God spede my hartly beloued sister.

oh it is good y ^t thou doest ones come to me, but ye stately folkes in your coūtre care not for vs poor soules here without. In this countre God thanke the good Iusti­na, [Page] thou arte hartely wilco­me vnto me.

My dearly beloued syster. God thanke the, howe canst thou saye, that I am to stately for the, I haue reioyced hartely to come vnto the, thynkest thou also, that I care not for the, notwithstondynge that thou knowest well ynough, that I haue alwayes loued the before other of oure sys­ters, Therfore I come to the nowe, to visyte the, and to se how thou doest, Simplicius thy good man, and thy louinge children.

O howe do verely, I coulde be cō ­tent to take it better, with vs is nothing but labor and trauayll, and yet haue no­thynge for it.

Oh deare syster, complayne not to I praye the, thanke the heauenly father, that he geueth helth vnto thy lo­uynge husband and childrē whiche is the greatest gyfte and grace of God, and also the costlyes treasure in ear­the. Also let it not be tedious but pleasyng vnto the, that God causeth not al thynges to succede vnto the, after thy ne owne mynde and wyll as vnto the vngodly, where of Dauid sayth. I was greued at the wicked, whan I sawe the vngodly in suche prospe­ryte, for they are in no parel of death, but are lusty and stronge. They come in no misfortune as other folke, neyther are they plaged ly­ke [Page] other men. Lo (sayth he) these are the vngodly, these prospere in the worlde, and these haue ryches in possessi­on, but be thou of good chere and thinke that thou arte in the nūbre of the godly, and saye with Dauid, Psa. xij. Num. xiiij. ii. Esa. l. b ro. viijd whan I haue the Lorde. I care not for heauen nor earth, and cō playne not, that it is labour & trauayll, with our laboure and trauayll can we not ly­ue in this worlde. Gene. iij. c For the lorde God hath layed thys cur­se and malediction vpon the shoulders of all men, in hys wrath, euen in Paradyse, that we because of oure trās­gressions, must eate our bre­ade in the sweate of oure fa­ces in laboure and sorrowe. [Page] Thou nedest not to saye, also that thou hast nothynge be­sydes, thou wilt not be con­tent with that, whiche God hath geuen the, and yet ge­ueth dayly, where by I may perceyue, that thou hast but smal trust in God.

yea, the longer I truste, the lesse I haue. The daye hath ben, that I had somewhat, but now all is gone to the deuyll.

God saue vs from the Deuyll, good syster speake not so waywardely, knowest thou not, that euen as God is beleued and tru­sted, euen so is he had & founde? yf thou beleue that he wil preserue the, thy good man and thy children, truely he shall do it, and wyl do it with [Page] a good wyll, but yf thou do mistrust hym, and be doute­ful in the mater, thinkynge that thou must prosecute & brynge it to passe, by thy ca­re, labour, and paines, Prou. than sendeth God scarcite. For whatsoeuer the vngodly feareth the same cometh vpon hym. Thys doth he for thys cause, that we shulde knoweledge that he is almightye, and that we of our owne po­wers, without hys grace cā do nothynge. i. Pet. a Mat. [...] c Luc. xi Psalm lv. c. Therfore caste all thy care (sayth Peter, vpon the lorde, for he careth for vs, he wyl also (as Dauid sayth) not alwayes leaue the righteous and them that trust in hym, in tribulacion.

Thou sayest very [Page] well deare syster. Thou ma­iest trust in God wel ynough for thou arte ryche, and hast ynough. But yf the worlde were so hard with the, as it is with me, thou shouldest cō playne as well as I. For I se wel ynough, whan I sitte longe still, and care not, or do nothynge, than haue I nothynge, I must surely stu­dye and do for it, no mā will bringe me ought at home, Also my husbande is seldom at home, he goeth furth aboute hys busynes, and careth not howe I kepe hous with the children.

Vvith all thy carefulnes and sekynge, shalt thou preuayl nothing, deare syster, remembre the kynde wordes of Christe, and [Page] print them surely in thy harte, whereas he saieth. Matth. vi. Luc. xij. Be not carefull for your lyfe, what ye shall eate, or what ye shall drynke, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on, is not the life more worth then meat, and the body more of valewe then rayment? Beholde the foules of the ayer, for thei sowe not, neyther reape, nor yet cary into the barues, and yet your heauē ­ly father fedeth them. Are ye not moche better then they? Vvhy care ye then for rayment? Considre the lily­es of the felde, howe they growe. They labour not, neither spinne. And yet for all that, I saye vnto you, that euen Salomon in all hys [Page] royaltye, was not arayed lyke vnto one of these. Ther­fore take no thought sayen­ge, what shall we eate, or what shal we drinke, or where with shall we be cloteth? After all these thinges seke the gentyles. Therfore be not lyke vnto the heathen, frettinge and vexinge thy selfe, with suche vnprofita­ble cares and thoughtes, for the wyse Salomon say­eth, Carefull trauayll hur­teth, but blessed is he that trusteth in the Lorde. Mat. vi Chri­ste sayth further in the Cha­piter aboue mentioned. Se­ke ye firste the kyngdome of heauen, & the righteousnes thereof, & al these thinges shal be ministred vnto you, [Page] for your heauēly father knoweth y ^t ye haue nede of meat drynke cloth & all these thinges. Thys conforte shouldest thou truely take to thy hart deare syster, and trust there to. I haue suche a strōg con­fidence in my God, & in these confortable wordes of Chri­ste, that althoughe I wyth my poore fatherles children, had nothinge at al, or as lyttell as thou, howe be it thou hast ynough, and nedest not to cōplayne, yet do I knowe surely, y ^t he wyll not forsake me, but nourysshe me & my chyldren, as the byrdes of y ^e ayer, & cloth me as y ^e floures & lilyes of y ^e felde. That thou saiest, thy husbande goeth and executeth hys offyce, is [...] vnreasonable Pius [Page] my deare husbande (whome God pardon) dyd so likewise I thought, yf he had not al­wayes ben at home, nothynge had gone froward. But nowe I knowe, that he dyd more wyth one worde, than I can do in a hole daye, no­we begynne I fyrst to mysse hym.

No I can not tell what good he doth, he is nowe so stubborne and waywarde towardes mee & the children, that I knowe not, howe it cometh to passe, or what he ayleth, he fret­teth and vexeth hymselfe, in vayne and for nought. I thynke he wyl be starke madde or oute of hys wittes.

O good syster, I beleue that thou arte the greatest [Page] occasiō of his fretting and disquietynge, thou arte to frowarde and obstinate, agaynst hym (as I heare) thou dost not suffer hym a worde, brawlest alwaies with hym, and orderest hym very euyll, notwitstan­dynge he is an honest simple man, which is loth to fyghte and brawle with the, as o­ther frowarde men do. And also I beleue, and am sure, that he is no dronkarde, hoo remonger nor player.

Howe a dronkar­de, hooremonger, or player? yf he were suche one, Oh, then woulde I haue a stomake with hym, I would pluc­ke my selfe with hym, as the one deuyll with the other.

Lo, nowe I percey­ue what is in the, and that thou arte so stoute and way­warde agaynst the good mā. He hath also desyred me, to rebuke the gentely for it, Oh sayd he, thou sufferest no mā to reproue the, also thou wilt not heare hym, speake he neuer so kyndely vnto the, ney­ther arte thou willinge to go to the worde of God, or preachynge, and also thou louest not to heare hym rea­de at home (whiche is a sig­ne of an vngodly conuersation) chydest with hym, euer­more before men, bringest not vp thy children in the feare and correction of God, angrest thy selfe vnreasonably [Page] by and withoute a cause, di­sagreest with thy neyghbou­res. Shoulde not thys gre­ue thy good husbande? I beleue or a trueth that thou doest greue hym sore with it.

