A very true pronosticaciō / with a Kalender / gathered out of the moost auncyent bokes of ryght holy Astronomers / for the yere of our lorde M.CCCCC.xxxvj. And for all yeres here after perpetuall. Translated out of latyn in to Englysshe by Iohn̄ Ryckes preest.
Cum priuilegio Regali.
IUSTICIA
Charitas
Fides
PRUDENCIA
SPES
Obedientia
Patientia
¶ To the ryght noble and godly wyse, of the kynges noble coūsell: to whom his grace hath assigned to examyne englysshe bookes that are to be imprynted / and to approue those that are catholyke & profytable to y e christian cōmen welthe: and other to reproue. Aboundaunce of grace and euerlastynge helthe.
WHan I had red ouer this lytell boke / whiche was founde cast in a corner amonge other pamflets not regarded: which boke is named a Pronosticacion / & that (as is no doubte) moost true / and very necessary to be knowen: my conscyence moued me (though I can but lytel skyl to entreprise suche a thynge) for to translate it out of latin ī to englysshe / for a more cōmen welth Pytie I had to se so good a worke / so ꝓfytabte [Page] a lyght (as they say Mat. 5. lu. 8. 11.) to be hydden vnder a busshell. Wherfore vnder your iudgemēt & correction I wyl be glad to put it vpon a candelstycke / that it may be seen to many / & gyue light ferre abrode. whiche I can not do better, than to dedycate it vnto your goodnes / whose godly wysdom & lernynge, is knowen to be so good & circūspecte, that it wolde not suffre suche a thynge to go abrode, but yf it were for a cōmen welthe. The cōmen pronosticacions, that yerely gothe aboute are but tryfles in regarde of this & vayne (ye after my mynde) deceyuable & harmefull, to not a fewe persones, that hath credence in them. How can they tel of thingꝭ to cōme / or what shall chaūce to men here after. Iob. 38. Act. 1. It onely depēdeth in the disposicion & power of god / whiche ordreth all thingꝭ in tyme & place as it pleaseth hym. God saith by his ꝓphete Esaie xlj. Shewe you what thynges are for to cōme: & we shal knowe you to be goddes. And in an other place, spekyng to the Babylones. [Page] Esa. 47. Let your Augurers of y e firmament, stande & saue you, whiche be holde the sterres & nombre the monethes for to shewe by them, what thynges are for to cōme. &c. Deut (er). 28. God promyseth all thynges to succede and to cōme well to passe, vnto all them that byleue purely in hym & wyl obserue his lawes. And threateth the contrary to miscreauntes & euyll doers. Wherfore yf they hap somtyme to touche the truthe: it is bycause they se by coniecture the cōdicions & maners of people, by the sentēce of god in holy scripture to deserue and be worthy, eyther peace or warre, helthe or sycknes, derth or plenty, with suche other thynges as they wryte of in their ꝓnosticacions / whiche yf they dyd not in auaūsyng them selues, sekyng prayse & vayne glory of the worlde: but referrynge all to the worde of god / groūded thervpon / and not vpon their vayne aucrours and planets: they myght well be herde, & credence be gyuen vnto them, yf they spake not so darkly. Therfore y t men [Page] sholde not spende their tyme in vayne / it is better that they shold leue suche trifles and vncerteyn sayenges / & leane sadly to this sure & true pronosticacion, grounded onely vpon the worde of god, moost sure foūdacion, and of most hye auctorite. In this a man may somwhat lerne to knowe and feare god / & to haue in reuerence the holy scripture / wherin onely is cōteyned all thynges that belongeth to the helth of soules / and to the godly administracion & gouernaunce of the cōmen welthe / wher vnto god hath called you. And for a sōme as cōcernynge suche thinges in scripture there are set forth here in this kalender folowynge, in stede of sayntes dayes, certayne holy hystoryes, wherby they may ꝑceyue the benignite & seuerite / the mercy, & rygorousnes of god towardes mankynde. And agayne, the fayth, and incredulite / the kyndnes, & vnkyndnes of men towardes god: what are moost specyally to be taken hede of in the scripture of god. So that we may lerne also, to ascrybe no [Page] thyng to our selues, but to refer all thingꝭ to almighty god y e father, thorow Chryst. Yf there be foūde any thynge that is somwhat obscure: let them aske counsell of those y t be good & well lerned. And moost specially praye to god entyerly, y t he wyll open the sence to vs, that we may vnderstande the scriptures. Luc. 24. Thus I beseche your benignityes, to accepte my lytell labour, not consyderynge the rude doynge: but y e zele that I haue to forther the ryght wayes of Chrystyan lyuynge, whiche shall be with the helpe of goddes grace, if ye thynke it worthy to go abrode to his honour & glory, whose grace & consolacion be euer with you. Amen.
¶ Of the yere.
¶ The yere hathe .CCC.lxv. dayes / & a quarterne / whiche always euery fourth yere maketh one daye / whiche is set in y e xxij. daye of February.
¶ Of the golden nombre.
¶ The golden nōbre cōteyneth .xix. thus [Page] to be coūted, that eche yere frō one to .xix. one nombre must be ascrybed / and in the xx. yere, begyn agayne at one. And in euery fourth yere, whiche is called Bisextile or leape yere, the .xxij. daye of February, shall cōteyne also the .xxiij. And y t whiche in y e kalender is the .xxiij. day / than must be the .xxiiij. wherfore also the dominical lettre must nedes be chaunged.
¶ Of the Dominicall lettre.
¶ The yere of our lorde. M.v.C. & .xxxv was C. dominicall lettre. The yere .M.v.C. and .xxxvj. leape yere / and B. dominicall lettre, vntyll saynt Mathyes daye. And from thens forth A. shal be cōtynued for dn̄icall lettre. The nexte yere .g. Than f. After that .e. And than .d.c. leape yere agayne. And so contynuynge backwarde euery fourth yere take .ij. lettres for leape yere / rekenynge the fyrst vnto saynt Mathyes daye: and the seconde all the yere after. And so contynue .xxviij. yeres / as in this table folowynge. And than begyn agayne / and so for euer.
b.g.f.e.d.b.a.g.f.d.c.b.a.f. a. c. e. g. e.d.c.a.g.f.e.c.b.a.g.e.d.c. b. d. f.
¶ Of the inuencion of Ester and other mouable feestes.
¶ From the .xxj. day of Marche, vnto the xviij. daye of Apryll, we haue subscribed golden nombres to the lettres of y e dayes into this vse. Vpon what day so euer the golden nombre of the yere falleth / alway the sonday nexte folowyng shall be Ester day. Whiche had, ye shall easely fynde, cō tynuynge vpward or downward, lente or septuagesym. The ascēsion or Pentecost.
¶ How to fynde y e chaunge of y e mone.
