Petition Against the Oppressors of the Poor Commons of this Realm

To the most honorable Lord's of the Parliament with the commons of the same: their moste humble and daily Orator Robert Crowley, wisheth the assistēce of God's holy spirit.

AMonge the manifold & moste weyghtie matters, (most worthy counsaylours) to be debated and cōmuned of in this present Parliament, and by the advise, assent and consent thereof spedili to be redressed: I think there is no one thing more nedfull to be spoken of, then the great oppression of the pore communes, by the possessioners as well of y ^e clergy as of y ^e laity. No doubt it is nedfull, and there ought to be a spedy redress of many mattiers of religion: as are these. The use of the sacraments and ceremonies, the usurping of tenths to private commodity, the superfluouse, unlearned, vndiscret and vicious ministers of the church, and their Supersticious and Idolatrous administracions, Of these things I say ought there to be a spedy reformaciō. For they are now most lyk hastily to bring upon this noble realm, the inevitable vengeance of God, if they be not shortly reformed: for as much as it hath pleased the almyghty and living God, to open unto us those abominations, which have heretofore ben keep secret and hyd from us.

These things, I say, are yet far out of joint, and had great need to be refourmed.

For notwithstanding the Kings majesties late visitation: the ignorant people, who have longe ben fostred and brought up in the superstition and wrong believe of these things, and are yet n • doubt, secretly instructed by their blind guydes and by them hold̄ still in blindness: will not be persuaded that their forefathers superstition was not the true faith of Christ, til such time as they have continuing among them, such preachers as shall be able and will, by the manifest scriptur • s prove unto them that both they and their fathers were deceived and knew not how to worship God aright, but shamfuly seduced by the covetise of the shepherds and guides: sought him where he was not, and when they thought they had been most high in his favor by doing, him such honor as they thought moste acceptable in his sight: then committed they most detestable blasphemy, & were abhominable before him.

Thys knowledge, I say, will not be beaten into the heads of the ignorant: so longe as their shepeherdes be but hyrlynges & follow livings, for such minister not to the congregation: but to their own bealyes. They are not shepeherdes, but butchars. They come not to feed, but to be fed. And doubtless (most christen coūsaylours) I think it not possible to amēde this great enormity, otherwise then by reducynge the order of choseynge of the ministers, unto the order that was in y ^e primitive church whereof is mentioned in the Act, of the Apostles For solong as idle bealies may come to the byshope and be smered for money, God shall say to thē by his prophet. You did tēne but I sent you not. They shalle be called feedars, of feedynge them selves and not of fedyng the flock, They shall study to please men & not to please God. In fine, they shall differ nothing from the crafts men which apply an occupacion to get their living upon, and not to the intent to profit the common weal.

The crafts man sueth for the freedom of a City, not because he intendeth to be a maintainer of the City: but because he hopeth that he shall live so much the more welthyly him self. And evē for like causes do our ministers and are like still to do (so longe as they may be received when they come uncalled) apply them selves to priesting, because they like well the ydlenes of the life.

I doubt not but the Kynges majesties visitters know more of this matter then I cā be able to writ. And by thē, I doubt not, you shall be moved to commune of this matter at the full.

The sacraments they still abuse, vseinge them as matters of merchaundyce, and chiefly the most worthy memory of our redemption, for that they selle boethe to the quycke and to the dead, to the rich and to the poor. None shall receive it at their hands, without he will pay the ordinary shot, and so are they ready to serve every man. They loke vpō the monei only and nothing upon the mind. Whether it be taken to comfort of conscience or judgment, they pas not. Thei tell the monei, thei loke for no more. If they will deny this to be true let them say why, they suffer the pore to beg money to pay for their housel, as they call it? Perchaunce they will answer that the money is not payede for the sacrament, but for the .iiii offering days. Then ask I this questian,

Why thei appoint not another time to receive it in, then that time which is to little to be occupied in declareynge to the people the right use & profit of the sacraments, & to instruct them so, y ^t they do not receive it to their judgment, but to their confort and quietness of conscience, for which purpose it was first instituted? Vndoubtedli (most christiā counsailours) they cannot deni but that they appoint to receive it then, because they will be sure of it.

