AMongest the ho­le multitude of euyls throwen vpō mākyn de, in this mortal lyfe A poore mā leding a godly ly­fe, is better thē y ^e riche y ^t goeth in froward wayes pro, xxviii is to be feared most greuouslye. The prickyng thornes of ryches which these welthy worldlinges be endewed w ^tal in soch superflus habōdaūce, y ^t alas it is to be la­mēted. Cōsydering y ^e great daū ger, & perel / those men be in, whyche possesse y ^e same, & thinke it no part theyr bōdē office, & dutie, to mynistre vnto the poore mēbres of Christe, accordynge vnto the Gospell, But continuallye la­boure, and studye, to enryche thē [Page] / & theyr posteritie euē, as y ^e vse therof, apparteyned vn to thē only, & none other inuētin­ge, by al y ^e meanes they may pos­syble, to get & obtayne riches, lā ­des & possessiōs, w ^t great trauell and care of mynde / as though y ^e thing ones gottē / shuld euer re­mayne / & Worldlye ryches is but a mu­table thīg [...] passeth away like to [...] dream styl continue with thē / or else at y ^e leaste / theyr chyldren and frendes / to enioye the same after the getters decease: These kynde of men, lytle pondereth, or weigheth in theyr mindes, This fearful sayeng of our Sauiour christ, spokē in the. xvi. of S. lu­kes gospel, wher it is said, Come and geue nowe accompte, of thy Bayly wyke stand forth, Let me see, what accompt thou canst render, of soche goodes as thou hast had lent to the, & how y ^u wilt dys­charge thy selfe, of the dystrubucion [Page] of thē vnto whose vse y ^u wast appoynted to haue y ^e kepynge of thy riches, & not vnto thy nowne goo to make a reconing quickly, Oh merciful lord, shal this street accōpt, by thys of y ^e ryche worldlynges demaūded, yea truly, for when the euening cometh, which is the end of this world, thē shal Where y ^e fayth of christ is, ther is lo­ue to the brethren▪ euery man gyue a iuste reconing of his Bayliewyke, and take his reward good or bad, accordinge as he hath enployed his Talant here. Now if thou cāst discharge thys thyne accompte, iustly and truly. Thē was theyr neuer any earthly lorde, y ^t so rewarded hys seruauntes, as thy lorde thē thy audytoure wil reward the, for he wyl gyue the lyfe & ioye, euerla­stynge, But & yf y ^u o ryche mā, be negligēt & regard not thine own velthe, & take no hede vnto thys [Page] thy reconing, no tong can expres the soro we & payne, y ^t thou shalt suffre. Therfore, the desyre of so great ioye, & dred of so horryble payne, yea al thoughe thou had­dest no loue of god in thy harte, yet at the leaste way it shuld ma­ke the continually to remember, that theyr must be accompte ma­de of thy Baylywyke, Therfore be circūspect, & learne thys lessō of the wycked stewarde & make you frendes, of the wycked Mā ­mon, which is your ryches, that whē ye haue rūne your course in this transitorious lyfe, & depart Luke xvi. hence, they may receaue you into euerlasting habitaciōs, Cōsider o thou ryche man, which wyth al thy study ouse diligence, labou­reth & continually, trauelleth, w ^t all thy wytte & endustrye to ob­tayne riches, & to be of great sub staūce, to purchase ample & great [Page] possessions, as though thou shul [...]es inheret the yearth euer. Marke Luke, vi what is sayd to the in the gos­pell, Wo be to you that ar ryche. That haue therin your consola­tion, Wo be to you that ar full, for ye shall hōger, Wo be to you that now laughe for ye shal way [...]e Luke. xvi. & wepe. &c. Oh how farre pas­seth the wysdome of the chyldren of thys worlde, from the chyldrē of lyghte. For what soeuer he be whych loueth money and fyxeth hys harte vpon the vayne riches and substaunce of thys worlde, Eccle, v [...]s neuer contented nor satisfied for all hys delyght, and pleasure [...]s in ryches and yet, for all that saythe the wyse precher, he shall haue no profyt therof. Is it not to be greuously lamented and so [...]owed, to se what insaciable desyre many men haue to get ryches [Page] and be so careful & studiouse for It is a helly payn to be infected wyth a couetous mynde the optayninge of the same, that in maner al theyr whole care & study is y ^e way. And vnto what end & purpose, do they thus torment them selues nothinge else, but to heape vp, & gather in, to enryche theyr chyldrē, wyfe, & frendes, to be lordes ouer the poore, and to lyue here in great welthines, ha­uing no