The Opening of the Words of the Prophet Joel
The source for this document is https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A19666.0001.001
Project Note
This is licensed under Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND. This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form only, for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.
The source of this document is the Early English Books Online (EEBO-TCP) website. Those books were transcribed in a character for character manner and can be very cumbersome to read since there was no standard spelling during that time. Many spelling variations such as "unlesse", "vnlesse", and "vnles" regularly appear.
This project was conceived to clean up those books as much as possible and make them more accessible to the interested reader, leading to the creation of a massive list of variant spellings and their corrections. This was used to clean up the text, but is of course only as complete as the list itself. Because of the nature of the original transcription, some words have missing characters or places where the original language (e.g., Greek) was not transcribed. This effort does not change that. Be aware that the original transcription can also be faulty and in some cases entire sentences may be missing.
Although this is no substitute for a properly compared, proofed, and scholarly edition, I believe that the result is a document which is far more accessible, particularly for searching for terms using standard spelling. The document has been cleaned and presented in what I hope is a pleasing and useful format for the vast majority of Christian brothers and sisters who just want access to read these spiritually nourishing works.
However, a word of warning: The Puritans were a very diverse group of people and their age was characterized with godliness, but also much upheaval, disputation and strife. They disagreed on many doctrines and some of these works contain less orthodox or Scriptural views than others. The reader is strongly advised to read with discernment, particularly if it is unknown whether author is trustworthy.
This project took a huge amount of time and skill to bring to fruition. I would particularly like to thank David Jonescue for the initial list of Puritans he found on EEBO and the concept behind this project as well as the continuous, unceasing efforts toward seeing this complete. Without his labor, this would not be available. Alex Sarrouf was invaluable in providing the initial list of over 7,000 spelling variations he had identified and corrected, as well as continuing to review more than 16,000 additions to that list for any typos.
Logan West
(with David Jonescue and Alex Sarrouf)
www.puritansearch.org
The opening of the words of the Prophet Ioell, in his second and third Chapters, rehearsed by Christ in Matthew .xxiiij. Mark .xiii. Luke .xxj. and by Peter Acts .ii. concerning the Signs of the last day. Compiled by Robert Crowley in the year of our Lord. M.D.XLVI. And perused again by the same. ANNO 1566.
[illustration] [printer's device of John Charlewood, featuring the blazon or coat of arms of the City of Geneva, a half eagle and a key (McKerrow 136)]
POST TENEBRAS LVX
IMPRINTED AT LONDON by Henry Bynneman, for John Charlewood, dwelling in Barbican, at the sign of the half Eagle & the Key. ANNO. 1567.
Signs and Tokens of the last day.
REpent, repent,
I say repent
Your miss, & it amende:
Christ's prophecy,
Doth show plainly,
This world shall shortly ende.
Darke is the sun,
Blood is the moon,
From heaven are fallen the stars:
Earthquakes are seen,
Pestilence, famine,
Rumors tell naught but wars.
I do intend
Small time to spend,
To prove these rumors true:
For at eche porte,
Where is resort,
We hear them daily new.
But I know well,
That the Gospel,
Meaneth some other thing,
By this war then,
That mortal men,
Should be given to fighting.
For since men were,
Of such number,
That wars might be maintained:
Ech Emperie,
Hath sought glory,
And hath the rest disdained.
But the wars that,
Christ saith shall at,
The last day be so great:
Are not the same,
Wherof the fame,
Of histories doth treat.
I dare be bold,
This war is hold,
With that swerd y
t
Christ sent
Among us, when
He said all men,
From other should dissent.
I came saith he,
Not to give ye
Peace, but to send a sword,
Among you all,
Wherwith you shall,
Fall at utter discord.
The parents shall,
Make the child thrall,
And the child them again:
To them shall be,
Great joy to see,
Eche other of them slain.
No manner kin,
Shall avail in
That case, no man shall miss:
To have them that,
He keepeth at,
His charge his enemies.
Thus doth he say,
That men shall slay,
Eche other cruelly:
For this great fight,
Passeth the might,
Of our great chiualry.
Our men of might,
When they do fight,
Can never hurt the soul:
But these men quell,
Them into hell,
That Satan may them cowl.
These men are they,
That use always,
To judge such men holiest:
As they do see,
On the earth to be,
Counted as the highest.