Vvhat care I for that? Although I am fro­warde, seynge many spiteful tonges do reporte it by me, so that I am no hoore as so­me be. Also I knowe very well, that my husbande eue­ry where maketh hys repor­tes of me, what shulde I do to hym? shoulde I call hym gracious Lorde? I woulde rather se hym hanged. Wel wel, I wil one daye begynne a matter with hym, that he shall not thinke.

God forbidde, let not suche e­uill [Page] thoughtes entre into thy herte, but I perceyue that (as Christe saith) of the aboundaunce of the herte the mouth speaketh, Mat xij nowe do thy frutes breake forth, nowe arte thou lyke vnto vnblusshed lymestone, whi­che whan colde water is poured vpō it bloweth breaketh smoketh and burneth vnnaturally, euen so doest thou also, I haue somwhat gentily admonysshed and frendly reproued the (howe be it I thought thou wouldest ha­ue taken it for none euill of me) but thou vsest vngraci­ous wordes, cursest thy good husbande, whome by reason thou oughtest to kepe in ho­nour, be obedient vnto him, [Page] as vnto the lorde, and also be not thy husbandes mai­ster (as Paule teacheth but be styll, shoulde not suche vngracious, yea I will saye al­so vngodly wordes greue thy good man, and prouoke hym to anger? Oh be ashamed, I heare no mā, that speaketh euill by thy husbande, but that he is good and honeste, gentyll, courteous, & lyueth charitably with al mē, with­out any contention or deba­te, glad to heare and to rea­de the worde of God, and to further the same, and that the people are very fauourable and louinge towardes hym.

I knowe that well ynough, that the folles loue hym, and special­ly [Page] some wyues loue hym ve­ry wel, thou nedest not to tel me thereof, but yf I may co­me ones to the ryght grounde of the matter, thou shalt se, what I wyl do, also I passe not for his goynge to churche, hearynge of sermons, or readynge, the more he goeth to Churche or readeth, the lesse I haue, & sence Luther, the newe preachinge, the hereticall bokes and readyng came vp haue I almost loste all that I had, and I thinke I shall neuer haue lucke with hym as longe as he ly­ueth, woulde god that the deuill woulde shortely ridde hym out of the waye.

By thy frutes it is kno­wen, what maner of tree [Page] thou arte, o, doest thou not truste thy husbande? & stan­dest in feare of him, for other good women? god saue me, I take pitye vpon the, that thou arte such a wilde and stubborne woman, what wilt thou shewe thy selfe? of a trueth I woulde not haue beleued it, if any man had tolde it me, but thou comest forth thy selfe with suche vnmanerly communication before me, whereof by reason thou shouldest refrayne thy selfe, what doest thou then before other folkes? Oh nay deare syster do not so, kno­west thou not that euery mā is hys wyues heade, Ephe. v i. Co. xi i. Pet. iij and we wyues ought to be obedient and subiect vnto our husbandes [Page] in all thynges, euen as also God, hath geuen vnto the man in Paradise, the rule ouer the woman, whereas he saieth. Gen. iij Thou shalt bowe before thy husbande and he shall haue the rule of the. This is the cause also (as Paule sayth) that we go attyred and haue a power vpō our heades, i. Cor. ij whereby we shoulde remembre, that we must lyue vnder the power and subiection of the man. And therfore must I nowe (for as much as my louynge husband, of blessed memory, is dead) lette hange my po­wer or vayle downewardes from my heade, whereby is signifyed that I am a wydo­we, hauynge no power or [Page] husbande that nowe hath rule of me. Thou sayest also that thou doest not passe vpō thy husbandes goynge to Churche, hearynge of ser­mons, or readynge, notwithstandynge that we haue no­thinge in earth more blessed more profitable, and better, then to heare and reade the worde of God, Matth. iiij. Deute. viij we are also nourysshed, and lyue by eue­ry word that procedeth oute of the mouth of god, and not onely by bread. Nowe yf thy husbande also shoulde not heare or reade the worde of God, where by all thinges are sanctified, and be so fro­warde, wilde and vnmane­red as thou, whiche fearest not God, & canst agree with [Page] no body. Oh, what alyfe shoulde that be? And beleue me truely, y ^t thou, thy chil­dren and the hole hous, is sanctified and preserued of God through thy vertuous husbande, Co. vij as Paule saieth, that the vnbeleuyng wyfe is sanctifyed by the husban­de, or els shoulde all thinges go to wracke with the.

What shoulde he sancti­fie me, if he myght drowne me in a spone full of water, he woulde do it, he kepeth me some tyme lyke a dish cloute, thinkest thou, that I suf­fer it? No I warraunte the.

Truely, thou haste a ryght name Seropia or Serapia, seldom or very lit­tell good, thou haste euē the [Page] name with the deade. But this I knowe of a trueth, & haue perceyued it, that thy husbande, is but the gentyll to good, simple, & kynd, and geueth y ^e no strypes, kepeth the reasonably & honestly (wherfor he may well be cal­led Simplitiꝰ) & whē he doth all thinges for the best, & in­treateth y ^e moost gētlyest of all then doest thou soberate hym w ^t spiteful wordes, that it is shame, shoulde not this greue hym? shoulde not this frette & vexe him? Pro. xij. euē as al­so Salomō saith, y ^t such a shamefull, vngentill, vnmane­red, waiward womā, is a corruptiō in her husbandes bo­nes. And in another place sayth he. A froward womā, [Page] woundeth the harte, to woū de the harte, truely greueth a man sore sayth Salomon and geueth counsayl, saien­ge that it is better to dwell in a very bare lande, then with such a chyding, Ireful and froward woman. In ly­ke maner he speaketh also of the good women sayenge, y ^t a resonable meke and vertuous woman, Pro. xij. is a crowne vn­to her husbande. Suche a good and discrete woman geueth god, & in another place sayth he. A gentyll wyfe ma­keth her husband glad, and nouryssheth hys bones, yea she is hys wysedome. Proue. xviij. And whosoeuer (sayth he) findeth such a wyfe, findeth a good thynge, and receyueth a holsome [Page] benefite of the lorde. Therfor deare syster, let not suche vngodlines and wic­kednes be spoken of the, for it is a great synne before God, and before the worlde great shame, take the good women of the olde Testamēt for an example, be paciēt as Lea, frendly as Ruth, true vnto thy husband, as Mi­chell, the wyfe of Dauid, measurable as Iudith, meke as Hester, chaste as good Su­sanna, and obedient vnto thy husbande, as Rebecca, Remembre that thy husban­de is thy lorde, i. Co. xi Ephe. v and thy head euen as Christe is the Lorde and heade of the congregation, i. Co. vij and that thou hast no power ouer thy body, but thy [Page] husbande, and put thy trust in God. And be of a lowly spirite, that thou mayest be called a doughter of Sara.

yf I knowe the not, I shoulde thinke, that thou were a waylysshe woman, because that thou canst tal­ke so well, thou shouldest ser­ue well for a preacher, thou arte well sene in scripture, and depely learned, what hath my husbande geuē the, that thou thus doest chap­ter me, thou doest it not of thy selfe.