Theyr doeynges will declare it, though they would deny it, for none may receive the sacraments unless he do first pay, the money. And then, with how little reverence it is ministered and received: every thristen hert seeth & lamenteth.

These things (I doubt not) are so evident and plain unto you: that it needeth not to trouble you with many words concerneinge the abuses thereof. Many godly minded men have both written and preached, & do daily writ and preach, of and against those abuses, wherefor I am certain that you have just occasion and can do no less but seek a further redress her of (which all christen hearts do desire) in this present parliament.

But as for the oppression of the pore, which is no less nedful to be cōmuned of and reformed then the other: I fear me will be passed over with silence, or if it be communed of. I can scarcely trust that any reformacion can be had, unless God do now work in the hearts of the possessioners of this realm, as he did in the primitive church, when the possessioners were contented and very willing, to sell their possessions and give y ^e price thereof to be commune to all the faithful believers. Take me not here that I should go about by these words to persuade men to make all things commune: for if you do you mistake me. For I take God to witness I mean no such thing. But with all mine hert I would wish that no mā were suffered to eat, but such as would labor in their vocation and calling, according to the rule that Paul gave to the Thessalonians.

But yet I would wish that the possessioners would consider who gave them their possessions, and howe they ought to bestow them. And then (I doubt not) it should not need to have all things made commune.

For what needeth it the servants of the household to desire to have their masters goods commune, so longe as the stuarde ministereth unto every man the thing that is needful for him?

If the possessioners would consider thē selves to be but stuardes, and not Lord's over their possessions: this oppression would sone be redressed. But so longe as this persuasion styketh in their minds. It is mine own.

Whoe shall warn me to do with mine own as me self lysteth? it shall not be possible to have any redress at all. For if I may do with mine own as me lysteth: then may I suffer my brother, his wife and his chyldrene, to lie in the strete, except he will give me more rent for mine house thē ever he shall be able to pay Then may I take his goods for that he oweth me and keep his body in prison, tournyng out his wife and children to perish, if God will not move some man's heart to pity them: and yet keep my coffers full of goulde and silver.

If there were no god, then would I think it leafull for men to use their possessions as thei list Or if God would not requitre an account of us for the bestoweynge of them. I would not greatly gaynsaye though they toke their pleasure of them whylse they lived here. But forasmuch as we have a God, and he hath declared unto us by y ^e scriptures, y ^t he hath made the possessioners but Stuardes of his riches and that he will hold a straight accompt with them for the occupiynge and bestoweynge of them: I think no Christian ears can abide to hear that more then Turkysh opinion.

The Philosophers who knew nothing of the bond of frendshippe which Christ our master and redeemer left among us: affirmed that among friends all things are commune meaneyng that frendshippe would not suffer one friend to hold from another, the thing that he hath need of. And what shall we say? Are we not friends? Suerly if we be not friends: we bear the name of Christ and be called Christians in vain. Yea if we have not a more perfect frendeshyppe then that whereof the Philosophers speak: we are but feigned Christians we bear the name only and are no thing less in deed: For this is the token that Christ gave whereby we should be known to be of him: if we love one another as he loved us. Howe he loved us, is declared by the words of the Apostle saying, that Christ gave him self for us. Accordynge to this example ought our frendshyp to be such, that we will not spare to spend our life for the wealth of our brothers. Not to fight in their quarrel (for Christ bade Peter put up the sword into his place) but to teach the truth boldly without any fear of death, and not to suffer our brothers to be led in error though present death should insue for so doing.