cōsideraciō of this streat accompt, to be rēdred, both for y ^e inordynat gathering therof, and also for the not helpyng of theyr weake brothers, whych peryshe for exterme neade, & lake of thynges necessary to mayntayn them and theyr familie, And many be The myserable lyfe of y ^e coue­tous man is not to be excogi­tate. yet so myserable in gettyng goo des, and ryches, that they pynche theyr bodyes, aswell by the tra­uel labour, & payne which conti­nually they take, but also be soch [Page] nigardes that truly it is to thē a helly payne to bestow some part of ther money, vpon theyr owne belys. And many tymes for fea­blenes beinge exersysed in theyr couetuouse chrachynge vp / this worldly glase, whyche is all but vanitie, that they dye myserably To these men speaketh the wyse Eccle. xiiii man, whyche sayth nothynge is more wycked, and vngracious, than is a couetous mā, for theyr syluer nor theyr gold shal not be Doph [...]. i. able, to delyuer them in the daye of the Lordes wrathe. Therfore beware o y ^u ryche couetous man that thou gette not thy goodes, wrongfully as by extorciō stelth vsury, or deceyte, yf y ^t thou haue than wo shalbe vnto the, at thys dredfull daye, of thyne accompt makynge, for thus sayth S. au­sten, Austen, i. yf he be cast into y ^e fyre that [Page] hath not geuē of his own goodes iustely gotten. Wher shall he be caste y ^t hath stolē other mēs goo­des, thynkest y ^u? Or yf he shall brene with the fende? y ^t hath not clothed y ^e naked. Where iudgest thou he shall berne, y ^t hath made naked those y ^t ware clothed. Oh howe fewe dothe thes ryche men cloth now a dayes. Almost none, but careth al to cloth him selfe (& his) Remēber what the scripture Eccle, iiii. sayth vnto hym. That of his car ful trauel hath no end. And that his eyes cānot be satisfyed wyth riches, nor wil excogitate w ^t him self, (& saye) for whom do I take this paynfull trauell. For whose pleasure do I thus consume my Eccle, ii lyfe. And yet after all hys la­bours, he shalbe fayne to leaue hys goodes to another. That ne uer traueled nor swet for theym, [Page] therfore is it not a vayne thynge To it not a great fo lye & mad­nesse to be carful for those why the he [...]oth not know and a great myserie, for a mā all y ^e dayes of hys lyfe to trauel la­boure & studye to enryche other whych shal (euē hys own sonne) Caste▪ hys armes abrode, & in all [...]alcyuyousnes, & wantonnesse cō sume this riches which thou hast so greuously al the dayes of thy lyfe cared for, yea in a smale ty­me he shal wast & spend it awaye ryotously, And vnthryftely, art y ^• goodes gotten by couetous­nes is s [...]ēt las [...]iuyously many tymes, of y ^• eyr [...]s not the cause of this euyl thy self whych by thy lyfe woldest not bestowe thy substāce, according, as thou art bounden. Bothe by the commaundemente of God, and the lawe of nature. Doeste thou not vnderstande that the bread of the hongrye is the lyfe of the poore. And he that defraudethe [Page] him of his bread defraudeth him of his lyfe. And is it not also wryten. Prou. xi. He that trusteth in proue [...]. xi prouer. ix. riches, shal come to nought, And it is muche better to haue a lytle wyth the feare of the lorde, than great & insaciable treasures. Be holde sayth the holy prophet [...]f, xxxvii [...]. Dauid in the thyrd & eyght psalme. He heapeth vp treasure, and yet knoweth not he for whō he gathe reth it, is it not more thā madnes (yea) very madnes it selfe. To be so desyrious of great ryches whiche is so daūgerous, & excludeth many out of y ^e kyngdō of heauē, it is sayd in the gospel. My lytle Math. xix babes, how hard is it for thē that trust in theyr riches, to enter into the kingdō of heuē, wherby it is more easyer, for a cable, to go The ente­ring of the ryche into heauen is is harde. thorow y ^e eye of a nedle, than a ryche man to enter into y ^• kingdō of he [Page] uē, Ponder wel these wordes o y ^u man, which art choked wyth the thornes of ryches, & worldly sub staūce, weigh I say frō the bottō of thy hart, what perel, & Ieoperdy, Esaye▪ [...] y ^u art in, whych ioyne house to house, & felde to felde, shal ye alone inhabit the erth? The precher Eccle. [...]i in the second of his boke sayth I made gorgious fayre workes. I buylded my houses orchardes & gardeyns of pleasure. I gathe­red syluer, & gold, plētie. &c. And I se al is vanitie vnder y ^e sonne, shalt y ^u not leaue al these thinges To other, what madnes is thys sayth S. Austē, to lese lyfe, & gra [...]u [...]u, [...] ce, & to procure, the soules dāpnacion to wynne gold & lose heauē, psalm, li [...] And therfore sayth y ^e ꝓphet psal. liiii. vnhappynes, shal compasse the, roūd about, trauel & vnrigh­teousnes, in y ^e middes amōg thē Abacuc. [...]