Thou cal­lest it Chapterynge but knowest thou what Chapteryn­ge is? In tymes past was it, and is yet the vse amonge the freares, that euery fry­daye before dyner, they ga­thered [Page] them selues togeher in the chapiter house, where as euery one seuerally was constrayned to shryue hym­selfe and confesse hys fautes openly, whiche he had com­mitted thoroughoute the holy weke. After that dyd the Abbot or Priour geue a good discipline or correction, with roddes vnto suche as had deserued it, for their faultes, And if the Abbot or prioure had perpetrated ought thē ­selues they were fayne to suffer it in lyke maner &c.

The holy saynt Paul, wry­teth vnto the Romaynes, Corinthiās, Galathians, E­phesiās &c. certayn Epistles, whiche are diuided into Chapiters, wherein he teacheth [Page] the faythe in Christe, and the loue towardes our neighbours, after that he admo­nysheth them of the doctry­ne, whiche they had hearde of hym, at the last doth he also reproue them for certayne errours that were amonge them, euen as I do nowe to the, but I trust that my cha­piter shall not be kept in vayne vpon the, but that thou shalt there by be amended, and waxe good and vertu­ous. I haue also receyued no gyftes of thy husbande, y ^t I thus rebuke the, but I am bounde in conscience, & of charitable loue, vnto the and to all men, in thys case or in other lyke cases, yf I se any man erre, that I shal [Page] rebuke, and chapter hym for it charitably, yf any heare me and amende for it, than haue I wonne hys soule, In lyke maner arte thou and al men bounde to do the same also, and yf thou knowe any lack faute or errour in me (where of I am not fre) thou must also chapter me for it. I wyll followe the, and take it well in worth and amen­de my faulte.

Did­dest thou alwayes talke so gently with thy husbande? diddest thou neuer anger hym? nor curse hym? I kno­we that thou haste an hasty anger raigninge in the. I am surely, thou diddest not alwaies bake pancackes for hym.

Herken my [Page] dearly beloued syster, I wyll tel the, howe I led my lyfe w ^t Pius, my good man, (who­me God pardon) and howe he be stowed his lyfe with me Vvhā the almighty God, after hys godly ordināces had coupled vs bothe together in mariage, I htought lyke­wyse. Nowe must we labour, care, scrape, and scratche, y ^t we may gette our lyuinge in this spitefull miserable worlde, I fared with my good mā and familie very hardely in meate and drynke. I comme seldome to any preaching, to heare the worde of God. I woulde lende nothing to no man, and thought alwayes, that I must bryng it to passe by my carefulnes, laboure & [Page] trauayll to waxe ryche, I thought not that God dyd care for me, or made me ry­che. Also I knowe not the godly sayenge of Salomon, where he sayth. It is very easy, and a lyght thyng vn­to the Lorde, to make a pore man ryche, neyther had I at that tyme so muche knowledge, and trust in God (whiche I wil speake thanked be god, withoute any boaste) as I haue nowe, but whan Pi­us my louinge husbande sawe, that I was so ear­nest and sparyng, & though­te by myne owne prouision, withoute the helpe of god, to be made ryche, he spa­ke vnto me gently with kynde wordes. My louyn­ge [Page] Iustina, I se a great lacke and faute in the, It pleaseth my not that thou louest not to go to the sermō, to heare the worde of God, hast no trust in God, arte vnwillinge to lende to any mā, kepest the house and familie to harde, and wilde be ryche al to hastely, it will not fra­me so, Paul saith to hys disciple Thimothee. i. tim. vi They that wyll be ryche, fall into temptacions and snares, and in­to many foolishe and noyso­me lustes, which drowne mē, into perdition, and destruc­tion, for couetousnes is the rote of all euyll. Thou shoul­dest not be able to stande be­fore God, nor yet before man. But thus must thou do. First [Page] I will haue of the, that thou shalt lose neuer a sermon, y ^t thou be desirous to heare y ^e worde of God, and whē thou hast heard it, that thou pray vnto God for grace, that he will vouchesafe, to geue vn­to the fayth, and the frutes therof, that thou maiest a­mende thy lyfe, forgeue thy­ne aduersary, be willinge to lende vnto thy neighbour. Although y ^t thou thinkest y ^t thou shalte haue nothynge for it. God is able to se y ^e pay­de agayn, be in charite with all men, stryue with no man be not lichtely prouoked to anger (euen as we wyues a­re sone displeased) and kepe not thyne owne hous, chil­dren and familye, to streigh­te, [Page] than shalt thou se and fynde, that god wyll dayly blesse the, and make thy partaker of hys blessynges and bene­fites, as the wyse Salomon sayth. The blessynge of the Lord, maketh ryche withoute trauayll, the same blessin­ge shall be confortable & pro­fitable vnto vs in soule, bo­dy, honour, and goodes. &c. By suche frendely wordes was I moued, that after­warde I folowed hym gent­ly vntyll hys departynge, after that I went gladly to y ^e preachyng, whā I had hearde y ^e word of god, I bē sought god (as Dauid) & sayd, Psal. li. O my god make me a cleane hert, and renewe a ryght spirite within me. Caste my not a­waye [Page] from thy presence, and take not thy holy spirite frō me. Then did god heare me, and made me another womā than I was afore, we lyued merely together god gaue vs goodly children, and goodes ynough for them, in somoche also that I knowe not fro whence it came. Then dyd I perceyue and se, that all oure care, labour & trauayll (without the blessing of god) is lost and in vayne, wherby we thinke to waxe ryche, whereas god geueth not, there hath no man ought, as Dauid sayth, Psalm. cxxvij It is but lost laboure, that ye haste to ryse vp early, and so late ta­ke rest, & eate the breade of [Page] carefulnesse. For vnto hys frendes, and vnto these that he fauoureth, and also vnto suche as truste in hym, doth he geue it slepinge. Wherfor gentell syster folowe not thy ne owne mynd and brayne, but folowe thy husband, euē as I knowe that he is ready alwayes to instructe the gētly, with the worde of God, & other charitable wordes. Feare God. Be willinge & glad to go to the sermons, and to heare the worde of God, be­seeche God for grace, euē as I haue done, be not waiwarde and angry at home with thy husbande, children and familie. Be long sufferinge, patient, and stryue not with thy neyghbours, and do vn­to [Page] euery man, as thou woul­dest be done to, than shalt thou se playnely before thy­ne eyes, and fynde, that God almightye shall sende & powre hys blessynge vpon the, & vpon thy hole house, & shall geue the more, then thou shalt nede.

yea thou speakest well, yf I had alwaies leasure to go to churche, aswell as thou and my husbande, but I haue some­what elles to do, I can not ones go to churche, but the­re is some hurte or myschiefe done at home, or els I lose somewhat, or somwhat esca­peth me, whiche might fyn­de me the hole weke.

Haste thou not hearde a prouerbe, whiche soundeth [Page] thus. The hearynge of a sermon loseth nothynge, geuinge of Almes impouerissheth nothynge, and euill gotten goodes enrycheth nothyng. And thys prouerbe is true, as other godly scriptures a­re. Thou sayest, that thou losest moche, and that thou endurest hurte and damage by thy goyng to churche, that is euen as moche to saye, as what haue I to do with god, hys worde or preachynge, I must do my busynes, prefer­rynge thy doynge, and carefulnes before the worde of god, as though thy cause were more necessary. Oh naye deare syster, thou hast heard that nothing is lost, by y ^e hearynge of a sermon. And bele­ue [Page] me truely, yf thou were desyrous and willynge to go to the sermon, and diddest cō mende al thy mater at home to God, it shoulde go better with a great deale, and mo­re shoulde be done, then whē thou doest scratche and rake so long at home. For we must first seke then kyngdome of God, and as then shall all o­ther bodely necessaryes be ministred vnto vs, but who­soeuer is ashamed thereof (sayth Christe) & heareth not me wordes, of hym wil I also be ashamed before my heauē ly father. Nowe haue we no­thynge vpon yearth to do more necessarye, neyther is there any thynge com­maunded vnto vs more [Page] highly. Also we ought to ac­cepte none occasion to hyn­der or let vs from the hearinge of the worde of God, for therein are we taught, the fayth in God, and in Iesus Christe hys sonne, and the loue towardes our neighbour but howe can we beleue, sai­eth Paule, yf we heare not the worde of God? how canst thou beleue, & put thy truste in god? loue thy neyghbour, forgeue thyne enemyes, or howe wilt thou be saued, yf thou heare not the worde of god? but yf thou wilt obtay­ne al these thinges, then go willingly to the sermon, and heare the worde of god attē ­tyuely with diligence.