¶ If ye desyre to fynde the coniūction, or the new mone / we haue ordred so y e goldē nōbre (otherwise than it hath ben in time past) in y e kalēders: that where so euer ye fynde y e golden nōbre for y t yere: there is y e chaunge or coniūction. Whiche foūde, ye may easely fynde by diuision, y e apposiciō & the encrease or decrease of the mone.
| K | L | ||
| xix | A | The Circūcision of Chryst. Luke. ij. | 1 |
| viij | b | Adam. Eua. Genesis. iij. | 2 |
| c | 3 | ||
| xvj | d | 4 | |
| v | e | 5 | |
| f | The kynges. Math. ij. | 6 | |
| xiij | g | 7 | |
| ij | A | 8 | |
| b | Abell. Cayn. Genesis. iiij. | 9 | |
| x | c | 10 | |
| d | The sonne in aquario. | 11 | |
| xviij | e | 12 | |
| vij | f | 13 | |
| g | 14 | ||
| xv | A | 15 | |
| iiij | b | Noes flode. Genesis. vij. | 16 |
| c | 17 | ||
| xij | d | 18 | |
| x | e | 19 | |
| f | 20 | ||
| ix | g | 21 | |
| A | Sem / Iaphet / Ham. Genesis. ix. | 22 | |
| xvij | b | 23 | |
| vj | c | 24 | |
| d | 25 | ||
| xiiij | e | 26 | |
| iij | f | 27 | |
| g | 28 | ||
| xj | A | Babylon. Heber. Genesis. xj. | 29 |
| xix | b | 30 | |
| c | 31 |
| L | K | ||
| viij | d | 1 | |
| e | The purification of our lady. Luke. ij. | 2 | |
| xvj | f | 3 | |
| v | g | 4 | |
| A | Abram. Genesis. xij. | 5 | |
| xiij | b | 6 | |
| ii | c | 7 | |
| d | 8 | ||
| x | e | 9 | |
| f | 10 | ||
| xviij | g | The sonne in piscibus. | 11 |
| vij | A | Loth. Sodom. Genes. xix. | 12 |
| b | 13 | ||
| xv | c | 14 | |
| iiij | d | 15 | |
| e | 16 | ||
| xij | f | 17 | |
| j | g | 18 | |
| A | Isaac. Ismael. Genesis. xxi. | 19 | |
| ix | b | 20 | |
| c | 21 | ||
| xvij | d | The begynnynge of Ver. | 22 |
| vj | e | 23 | |
| f | 24 | ||
| xiiij | g | 25 | |
| vj | A | Esau. Iacob. Genes. xxvij. | 26 |
| b | 27 | ||
| xj | c | 28 |
| K | L | ||
| xix | d | 1 | |
| viij | e | 2 | |
| f | 3 | ||
| xvj | g | 4 | |
| v | A | Ioseph and his bretherne. Gen̄. xxxvij. | 5 |
| b | 6 | ||
| xiij | c | 7 | |
| ij | d | 8 | |
| e | 9 | ||
| x | f | 10 | |
| g | The sonne in Ariete. | 11 | |
| xviii | A | Equinoctium vernum | 12 |
| vij | b | Iuda and his sones. Gen̄. xxxviij. | 13 |
| c | 14 | ||
| xv | d | 15 | |
| iiij | e | 16 | |
| f | 17 | ||
| xij | g | 18 | |
| i | A | Ephraim and Manass. Gen̄. xlviij. | 19 |
| b | The golden nombre for to fyndde Ester daye. | 20 | |
| ix | c | xvj | 21 |
| d | v | 22 | |
| xvij | e | 23 | |
| vj | f | xiij | 24 |
| g | ij The salutacion of our lady. Luc. j. | 25 | |
| xiiij | A | Resurreccion of Chryst. Math. 28. | 26 |
| iij | b | x | 27 |
| c | Pharao and Moyses. Exod. vij. | 28 | |
| xj | d | xviij | 29 |
| e | vii | 30 | |
| xix | f | 31 |
| K | L | |||
| viij | g | xv | 1 | |
| xvj | A | iiij | Aaron. Moyses / & the enchaunters. Exod. vij.viij. | 2 |
| v | b | 3 | ||
| c | xij | 4 | ||
| xiij | d | i | 5 | |
| vj | e | 6 | ||
| f | ii | 7 | ||
| i | g | 8 | ||
| A | xvij | 9 | ||
| xviij | b | vj | The sonne in tauro. | 10 |
| vij | c | Aaron and Mary. Numeri. xij. | 11 | |
| d | xiiij | 12 | ||
| xv | e | iii | 13 | |
| iiii | f | 14 | ||
| g | xi | 15 | ||
| xii | A | 16 | ||
| x | b | xix | 17 | |
| c | viij | 28 | ||
| ix | d | Caleb. Iosue / & the spyes. Nu. xiij. | 19 | |
| e | 20 | |||
| xvij | f | 21 | ||
| vj | g | 22 | ||
| A | 23 | |||
| xiiij | b | Moyses & Aaron at the stone of cōtradiction. Nu. xx. | 14 | |
| iij | c | 25 | ||
| d | 26 | |||
| ii | e | 27 | ||
| f | 28 | |||
| xix | g | 29 | ||
| viij | A | Balaam and his asse. Nume. xxij. | 30 | |
| K | L | ||
| b | 1 | ||
| xvj | c | 2 | |
| v | d | 3 | |
| e | The Ascencion of our lorde. Mar. xvj. | 4 | |
| xiij | f | 5 | |
| ij | g | 6 | |
| A | Raab. Hiericho. Iosue. vj. | 7 | |
| x | b | 8 | |
| c | 9 | ||
| xviij | d | 10 | |
| vij | e | 11 | |
| f | 12 | ||
| xv | g | The sonne in geminis. | 13 |
| iiij | A | The cōmynge of the holy goost. Act. ij. | 14 |
| b | 15 | ||
| xij | c | 16 | |
| j | d | 17 | |
| e | 18 | ||
| ix | f | 19 | |
| g | 20 | ||
| xvij | A | Gabaonytes. Iosue. ii. | 21 |
| vj | b | 22 | |
| c | 23 | ||
| xiiij | d | 24 | |
| iij | e | The begynnynge of sommer. | 25 |
| f | 26 | ||
| xj | g | 27 | |
| A | A leuyte and his wyfe. Iudic. ix. | 28 | |
| xix | b | 29 | |
| viij | c | 30 | |
| xviij | d | 31 |
| K | L | ||
| v | e | 1 | |
| f | 2 | ||
| xiij | g | 3 | |
| ij | A | Ruth / her syster. Ruth. j. | 4 |
| b | 5 | ||
| x | c | 6 | |
| d | 7 | ||
| xviij | e | 8 | |
| vij | f | 9 | |
| g | 10 | ||
| xv | A | Anna / Feuenna. j. Samu. j. | 11 |
| iiii | b | 12 | |
| c | The sonne ī cancro. Solsticiū estiuale. | 13 | |
| xij | d | 14 | |
| j | e | 15 | |
| f | 16 | ||
| ix | g | 17 | |
| A | Hely / his sonnes .j. Samu. ij. | 18 | |
| xvij | b | 19 | |
| vj | c | 20 | |
| d | 21 | ||
| xiiij | e | 22 | |
| iij | f | 23 | |
| g | 24 | ||
| xi | A | Samuel / his sonnes .j. Sam. viii. | 25 |
| b | 26 | ||
| xix | c | 27 | |
| viii | d | 28 | |
| e | 29 | ||
| xvi | f | 30 |
| K | L | ||
| v | g | 1 | |
| A | Salutacion of Elizabeth. Luc. j. | 2 | |
| xiii | b | 3 | |
| ii | c | Saul. Dauid .j. Sam. xvi. | 4 |
| d | 5 | ||
| x | e | 6 | |
| f | 7 | ||
| xviii | g | 8 | |
| vii | A | Dauid / Mychol. 2. Samuel. 6. | 9 |
| b | 10 | ||
| xv | c | 11 | |
| iiii | d | 12 | |
| e | 13 | ||
| xii | f | The sonne in leone. | 14 |
| i | g | 15 | |
| A | Dauid / Betshabee .ij. Sam. xi. | 16 | |
| ix | b | 17 | |
| c | 18 | ||
| xvii | d | 19 | |
| vi | e | 20 | |
| f | 21 | ||
| xiiii | g | 22 | |
| iii | A | Dauid / Vrias .ii. Sam. ii. | 23 |
| b | 24 | ||
| xi | c | 25 | |
| d | 26 | ||
| xix | e | 27 | |
| viii | f | 28 | |
| xvi | g | 29 | |
| v | A | Dauid / Nathan .ij. Samuel .xi. | 30 |
| b | 31 |
| K | L | ||
| xiij | c | 1 | |
| xi | d | 2 | |
| e | 3 | ||
| x | f | 4 | |
| g | 5 | ||
| xviij | A | Ammon. Thamar. i. Samu. xiij. | 6 |
