Sermon Preached Third Sunday in Lent

In nomine Jesus Christi.

G OD be merciful unto us: For the time is even now comynge, when as God must needs either of his mercy here in England, work such a wonderful miracle unto our comfort, as far passeth man's expectacion: or else of his righteousness take such vengeance of this land to the example of all other lands, as shall be to our utter distrucciō.

Ye know, that immediately after the preaching of Noah, came the great flood that drouned y ^e world. After the warning of Loth, came fire, & brimstone upon the Sodomites and Gomorrians. When Moses had declared God's thretngynes in Egypt, king Pharaoh and his people were plagued upon the lande, & drouned in the red sea.

Suche plages came ever where gods word truly preached, is not believed, received, and followed. But it the preaching of Jonah, the Ninevites repented wonderfully. When the boke of the law was read unto Josiah the king, he, with all his people speedily repentynge, found exceadyng mercy blessing, and grace: as likewise all other shall be sure to find, which hear the word of god & keep it.

For when Christ and his Apostles had preached the gospel unto the Jews, those that believed were delivered from the curse of the law, unto the blessing of grace out of worldly misery, to be inheritors of the heavenly kingdom: and those that did not believe, were cast from god, oppressed of men, overcome, spoiled, murdered, and destroyed of their enemies.

Wherefore England, which at his present time, by reason of the word of god set fourth, read, preached, and comuned, doth in every place hear y ^e council of Noah, the warning of Loth, the law of Maises, the threatenings of y ^e Prophets, and the grace of the gospel, as it was declared and taught by Christ and his Apostles: This England must needs, either by believing of these things, obtain of god wonderful grace of amēdmente, or else by neglectinge them, provoke the vengeance of god, as a dew plage and punyshment.

Take heed therefore England, for if thou by unbelief, let & stop god from working of miracles to thy comfort, then surely doest thou provoke god to pour down vengeance upon the, to thy utter distruccyon: But if thou do regard, receive, and believe gods word, he will work wonderful miracles to thy comfort, wealth, and prosperity. Yea, let every man, of what estate or degree soever he be, grope his own conscience: for if he do not there fele that the word of God doth take place to move him to repentance and amendment of life, then shall he be sure sone to have experience, that the vengeance of God, by a shameful short ende of his wretched life, will bring him unto an everlasting damnable death. For all those that will not crepe under the merciful wings of god, as the chikinnes of Christ, shall be caught & devoured of puttockes, hawks, and kytes, as a pray for the devil. The wings of God be stretched abroad here in England, by the kings gracious majesty and his honorable counsel, or mighty power, with ready will to shadow, defend, and save all those that with reverent love, come humbly crepinge under their ordynaūce, rule, & gouernāce, which is y ^e power, y ^e wings & the honor of god.

The filthy greedy puttockes, wild hawks, and ravening kytes, be superstitious papists, carnal gospellers, and sedicyous rebels, which as ye have seen by late experience, have most cruelly caught, spoiled, and devoured the lambes, the chekynnes, the children of God, redeemed & boughte with Christ's blood. Wherefore as Christ in his own person did once lamente and bewail Jerusalem, so doeth he now many times in the persons of his prophetical Preachers, lament & bewail England, saying: O England, howe often would I have gathered thy children, as a hen gathereth her chikens under her wings, & thou wouldest not? Even with the same affeccion that the shepeherde crieth, seeing the wolf leryng towards the sheep, & with the same affecciō that the hen clocketh and calleth, spyeng the kyte houeryng over her chekyns: with the same affeccion it behooveth the minister and preacher of god, seeynge intolerable vengeance hanging over England, to cry, to cal, and to give warning unto the people saying as is writē in y ^e first of Isaiah: If ye willingly will hear & obey, ye shall eat the good comfortable fruits of y ^e earth: but if ye will not, & provoke me unto anger, the sword shall devour you: Quia os Domini locutum est. For it is y ^e mouth of the lord that hath spoken.

Now your reverend majesty, most gracyous king, and you honorable wise godly counselors, you are the chief shepeherds, you are the most reverend fathers in Christ, having the wings of power and authority, to shadow, save, & keep these lambes of god, these chekens of Christ, and these chyldrē of the heavenly father, redeemed with Christ's blood, and committed unto your hands, to be saved, kept, and provided for.

God be praised, with thankful obedience, and loving reverence dew to your gracious majesty & honorable counsel, which have surely wysely provided for, dylygently kept, and charitably saved this realm, by driving away the wild fox of papistical superstition, and by castynge out the unclean spirit of ignorance, to gods glory, your honor, & our comfort.

But alas most gracious Kyng and godly governors, for the tender mercies of god, in our Savior Jesus Christ, take good and diligent heed when ye be▪ chasyng the wild fox of papistical superstition, that the gredye wolf of covetous ambition, do not creep in at your backs: For surely he will do more harm in a week, then the fox did in a yere.

Take hede, y ^t the unclean spirit of ignorance, returning with vii. other worse then him self, find no place vnwarded, where he may crepe in again. For if he returning w ^t his fellows, enter in again, then will he make the ende of this generation to be worse then the beginnynge. Then shall you leese the reward of your former dilygence, and be damned for your later negligence. Then shall the wellspring of mercy which of long time hath watered this Realm with the grace of god, be closed up, and the blody floods of vengeance gushing out frō the wrath & indignation of God, over flow all together. Thē will not god by working of miracles declare mercy, but by taking of vengeance execute righteousness.

But God being as merciful yet, as ever he was, if you contynewe as faithful, wise, and dylygente as ye have been to handle the wolf, as you have done the fox, to keep out the denyll, as to cast out the devil: then shall the people of this land feed in quyetnes, w ^t out fear of evil: then shall you continuing to the end, be sure of an hunderdfold reward in this life, and afterwards, everlasting life, iaye and glory. Then shall God do wonderful miracles in England, to declare howe mercy shall triumph over righteousness.

And that we may all dyspose our selves the more conuenientlye for god to work such a miracle among us, we have appointed for the gospel of this day, written in the .vi. of John, a wonderful miracle of .v. thousand men, fed and satisfied with .v. loaves and ii. fishes, whereas every man may & ought to learn his own duty, which shall clear appear too a king in Christ, to head governors under the king, in the Apostles being most near about Christ, & to all other men, in that multitude of the people, which following Christ, were obedient to sit down at the commandment of his Disciples, not knowing, nor enquiring why they were so commanded.

And as surely as this wonderful miracle was done to y ^e great comfort of thenin Christ's time, so truly is it left in writing for to learn us by patience & comfort of y ^e Scriptures, to have good hope at this time.