. [Page] doth not y ^e prophet Abacuc saye. Wo be to thē y ^t gathereth toge­ther. That whyche is not of hys own. And heapeth vp thicke clay agaynst him self: Therfore saith a holy Doctour. The clay of E­gypt The claye of Egypt is f [...]eshlye cauetynge [...]arnal plesures, and trāsytori­ous thynges of this worlde. is toughe stincking, & medled with bloode, & the slattes we­re harde to be vndone. For they were bakē with the fyre of coue­tous, & with the layre or earth of lustes: Alas in this do trauel ry­che mē & in this thei watche lyēg await for poore mē. Here what is said of soche. Thei haue led their dayes in vanitie & welth. And in a momēte they be gone done into hel, this is a fearful sentēce, to be feared of these ryche worldlīges But alas I feare y ^t twoo thinges specially, make mē thus to lyue by coueting & rape of other mēs goodes. That is desyre of honor and drede of pouertie. But take [Page] hede & beware sayth S. Lu. in y ^e Luke. v [...] vi. of his gospel of couetousnes. For no mās lyfe stādeth in y ^e abō daūce of thinges which he possesseth. And S. Austen sayth, we se Austen sayth he, y ^t rauenous fyshes, ha­ue some measure. For when they hōger, they reap & eate. But whē they be ful, they spare. But y ^e co­uetous ryche mā, he is neuer sa­tisfyed nor fulfylled, but euer he taketh. And neuer hath ynough, Ryches endureth but a moneth & y ^e owners also [...]ani­sheth in y ^e twync [...]lls of an eye▪ zacha▪ vi w ^tout dred of god or shame of mā He occupieth dead mēs goodes, as thoughe he shulde neuer dye To soche it shalbe sayde: y ^u foole This night wyl they fetch away thy soule from the. Than whose shall y ^u thynges be, that y ^u hast so gredely gathered together. what vengeaunce falleth of thys syn­ne of coueteusnesse. Rede in the Prophet zacharia the syxte chap­ter [Page] / and thou shalt se. Whā zachary was cōmanded of the angel to lyfe vp his eyes to se what it was y ^t goeth out, the prophete askynge what it was, it was an­swered, This is y ^e pot goyng out And that is the eye of the earth, thys potts couetyse, whych euer more gapeth after worldely goodes ryches and honoure / And as Ryches is y ^• gods of the u [...]ady, y ^• lycoure in y ^e pot profyteth not to y ^e pot self. But vnto them that drawe, & drinke therof, so world­ly goodes, ofte profyteth not the keper. But other that come after for it is wryttē. He that hath money, shall haue no fruit of it, ful sore be y ^e couetous persones blinded. That they se not howe they shuld come to heauē. But to win ne trāsitorie thynges, they haue as manye eyes as Argus had & mo, for they ar like to owles and [Page] nightroues that seethe better by He y ^t hath not cōpas­syō of the poore lo­ueth not god, nyght than by daye. And thorow this vyle auarice / a mā doth lose y ^e pytie, he shuld haue of his own soule. For by that dedly synne is lost the lyfe of the soule. In get­tyng ryches & therby is lost also the pytie they shulde haue vnto theyr bodyes, putting thē selues in much great ieoperdie, both by sea, & land, & also leseth the ruthe and cōpassiō, they shuld haue of Iob. xx other poore mens indigence and nead, for it is sayd whē he is fyl­led he shalbe stopped, oh what ty rable sayinges of the scriptures be these, wyl they not take away that inpietie whych is thus clo­sed by obstynaciō that this coue tousnes may go out of the ryche mans hart / by repētance / & to fol low the sayenge of christ whyche sayth in y ^e gospel of S. lu. That Luke. xvi. [Page] he whych is faythful in y ^t which is leste, the same is faythefull in moche. And he y ^t is vnfaithful in y ^e least, is vnfaythful also ī moch So thē yf ye haue not bene faithful Math. vi▪ in y ^e wycked māmō, Who wil beleue you in y ^t which is trew, yf ye haue not bene faythful in another mās busines, who shal geue you your own, As who shuld say Whosoe­uer hath y ^e substance of this worlde ought to be a distributter to the poore, y ^e ryche