Although men go to the [Page] church moche and heare sermons dayly, yet do I se none that amendeth there by, the one can not aforde to the o­ther, that the sunne shyneth vpon hym, & the worlde waxeth worse and worse.

Meruayll not at it that the world waxeth euil, thou mayst not put the faute in the preachyng, or in the worde of god, but in the hearers of it, which beleue it not, nor amende thēselues for it. But let the worde of god be prea­ched, whan and where occa­sion shall serue, for it goeth not forth ydel, it findeth some men, that beleue it, and are amended through it, as the Lorde god sayth hymselfe, Esa. lv. ly­ke as the rayne and snowe [Page] cometh downe from heauē, & retourneth not thyther a­gain, but wathereth y ^e earth maketh it fruteful & grene, y ^t it may geue corne vnto y ^e so­wer, & bread to him y ^e eateth. So the worde also, that co­meth oute of my mouth, shal not tourne agayn voyde vn­to me, but shall accomplyshe me wil, and prospere in the thinge, where vnto I sende it. Wherfor let it not moue y ^e although y ^e hole world be of­fended at it, heare thou the word of god gladly & earnestly. Pray vnto god for y ^e faith, lyue & do thereafter, & forge­ue thy neighboure, so shalt thou prosper also, as y ^e Lorde saith, & al thinges shal amē ­de with the.

I [Page] coulde be content to se an a­mendement. But to be at o­ne with them, and to speake louingely vnto those, that put me to hinderaunce, and help to begyle me. I wil not, I would rather se them at y ^e deuill, I will nor can not for­get it, vntil I be auenged on some of thē.

There do I perceyue, y ^t as yet thou arte no Christian, for thou wilt not, neyther canst thou speake kyndly vnto thy neyghbour, nor be at one with hym.

Secondly, thou doest as­scribe thyne aduersitye and misfortune vnto men, and not vnto God, as though it were not the good and gra­tious pleasure of God, [Page] that all thynges succede not alwayes after thyne owne braynes, Thirdly, thou wilt not forget, nor forgeue thy­ne aduersary, but desyrest to be reuenged vpon hym.

I praye the heare me. I am at one with many folkes, that do good vnto me & I agayn vn to them, but y ^t myne aduersitye should co­me from god, that can not I beleue, in no wyse I shoulde be in rest longe ynough for oure lorde god, yf wicked people woulde let me alone. Al­so a wyse woman hath tolde me my fortune, that many wicked people shall trouble me, and that I shal haue no good fortune as long as me husband lyueth, yet I must [Page] be at one with certeyne per­sons for my husbandes sake, vntyll a tyme conuenient, y ^t I maye be euen with them, for the shrewed tournes, whiche they haue done me.

The good lorde saue me, doest thou also beleue southsayers, and olde miscreaunte witches? i. Re. xxviij. d Truely it is highly prohibited of God in the scripture. In so moche y ^t kynge Saull sped very euil, for as moche as he forsoke god, and asked counsayl of a witche, whiche had a south­sayenge spirite. In lyke ma­ner was also serued kynge Ahasia, whiche soughte counseill at hys Idoll Beelzebub wherfore beware, that thou geue no credēce to any soth­sayers, [Page] or sorcerers. Nowe herken vnto me, I can not forbeare but that I must answere to these thre poyntes. Fyrst thou sayest, that thou arte at one and at peace w ^t them, that do good vnto the & that thou doest also good vnto them, what maner of vnity is that? where by a mā may perceyue, that yf any of them, with whome thou arte nowe at peace, shoulde displease the, thyne vnity & cōcorde should loue be at an ende with thē. mat. viij Luc. vi. And it is euē as Christe sayth, yf ye loue them, whiche loue you, what rewarde shall ye haue? for the Publicanes and very synners loue theyr louers. And yf ye do for them which [Page] do for you, what thanke are ye worthy of? for the very sinners do euen the same. But I saye vnto you (sayth Chri­ste) loue your enemyes. Do good to thē which hate you. Blesse them that curse you. Praye for them whiche wrongefully trouble you. Blesse and curse not sayth Paull. Nowe concludeth Christe sa­ynge, vnto him that smiteth the on the one cheke, offer also the other. And hym that taketh thy goune, forbidde not to take thy coate also. Geue to euery man that as­keth of the. And of hym that taketh awaye thy goodes, aske them not agayne. He will not haue that we shall onely agree with thē, which [Page] do good vnto vs, but also w ^t them, that Imagine all mi­schief agaynst vs, and hurte vs, and that vnto them we shoulde do all good. Secon­darely, thou beleuest not, y ^t thyne aduersitie and misfor­tune cometh from god, whi­che causeth al good thynges and euil thinges, as the lor­de god sayth hymselfe, I am the lorde, and none other, whiche make the light, and cause the darkenes, which geue peace and cause the e­uyll, I am the lorde whiche doth all these thinges. Se­inge god doth al these thyn­ges, howe darest thou then put the faulte vnto the wic­ked people, which notwith­standinge, withoute the will [Page] of God are able to do nothinge, god doth also conforte vs whereas he saith, I am your conforter, who arte thou thē that arte afrayed of men? which notwithstondyng are mortall, and of the children of men, whiche are deliuered vp as heye, & forgettest the lorde, whiche created the, whiche spred oute the hea­uen, and grounded y ^e earth. Euen as also no man was able to hurte or endamage the good Iob, vntyl god ga­ue power vnto Satan to proue hym. Christe sayth al­so, Mat. x. that we shoulde not feare them, whiche hurte or kyll the body, for al the heares of our heades are nombred and none of them falleth on [Page] the grounde without y ^e wyll of the heauenly father. He careth for vs, and loueth vs so moche, that he saith, He that toucheth vs, toucheth the appel of hys eyes. for whatsoeuer happeneth vn­to vs, be it good or bad, co­meth al by thy good & graci­ous will of God. But who cā (sayth Paule) resiste his will Therfore hath Christ taught vs to praye vnto the heauenly father. Mat. vi Thy wyll be done in earth as it is in heauen. Therfore nedest thou not to asscribe vnto any man the good or euill whiche happe­neth vnto vs, but onely vn­to God, whiche because of oure synnes sendeth vs ad­uersitye. Thyrdely, thou cāst [...] [Page] y ^t she was throwen down frō a wyndowe & eaten of dogs. Me thinketh also, y ^t thou ar­te to fearce & desyrous of vengeaunce against euery mā, & specially agaynst thyne own children, for when any of thē doth any thynge, which ple­aseth the not, thē doest thou auenge by and by, & beatest thē to sore & out of due tyme, wherof the children become dulwitted & fearful.