Some perchance will think that this freēdshyp is to be understand only of the pastors and shepherds toward their flock because Christ saith that a good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. Forsoeth if the pastors or shepeherdes only, were the flock of Christ then might this frendeshyp right well be understanded of them only. But for as much as the Laie and private persons, are as well of the flock of Christ as the other: this frendeshyp parteineth unto them nolesse then to the other. And this causeth me (moste worthy counsaylours) not to fear the displeasure of men in this behalf, knoweynge for certainty that the greatest number of this assemble are not free from this oppression that I speak of, and that it is far unlike that a private person by no means worthy to be called to such an assemble should be favorably heard and accepted of them whom God hath called to be counsaylours of a realm, and chiefly in a cause taxyng & blameyng the Judges before whom it is pleaded. I might well coniecte with myself, that I should in this point be compted a busy body, and one that renneth before he is sent. But I am redi to suffer not onli all such report but even the very death also (if it shall please the almighty and euerlyueynge God to lay it upon me) for youre sakes, moste worthy counsailours, and the residue, my natural brothers of this noble realm.

And here I proteste unto you all, that the same spirit that sent Jonah to the Niniuits, Daniel to the Babylonians, Nathan to Kyng David, Achior unto Holofernes, Judith unto the Priests and Elders of the Jews, the prophet to Jeroboam in Bethel, John the Baptist unto Herod, and Christ unto the Jews-witnesseth with my conscience, that I renne not unsent. For evē the same spirit that said unto Isaiah, cry and cease not, declare unto my people their wickedness: crieth also in my conscience, bydyng me not spare to tell the possessioners of this realm, that unless they repent the oppression wherewith they vex the pore commons, and show thenselves thorough love to be brothers of one father & members of one body with them: they shall not at the last day enherite with them the kingdom of Christ y ^e eldest son of God the father, which hath by his word begotten him many brothers & coheritours is his kingdom Unless, I say, the possessioners of this realm will repent the violence don to the poor and needy menbres of the same, and become as hands, ministering unto every member his necessaryes: they shall at the day of their accompt, be bound hand and foot and cast into utter darkness, where shall be weeping, wealyng, and gnashyng of teach, that is, dolour and yayne, the greatness whereof can not be expressed with tongue nor thought with heart. And this much more saith the spirit. Unless ye purge yourselves of this blood, & stop the mouths of the pore that the voice of their complaint come not unto mine ears: I will not prosper your counsayles in the reformaciō of those abhominaciōs which I shown unto you, but will leave you to y ^e spirit of error, y ^e prince of this world, whose dearlinges ye are so longe as ye seek not the wealth of the needy, but your own private commoditye. These things hath the spirit of God spokē. Heaven and earth shall perish, but the words of the spirit shall not perish, but be fulfilled. Now herken you possessioners, and you rich men lift up your ears, ye stuards of the Lord mark what complaints are layede against you in the high court of the liueynge God.

Lord (saith the Porphete) hast thou forsaken us? doest thou hide thyself in the time of our trouble? Whylse the wicked wax proud the pore man is afflicted and troubled. Would to God the wicked might feale the same things that they invent for other. For the sinnere praiseth him self in the desyers of his soul, and he extolleth and fetch forth the covetous man. He provoketh the Lord and is so proud that he will not seek him. He never thinketh upon God. His ways be defiled at all times. He looketh not upon thy iugementes Lord, be will revenge him upon all his enemies.

He thinketh thus with him self, I will not remove from one generation unto another without mischefe. Hys mouth is full of malediction and evil report, fraud & deceyte: and under his tongue is afliction and iniquity.

He lieth in wait with the rychemen of the villages or graynges, in secrete corners, to the intent to slay the innocent. His eyes are fyexed upon the pore, he layeth awayete, even as a lyon in his den. He layeth a wait to take the poor man by force, and when he hath gotten him within his reach, then will he take him violently. In his net will he overthrow the pore, and through his strength shall the mutitude of the oppressed be over charged and fall. For in his hert he saith, God hath forgotten God turneth a way his face, and will never regard the oppression of the poor, etc. to the ende of the same Psalm.

