this worde,
As
Erasmus and other, right rutil of recorde.
How be it, I would that infants both great and small,
Knew how it commeth of
penitet the verbe impersonall,
Which is to forthinke, and that with heart contrite,
And not to do penance our selues to iustifie
But to walke of a new and therin to delite,
Which is great penance our vsage to pacifie.
Iohn. 8
It is plaine how Christe to the woman of Cananie,Commaunded to sin no more, other penāce gaue he none,
Nor yet to no other, nor to the théefe verily,
But said in Paradise thou shalt be with me soone,
Leuit. 23.
And if we knowledge our sinnes, he is faithfull saith saint Iohn.And iust to forgiue vs our sinnes int
[...]icate
1.
Iohn. 1
And to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse in one,Now this maketh purgatorie to be cléerely frustrate.
The fifth Article.
To the fifthe Article where as was required,
Seuen Bishops with others which they called heretical,
That proued (said the king) they shalbe surely punished.
Howbeit we esteeme them true teachers substancial,
And this not proued, then is it iudiciall,
They to haue like punishmēt, which do this thing impute,
And being so far distrust, he thought their words prodigal,
Neuer
[...]earing ne séeing them
[...] ne execute.
To this Article.
This request doth resemble a story in
Isidore,
Which recounteth how king
Philip besieged Athenes,
And but onely ten wise men, he asked no more
To be deliuered to put them to distresse:
But then the Philosopher called
Demostenes
He gaue counsell nay to that worke ruinous,
And for to eschue that formidolous busines,
He put foorth this fable to them commodious.
Wolues somtime (quod he) frēdship to shepherds profred,
On condition that they would deliuer their hoūds to thē,
For your dogs are those said they, which hath our frēdship barred:
Whervpon the shepherds deliuered the same,
Thē afterwards the wolues deuoured thē to their shame.
And in likewise (quod he) would they to our gra
[...]itude
With great ferositie confounde vs to our blame,
For default of men sapient our Citie to delude.
Thus our wolues irat these Duns doctors rixant,
If they had obtayned, would haue followed this fable,
Deuouring the elect all Chrystes lawes mitigant,
Depriuing the truth, to rumpe euery sillable
By craftie Silogysmes and reasons variable,
With counterfet gloses, and sense tropologicall,
Craftily sophisticate with reasons appliable,
Making them to appeare to séeme anagogicall.
Thus would they haue ruffled & rashed in their relatiues,
Searching night and day
manupulus curatorum,
With the exoruatory of Curates and many inuentiues,
As
Dorme securè, and
Gesta Romanorum,
With the annall vsage of
Ceremones parati,
And the negotious search of
Sermones discipuli,
And many mo than these besides their decrees,
With constitutions and decretals, with suche suttle lyes.
Albertus de Secretis with
Phisionoma Scoti,
With much Arte Magike, as Negromancie,
[Page]Some would studie Orminancie, and some Piromancie,
Some Idromancie, some Geomancie,
Some Pedomancie, and some Ciromancie,
Some Palmistrie, with the science Mathematice,
Lacking Christes musike and his geometrie,
With all his astrologie, and all his arsmetice.
And also with their Metaphisiks, and arts supersticious
Ouer many to rehearse, with their Philosophie,
Would haue hindred Gods word to good mē meticulous,
But thanks be to Chryst, and the high deitie,
Their purpose is defeted with all their vapiditie,
To the honor of god and our most christened Monarchie,
Our prince imperiall and flowre of Nobilitie,
Which the Prelates named an vniust Heresiarchie.
Apoc. 14.
Apo. 19.
Mark. 14.
Luk. 21.
Dan. 8.
Math. 24
Luke. 21.
Now therfore let all men which haue inspirationLooke for a sickle, for the harnest dothe approche,
Let them sing
alleluia, and make iubilation,
For the winter is past, and the sominer doth incroche,
To the Romane Antichrist and all his friends reproche:
Yea the Figtrée is gréene both faire and pulchritude,
My selfe of the small buddes a Sallet did incroche,
And me thought it was pleasant, right swéete & dulcitude.
For (thanked be God) sainct Frauncis cowle is spied,
And sainct Brides head, with sainct Hellyns quickingtrée,
Their girdles inuented, and their faire hayres died,
With their chaulke oled for the milke of our Lady.