Yea they do think,
That the poor stink,
Before the face of God:
Bicause they see,
That poverty,
Is counted the Lord's rod.
They do pretend,
For to defend,
The faith with might & main:
Wherefore all they,
That will say nay,
With the sword must be slain.
This is their trade,
They will persuade
Men that worldly wealthis,
The reward, that
Christ faileth not,
To give them that are his.
They say further,
Will Christ suffer,
His church to be trode down?
No no, they shall,
Rain over all,
Both in city and town.
The wicked be
Faine for to flee,
From place to place eche day:
For fear of his,
Righteous justice,
To this who dare say nay?
But thus say they,
We flee away,
From persecution:
And yet all we,
Know it to be,
Just execution.
For they profess,
Christ's faith no less,
That execute the thing:
Than those men did,
That first preached,
The Christian living.
How can they then,
Persecute men,
That profess Christ also:
Unless they should,
Be found so bold,
To say both yea and no.
But there be some,
In Christendom,
That are malefactors:
And these will say,
We run away,
From the persecutors.
When they half wood,
Flee from the good
Shepherdes, that will not see,
The tender lambes,
Kilde, and their dams,
That Christ bought on the tree.
All this they teach,
And to us preach,
These things men must believe:
Yea this may not,
Be sticked at,
To these things mē must cleue.
Alas the while,
How they begile,
The silly souls that can:
By this means know,
Little I trow,
Of the faith Christian.
For Christ saith that,
His sect shall not,
Shed blood but shall suffer:
All tyranny,
And vilany,
And be no revenger.
Wherefore I dare,
Say that the war,
Wherof Christ prophesied:
When eche brother,
Should slay other,
Is even now fulfilled.
For we may see,
That now there be,
Divers opinions:
Divers beleues,
Wherto men cleues,
In diverse regions.
And eche man will,
His brother kill,
Ghostly and then be glad:
As though he were,
Worthy to hear,
Great praise for works so bad.
One sort doth teach,
And to us preach,
That works must make us free,
From mortal sin,
That we are in,
If we will saved be.
For thus they say,
Michael
shall way,
Vs in his balaunce two:
Where shall be had,
Both good and bad,
Works that we have ydo.
If the better,
Be heavier,
Then shall we live for aye:
But if our sin,
The better win,
Then are we like to pay.
They have no eyes,
On gods mercies,
But on the equal weight:
For they say plain,
They are certain,
God's judgment shall be straight
For Christ hath said,
We will be paid,
According to our works:
Wherefore eche slave,
Shall buffets have,
That in his service lurks.
And when they find,
One to their mind,
That will to them apply:
Then they rejoice,
With heart and voice,
And show him courtesy.
The other side,
Can not abide,
To hear of works at all:
For God's mercy,
Say they shall by,
All them free that are thrall.
Christ shed his blood,
Upon the Rood,
For that intent only:
We must grant then,
All kinds of men,
Must needs be saved thereby.
All murderers,
Aduouterers,
Theues, robbers, and ill men:
Shall by his blood,
Shed on the Rood
Of heaven be right certain.
Thus they say all,
And him they call,
A perfect Christian:
That will apply
To their folly,
And a right honest man.
Thus on eche side,
Both shoot to wide,
Of the prick, for the one
Saith, works is all,
That save the thrall,
The other will have none.
Of these eche man,
Doth what he can,
To kill his brothers soul:
Eche giveth his mind,
Such for to find,
As will not him control.
The middle sort,
That doth exhort,
All men to live godly:
And to think that,
Their work shall not,
Save them but God's mercy,
Are they that bear,
The burden here,
For both hate them to death:
Their whole intent,
Is to invent,
Some way to stop their breath.
Thus eche brother,
Killeth other,
Some the flesh, some the spirit
So that I dare,
Call this the war,
Wherof the Prophets write.
For since kings could,
As I have told,
Have men of war to fight:
With wicked will,
They have sought still,
To win much ground by might.
ii.
AS for famine,
Such now is seen,
As erst hath not been know̄:
Both poor and riche,
Perishe aliche,
No seed grows that is sown
By this I mean,
Ghostly famine,
For lack of ghostly food:
The heavenly field,
Lye doth vntilde,
And brings forth nothing good.
If any sow,
They will not bow,
But stiffly scatter seeds:
Setting no hand,
To till the land,
So naught growth up but weeds.
