GOD be mercyfull vnto vs: For the tyme is euen nowe comynge, when as God muste needes eyther of his mercy here in Englande, worcke suche a wonderfull miracle vnto our con­forte, as farre passeth mans expectacion: or els of his righteousnes take such vengeaunce of this land to the example of all other landes, as shal be to our vtter distrucciō.

Ye know, that immediatly after the preachynge of Noe, came the great floud that drouned y ^e world. After the warnyng of Loth, came fyre, & brimstone vpon the Sodo­mites and Gomorrians. When Moises had declared Gods thret­ngynes in Egipt, kynge Pharao and his people were plaged vpon the lande, & drouned in the red sea.

Suche plages came euer wher [Page] gods worde truly preached, is not beleued, receaued, and folowed. But it the preachyng of Ionas, the Niniuites repented wonder­fully. When the boke of the lawe was reade vnto Iosias the kinge, he, with all his people spedely re­pentynge, found exceadyng mercy blessynge, and grace: as lykewyse all other shalbe sure to find, which heare the worde of god & kepe it.

For when Christ and his Apo­stles had preached the gospell vn­to the Iewes, those that beleued were delyuered frome the curse of the law, vnto the blessing of grace out of worldly miserye, to be inhe­ritours of the heuenly kingdome: and those that did not beleue, were cast from god, oppressed of men, ouercome, spoyled, murthered, and destroyed of their enemies.

Wherefore Englande, whyche at his presente tyme, by reason of [Page] the worde of god set fourth, reade, preached, and comuned, dothe in euery place heare y ^e coūcel of Noe, the warning of Loth, the lawe of Maises, the threatnings of y ^e Prophetes, and the grace of the gos­pel, as it was declared and taught by Christ and his Apostles: This Englande muste nedes, either by beleuynge of these thyngs, obteine of god wonderful grace of amēd­mente, or els by neglectinge them, prouoke the vengeance of god, as a dewe plage and punyshment.

Take heede therfore England, for if thou by vnbelefe, let & stop god from workynge of miracles to thy comforte, then surely doest thou prouoke god to powre doun vengeaunce vpon the, to thy vtter distruccyon: But if thou doo re­garde, receaue, and beleue goddes worde, he wyll worke wonderfull miracles to thy conforte, wealthe, [Page] and prosperitie. Yea, let euerye man, of what estate or degree so­euer he be, grope his owne consci­ence: for if he dooe not there fele that the worde of God dothe take place to moue him to repentaunce and amendment of lyfe, then shall he be sure sone to haue experience, that the vengeaunce of God, by a shameful shorte ende of his wret­ched lyfe, wyll bring him vnto an euerlastynge dampnable deathe. For all those that wyll not crepe vnder the merciful wings of god, as the chikinnes of Christ, shal be caught & deuoured of puttockes, haukes, and kytes, as a praye for the deuyll. The wynges of God be stretched abrode here in Eng­lande, by the kinges gracious maiestye and hys honorable counsel, or mighty power, with ready wyll to shadowe, defende, and saue all those that with reuerēt loue, come [Page] hūbly crepinge vnder their ordy­naūce, rule, & gouernāce, which is y ^e power, y ^e wings & the honor of god.

The filthye gredy puttockes, wylde haukes, and rauenyng ky­tes, be supersticious papistes, car­nall gospellers, and sedicyous re­belles, whych as ye haue seene by late experience, haue most cruelly caught, spoyled, and deuoured the lambes, the chekynnes, the chyl­dren of God, redemed & boughte with Christes bloude. Wherefore as Christ in his owne person dyd once lamente and bewayle Ieru­salem, so doeth he nowe many ty­mes in the persons of his prophe­ticall Preachers, lament & bewayl Englande, saying: O Englande, howe ofte wold I haue gathered thy chyldren, as a hen gathereth her chikens vnder her wynges, & thou wouldest not? Euen wyth the same affeccion that the shepeherde [Page] cryeth, seeyng the wolfe leryng to­wardes the shepe, & with the same affecciō that the hen clocketh and calleth, spyeng the kyte houeryng ouer her chekyns: wyth the same affeccion it behoueth the minister and preacher of god, seeynge vn­tollerable vengeance hangynge ouer Englande, to crye, to cal, and to geue warnyng vnto the people saying as is writē in y ^e first of E­say: If ye willingly wil heare & o­bey, ye shal eate the good confortable frutes of y ^e earth: but if ye wyl not, & prouoke me vnto anger, the sword shal deuour you: Quia os Domini locutum est. For it is y ^e mouth of the lord that hath spoken.

Now your reuerende maiesty, most gracyous kyng, and you ho­nourable wyse godly counsellers, you are the chiefe shepeherds, you are the most reuerende fathers in Christe, hauynge the wynges of [Page] power and authoritye, to shadow, saue, & keepe these lambes of god, these chekens of Christe, and these chyldrē of the heauenly father, re­demed wyth Christes bloude, and cōmitted vnto your handes, to be saued, kepte, and prouyded for.

God be praysed, with thankful obedience, and louynge reuerence dewe to your gracious maiesty & honorable counsell, whyche haue surely wysely prouyded for, dyly­gently kept, and charitably saued this realme, by driuing awaye the wylde foxe of papisticall supersti­cion, and by castynge out the vn­cleane spirit of ignoraūce, to gods glorye, your honor, & our conforte.

But alas most gracious Kyng and godly gouernors, for the ten­der mercyes of god, in oure Sa­uiour Iesu Christ, take good and diligent heed when ye be▪ chasyng the wylde fox of papisticall super­sticion, [Page] that the gredye wolfe of couetous ambicion, do not creepe in at your backes: For surely he wyll doo more harme in a weeke, then the foxe did in a yere.

Take hede, y ^t the vncleane spirit of ignorāce, returning with vii. other worse then hym selfe, find no place vnwarded, wher he may crepe in a­gaine. For if he returning w ^t his felowes, enter in agayne, then wil he make the ende of this generacion to be worse then the beginnynge. Then shall you leese the rewarde of your former dilygence, and be damned for your later negligence. Then shal the welspring of mercy which of long tyme hath watered this Realm with the grace of god, be closed vp, and the blody flouds of vengeance gushing out frō the wrath & indignacion of God, ouer flow al togither. Thē wil not god by workinge of miracles declare [Page] mercy, but by takynge of venge­aunce execute rightousnes.

But God beyng as mercyfull yet, as euer he was, if you conty­newe as faythful, wise, and dyly­gente as ye haue bene to handle the wolfe, as you haue done the foxe, to keepe out the denyll, as to cast out the deuyll: then shall the people of this lāde feede in quyet­nes, w ^tout feare of euyl: then shall you continuyng to thende, be sure of an hunderdfold reward in thys lyfe, and afterwardes, euerlasting lyfe, iaye and glorye. Then shall God do wonderfull myracles in Englande, to declare howe mercy shall triumphe ouer rightousnes.

And that wee maye all dyspose our selues the more conuenientlye for god to worke suche a miracle amonge vs, wee haue appoynted for the gospel of this day, wrytten in the .vi. of Iohn, a wonderfull [Page] miracle of .v. thousande men, fed and satisfied wyth .v. loaues and ii. fyshes, wheras euery man maye & ought to learne his owne dutye, which shall cleare appeare too a king in Christ, to head gouerners vnder the kynge, in the Apostles beyng most neare about Christ, & to all other men, in that multitude of the people, whyche folowynge Christ, were obedient to syt downe at the cōmaundemēt of his Disci­ples, not knowing, nor enquiring why they were so commaunded.

And as surely as this wōderful miracle was done to y ^e great cōfort of thēin Christs time, so truly is it left in writyng for to learne vs by paciēce & cōfort of y ^e Scriptures, to haue good hope at thys time.