Sainct Sithe and Trenians fast, with works of idolatrie,
As sainct Nicholas chaire and sainct Anthonies hell,
With Turpine stone and Moyses yarde so thée,
With S. Katherins knots, & S. Anne of Buckstones wel
And S. Wilfred Foorne of Ripon to kepe cattel frō pain,
And his néedle which sinners can not passe the eye,
With S. Iohn & H. Peters grease for to cōserue y
e braine,
And S. Thomas hoode of Pomfret for migreme & the rie,
And S. Cuthberts stāderd of Duresme to make their fees to flye,
And S. Benets bolte, and S. Swithens hell.
[Page]And sainct Patrikes staffe & sainct Williams head pardy,
And sainct Cornelis horne, with a thousand mo to tell.
The sixth Article.
To the sixt article, where the Commons swarued,
Finding fault that the Counsel shuld be of smal progenie,
At this sayd the king, we are greatly marueled,
For we are not obliuious of what habilitie
This our Counsell was at our incepte entrie,
For we had not very noble, but onely Earles twayne,
And the lord Merney and Darcy of a meane generositie,
To they were preferred by our father and vs playne,
Lawyers and Priestes (quod he) were all mo than these,
Therfore he maruelled they were so obstinate,
Considering his counsell now so noble in degrees,
As two dukes, one Marques, with thrée Earles associate,
Two lords, two knights, with foure bishops congregate,
And bicause they thoght it more than somwhat necessarie
To haue men learned, to haue their mindes approbate,
The lord Cromwel & lord Audley they put in authoritie.
And I perceue (quod y
e king) that some of you do enterprise
As counsaylers to vs, which we neuer did admit,
But we well aduise you to leaue such preiudice,
And to meddle not of vs and our counsayle any a whit,
For certainely for our part we will not take it,
Therfore eftsones eschue such things exprobate,
For we haue wit sufficient our counsayle to admitte,
And néede for that matter no counsayle interrogate.
To the Article.
Now doubtlesse the diuell poured out his venome here,
To prouoke them to demaund so naughtie a request,
For of the seauen bishops, there was but one clere
Of the kings counsayle, as playnly was exprest,
And how transuerse was it reason to cōplaine of the rest,
And to rayle and to riot with great words tumultuous,
[Page]And by a cloked colour to say they were opprest,
And all to obteine their heresie voluptuous.
To finde fault with their bloud, that was a great vanitie,
For true noblenesse procéedeth vpon mans condition,
And not by inheritaunce vpon olde antiquitie,
For then were vertue to riches in subiection:
Of
Gaius Haminius who liste to haue inspection,
Agaynst
Publius Cornelius did alleage the same,
And let thē see how gentlenesse came at the first inception
And they shall be abashed vnto their owne shame.
And further let them looke vpon their owne gentlenesse,
Their estates, their bloud, and their long annositie,
And few of them shal find their own worldly noblenesse
Fiue degrées constant without mutabilitie,
For fortune turneth hir whéele somtime to gret furnitie,
And sometime to illumine to a great donation,
As from an Earle to a gentleman of small habilitie,
And a squire to a duke, thus is hir mutation.
And among experience it may well be noted,
Of the lord
Audley & the lord
Cromwel, the which they do diffame,
Whose Auncetors ere this were Barons wel promoted,
Til their fortune was trāsact, y
t which subdued their name
And by credible information discended are these same,
Of these two Barons of a worthy parentage:
Therfore I maruell these people did not shame,
To make suche petition in suche a furious rage.
To speake of very noble, where may one compare,
The kings grace reserued, whose high progenitors
Haue reigned kings in Britaine aboue a thousand yere
Before Christes natiuitie, as the first inheritors
To
Cadwallader surseased, and his mother predecessors,
Haue reigned
[...] the conquest, and of king
Priamus,
Before y
e reigne of Englād his bloud haue ben gouernors
Sithēce the condigne reigne of y
e an
[...]iont prince
[...].
Therfore why y
e diuel did the slowormes
[...] such
[...],
As to raile of so noble a prudent prince purueyaunce,
[Page]When Michael the Archangell durst not be so hault,
As to the fetous Deuill to giue rayling sentence,
Zaca. 3.
Striuing for Moses, and for his deliueraunce?
Peraduenture to this text some wil replye,
Why raylest y
t then thy selfe with suche trenous distance,
To whom I do answere, this is the reason why.
For myne owne cause I do it not, but only for displeasure
Doone to my God & Prince, against diuine ordinance,
And Christ rebuked the Pharesies,
Math. 23
Iohn. 2
Gala. 3.
& whipt by incussionDiuerse which were naught for his fathers constitution,
And the Galathians were rebuked very sore by Paule,
And diuers more than they ouer long for rehearsall.