couetous mā, is but y ^e keper for the poore, & ought to be a iuste & true mynyster, & a fayth­ful distrubutter as wel in y ^e least as in y ^e moche, that is to geue of hys lytle as of his moche, quan­titie for quātitie, beyng his own for no mā lyueth to him selfe but to benefyte other. And therfore yf the ryche men, be not faythful in the poore mans busynes, who shal geue hym his owne, for god shal for not doynge hys bonden [Page] dutie vnto his weake brethrē, take psa, xxxv [...] it frō hī (for it is wryttē) Thei beare no burdēs, but be in al ease and riches. They be not oppres­sed wyth mortal myserye of men neather pinched wyth nead, lyke other mē wherfore they ar pufte vp wyth pryde. They be droned in myschefe, & iniury, so that for theyr welthy ryches. They be ge uen to al lustes & follow the de­syres of theyr owne hartes. But lord how sodenly are they banis­shed, & destroyed. And w ^t sondrie myschefes cōsumed. &c. Wo to y ^e proud welthy in Sy [...], euē soche as thinke thē selues sure vpon y ^e moūte Samaria, lo these vngodlye The ryche do neglec­te y ^e neces­tie of their brethren ryche men, thynke to possesse theyr ryches perpetually, They drinke theyr wine out of goblets playēg vpō istrumēts, anoyntīg theyr heads w ^t y ^e best oyle, but no mā [Page] is sory for Iosephs hurt. No mā tendereth the nead of other. Eue ry mā hopeth in vayne thynges. And prouideth for his own, he is a wyse man which can by his wit and pollicie get & heap ryches to gether & moch in estimaciō with the wycked. O say they, se how y ^e worlde goeth wyth thys man / he hath by hys endustrie in fewe yeres gottē great substance & pos­sessions surely he is a wyse man. [...]pot. [...]. But what is wrytten of soche worldly wyse. Wo be vnto thē y ^t ar wyse in theyr own syght. And thynke thē selues, to haue vnderstanding [...]uc. xvi Math. vi for that which is hyghly estemed among mē is abhom [...] nable in y ^e lyght of god. Ryches is a perelous trape, & many be takē in the snare, for by the inordy­nate coueting therof, many hea­peth vp theyr own destructiō, for the [Page] pleasure therof in y ^e end it is ve­rye greuous & bytter. The ryche glottō y ^t had so great pleasure in his ryches, was caste down into hel. The great riche Epulo whi­che Epulo fared so deliciouslye & hadde soch an insaciable couetous hart to haue treasure / had poured īto hys mouth hoote moltē gold as the hystorie maketh menciō. Co­uetyse, is cause y ^t ryche men, eate poore men, euen as beastes eate grasse. And wyl not let thē grow vp, but kepeth thē loo not helpinge thē in theyr necessities / but setteth theyr pasture frō thē. S Ambrose Ambro. de suo ubell [...] de [...]both wel paīteth fourth these ryche couetous mē, saying how farre wyll ye ryche men stretch oute your couetousnes, wyl ye dwel a lone vpō the erth, & haue no poore mē with you, why put you out your felowe in kynd & couite ry­ches & [Page] and possessiōs, which kynde & nature hath made cōmē to all both poore & riche, wil ye thē ryche mē chalenge propertie therin. Nature & kynde, knoweth no ryches, for she bryngeth fourthe all men poore. Naked we come & naked the earth taketh vs agayn, nature maketh no differēce betwen ryche & poore, loke amōg the dead bones, and se yf thou canst know the ryche frō the poore. What a­uaylethe thy ryches then o thou couetous man, whych arte neuer fully satisfied so lōg as thou art in this corrupt & stincking fleshe Behold how god hath plaged couetous persones, for Innocenti­us Innocen. speaking of y ^e harme. That co meth of couetousnes saythe, Oh how many mē hath couetousnes deceyued & spylled, for couetousnes Num. xxii sake. Wold not Balaam for [Page] gyftes that kyng Balac promy­sed to haue cursed Israel dyd not his own asse reproue his consciē ­ce, & hurt his fote at a wall & not wythstanding yet he was ouercome. And lead awaye wyth coue­tousnes: Achane was stoned for Ios [...] ▪ [...] couetousnes. Gyhesye was stry­kē w ^t leprosy for sellyng of Ama­nes helth that came by y ^e grace of god, & many moo as Iudas kīg Achab & other innumerable whiche couetousnes, hath broughte to distruction (for it is wrytten). psalm xii. The couetouse mā shall receyue punyshmēt whē he dieth, & also it is wryttē in Hierime the. ix. cha. I [...]tem. ix. Let not y ^e ryche mā glorye in his ryches. For they be mutable and trāsitorye