An as Christ, hauing alwaies special respect vnto his audiēce, dyd teach the fishers by talking of nettes, preaching vnto the Iewes by [Page] diuers parables, & called the Gē tiles by the eloquence of Paule: so I, in handlyng of this miracle, hauing respect vnto thys audyence, wyl aply the wonderful great charitable prouision of Christe, vnto the Kynges Maiestye: the fayethful diligence of the Apostles, vn­to the nobilitie: and the dewe obe­dyence and hertye thankfulnes of the multitude, vnto all other of the communaltye. Not doubtyng but that charitable prouisiō of li­berall benefytes, wyll be a thynge most pleasaunt and honorable for the Kynges Gracious Maiestye: & faythfull diligence in disposing great benefits most cōueniēt, & cō mēdable for al that be in high au­thority: & finally, humble obediēce & vnfained thākfulnes to be most necessary, requisite, & loked for at this tyme, in all inferiours & com­mune sort of people in Englande.

[Page] Marke a litle after the begyn­ning of the sixt Chap. of Iohn, & ye shal heare, whē as much people eate, what Iesus did. I wil passe y ^e discripcion of the wildernes w ^t the causes & the maner of the peoples going togither, & begin at y ^e which Christe dyd, when they were cum­myng towardes hym.

IEsus lifting vp his eyes, and seeynge muche people come vnto hym, sayde vnto Philyp: From whence shall wee bye bread, that these may eate? Thys he sayd tem­ptyng him: for he him self knew what he would do. Philippe answered vnto hym: Two hundreth pe­nye worth of breade wyll [Page] not be sufficiēt vnto these so that euerye one myght take a lytell. One of hys discyples Andrew, Simō Peters brother, sayeth vnto hym: There is one boye here, whych hath .v. barely loaues & .ii. fyshes, but what ar those amon­gest so many? Iesus sayd Make the mē to syt doun. Ther was muche grasse in the place. The men therfore sat doune about the nūber of .v. thousādes Iesus tooke the breade, & after thankes geuynge, did diuide it vnto hys dis­ciples, and the dyscyples [Page] to them that were sette▪ And lykewyse of the fy­shes, so muche as they woulde. And when they were filled, he sayed vnto his disciples: Rather vp the brokē meates remay­nyng, that nothynge bee lost. They gathered ther­fore, & fylled .xii. baskettes full of those meats which remayned, after that the hadde eaten. The men therfore seeynge what a signe Iesus hadde done sayde that thys is truly the Prophet whyche cum­meth vnto the world.

[Page] O Mercyfull Lorde, what a grefe is it to se those which a man loueth hartely, with suche diseases infected, that euerye thinge ministred by the Phisicion to do them good, by theyr own vn­quietnes & misusinge of the same doth encrease theyr greuous daun­gerous sicknes? For these people, hauing great occasion of comfort, by reason y ^t in this place, throughe the true preaching of gods worde, al sinne is playnly and frely rebu­ked, and those thinges especiallye whiche dooe appertayne vnto ma­gystrates, wherby anye man of in­different iudgemente, maye thinke that these magistrates beinge pre­sente, and willingelye hearynge, be purposed to amende: These peo­ple I say, that thus haue a greate occasion of comforte offered vnto them, by theyr owne mistakinge of it, dooe tourne all to theyr further [Page] gryefe and daunger. For they speake vnreuerently, and vntruly slaunder the magistrates, not only with the faultes that bee here na­med, but also with rebukynge, im­prisoninge, and forbiddinge of the Preachers. And when as by the same mouth of the true preacher, theyr venemous tounges be rebu­ked, thē they spare not to say, that the Preacher hath learned his les­son in Iacke an apes court: doing as much as lyeth in them, to make other men, neither to reuerence the magistrates, nor beleue the Prea­cher. What they them selfes mean thereby, peraduenture by reason of blyndenesse; they wot not. But we knowinge the craft of the de­uill, as Paul writeth .ii. Cor. ii. perceiue that he would haue nothing in thys place layed to the Rulers charge: Not fearynge howe muche be spoken to those of the people, [Page] whiche be past any amendment by words: But al y ^t the deuil feareth, is lest that the rulers be put in re­membraunce of the greate daunger that thei be in, for suffring to great enormities vnpunished amongest the people.

I therfore trusting to do most good in that whiche the deuyll la­boureth the most to hinder, wyll laye great and many fautes vnto them that haue most power, & au­thorytye. For sure I am, that ru­lers ordeyned of God to see the ig­noraunte instructed, and the euyll punyshed, be in greate daunger of Gods vengeaunce, for the greate and manifold enormytyes whiche do grow and spryng of ignorance for lacke of knowledge, & of disso­lutenes for lacke of due correccion.

And you people be ye sure that the more theyr daunger is, for lack of prouision and punishmente for [Page] other mens faultes, the greater is the damnacion of them that cōmit and do these faultes.

Nowe I trustinge to God, and not fearinge the deuyll, wyll pro­ceade to declare and applye thys parte of scripture vnto thys Au­dyence, so that for no man I wyll cloke or flatter any vyce.

Iesus lyftnge vp hysepes, and seinge muche people cummynge vnto hym. &c.

Here note two thynges: in the people note cōminge vnto Christ, and in Christ, note charitable pro­uision for the people. For in thys people dothe Christ declare by ex­ample, & proue in experyence hys doctryne to be true, whiche he had afore taught, sayinge: Fyrste seeke for the kyngdome of God and the ryghtuousnes thereof, and al these other, meaninge necessaryes, shall be ministred vnto you. For here they folowinge Chryst, to seke the kyngdome of God, had not only [Page] this kingdome of God, this bread of lyfe, thys worde of saluacion preached vnto theim, but also all theyr diseases healed, & their hun­gry bellies with good meates plē ­tifully filled.

Yea the plentye of these people hauinge inoughe euen so muche as they woulde, was farre more then the plentie of crafty Lawers, disceitful Merchauntes, couetous greedyguttes, & ambicious prol­lers, whiche canne neuer haue i­nough: but alwayes continewe in vnsaciable hunger, and nede of couetousnes. As the .xiiii. Psal. de­clareth: Diuites eguerunt: The riche haue felt nede & hunger: but they which seke y ^e lord lacke no goodes.

He that seeketh to be ryche, be he neuer so poore a slaue, or so myghtyea Lorde, he falleth into dyuers temptacions and snares of the deuyll: but they that seeke the [Page] Lorde, shall lacke no goodnes.

Seeke for to be rich, & thou shalt fynd sorow, mysery, and mischiefe: Seeke for to be godlye, and thou shalt find coufort, welth, and pros­peritie, with al maner of felicity.

If thou wilt be godly, thou must folowe Chryst: thou must not fo­low the steppes of hys fete, which be taken vp into heauen out of thy syghte, but thou oughtest to folow the doctryne of hys worde, which is here left vpon carthe, to guyde the steppes of thy lyfe, in the way of peace. And whyther wyll goddes word gyde the in the tyme of thy trouble and necessytye? Surely vnto the Lorde, whych saith: Propter miseriam inopum. &c. For the miseryes sakes of the comfort­lesse, and syghynges of the poore, now wyl I ryse, sayeth the Lorde.

O Lorde, seeynge thou haste manye people in Inglande, that [Page] as yet be in myseryes without con­fort, and in pouertye, and lacke helpe, how dooest thou aryse vn­to them? Unto this the Lorde aun­swereth, in the .xxxiiii. of Ezechiel: Suscitabo super eos pastorem unum. &c.

I wyll set vp ouer theym one pa­stor, euen my seruaunte Dauyd, he shall feede theym, and he shall be theyr pastor, and I the Lord wyll be theyr God. Thys prophecye was wrytten longe after Dauids tyme. Wherefore by Dauid here named, is sygnyfyed and meante suche a Kynge as shalbe as fayth­full and diligent to kepe, feede, and cherysh hys subiectes within hys owne Realme, as was Dauid to his people wythin Israell. Wee hope, truste and beleue, that oure gracions Kyng, indued wyth the faythfull diligence of Dauid, is ordeyned of God, to gouerne, cherish and feede vs the people of [Page] thys his realme. Wherefore ac­cordinge to the example of Chryst Iesu, most Christē and Gracious Kynge, for the reuerence of God, which hath set you vpon the hygh hyll of honor and authorytye, lyfte vp your gracious eyes of chary­table pitie, and behold muche peo­ple througheoute all Englande, comminge to seke reliefe, ease and comforte, sente frome God vnto them, by your excellente Maiestye. For althoughe there hathe bene to much mercy shewed vpon the ge­neracion of vypers, the vngraci­ous rebelles: Yet is there manye poore people, whiche lyke symple sheepe, shorne to the bare skynne, haue as yet lytle prouision & great neede. Euen as .v. thousandes in wildernes folowed Christ and his Apostles, so manye thousandes in Englande, past all other hope and refuge, folowe your gracious ma­iestye [Page] and honourable Counsel.