An as Christ, having always special respect unto his audience, did teach the fishers by talking of nets, preaching unto the Jews by diverse parables, & called the Gentiles by the eloquence of Paul: so I, in handling of this miracle, having respect unto this audyence, will aply the wonderful great charitable provision of Christ, unto the Kynges Maiestye: the fayethful diligence of the Apostles, unto the nobility: and the dew obedience and hertye thankfulness of the multitude, unto all other of the communaltye. Not doubting but that charitable prouisiō of liberal benefits, will be a thing most pleasant and honorable for the Kynges Gracious Maiestye: & faithful diligence in disposing great benefits most convenient, & comēdable for all that be in high authority: & finally, humble obedience & unfeigned thankfulnes to be most necessary, requisite, & looked for at this time, in all inferiors & commune sort of people in England.

Mark a little after the beginning of the sixth Chap. of John, & ye shall hear, whē as much people eat, what Jesus did. I will pass y ^e discripcion of the wilderness w ^t the causes & the manner of the people's going together, & begin at y ^e which Christ did, when they were cummyng towards him.

I Esus lifting up his eyes, and seeynge much people come unto him, said unto Philyp: From whence shall we bye bread, that these may eat? Thys he said temptyng him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philippe answered unto him: Two hundredth penye worth of bread will not be sufficient unto these so that everyone might take a lytell. One of his discyples Andrew, Simō Peters brother, saith unto him: There is one boy here, which hath .v. barely loaves & .ii. fishes, but what ar those amongst so many? Jesus said Make the mē to sit down. Ther was much grass in the place. The men therefore sat down about the mumber of .v. thousādes Jesus took the bread, & after thanks giving, did divide it unto his disciples, and the dyscyples to them that were set▪ And likewise of the fishes, so much as they would. And when they were filled, he said unto his disciples: Rather up the brokē meats remaining, that nothing be lost. They gathered therefore, & filled .xii. baskettes full of those meats which remained, after that the had eaten. The men therefore seeynge what a sign Jesus had done said that this is truly the Prophet which cummeth unto the world.

O Mercyfull Lord, what a grefe is it to se those which a man loveth heartily, with such diseases infected, that every thing ministered by the Phisicion to do them good, by their own unquietness & misusinge of the same doth increase their grievous dangerous sickness? For these people, having great occasion of comfort, by reason y ^t in this place, through the true preaching of gods word, all sin is plainly and freely rebuked, and those things especially which do appertain unto magystrates, whereby any man of indifferent judgment, may think that these magistrates being present, and willingelye hearing, be purposed to amende: These people I say, that thus have a great occasion of comfort offered unto them, by their own mistakinge of it, do tourne all to their further gryefe and danger. For they speak unreverantly, and untruly slander the magistrates, not only with the faults that be here named, but also with rebukynge, imprisoninge, and forbiddinge of the Preachers. And when as by the same mouth of the true preacher, their venomous tongues be rebuked, thē they spare not to say, that the Preacher hath learned his lesson in Jack an apes court: doing as much as lieth in them, to make other men, neither to reverence the magistrates, nor believe the Preacher. What they them selves mean thereby, peradventure by reason of blindness; they wot not. But we knowing the craft of the devil, as Paul writeth .ii. Cor. ii. perceive that he would have nothing in this place laid to the Rulers charge: Not fearing howe much be spoken to those of the people, which be past any amendment by words: But all y ^t the devil feareth, is lest that the rulers be put in remembrance of the great danger that thei be in, for suffering to great enormities unpunished amongst the people.

I therefore trusting to do most good in that which the devil laboreth the most to hinder, will lay great and many faults unto them that have most power, & authorytye. For sure I am, that rulers ordained of God to see the ignorant instructed, and the evil punished, be in great danger of God's vengeance, for the great and manifold enormytyes which do grow and spring of ignorance for lack of knowledge, & of dissoluteness for lack of due correccion.

And you people be ye sure that the more their danger is, for lack of provision and punishment for other men's faults, the greater is the damnation of them that commit and do these faults.

Now I trustinge to God, and not fearinge the devil, will proceade to declare and apply this parte of scripture unto this Audyence, so that for no man I will cloke or flatter any vice.

Jesus lyftnge up hysepes, and seeing much people cummynge unto him. &c.

Here note two things: in the people note cōminge unto Christ, and in Christ, note charitable provision for the people. For in this people doth Christ declare by example, & prove in experyence his doctrine to be true, which he had afore taught, saying: Fyrste seek for the kingdom of God and the ryghtuousnes thereof, and all these other, meaning necessaryes, shall be ministered unto you. For here they following Christ, to seek the kingdom of God, had not only this kingdom of God, this bread of life, this word of salvation preached unto them, but also all their diseases healed, & their hungry bellies with good meats plentifully filled.

Yea the plenty of these people having enough even so much as they would, was far more then the plenty of crafty Lawers, disceitful Merchauntes, covetous greedyguttes, & ambitious prollers, which can never have enough: but always continue in vnsaciable hunger, and need of covetousness. As the .xiiii. Psal. declareth: Diuites eguerunt: The riche have felt need & hunger: but they which seek y ^e lord lack no goods.

He that seeketh to be rich, be he never so poor a slave, or so myghtyea Lord, he falleth into divers temptacions and snares of the devil: but they that seek the Lord, shall lack no goodness.

Seek for to be rich, & thou shalt find sorrow, misery, and mischief: Seek for to be godly, and thou shalt find coufort, wealth, and prosperity, with all manner of felicity.

If thou wilt be godly, thou must follow Christ: thou must not follow the steppes of his fete, which be taken up into heaven out of thy sight, but thou oughtest to follow the doctrine of his word, which is here left upon carthe, to guide the steppes of thy life, in the way of peace. And whither will gods word gyde the in the time of thy trouble and necessytye? Surely unto the Lord, which saith: Propter miseriam inopum. &c. For the miseries sakes of the comfortless, and syghynges of the poor, now will I rise, saith the Lord.

O Lord, seeynge thou haste many people in Inglande, that as yet be in myseryes without confort, and in poverty, and lack help, how dooest thou arise unto them? Unto this the Lord answereth, in the .xxxiiii. of Ezekiel: Suscitabo super eos pastorem unum. &c.

I will set up over them one pastor, even my servant David, he shall feed them, and he shall be their pastor, and I the Lord will be their God. Thys prophecy was written longe after David's time. Wherefore by David here named, is sygnyfyed and meant such a Kynge as shall be as faithful and diligent to keep, feed, and cherysh his subjects within his own Realm, as was David to his people within Israel. We hope, trust and believe, that our gracions Kyng, endued with the faithful diligence of David, is ordained of God, to govern, cherish and feed us the people of this his realm. Wherefore according to the example of Christ Jesus, most Christ̄ and Gracious Kynge, for the reverence of God, which hath set you upon the high hill of honor and authorytye, lift up your gracious eyes of charytable pity, and behold much people througheoute all England, coming to seek relief, ease and comfort, sent from God unto them, by your excellent Maiestye. For although there hath been to much mercy shown upon the generation of vypers, the ungracious rebels: Yet is there many poor people, which like simple sheep, shorn to the bare skynne, have as yet little provision & great need. Even as .v. thousands in wilderness followed Christ and his Apostles, so many thousands in England, past all other hope and refuge, follow your gracious majesty and honorable Counsel.