I haue suche frowarde childrē, I beleue y ^t there are no worse in al this land, yea I thinke verely y ^t they are e­uen yonge Deuyls, for none of them wyll take any nour­ture, nor correction at my hā de, neyther doth any of thē regarde me, I can not tell [Page] howe to do with them, yf it were not for my husbande, whome they dreade sore. For yf I shoulde brynge them vp alone, truely I woulde bea­te them all awaye from me.

That thyne, myne and other mennes children, are wilfull, and stubborne, is not to be meruayled at. For it is geuen vnto all men euen by nature from Adam, that all the myndes thoughtes and Imaginations of theyr hartes are euyll, and more inclined and prone to y ^t which is euyll then to that which is good. Therfor hath God ordeyned and geuen to the children parentes, fa­thers and mothers, and al­so to all men Superiors, for [Page] to breake our wilfulnes, and oure owne myndes, and to drawe vs to the feare, & ho­nour of God, and to all ver­tue and that we shoulde ly­ue vnder theyr obedience. Therfor deare syster instructe fyrst thy children truely in the commandementes of God. accordynge as thou arte bounde vnto them, and be gentyl to them. for whā they are kept so harde & streighte and are brought vp in suche great feare, thē become they fearfull, wilde and stubborne people, when they growe to age whiche neyther care for father, nor yet for mother, and yf they growe vp so, thei are also disobedient to all hyer powers. Paule teacheth [Page] also, that we should not bringe them vp, Eph. vi Coll. iij. so straighly, and be not so harde vnto them, moue them not to wrath, & rate them not least thei be of a desperate mynd, but bring them vp with the nourture and information of the Lor­de. Thou mayst not also be to softe for them, nor suffer them to haue the brydell to large, that they waxe not wylfull, and despyse the and thy husbande, as it was sene by Absolon, and more other wicked children. Therfore hath Salomon taught often, that we shoulde kepe oure children vnder corre­ction, not sparynge the rod­de where as nede requireth, saynge. Pro. xiij He that spareth the [Page] rodde, hateth hys sonne, but who so loueth hym, chaste­neth hym betymes. And in an other place sayth he, Ecl. viij and xxx yf thou haue sonnes, bryng thē vp in nourtoure and learninge and hold them in awe frō theyr youth vp. Moreouer y ^e scripture doth set before vs for an Example and a war­nynge, y ^t which happened vnto the prieste Ely and vn­to his children, i. Re. iij because that they were obstacle agaynste their father, and he was to slacke in correctynge of thē. for it was their death, and destruction. Also thy correcti­on must be measurable, & not to harde nor tyrannous, but fatherlyke & motherlyke as Sal. saith. Pro. xix Chastē thy sonne [Page] whyle there is hope, but let not thy soule be moued to slay hym. for great wrath bryn­geth hurte, therfore delyuer hym, then mayest thou cor­recte hym more. Of such harde and vnmeasurable correction, do we reade an Exāple in Titus Liuius, of a certayne Senatour of Rome cal­led Lucius Manlius, which dyd set furth a commaunde­ment, that noman shoulde presume to fyght with the e­nemyes without a furder cō maundement, which hys owne sonne transgressed, ouer­came and disconfited the enemyes. Wherfore hys father caused hys head to be strikē of openly, not regardynge y ^t he therby had done good [Page] seruice to hys natiue coun­tree, and obtayned victory, honour and peace for it. Ac­cordynge as we reade, that Saul was also very harde vnto hys sonne Ionathas, for an vnreasonable cause etc. Thou shouldest also sette them to scole or els kepe thē at theyr worke, and let them not go ydell, whereby they may be occupied and taught to forgette Idelnes in theyr youth, for whan a mā goeth Idel, then doth he learne al euyll, as lyenge, deceyuyng, drinkyng, playenge, dicyng, louyng, and such lyke. Therfore shouldest thou alwayes be doyng with them, and lette them thereof, and special­ly thy doughters, that they [Page] do not chaunce some where amonge euill company, and come to a shamefull fall, euē as it happened vnto Dina, Eccl. vij the doughter of Iacob. And the wyse Salomon sayeth and teacheth, Genesi. xxxiiij. yf thou haue doughters, kepe theyr body and shewe not thy face cherefull towarde them. But where as thou sayest that thou arte not able to rule thy children, and to bryng them vp without thy husbande, the­re strikest thou thy selfe w ^t thyne owne swearde, thou saydest afore, that thou had­dest nothyng to do with thy husband, & dyddest not care (as I vnderstode it) though he were dead, for the whiche I pray God, preserue hym [Page] longe. O good syster, what a poore lyfe shouldest thou lea­de with thy small children, thou knowest not yet, that a good man (euē as thou hast) is suche a costly Iewell in a housse, neither beleuest thou that a wydowe with many childrē, though she be neuer so ryche is such a poore deso­late womā. Truely thyne vnprofitable & vncomly wordes wyl moue me to be angry, & to fal out with y ^t.

Oh good Iustina be not angry, I will now waxe good, & set vp another heade, though I should fetche it out of y ^e hous­se of dead mēnes bones, yf I knewe in dede, y ^t I shoulde chaūce of a better.

Alas what should I do, how moch instrucciō, [Page] admonicion, and gentyl cor­rection, I spend on the, al is in vayne. For thou makest euē a gest of it. Thou shouldest not (sayth Paul) let any filthy communication come out of thy mouth, but y ^e whi­che is good to edifye with al, Eph. iiij when nede is, that it may haue faueour with y ^e hearers for of such, and of euery ydel or vnprofitable worde, Mat xij muste we geue accomptes before God, at the daye of Iudge­ment. Therfore I beseeche the gentyll syster. It is true­ly more then tyme, for a wo­man, ful of filthy and vnprofitable communication, and withoute discrete maners (sayth Salomon) is lyke vn­to a sowe, Prou. xi with a ryng of gol­in [Page] her nose.

Doest thou nowe first lyken me vn­to a sowe, thou hast comptrolled me ynough, ceasse nowe, and let vs talke of an other matter. for I se wel ynough, that thou haste no luste to tary long with me.

Who thinkest thou woulde be glad to be with the, seyn­ge thou chidest and brawlest still, and noman can gette a good worde of the first I be­leue thy good husband, that thou takest neuer a word for good, neyther of him, nor yet of noman elles, shoulde not thys greue hym? Verely I haue sene in oure quarters, that such an vndiscrete and froward womā, hath brou­ght her husbande, to disho­nestlye. [Page] Wherfore refrayne thy selfe from so doyng, that there happē not a worse thinge vnto the.

Well let the matter rest here, I beseeche the, forgeue me good syster Iustina, I wil do it no more from henceforth I knowledge that I haue ben very frowarde and euyl, but I wyl nowe take vpon me a­nother lyfe.

For as muche as thou doest know­ledge thyne offence, and wilt amend thy conditions, be it forgeuen vnto the. Luc xvij for Christ sayth, yf thy brother or syster offende, rebuke hym, and yf he repente and amende, forgeue hym &c. Therfore do it no more, do not anger thy husbande, neyther chyde, [Page] nor brawle with hym nor yet with other men. for where­soeuer enuyenge and stryfe is (sayth Saynt Iames) there is vnstablenes and al ma­ner of euyll workes. Iaco. iij. Iaco. iiij Speake not euyl behynde other mē ­nes backes. Luce. vi Pull not a mote out of any mannes eye, as longe as thou haste a beame in thyne eyes, that thou be not lyke vnto the man with the two powches, whereof the Histories do wryte.