What sentence (think you) will the Lord give vpō this evidence? No doubt (most worthy counselors) even the same that we read in Isaiah the Prophet I looked for judgment and rightouse dealynge amongst my people and behold there is iniquity, I looked also for justice, and behold there is an outcrye. Woe be unto you therefore, that do join hour unto house, & couple one field to another, so longe as there is any ground to be had. Think you that you shall dwell upon the earth alone? The Lord of hosts saith the prophet hath spoken these words unto me. Manye large and goodlye houses, shall be desert, and without inhabitauntes .x. acres of vynes shall yield but one quarte of wyne, and .xxx. bushelles of seed shall yield but .iii bushelles again. Behold you engrossers of fermes, and teynements be hold I say, the terrible threatnynges of God whose wrath you cannot escape. The voice of the pore (whō you have with money thrust out of house and home, is well accepted in the ears of the Lord, and hath steared up his wrath against you. He threateneth you moste horrible plages. Ten acres of vynes shall yield but one quarte of wyne, and .xxx. bushelles of seed but .iii. bushelles again. The seed of God's word sown in youre hearts, shall be barrayne and not bring forth fruit.

For couetyse, the rote of all iuelles, occupieth that ground so that the heavenly seed can bi no means give increase. This is a plage of all plages most horrible And doubt ye not you lease mongres, that take grounds by lease to the • ntente to let them out again for double and triple, the rent: your parte is in this plage The Lord shall take his spirit from you. He shall forbid the clouds of his mercy, to rain upon you with the sweet dwe of his greace. And you surueighers of lands, that of x.li. land can make .xx. you shall not be forgotten in the effu • ion of this plage.

For whē you have multiplied your rēttes to the higheste, so that ye have made all youre tenantes your slaves to labor and toil and bring to you all that may be plowed and digged out of youre grounds: then shall death sodaynly strike you, then shall God withdraw his comfortable greace from you, thē shall your conscience prycke you, then shall you think with de • perat Cain, that your sin is greater thē that it may be forgiven. For your own conscience shall judge you worthy no mercy, be, cause you have shown no merci. Yea the same enemy that hath kendled, and doeth yet maintain in you this mischeuouse, outragiouse and vnsaciable covetousness: shall then be as busy to put you in mind of the words of Christ saienge, y ^e same measure that you have made unto other, shall be now made unto you.

You have shown no mercy: howe can you than loke for mercy? Oh noble counsailours be merciful to yourselves Destroye not your own souls to enriche your heirs. Enlarge not your earthly possession with the loss of the eternal enheritaunce. Learn to know the estate that God hath called you unto, & to live according to your profession, Know that you are all ministres in the common weal and that the procion which you are borne unto, or that your prince giveth you is your estate. Knowe that your office is to distribute & not to scrape to gether on heaps, God hath not set you to surueye his lands, but to play the stuardes in his household of this world, and to se that your pore fellow servants lack not their necessaries.

Consider that you are but ministers and servants under the Lord our God, and that you shall render a straight accompt of your administracion. Stand not to much in your own conceit, gloriynge in the worthiness of your blood, for we are all one man's children, and have (by nature) like right to the rychesse and treasures of this world wh • rouf our natural father Adame was m • de Lord and Kinge. Which of you can lay for him self any natural cau • e which should possess the treasure of this world, but y ^t the same cause may he found in him also whom you make your slave? By nature (therefore) you can claim nothing but that which you shall get with the sweet of your faces. That you are Lord's and governors therefore, cometh not by nature but by the ordinance & appointment of God. Knowe then that he hath not called you to the wealth and glory of this world: but hath charged you with the great and rude multitude.

And if any if them perish thorough your defaute, know thē for certainty, that the blood of them shall be required at your hands. If the impotent creatures perish for lack of necessries: you are the murderres, for you have their enheritaunce and do not minister unto them.

If the sturdye fall to stealing, robbyng & reueynge: then are you the causers thereof, for you dygge in, enclose, and witholde from them the earth out of the which they should dignity and plow their lyueynge. For as the Psalmiste writeth. All the heaven is the Lord's: but as for the earth he hath given to the childrene of men.

The whole earth therefore (by birth right) belongeth to the children of men. They are all inheritors thereof indifferently by nature

But because the sturry should not oppress • the weak and impotent: God hath appointed you stuards to give meat unto his household in due reason. And if you be found faithful in this litel: then know that he will prefer you to much greater things. But if ye be found oppressing your fellow servants: thē know for certainty, that the Lord your master shall at his comeynge, reward you with many strypes. Call to your remembrance the History of Kynge Nebuchadnezzar who for his presumption became, as a brute beast, feaddinge vpō grass and hey as other beasts did.