For their parsons, which should like shepherds feed them, do like thieves, rob, murder and spoil them. And their landlordes which should defend them, be moste heavy masters unto them: Yea, all manner of officers do not their duties to keep the people in good order, but rather take such fees as maketh the people veraye poor. Who so hath eyes, and will see, may easily perceive that those personages, which be most in number and greatest in value throughout all England, be no shepherds houses to lay up fodder to feed the poor sheep of the parysh, but theeuysh dens, to convey away great spoil from all the rich men of the parysh. I say there is no person there, to releue the poor & needy with natural sustinaūce in keeping of house, and to feed all ingenerally with the heavenly food of gods word by preaching:

But there is a persons deputy or fermer, which having neither habilitye, power, nor authorytye to do the persons duty in feeding and teaching the parish, is able, sufficient, and stout enough to challenge and take for his masters duty the tenth parte of all the parysh. Likewise other officers take many fees, and do few duties: And especially landlordes take exceeding fynes and rentes of their tenauntes, and do no good unto their tenauntes.

Now my Lord's, both of the laity and of the clergy, in the name of god, I aduertyse you to take heed: for when the Lord of all Lord's shall se his flock scattered, spylte and lost, if he follow the trace of the blood, it will lead him even straight way unto this court, and unto your houses, where as these great thieves which murder, spoil, and destroy the flocks of Christ, be received, kept, and maintained.

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

Fye for sin and shame, either give your servants wages, or else let them go and serve those which do give them wages. For now your chaplaynes, your servants, & you yourselves have the persons, the shepherds, & the officers wages, & nether you nor they, nor other doth y ^t persons, the shepherds or the officers duty, except peradventure ye imagine that there is a parish priest, curate, which doth the persons duti. But although ye do so imagine, yet the people do feel and perceive that he doeth mean no other thing but pay your duty, pay your duty. Yes forsouth he ministereth God's sacraments, he saith his service, and he readeth the homilies, as you fine, flatring, courtiers, which speak by imaginacion, term it: But the rude lobbes of the country, which be to simple to paynte a lie, speak foul and truly as thei find it, and say. He minisheth God's sacraments, he slubbers up his service and he cannot read the humbles. Yet is there some that can read very well, but how many of those be not either superstitious papists, or else carnal gospellers, which by their evil example of living, and worse doctrine, do far more harm then they do good by their fair reading & saying of service. But put the case, as it may be, that there be at a benefyce in some place at sometime, some good curate, all those sums will make but a feewe in number, and yet ye see many persons in many places absent from their benifices, which if they be seldom absent, may be good, but if they be continually or for the most part absent, then can they be neither good, honest nor godly. For if their duty be undone, then can no man excuse them: if it be done, then is it by other and not by them: and then why do they live of other men's labors? He that preacheth the gospel, should live upon the Gospel, as God hath ordained: As for those, Qui mollibus uestiuntur, in domibus Regum, which goo gaye in Kynges houses, and either mosell the labouringe ox, or else spoil the poor parish in the country, be of the devils ordinance. As there is in all offices some put in by Christ, some by the devil: so is there in personages, some sent from Christ as shepherds to feed, & some from the devil, as thieves to devour. Yea amongst all kinds of officers, some be true Prophets and sheppeheardes in deed, and some have sheep skynnes, and be raueninge wolves in deed. The one taketh pains in doing of his duty, and the other seeketh gains in professyng of his duty. Take heed of those, for they are erraunt thieves.

Alas, if all those which take the names and professyons of officers, for desire of luker and honor, and do not execute the duties belonging to their offices with painful diligence, be errant thieves as they be in deed, then is there mani a strong erraunt thief amongst thē y ^t be called honest, worshipful, and honorable men.

For they have the names, the authorytyes & vauntages of those offices given & paid unto them, the duties of the which be very slenderly or nothing at all executed amongst the people.

If I were in any other place in all England, I could and would use another trade of preaching afore another audience: but being called of God by your appoyntement, unto this place at this time, my conscience doth compel me to use this trade and no other, afore this solemn audience. Wherefore with dreede and fear of God, with charitable pyty of the people, with moste reverend love and homage unto your honors, I must needs cry with the Prophet Isaiah:

Principes Sodom, populus Gomorre: Hear the word of the Lord ye Prynces of Sodom, ye people of Gomorrah: Quo mihi multitudo uictinarum uestrarum. What care I for the great number of your sacrifices, Dicit Dominus, saith the Lord: rebukyng all the sacrifices, Cerimonyes, and feasts of the Jews which he himself had commanded to be observed and kept: by the which thing left in wrytyng he doth teach and command me how to speak of your well doing here in England. Hear therefore ye Prynces of Sodom, and ye people of Gomor, thus saith the Lord: What pleasure have I, yea what care I for all your English Bibles, Homilies, & all your other books? set forth no more godly service to honor me with: I hate them all with my heart, they are grievous unto me, I am weary of them: Yea, it is a great pain for me to suffer them. Why, O Lord these be good, these be godly, and these be necessary things.

Truthe it is, the fault is not in the things that be set forth, but in you y ^t have set them forth. Manus enim uestre plene sunt sanguine: For your hands are full of blood.

Your hands, your service and your houses be full of persons livings preachers livings, and officers livings. And by you, the person hath his dyspensacion, the preacher is put to scilence, and the offycer unpunished, for neglectynge of his duty. And so through the negligence of the kepers (good order, which is y ^e pale of the park of this cōmunewelth dekated) the dere thereof most dearly bought with Christ's blood, have strayed out of their own feedynge, to dystroye the corn of all men's livings: Whereas very necessytye hath compelled you with such force to drive thē back, as must needs distroye many of those dere. Those people I mean, which you have cheryshed & kept & as yet do love and pity above all other jewels, commodities and pleasures. Alas, these that take the livings, and do not the duties of Persons, Preachers, landlordes, Bailey's, and of other officers: These flaterers, these wolves in lambs skins, these devils in men's vysers, have caused you to be thought and taken as cruel oppressers of those people, whose furyous wild rage ye did suppress and keep under, of veraye charitable pity towards them, & all other, which with that rebellious ragei should have be all together distroied, if the help of your power and authority had been any longer differted.