Yet in churches,
God's word lurches,
In chains or in a cage:
But no man may,
Theron hand lay,
That hath none heritage.
James
writeth this,
With God there is,
To riches no respect:
His word would he,
Knowen for to be,
To all his true elect.
Further he saith,
Most riche in faith,
Are some of the base sort:
Whome to repel,
From the Gospel,
God's word will not supporte.
Know we may soon,
Who hath this done,
Satan no doubt it is:
That by this way,
He might decay,
Christ's faith and stablish his.
For he knoweth well,
If the Gospel,
Might reign among the poor:
They would soon know,
Them to follow,
That enter by the door.
He knoweth riche men,
Read now and then,
For pleasure and repast:
But to redress,
Their wickedness,
Few of them do make hast.
For if they would,
No poor men should,
Among them starve for food:
Into prison,
None should be done,
For det or worldly good.
But their riches,
Doth them possess,
And hath them in a bande:
Witness I can,
That riche young man,
Whom Christ bad sell his land,
With heavy heart,
Away he start,
As one that thought it dear,
Heaven to possess,
For his richesse,
And live a beggar here.
How many now,
Would dissalow,
This young man's sapience:
Ask them that be,
Of high degree,
And have great store of pence
Some will you tell,
That the Gospel,
Commaundeth no such thing,
That they should feed,
Such as have need,
And then go on begging.
Ful true it is,
Christ saith not this,
Give all and beg thyself:
But thou therefore,
Mayest not make store,
And whord this worldly pelf.
But thou must spend,
As God doth send,
To feed thy family:
In thine array,
Go not too gay,
But after thy degree.
Loke what is more,
Left in thy store,
Than will suffice to this:
He that hath none,
Must live theron,
It is not thine but his.
This to withhold,
If thou be bold,
Or to spend it in waste:
Think not but he,
That lent it thee,
Will call for it in haste.
For if that thou,
Have scarce ynowe,
To maintain thine estate:
Yet if thou see,
The poor needy,
Of that thou must abate.
If that the price,
Of vitailes rise,
So that they must be skant:
The stewards dishe,
Must diminishe,
Before the household want.
This world cal I,
God's family,
Wherein the riche men be:
As stewards stout,
To rule the route,
And succor poverty.
Whom they do aid,
That is decayde,
I think no man can tell:
But if ye guess,
Whom they oppress,
The poor know that full well.
The cause of this,
Is Avarice,
That reigneth in the clergy:
Whose life should shine,
Before men's eyne,
As
Phoebus
in the sky.
But devilish pride,
Hath been their guide,
And brought them up so hie,
That they know not,
Their own estate,
But seek this worlds glory.
Tenthes of increase,
By right success,
They claim & cal them theirs:
But Peter knew,
No such thing dew,
To him nor to his heirs.
But if we might,
See that their light,
Did shine like Peter & Paul,
Then would we not,
Debarre them that,
But rather give them all.
Them to defame,
I were to blame,
And call them Pharisees:
Unless I knew,
It to be true,
By their own witnesses.
When they do preach,
And God's word teach,
Use they not to say so?
Do as we say,
But turn away,
From that ye see us do.
The same counsel,
You know full well,
Christ gave to his elect:
Willing that they,
Should turn away,
From the Pharisees sect.
Judge who that will,
If I do ill,
To call them Pharisees:
That use to preach,
And God's word teach,
Walking in fleshly ways.
By them
Paul
saith,
That preach the faith,
And live fleshly themselves,
God's word is blamed,
And much defamed,
Among the infidels.
All preachers would,
Euer be bold,
To say come after us:
Even as ye see,
Vs for to be,
Seruaunts of Christ Jesus.
For if they say,
This is the way,
Wherein Christ's flock must walk:
Unless they go,
Themselves also,
Few will believe their talk.
This pondered,
Holy
David
Saith, sinners may not mell:
For such as be,
Of infamy,
Dishonest God's Gospel.
This seemeth plain,
Men to restrain,
That none should enterprise:
In hand to hent,
God's Testament,
To preach in any wise.
For on the ground,
None can be found,
Whome sin hath not defilde:
You may me trust,
All are unjust,
Both man woman and child.
Yet some there be,
In whom we see,
No manner wickedness:
But to our sight,
Both day and night,
Their virtues do increase,
Of these we see,
No great plenty,
The pity is the more:
But when we will,
God's word fulfill,
We shall have better store.