| vij | b | 7 | |
| c | 8 | ||
| xv | d | 9 | |
| iiij | e | 10 | |
| f | 11 | ||
| xij | g | 12 | |
| j | A | 13 | |
| b | The sonne in virgine. | 14 | |
| ix | c | 15 | |
| d | Dauid. Absolon. | 16 | |
| xvij | e | 17 | |
| vj | f | 18 | |
| g | 29 | ||
| xiiij | A | 20 | |
| iij | b | 21 | |
| c | The begynnynge of Autumne. | 22 | |
| xj | d | 23 | |
| xix | e | Dauid. Semei. ij. Sam. xvj. | 24 |
| f | 25 | ||
| viij | g | 26 | |
| xvj | A | Cusy. Achitophel. ij. Sam xvii | 27 |
| b | 28 | ||
| v | c | 29 | |
| d | 30 | ||
| xiij | e | 31 |
| K | L | ||
| ij | f | 1 | |
| g | 2 | ||
| x | A | Solomon / Adonias. j. Regum. j. | 3 |
| b | 4 | ||
| xviii | c | 5 | |
| vii | d | 6 | |
| e | 7 | ||
| xv | f | 8 | |
| iiii | g | 9 | |
| A | Ioab / Banaias. j. Regum. xi. | 10 | |
| xii | b | 11 | |
| i | c | 12 | |
| d | 13 | ||
| ix | e | 14 | |
| f | The sonne in libra. Equinoctium autūnale. | 15 | |
| xvii | g | 16 | |
| vi | A | 17 | |
| b | Solomō / his wyues straūgers. j. reg. xi. | 18 | |
| xiiii | c | 19 | |
| iii | d | 20 | |
| e | 21 | ||
| xi | f | 22 | |
| xix | g | 23 | |
| A | 24 | ||
| viii | b | Roboam. Hieroboam. j. Regum. xii. | 25 |
| c | 26 | ||
| xvi | d | 27 | |
| v | e | 28 | |
| xiii | f | 29 | |
| ii | g | 30 |
| K | L | ||
| A | Achab / Iehu. ij. Regum. ix. | 1 | |
| x | b | 2 | |
| c | 3 | ||
| xviij | d | 4 | |
| vij | e | 5 | |
| f | 6 | ||
| xv | g | 7 | |
| iiij | A | Ezechias / Senacheryb. ij. Reg. xix. | 8 |
| b | 9 | ||
| xij | c | 10 | |
| j | d | 11 | |
| e | 12 | ||
| ix | f | 13 | |
| g | The sonne in scorpione. | 14 | |
| xvij | A | 15 | |
| vj | b | Esayas / Ezechias. ij. Regum. xx. | 16 |
| c | 17 | ||
| xiiij | d | 18 | |
| xij | e | 19 | |
| f | 20 | ||
| xj | g | 21 | |
| xix | A | Manasses. ij. Paralypomenon. xxxiij. | 22 |
| b | 23 | ||
| viij | c | 24 | |
| d | 25 | ||
| xvj | e | 26 | |
| v | f | 27 | |
| g | 28 | ||
| xiij | A | Hieremias / Sedechias. Hieremie. xxxix. | 29 |
| ij | b | 30 | |
| c | 31 |
| K | L | ||
| x | d | 1 | |
| e | 2 | ||
| xviij | f | 3 | |
| vij | g | 4 | |
| A | Danyel. Babylonyes. Daniel. vj. | 5 | |
| xv | b | 6 | |
| iiij | c | 7 | |
| d | 8 | ||
| xij | e | 9 | |
| j | f | 10 | |
| g | 11 | ||
| ix | A | The thre kynges. Herode. Math. ij. | 12 |
| b | 13 | ||
| xvij | c | The sonne in sagittario. | 14 |
| vj | d | 15 | |
| e | 16 | ||
| xiiij | f | 17 | |
| iij | g | 18 | |
| A | Iohn̄ baptyst. preestes. Ioh. i. | 19 | |
| xj | b | 20 | |
| xix | c | 21 | |
| d | The begynnynge of wynter. | 22 | |
| viij | e | 23 | |
| f | 24 | ||
| xvj | g | 25 | |
| v | A | Iohn̄ baptyst. Herode. Luc. iij. | 26 |
| b | 27 | ||
| xiii | c | 28 | |
| ii | d | 29 | |
| x | e | 30 |
| K | L | ||
| f | 1 | ||
| xviij | g | 2 | |
| vij | A | Peter / Iudas. Iohn̄. xiij. | 3 |
| b | 4 | ||
| xv | c | 5 | |
| iiij | d | 6 | |
| e | 7 | ||
| xij | f | 8 | |
| j | g | 9 | |
| A | Barnabas / Ananias. Act. iiij. | 10 | |
| ix | b | 11 | |
| c | The sonne in capricorno. | 12 | |
| xvij | d | Solstitium hyemale. | 13 |
| vj | e | 14 | |
| f | 15 | ||
| xiiij | g | 16 | |
| iij | A | Peter / Symon magus. Act. viij. | 17 |
| b | 18 | ||
| xj | c | 19 | |
| xix | d | 20 | |
| e | 21 | ||
| viij | f | 22 | |
| g | 23 | ||
| xvj | A | 24 | |
| v | b | The Natiuite of Chryst. Math. ij. | 25 |
| c | Paulus / Elimas magus. Act. xiij. | 26 | |
| xiij | d | 27 | |
| ij | e | 28 | |
| f | 29 | ||
| x | g | 30 | |
| A | 31 |
¶ Otto Brunsfelsius to the chrysten reder desyreth plentye of grace.
OF this myne almanak here shall I entreate chrystē reder, moche after an other forme, & ferre after an other ordre, than they which boost themselues to be named connynge Astronomers. For whyles they loke for to flatter the affections of some vnstable ꝑsons, and so to disceyue them, by reason of the influence of y e bodyes aboue (as they say) whiche influence, they ꝓfesse themselues to knowe (thoughe by vncertayne coniectures) they do teche to descryue / deuyde or discerne one tyme from an other / and to obserue dayes / monethes / & yeres / of this tyme y t contynually decayeth. Therfore I leanynge to the moost sure worde of god, shall begyn this myne almanacke moost true, & euer for to endure, after the wyll of hym, which is most myghty maker [Page] & ruler (not onely of starres) but of all thynges in heuen & erth. And for a generall ītroduction in maner, I set forth first these thinges to be redde whiche are wryten in Deutronomy .xviij. Whan y u shalte entre in to the lande, whiche the lorde thy god shal gyue the, beware that y u lerne not to do after y e abominacions of those nacions. And se y t there be foūde none amonge you, that sacryfyeth his sone or doughter drawynge them thorowe the fyre: eyther that asketh any thynge of them that vse wytchecrafte / and obserueth dremes / or chatteryng of byrdes / or that is a sorcerer or a charmer: neyther ape coūsell of them that speke with a sprite / or a sothsayer, or that talketh with them that be deed, for to knowe the truthe. For all that do suche thynges, the lorde dothe abhorre. And bycause of such mischeuous synnes, he shal dryue them out at thy cōmyng in. Be perfyte & pure therfore w t the lorde thy god. These nacions that thou shalt conquere, & possesse their landes, gyue eare to wytches [Page] and sothsayers: but thou art otherwyse taught of the lorde thy god. Leuit. xx. That ꝑsone whiche turneth vnto wytches & sothsayers / & playe the hore with them, I shal put my face agaynst hym / & destroye hym from amongest his people. Sāctifye your selues therfore & be holy. Hieremye .x. Be not wyllyng to lerne after the wayes of the gentyles / & be not afrayde of signes or sterres of y e firmamēt whiche gentyles do feare: for the lawes and sayenges of people are vayne, and nothynge to be regarded.