Surely, until that these prollets for them selves, these children of the devil, these sowers of sedition be taken out of the way, either by reformacion, or by distruccion, your charitable pity and provision for the people, and their reverend love & obedience towards you, shall never be seen, felt, and known. Now, as Helye was giltye of the whoredom, extorcion, and abomination of his sons, so are youre hearts full of cruelty, and youre hands full of blood, not so much by doing, as by suffering all these euyls. Wherefore Lauamini, mundi estote: Wash, & make yourselves clean, with the tears of repentance. Auferte malum cogitacionum uestrarum ab oculis meis: Away w ^t the evil of your thoughts from afore mine eyes. Open youre hearts, that the sword of God's word may come to wipe away covetousness, which is the root of all evil, planted in youre hearts. For if that root contyneue there, than cā no good springe from you: but even the most pure and wholesome word of God set forth by you continuinge in couitousnes, will be abhominable in the sight of God, offensyue unto the people, & damnable unto you yourselves. Wherefore, Quiescite agere perverse: Seasse to perucrte, many things from evil unto worse. Discite benefacere: Learn to do well, in conforminge all things that be a miss, unto a good order. Querite iudicium: Serche for righteous judgment which is almost banished out of England. Alas what a judgment is this, a superstitious papiste, which hath made the fault shall have a pension out of a Chauntrye, so longe as he liveth, and a poor parysh, which hath great need and done no fault shall lose and forfayte many Chauntries utterly forever Subuenite oppresso: Help the oppressed people that be loaden with heuye burdeyns of payinge wages to many offices, and faynte for lack of relief, & dew service of the offycer. Iudicate pupillo: Judge so to the fatherless chyldrens behofe, that wardship may be a good provision for fatherless children, and not an uncharitable spoil of young men's lands. Defendite uiduam: Shielde the widow from all men's iniuryes, and compel them not to mary your unthrifty servants.

Thus hath God by Isaiah in his time, and by me at this time described Rulers Faultes, with a way how to a mend them. Therefore, Principes Anglie: Ye head Rulers and governors of England, first see, acknowledge, amende your own faults: and then, perusynge all under officers, consider and note how few shepherds and offices do feed and keep▪ by doing duties, and how many thieves and wolves do rob and spoil the flocks, by taking sees here in England: and then shall ye perceive that there must needs be many sheep, that with their hearts, minds, and expectacion, do follow the Kynges Maiestye, and you of his honorable counsel so far past the houses and cities of their own prouysion, that if they have not spedy relief at your hands, many of them is like to faint and decay by the way.

Therefore this considered and known, as Christ lifting up his eyes did teach you to see and consider the people: so learn by that which followeth in Christ's dooynge, what shall be your duty after that ye se and know the multitude, the state and condition of the people.

And he said unto Philyp: From whence shall we bye bread, that these may eat? But this he said to prove him: for he him self knew what he would do.

Christ said to Philip as every Christ̄ Kyng ought to say to his Counsel: From whence shall we that be governors kepers and feders, bye & provide with our own costs, labor, and diligence, bread, food and necessaryes, that these may eat and be relieved, which be our subjects in obedience, brethrē in Christ, and fellow heirs of the heavenly kingdom?

Pharaoh with Counsel in Egypt, consulted howe to bring the wealthy people unto misery: so that he is a very Pharonicall tyrāt, which laboreth by oppressiō to thrust down the wealthy people: And he is a faithful christen king that humbleth himself by diligence to relieve, comfort, and set up the afflycted people. For the one, by worldly policy, would have much honor, and the other of godly charity will do much good. Christ also said this, to prove and try Philip, knowing himself what should be done. So that here, Kynges and great men may learn to try, and prove the honesty, wit, and fidelity of their Coūsellers, in such matters as they them selves be so perfect that they can discern with what discrecion and mind the coūseller doth answer.

Philip answered, that two hundred penny worth of bread will not serve unto these, so that every one might take a lyttell

In the which answer, as concerning his wit, he declareth it to be to slender to provide for so great a matter in so short time.

And his mind seemed to be such as would not have Christ to trouble him self with so great cares but rather as the other Evangelists do declare, to send the people away, and let them 〈◊〉 for them selves. The same mind and affeccion was in Peter, after that Christ had told his Disciples howe that we must go to Jerusalem to suffer sore pains and miserable death. For then Peter took him a side and said: Mayster favor yourself, do not enter in to such danger and sorrows.

And it is not unlike, but if youre Magestye, with youre Counsel speak unto youre nobles for provision now to be made for the people: ye shall find some that be Philippians and Peters, which by setting afore youre eyes the hardness of the matter, the tenderness of your years, and the wonderful charges that should be requisite, will move and counsel you to quiet youre self, to take youre ease, yea to take your pastime, in haukyng, Huntyng or gamnyng. Unto whom your Magestie may answer, as Christ did unto Peter: Auoyde fro me Satan, thou hyndrest me by thy carnal temptation, to do that thing which God hath moved me unto by his gracious inspiracion. Thou hast no taste nor savor howe delicious God is unto a pure conscience, in Godly excercise of good works. But all that thou regardest & felest is voluptuous pleasure in worldly vanities. And therefore y ^u doest not perceive, how y ^t they which be endued with a special grace of god may find more pleasure & pastime in godly gouernaūce, to keep together & save simple mē, then in hawking and huntynge, to chase and kill wild beasts. Yea, a godly king shall find more pleasure in casting lots for Jonah, to try out offenders, which trouble the ship of his commune wealth, then in casting dice at hasarde, to alow & maintain by his example, such things as should not be suffered in a commune wealth. Yea surely, a good King shall take far more delight in edifiynge with comfort and deckynge with good order the Congregacion of his people, the Church and house of God, the heavenly Citye of Jerusalem, then in buildinge such houses as seem gaye and gorgeous, and be in deed but vile earth, stones, timber and claye. Suche like answer ought your Magestye, & all noble men to make, if ye find any of your Counsellers more carnal than spiritual, more worldly then godly. Or else tourne away your ears from such Philipians, & hear other, as Christ did.

Then said unto him one of his Disciples, Andrew Simon Peters brother, Ther is a boy here that hath five barely loaves and two fishes, but what avail those among so many?

Note here that this boy was the Apostles page, & these loves and fishes were their vittayles. For as appeareth in Mark, whē thei had made search howe many loaves they them selves had, this answer was made, y ^t they had .v. loves & .ii. fishes: but what be they amongst so many? As who should say: although these be all y ^t ever we have & seme more mete to be kept amongst a few, thē to be given to many, yet for because thei y ^t becum which being many have more need then we: therefore ar we willing to give thē to be disposed, & wish y ^t they were of more value to do more good amongst y ^e people.

These men cared more for the Commune people, then they did for them selves, and therefore were very mete to be Counsellers, and near about a great Kyng.

Here we perceive what simple Phylippe, and good Andrew think, but here is nothing declared of covetous Judas counsel. No, for Christ being fully purposed to do a good deed doeth neither ask, nor hear any counsel of covetous Judas: teaching all them which intend any goodness, never to ask nor admit any counsel of those whom they know to be covetous. For truly the covetous man's council, although it seme never so good and honest, yet is it in deed naught and devilish. For what could seme better counsel then y ^t a little ointmēt, the sweet smell of the which continued but a while among a few, should have ben sold for three hundredth pence, the great price of the which bestowed amongst many poor, should have done them good for a great season?