For theyr parsons, whiche should lyke shepheardes feede them, doo lyke theues, robbe, murther and spoyle them. And theyr landlordes which shuld defend them, be moste heauye maisters vnto them: Yea, all maner of officers doo not theyr duties to kepe the people in good order, but rather take such fees as maketh the people veraye poore. Who so hathe eyes, and wyll see, may easely perceiue that those per­sonages, which be most in number and greateste in value through­out al Englande, be no shepherds houses to laye vp fodder to feede the poore shepe of the parysh, but theeuysh dennes, to conuey awaye great spoyle from all the rych men of the parysh. I say ther is no per­son there, to releue the poore & ne­dy with natural sustinaūce in ke­pynge of house, and to fede all in­generally [Page] with the heauenly foode of goddes worde by preachinge:

But there is a persons deputy or fermer, which hauing neither ha­bilitye, power, nor authorytye to doo the persons dutye in feedyng and teachinge the parish, is able, sufficient, and stout inough to cha­lenge and take for hys maysters dutye the tenth parte of al the pa­rysh. Likewise other officers take many fees, and do few dutyes: And especiallye landlordes take excea­dynge fynes and rentes of theyr tenauntes, and doo no good vnto theyr tenauntes.

Now my Lordes, bothe of the laitie and of the clergy, in the name of god, I aduertyse you to take heede: for when the Lorde of all Lordes shal se his flocke scattred, spylte and loste, if he folowe the trace of the bloude, it wyll leade him euen streyght waye vnto thys [Page] court, and vnto your houses, where as these great theues which mur­ther, spoyl, and destroy the flockes of Chryst, be receyued, kept, and mainteined.

For you maintain your chaplens to take Pluralities, & youre other seruaunts mo offices then they can or wyl discharge.

Fye for synne and shame, ey­ther gyue your seruauntes wages, or els let them go and serue those which do gyue them wages. For now your chaplaynes, your ser­uaunts, & you your selues haue the persons, the shepherds, & the offy­cers wages, & nether you nor they, nor other doth y ^t persons, the shep­herds or the officers duty, excepte peraduēture ye imagin that ther is a parishe priest, curate, which doth the persons duti. But although ye do so imagin, yet the people do feel and perceiue that he doeth meane [Page] no other thing but pay your duty, pay your dutye. Yes forsouth he ministreth Gods sacramentes, he sayeth hys seruice, and he readeth the homilies, as you fyne, flatring, courtiers, which speake by imagi­nacion, tearme it: But the rude lobbes of the countrye, whiche be to symple to paynte a lye, speake foule and truly as thei finde it, and saye. He minisheth Goddes sacra­mentes, he slubbers vp his seruice and he can not reade the humbles. Yet is there some that canne reade very well, but how many of those be not either supersticious papy­stes, or els carnall gospellers, whi­che by theyr euyll example of ly­uyng, and worse doctrine, do farre more harme then they do good by theyr fayre reading & saying of ser­uice. But put the case, as it maye be, that there be at a benefyce in some place at somtime, some good [Page] curate, all those summes wyll make but a feewe in number, and yet ye see many persons in manye pla­ces absente from theyr benifices, whiche if they be seldome absente, may be good, but if they be conty­nually or for the most part absent, then can they be neither good, ho­nest nor godly. For if theyr dutye be vndone, then can no man excuse them: if it be done, then is it by other and not by them: and then whye dooe they lyue of other mennes la­boures? He that preacheth the gos­pell, shoulde lyue vpon the Gos­pell, as God hathe ordeyned: As for those, Qui mollibus uestiuntur, in do­mibus Regum, whyche goo gaye in Kynges houses, and either mosell the labouringe oxe, or els spoyl the poore parish in the country, be of the deuyls ordynaunce. As there is in all offices some putte in by Chryste, some by the deuyll: so is [Page] there in personages, some sente from Chryst as shepherdes to fede, & some from the deuyll, as theues to deuoure. Yea amongest all kyndes of offycers, some be true Prophetes and sheppeheardes in dede, and some haue shepe skynnes, and be raueninge wolues in dede. The one taketh paynes in doyng of hys dutye, and the other seketh gaynes in professyng of hys duty. Take heede of those, for they are er­raunt theeues.

Alas, if all those whiche take the names and professyons of of­fycers, for desyre of luker and ho­nor, and do not execute the dutyes belonginge to theyr offyces wyth painful diligence, be errant theues as they be in deede, then is ther ma­ni a strong erraunt theefe amongst thē y ^t be called honest, worshipful, and honorable men.

For they haue the names, the [Page] authorytyes & vauntages of those offyces gyuen & payed vnto them, the dutyes of the whyche be verye slenderly or nothyng at al executed amongest the people.

If I were in anye other place in al England, I could and wold vse another trade of preachynge afore another audience: but beinge called of God by your appoynte­ment, vnto this place at this tyme, my conscience doth compell me to vse this trade and no other, afore this solemne audience. Wherfore with dreede and feare of God, with charitable pyty of the people, with moste reuerend loue and homage vnto your honors, I muste needes cry wyth the Prophete Esaye:

Principes Sodome, populus Gomorre: ❧ Heare the woorde of the Lorde ye Prynces of Sodome, ye people of Gomorra: Quo mihi multitudo uicti­narum uestrarum. What care I for [Page] the great number of your sacrify­ces, Dicit Dominus, sayth the Lord: rebukyng all the sacrifices, Ceri­monyes, and feastes of the Iewes which he him self had commaun­ded to be obserued and kept: by the which thyng left in wrytyng he doth teach and commaund me how to speake of your well doyng here in England. Heare therfore ye Prynces of Sodome, and ye people of Gomor, thus sayth the Lord: What pleasure haue I, yea what care I for all your Englysh Bibles, Homelies, & all your other bookes? set forth no more godly seruice to honor me wyth: I hate them al wyth my herte, they are greuous vnto me, I am wery of them: Yea, it is a great payne for me to suffer them. Why, O Lord these be good, these be godly, and these be necessa­rye thynges.

Truthe it is, the faulte is not in [Page] the things that be set forth, but in you y ^t haue set them furthe. Manus enim uestre plene sunt sanguine: For your handes are ful of bloud.

Your handes, your seruyce and your houses be full of persons li­uynges preachers liuinges, and offycers lyuynges. And by you, the person hath his dyspensacion, the preacher is put to scilence, and the offycer vnpunyshed, for neg­lectynge of hys dutye. And so through the negligence of the ke­pers (good order, which is y ^e pale of the parke of this cōmunewelth dekated) the dere therof most dear­ly bought wyth Chrystes bloude, haue strayed oute of theire owne feedynge, to dystroye the corne of all mens liuinges: Where as ve­ry necessytye hath compelled you with such force to driue thē backe, as must needes distroye manye of those dere. Those people I mean, [Page] whych you haue cheryshed & kept & as yet doo loue and pitie aboue al other iewels, commodities and pleasures. Alas, these that take the liuinges, and doo not the du­tyes of Persons, Preachers, landlordes, Bailyes, and of other of­ficers: These flaterers, these wol­fes in lābes skinnes, these deuils in mens vysers, haue caused you to be thought and taken as cruell oppressers of those people, whose furyous wylde rage ye dyd sup­presse and keepe vnder, of veraye charitable pitie towardes them, & all other, whyche wyth that rebel­lious ragei shoulde haue be al to­gither distroied, if the help of your power and authoritye hadde bene any longer differted.