thīges. It was not w ^t out cause y ^t the wyse man sayde. Blessed is y ^e mā, y ^t is foūd w ^tout spot, & hath not gone after gold nor [Page] hath had truste in the treasure of money. Whyche is he, & we wyll prayse hym, for he hath done myracles in hys lyfe (as though he wolde say) ther is none, or at the leaste very fewe / but al knowe & perceaue in thē selues, what gredy desyre & loue, they haue to money. And yet to blear the eyes of the poore, this couer of shame, & vyce. Hath couetyce, whych they cal bodely sustenāce, neadful to natur / vnder shadow of y ^• which couetyse to obtayne ryches, doth labour īordinately, & vnsaciably out of rule & al godli measure, by al [...] meanes possible he cā ymagē thus w ^t al his dilygēce, he goeth after gold, & trusteth in the trea­sure of his money, & wil not suf­fre hys money to followe hym / & that money may remaine for his sake. And not he for the money [Page] sake, lyke as a bondman to hys Mammon, to loue the money, & to set hys harte vpon it for wher Luc. xii Luc. xvi your tresure is, ther shalbe your harte, also. For ye cannot serue God and Mammon together, & for thys cause the apostell [...]aull he calleth no other synne Idola­trie. But onely couetousnes, for a couetous man declareth hys carnal wil, and how that he hath more trust in hys ryches, then in God. For he thynketh to haue more gayne by hys money than by god. It is to be lamented to se these wealthy worldlinges what maner of glorie and confydence, they haue in theyr riches, calling and substaūce, for yf they be not yet of the notable soorte, of the myghty ryche couetous mē, Yet yf they be extolled to anye offyce but as feed men, It loke they a [Page] lofte wyth a lordly coūtenaunce vpon theyr inferyours, whyche hathe theyr lyuinges of the same fountayne, out of the which they same lycoure for theyr owne ly­uynges, as though y ^e same ware thrall or bondē seruāts vnto thē whych is contrarye vnto the sayinge of S. Luke, in the. vi. chapter [...]u [...]e. vi of his gospel, whych sayth an euyl man, yet vseth lyberalytye vnto hys frendes. And the bru­tall beestes, of theyr own kynde be good, and lyberall, vnto theyr owne nature, how moch therfore oughte a christen man, thynke it a hygher thynge, that hys good­nes and lyberalytie, shuld helpe them, that be indigent. Euen those whych deserue it not. Yea, hys enemyes, and euen thē that haue hurte hym. For except thou help thy enemy whych hath neade of [Page] thy help, and soccour hym in his necessytie, it is euen as thou haddeste stolen from hym. For thou arte bonden to helpe hym. So sayth S. Ambrose, (fede the hongrye Ambrose. saythe he) for yf thou fede hym not, y ^u kyllest hym, as moche as in the is, For yf thou be a co­uetous man, and dwellethe in thy riches. Thou hast nether charytie here in earth vnto thy bre­thren nor to God in heauen, for thou beareste thys pote as is be­fore spoken of, Into the lande of Samar [...]e. That is to saye: into the land of stenche, (that is hell) for theyr is stenche in steade of swet smellynge. Beware o thou couetous ryche mā. That liueth to thy owne comodytie. That thou go not with thys pote into the lake of darkenes. Consydre [Page] that thou muste render a streate accompt of thy bayly wike. Therfore bestow thy substaūce discre­telye. And make the frendes of this wycked Mammon, whyles thou arte the vser of it (for else) Thou shalte be an inhabyter of euerlastinge death, & shalt there paye the vttermost farthing. Oh Lorde that euery ryche man wolde consyder what his dutie, and office ware toward his poore brethren. Then wolde he not be so gredy to heape and gather riches To that end to vse them as ma­ny doth, vnto theyr owne destruction, as it is moche to be feared. For amongest all kynde of men, ryche couetous men, be so blyn­ded in the duste of theyr substaū ­ce. That they wil not se, the necessytie of the poore, but with al di­ligence, loketh vnto them selues [Page] theyr chyldren and familie, Ly­uing in all lustes and pleasures as in sumptious farre, Gorgy­ous apparell / gallant and fayre houses. Of these it is wrytten. They satte done to eate, and ro­se agayne to playe. Oh wold vnto the lyuing god, that the ryche men wolde remember who are theyr chyldren. Then shuld they fynde that the hongrye, thyrsty, naked, sycke and straungers, by theyr chyldrē. For