The Euangelyst doeth show howe that Judas did give this counsel, not for that he had any care of the poor, but because he was a thief, and bare the bags.

Judas pretence was wonders godly, to sell the oyntmente for a great sum of money, to relieve the poor with, but his purpose was deuelyshe, to get the money in his bags, and keep it to him self. And those in England which did pretend, that besides the abolishinge of superstition, with the lands of Abbeys, Coliges and Chauntries, the King should be enryched, learning maintained, poverty relieved, and the commune wealth eased, and by this pretence purposely have enriched them selves, setting a broad incloystered papists, to get their livings by giving them pencions, yea, and thrustynge them into benefices to poison the whole commune wealth for the risignacion of those pencions: & so craftly cōueying much frō the King, frō learning from poverty, & from all the commune wealth, unto their own private vauntage: These men's counsel seemed better then Judas counsel was: and their covetousness, by their own deeds appeareth no less then Judas covetousness did. Well, beware, for if ye play Judas part on still, & make no restitucion, until ye go to hanging, ye are like to find desperaciō at the end of your life, because ye would not by restitucion amend your life. Ye noble mē, & especialli you of the kings counsel, for the reverence of God, pity of the common wealth, and safeguard of yourselves, away with these Judases, let them go hange them selves: except perauenture ye think it fytte and necessary, that you first hang them afore thei betray you. For undoubtedly, he that hath the covetousness of Judas in his hert he will play all the other partes of Judas, if he ever have such opportunity as Judas had.

A way with Judas, and learn at Andrew, to say unto this king and his council intendynge to relieve the multitude of his people here in England, learn ye noble men to say: Here is a boy, Here be servants and retayners of ours which have five loaves and two fishes, many benefices, some prebendes, with divers offices: yea, and some of us our selves have mo offices then we can discharge. Pleaseth it your majesty to take these into your hands, which have been kept for us, that they now in this great need, may be better disposed amongst youre people. Quid hec inter tantos? These be very small things towards the amendemēt of so many lacks in so great a multitude. How be it these will serve, so that there may be mo good Persons, good preachers, and good officers placed a broad in every country, which in doing their offices, keeping of houses, and preaching of gods word may teach the ignorant, relieve the poor, punish the fautye, and cheryshe the honest, and so repair the pale of good order about this come wealth. For the love of God give your servants wages, and cause thē to restore these livings, which coming of the sweat of the laborer, be in deed the relife of y ^e poor, the maintenance of honestye, and the reward of virtue, yea the very pale, wall, and bulwarks of the common wealth. The Apostles gave all that they had of their own, freelye unto other: stycke not you to restore that now which ye have of longe time uncharitably kept from other.

Hear what followeth: whan these fishes & loaves were brought unto Jesus, make (saith he) the people to sit down. God always bestoweth his benefits upon them that sit down in quietness, & poureth forth his vēgaūce vpō those that be vnpacient, unquiet, & full of business. For as appeareth in Genesis, the people gathered together in the plain of Sanner, & made a great uproar, building a tower like rebels against god, to get thē a name. Howe be it god destroyed their hādyworke, cōfounded their lāgage, & scatered thē abroad.

The Scribes & the Phariseys came vnquietly, temptyng Christ, and required a sign from heavē. Christ rebuked them sharply, and shown them no sign, but called them a froward and aduoutrous generation. So the people in England gathered together, they would make maisteryes, and be notable fellows: yea, the tower of their presumpcion should be built up unto heaven, in dyspite of gentle men and nobilitye: they have partly felt, and we have right pitifully seen howe sore God was therewith offended. Now I hear say there is as yet remaininge in England sum stiff necked Jews, which come presumptuously temtyng God, and say: if these our rulers be sent of God, to take better order then other have done, well then, let them begin betime to give us a notable sign & token, for else we will not believe, trust, nor obey them.

Well, I will tell you that thus whysper: Even as Christ was Positus in resurreccionem et ruinam multorum in Israel: Set to restore and decay many in Israel: So be Christian rulers in every comune wealth, set and ordained of God, to beat down & keep under these sturdye rebels, which be so evil thē selves, that they cannot think that any man doeth intend to do them good, & to raise up, comfort and cherish the simple patient people, which be of a good trust towards their rulers, knowing that they them selves have deserved no evil: or else if they have done evil, yet by repentance and amendemente, do not doubt to obtain mercy at their rulers hands. So God hath ordained rulers to cheryshe y ^e , if thou be meek quiet and paciente, or else to punish the, if thou be vnquyet, busy and stubborn. Learn at Paul. Rom. xiii. If thou do well, to trust well of thy rulers, and if thou do evil, not to be without fear of their powers, for he beareth not the sword without a cause. Take hede therefore ye rulers, for gods sake, and pitye of people, seeing that God hath given you a swerd to cut of rotten cankered members for the safeguard of the hole body▪ knowing no canker to be so dangerous as rebellion in a common wealth: If ye find one person infected with that canker, away with him, for y ^e safeguard of the body of that house. If one house be infected, away with it, for the safeguard of that toune. If the toune be infected, away with it, for the safeguard of the country. Yea, if a shyre or contrye be all poisoned, away with it, for the pitye, and safeguard of the hole body of the common wealth. So ye se, that the sharper that youre sword is, and the sooner that ye strike rebellion, the more pyty show ye in cutting away the less, and saving the more part and portion of the people, being all of one body, of one realm and common wealth. Consider that Christ went from Jerusalem unto wilderness, to draw the Gentle people from among the stoborne scribes: and so Chrysten rulers must now needs defer the time to draw the people that be good and trust well, from among this froward generation, which of presumption loke to have order taken as they require, and appoint the time, the place and the thing. Wherefore, ye that be good quiet people, beware of these busy fellows, and as this multitude which ought to be youre example, followed Christ into the wilderness, so follow you Christian rulers, gods officers, youre chief governors in England. And as they did not murmur, saying: why shall we sit down here in the wilderness, being an infinite number, where no meat is, seeing that in the cities where was more meat, and less gatherynge of the people, we had never feast given of him by his Apostles?

So I say, do not you grudge and say: why shall we quiet our selves now, trustynge to relief, where we see nothing, and were nothing at all releued when there was great plenty of lands, and goods of Abbeys, Colegis, and Chaunteries? Do not murmour so ungodly, but see that there be no fault in you, and ye shall find no lack in GOD. Suerlye, except ye do sytte down quietly, ye shall sooner provoke gods vengeance to your damnation, then deserve any relief of gods officers, to your comfort. Sit down and be quiet, for the same rulers & ministers are ordained of god to feed you with plenty: which be commanded of God to make you first to set down in order & quyetnes. Yea, and herke all ye that be godly Rulers: there was much grass in the place, god had provided much grass for them that looked for no carpets: giving all godly governors example to provide things necessary for those people that at looketh for no superfluities. But alas, here in England, superfluous gorgeous building is so much provided for rich men's pleasures, that honest houses do decay, where as laboring men ought to have necessary lodging. It is a common custom with covetous landlordes, to let their housynge so decay, that the fermer shall be fain for a small reward or none at all to give up his leasse, that they taking the grounds into their own hands, may tourne all to pasture: so now Old Fathers, poor Wydowes, and young children, lie begging in the mirie stretes.