Surely, vntyl that these prol­lets for them selues, these children of the dyuell, these sowers of se­dicion be taken out of the way, ei­ther [Page] by reformacion, or by distruccion, your charitable pity and prouision for the people, and theyr re­uerend loue & obedience towardes you, shall neuer be sene, felte, and knowen. Nowe, as Helye was giltye of the whordome, extorcion, and abhominacion of his sonnes, so are youre hertes ful of crueltye, and youre handes full of bloude, not so muche by doyng, as by suf­ferynge all these euyls. Wherfore Lauamini, mundi estote: Wash, & make your selues cleane, with the teares of repentaunce. Auferte malum co­gitacionum uestrarum ab oculis meis: A­way w ^t the euyll of your though­tes from afore myne eyes. Open youre heartes, that the sworde of Gods word maye come to wipe a­waye couetousnes, whyche is the roote of all euyll, planted in youre hertes. For yf that roote conty­neue ther, than cā no good springe [Page] from you: but euen the most pure and holesome worde of God sette forth by you continuinge in coui­tousnes, wyll be abhominable in the syghte of God, offensyue vnto the people, & damnable vnto you your selues. Wherefore, Quiescite agere peruerse: Seasse to perucrte, manye thynges from euyll vnto worse. Discite benefacere: Learne to do wel, in conforminge al thinges that be a misse, vnto a good order. Querite iudicium: Serche for rygh­teous iudgement which is almost banyshed out of Englande. Alas what a iudgemente is thys, a su­persticious papiste, whyche hath made the faulte shall haue a pen­sion out of a Chauntrye, so longe as he lyueth, and a poore parysh, whych hath greate nede and done no faulte shall lose and forfayte many Chauntries vtterly for euer Subuenite oppresso: Helpe the oppres­sed [Page] people that be loaden with he­uye burdeyns of payinge wages to manye offyces, and faynte for lacke of releife, & dewe seruyce of the offycer. Iudicate pupillo: Iudge so to the fatherlesse chyldrens be­hofe, that wardship mai be a good prouision for fatherles chyldren, and not an vncharitable spoyle of yong mens lands. Defendite uiduam: Shielde the widow from al mens iniuryes, and compell them not to mary your vnthrifty seruauntes.

Thus hath God by Esaye in hys tyme, and by me at thys tyme described Rulers Faultes, wyth a waye how to a mend them. Ther­fore, Principes Anglie: Ye heade Ru­lers and gouernors of England, fyrste see, acknowledge, amende your owne faultes: and then, per­usynge all vnder offycers, consy­der and note how few shepheards and offyces doo feede and kepe▪ [Page] by doynge dutyes, and how many theeues and wolfes do robbe and spoyle the flockes, by takyng sees here in Englande: and then shall ye perceaue that there must nedes be manye sheepe, that wyth theyr hertes, myndes, and expectacion, do folowe the Kynges Maiestye, and you of hys honorable counsel so farre past the houses and cities of their owne prouysion, that if they haue not spedy reliefe at your handes, manye of theim is lyke to fainte and decaye by the way.

Therfore thys considered and knowen, as Christ liftinge vp his eyes dyd teach you to see and con­syder the people: so learne by that whiche foloweth in Christes doo­ynge, what shalbe your dutye af­ter that ye se and knowe the mul­titude, the state and condicion of the people.

And he said vnto Phi­lyp: [Page] From whence shall we bye breade, that these maye eate? But thys he sayde to proue hym: for he hym selfe knewe what he would do.

Christ said to Philip as euerye Christē Kyng ought to say to his Counsell: From whence shall we that be gouernors kepers and fe­ders, bye & prouyde with our own costes, labor, and diligence, bread, foode and necessaryes, that these may eate and be relieued, which be our subiects in obedience, brethrē in Christ, and felow heyres of the heauenly kyngdome?

Pharao wyth Counsell in Egypte, consulted howe to bryng the welthy people vnto misery: so that he is a very Pharonicall ty­rāt, whych laboureth by oppressiō [Page] to thrust down the welthy people: And he is a faithful christen king that humbleth him self by diligēce to releiue, conforte, and set vp the afflycted people. For the one, by worldly policy, would haue much honor, and the other of godly cha­ritie wil do much good. Christ al­so said this, to proue and trie Phi­lip, knowyng him self what shuld be done. So that here, Kynges and great men may learne to trye, and proue the honestie, wit, and fi­delitie of theyr Coūsellers, in such matters as they them selues be so perfect that they can diserne wyth what discrecion and mynd the coū seller doth answere.

Philip aūswered, that two hūdreth peny worth of breade wyll not serue vnto these, so that euerye one myghte take a lyttell

[Page] In the which answere, as con­cernynge his witte, he declareth it to be to slender to prouide for so great a matter in so short tyme.

And hys mynde semed to be suche as would not haue Christ to trouble hym selfe wyth so great cares but rather as the other Euange­listes do declare, to sende the peo­ple away, and let them [...] for them selfes. The same minde and affeccion was in Peter, after that Christ hadde tolde hys Disciples howe that we must go to Ierusa­lem to suffer sore paines and miserable death. For then Peter tooke hym a syde and sayde: Mayster fauour your self, doe not enter in to such daunger and sorowes.

And it is not vnlyke, but if youre Magestye, wyth youre Counsell speake vnto youre nobles for prouision now to be made for the people: ye shall fynde some that bee [Page] Philippians and Peters, whyche by settynge afore youre eyes the hardnes of the matter, the tender­nes of your yeares, and the won­derfull charges that should be re­quisite, wyl moue and counsel you to quyet youre selfe, to take youre ease, yea to take your pastime, in haukyng, Huntyng or gamnyng. Unto whom your Magestie may aunswer, as Christ dyd vnto Pe­ter: Auoyde fro me Sathan, thou hyndrest me by thy carnall temp­tacion, to doo that thyng whyche God hath moued me vnto by hys gracious inspiracion. Thou hast no tast nor sauour howe delicious God is vnto a pure conscience, in Godly excercise of good worckes. But al that thou regardest & felest is voluptuous pleasure in world­ly vanities. And therefore y ^u doest not perceiue, how y ^t they which be indued with a special grace of god [Page] may fynd more pleasure & pastime in godly gouernaūce, to kepe togither & saue simple mē, then in hauking and huntynge, to chase and kyll wylde beastes. Yea, a god­ly kyng shall finde more pleasure in castinge lots for Ionas, to trye out offenders, whiche trouble the ship of his commune wealth, then in casting dice at hasarde, to alow & maintaine by his example, such thynges as should not be suffered in a commune wealth. Yea surely, a good King shal take farre more delyte in edifiynge wyth conforte and deckynge wyth good order the Congregacion of hys people, the Churche and house of God, the heauenly Citye of Ierusalem, then in buildinge suche houses as seeme gaye and gorgeous, and be in deede but vyle earthe, stones, tymber and claye. Suche lyke aunswer ought your Magestye, & all noble men to make, if ye fynde [Page] any of your Counsellers more carnal than spiritual, more worldlye then godly. Or els tourne awaye your eares from such Philipians, & heare other, as Christ did.

Then saide vnto him one of his Disciples, An­drew Simon Peters bro­ther, Ther is a boye here that hath fyue barely loaues and two fyshes, but what auaile those amōge so manye?

Note here that this boye was the Apostles page, & these loues and fishes were their vittayles. For as appeareth in Marke, whē thei had made search howe manye loaues they them selues had, thys answere was made, y ^t they had .v. loues & .ii. fishes: but what be they amōgest so many? As who should [Page] say: although these be al y ^t euer we haue & seme more mete to be kept amongest a few, thē to be giuen to many, yet for because thei y ^t becum whyche beynge many haue more nede then we: therefore ar we willinge to giue thē to be disposed, & wish y ^t they were of more value to do more good amōgest y ^e people.

These men cared more for the Commune people, then they dyd for them selues, and therfore were very mete to be Counsellers, and neare about a great Kyng.

Here we perceyue what sym­ple Phylippe, and good Andrewe thinke, but here is nothyng declared of couetous Iudas counsell. No, for Christ beynge fully pur­posed to doo a good deede doeth neither aske, nor heare anye coun­sell of couetous Iudas: teachyng all them whych intende any goodnes, neuer to aske nor admit anye [Page] counsel of those whom they know to be couetous. For truely the co­uetous mans councel, although it seme neuer so good and honest, yet is it in dede nought and deuilish. For what could seme better coun­sel then y ^t a litle ointmēt, the swete smel of the whyche continued but a while among a few, should haue ben sould for thre hundreth pence, the greate price of the whyche be­stowed amongeste manye poore, should haue done them good for a great season?