Of these sayingꝭ it appereth more clere than the lyght of the mydday, that y e pronosticacions & foresayinges of all astronomers, are foūded but vpon flowing sande and vnstable, whiche the wordes of god beyng of so great efficacite, easely destroyeth & bringeth them vnto nought. By the which wordes of god, we knowe also for a suretye (according as it is wryten. Exod. xx. I am y e lorde thy god, a stronge gelous louer) that his omnipotent maiesty [Page] wyll not admyt nor suffre, any of his creatures to reygne or rule with hym. For he accordyng to the perfection of his diuyne worde, is sole y e noble ruler & gouernour, not onely of this yere, but also of al times and of all thyngꝭ that be in heuen, in erth and in hell. Wytnes not Ptolomey of Alexādry, Albumaser, Haly, Meszhulle, Hermes, & suche other? but that noble kynge and prophete Dauid in the .xxiij. psalme, sayinge. The erth is the lordes, & all that is therin / the rounde worlde, & all y t dwelleth in it. A lorde myghty, stronge, and of great power: he is the kynge of glory.
Also Iosue .ij. The lorde is your god, he is the god in heuen aboue, & in erth benethe. Ecclastici .j. There is one most hye maker of all, omnipotēt & a myghty kyng and moche to be dredde, syttyng vpon his trone, a god hauyng dominion. .j. to the Corinth .viij. We knowe that an ydoll is nothynge in this worlde / & that there is no god but one / to vs onely there is but one god, whiche is the father / of whome [Page] cōme all thynges / & we in hym / and one lorde Iesus Chryste / by whome are all thynges / and we by hym.
To y e Ephe. iiij. There is but one lorde / one fayth / one baptysme / one god and father of all / whiche is aboue all / thorowe all / & in you all. The first of Timo. ij. There is one god / and one mediatour bytwene god & mā / whiche is y e man Chryst Iesus. &c. To the Hebrues .xiij. Iesus Chryst yesterdaye and to daye / & the same contynueth for euer.
¶ Of frutes of the erth.
¶ It besemeth not to cloke or hyde the truthe / but rather it is very expedyent to shewe it moost openly to euery man. And bycause god hymselfe is the very truthe / let vs gyue eare with attente & a diligent mynde vnto his owne wordes. In Deutro. xxviij. it is wrytē thus. If thou wylt herken diligently vnto the voyce of y e lord thy god / to obserue & do all his cōmaūdementes, whiche I cōmaūde y t this daye, the lorde wyll set the on hye aboue all nacions [Page] of the erth. And all these blessynges shall cōme on the, & ouertake the. If thou shalt obey vnto the voyce of the lorde thy god / blessed shalte thou be in the towne / & blessed in y e feldes / blessed shall be y e frute of thy body / the frute of thy groūde / & the frute of thy cattell / y e frute of thyne oxen / and thy flockes of shepe / blessed shall thy bernes be & thy store: blessed shalt thou be whan y u goest out, and whan y u cōmest in. Leuit. xxvj. If ye shall walke ī myne ordynaūces, & kepe my cōmaūdementes, & do them ī dede / I wyll sende you rayne in tyme & ryght season: and your lande shall brynge forth her encrease / & the trees of y e felde shall gyue theyr frutes. And corne thresshynge shall reche vnto y e wyne haruest / & the wyne haruest shall reche vnto sowynge ryme: & ye shall eate your breade in plenteousnes: & ye shall dwell in your grounde peasably. Leuiti. xxv. I am y e lord your god / wherfore do after myne ordynaunces, & kepe my lawes, & do them, that ye may dwell in the lande in safetye [Page] without any feare. And the lande shall bringe forth her frute, & ye shall eate your fyll, and dwell there in safetye. If ye shall say, what shall we eate in y e seuenth yere in as moche as we shall not sowe nor gather in our encrease? I wyl sende my blessynge vpon you in the sixth yere / & it shall bryng forth frute for thre yeres / & ye shall sowe the eyght yere / & eate of y e olde frute vntyll the .ix. &c. If these thynges were ꝓmysed vnto y e fore fathers: how moche more lykewyse vnto vs christyans? For it is the same lorde & promyser lyuynge for euer, whose sone Iesus Chryst our lorde admonyssheth vs. Math. vj. sayenge. Be not careful / saying, what shall we eate, or what shall we drynke / or wherw t shall we be clad. For all these thynges y e vnfaythfull nacions seke besyly for. Surely, your father in heuen knoweth y t ye haue nede of all these thynges. Therfore seke first y e kyngdom of heuen, & the iustyce of it / and all these thynges shall be mynystred vnto you. And it is wryten in Deutro. viij. as [Page] Chryst saythe. Man lyueth not onely by breade / but in euery worde that ꝓcedeth from the mouth of god. Math. iiij.
Also Deutro. viij. Take hede and beware that thou neuer forgete the lorde thy god, and doest not regarde his cōmaūdemētes lawes & ordynaūces, whiche I cōmaūde the this day / oneles after thou hast eaten and fylled the full / & hast bylte the goodly houses, & dwelte therin / & hast droues of oxen, & flockes of shepe, & plenty of golde and syluer, & of all thynges: than beware leest thyne herte ryseth & be proude / & forgetest the lorde thy god. &c. Esaye .j. If ye wyll heare & be ruled, ye shall haue your pleasure of the best frute of the lande: but if ye wyll not, & ꝓuoke me to displeasure / the sworde shall deuoure you. Esaye. lv. All ye that are at hurst, cōme to y e waters. Also you y t wante syluer, go quyckly: bye that ye mought eate, go your wayes and bye wyne & mylke without money, & w t out pryce or exchaunge. Wherfore do you lay out your money for y e fode that fedeth [Page] not? and spende your labour aboute that thynge that satisfyeth you not. And wherfore rather lysten you not vnto me, y t your soules mought eate of y e best / & take theyr fyll vpon the fattest delycates? Gyue eare to me, & cōme to me, take hede to me, and your soules shall be refresshed. &c.
In the .xxij. chap. Hieremy saith vnto the euyll kynge Ioacim. Thy father, dyd he not eate & drynke (that is to saye, lyued in peace) & kepte equite & iustyce, that tyme whan he was in prosperite? He iudged y e cause of the poore & nedy / so y t it redowned to his owne goodnes. And was it not therfore (sayth the lorde) bycause he knewe & regarded me? but thy eyes & thy herte, is all gyuen vnto auaryce, & blode shedynge and that of innocētes / & to iniust vexacion of other, ronnyng to euery vnhappy dede. Therfore y e lorde sayd these thynges vnto Ioacim kynge of Iuda, sone of Iosyas. Neyther brother nor syster shall bewayle hym and say alas. Nor none shall crye to hym, sayenge alas lorde / alas noble man. [Page] He shal be buryed as an asse is buryed putrifyed / & cast out of y e gates of Ierusalē. Prouerb. xiij. A iust & a good man eateth and fulfylleth his appetyte as moche as he wyll: but the bely of an vngodly man shall neuer haue ynough. The prophete psal. liiij. Cast thy carefull mynde vpon the lorde / & he shall nourysshe the / & shall neuer suffre a rightwise man to wauer or fall. Psal. xxxvj. I haue ben yonge, and am cōme to age: & yet sawe I neuer the ryghtwyse forsaken / or his sede beggyng theyr breade.