Considre Pharaoh with his great army, whom the Lord overwhelmed in the red sea for oppressing and persecuting his people. Yea considre all the nobility that have possessed the earth, even from the beginning: and then say howe you be their successors, and by what title you cleyme that which was theirs.

Many hundred years sense, the noble Romans held all Europa, and parte of Affrike and Asia, in quiet possession: and where are they that succeade them in their impeir?

The brutishe Goths invaded and vanquished the impier of Rome: and where are their successors?

What should I stand in the rehearsal of the great possessioners that have heretofore possessed the earth, whose liniall descent cā not be found? It shall suffice me to remit you to the words of the Lord unto Nebuchadnezzar, which are written in the boke of Daniel the Prophet.

There shall you learn that it is God that giveth the impier to whō it pleaseth him, and that all power is from above, according to the answer that our savior Christ made unto Pilate, when he bragged him with the power than he had to crucify him and to deliver him. Thou shouldest, said our savior, have no power over me at all, were it not given the from above.

Thus it is evident unto you (moste worthy counsaylours) that your power and estate cometh from above, and that by nature, you can cleyme nothing of the possessions of this world, more then that which you get with the sweet of your faces.

I doubt not therefore but that your consciences do condescend and agre unto that which I have spoken concerning youre office and ministry, knoweynge that God hath appointed you to minister necessaries to the impotent and to defend the innocent.

Do not therefore neglect this principalle point of your duty, to seek in this parliament a redress of this great oppression, wherewith the pore members of this noble realm, ar most unmercifully vexed on every side.

The lande lords for their partes, survey and make the uttermost penny of all their groūdes, bysydes the unreasonable fynes and incomes. And he that will not or cannot give all that they demand: shall not enter be he never so honest or stand he never so great need.

Y • a though he have ben an honest, true, faithful and quiet tenant many years: yet at the vacatiō of his Copy or Iudentur, he must pay welmoste as much as would purchayse so much grownde or else void in haste, though he, his wife and childrene, should perish for lack of harbor.

What a sea of mischifes hath floued out of this more then Turkyshe tyranny: what honest householders have ben made followers of other not so honest men's tables: what honest matrones have ben brought to the needy rock and cards: what menchyldrene of good hope in the liberal sciences and other honest qualites (whereof this realm hath great lack) have ben compelled to fall some to handycrafts and some today labor to sustain their parents decrepet age and miserable poverty: what froward and stoubourne children have herby shaken of the yoke of godly chastisement rennyng hedlonge into all kinds of wickedness and finally garnished galowe trees: what modeste, chaste and womanly virgins, have for lack of dourie been compelled either to pass over the days of their youth in vngrate servitude, or else to mary to perpetual miserable poverty: what immodeste, & wanton gyrles have hereby been made sisters of the Bank (the stumlyng-stock of all frail youth) and finally, most miserable creatures lying and dyinge in the stretes full of all plages and penury: what universal destruction chanceth to this noble realm by this outrageous and vnsaciable desire of the surueiers of lands: I report me to you (moste Christian counseilours) which are here assembled from all partes of this noble realm, to consult for the wealth of all the menbres of the same.

On the other side, there be certain tenauntes, not able to be lande Lord's, and yet after a sort they cōterfaite lande lords, by obteininge leases in and upon groūdes and tenements, and so reyse fines, incomes, & rentes: and by such pillage pike out a portion to maintain a proud port, and all by pilling and polling of the poor commons that must of necessity seek habitations at their hands.

That this is true, I report me to my lord the Maire & other the head officers of the City of London, who (if they be not ignorant of the state of the City) can witness with me that the moste parte, yea I think ix. of the .x. partes, of the houses in London, be set and let by them that have them by lease: and not by the owners.

Howe thei polle the pore tenātes, would sone be tried, if their leases were conferred w ^t their rentrolles. It is not to be thought contrary but that the great leasmūgers have great gains by their leases, for the litleons that hold but a piece of houseing of .xx. or .xxx.s. by yere: can find the means to hold and dwell upon the chief parte thereof rent free, by letynge out the residue for the whole yearly rent.