O merciful Lord, what a number of poor, feable, haulte Blynde, Lame, sycklye, yea, with idle vacaboundes, and dissembelinge kaityffes mixed among them, lie and crepe, begging in the myry streets of London and Westminster?

Now speaking in the behalf of these vile beggars, for as much as I know that y ^e vilest person upon earth, is y ^e lively image of almighty God, I will tell the that art a noble man, worshipful man, an honest welthye man, especially if thou be Maire, Sherif, Aldermā baily, cōstable or any such officer, it is to thy great shame afore the world, & to thy utter dānation afore god, to se these beggīg as thei use to do in the streets. For there is never a one of these, but he lacketh either thy charitable alms to relieve his need, or else thy due correction to punish his faute. A great sin and no les shame is to for him that saith he is a Christ̄ mā to se Christ lack things necessary, & to bestow upon the devil superfluousli. It is Christ Jesus hī self that in the needy doth suffer hunger, thrist & cold: It is the devil him self, that in the wealthy fareth deintely, goeth gorgeously, & useth superfluity. Look Matthew the xxv. & there shall ye se plainly that it is Christ which lacketh sufficient in the neady: and therefore the devil being contrary to Christ, contrariwyse hath to much in the wealthy.

You also that do provide that your cattle do not longe tarry pinned in a fold where there is no grass, why do you suffer youre own brethren in Christ, without prouysyon to lie in the streets, where is much myer? These selye souls have ben neglected thorough out all England, and especially in Londō and Westminster: But now I trust that a good overseer a godly Bishop I mean, will se that they in these two cities, shall have their need reliued, and their faults corrected, to the good ensample of all other tounes & cities.

Take hede that there be much grass to sit upon, there as ye command the people to sit down, that there be sufficient housynge and other prouisiō for the people there as ye command them to be quiet. The men satte down about five thousands in mumber. If they had not been obedient to sit down, Christ would not have been liberal to have given them meat.

Meat was provided for the Cōmen's of England, and ready to have been delivered. But when they were bydden to sit down in quietness, they rose up by rebelliō, and have lost all the chere of that feast. Yet that notwithstanding, I trust that those which sat quietly in deed, shall sone be fed with plētie, if they sit still until it may conveniently be disposed. I pray GOD they may, I trust they shall. The Euaungelist saith that the men sat, namyng neither women nor Chyldren, how be it there was both women and Chyldren, as appeareth in the other Evangelists. And men be here named only, because all women and children did follow the example, and obey the commandment of mē: children of the fathers, and women of their husbands.

Let not therefore your wives and children, when they come abroad, be so bold openly, as to say or do any things of them selves, but as they have example and commandment of you. Now the multitude placed in quyetnes,

Jesus toke the loves, and when he had given thanks, he divided them unto his Disciples: and the Disciples unto them that were set down: and likewise of the fishes, so much as they would

Here learn first of Christ, to take nothing, be it never so lytell, but with thanks rendered therefore unto God: For of God surely thou haste received it, by what messenger or mean soever thou came unto it. Then secondarilye, learn at the Apostles to give unto other, that which the Lord hath given unto the, that thou mayest truly say with the Apostle Paul. Quod accepi a domino, hoc tradidi uobis. That which I received of the Lord, have I given unto you.

Beware that thou play not the wicked servant, which kept his talent hyd, and not delivered unto any use, for then it shall be taken frō the, and thou shalt be cast into utter darkness.

Now, to apply this miracle unto this present time, the kings Magesty may learn at Christ to take of his servants, Prebendes, Benefices, Improperacions and all manner of Offyces, that be not presently occupied & executed of a faithful diligent officer, and after thanks given unto God therefore, to deliver them unto his Counsel and Nobilyty to be disposed amongst the people of his Realm, which be in such hunger and lack of faithful officers, and house kepers, and godli preachers that they must needs faint, except they be sone provided for.

And in this dystrybucion of offices and benefyces, your Magestye with your Counsel had need to stand and behold the dealing of your Nobles, as Christ did of his Apostles. For it is not unlike but as there was amongst Christ's Apostles, so will there be amongst every Chrysten Kynges Counsellers and Nobles, some Judas which is to be trusted no further then he can be seen. For in sight Judas doth as other of his fellows do: but being out of sight he sold his Master. And so the most covetous of them all, will be afraid to do any thing amiss, if you loke upon: but if your backs be turned, then will covetous Judas sell dearly that which his liberal master giveth freely. As for example of late days, the Kynges Magestye that dead is, did give a Benefyce to be appropryat unto the Uniuersitye of Cambrydge. In liberam et puram eliemosinam: As free and pure alms. Howe be it, his hands were so impure, which should have delivered it, that he received .vi. hundredth pounds of the Unyuersytye for it. Whether that this .vi.C. poūds were conveyed to the kings behoove pryuelye for that alms, which by plain writing was givē freely, or else put into some Judas pouch, I would it were known. For now, by such charitable Alms, the king is slandered, the parish undone, and the vniuersyty in worse case then it was afore.

Pleaseth it your Magestye, with your honorable Counsel, for the reverence of God, the pytye of the poor, and the godly zeal that ye have to good learning, hear what hath been done in your time.

Your Magesty hath had given & received by Act of Parliament, Colleges, Chauntries, & guyldes for mani good consideracions, and especially as appeareth in the same Act, for exectinge of grammar schools, to the educacion of youth in virtue & godliness, to the further augmentynge of the universities, and better provision for the poor and needy. But now, many Grammar schools, and much charytable provision for the poor, be taken, sold, and made away, to the great flaunder of you and youre laws, to the utter discomfort of the pore, to the grievous offense of the people, to the most miserable drownynge of youth in ygnoraunce, and soore decay of the Universities.

There was in the North country, amongst the rude people in knowledge (which be most ready to spend their lives and goods, in seruinge the king at the burning of a Beacon) there was a Grammar school founded, having in the University of Cambrydge, of the same foundation .viii. scholerships two felowshippes, ever replenished with the scholars of that school, which school is now sold, decayed, and lost. Mo there be of like sort handled: But I recyte this only, because I know that the sale of it was once stayed of charytye, and yet afterwards brought to pass by brybrye, as I heard say, and believe it, because that it is only brybrye that customablye over cometh charytye.