But whiles we are,
So full of care,
For worldly vanities:
God will us send,
Few to amend,
Our great enormities.
Yea unless,
Our vice do cease,
And we for mercy call:
Shortly to preach,
And God's word teach,
We shall have none at all.
For such men as,
Do little pass,
To pacify God's ire:
God will forsake,
And them betake,
To their own hearts desire.
They shall promote,
Eche lewd harlote,
And give to him credence:
But all that come,
To preach wisdom,
Shall be put to silence.
Folly it were,
For them that fear,
Of Prelates to be shent:
For to apply,
This prophecy,
Unto this time present.
But in such case,
No man may pass,
Favor to lose or win:
Without respect,
Of any sect,
God's word rebuketh sin.
Ceasse not to cry,
Saith
Isaiah,
Tell my people their own:
Extol thy voice,
With as much noise,
As if trumpets were blown.
Here speaketh he,
Of no degree,
Of lay men nor of clerks:
But of them all,
In general,
That do work wicked warks.
Wherefore all ye,
That faithful be,
And bear of Christ the name:
Do not disdain,
Though I speak plain,
Since sin is worthy blame.
All such as be,
Of the clergy,
And live as Christ hath taught:
My pen shall praise,
And them displease,
That willingly do naught.
Of whom no doubt,
A full great route,
Within this realm do dwell:
But them to know,
My pen I trow,
Shall teache you all full well.
First mark all such,
As with one church,
Hold not themselves content:
They are the chief,
Of missebeliefe
From Satan to us sent.
An union,
Of two makes one,
But a plurality:
With a
tot quot,
Full well ye wot,
Bringeth them to high degree.
If a riche cobbe,
Beget a lobbe,
The wisest of a thraue:
For him with gold,
He will be bold,
A fat parsuage to have.
Then this cobbe will,
That parish pill,
Of corn cattle and straw:
Whiles the young fool,
Is at the school,
To learn a point of the law.
When men hilde sheep,
That could not creep,
He will have the tenth fell:
As due increase,
Of their riches,
Bicause they do them sell.
Also at Lent,
When wives repent,
One penny must they pay:
For herbs ye wot,
That thickes their pot,
And make their houses gay.
But when this Ass,
Hath song a mass,
Of God in Trinity:
For to increase,
Worldly riches,
Shall be all his study.
Four times a yere,
You shall him hear,
Full clarkely teach his flock:
What sin it is,
To tithe amiss,
And with God's part to mock.
At Easter whan,
Eche Christian,
To God's supper shall come:
No sin shall let,
Him for to eat,
So that he pay the sum.
But all that be,
In poverty,
And have nothing to pay:
He will refuse,
As cursed Jews,
That neglect Easter day.
Thus taketh he,
As ye may see,
God's parte of all degrees:
To scour his throat,
And furre his cote,
But God for cold shall freeze.
Perchaunce his kin,
Shall somewhat win,
If that they please him well:
But for most part,
Their tender heart,
Pitieth some fair damsel.
Few men have seen,
Grace to them given,
Their tithes well to bestow:
That have been bold,
Into the fold,
To climb by the window.
For their pretence.
Is to get pence,
To spend at their own will:
They take no heed,
The flock to feed,
But let them famishe still.
Wherefore all ye,
That fathers be,
Instruct your babes in youth:
That they may fly,
All Simony,
And follow the Lord's truth.
Although children,
Do God's law learn,
Even from their mothers laps:
Let none be stalde,
Til they be calde,
For fear of afterclaps.
For if the child,
Wanton and wild,
Passe not upon his sheep:
For them that stray,
He must needs pay,
That gave them him to keep.
But tell me than,
Thou foolish man,
Who shall thy cause defend:
When thou shalt stand,
At the left hand,
With Satan for to wend.
Thy men of law,
Thou foolish daw,
Whom thou hast in a fee:
Dare show no face,
Within that place,
To speak one word for thee.
For they have more,
To answer for,
Than they can well aweld:
Their conscience shall,
Accuse them all,
For that they have miss meld.
They that for gold,
To thee have sold,
Writings of presentation:
May look to dwell,
With thee in hell,
Among the wicked nation.
Bishops also,
That bad thee go,
The rope in hand to take:
Are like to fall,
Depest of all,
Into the fiery lake.