Vvhat maner of man was that? or what had he in hys two powches? I neuer hearde of him before in al my lyfe.

y ^e will I tel y ^t, & it is good to perceyue. Thus wryteth Esopꝰ, y ^t there was sōtym a substācial mā, which dyd [Page] backbite the people very e­uill and praysed himselfe, hauinge alwaies two powches gyrded about hym, the one great, before hym vpon hys belly, which he myght se, the other littel, behynde hym v­pon hys backe, whiche he coulde not se, Nowe whatsoeuer fautes or euill he espied of hys neyghboures dyd he wryte vp, and layd them in the formost powche vpō hys belly, in so muche that the great powch waxed hole ful. But whatsoeuer he did back byte and slaunder hym selfe of other, the same coulde he, neyther write vp nor yet perceyue, and the same layde he in the hyndermost powche vpon hys backe. Now whan [Page] and wheresoeuer he came a­monge companye, he put al­wayes hys hande in the for­moost powche, wherein he founde alwayes, all other mens fautes, wherfore he spake alwayes euill of other men. But he coulde not put hys hand into hys smal powche vpon his backe, neyther had he put any thyng of him selfe in it, that is, Luc. vi he espyed alwayes a chippe or mote in his neyghbours eye, but the great beame in hys own eye he coulde not perceyue. And he was euen a fellowe lyke vnto the Pharisee in the go­spell, whiche boasted & pray­sed hymselfe of hys ryghte­ousnes, and despised the poore publicane. Now mayest [Page] thou easely vnderstonde the man with the two powches. Thou shalt fynde them to sel painted vpō papers, bye one of thē, & let thy husbāde rede it vnto the.

well I wil marke it diligently, I se well ynough that thou wilt tary no longer by my wher­fore I desyre the good syster Iustina, for as moche as the new yere approcheth, y ^t thou wilt leaue me somewhat for a newe yeres gifte or a tokē, wherby I may remember y ^t, as my dearly beloued syster.

Vvhat shoulde I leaue the? Actu. iij I haue nothynge, syluer and golde haue I not but suthe as I haue, I geue the (sayth saynte Peter) and of that wyll I also make the [Page] partaker.

Vvhat­soeuer thou doest geue or participate vnto me thesa­me wyll I thankefully re­ceiue, shute it vp in my herte and kepe it whylest I lyue.

wel, then wyl I leaue thy some thynge for a ne­we yeres gyft, and for a re­membraunce, whiche shall be better (as Dauid sayth) thē many thousande peeces of golde, I geue and leaue the Iesus Christe, the sonne of God, hys holy worde, and Gospell, and the hoolsome doctryne of Paule.

I beseeche the, put awaye from the thy former naugh­ty lyfe, and conuersation, by whose lustes & errours thou arte corrupted, and renewe [Page] thy selfe in the spirite of thy conscience and mynde, & put on Christe the newe man, whiche is shapen after God, in true righteousnes and holynes, put away from the allyenge, and for asmuche as we are membres) speake trueth with thy neyghbour Be not angry with thy hus­bande, nor yet with other folkes, and let not the sonne go downe ouer thy wrath, ge­ue no place vnto the backbeter or deuill, pleate the cause of the poore and nedefull, Eph iiij let no filthy cōmunicacion pro­cede forth of thy mouth, gre­ue not the holy Ghost, let all bitternes, fearsnes, wrath, rorynge, and cursed speakinge be put awaye from the, [Page] with all maliciousnes, be courteous and harty to all men and forgeue thyne ad­uersary, euen as God forga­ue the and vs al, for Christes sake. Remember also, that thou without any delaye, be willynge and glad to go to the sermons, and desyrous to heare the worde of God, And pray vnto God for gra­ce, that it wil please hym to strengthen the same in the, and to increace thy faythe. Also be not onely a hearer of the worde, Iacob. i. as Saint Iames saith, but declare it also with y ^e dede vnto thy neyghbour, that thou deceaue not thy selfe, for Christ speketh hym selfe. Blessed are they that heare the worde of God, and [Page] kepe the same, that is, that they lyue and do there after, accordynge as the holy saint Paule writeth vnto his scol­ler Titus, Tit. ij. and cōmaundeth hym howe he shoulde teache and speake vnto women, & so wyll I also, ryght well beloued syster, desyre and char­ge the, and leaue the for a remembraunce, that thou walke and behaue thy selues as becommeth holynes, that thou be no false accuser, not geuen to moche drynkinge, but a teacher of good and honest thynges, to make the yonge women sobreminded to loue theyr husbandes, to loue theyr children, to be dis­crete, chaste, huswyfly, good & obedient vnto their owne [Page] husbandes, y ^t the worde of God be not euil spoken of, & for to do all these thinges, desyre God moost hertily of his grace, & beleue without wa­uerynge, that he will geue y ^e grace to perfourme the same & as Christ sayth, whatsoe­uer ye desyre of the father in my name. I wyl do it. And whatsoeuer ye desyre (vnderstāde that which perteyneth to saluacion and Christen cō uersaciō) beleue, and ye shall receyue it. These and no better thynges haue I to leaue the forthy newe yeres gyfte or for a remembraunce, desy­ryng that thou wilt also laye it vp, and kepe it diligently in the coffer of thy herte, [Page] then wyl God come, and ge­ue the a newe herte & a ne­we spirit (as the Prophet fai­eth) then shalt thou se, Psal. li that God with al hys graces and blessynges, wyll come vpon thy, vpon thy husbande, thy children, and all thy housse, and that all thynges shal prospere with the.

I thanke the gentyll syster, that thou hast so frendly, re­buked, taught, and instru­cted me, I wyll neuer forget­te it whyle I lyue, and I wil diligently folowe thy good counseyll, and I ensure the, that thou hast done more on me, with thy earnest exhor­tations, than all the priestes and preachers that euer I heard in thys lande, & thou [Page] arte also better learned and more experte in y ^e scripture thē they this wyll I also re­porte of the before all men

Geue not the ho­nour and prayse vnto me, For al honour and prayse belongeth to god onely, as god sayth hymselfe, I am the lorde, that is my name, I wyll geue myne honour to none other. Vnto hym wyll we al­so asscribe, geue, and saye all honoure and righteousnes, as the Prophet sayth. Dan. ix Al ho­nor is thyne, and thou lorde arte righteous but we must be ashamed, and al shame is oures. Therfore geue the honour vnto God, and not to me, nor to any creature.

Honour and prayse be [Page] vnto God for euermore, and I beseeche the that it wyll please the to praye vnto god for me, that it wil please him to let me endure stedfastly to myne ende.

The holy saynt Iames teacheth vs that we shoulde pray one for another, that we myght all be saued, whiche I wyll also do truely for the, and for all men, do thou so lyke wyse for me. It is now tyme, I must be gone, my hartely be loued syster. The mercyfull God blesse the, and sende the hys blessynge. The grace & peace of oure Lorde Iesu Christe, be with thy louin­ge husbande Simplicius, (vnto whome thou shalt pronounce my harty commen­dations, [Page] whan he cometh home) and with all thy fa­milye, I committe the to the tuition of God.

God thanke the my louin­ge syster, and God sende the prosperite and health, that thou mayest come home a­gayne in sauetie, I feare, that I shall neuer se the a­gayne.

I wyll (yf God permitte (come to the agayne shortely, fare well, the lorde be with the.

And with y ^e also.

But yet or euer I depart (for as muche as it cometh into my mynd) I wil geue the a shorte instructiē, cōcerninge y ^e state of matrimony, which of late I learned at a sermō [Page] declared vpon a certayne place of saynt Ihons Gospel whiche I truste shall be no lesse for thyne edifyenge and instruction, then that godly communication, which hath ben betwene vs hetherto. And the sayd sermon was grounded vpon this pece of scripture contayned in the seconde chapiter of saynte Ihon, and soundeth thus.