whō god hath Euery ry­che mans house is an hospi­for y ^e nedy made theyr houses an inne, or an hospital, for thē to be releued in. Take example of Lote whyche shewed mercy vnto the poore. And hyde them in hys house bu­ryeng them by nyght, whych we­re slayne by the fylthy Sodomytes, and beware thou be not like vnto the ryche glotton whyche [...]u. x [...] i▪ [...] despysed the nead of poore Laza­rus. [Page] For the ryche man was bu­ryed in hel, and Lazarus was receaued into the bossome of Abraham. By whych storye it is euy­dently declared, that the substā ­ce, of the ryche, appartayneth vnto the poore, and those whych haue not to defend the cares of this lyfe, thou art bounden to help in al that in thy lyeth, For a sacrifice well pleasinge vnto god, is to Ec [...]l. xxxv attende to his cōmaundemētes, and to depart from al iniquitie, and vnryghteousnes, shewynge mercy vnto thy dettours, as the Mat. xviii Lorde dyd vnto hys seruaunte. And gather not your treasure v­pon the earthe, where ruste and mothes corrupte, and where the­ues Math. v [...]. breke thorowe & steale. But gather youre treasure, together in heauen where neyther ruste nor mothes &c. That thou may­ste [...]u [...], xii, [Page] be blessed as Salomon sayth in the iii. of his Pro. Blessed Prou, ii [...] is the man, that fyndeth wysdom and obtayneth vnderstan­dinge, for the gettyng of it, is better then any marchandyse of syl­uer, & the proffyte of it is better then gold. Therfore, there is no precyous stones to be compared wyth vnderstandyng applye thy mynd oh ryche mā to vnderstan­de the dutye vnto thy poore bre­thren, whome thou art bounden to succoure helpe and loue. For saynete Jhon in hys secounde e­pystle saythe, he that loueth his brother, abydethe in the lyghte and he that hateth hys brother, walketh in darkenes, and cannot tell whether he goethe for darkenes hath blynded hys eyes. Se therfore that ye loue not the worl­de [Page] neyther the thyn­ges, the lou [...]ts of [...]world loue not god. that a [...] in the world. For yf any man loue the world, the loue of the father is not in hym. For al that is in the worlde, is lust of the fleshe, Luste of the eyes, and pryde of goodes whyche vanys­sheth awaye and the lust therof▪ But the couetous ryche men, be of the world, and therfore spea­ke Ihon. iiii. they of worldly thynges and the worlde heareth them, they be also louers of them selues, and make al the prouisyons possyble for the maynteynaunce of theyr owne belys, & to be estemed, had in reputacion, and great reuerē ­ce, for theyr ryches sake, seakyng and procuryng myghty frendes vnto whom they make great feast [...]s and banckytynge hauynge plentye and haboundaunce of al thynges thus the worlde loueth [Page] the world, and the ryche cherys­sheth the ryche. But the nead ye poore brethrē haue skase the crōs or scrapes whyche falleth frome theyr tables. And yet many ty­mes, yf they gyue a halpenie or a peny to a poore mā, it is thought to be a great benefyte vnto him. Or yf they call a poore house hol der, hauinge wyfe and chyldren, hauing no help to get his liuing to soccour them wythal, yet yf he and hys wyfe haue theyr bely ful of meat at the ryche mans table Theyr childrē cryeng for honger at home, yet thynke they to haue done a charitable almes. Alas thys is farre frō the almes and loue whyche thou oughtest to do vnto thy nedye brother, For o thou ryche man whych hast plentye of gold syluer and other substaunce, lyeng by the, beyng more [Page] then y ^t shalbe sufficient or requysyt for thine own vse, but only to horde & kepte it in thy store box, & the same to lye, vnocupied, ha­uynge ouer (and aboue that,) to mayntayne thy state and occupi­enge, accordyng thy tn vocation thou ar bondē to distribute lend and gyue it vnto soche as wante and as wolde therby lyue wythe moderacion and honestye (for it is writtē) he that doth aske gyue, and from hym that wolde borow turne not thy face, for we knowe S, Iohn. That we ar translated i, Ioh. iiii. from death vnto lyfe, because we loue the brethren. But he that lo ueth not hys brother, abydeth in deathe, & who so euer hateth hys brother is a manssear: Do we not herby (saythe he) perceaue. That for loue he gaue hys lyfe [Page] for vs, and therfore ought we al so to gyue oure lyues for the brethren, for whosoeuer, hathe thys worldes goods that