¶ Of sterilite & derth of vytaylles / corne or frutes.
¶ Contrary to these thynges, god dothe threten. Leui. xxvj. If ye wyll not herken vnto me, nor wyll do all these my cōmaū demētes / or yf ye shall despyse my lawes, and contemne myne ordynaūces / so that ye wyll not do all thynges as I haue ordeyned, but shall breake myne appoyntmēt: than wyll I lykewise do this agayn vnto you. Ye shal sowe your sede in vayne [Page] for your ennemyes shall deuour & destroy it. I wyll make y e heuē ouer you as harde as yron / & your lande as harde as brasse: & so your labour shall be spente in vayne. For your lande shal not gyue her encrease Nor the trees of the erth shall gyue theyr frutes. I wyll breke y e staffe of your breade, that .x. wyues shall bake your breade in one ouen / & men shall delyuer you your breade agayne by weyght. Than shall you eate, and not be satisfyed.
Deutro. xxviij. And yf y u wylt not herken vnto the voyce of y e lorde thy god, to kepe and to do all his cōmaūdementes & ordynaunces, whiche I cōmaūde y t this day: than all these curses shall cōme vpon the, and ouertake the. Cursed shalt thou be in the towne, & cursed in y e felde / cursed shall be thy barne & thy store. Cursed shall the frute of thy body, & the frute of thy lande be / & the frute of thyne oxen, & the flockes of thy shepe. &c. And the heuen y t is ouer thy heed, shall be brasse / & the lande that thou treadest vpon yron. And y e lorde shall [Page] turne the rayne of the lande vnto powder and dust / euen frō heuen they shall cōme vpon the, vntyll y u be brought to nought. Thou shalt cast moche sede in to y e felde, & shalt gather but lytell in: for the locustes shall destroy it. Thou shalt plante a vyneyarde & dresse it, but shalt neyther drynke of the wyne, nor gather of the grapes / for the wormes shall eate it. The ꝓphete Agge. j. cha. ye dyd sowe moche, & caryed in / but lytell ye dyd eate, & were not satisfyed / ye dranke & had not ynough. And for what cause? (saith the lorde) bycause my hous is forsaken & desolate, and you haue hyed euery one to his owne hous. And for this the heuens are ꝓhibite to gyue dewe vpon you. And y e erth is forbyddē to gyue her encrease. And god shall call drought vpon y e lande & moūtaynes, vpon wheate and wyne / and vpon oyle, and all thinges that the erth bryngeth forth.
¶ Of sycknesses.
¶ God sendeth sycknesses vnto men, som tyme for theyr synnes / & many tymes for [Page] to quycken theyr fayth, & to exercise theyr charite & loue to god & to their neyghbour To y e Hebre. xij. The lord chastiseth them whome he loueth, & correcteth euery sone that he fauoureth. Leuit. xxvj. If ye wyll not yet be lerned for al this, but shall walke contrarywyse vnto me: than wyll I also walke cōtrary vnto you / & wyll punysshe you seuen tymes for your synnes. And whan you are fled vnto your cytyes, I wyll sende y e pestilence among you. &c. Deutro. xxviij. If it be so that thou wylt not heare the voyce of y e lorde thy god / he shall make the pestilence cleaue vnto the / vntyll he hath consumed from the lande whether thou goest for to enioye it: & the lorde shall smyte the w t swellynges / with feuers / colde / hote / burnyng / & w t corrupt ayre / & blastyng: and they shall folowe the vntyll thou perysshe: & y e lorde wyll stryke the with y e botches of Egypte / & with the emorodes / skall & maungynesse: so that y u shalt neuer be healed therof. And the lord shall smyte the w t madnes / blyndnes / and [Page] dasyng of y e mynde. The lorde shall smyte the with myscheuous botches in y e knees & legges / vncurable / euen from y e sole of y e fote, vnto y e top of thy heed. Excepte ye be diligent to kepe & do al the wordes of this lawe, that are wryten in this boke / for to feare this gloryous & fearful name of the lorde thy god: the lorde wyll encrease thy thy plages / & smyte bothe the & thy seade with wonderfull great plages / & of longe contynuaunce / & with very euyll sycknesses / and of longe duraūce. More ouer, he wyl brynge vpon the all the afflictions of egypte / whiche y u wast afrayde of / & they shall cleaue vnto the. Besyde this all maner sycknesses / & all maner plages, which are not wryten in the booke of this lawe / wyll the lorde brynge vpon y e / vntyll thou be cōme to nought: & all bycause y u wylte not herken vnto y e voyce of y e lord thy god.
¶ Of warre and peace.
¶ The very true peace is onely in Chryst but in the worlde / all maner of myschefe. Iohn̄. xvj. These thinges haue I spoken [Page] (saythe Chryst) vnto you / that in me ye may haue peace / but in y e worlde ye shall haue tribulacion. In the worlde is ambicion of honour & dominion, & all desyre of theyr owne profyte & of rychesse / & inordynate affections of worldly & carnall pleasures / wherof do sprynge al stryfe and batayle / whiche god sendeth for y e transgressyon of his lawes & cōmaundementes. Esaye. j. If ye wyll be stubburne, & prouoke me vnto displeasure: ye shall be deuoured with sworde. For so hath god promysed with his owne mouth. Deutro. xxviij. sayth Moyses. If thou obserue y e lawes & cōmaūdementes of the lorde thy god: he shall smyte thyne ennemyes that ryse agaynst y e before thy face. They cōme out agaynst the one waye, & flee from the seuen wayes. And contrarywyse shall he deale with the, yf thou be disobedyent. Also .xxxij. without forth, the sworde shal destroy them / & within the hous feare: & that bothe yonge men & yonge women / & the suckelynges, w t men of grey heades.
Iob. xix. The venger of iniquities, and of vngracyous lyuynge, is the sworde.
Leuit. xxvi. If ye wyll not heare me / I shall enduce vpon you the sworde, venger of my couenaunt. Loke diligently vpon these chapters of Ieremy .ix.xv.xxix.xlij xliij.xvj.l. And Ezechiel .v.vj.vij.xxxviij. Osee. vij. Amos. vij.viij.
Baruc. iij. O Israell, what meaneth it that y u art in y e lande of thyne ennemyes? the answere foloweth. Thou hast left the well of wysdom. For yf y u haddest walked in the waye of god: veryly y u sholdest haue dwelte in peace vpon thyne owne lande.
¶ Of kynges and pryncys.
¶ All powers are ordeyned by god. Rom. xiij. wherfore all pryncys ought hyely for to study & to apply them selues, that they may lyue & do seruyce according to y e wyll of hym y t is kyng of all kynges, & lorde of al lordes, of whom they take their power. And not onely kyng & kyngdomes / but also princys, & them that be of y e coūsell, are ordeyned of god. Prouerb. viij. If they [Page] wyll haue their subiectes obediēt, louing & to be at rest / it may not be by their owne polycy, strong hande or oppression: but as Dauid sayth in the psalme. Thou art he that subduest my people vnder me. For al thinges (heuen, y e worlde, aūgels, Paule Cephas, Appollo, the prynce, thelemētes, tyme, satan, synne, deth, hell) are subiecte vnto vs: where we be subiecte vnto god / hauynge no confidence but onely in hym. Experience of this they may se in y e bokes of Iudicum and of kynges.