The Euangelyst doeth shewe howe that Iudas dyd gyue thys counsell, not for that he had anye care of the poore, but bycause he was a thefe, and bare the bagges.

Iudas pretence was wonders godlye, to sell the oyntmente for a great summe of moneye, to relieue the poore wyth, but hys purpose was deuelyshe, to get the mony in [Page] hys bagges, and kepe it to hym selfe. And those in England why­che dyd pretende, that besides the abolishinge of supersticion, wyth the landes of Abbeys, Coliges and Chauntries, the King should be enryched, learnynge mayntay­ned, pouertye relieued, and the cō ­mune wealthe eased, and by thys pretence purposely haue enriched theym selues, settynge a brode in­cloystered papistes, to get their li­uinges by giuing them pencions, yea, and thrustynge them into be­nefices to poyson the whole com­mune welth for the risignacion of those pencions: & so craftly cōuey­ing much frō the King, frō lerning from pouertye, & from al the com­mune wealth, vnto their own pri­uate vauntage: These mennes counsell semed better then Iudas counsell was: and their couetous­nes, by their owne deedes appea­reth [Page] no lesse then Iudas couetous­nesse dyd. Well, beware, for if ye play Iudas part on styll, & make no restitucion, vntil ye go to han­gyng, ye are lyke to fynde desperaciō at the end of your life, because ye wold not by restitucion amend your life. Ye noble mē, & especialli you of the kings coūsel, for the re­uerence of God, pitie of the cōmen wealth, and safegarde of your sel­fes, awaye wyth these Iudasses, let them go hange them selues: ex­cepte perauenture ye thyncke it fytte and necessary, that you fyrst hang them afore thei betray you. For vndoutedly, he that hath the couetousnes of Iudas in his hert he wyll playe all the other partes of Iudas, if he euer haue suche oportunitie as Iudas had.

A way with Iudas, and learne at Andrew, to saye vnto thys kynge and his councel intendynge to re­leiue [Page] the multitude of hys people here in Englande, learne ye noble men to saye: Here is a boye, Here be seruauntes and retayners of oures whyche haue fyue loaues and two fyshes, manye benefices, some prebendes, wyth dyuers of­fyces: yea, and some of vs our sel­ues haue mo offyces then we can discharge. Pleaseth it your maie­stie to take these into your hands, which haue bene kept for vs, that they now in thys great nede, maye be better disposed amongest youre people. Quid hec inter tantos? These be verye small thynges towardes the amendemēt of so many lackes in so great a multitude. How be it these wyl serue, so that there maye be mo good Persons, good prea­chers, and good officers placed a brode in euery countrye, which in doing theyr offices, keping of houses, and preachyng of gods worde [Page] may teach the ignoraunte, relieue the poore, punyshe the fautye, and cheryshe the honest, and so repayre the pale of good order about thys comen welth. For the loue of God giue your seruauntes wages, and cause thē to restore these liuinges, whych coming of the sweate of the labourer, be in dede the relife of y ^e poore, the mayntenaunce of hone­stye, and the reward of vertue, yea the verye pale, wall, and bulwar­kes of the commen wealth. The Apostles gaue all that they had of theyr owne, freelye vnto other: stycke not you to restore that now whych ye haue of longe tyme vn­charitably kept from other.

Heare what foloweth: whan these fishes & loaues were broughte vnto Iesus, make (sayth he) the peo­ple to sit downe. God alwayes be­stoweth his benefites vpon theim that sit doune in quietnes, & pow­reth [Page] furth hys vēgaūce vpō those that be vnpacient, vnquiet, & full of businesse. For as appeareth in Genesis, the people gathered to­gether in the playne of Sanner, & made a greate vprore, buildyng a tower lyke rebels agaynst god, to get thē a name. Howe be it god de­stroied their hādyworke, cōfoūded theyr lāgage, & scatered thē abrod.

The Scribes & the Phariseys came vnquietly, temptyng Christ, and required a sygne from heauē. Christ rebuked them sharply, and shewed them no sygne, but called them a frowarde and aduoutrous generacion. So the people in England gathered together, they woulde make maisteryes, and bee notable felowes: yea, the towre of theyr presumpcion shuld be built vp vnto heauen, in dyspite of gentyll men and nobilitye: they haue partlye felte, and we haue ryghte [Page] pitifully sene howe sore God was therwith offended. Nowe I heare saye there is as yet remaininge in Englād sum stiffe necked Iewes, which come presumptuously tem­tyng God, and say: if these our ru­lers be sent of God, to take better order then other haue done, well then, let theym begynne betime to gyue vs a notable sygne & token, for els we wyll not beleue, truste, nor obey them.

Wel, I wyl tel you that thus whysper: Euen as Christe was Positus in resurreccionem et ruinam mul­torum in Israell: Set to restore and decaye manye in Israell: So be Christen rulers in euerye comune wealth, set and ordayned of God, to beate doune & kepe vnder these sturdye rebels, whyche be so euyll thē selues, that they cannot thinke that any man doeth intende to do them good, & to rayse vp, conforte [Page] and cherish the simple pacient people, whyche be of a good truste to­wardes theyr rulers, knowynge that they theim selues haue deser­ued no euyll: or els if they haue done euyl, yet by repentaunce and amendemente, do not doute to ob­teyne mercye at theyr rulers han­des. So God hath ordeyned ru­lers to cheryshe y ^e, if thou be meke quiet and paciente, or els to pu­nyshe the, if thou be vnquyet, busy and stubborne. Learne at Paule. Rom. xiii. If thou do wel, to trust well of thy rulers, and if thou doo euyll, not to be wythoute feare of theyr powers, for he beareth not the swerde wythout a cause. Take hede therefore ye rulers, for gods sake, and pitye of people, seynge that God hath geuen you a swerd to cut of rotten cankred members for the safegarde of the hole body▪ knowyng no cāker to be so daun­gerous [Page] as rebellion in a commen wealth: If ye fynde one person in­fected wyth that canker, awaye wyth him, for y ^e safegard of the bodye of that house. If one house be infected, away wyth it, for the safegarde of that toune. If the toune be infected, awaye wyth it, for the safegarde of the contrey. Yea, if a shyre or contrye be all poysoned, awaye wyth it, for the pitye, and safegarde of the hole bodye of the commen welth. So ye se, that the sharper that youre sworde is, and the sooner that ye strike rebellion, the more pyty shewe ye in cutting away the lesse, and sauynge the more part and porcion of the peo­ple, beynge all of one bodye, of one realme and common welth. Con­sider that Chryste wente from Ie­rusalem vnto wildernes, to drawe the Gentle people from amonge the stoborne scribes: and so Chry­sten [Page] rulers muste nowe nedes de­fer the tyme to drawe the people that be good and trust well, from amonge this frowarde generaci­on, whiche of presumption loke to haue order taken as they require, and appoynte the tyme, the place and the thynge. Wherfore, ye that be good quiet people, beware of these busye felowes, and as thys multitude whiche oughte to be youre example, folowed Chryst into the wyldernes, so folowe you Christen rulers, goddes offycers, youre chiefe gouerners in Eng­lande. And as they dyd not mur­mure, sayinge: why shall we sitte downe here in the wyldernes, be­yng an infinite number, where no meate is, seynge that in the cityes where was more meate, and lesse gatherynge of the people, we had neuer feaste gyuen of hym by hys Apostles?