is habundā ce of ryches, and seeth hys bro­ther haue nede, and shutteth vp He that hath no petye of y ^e poore loueth not god. hys compassyon from hym. Now is the loue of god in hym. Ther­fore let vs not loue in wordes & tōge, but wyth the dede and veri tie. And so doyng we be fully sertyfied, that we are of the veritye that is of god, & can before hym quyte our hartes, that we haue loued our brethren / here is a confortable lesson, for the couetous ryche man, to learne and also to follow. But yf your hartes con­demp you, God is greater than your hartes, & shal condemp you for he knowethe all thynges, he [Page] knoweth youre vnkyndnes, & ingratitude, y ^t you shew to your brother ī kynd. For though thou sayest I loue God, and hate thy he y ^t loueth not hys [...] brother loueth nyt god. brother, Thou art a lyer, for how can be that louethe not hys bro­ther whō he seeth, loue god whō he hath not seen? Oh most vayne man, whych blyndisheth thy self to know god. And eather in get­tynge of thy ryches, other else in the abusyng of the same, thou nether knowethe God, nor thy bre­thren, for hauinge any superioritie ouer hym. Thou shewest a stately and a proud coūtenāce, vpō hym, and as ready to consume & eate him vp wyth lordly wordes, as to ouerwhelme and deuoure hym, in pluckyng frō hym, groū de & lyuing. Therfore (it is wryt­ten) be circumspecte and take the more hede vnto those thynges, [Page] whych ye haue harde, for doubte Paul ad Hebreus ii. chapter leste ye peryshe. It is a maruel­lous thynge that these couetous ryche men, doth not, or else be so blinded with auarice. That they wyl not remember what is spokē Eccle, v in the scripture agaynst theyr in­saciable desyre of riches, that the abundaunce of theyr ryches wyl Iob, i, d. not suffre the couetous man, to slepe. He is so bussyed in hys mynd, nyght and day to bring it into hys kepyng. And yet ryches holden and kept. Is to the great [...], Tim. vi. deteremēt, and hurt of hym that hath them in possession for often tymes they peryshe wyth greate mysery and trouble. Yea and yf it happen he haue a chylde, yet getteth he nothynge. But as he came naked into the world, euen so shal he goo agayn, is not this a myserable plage. That the co­uetous [Page] ryche man shall not en­ioye hys ryches, and maye, theyr Eccle, vi chyldren neyther. For it is wryt­ten god geueth a mā ryches and good and yet geueth he hym not leaue to enioye the same. But a nother mā spendeth them. Ther­fore whyles thou art vser of thy goodes remēber that thou must gyue a streat accōpt of thy Bay­ly wyke, & according as the scripture doth teache the do, That is, Eccle, xi lay thy bread vpon wete faces, & so shalt thou fynde after manye dayes, that is, hap thy nedy bro­ther that wepeth for want of succour and thou shall haue manye dayes in perpetuall blesse for e­uer, for whan the cloudes be full they poure out rayne vpon the earth, Cease not therfore. Wyth thy hande to sowe thy seed, whe­ther [Page] it be in the morninge or in the euening, for y ^u knowest not what frut shal grow therof vn­to then crease of thy saluaciō for god loued a glad gifte, quomodo potest esse misericors. And o, howe moche is it for to be mercyful to thi brother ī kind for yf god hath endewed thy wyth ryches. Thou Math. v mayste not emagyn and thynke. That god hath geuē thē vnto the for thyne owne vse and profyte onely. But that thou arte made but a steward ouer them to distribute, and bestowe them vnto the profyte of the comētie, for doubtles the ryche mā is not the very owner of theym. But onely God he it is whyche is the owner, for he sayth by the Prophete Agget. Golde is myne, & syluer is myne and he hath but cōmitted substā ce vnto [Page] vnto thy hand. But for a ceason to se how thou wilt distribute thē to thy brother, for al is but vni­uersa vanitas omnes homo viuens. Now yf thou be a faithful disposer of this wycked mammon, ac­cordyng thy dutie and godes cō ­maundementes and for by cause that thou shalt well knowe, it is thy office to mynister to thy bro­ther, note the Parable of the ry­che glotton as is aforesayd whyche was clothed in sylke faryng dylycately, & was buryed in hell Upon thys place sayth S. Gre­gorie that he was not dampned because of hys despoylynge and gettynge of others. But because he did not distribute his goodes to other as the processe