Prouerb. xxj. As the diuisions of waters (whiche were set aboue the firmament & vndernethe, onely by goddes disposicion) so is the hert of a kyng in y e hande of god / what way it please hym, he shall make it to bowe. Ecclastici. x. The power of the worlde is in the hande of god. And all the iniquite & synne of the people, is abomynable: and whan tyme is, he shall set vp a profytable ruler ouer them.
¶ How pryncys ought to meke them selues vnto the preachynge [Page] of goddes worde.
¶ Many notable examples we haue in holy scripture of pryncys & kynges, how they haue be mekened & fal to repentaūce thorowe the worde of god / namely Ione the thyrde. The worde came to y e kyng of Niniue / & he rose from his seate of estate, and kest from hym his clothes / & put on sackcloth, & sate downe in the asshes. Also Dauid, monysshed of Nathan, sayd Peccaui. ij. reg. xij. &. xxiiij. Eccliastici. x. The seatꝭ of proude leders, god hath destroyed and hath made to syt in theyr stede, those that be mylde. The rotes of proude people (that is rychesse) god hathe made to wyther awaye: & planted for them suche as were meke, euen of the same people. God hath destroyed the good reporte of y e proude / & reserued y e fame of them that be meke or lowly in theyr owne conceyte.
Dauid in y e second psalme. Now ye kingꝭ be wyse and vnderstande: ye iudges and rulers of the lande, be content to be monysshed and lerned. Let them take hede [Page] what is wryten Sapientie .vj.
¶ Of them that haue taken the gospell of Chryst.
¶ All they whiche knowe & haue taken vpon them y e gospell of Iesu Chryst, sone of the lyuynge god: shall be vexed & exercised with many tentacions & tribulacions of this worlde. Ioan. xvj. These thynges haue I sayd vnto you: that ye may haue peace in me, in the worlde ye haue affliccion: but be of good chere, for I haue ouer cōme the worlde. In the same chapyter. Veryly veryly I say vnto you, ye shall be sorowfull and wepe / but the worlde shall ioye and be mery: ye shall be heuy, but your heuynesse shall be turned vnto ioye.
The seconde to Tymothe .iij. All that wyll lyue godly in Iesu Chryst / shall suffre persecucions.
¶ Of the offyce of good pryncys.
¶ Ecclesiast. x. The dignytye of a wyse prynce (that is of hym that dredeth god) shall be stablysshed. Ecclesiastes .x. Happye is that lande, whiche hath a noble [Page] kynge. And that also, whose pryncys eate theyr meate in conuenyent tyme: & that for to be refresshed, and not to excesse voluptuously. Prouerb. xxix. A ryghtwise kynge promoteth his lande: a couetous man shall destroye it. A kynge that iudgeth the poore in truth: his trone shall be stablysshed for euer in truthe.
¶ Of the dignite of euyll princys.
¶ This is true, Rom̄. xiij. that all power is of the ordynaūce of god / for y e sauegard of those that be good / & for y e punyshment of them that be euyll. Wherfore we must obey pryncys, also though they be euyll & tyraūtes. The rodde of Assur is neuertheles in the hande of god. Iob. xxxiiij. How may he be healed that loueth not equite? what way canst y u cōdemne hym, whiche is ryghtous? whiche saye to a kyng / thou art apostata / whiche calleth capteyns vngracyous / and maketh a false ypocryte to reygne, bycause of y e vngracyous lyuyng of y e people. Prouerb. xxviij. For y e synnes of the lande: there be many prynces of it. [Page] And for y e wysdome of a man, & knowlege of those thynges that are taught, the lyfe of a capteyn shall be prolonged. A roryng lyon & an hūgry beare: an vngodly prynce ouer the poore people. A capteyn lackyng wysdome, shall oppresse many by fraudulent vexacion. Therfore let prīcys beware lest it chaunceth to them, as dyd vnto Adonibezec. Iudic. j. to Abimelec. Iudic. ix. vnto Pharao. Exod. xiiij. to Hieroboā. iij. of kyngꝭ. xiij. to Iesabell. iiij. of kyngꝭ. ix. to Agag. j. of kynges. xvj. to Roboam. iij. of kyngꝭ. xij.xiiij. to Nabugodonosor. Daniel. ix. to Antiocus. j. of the Machab. vij. to Herode, of y e Actes. xij. & many other.
¶ Of Cytyes.
¶ Those Cityes are acursed, that whan y e worde of god is shewed vnto them, they wyll not receyue it, ne take repentaunce. Math. xj. Wo be to the Chorasyn, wo be to the Betzaida: for yf y e myracles, which were shewed ī you, had be done in Tyre & Sydon / they had repented longe ago in sackcloth & asshes. Neuertheles I say vnto [Page] you, it shal be easyer for Tyre & Sydon at the day of iudgemēt, than for you. And thou Capernaum, which art lyft vp vnto heuen: shalt be brought downe to hell. For yf y e myracles whiche haue be done in the had be shewed in zodom / they had remayned vnto this daye. Math. xxiij. Ierusalem / Ierusalem, whiche kyllest ꝓphetes & stonest them which are sent vnto y e. &c. Beholde your habitacion shal be left vnto you desolate. Ione. iij. God sawe y e workes of the Niniuytes, whiche were cōuerred from their euyll waye: & he retracted the punyshment, that he had thretened to do vnto them. Wherfore you senatours & people of chrystyan Cytyes, I desyre you all y t I can, feare god & gladly receyue his worde / & louyngly cleue thervnto / & with that, study for the ꝓfyte of y e cōmen welth & brotherly charite: & all thynges shal succede vnto you prosperously / not onely in this worlde, but for euer in the worlde to cōme. And chose suche officers as haue y e feare of god, and so forth / as it is wryten [Page] Exodi. xviij. For cōmenly according to the iudge of y e people, suche are his ministers And as the ruler of the Citye is: suche are the inhabytauntes therin.
¶ Of vsurers.
¶ Where so euer the cōmen welthe, and brotherly charite, is not regarded (whiche is moost pryncipally, whan vsury is exercysed and suffred) the cōmen welthe can neuer be well ordred. The lorde god prohybyteth vsury in many places of scripture. And how greatly he abhorreth it, he sheweth Esaye. v. Woo be to you that ioyne togyder house to house, and couple felde to felde. &c. Abacuc. ij. Woo be to hym that gathereth & multyplyeth that whiche is not his owne. Prouerb. xj. He that hydeth vp his corne, shall be cursed amongest the people: and the blessynge of god shall cōme vpon the heades of them that selleth. God commaundeth you to lende, yf ye wyll be his chylderne, lokynge for nothynge agayne. Luke. vj. If ye wyll se more where it is cōmaunded, [Page] loke Exodi. xxii. Leuit. xxv. Deutronomy. xxiij. Ezechiel. xviij. and .xxij. Math. v. Psal. ix.lx.
¶ That the vngodly sholde loke for no good fortune.
¶ Who so euer seketh for his owne ꝓfyte caryng neyther for ryght nor wronge, ne regarde brotherly charite: he may wel be called vngodly / to whom it is veryly assured by holy scripture, that shortly the vengeaunce of god shall cōme vpon hym.
Iob. xxxvij. There shall be takē from the vngodly, their lyght. Psal. ix. The vngodly is trapped in the workes of his owne handes / & shall be ouerthrowen in to hell, with all them y t forgete god. Psal. lxxiiij. god sayth. I shal breake y e hornes of these vngracyous: but y e power of y e ryghtwyse shall be styll exalted. Psal. ciij. Let y e synners be cōsumed vpon the erth / & the vngodly also, vntyll none be lefte alyue. Psal. cxxviij. The ryghtuouse lorde shall kytte of the neckes of the vngodly.