Now here is to be noted how Michaell the Archangel,
For the words sayd to him with the Deuil wold not rebel▪
Thus of the Articles to make a shorte conclusion,
If they saye they do it for the faythes reformation,
The scripture is against their false cloked collusion,
Ouer that it is well knowen their false imagination
For auarice was the cause to their owne preseruation,
Inuenting such a tale by a false vnanimitie,
To prouoke all other to haue mitigation
In their myndes, for defence against their obscenitie,
The ende of the Insurrection.
Then
Anglia the Empresse inclusiue
Sayde,
Holme thy long processe and thy prolixitie,
Hath last so long from our matter fugitiue,
That almost I am east into a liturgie,
And drowned in a dumpe with a tremous extasie,
Therefore I beséech thée in this thing contentious,
To shewe what the commons dyd after this replye,
For the truth greatly to knowe I am desirous.
And i
[...] like your grace (quod I) to reason of this responsiō,
The Commons met at Yorke to Counsell in this thing,
And there being permanent about the same conclusion,
They had to them deliuered a letter from the King,
[Page]His graces pleasure to them there pronouncing,
That the Duke of Norfolk with other moe of grauitude,
Should méete them at Doncaster there to haue cōmoning▪
This matter to exsolue or else not to conclude▪
To this the commons agréed vniuersall,
And so the daye was set at Doncaster to meete,
Wherevnto the commons apointed men seuerall,
By the Baronage aduise whome they thought discréete,
Thus they appointed their numbre whole complete,
Of euery wapintage whome they thought florulent,
And prouided seuen thousand to be phalarate at Pomfrei,
Conduct together as a stale for entisement.
So at the daye appoynted bothe the partes met,
At Doncaster predict to make their placitation,
But assoone as they had their matter trounsed and bet,
The commons part abashed of their shameful obiurgatiō,
Howbeit the kings counsell to make a good pausation,
Promised if faultes were they should be amended,
So it could be proued by any true probation,
Those articles or things the which they had pretended.
And so by the Duke of Norfolkes intercession,
There was graunted a pardon and that in generall,
From Done to Twede for their whole transgression,
Of all contemptes and trespasses as well as things vitall,
Nyne only reserued for whome with promise cordiall,
The Dukes grace behight for them to make prouidence,
And so was al acquite for these causes actuall,
And mercifully pardoned for all their yl offence.
Yet this ought to be marked in time of vacation,
Or the pardon was giuen by the Kings magnificence,
U. thousand Cotes offence by the countryes preparation,
Was wrought and made for their corporall defence,
And Boyes went a processiō as they wold make pretence,
And Mynstrels soong songs with many moe abusions,
More lyke beastes than men to make so great offence,
To vilipend their Prince with such naughtie illusion.
The later Insurrection.
Thus of the first rysing I made a definition,
But yet the Lady
Anglia toke me by the sleeue,
And sayde (
Holme) I haue more inquisition,
Of a latter commotion which greatly doth me gréeue,
Doone by sir Frauncis Bigot which maketh my heart fremeske.
For he was reconed one of the veritie perculent,
And what a shame was it contrarie to flameske,
And to forsake the truth such wrongfull things petent?
According to the prouerb and it please your grace quod I,
P
[...]o. 21. 1.
Peter. 3.
The Dog is reuersed vnto his vomit againe,
And the Sowe cleane washed in hir puddle wil she lye:
What nowe (quod
Anglia) I see thou dost but fayne,
For shewedst thou not me, who as beleeue plaine,
Had the holy Ghostes gyft to keepe them to saluation,
That saying (quod I) I will not once refrayne,
If it please your grace to heare with good deliberation.
It followeth not the gyft should kéepe alway from sinne,
Rom. 7.
Gela. 5.
For the olde Adam wil rebel and the Deuil is inuidious,
The flesh with the spirite to repugne he will begin,
That is, the il spirit with the good is euermore contrarious,
To make thornes to growe to let the corne fructious,
Esay. 43.
Act. 1.
Howbeit the holy Ghost to them which be elect,
At the last will subdue the olde Sathan viscous,
And kepe to saluation this is the true effect,
And I doubt not his repentance who knoweth it inwardly,
Though the Deuill for to syft him his heart did resarcyne,
By pouertie and vaine glorye to haue frugalitie,
To make him proue to intend for to facyne,
Well quod
Anglia, no more, but now of this defyne,
And shewe me how he ro
[...]e and the insurrection,
Forsooth Madame quod I, I will the same combine,
And it please you giue audience vnto his yl suggestion.