of y ^e texte dothe declare. And seynge thou must neades geue accomptes of all that is geuen the, Thē canste [Page] thou not glorie in thi riches, but rather to feare & tremble in wei­inge wythe thy selfe howe moche thou hast to accompte for, before the hygh iudge, & myghty audy­tor Christ, for he wyl not be delu ded all though the world may be blinded & haue a ꝑpetuall study, & by al the wayes & meanes that may be in y ^e to benyfyt & do good to the neady & poore, for yf thou shut vp thy charitie frō thy bro­ther thou sleyth hym as moch as in the lyeth, for the prophet saith Wo be vnto the crowne of pryde [...]a, xxviii▪ whose great pōpe is a flour that fadeth away, from such as be in welth & ouerladē w ^t ryches. And therfore sayth he, trust not in thy riches, for it shal not help in y ^e tyme of vēgeaūce, & ther is nothīg Iesus the sonne of Syrach, [...] worsse thā a couetous mā, no nor a more wickeder thing, thē to lo­ue [Page] money for it is but fylthy doūge Heare these wordes o thou coue­tous riche mā, which seaketh rest in thy substāce, & taketh cōsolaci on & plesure in thy ryches, & wilt not vse it, as thou art appointed to y ^e easment of thy poore brethrē And according vnto the cōmaundemēt of loue, whyche is to loue thy neighbour, euē as wel as thy self. But alas who so doeth now a daies, in al thiges, do vnto his neyghbour as he wolde be done vnto, who geueth hym, who len­deth him, assysteth & eadeth him, in al his necessyties, as he wolde his neyghbor shuld do vnto him yf he ware in lyke neade, fewe or none in the world, for y ^e wild asse Iesus the sonne of Cyrach. xiii is the lyons praye, euē so are the poore the meate of the ryche, for y ^e couetous ryche mā, he hath no cōpassiō of the poore, but all hys eye [Page] is vnto hym self, & careth not for y ^e misery y ^t his brother endureth He doth not vnderstand what is writtē. Good & euel, lyfe & death Eccle, [...] pouertie & ryches, ar of god. As who shuld say, god may geue ry­ches, & make y ^e riche poore, at his pleasure, for it is an easy thīg in his syght to enriche a poore mā quickly, & also to put downe the proud frō theyr seate, & to exalte y ^e humble. A perellous time shal come vpō the ryche as sayth the prophet Abacuc, which heapethe Abacuc. [...] vp other mens goodes, And wo vnto him y ^t couetousli gathereth goodes into his house, y ^t he may let his [...]est on hye to escape frō y ^e power of mysfortune. The very stones of the wal shal crye out of it saith this holi ꝓphet & though it be far of for a tyme, yet at the laste shall it come to passe & not [Page] fayle. Oh thē in that daye what accōpt wilt y ^u make of thy Bay­lywyke, what answere wilt thou make of the wytholding a way y ^e goodes of the poore / shalte y ^u not rēder a streat accompt therof yea truly, to thi vtter dānatiō. Therfore beware how y ^u getteth riches & whē thou hast gottē thē, that y ^u dispose thē godly vpō thy poore brethren by kynde for whose vse they ar geuē vnto y ^e & not onely vnto thyne own as I haue befo­re declared vnto the in this sim­ple tretyse, & learne of y ^e wise pre­cher Ecclesiastes what holsome & frutful instructiōs he geueth to Eccle▪ ii. soche eouetous ryche mē, whych be so insaciable in gatheringe & heapynge vp of goodes & neuer cōtented, thus saythe he. I was weary of my labour which I had takē vnder the Sūne, because I [Page] should be fayne, to leaue thē vnto another mā, y ^t cometh after me & who knoweth whether he shall be a wyse mā, or a foule, and yet shal he be lord of al my laboures Is not this a vayne thing & a very vanitie. That a mā shal leaue his laboures, vnto another that neuer swet for thē. Therfore I ꝑ­ceaue ther is nothinge better for a man, thā to be ioyful in his la­boure, & to bestowe & distrubute his goodes whiles he lyueth, for that is his porcion, for who wyl bryng hym to se the thyng, y ^t shal come after hym, for as they be al dust, so shall they all turne vnto duste agayn, now here hast thou hard by the word of god in what perel & Ieoperdie, The ryche co­uetous mā stādeth in whē he shal gyue vp his reconīg at y ^e last day & how he ought to distribute & bestowe [Page] thē, of the nedy & poore, so that in the so doying he may ad­uoyde the daūger of eternal dāpnatiō. And to obtayne y ^e celestial ioyes of heauē vnto y ^t which god bring vs all.

So be it.