[Page] So I saye, do not you grudge and saye: why shall we quyet oure selues nowe, trustynge to reliefe, where wee see nothynge, and were nothynge at al releued when there was great plentye of landes, and goodes of Abbeys, Colegis, and Chaunteries? Do not murmour so vngodlye, but see that there be no faulte in you, and ye shal fynd no lacke in GOD. Suerlye, ex­cepte ye do sytte downe quietly, ye shall soner prouoke goddes ven­geaunce to your damnacion, then deserue any reliefe of goddes offi­cers, to your comfort. Sit downe and be quyet, for the same rulers & ministers are ordeyned of god to feede you wyth plentye: whych be commaunded of God to make you fyrste to set downe in order & quyetnes. Yea, and herke all ye that be godlye Rulers: there was much grasse in the place, god had [Page] prouided muche grasse for theym that loked for no carpets: geuyng all godly gouernours example to prouyde thynges necessarye for those people that at loketh for no su­perfluities. But alas, here in England, superfluous gorgeous building is so much prouided for ryche mens pleasures, that honest houses do decay, where as labou­ring men ought to haue necessary lodging. It is a commen custome with couetous landlordes, to lette their housynge so decaye, that the fermer shalbe fayne for a smal re­ward or none at all to gyue vppe hys leasse, that they takynge the groundes into their own handes, may tourne al to pasture: so nowe Old Fathers, poore Wydowes, and yong children, lie begging in the mirie stretes.

O mercifull Lorde, what a number of poore, feable, haulte [Page] Blynde, Lame, sycklye, yea, wyth idle vacaboundes, and dissembe­linge kaityffes mixt among them, lie and crepe, begging in the myry streates of London and West­minster?

Nowe speakyng in the behalfe of these vile beggers, for as much as I know that y ^e vilest person vpon earth, is y ^e liuely image of almightye God, I wyll tell the that arte a noble man, worshypfull man, an honest welthye man, especiallye if thou be Maire, Sherif, Aldermā baily, cōstable or any such officer, it is to thy greate shame afore the worlde, & to thy vtter dānacion a­fore god, to se these beggīg as thei vse to do in the streates. For there is neuer a one of these, but he lac­keth eyther thy charitable almes to relieue his nede, or els thy due correction to punyshe hys faute. A great sin and no les shame is to for [Page] him that sayeth he is a Christē mā to se Chryst lack things necessary, & to bestowe vpon the deuil super­fluousli. It is Christ Iesus hī self that in the nedy doth suffer hūger, thrist & cold: It is the deuyll hym selfe, that in the wealthye fareth deintely, goeth gorgeously, & vseth superfluitie. Looke Mathewe the xxv. & there shal ye se playnly that it is Christ which lacketh suffici­ent in the neady: and therefore the deuyll beyng contrary to Chryst, contrariwyse hathe to much in the wealthye.

You also that do prouyde that your cattel do not longe tary pin­ned in a folde where there is no grasse, whye do you suffer youre owne brethren in Chryst, wythout prouysyon to lye in the streates, where is muche myer? These selye soules haue ben neglected thorow oute all Englande, and especiallye [Page] in Londō and Westminster: But nowe I trust that a good ouerseer a godly Byshop I meane, wyll se that they in these two cities, shall haue their nede reliued, and their faultes corrected, to the good en­sample of al other tounes & cities.

Take hede that ther be much grasse to sit vpon, there as ye commaūd the people to sit downe, that there be sufficiente housynge and other prouisiō for the people ther as ye commaūd theim to be quiet. The men satte downe about fyue thousandes in nūber. If they had not bene obedient to sitte downe, Christ wold not haue bene liberal to haue gyuen them meate.

Meate was prouided for the Cōmens of England, and readye to haue bene deliuered. But when they were bydden to sit downe in quietnes, they rose vp by rebelliō, and haue lost all the chere of that [Page] feast. Yet that notwithstanding, I trust that those which sat quiet­ly in dede, shal sone be fed with plē tye, if they sit styll vntyll it maye conueniently be disposed. I praye GOD they maye, I truste they shal. The Euaungelist saith that the men sat, namyng neyther wo­men nor Chyldren, how be it there was both women and Chyldren, as appeareth in the other Euan­gelistes. And men be here named onely, because al women and chil­dren did folow the example, and obey the cōmaundemēt of mē: chil­dren of the fathers, and women of their husbandes.

Let not therefore your wyues and chyldren, when they come a­brode, be so bold openly, as to say or do any thinges of them selues, but as they haue example and cō ­maundement of you. Now the multitude placed in quyetnes,

[Page] Iesus toke the loues, and when he hadde giuen thankes, he deuided them vnto his Disciples: and the Disciples vnto them that were set downe: and lykewyse of the fyshes, so much as they would

Here learne fyrste of Chryste, to take nothynge, be it neuer so lytell, but wyth thankes rendered there­fore vnto God: For of God sure­lye thou haste receiued it, by what messenger or meane soeuer thou came vnto it. Then secondarilye, learne at the Apostles to geue vn­to other, that which the Lord hath geuen vnto the, that thou mayest truly say wyth the Apostel Paul. Quod accepi a domino, hoc tradidi uobis. That whiche I receyued of the Lorde, haue I geuen vnto you.

[Page] Beware that thou playe not the wycked seruaunt, which kept his talent hyd, and not delyuered vn­to any vse, for then it shal be taken frō the, and thou shalt be cast into vtter darkenes.

Nowe, to applye this miracle vnto this present time, the kynges Magesty may learne at Chryst to take of his seruauntes, Preben­des, Benefices, Improperacions and all maner of Offyces, that be not presently occupyed & executed of a faythful diligent officer, and after thanckes geuen vnto God therfore, to deliuer them vnto his Counsell and Nobilyty to be dis­posed amongest the people of hys Realme, whych be in such hunger and lacke of faythful officers, and house kepers, and godli preachers that they must nedes faint, excepte they be sone prouided for.

And in thys dystrybucion of of­fices [Page] and benefyces, your Mage­stye wyth your Counsell had nede to stand and beholde the dealyng of your Nobles, as Christ dyd of his Apostles. For it is not vnlike but as there was amongest Chri­stes Apostles, so wyll there be a­mongest euery Chrysten Kynges Counsellers and Nobles, some Iudas whych is to be trusted no further then he can be seene. For in syghte Iudas doth as other of hys felowes do: but beyng out of syghte he solde hys Maister. And so the most couetous of them all, wyll be afrayde to do any thynge amysse, yf you loke vpon: but if your backes be turned, then wyll couetous Iudas sell dearly that whych hys liberal maister gyueth frelye. As for example of late da­yes, the Kynges Magestye that deade is, dyd gyue a Benefyce to be appropryat vnto the Uniuer­sitye [Page] of Cambrydge. In liberam et pu­ram eliemosinam: As fre and pure al­mes. Howe be it, hys handes were so vnpure, whiche should haue de­lyuered it, that he receiued .vi. hun­dreth poundes of the Unyuersytye for it. Whether that this .vi.C. poūds were conueied to the kings behoofe pryuelye for that almes, whyche by playne wrytynge was geuē frely, or els put into some Iudas pouch, I would it were kno­wen. For nowe, by suche charitable Almes, the king is slaundered, the parish vndone, and the vniuersyty in worse case then it was afore.

Pleaseth it your Magestye, wyth your honourable Counsell, for the reuerence of God, the pytye of the poore, and the godlye zele that ye haue to good learning, heare what hath bene done in your tyme.

Your Magesty hath had gyuen & receiued by Act of Parliament, [Page] Colleges, Chauntries, & guyldes for mani good consideracions, and especially as appeareth in the same Act, for exectinge of grammer scho­les, to the educacion of youthe in vertue & godlynes, to the further augmentynge of the vniuersities, and better prouision for the poore and nedy. But now, many Gram­mer scholes, and muche charytable prouision for the poore, be taken, sold, and made awaye, to the greate flaunder of you and youre lawes, to the vtter discomfort of the pore, to the greuous offence of the peo­ple, to the mooste miserable drow­nynge of youthe in ygnoraunce, and soore decaye of the Uniuersi­ties.

There was in the North coun­trye, amongest the rude people in knowledge (whyche be most readye to spend theyr liues and goodes, in seruinge the king at the burnyng [Page] of a Beacon) there was a Gram­mer schole founded, hauynge in the Uniuersitie of Cambrydge, of the same foundacion .viii. scholerships two felowshippes, euer replenished wyth the scholers of that schole, whych schole is now sold, decayed, and loste. Mo there be of lyke sort handled: But I recyte thys one­lye, because I knowe that the sale of it was once stayed of charytye, and yet afterwardes broughte to passe by brybrye, as I hearde saye, and beleue it, because that it is on­ly brybrye that customablye ouer commeth charytye.

For gods sake you that be in au­thorytye, loke vpon it.