Truth it is after the commons had their pardon,
The king sent Aske and diuers moe than he,
[Page]And lyke a condigne Prince to their costage and guerdon,
Some had twentie pound, some sortie & some more verily,
But Bigot this perceyued with all his affinitie,
And thought the king wold stay the mater by his prudēce,
And or euer they came home by their peruicacie,
They purposed by craft to take Hull for defence.
So Monkes, Friers and Chanons, and Eigot altogether,
With many moe of counsell, they sent for to espye Hull,
One Halame a yeoman, but when he came thether,
Knowles had an inkling of his comming at the full,
Which manfully tooke him and there brake his skull,
And rypping him found letters of a great pauitude,
Which purposed playne clearly to disanull
The Kings purpose before by their high gratitude.
But when Bigot heard that Halame was in captiuitie,
He burned vp a Bekyn and raysed nygh twentie score,
And sente fourth diuers letters to collect more companie,
Himselfe toward Hull drawing euer more and more,
And sent to them thither, Halame to restore,
Craftely colouring that was his whole pretence,
But by that Aske came home, the Captaine before,
Which wrote him a letter to leaue his frowardnesse.
When Bigot perceyued this letter described,
Not only by Aske, but by moe of habilitie,
Of his counsell before, then shortly he contriued,
To deuise in his heart this craftie subtiltie,
To call the Burgeses of Beuerley to him openly,
Beseeching them record, he did not pretend
The kings grace ne his counsell any ignobilitie,
But Halame to obtaine an yl déed to amend.
And of this stale away sodenly from his host,
With a knauish Fryer or a Paliard or twaine,
After that diuers Gentlemen being of the coaste,
Toke of them whō they thought most busiest for certaine,
By deede obligatorie bynding eche for other playne,
To appeare at Yorke at the consequent repaire
[Page]Of the kings counsel, thither to aunswere againe,
Such faultes and iniuries as should be shewed then there.
All other hearing this beginning for to ryse,
Casting in coniecture another tyme was better,
Surseased of their purpose and naughtie enterprise,
For openly they knewe by many sundry letter,
The Duke of Norfolk would come, this nugous thing they herd
And thought thē more ample their purpose to obtain,
For they perceyued he would amongst them long retard,
Therefore they regarded not their fact for to refrayne.
But marke the prouision which God dyd prouide,
For the king commaunded Iustices at Hull for to sitte,
To inquire and to sée what fault might be espide,
And there by the countrey was determined euery whit,
Among them selues they could it not remyt,
But condemned Halame with other two so thée,
Thus hanged were they thrée for the fault they dyd cōmit,
As Haman in the stéede of Mardocheus verily.
Hester.
Soone afterward the Duke to their newes according,
Came downe by commaundement Iustice to redresse,
By the waye diuers of Bigots counsell méeting,
Commaunded by the king to apeare for their businesse,
But procéede dyd the Duke more wrongs to oppresse,
And kéept at Yorke a Oyer Determiner,
Where by due executiō were hanged for their frowardnes
Ten of pertinacitie of Bigots partie cleare.
At that tyme present in a chappell in Cumberland,
Bigot was taken and had to Carlyle Castle,
Then by Priestes inticements rose the cōmons of Westmerland
With Cumberland associate, purposing to expel
Bigot from the Castle, but then the citie Carlyle
According to aligiaunce, their malice did floxipend,
Estéeming them as traitours so falsly to rebell,
And them perturbed manfully their citie to defend.
The Duke then intending more iustice to execute,
In diuers other places this Insurrection hering,
[Page]Gathered a great number these traitours to confute,
For Rychmondshire & Kendal came at a short monishing,
And there was of Yorkeshire in his trayne following,
Diuers gentlemen furnished to this battaile vigorous,
But at Barney Castle when they were there gathering▪
The Commons had a brawle to them ignominious,
For at Carlile they lost with shooting at the Citie,
Al their arrowes their artillerie most principall,
And then fled away from their villanous enormytie,
This perceyued by the citie and gentlemen patrimoniall,
They came forth with Speares v.C. substantiall,
Well horsed in aray following in a chace,
By whome they lost their Crosse their standard principal,
And had thrée hundreth taken within a little space.