Iohan. ijTHere was a mariage in Cana, a Cite of Galile, & [Page] the mother of Iesus was there. And Iesus was called al­so and hys disciples vnto the mariage. And when the wy­ne fayled, the mother of Ie­sus sayd vnto hym. They haue no wyne. Iesus sayd vnto her, woman, what haue I to do with the? myne houre is not yet come. His mother sayd vnto y ^e ministers. what­soeuer he sayth vnto you, do it. And there were stondyng there, sixe waterpottes of stone, after the maner of the purifyeng of the Iewes, containyng two or thre firkyns a pece. And Iesus sayd vnto them: fyll the waterpottes with water. And they filled them vp to the brym, and he sayd vnto them, drawe oute [Page] nowe, and beare vnto the gouernour of y ^e feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of y ^e feaste had tasted the water, y ^t was tourned vnto wyne, & knewe not whence it was, (but the ministers which drewe the water knewe) He called the bryde grome, & sayde vnto hym. All men at the be­ginnynge, setforth good wy­ne, and when mē be dronke, then that whiche is worse. But thou hast kept backe y ^e good wyne, vntil now. This beginnyng of miracles did Iesus in Cana of Galile, & shewed hys glory, & his disci­ples beleued in hym.

Vvhat teacheth vs thys go­spell.

Thre poyntes, first that y ^e [Page] state of matrimony is y ^e wor­ke of god. Secondely. An ex­ample of the faith in Marie. Thirdly, an example of loue in Christe.

Howe knowest thou, y ^t matrimony is the worke of god?

Out of the scrip­ture, bothe of the old Testa­ment, and also of the newe, & by experience.

Vvhat sayth the olde testa­ment, of matrimony?

The olde testament decla­reth, that god did institute, and ordeyne matrimony, in Paradyse, in the tyme of in­nocencye, before all synne, & toke great diligence, pay­nes and labour about it.

Vvhat paynes dyd he take in it?

Gene. i.Genes. i. it is wrytten, that the hygh Maiestye of God, dyd fyrst Counsel aboute the shapynge of man, sayenge, Let vs make man, in oure Image after our lykenes, Gene. ij and xviij Sapie. x Tob viij Ecclesi. xxxiv. 1. Cor xv And God shope man, euen dust from of the grounde, and breathed into hys nose­trelles the breathe of lyfe. After that he counselled al­so aboute the shaping of the woman, Gene. ij sayenge. It is not good that man shoulde be al one, we wyll make hym an helpe. And the lorde caused a slomber to fall vpon Adam. And he slept. And he toke o­ne of hys rybbes, and made it a womā, and broughte her [Page] vnto hym. Then sayd Adā. Ec. xvij 1. Cor. xi This is nowe a bone of my bones, and fleshe of my fllesh She shall be called woman, because she was taken oute of man. mat. xix Mar. x Eph. v i. Cor. v. for this cause shal mā leaue hys father and hys mother, and shalbe ioyned with hys wyfe, and they shal become one fleshe. Gene. i. And God blessed them, and sayde vn­to them, Growe and increa­se, and replenyshe the earth.

Vvorketh god this worke yet styll?

Yea verely, yet styll, as christ sayth Iohan v. Iohan v My father worketh hitherto and I worke. God causeth not onely boyes, but also wenches to be borne, not for to sinne hardely, [Page] but for an honeste and vertuous conuersacion, and for the preseruation & mayntenaunce, of all mankynde. Nowe lyke as God prouyded vnto Adam hys wyfe, with­out hys knowledge and hel­pe. Euen so doth he yet in these dayes brynge man and wyfe together, wonderfully without all theyr myndes & thoughtes. Pro. xix As it is wrytten Prouerb. xix. House & ryches may a man haue by the heritage of elders, but a discrete woman is the gyfte of the Lorde.

Vhat speaketh the newe te­stament of matrimony?

The newe testament sheweth that christ hath ho­noured y ^e state of matrimony [Page] and that, he went with hys disciples to the mariage in Cana of Galile, illustrynge thesame with a goodly miracle, tournynge water into wyne. To signifye thereby, y ^t he among faythfull maryed people wil also tourne y ^e wa­ter of trouble, in to wyne of ioye, yf they walke in a good conuersacion, lyue according to theyr vocacion and estate, and do that thynge whiche is godly and ryght.

Howe canst thou knowe by experience that matrimony is the worke of god?

That there in is muche pay­nefullnes labour and vniu­stines, for suche are the wor­kes of god, that they seme [Page] alwayes vnto the olde Adā, soure, bitter, & heauy. But God hath ordeyned the same so, to thintent that mā shoulde not be ydel, and by the reason ther of fall into euil sinfull cogitacions, wordes, & workes, but that he shoulde alwayes haue occasion to worke and to do somthynge for to expel there by the euill thoughtes, wordes, & dedes.

Is then Idelnes suche an euyll thynge?

Idelnes, is an occasion of many synnes and blasphe­myes, Sathan dyd no small hurte to the Christianite, when he dyd put into the popes heade, to forbidde matri­monye [Page] vnto the spiritualtye for thorough so many ydell persons hath he filled the Christianite, with synnes & abhominations, as Sodo­me and Gomorre.

Is then labour suche a cost­ly thynge.

Yea forsoth, labour taketh awaye from man, many euil thoughtes, wordes & dedes, it bringeth good occupieng, and kepeth hym healthfull. It bringeth to the table a hungry stomake, and to the bedde a wery body. Therfo­re doth meate and drynke sauour wel vnto hym, and sle­pe is swete and acceptable vnto hym. And also such one fulfilleth Goddes comman­dement, [Page] where as he sayth. In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy breade. Gen. iij

Vvhat must one do which geueth hym selfe into the esta­te of matrimony?

He must haue a respecte to thre thynges, to fayth, loue, and the crosse.

Vvherfore to fayth?

That he beleue, that matri­mony is the worke of god, & that god is hys good father, which can and wyl prouyde hym of an honest mate. And when that is done, thē must he also thynke no further vpon other, but cōtente him [Page] selfe with her, whiche god hath sent hym,

But howe and yf there hap­pen any tediousnes in ma­trimony?

Then must euery one thin­ke thus. Beholde, god hath geuen me thys fellowe, he knoweth well ynough, what is good & profitable for me. yf he had geuen me another it myght peraduenture be nore to my hynderaūce, then to my furtheraunce. The wyll of the lorde be done vpō me. Truely where suche thoughtes are, there can it not go amysse.

Vvherfore to the loue?

He must knowe that the Estate of matrimony is an estate of loue and peace, so y ^t therein the one must serue, helpe, and counseyl y ^e other, and that there be nothynge but seruyce, helpe and cōfor­te betwene them selues and after that, towardes theyr children, familye, & all men.

Howe betwene them selues?

Maryed folkes must be peaceable, frendly, & agreyng, one with another, not despi­singe one another, but be true one to another faithfully serue and succour one to a­nother in prosperite and in aduersitye, in sickenes and [Page] in health euen as God doth send it. for God made not the woman of the mannes hea­de, because she should not be mayster, nor yet of the fete, that she shoulde not altoge­ther lye vnder fote. Gen. ij. But of hys syde that she shoulde be the mans helper.

Howe towardes the childrē and familie.