For if ye winke at suche matters, God wyl scouse vpon you. Thinke not that I do burden you w ^t more than that which God by hys ordy­naunce, not w ^tout your willes & cō ­sentes, hath charged you wythal. [Page] For by whose faute or negligence so euer it was, that thynges afore tyme haue ben vncharytably abu­sed, suerlye it is your charge, whi­che be nowe in authorytye, to se at thys tyme all such thynges as yet remayne out of order, rightuously, spedely, and charitably redressed.

And as I do perceyue, that the a­buse of these thynges afore tyme, hath offended God, troubled the common wealth, and brought some men towardes shame & confusion: So do I wyshe, praye, and trust, that nowe the redresse of the same maye be to gods pleasure, the peo­ples cōfort, & to y ^e honor & establishment of them that be in most highe authorytye.

Heare therefore, and I wyl tel you more: There were in some townes .vi. some .viii. and some a dosyn kyne, gyuen vnto a stocke for the relyefe of the poore, and vsed [Page] in such wyse, that the poore cotin­gers, which could make any pro­uision for fodder, had y ^e, milke for a very small hyre, & then the number of the stocke reserued, al manner of vayles besydes, bothe the hyre of the mylke, and the pryces of the yong veales, and olde fatte wares, was disposed to the reliefe of the poore, these be also soulde, taken, and made awaye. The Kynge bea­reth the slaunder, the poore feleth the lacke, but who hath the profit of suche thynges, I canne not tell: but well I wot, and al the worlde seeth, that the Acte of Parlimente made by the Kynges Magestye, and hys Lordes and Commens of the Parliamente, for the maynte­naunce of learnynge, and reliefe of the poore, hathe serued some, as a most fit instrument to rob learning and to spoyl the pore.

If you that now be in authorytye [Page] do not loke vpon such thynges to redresse them, god wyl loke vpon you, to reuenge theym. Here haue I rehersed theim, that the Kynges Magestye, wyth you of hys coun­sell maye learne not onelye by the doctrine & examples of scripture, but also by experience in hys own land, to se and consider howe hys benefytes, put into the handes of hys nobles and offycers, be dispo­sed and vsed amongest his inferi­our people.

For if landed men & offycers by keping of houses, & doing of theyr dutyes in theyr countryes, do be­stowe amonge the people, all that they haue receiued of god, by the kynges gyft, theyr fathers inhery­tance, or other waies: then shal god giue such encrese, y ^t euery man shall haue inough.

As Salomon, the .xi. of the Prouerbes testifieth: Alii diuidunt [Page] propria, et ditiores fiunt: alii rapiunt non sua, et semper in egestate sunt: Some dispose and gyue theyr owne, and become rycher and rycher: some doo rauine and spoyle that whiche is not theyr owne, and be euer in lacke and deede. As ye see in day­lye experience, those that do theyr owne duties in executinge theyre offyces, and bestowe theyr owne goodes in kepynge good houses, baue euer suche plentye, that all other men maruayle from whence god sendeth it. And those y ^t do no duties, nor kepe no houses, but brybe in theyr offyces, and polle theyr te­uaūtes, take so much and haue so litel, that all men wonder how the deuyl they waste it.

Nothynge is more true then the Gospell: Date, et dabitur uobis: Gyue & it shal be gyuen vnto you. Gyue plentifully vnto other, and godwil gyue more plentie vnto you. [Page] For God wyll alwayes be afore hand, in giuyng good giftes. For as appeareth in thys gospell, when the Apostles hadde giuen vnto the people so muche good meate as they desyred, then saieth the Euan­geliste.

When they wer filled, Iesus sayeth to hys dysci­ples: Gather vp the bro­ken meates that remaine, so that nothynge be lost. They therefore gathered and fylled .xii. baskets ful wyth the broken meates remaining of that which they had eaten.

Here they gaue but .v. loues & two fishes, & ther was giuē vnto thē .xii baskets ful of meates.

The Wyddowe of Sarepthat [Page] gaue but one handfull of flowre, and a litle oile vnto Elias, and had gyuen vnto her againe so much as serued her and her sonne, al the time of the great drought .iii. Reg .xvii. Learne therfore that couetous bri­bry & extorcion hath neuer inough: and charytable lyberalytye euer hath plentye.

Here also maye rych men learne, when and howe to fyll theyr store houses. Surely, euen as the Apo­stles dyd fyll theyr baskettes, when the people haue inoughe, then by gatherynge vp that whiche elles shoulde be lost. So dyd Iosephe in Egipt, suffer no corne to be lost in the yeares of plentye, but stored it vp in barnes, to reléue the peo­ple wyth, in the tyme of darth: Not as couetous Carles do here in En­gland forstall the markets, and by corne at al tymes, to begyn and en­crease a dearthe.

[Page] Blessed be they that sell, to make good cheape, and cursed be they that bye, to make it deare. For Sa­lomon sayeth. Prouerbes .xi.

Qui abscondit frumenta, maledicetur in populis: benediccio autem super caput uen­dencium: He that hydeth vp corne, shall be cursed amongest the peo­ple: But blessynge be vpon theyr heades, that sell.

Nowe, to teache Chrysten ru­lers theyr dutyes, in the example of Chrystes Apostles: marke howe the Apostles dyd fyrst minister vn­to the people, and than gathered vp for them selues, teaching there­by all Chrysten ministers, lande­lordes, offycers, and rulers, fyrste to minister vnto the people, euerye one the dutye of hys owne voca­cion, afore they gather of the peo­ple, rentes, tythes, or fees, by the name and aucthorytye of that vo­cacion. Qui non labor at, sayeth Paule, [Page] non manducet: He that doeth not la­bour, should not eate. He that doth no worke, shoulde take no wages: he that doeth no dutyes, shoulde take no fees. Alas, thys is goddes woorde, wrytten in hys wyll and Testamente, sealed wyth Chrystes bloude, and yet the customes and lawes of Englande be cleane con­trarye. For it hathe bene custome­ably vsed, yea, and by lawes com­maunded, to paye wages, tythes, and fees, althoughe no labour, no offyce, no dutye be done. Yea, al­though he be not a labourer, a pa­stor or an offycer in dede, but onlye by a pretenced name, vnto whome these for the most part be paied.

For he that hath the propertyes & useth the trades of a false theife, & cruell murtherer, can neuer be a faythful offycer in dede, althoughe he be so named by hys owne fla­tery, in the Patrons presentacion, [Page] in the Byshoppes induccion, yea and in the Kynges Patent, sealed wyth the brode Seale. I had nede to take hede how that I speake o­penly agaynst any thynge in any mans Patent, sealed w ^t the kings great seale: Much more nede hadde you to take hede, how that ye do a­ny thing expressedly against god­des wyll and Testamente, sealed wyth Chrystes precious bloude.

It is expressedly agaynste Goddes Testamente, to clothe a Wolfe in a Lambes skynne: to call a thefe, an officer, and a cruell murtherer a charytable pastoure: to call euyll by the name of good: and good by the name of the euyll. Esaye .v.

Ve qui dicitis in alum bonum. Wo be to you that call euyl good. To you I say, which not only by sayinges but also in wrytynges, do name & call theiues, murtherers, & wolfes that be euyll, by the names of of­ficers, [Page] pastors, and lambes, whi­che be good. I do not onlye meane Persons, Prebendaryes, and other benefised men, but also all manner officers, whiche haue wages, fees, or liuinges, because you geue them such names, and not for that they do such dutyes.

These be al Wolfs, and the names and titles that you gyue them, be nothynge els but shepe skynnes.

Some saye, they wyll take better heede hereafter, but that whiche is nowe past, can not nowe be called backe, and amended. Yea, and it were great pytye, seynge that they haue payed the fyrst fruites vnto the Kinges Magesty, and no smal reward vnto other men, perchaūce bought theyr offyces dearelye, now to put them out of those lyuynges, wyth the losse. of. all those charges whiche they haue bestowed in re­wardes, as other wayes, to gette [Page] such lyuynges.