The other fled awaye as Shéepe with Wolues chased,
Some oppressed, some spoyled, some with lamentation,
Thus sixe thousand, by fiue hundred were vtterly defaced
Latrant like Dogs for their abomination,
But after these newes and this expiation,
The Duke of Norfolk as a Prince not in hebitude,
Came swiftly to Carlyle to do ministration
Of iustice for their faultes to their great penitude.
For there was hanged vppon their heades capitall,
Thrée score and sixteene vnto their friendes puderous,
On trees in their Gardens to record for memoriall,
Thus héere was the end of this acte periculous,
But then began Tyndale like traitours contencious,
To ryot vp with Rydsedal as they would make a brawle,
The Duke héering this as a raged Lyon furious,
Resorted to th
[...]se countreys to proue their actes meutall.
Those countreys seing this, with al the Dukes parature,
By a small entisement dyd humbly them submit,
As a Hawke from his praye entised to the lure,
Whereby by fauour their trespasse was remyt,
Reserued pledges taken bycause they should not flyt,
And so the Duke departed resorting againe,
[Page]To Yorke to doo iustice on Traytours to sit,
Where ther were four hanged approued traytours plans,
After that to Duresme the Duke dyd repare,
And there by execution fourtéene dyd apprehend,
And thus in all partes they were taught to compare,
Hanging in the places where they dyd offende,
Some on trées some on gallows, to learne them to pretend
With diuers Priors & Chanons as traitours wauing hye,
To teach them eftsones their Prince to paruipend,
As Babes to be busie with such petulancie.
Then sir Frauncis Bigot was had vp to London,
Intreated as a traitoure with handes and feete bounden,
And Aske the first Captaine and diuers moe than he,
Was sent for to London and put in captiuitie,
Bycause they were paranymphes to Bygots insurrection▪
And for that they were traitours of a later consent:
Thus being in prison, Gentlemen of discretion
Indited them in Yorkeshire, as traytors euident.
Now after that the Duke had sitten on this Commission▪
They were arained at London before the Kings Counsel▪
And by open proofe attainted of Treason,
And condemned by true Iustice, for that they did rebel:
Yet some there were fortunate, the which escaped wel.
But what will yée more? their Isagog so naughtie
Hath brought all the other to durous death fell▪
Disheriting their children by his false operacitie.
There was of this number Aske and Bigot Captaines,
A Baron, a Barons sonne, foure Knights and a Squire,
Two Priors, three Quondams, and two false Chaplains,
Which Prelates haue caused to be confuted cléere
Foure principall Abbayes as playne doth appéere,
And diuers hang on Gallowes in irons well parate,
And many of their adherentes in sundrie countreyes séere,
As fugitiues and vagabonds they are cleerely fugate.
Ah ah (quod
Anglia) then makest me to smile▪
But I pray thee why shewest thou not Lincolnshire rebellion▪
[Page]Nor yet of Norfolke why doest thou not compile?
And it pleased you (quod I) for this consideration,
The shires are very far distant from my habitacion,
Therefore it is more méete for other to discriue,
Howbeit the finall of their abomination,
As the other saide before, was complete finitiue.
For the Duke of Suffolk hath caused in Lincoln shyre,
As great execution to the countrey lamentuous,
Beside in yrons hanging which began to conspire,
And some was headed at London for their acte iniurious,
And as for in Norfolk the gentlemen salubrious,
Toke their Captaines at the first ere they could fully ryse,
And after they were hanged for their facte scelerous,
With sore execution to teache them to be wise.
But and it please you (quod I) this rysing to pernote,
Ios. 8
Iud. 7
It is like as Iosua when he reached out his speare,And as God with thrée hundred Gedion did promote,
The Medianites to confound by their own brawlege cléer.
So these men with déedes more bitter than I paxere,
Must néedes fortune like, considering that the King
Setteth forth Gods worde lyke as the true Elixere,
Turning brasse into golde by his mynerall working,
Of the Mouldwarp.
But ther is one thing (quod I) which I dare scantly moue,
What is that quod
Anglia? forsooth Madame quod I,
Al the time of this bloonder to their own reprouse,
Lyke furious Bulls baited they spake of a prophesie,
Ascribing the king lyke traitours in trecherie,
To the Mouldwarp which Marline doth account,
And I can proue playne their false fayned fantasie,
Is not against his grace for ought they can account.