When god sendeth them children or familye, that thei bryng vp the same to the laude, honour, & prayse of god, to the helpe, commoditie, & conforte of theyr neyghbour yea for the welthe of the ho­le communalte. And there shal they fynde bothe hādes [Page] full of good workes, yea all the workes of loue, whiche God hath commaūded, may they shewe vpon theyr chil­dren and familye. God ma­keth of that hous, good ma­ryed folkes, a holy hospitall an electe monastery, yea a kyngdome of Ioye, Paradi­se and heauen, he geueth his blessynge, and all goodnes, health and saluacion.

Howe towardes the crosse?

Maryed folkes, must knowe that God hath layde a heuy crosse vpon the state of ma­trimony, bothe mā & womē.

Vvhiche is the crosse of the man?

God sayd vnto Adam. Gen. iij Because thou haste herkened vnto the voyce of thy wyfe, & hast eaten of the tree concerning the whiche I commaund d the saieng, thou shalt not ea­te of it cursed be the groun­de for thy sake, in sorrowe shalt thou eate of it all the dayes of thy lyfe. Thorne also and thystle shal it cause to growe vnto the. In the swe­te of thy face, shalt thou eate thy breade.

Whiche is the crosse of the woman?

God sayde vnto Eua, Gen. iij becau­se thou hast herkened vnto the serpente, and haste ea­ten of the fruytes concerninge the whiche I commaūded the, that thou shouldest not [Page] eate of it. I wyll multiplye thy sorowe and thy concey­uyng. In sorrowe shalt thou brynge forth thy children, & thou shalt stoupe before thy husbande, and he shal haue the rule of the.

Is there any conforte in thys Crosse?

yes. By the crosse of the man is this conforte contayned. In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy breade, tyll thou be tourned agayn into the grounde, out of the whiche thou wast taken. As though he woulde saye. The crosse shall be temporal, and shal laste no longer, then whylest thou lyuest. Also it [Page] is but layed vpon the body, and not vpon the soule. Gen. iij By the crosse of the woman standeth thys consolacyō. Thou shalt bryng forth children, albeit with sorrowe, & saynt saynt Paule sayth. i. Tim. ij. i. Tim. ij The woman was deceaued and brought the transgression into the worlde, notwith­stondyng thorough bearing of children she shal be saued, yf she continue, in faythe, & loue, and holynes with dis­cretion.

Is the worde of god also in the lyfe of matrimony?

Not onely the worde of god, but also the commandemēt, ordinaunce, and blessyng of [Page] god, an honest lyfe, a good lyfe, a good conscience, and hope of eternall lyfe. In the lyfe of the wicked, is no­thynge elles, then the work, commaundement and ordi­naunce of the Deuyll, theyr owne wyll, destourbyng of y ^e godly commaundementes, an vngracious shameful ly­fe, an euil conscience, and expectacion of eternal damnation. The maried can sheppe forth bodely before god, and reioyce of theyr estate with a good conscience, I defie y ^e in­uēted states of y ^e spiritualte, y ^t they dare be so bolde, as o­nes to open their mouthes before god, but they must be confounded and become dō ­be before god, for they cā not [Page] alledge one lettere out of the holy scripture, whereby thei myght confirme or defende their estate. yf the popes try­ple crowne, the Cardinalles broade hatte, the Bisshoppes infula, the freares hode, the priestes shauen crowne, and the Nonnes clare, had such a reioysinge and grounde in the scripture, as the womēs keuerchief, and the begging bagge of the spiritualte, as the spade or pickare of Adā. good lorde, howe would they boaste, crye and reioyce, but Christ hath preuented theyr boasting, & standeth there, & saith, Mat. xv In vayn they worship me, teaching doctrines, whiche are nothyng, but mēnes preceptes.

Where by is the fayth per­ceyued in Marye?

Ioha. iijVvhen the wyne fayled, the mother of Iesue sayde vnto hym. They haue no wy­ne. The good mother careth for the gestes, and woulde fayne that al thynges were well, and done honestly, and yet doth she not praye with expressed wordes. for she thou­ght, it nedeth not to praye. He is so good of hymselfe, y ^t he wyll helpe, whan he hea­reth that there is lacke. And this is also the nature of faythe, to aduenture al thinges vpō the mercifulnes of god.

But what answerdyd Chri­ste geue her?

He sent her away vnkind­ly, and sayde vnto her, Ioha. iii wo­man, what haue I to do w ^t the, myne houre is not yet come.

Vvhat doth Mary then, doth she leaue it thus?

No, she sayth nowe first of al to the ministers, whatsoeuer he sayth vnto you do it. So certayne and sure is she, y ^t she beleueth, that her welbe­loued sonne Christe wyll not suffer her to lacke, and euen as she beleueth so cometh it to passe.

Vvhat shall we learne he­reof?

Vvhen it semeth vnto vs in our prayer, that god wyl not heare vs, then may we not yet despayre or ceasse, but we must styll go forwarde & per­syste. for vnder such a taciturnite is a sure conforte hyddē, vnder suche, naye lyeth a su­re, yea, for so doth god worke he helpeth no rather, then when a man thinketh, y ^t all confort and succour is gone. Therfore is he called. The ryght helper in necessities, which helpeth in due season

Vvhere by is the loue per­ceyued in Christe?

That he prouydeth here suche good wyne, at thys feast, he hath sufficiently de­clared [Page] by this example, that he wyl not put those in any necessite, whiche geue them selues, at his commaunde­ment, into the state of matrimony, beleue and truste in hym, and followe theyr vo­cacyon, nor yet leaue them confortles. For beholde, whē the wyne fayled he made of water good wyne. Euen so, yf men dotruely and earnestly call vpon hym matrimo­ny, he wyll also take awaye all maner of penuryes, he knoweth well ynough that in matrimony fayleth, ma­ny thynges, nowe meate & drynke, nowe rayment and shoes. Therfore, yf the mari­ed do that thing which plea­seth God, and seke fyrste the [Page] kyngdome of god, he wyl ne­uer forsake them.

Geue examples of the scri­pture?

Who fedde the Patriarche Iacob, when he went ouer Iordan with hys staffe, and came agayne with moche people, children, cattell & goo­des? Genes. xxxij Gene. xxxij. Vho fed Ioseph? whan he was solde of hys brethren, became he not by the grace of God, a lorde ouer al Egypte? Vvho fed the children of Israel in the wildernes forthy yeres? Vvho prouyded here good wyne? yea, who fedeth the hole worlde with all creatu­res? Doth not God it? True­ly noman nedeth to refuse [Page] matrimonye or to abstayne from it for hunger or penuri­es sake. But let him take the matter in hande, righteous­ly, in the feare of God, and do accordyng as hys office or occupation requyreth, let hym worke hys occupation in the name of the Lorde, put hys trust in God, & wal­ke ryghteously in the syghte of hys neyghboure, thē shall he fynde of a trueth, that god wyl holde on hys syde so moche as he did with Iacob Ioseph, and with the Bryde and Brydegrome.

But what sayest thou, of eatynge drynkynge, deckin­ge and trimmynge, pypyng, playenge and daunsyng, is it [...] [Page] the worde of god in the chur­che. The elders toke it for a great earnest matter, namely, that they fetched there y ^e blessyng of God, and the supplication of the Christen congregatiō, which in dede is very necessary and requisi­te, in this estate. And whoso­euer taketh vpon hym the state of matrimony, nedeth well the blessynge of god, & the common prayers of the congregation. Seyng the deuyll neuer resteth here, but attempteth all maner of wayes, for to stirre vp mo­che mischief, and calamitie with infidelyte, aduoutrye, vnclenlynes, and all maner of wickednes. All whiche [Page] thinges God the father, & oure lorde Iesus Christe, cā and wyll hynder, and let, vnto whome be lande & prayse for euer and euer, Amen.