¶ How that the vngodly [Page] persecute the good.
¶ He is by ryght called vngodly, whiche cōtemneth goddes worde, wherby fayth cōmeth in to vs, by the whiche onely we be iustifyed & saued. Esaye. lvij. The vngodly (saythe the lorde) hathe no peace. Eccle. xxviij. An vngodly man troubleth frendes. And amongest them that are in peace / he casteth debate. Chryste saythe Ioh. xv. As they haue persecuted me / so shall they persecute you.
¶ That many with their ryches shall fall and be destroyed for the worde of god / namely whan it is styfly resysted by pertinacite abomynable.
¶ Luc. ij. Beholde, this chylde (Chryst) is put in to y e fall & in to y e reysyng agayne of many in Israel: & in to a marke whiche shal be gaynsayd: yea & thyne owne soule shal be perced w t a sworde / so that y e preuy cogitaciōs of many mens hertes, shall be made open. .j. Pet. ij. This stone whiche the bylders kest awaye / is made the heed corner stone / & a stone of offence / & a rocke [Page] to stumble vpon, to them that are not content with his worde / nor beleue y t, wheron they were set. Math. xxj. And he that falleth vpon this stone, shall be broken: & vpon who so euer the stone fall, it shall crusshe hym all to peces.
¶ Of the state of them that be called spirituall, and of the chyrche.
¶ The state of the chyrche / whether it be called of spiritual men / of religyous / or of monkes: it is no pryncys state or dignite / but a mynystracion or a seruyce: or elles theyr parte shall be amongest the kynges of the infydeles. Luc. xxij. He that is greter amongest you / must be as y e yonger: & he that gothe before / must be as a seruer.
¶ The dominyon of vngodly prelates and pastours, shall not be stablysshed.
¶ Hiere. xxiij. The lorde sayth. Wo be to you pastours, that destroye and teare in peces the flocke of my pasture. &c. Surely, bothe prophete and preest are polluted And in my house (sayth the lorde) I haue [Page] foūde theyr malyce. For that cause, theyr waye shall be, as it were slypper in darknes: they shall be threste at, & fall therin.
Ezechiel. xxxiiij. The lorde god saythe these thynges. Wo be to the pastours of Israel, which fedde them selues. &c. My flockes haue wandred out of the waye in all moūtaynes: & there was none y t wolde seke for them. &c. Beholde therfore, I my selfe wyll requyre vpon my pastours my flocke out of their handes: & I shall make them to cease, that they shall no more fede my flocke / neyther any more shall suche pastours fede them selues: & I shall delyuer my flocke out of theyr mouth: & they shall haue it no more to their meate. Loke vpon Esay. j. Hiere. ij. xx. Iohn̄. x. Math. xxj. zachari. xj. Our lorde graūte that the eyes of their herte may be lyghtened / and they cōuerted, and returne to the lorde.
¶ Of the cōmen sorte of chrystianes.
¶ To the cōmen chrysten people, yf they be of one accorde, & agre in vnite of fayth and hope in Iesu Chryst onely, and his [Page] gospell / & in fraternall charite: al thinges shall succede at theyr desyre. But yf they reyse vp them selfe contrary to Chryst & his gospell / it can be none otherwyse, but the sworde, hunger, pestilence, noysome beestes, tyrauntes, and all maner of sycknesses shall fall vpon them / & they shal be gyuen vp in to the handes of theyr ennemyes. Deutro. xxviij. Leui. xxvj. Hebr. x. How moche more suppose you, them to deserue worse turmentry, whiche treadeth downe the sone of god, & counteth y e blode of the testamēt polluted, wherby he was sanctifyed / & despyseth y e spryte of grace? Let all them therfore be of good chere, y t receyue y e worde of god. For though they be kepte vnder in this worlde: neuertheles in that eternal & heuenly coūtrey, they shall haue glory, with ꝑpetuall victory & triumphe of their ennemyes: whan they shall be turmented in fyre of euerlastyng malediction. Philip .j. In nothynge be ye afrayde of your aduersaryes / for that which is to them cause of perdicion / is to [Page] you cause of saluacion / and that by god.
ij. Corinth. iiij. If so be our gospell be hydden: it is hydden in those that perysh, in whiche the god of this worlde, hathe blynded the myndes of vnbeleuers / leest the lyght of y e gloryous gospell of Chryst, whiche is the ymage of god, sholde shyne vpon them. ij. Corinth. ij. We be a good odoure of Chryste to god, bothe amonge them that be saued, and amonge them that perysshe.
¶ That sedicious persones may loke to haue nothynge prosperous.
¶ He is called sedicious, whiche setteth vp hym selfe agaynst his prince (whome he is bounde to obey) thoughe it were so that tyrauntes beare the rowme. For all power is ordeyned by god. Rom̄. xiij.
Prouerb. xxiiij. Feare y e lorde (my sone) and the kynge / and meddle not with detractours: for sodeynly shall theyr perdicion ryse: and who can tell the ruyne of them bothe? Folowe not euyll men, neyther [Page] desyre to be with them. For theyr mynde is occupyed aboute rapyne: and theyr lyppes talkynge fraudes.
Hieremy .xxviij. Thou hast brokē treen setters / and for them thou shalt make fetters of yron. Dathan and Abiron, and all sedicious, were punysshed of the lorde As it appereth Numeri. xvj. and .iij. reg. xvj. Rom̄. xiij. He that resysteth power, resysteth gods ordynaūce. Math. xxvj. All that take the sworde / shall perysshe with the sworde. Gene. ix. Who so euer shedeth mans blode / shall haue his blode shedde agayne.
¶ That no man sholde presume to cast of the burthen whiche is layde vpon hym / oneles he be laden with an heuyer & oppressed.
¶ Hieremy .xxv. Bycause ye haue not herde my wordes: beholde, I shall sende and take vnto me, all the cognacion of the north (sayth the lorde) and Nabuchodonosor [Page] kynge of Babylon my seruaūt: and I shall brynge them vpon this lande, and vpon the inhabyters of it, and vpon all y e nacions that be aboute it, and I shall slee them, & put them as men that were out of theyr wytte, in to contempte, and in to desolacion for euer. Hieremy .xxvij. And now therfore, I haue gyuen all these landes in y e hande of Nabuchodonosor kyng of Babylon my seruaunt. .j. Corin. vij. Thou art called to be a seruaunt, care not for it. The Ire & punyshment of god was fyerce, bycause of y e synnes of his people. And therfore he stereth vp tyraūtes, whiche doth hym seruyce agaynst his people. Rede Hieremy. xxvij. the last ende.
¶ That false prophetes, whiche teache y e liberty of y e flesshe are not to be herde.
¶ Hiere. xxvij. Be not wyllynge to heare your prophetes, and sothsayers, dreame reders, augurers, & enchaunters, which saye to you. Ye shall not serue the kynge [Page] of Babylon. For they prophecye lyes vnto you, that they mought make you farre from your countrey, and cast you out, and that ye sholde perysshe. In the same chapiter. Heare not the wordes of your false prophetes. &c.
¶ Of Antechryst.