It is thy dutie quod
Anglia herein to descriue
To the publique cognisaunce of euery creature,
Whereby true men their spirits may reuiue,
And to make the king ioyous thou ought to do thy cure,
[Page]That his grace may perceiue their fantasie so obscure,
Therfore do it (quod she) and be not desidecious,
For herein to labour thou may be firme and sure,
The Papistes to perturbe, though they be prodigious,
Then cryed I to the altitude to the Iupiter superne,
In the autentique mount of Hellicon so hye,
Surmounting Pernassus Alpha and ω eterne,
To inspire me with his grace in s
[...]eede of Terpsi
[...]orie,
Herein to pronounce the perfite veritie
To the laude of my king and my prince naturall,
For I lacked
Calliope and the Muse
Melponione,
With all the sciences which are sermocinall.
Yet I tooke vpon hande, and these words I sayde,
Ye Palyardes imprudent so prompt and prone to prate,
To search well the Chronicles your self it shall vpbraide,
For of the sixe kings by Marlin nominate,
The third Henry was the first of that number preparate,
And his sonne Edwarde, and Edwarde that made thrée,
And of very consequence the number of that date
By royall succession that was the fourth Henry.
And as for the kings grace he is the twelfth king,
Therfore that way your reasons be vacuate,
And if by Edmonde Crochbacke ye would make your reckening,
Your number is not right nor yet wel perambulate,
And further than that yée should cleane perfigurate
The prophesie of nought and of no reputation,
For Edwarde and Edwarde they are twayne declarate,
Which descended not of him, as by true probation.
What can ye say now, except ye skippe at pleasure,
To take héere one and there one your purpose to defende?
Then what déede ignoble were it aboue measure,
To so prudent a prince as the king for to condiscende,
To ascribe it to him his grace to naucipende?
Oh people lusolitous, way me the prophesie,
And there may yée proue how greatly yee offende,
For no worde is like vnto the kings maiestie,
The prophesie of the Mouldwarpe, declareth he shal be
A Caitife, a Cowarde, with a helderly skin:
But is he a Caitife, when playnely we may sée
His portrature and vigor a very Herculine?
And is he a cowarde the truthe to define,
When in Fraunce and in Scotlande his noble chiualrie,
And in many places mo so gloriously doth shine,
That he is accounted a Gemme in actiuitie?
And hath his grace a henderly skin like a Gote,
When his pingued of nature will cause his pubertie
Long time to appeare: Oh Dawcockes ye dote,
To nihilipende your prince with such perputilitie,
But ye passe not of Antichryst for all his ill prauitie,
For him ye would inhaunce with all ye could indite,
To skip, to transalpine, ouer mountaynes for to flie,
And to stumble at a straw not so muche as a myte.
Peraduenture yée will say the words of the prophesie
Dothe nothing resemble to the outwarde intente:
Then with a chéere risible to that mitalogie,
I will playnly concorde, agrée and consente,
And to all other particles in that prophesie ment,
For prophesie locute by prophane men alway,
And responsions by diuels they be things stultent,
Perfructe by the figure called
Amphibologia.
As by Nigromancie
Gerebert had answere
To sing at Ierusalem a Masse or euer he dyed,
And the Puppet sang at Rome in a Church or a Quere,
Called by that name or euer the spirite he espied.
And one Stephin of
Angeo, by a spirite had specified
That he should dye in
Pluma, by which words ociabund
He was resident from fethers, and might them not abide,
And in a Castle so named he died like a vacabund.
One
Alberice also Earle of Northumberlande
Had answere by a diuell
Grecia to obtayne,
Which made him resulte and ioyous to take in hande
To conquere all
Grece to his ligitious payne,
[Page]And made him to pampereske and to returne agayne
To the countrey of Normandie, where he had pollicite
By king Henry of Englande a widowe for certayne
A wife called
Grecia, thus was his chaunce finite.
Pirrhus of
Appolline had suche a like responcion,
With diuers mo than these ouer long determinable,
But other wayes than this there is muche preuention
By the figure sayd before, as a spirite ineffable
Might say to a maried man these words comfortable,
Thou shalt haue to thy wife lady
Rosa or thou dye.
Here were a doubt whether he should wed the flore venerable,
Or to haue hir to his associate wife company.
Also one might say, thou shalt haue viuacitie
As many yeres as this yard wand is inches of length,
Now some would mete the inches and think no duplicitie,
Yet one might sure pernoske another way such strength,
As to rumpe or burne the yarde, or to burne it to dust,
For then were the yarde not an inche of length at all,
And it not inches long, then might a man proue iuste,
The destenie may be done by this color duall.
Also if a woman solde géese in the faire
To one called Pecock, and another swan nominate,
I had Géese, Swans and Pecocks she might well declare.