I think not contrary but these things do appear in the sight of many to be but verey trifles, and not worthy to be spokē of in so noble an assemble as this most honorable parliament. For they are no mattiers concerneyng the wealth of the nobility, yea it is rather hyndrance to many of them, to have these things redressed, then any increase of their wealth.

Yea even you (moste Christian counsaylours) which are here assembled, to debate the weighty mattiers of this realm: are not all so free from this kind of oppression, but that you could be well contented to wyncke at it. And therefore, for as much as the inordinate love of men toward them selves is such, that either they cannot se their own fauts, or else if they do se them, or be told of them, they take them not to be so great as they are in deed: I think it no marvel, though such of you (most worthy counsaylours) as have any profit by this oppression, do within them selves deride and laugh to scorn my fole hardines and rash interprise herein, knowing that it is not the use of them that be assembled to the intent to establish such things as shall be for the wealth of a whole realm: to condescende and agree to those things which shall be disprofitable unto the chief members of the same.

Truth it is (moste worthy counsaylours) I might well and worthily be laughed at: if I would attempt any such thing. But the thing that hitherto I have spoken of: is not to the disprofite of any, but to the great commodity and profit of all the whole realm.

For what discōmoditie is it to the head, shoulders, the arms, and other the upper menbres of the body, being already sufficiently clothed: to put on the legs and feet a peare of hose and shoes, to defend them also from the injuries of the wether & other hurtes that might chance unto them in their trauaylyng to carry the body from place to place, fo • his commodity and pleasure? Verily in mine opinion that body is far vnworty to have either legs or feet: that will let them go bare, having wherewith to cover them.

Even so you, being the chief members of this noble realm, and having in your hands the wonderful and incomparable riches of the same: what should it grieve you to depart with some portion thereof, that the inferioure members thereof, may at all times be able to do their ministry and office accordyngly.

Once remember, that as the body with out the inferioure partes is but lame and as a block unwieldy, and must, if it will remove from place to place, creep upon the hands: even so you, if ye had not the poor member of this realm to till the ground and do your other drudgery: no remedy you must needs d • it yourselves.

Use them therefore as the necessary members of the mystical body of this moste noble realm, and be not in this point more unnatural then the heathen Philosophers were.

They in their writings declare no less then I have written.

Thys ought not a little to move you, being Christians (whose redeemer Jesus Christ sitteth at the right hand of God his father) to study, not only to be equal with, but to pass the heathen & unchristened in this matter, even as far as the excellency of the name and religion which we profess, passeth theirs.

Remembre (most Christian counsaylours) that you are not only natural members of one body with the poor creatures of this realm: but also by religion you are members of the same mystical body of Christ, who is the head of us all (his members) and estemeth all that is done to the leste of us his members, as done to him self. For he saith.

What so ever ye do to the leste of these little ones that believe in me: ye do it unto me.

If you therefore, neither will yourselves oppress our savior Christ in his members, nor suffer other to do it: fail not to find a redress of this great oppression, which I have declared to the same ende. And thē I doubt not, but God shall so work with you: that every man shall willingly embrace a reformation of all mattiers of religiō. For the spirit of God shall dwell in you and in us all, and Christ himself (as he hath promised) shall be in the mids among you. Wher as contrariwise, if you suffer our loueinge savior thus to be oppressed, he will forsake you, he will leave you to the spirit of error. Your reformacions shall take no place. All your diuises shall be abhominable in his sight, because ye have not purged your hands from the blood of this oppression.

Let the decres which were establyshed in this place by a parliam • nt assembled for a like purpose: be your president, not to follow, but to beware by them that ye establish not the like.

The intent of that assemble was nolesse to refourm the abuses of our religion then this is. But because Christ was not delivered from oppression: he would not be among them.