¶ Euery one y t speketh agaynst Chryste, and cleueth to y e pleasures of this worlde that shortly shall perysshe: is Antechryst. .j. Iohan .ij. It is sure, that there be many Antechrystes. But the very hye & principall Antechryst, is begon to be reueled and declared in these our dayes, by holy scriptures / whiche vntyl he be destroyed with the spryte of the mouth of our lorde Iesus Chryst / shall rule and rage cruelly in y e worlde. Daniel .xj. And there shall fall of them that be well lerned: so that they shall be tryed by fyre, and chosen out, and made whyte, vnto the tyme appoynted. For yet an other tyme shall be: and a kynge shall do after his owne wyll: and [Page] shall be lyfte vp in pryde, and magnyfyed agaynst euery god. And shall speke great thynges agaynst the god of goodes: and he shall prospere tyll the wrath of god be perfourmed. For the diffinicion is so set. And he shall not regarde the god of his fathers: & shall be in y e cōcupiscences of women: neyther he shal care for any goddes. For he shall ryse agaynst al thynges. And he shall honoure the god Maozim in his place: and shall worshyp a god that his fathers neuer knewe, with golde / syluer / precyous stone / & other precious thinges.
¶ Of the state of religyon and papystes.
¶ Math. xv. Chryst sayth. All the plantacion which my heuenly father haue not planted / shall be plucked vp by the rote. The more they shall enforce to defende theyr lyuynge before god abomynable: so moche more shall theyr myscheues and symulacions be made open to all y e worlde. He that hath eares for to heare / let hym [Page] heare what are wryten Iohan .v.
¶ Of the reformacion of Chrystes chyrche.
¶ Onely god knoweth the christyan chyrche: for it is spirituall, and knowen onely by the spiryte: wherfore to god onely whiche is a spiryte, it is entyerly knowen. This chyrche, as longe as it cleueth fast to the worde of god: it can not but stande sure. yf not / soone it peryssheth. How euer so moche other thynge is constytute and ordeyned in counselles of preestes / bysshoppes / and pryncys of this worlde. For (as we said before) euery plantacion that my heuenly father haue not planted, shall be plucked vp by the roote. Rede in the Actes .v. and to the Romayns .xiiij.
¶ Of the Iewes.
¶ Of the Iewes blyndnes the scripture is full: blessed is he that vnderstande it, and vnto his ende dothe abyde the grace & mercy of god. Rom̄. xj. My bretherne I wyll not that ye forgete this mysterye [Page] (leest you be hye mynded, or wyse in your owne conceyte) For blyndnes chaunced partly in Israell, vntyll the fulnes of gentyles shall cōme in / and so the whole Israell shall be saued. For god is stronge ynough to graffe them in agayne.
¶ Of sygnes of the last daye.
¶ Many sygnes of the last daye, wherof Chryste maketh mencyon, Math. xxiiij. are seen and fulfylled all redy. Therfore lyfte vp your heades ye chrysten men / for your redempcion draweth nere.
¶ The conclusyon.
THis our pronosticacyon gentyll reader, nedeth no declaracyon of phylosophye or astrologye, whiche is of mannes inuencyon: for it is foūded vpon the onely euerlastynge worde of the omnipotent god / [Page] whose power no man may resyst / and vnder whome they bowe and obey, that beareth vp this worlde. Iob. ix.
Let no man therfore contempne these thynges / neyther resyst the trewth openly knowen / interpretyng them any otherwyse, than our lorde Iesus Chryst hath interpreted: oneles we be despoyled of the grace and mercy, whiche we haue obteyned by hym .j. Iohan. iij. But rather let hym enforce to applye hym faste, from ignoraunce and lyes vnto the trewthe, whiche is god hym selfe: to whome onely be honour and glory for euer. Amen.
¶ To the chrysten reders.
LO good reders, here may you se, what the cause is of all the punyshmentes, plages, & myseryes that god sendeth vpon vs: that is bycause we do not obserue the lawes of god / nor do not lyue accordynge to his worde. And not as many bothe do thinke and saye, that these newe lawes & newe lernynges are the causes. Is not this newe lernynge the very trewe worde of god? Elles let them cōme and proue the contrary. But now that lyght is cōme in to this worlde: they that haue be brought vp in darknes, loue better darknes than lyght / yea rather they hate the lyght, and wyll not cōme at it / leest theyr ypocrysye and theyr cerymonyous good workes, after the inuencions of men, sholde appere [Page] nought, and worthy to be reproued.
Those sorte wolde I exhorte to cōme whyles they haue lyght, and beleue in it, leest (remaynynge here in theyr inwarde darknes) they be kest in to the outwarde darknes, where shall be euer sorowe and mysery. ¶ An other sorte there is (the more pytye) that seme to fauour y e lyght of goddes worde, and folowe and fauour the preachers therof: but they seke the libertie of the flesshe, and not of the spirite, lyuynge after theyr fleshly lustes, and after the noughty fashyon of the worlde, in couetousnes / ambicion / pryde, with infynyte other euylles / onely sekyng for theyr owne profytes and pleasures / though it be to theyr chrystyan brothers greate detriment. This cōmeth of inordynate loue that men haue to them selues: whiche is cause of moche other euyll: and neuer can bryng forth good frute of fayth / thus contynuynge to the ende of theyr lyfe, ledde contynually ferre out of charite, through [Page] theyr propre loue: yet they thynke than to be saued by their fayned fayth. Whiche I feare me, for lacke of testimony of good workes, shall be disalowed at the daye of iudgement, whan Chryste shall saye. I was hungry / and ye gaue me no meate, and so forthe. This sorte lette that other sorte from cōmynge to the lyght. And it is to be feared, that these cōmunycacions in this pronosticacion, shall fall vpon vs / not bycause we forsake obedyence to the bysshop of Rome and his lawes, whiche hathe ledde vs in to darknes, and out of the ryght way to godwarde / nor bycause of this newe preachynge after the very worde of god: but bycause the worde is now so often, and so playnly preached vnto vs / and we remayne styll after the olde fashyon / as the cityes dyd, where Chryst preached, Corosayn, Betzayda, and Capernaum / whome he reproued and cursed, bycause they receyued not his wordes, so often shewed vnto them.
The grounde that is well tylled & sowen and hath often rayne in season / and yet brynge forth no good frute (sayth saynt Paule) is cursed of the owner. Therfore let vs so heare the trewe worde of god / that we may chaunge our lyuynge / and lyue accordynge vnto his worde: and I doubte not, we shall obtayne his mercyfull promyses, and benedictions, that he promyseth to the kepers of his lawes, and lyue after his worde, by the grace of Chryst, by whose merytes and helpe we may bryng all thynges well to passe / and haue not onely these tēporall blessynges / but also spirituall / true fayth / remyssyon of synnes / preseruacion in grace / and assuraūce of y e kyngdome of heuen. whiche I beseche hym to graunte vs. Amen.
¶ This treatyse or pronosticacion is seen, redde, and examyned by me Iohn̄ Hylsey bysshop of Rochester.
AL thynges that are cutte / plucked / slypte, or lopped / are best to be done in the latter ende of the moone.
Meddle not with dunge but in the wane of the moone. Moost specyally dunge your lande in the last quarter. Gelde your pygges / calues / wether lammes, and kyddes, in y e decrease of the moone. Put your egges vnder y e henne at the newe moone. Make your dyches or holes for to plante in / aboute the full of the moone at nyght. Whan it is full moone, couer the rootes of your trees.
In moyst places sowe your sede / betwixt the newe moone and the olde / or aboute foure dayes before, or after. They wyll also that ye wenowe your corne or sedes, [Page] and laye them vp aboute the last endyng of the moone. And to sowe sedes whyles the moone is ouer the erth: and must be pressed whan the moone is vnder the erth.
¶ Imprynted at London in Flete strete / at the sygne of the sonne by me Iohn̄ Byddell.
Cum priuilegio Regali.