Also one might by this color figurate,
Of a man called Foxe buy Turues parate,
And say, I bought Turues which I thought to leide,
The which was Foxes: thus double words ornate
Wil make a false sense true, and a true a lye in déede,
Ouer this, prophesies by true declaration
Doth more resemble to nature, than to words of vanitie,
As Daniell figured regions to beasts and variation,
So may we thinke for rapine the Cleargie,
And for true noblenesse a Lion to the Lai
[...]ie,
May not Marlin meane thus by his words miraculous▪
And a Dragon for his venime to compare to y
e cōmontie,
This doth appeare better than playne reasons linguous.
A thousand suche wayes in prophesies are contriued,
And Peter sayth the good hath no priuate exposition,
Then must the ill with subtiltie and ill be deuised,
As plaine it doth appeare by many an ill peruersion,
And specially in Yorkshire at this last commotion.
For amongst diuers people there was one right profoūd,
Whose ende to perceiue there can be no direction,
Howbeit the beginning made diuerse not fremebounde.
Now this was their prophesie and their nugacitie,
Without a word added, or a worde of minoritie:
Foorth shall come a worme, an Aske with one eye,
He shall be the chiefe of that meinye,
He shall gather of chiualrie a full faire flocke,
Halfe Capon and halfe Cocke,
The Chicken shall the Capon slay,
And after that shall be no May.
Of the first part of this we may haue some inspiration,
But the last parte is colored too far from mans minde:
Thus are diuelish prophesies made by such obiection,
That falshod in the ende, that is their proper kinde.
Of the Mouldwarpe who wil scrute he shal the same find,
For thrée of the laste prophesies by Marline pagynate,
No man can finde true, but abscondent and blinde,
And I can proue them playne bothe past and depopulate.
For in the English Chronicles who liste to aspicer,
In the last chapter of king
Cadwalader,
They may perceiue an angel said y
e wil of god was plaine
How the Britons shuld neuer more in Britaine raigne,
Till the prophesies sayd before by Marlin be fulfilled,
And that time should neuer be vnto the time future
That the reliques of his body into Britaine wer trāslated
From Rome, with the reliques of other saincts sure
That hath ben hyd for the Paynim folkes persecution,
Which shall be published, and found, and openly shewed,
Then should they of that laude haue perfite restitution.
Here may be noted Marlins prophesies subdued,
[Page]For Henrie the seuenth Cadwalladers bloud renued,
And the kings grace maketh Britons by the number plural,
Which is very relikes it cannot be eschued,
Of flesh, bloud and bone, of the same stocke paternal.
Which is from Rome translated, and that false obedience,
As supreme head in earth vnder Christ to sustentande,
And Gods word the reliques of other sainctes pretence,
Which for persecution of their sore fire brand,
Is now openly shewed all heretikes to granand.
Now thanks be to God for his great largition,
Now before the seuenth Henrie, this doth promulgand
The prophesies of Marlin haue ended their condition.
And this is the meaning of Marlins prophesie,
Where he saith that the right heirs of England shall end,
That is, to continue shal that genealogie,
For euermore as the angel did pretend
To Cadwalader, whē he promised his blud again to send▪
And where Marlin saith sixe of the last kings,
In that of the last halfe he did comprehend
To take where he list, these were his meanings.
And by the seuenth Henry it is plaine manifest,
As for calling the same to be the land of conquest,
And it séemeth y
e fourth Edward the Mouldwarp for to be
For diuers causes, but for one most specially,
Which soweth his séede fatherlesse in a strange land,
That is by the king of his owne procreation,
which hath lost his Romain father the truth to vnderstād,
Of whom therfore good men haue made declaration.
This is the Britishe Lion by
Sibilla prophesied,
This is the Egle surmounting, which Festome hathe notified,
This is the king anoynted, which S. Thomas specified,
This is the three folde Bul which Siluester magnified,
This is the king which S Edward in words glorified,
Which shuld win Ierusalem with all the holy land,
And many realmes mo with the crosse y
t Christ crucified,
By his abundant fortitude without dint of hand.
Is not his grace a Lion and accompt his audacitie,
And a prodigious Egle high volant in things diuine,
And anointed with faith by the spirite of veritie,
And of faith, hope and charitie, a fierce Bul in trine:
He hath obtained Christes crosse as they did vaticine,
With the heauenly Ierusalem aboue Ezechias,
Repairing the true temple in vbertuous wayes to shine,
Maumetrie destroying as the vertuous Iosias.