They were not congregated in his name, but rather against him and his doctrine, for he him self is dear love, & (as his Apostle John writeh) where this dear love is not, there is not he. Thys thing is well proved by their proceadynges in the same Parliament. For they established articles even directly against God's word forbedynge to mary, and cōmaundynge to put asunder those that God hath joined together

If you will call these articles into question again (as in deed you have just occasion to do) I doubt not but you shall be fully persuaded that they proceaded of the spirit of error and not of the spirit of God, because the charity of God was not among them in that assemble.

Other things therbe whereby the pore menbres of Christ in this noble realm, are oppressed, whereof I have made no mention, partly because I am loath to offend with the multitude of my rude words, & partly for that I know you cannot seek for a redress of these things whereof I have spoken: but the other will offer them selves unto you. I mean the great Extortion and Usury that reigneth freely in this realm, and seme to be authorised by Parliament within these .iii. years last paste.

The Clergy of the City of London, have for their parte optayned by Parliament, authority to over tēthes even after the exēple of the landlordes and leasemongers, and may by the virtue of the act requir for double rentes, double tenths. If the rent of any kind of housyng or ground within the City of London be raised (as there is in deed veri much) frō x.s, to xx.s: than may the person (who had before but xvi.d. ob.) by the vertu of this act, demand .ii.s .ix.d, the double. Bysydes this, the exactions that they take of the pore commons, is to much beyond all reason and conscience. No couple cā be married, but these mē must have a duty, as the call it. No woman may be purified, but they and their idle ministers must have some duties of hir. None cā be buried but they will have a fliese. Not three months before the beginning of this present Parliament: I had just occasion to be at the payment of this duty for y ^e buriyng of an honest pore mā, whose friends were wylling to have his body reuerendly laid in the ground, & according to the custom, gave warninge to the curate that they would bring the dead body to the church: desiring him that he would do his duty and to be there to receive it, and according to the custom, to lay it in the ground. But this Raven smellyng the carrion: could not but reueile it to the other carrion birds of the same church, and so would needs come all together in a flock to fetch their pray, with cross and holy water as they were wont to do, notwithstanding the Kynges Injunctions and late visitation. The friends of the dead man refused all this and required to have no more but the commune coffen to put the body in, agreynge to pay to the keeper thereof his accustomed duty, and in like manner to the grave maker, and the four poor men to carry the body, so that the whole charges had ben but .vii.d.

But when the corps was buried, without other cross or holy water stycke, Dirige, or Mass, with prayers of as small devotion, as any pore curate could say, yet must we needs pay .vii.d. more That is to say .i.d. to the curate, which he called an head penny, and .vi.d. to .ii. clerks that we had no need of.

Thys was done in Sepulchers parish in the City of Lodon. And if it shall please any of this noble assemble to try the truth of this: I will verify it where so ever I shall be called, even in the presence of all the idle ministers of the same church.

This have I written (moste worthy counsailours) to give you an occasiō to set such an order in this and such other things, that either we may have ministers found upon the tēthes that we pay yerli to the churches: other else that it may be leaful for us to do such ministries our selves, and not to be thus constrained to feed a sort of carrion crows, which are never so merry as when we lament the loss of our friends.

Thys much have I spoken of the extortion that reigneth freely in the Clergy. Now, with your patience, I will with like brevity, speak of the great & intolerable usury, which at this day, reigneth so freely this realm over all, and chiefly in the City of London: that it is taken for moste leaful gains. Yea it is welmoste heresy to reprove it, for men say it is allowed by Parliament. Well. The most part, I am sure, of this most Godly assemble and parliament: do know that the occasion of the act that passed here concerning Usury: was the vnsaciable desire of the userers, who could not be cōtēted with Usury, unless it were unreasonable much. To restrain this greedy desire of theirs therefore, it was cōmuned and agreed vpō, and by the authority of Parliament, decreed: that none should take above .x.li. by yere for the lone of an .C.li.