Wo, wo wo vnto you hypocry­tes that stumble at a strawe, and leape ouer a blocke, that strayne out a gnat, and swalowe vp a ca­mell, that pytye more the losse of mens brybrye, whiche was geuen to corrupt some men, then the trea­ding vnder fote of Christes bloud, whiche was shead, to saue all men, that dooe imagin it pytye to dryue the theues, murtherers and wol­fes frō amongest y ^e lambs of God, redemed w ^t Christs precious blud, & cōmitted vnto your gouernaunce and kepynge.

As God shal helpe me, I speake wyth feare, pytye, and reuerence: if you do not rather pulle the she­pes skinnes ouer the wolfes eares, and hang theyr carcases vpon the pales, then suffer theym to conty­newe styll, God wyll plucke you downe wyth some sodein mischiefe, [Page] rather then mainteine or suffer you in so hygh authorytye, to vse such vncharitable, vngodly, and cruell pytye. You knowe that some of thē haue bought theyr benefyces, haue bought theyr offyces, than must ye nedes know, that eyther Christ is a lyer, or els that they be entered in as theues, to spoyle, murther, and to destroye.

If you suffer theues, murtherers and wolfes to take theyr plesures amongest Goddes lambes, I tell you playne, God wyll not longe suffer you to be y ^e hedshepherds, & gouernours, & feders of hys lābes.

And take hede you people that on the otherside ye runne not into an vntollerable stobernes, deniyng your rētes, your tithes, or other du­ties: for y ^e scripture forbydoeth you vtterly, to deny or withdrawe any thīg frō thē: thou art cōmaūded if he contēd to take thy cloke to geue [Page] hym also thy cote. What soeuer is asked, rather gyue more, than by denyinge of that, not to shewe thy selfe to be an innocent shepe that gyueth hys fleese, but a noysome Goat, that striketh with the horne. You are alwayes bounden to geue the flese. It is the magistrates du­ties, to consider and note, whether they be theues or shepherds, dogs or woulfes, that taketh the fleese. Medle not wyth other mennes du­ties, for if ye do, surely ye shal finde no remedye, but prouoke vncolou­rable vengeaunce.

Nowe to tourne to oure par­ticuler purpose, lette all theym that do receiue offices, landes, power, or authorytye frome God, by the kynges gyfte, or by other meanes, Firste bestowe & dispose the dutyes of those thynges faithfullye amongest the people, afore they gather vp to theim selues the reuenues & [Page] commodities of the same from the people. And then when as no man can come to meat, but by doyng of labour, nor none to receyuynge of fees, but by doing of duties, surely euery man shal haue as much as he deserueth, & no man shall lacke that which he needeth.

For he, that by doing of greate duties deserueth the moste, by at­teininge the fees and rewardes due for the same dutyes, shall haue the best. And he y ^t is in nede, hauinge no trust to get any thyng by idle­nesse, crafte, or flattery, shalbe com­pelled to vse that labour & honest exercise, whyche shall relyeue hys nede sufficiētly. Yea, by thys mean no man shall spende hys tyme in idlenesse, nor vse any labour or dy­ligence, wythout due recompence, For nede shall dryue all men from slouthfull idlenesse, vnto labour & diligēce: and where as no laboure [Page] nor dylygence lacketh hys iust re­warde, there euery labouring and diligent man, shal haue sufficient plenty: So ye see how thys doeth consequently ensue, that euery māshal haue sufficient inough & plentye, wheras men do first dispose, minister, & giue according to theyr dutyes, & afterwards receiue kepe & saue that which God doth sende as a rewarde, encreased & augmen­ted, for doing of theyr dutyes.

So dyd the Apostles, after the faythful diligent disposyng of the v. loues and .ii. fyshes receiue and keepe theyr rewarde wonderfullye augmēted, to replenish and fyl .xii. baskets. So God graunt, that all officers in Englād may wyth such faithful diligence do theyr duties y ^t it may please God to gyue to all the people sufficient inough, & vn­to euery minister, the basket of his honest desire, heaped vp bi the brim

[Page] The men therfore seynge what a signe Iesus had done, sayd that this is y ^t Prophet, whiche cometh into the worlde. This is euen he whom Moises, the law, & the pro­phetes do teache, to be the fully & only sufficient sauiour of y ^e world. Moses saying, in y ^e .xviii. of Deut. A Prophet of thy nacion & of thy brethren, lyke vnto me, shall the Lorde thy God rayse vp vnto the, hym shalt thou heare. The lawe, as a tutour, leadeth & bryngeth al men to thys sauyour, to receyue of hym that perfeccion, which the law it selfe lacketh. The Prophetes dyd tel long afore of this sauiour which is now comen in our tyme, after theyr dayes. Thys was the peoples confession of Chryst, after that they were by so great a mira­cle, so plentyfullye fed. Christe ofte afore had wrought wōderfull mi­racles, disputed learnedly, & prea­ched [Page] playnely: but by al those mea­nes did he not so muche perswade the people, and win theyr heartes, as by thys one miracle, in feeding & cheryshinge the people. Yea, and whosoeuer listeth to mark thorowe out all Englande, he shall se that a meane learned person, keping an house in hys paryshe, and beyng of godly conuersacion, shal perswade & teach mo of hys parishners with communicacion at one meale, than the best learned doctor of diuinitie kepynge no house can perswade or teache in hys parish by preachyng a dosen solemne sermons.

Lyke wyse the gentle man that kepeth a good house in his cōtrey shalbe in better credit with y ^e peo­ple for hys liberalitye, then the best orator or lawier in England, for all hys eloquence. I do not prayse those men whych brybe and pol al the yeare to kepe riot in theyr hou­ses [Page] for a fortnyght, a moneth, or a quarter of a yeare: But those I se beloued, trusted & obeyed, that ac­cordynge to theyr habilitie, keepe good houses continually.

And the chiefe cause why the com­mens doo not loue, trust, nor obey the gentlemē & officers, is, because the gentlemen and officers buylde many fayre houses, and kepe fewe good houses, haue plentye of elo­quence to tell fayre tales, but vse lytell faythfull dylygence in doing of theyr duties. Wherefore, sende forth, and place in euerye countrye godly preachers, wel disposed per­sons, and faithful diligent officers of all sortes. Yea, but where shuld we now fynd liuyngs for al those?

Forsoth I do tel you: Outand away with the wily foxes, the false flatteryng theues, & the rauenyng wolfes, and than se how many lo­ues, how many offices, prebendes, [Page] and benefices ye finde voyde, howe mani you haue amongest your sel­ues that youre boye caryeth, that your chapleynes, your seruaunts, and your houshold officers haue, & let all these be broughte forth: and althoughe at the fyrste syghte they shal seme to litle, and fewe to serue so greate a Realme with so manye shyres, beyng all runne nowe oute of ciuil order into rude wildernes, Yet, after equal diuidyng & fayth­ful diligent ministring of those lo­ues and fyshes, of these prebends, personages, and all kynd of offices amongest the people, God of hys goodnesse shall geue suche increase vnto the people, hauynge thereby sufficiente plenty of Chrystes holy worde of good ciuil order, & of cha­ritable reliefe, that there shal be re­maynyng so much tithes, offrynge, rentes, fees, & rewards, as wyl fyll the .xii. baskets of the Apostles, I [Page] meane the barnes, the houses, and purses of all sayethfull diligente ministers and offycers. Then shall thys one acte perswade and allure the hertes of al Englyshmen, more then all that euer was done afore: For when they shall see, that by thys Kyng and thys Counsell, the wilye foxe of supersticion is vtterlye banyshed, the false these of fla­terye apprehended and taken, and the cruel wolfe of couetousenesse slain and hanged vp by the heeles, so that the preachers, the persons, the officers, and all manner of pa­stores restored to theyr places, doo feede, cherysh, and kepe theyr floc­kes whiche were afore pylled, spoi­led and deuoured: then shall they of hertye courage, with one minde, and one voice confesse and acknow­ledge, that thys is a Kyng sent frō God, in dued wyth the wysdome of Salomon, and the faythfull dili­gent [Page] stoutnesse of Dauyd hys fa­ther, nowe guyded by godly coun­sel to bryng out of mysery, and prosper in welth vs the people of thys hys Real pe. Dixit Dominus. The Lorde hathe spoken it.

God graunt you grace to do it, with thanks & prayse to hym for euer.