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

For if ye wink at such matters, God will scouse upon you. Think not that I do burden you w ^t more than that which God by his ordinance, not w ^t out your willes & cōsentes, hath charged you wythal. For by whose faute or negligence so ever it was, that things afore time have ben vncharytably abused, suerlye it is your charge, which be now in authorytye, to se at this time all such things as yet remain out of order, rightuously, speedily, and charitably redressed.

And as I do perceive, that the abuse of these things afore time, hath offended God, troubled the common wealth, and brought some men towards shame & confusion: So do I wish, pray, and trust, that now the redress of the same may be to gods pleasure, the people's comfort, & to y ^e honor & establishment of them that be in most high authorytye.

Hear therefore, and I will tell you more: There were in some towns .vi. some .viii. and some a dosyn kyne, given unto a stock for the relyefe of the poor, and used in such wise, that the poor cotingers, which could make any provision for fodder, had y ^e , milk for a very small hire, & then the number of the stock reserved, all manner of veils besides, both the hire of the milk, and the pryces of the young veales, and old fat wares, was disposed to the relief of the poor, these be also soulde, taken, and made away. The Kynge beareth the slander, the poor feleth the lack, but who hath the profit of such things, I can not tell: but well I wot, and all the world seeth, that the Acte of Parlimente made by the Kynges Magestye, and his Lord's and Commens of the Parliamente, for the maintenance of learning, and relief of the poor, hath served some, as a most fit instrument to rob learning and to spoil the pore.

If you that now be in authorytye do not loke upon such things to redress them, god will loke upon you, to revenge them. Here have I rehearsed them, that the Kynges Magestye, with you of his counsel may learn not only by the doctrine & examples of scripture, but also by experience in his own land, to se and consider howe his benefits, put into the hands of his nobles and officers, be disposed and used amongst his inferior people.

For if landed men & officers by keeping of houses, & doing of their duties in their countries, do bestow among the people, all that they have received of god, by the kings gift, their fathers inherytance, or other ways: then shall god give such encrese, y ^t every man shall have enough.

As Solomon, the .xi. of the Proverbs testifieth: Alii diuidunt propria, et ditiores fiunt: alii rapiunt non sua, et semper in egestate sunt: Some dispose and give their own, and become rycher and rycher: some do rauine and spoil that which is not their own, and be ever in lack and deed. As ye see in daily experience, those that do their own duties in executinge theyre offices, and bestow their own goods in keeping good houses, baue ever such plenty, that all other men marvel from whence god sendeth it. And those y ^t do no duties, nor keep no houses, but brybe in their offices, and polle their teuaūtes, take so much and have so litel, that all men wonder how the devil they waste it.

Nothynge is more true then the Gospel: Date, et dabitur uobis: Gyue & it shall be given unto you. Gyue plentifully unto other, and godwil give more plenty unto you. For God will always be afore hand, in giving good gifts. For as appeareth in this gospel, when the Apostles had given unto the people so much good meat as they desired, then saith the Euangeliste.

When they wer filled, Jesus saith to his dysciples: Gather up the broken meats that remain, so that nothing be lost. They therefore gathered and filled .xii. baskets full with the broken meats remaining of that which they had eaten.

Here they gave but .v. loves & two fishes, & there was givē unto thē .xii baskets full of meats.

The Wyddowe of Sarepthat gave but one handful of flower, and a little oil unto Elias, and had given unto her again so much as served her and her son, all the time of the great drought .iii. Reg .xvii. Learn therefore that covetous bribry & extorcion hath never enough: and charytable lyberalytye ever hath plenty.

Here also may rich men learn, when and howe to fill their store houses. Surely, even as the Apostles did fill their baskettes, when the people have enough, then by gatherynge up that which elles should be lost. So did Iosephe in Egypt, suffer no corn to be lost in the years of plenty, but stored it up in barns, to releue the people with, in the time of darth: Not as covetous Carles do here in England forstall the markets, and by corn at all times, to begin and increase a dearthe.

Blessed be they that sell, to make good cheap, and cursed be they that bye, to make it dear. For Solomon saith. Proverbs .xi.

Qui abscondit frumenta, maledicetur in populis: benediccio autem super caput uendencium: He that hydeth up corn, shall be cursed amongst the people: But blessing be upon their heads, that sell.

Now, to teache Chrysten rulers their duties, in the example of Christ's Apostles: mark howe the Apostles did first minister unto the people, and than gathered up for them selves, teaching thereby all Chrysten ministers, landelordes, officers, and rulers, first to minister unto the people, every one the duty of his own vocation, afore they gather of the people, rentes, tithes, or fees, by the name and aucthorytye of that vocation. Qui non labor at, saith Paul, non manducet: He that doeth not labor, should not eat. He that doth no work, should take no wages: he that doeth no duties, should take no fees. Alas, this is gods word, written in his will and Testament, sealed with Christ's blood, and yet the customs and laws of England be clean contrary. For it hath been customeably used, yea, and by laws commanded, to pay wages, tithes, and fees, although no labor, no office, no duty be done. Yea, although he be not a laborer, a pastor or an offycer in deed, but only by a pretenced name, unto whom these for the most part be paid.

For he that hath the properties & useth the trades of a false thief, & cruel murderer, can never be a faithful offycer in deed, although he be so named by his own flatery, in the Patrons presentacion, in the Bishops induccion, yea and in the Kynges Patent, sealed with the broad Seal. I had need to take hede how that I speak openly against any thing in any man's Patent, sealed w ^t the kings great seal: Much more need had you to take hede, how that ye do any thing expressedly against gods will and Testament, sealed with Christ's precious blood.

It is expressedly against God's Testament, to clothe a Wolf in a Lambes skynne: to call a thief, an officer, and a cruel murderer a charytable pastoure: to call evil by the name of good: and good by the name of the evil. Isaiah .v.

Ve qui dicitis in alum bonum. Woe be to you that call evil good. To you I say, which not only by sayings but also in writings, do name & call theiues, murderers, & wolves that be evil, by the names of officers, pastors, and lambes, which be good. I do not only mean Persons, Prebendaryes, and other benefised men, but also all manner officers, which have wages, fees, or livings, because you give them such names, and not for that they do such duties.

These be all Wolfs, and the names and titles that you give them, be nothing else but sheep skynnes.

Some say, they will take better heed hereafter, but that which is now past, cannot now be called back, and amended. Yea, and it were great pytye, seeing that they have paid the first fruits unto the Kings Magesty, and no small reward unto other men, perchaūce bought their offices dearelye, now to put them out of those livings, with the loss. of. all those charges which they have bestowed in rewards, as other ways, to get such livings.

Woe, woe woe unto you hypocrites that stumble at a straw, and leap over a block, that strayne out a gnat, and swalowe up a camel, that pytye more the loss of men's brybrye, which was given to corrupt some men, then the treading under foot of Christ's blood, which was shed, to save all men, that do imagine it pytye to drive the thieves, murderers and wolves frō amongst y ^e lambs of God, redeemed w ^t Christ's precious blood, & committed unto your governance and keeping.