Alas that ever any christiā assēble should be so voied of gods holy spirit, y ^t they should alowe for leaful: any thing that God's word forbiddeth, Be not abashed (most worthy counsaylours) to cal this act into question again. Scan the words of the Psalmist concerning this matter, Lord, saith he, who shall enter into thy tabernacle, and who shall rest in thy holy moūtaine? H • answereth. That entereth w ^t out spot & worketh right. That speaketh truth in his hert, & hath not deceived w ^t his tongue, that hath done his neighbor ho harm, nor accepted any reproach against his neighbor. He regardeth not the wicked: but thē that fear the Lord, he glorifieth & praiseth. He y ^t swereth to his neighbor & deceiveth him not. He y ^t hath not givē his money unto usury, & hath not taken gifts & rewards against the innocent.

If you (moste Christian counsaylours) do glory in the knowledge of God's spirit, who hath spokē these words by the prophet: howe can you suffer this act to stand which shall be a witness against you in the later day, that you alowe that, which God's spirit forbiddeth?

If he that giveth not his money to Usury: shall dwell in the Lord's tabernacle: where shall he dwell that giveth his money to Usury? shall he not be shut out & cast into utter darkness? Theyr works be contrary, & why should not their reward be also contrary? If the one be received in: the other must be shut out. Yea and you that have made this law, unless you do revoke it and establysh an act to the c • ntrary: the Brydegroume, the only son of God, shall at the last day deny you and say that he never knew you, Depart frō me, shall he say, all ye workers if iniquity. Scanne the words of the Prophet therefore, and scan the words of our savior Christ also, in the .vi. of Luke, where he saith thus. Do you lend looking for no gains thereof, and your reward shall be plentuous, and you shall be sons of the highest, because he is gentle & liberal, toward the unthankful and wicked.

I am not ignorant what Glosses have ben made upon this place, and howe men have wrested & made it no precept, but a counsel of our savior, & therefore not to infer necessity to Christians but to leave them at liberty either to do it or leave it undone.

Oh merciful Lord, what manner of religion is it that these men profess?

They boast them selves to be the disciples of Christ and setters forth of his glory.

They will bear the name of him and be called Christians, and yet will be at liberty to chose whether they lust, to follow his counsel or leave it undone.

Our shepherd Christ, of whose flock they boast them selves to be, saith that his sheep hear his voice and follow him.

And immediately before, he showeth, the cause why the Jews did not credyt his words, to be none other: but that thei wer not his sheep.

And doubt ye not (moste worthy counsaylours) what so ever he is that will defend or teach, that any one little jot of the counsayles of Christ should be so vainly spoken that any of his flock might refuse to practice the same in his living to the uttermost of his power: is nolesse then a member of the Deuell, and a verey Antichrist.

For he that desireth not in his heart to practice in his lyueynge, all the counsayles of Christ our master and teachar: shall be numbered among the obstinate Jews, for none of the flock of Christ, because he heareth not his voice nor followeth him. Thus I mak an ende

Wyshyng unto you (most worthy counsaylours) y ^e same spirit that in y ^e primitive church gave unto the multitude of believers, one heart one mind, & to esteem nothing of this world as their own, ministrynge unto everyone according to his necessities. That you led by the same spirit, may at the lestwaye, ordain such a law that the oppressiō of the pore reign not freely among them that bear the name of Christians, But if they will be still oppressyng the pore members of Christ after once or twice admoniciō: let them no more be named Christians after Christ whom thei serve not, but Māmonistes after Mammon whose badge they bear. And this reformacion had, no doubt the majesty of God shall so appere in all your decres, y ^t none so wicked a creature shall be found so bold as once to opē his mouth against the order that you shall take in all matters of religion. Yea the very enemies of David shall do Omage unto Solomō for his wisdom. Al the Kynges christined shall learn at you to reform their churches. You shall be eu • n the light of all the world.

But if ye let these things pass and regard thē not: be ye sure the Lord shall cōfound your, wisdom. Inuent, Decre, Establish and authorise what you cā: all shall come to naught. The ways that you shall invent to establyshe unity and concord: shall be the occacions of discord. The things whereby you shall think to wyn praise through all the world: shall tourne to your utter shame, and the ways y ^t you shall invent to establysh a kingdom: shall be the utter subuerciō of the same. The merciful father of our Lord Jesus Christ, indue you with his spirit, that you be not parttakers of these plages.