Ye this is he which hath made al the Romain bels to ring
Without pul of hand, their false tongs papistical,
Hauing oile in his lampe he is a maiden king,
Though they take it otherwise by their senses carnal,
And in the true vale of Iosaphat the scripture canonical,
There no doubt but his grace is sepelite.
For doubtlesse all the English prophesies autentical,
Concerning these matters by the king is whole condite.
Loe leprous lurdeins lubrike in loquacitie,
Uah vaporous villeins, with venim vulnerate,
Prohprating parentecides plexious to pinnositie,
Fie frantike fabulators furibund and fatuate,
Out oblatrant oblict obstacle and obcecate
A addict algoes in acerbitie acclamant,
Magnall in mischéefe malicious to mugilate,
Repriuing your Roy so renoumed and radiant.
Thus ending the pretending of their naughtie abusion,
I mused how they perused them selfe as a feticine,
To perturbe and disturbe through such naughtie illusion.
Then
Anglia like
Flora more fragrant than Columbine,
All gorgeous and daungerous, shee looked like Eglantine
Tripping and skipping, anormed most shine.
With purles and cuts, and broderie right fine,
Of stone, gold and pearle aboue
Gwaner the Quéene.
Shée was as tricke as
Tamer, and like bony
Barsabee,
More dapper than
Dido, more ruddie than
Rosamund,
Shée florished like
Florence, as pretie as
Penelope,
As lowly as
Lucrece lasciuious and ludibund.
[Page]Plasmate like
Polixene, both ioyous and iocund,
More mystical than
Melusin, or any nimph aliue,
For the muse
Erato could not make such redound,
With melodie armonious, so dulcet to deriue.
Adew
Holme quod shée, and with that a cloud descended
More oderous than Balsamie or Pomander imperiall,
Like Mirrhe in suanitie or Gummes of
Saba blended,
With perfume so Aromatike it passed sense natural.
With that shée ascended vnto the skie stelliferall,
Included with the cloud, most glorious to deuise,
By power of the Lord eterne and potenciall,
Gaudent and plaudent among the thrée Hierarchies.
On a white horse there was a king in armes martiall,
With a Lambe vndefiled more ruddy than a Rose,
Which the strumpet vulnerate the whore Babilonicall,
Then Cherubin did clarion, and sing
athanatos,
And Seraphin did Symphane
kyrie eskyros,
The thrones to their trompes, they sang
Osanna,
The dominations droned vp this word
Agios,
And the Uirtutes with virginals they sang
Alleluya.
The potestates and principates, they piped
Eleyson,
The Angels they sang
Sabaoth Sother vnigenitus,
And the Archangels
Rabi Messias Tetragramaton,
Emanuel adonai in excelsis sanctus,
Iehouah & abba primus & nouissimus,
O saluator mundi with that they gaue a shout
All with one concorde, and sang
Iesus Christus,
The Lambe vndefiled doth iustifie no doubt.
Deo gratias quod I,
Et te Deum laudamus,
God the Father, God the Sonne, God the Spirit vital,
One in thrée, thrée in one
te glorificamus,
Not three Gods but persons, and one God essentiall,
To whose potenciall iustice, be louing eternall,
And to the sapience of the sonne of his misericord,
And to the gracious espirit in vnitie all coequall,
Equipolent and vniate, one God and one Lord.
The deitie of him selfe eterne not procéeding,
And Christ lesse than the father being but a man,
And the word of the father essent euer being,
Not made ne creat, but got, or euer the world began,
And the euerlasting spirite he procéedeth than
Of the father and the sonne equal God associate,
Whose power, déedes and wil concordeth against sathan,
To whome giue we honor with our Christ incarnate.
Beseeching his prohennitie for the kings magnificence,
That he may haue long life, Gods word to fortifie,
And to send vs of his body heire male for our defence,
All true espirites
Anglice for to reioyce and magnifie.
Thus concluding by correction of the kings maiestie,
And his counsel honorable, with all those perfidious,
That with firme trust and hope beleueth Christ to iustifie
By his déede and his promisse to make vs all righteous,
The .xiiij. day of Iuly componed and compiled,
In the .xxix. yeare of the raigne of the .viij. Henry royall,
By
VVilfride Holme vnlearned, simply combined,
As a Pigme to writing with Hercules for triall,
In Huntington in Yorkshire commorant patrimonial,
Pretending and intending with Gods grace, to endeuer
My selfe to worship the Lord sempiternal,
Wherby I may be iust to my God and Prince for euer.
FINIS.
ꝑ VVilfridum Holme.