As God shall help me, I speak with fear, pytye, and reverence: if you do not rather pulle the shepes skins over the wolves ears, and hang their carcases upon the pales, then suffer them to contynewe still, God will pluck you down with some sodein mischief, rather then maintain or suffer you in so high authorytye, to use such uncharitable, ungodly, and cruel pytye. You know that some of thē have bought their benefyces, have bought their offices, than must ye needs know, that either Christ is a liar, or else that they be entered in as thieves, to spoil, murder, and to destroy.

If you suffer thieves, murderers and wolves to take their pleasures amongst God's lambes, I tell you plain, God will not longe suffer you to be y ^e hedshepherds, & governors, & feders of his lambs.

And take hede you people that on the other side ye run not into an intolerable stobernes, denying your rētes, your tithes, or other duties: for y ^e scripture forbydoeth you utterly, to deny or withdraw any thing frō thē: thou art commanded if he contēd to take thy cloke to give him also thy cote. What soever is asked, rather give more, than by denying of that, not to show thy self to be an innocent sheep that giveth his fleese, but a noisome Goat, that striketh with the horn. You are always bounden to give the flese. It is the magistrates duties, to consider and note, whether they be thieves or shepherds, dogs or woulfes, that taketh the fleese. Medle not with other men's duties, for if ye do, surely ye shall find no remedy, but provoke vncolourable vengeance.

Now to tourne to our particular purpose, let all them that do receive offices, lands, power, or authorytye from God, by the kings gift, or by other means, Firste bestow & dispose the duties of those things faithfullye amongst the people, afore they gather up to them selves the revenues & commodities of the same from the people. And then when as no man can come to meat, but by doing of labor, nor none to receiving of fees, but by doing of duties, surely every man shall have as much as he deserveth, & no man shall lack that which he needeth.

For he, that by doing of great duties deserveth the moste, by atteininge the fees and rewards due for the same duties, shall have the best. And he y ^t is in need, having no trust to get any thing by idleness, craft, or flattery, shall be compelled to use that labor & honest exercise, which shall relyeue his need sufficiently. Yea, by this mean no man shall spend his time in idleness, nor use any labor or dyligence, without due recompense, For need shall drive all men from slothful idleness, unto labor & diligence: and where as no labor nor dylygence lacketh his just reward, there every laboring and diligent man, shall have sufficient plenty: So ye see how this doeth consequently ensue, that every manshal have sufficient enough & plenty, whereas men do first dispose, minister, & give according to their duties, & afterwards receive keep & save that which God doth send as a reward, increased & augmented, for doing of their duties.

So did the Apostles, after the faithful diligent disposyng of the v. loves and .ii. fishes receive and keep their reward wonderfullye augmented, to replenish and fill .xii. baskets. So God grant, that all officers in England may with such faithful diligence do their duties y ^t it may please God to give to all the people sufficient enough, & unto every minister, the basket of his honest desire, heaped up bi the brim

The men therefore seeing what a sign Jesus had done, said that this is y ^t Prophet, which cometh into the world. This is even he whom Moses, the law, & the prophets do teache, to be the fully & only sufficient savior of y ^e world. Moses saying, in y ^e .xviii. of Deut. A Prophet of thy nation & of thy brethren, like unto me, shall the Lord thy God raise up unto the, him shalt thou hear. The law, as a tutor, leadeth & bringeth all men to this savior, to receive of him that perfeccion, which the law it self lacketh. The Prophets did tell long afore of this savior which is now come in our time, after their days. Thys was the people's confession of Christ, after that they were by so great a miracle, so plentyfullye fed. Christ often afore had wrought wonderful miracles, disputed learnedly, & preached plainly: but by all those means did he not so much persuade the people, and win their hearts, as by this one miracle, in feeding & cheryshinge the people. Yea, and whosoever listeth to mark thorough out all England, he shall se that a mean learned person, keeping an house in his paryshe, and being of godly conversation, shall persuade & teach mo of his parishners with communicacion at one meal, than the best learned doctor of divinity keeping no house can persuade or teache in his parish by preaching a dosen solemn sermons.

Lyke wise the gentle man that keepeth a good house in his cōtrey shall be in better credit with y ^e people for his liberalitye, then the best orator or lawyer in England, for all his eloquence. I do not praise those men which brybe and pol all the year to keep riot in their houses for a fortnyght, a month, or a quarter of a year: But those I se beloved, trusted & obeyed, that according to their ability, keep good houses continually.

And the chief cause why the commens do not love, trust, nor obey the gentlemē & officers, is, because the gentlemen and officers build many fair houses, and keep few good houses, have plenty of eloquence to tell fair tales, but use lytell faithful dylygence in doing of their duties. Wherefore, send forth, and place in every country godly preachers, well disposed persons, and faithful diligent officers of all sortes. Yea, but where should we now find livings for all those?

Forsoth I do tell you: Outand away with the wily foxes, the false flattering thieves, & the ravening wolves, and than se how many loves, how many offices, prebendes, and benefices ye find void, howe mani you have amongst yourselves that youre boy carrieth, that your chapleynes, your servants, and your household officers have, & let all these be brought forth: and although at the first sight they shall seme to little, and few to serve so great a Realm with so many shyres, being all run now out of civil order into rude wilderness, Yet, after equal diuidyng & faithful diligent ministering of those loves and fishes, of these prebends, personages, and all kind of offices amongst the people, God of his goodness shall give such increase unto the people, having thereby sufficient plenty of Christ's holy word of good civil order, & of charitable relief, that there shall be remaining so much tithes, offrynge, rentes, fees, & rewards, as will fill the .xii. baskets of the Apostles, I mean the barns, the houses, and purses of all sayethfull diligente ministers and officers. Then shall this one act persuade and allure the hearts of all Englyshmen, more then all that ever was done afore: For when they shall see, that by this Kyng and this Counsel, the wilye fox of superstition is utterly banished, the false these of flaterye apprehended and taken, and the cruel wolf of couetousenesse slain and hanged up by the heels, so that the preachers, the persons, the officers, and all manner of pastores restored to their places, do feed, cherysh, and keep their flocks which were afore pylled, spoiled and devoured: then shall they of hertye courage, with one mind, and one voice confess and acknowledge, that this is a Kyng sent frō God, in dued with the wisdom of Solomon, and the faithful diligent stoutness of David his father, now guyded by godly counsel to bring out of misery, and prosper in wealth us the people of this his Real pe. Dixit Dominus. The Lord hath spoken it.

God grant you grace to do it, with thanks & praise to him forever.

Imprynted at London by John Day dwellinge over Aldersgate, beneth saint Martyns. And are to be sold at his shop by the little conduit in Chepesyde at the sign of the Resurrection.

Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum. Per septennium.