For they are set,
Treason to let,
As watchmen on the wall:
Which when they spy,
The enemy,
Should on their fellows call.
But if the watch,
Of treason smatch,
And help the wall to scale:
Into prison,
They must be done,
No man may be their bale.
No tyranny,
Can make them lie,
In pains worthy their faute:
That from the town,
Set ladders down,
To them that give the saute.
Then may we guess,
In what distress:
Such lewd bishops shall stand:
When Christ shall come,
At the last dome,
By fire to judge the land,
For such as would,
Into the fold,
To fill their greedy mawes:
Bishops have stalde,
And made them calde,
True preachers of gods laws.
But now they use,
Them to excuse,
As they were young Pilate's:
Saying that they,
Must needs obey,
The temporal magistrates.
Wherefore if they,
Present a boy,
A verlet or a loute:
Them to admit,
What needeth it,
Bishops to stand in dowte.
The patron shall
Answer for all,
Bishops shall bear no blame:
So they fulfill,
The patrons will
And subscribe to the same.
They must therefore,
Loke for no more,
Then the patrons own seal,
Which from all charge,
Setteth then at large,
Patrons with God must deal.
So that they may,
Avoid always,
The danger of the law:
What forceth it,
Though they admit,
Such as they never saw.
A young princockes,
Sir John smelsmockes,
A piece of flesh alone:
To sing and dance,
And make pastaunce,
With Tib, Cisly, and Ione.
A gamester wise,
In cards and dyce,
And all games of the same:
A cockrel rank,
Fit for the bancke,
A ruffian past all shame.
A swearer good,
By bones and blood,
And many oaths moe,
Ready to fight
Both day and night,
Where he shall ride or go.
One that is wont,
To hawk and hunt,
And keep a brace of houndes:
A steward stout,
To ride about,
To see his masters grounds.
An hurly burle,
A farting churl,
An whorder up of grotes,
A cruel wretch,
That doth not retch,
To hang men by the throats.
A lobbe a loute,
A malmesey snoute,
A drowsy drunken face:
A belly swaine,
A feeble brain,
One void of all God's grace.
The bishop must,
The patron trust,
That gave the presentation:
Although he see,
The suitor be,
Of devilish conversation.
For if they should,
Be found so bold,
To check my lords chaplen:
Think you they might,
Fynde it so light,
To promote their kinsmen.
No no my friend,
Lord's will not bend,
And priests will not displease:
They think it best,
To live in rest,
That riches may increase,
So Lord's may have,
All that they crave,
For priests that do them serve:
Tithe lamb and wool,
Great houses full,
But poverty shall starve.
To feed the sheep,
Or house to keep,
Such priests do not intend,
But when they look,
Their counting book,
Then for their rents they send.
The patron will,
Be Farmer still,
If that he may ought win:
Or else some knave
Shall the gains have,
That is of the priests kin.
Some priest hath two,
Some three some moe,
Some six or seven I trow:
Beside odd ends,
Called Prebendes,
With Canonries ye know.
Five hundred pound,
And Curates found,
Some one receiveth clear:
That in household,
I dare be bold,
Spendeth not ten pound a yere
Some other spend,
By the years ende,
A thousand pound and more:
But such I trow,
Will not bestow,
Ten pound upon the pore.
They bid to feasts,
Such manner gestes,
As will bid them again:
They think great shame,
That blind and lame,
Should to their court retain.
Yet with their scraps,
Sometime perhaps,
They stuff a beggars bag:
Their dog shall eat,
Much better meat,
Whiles y
e
his tail will wag.
In garments gay,
They must array,
Their servants rufflingly:
And they themselfe,
May wear no pelf,
To make them vnpriestly.
Their horses shall,
Be good and tall,
To rid the way at need:
For when things fall,
He must have all,
That can make the best speed.
To their estate,
Cupbordes of plate,
You know are necessary:
For noble men,
Use now and then,
With such prelates to tarry.
They must have wine,
And that full fine,
They must spare for no cost.
If they lack ought,
That may be bought,
Their worship is nere lost.
Short tale to make,
They must naught lack,
Fit for a noble man:
Rather they will,
Both polle and pill
And take all that they can.
But that they might,
Do this by right:
A law they have procured:
That such may have,
Whiles they do crave,
That are to Lord's assured.
Chaplains I mean,
To King and Queen,
And other Lord's great:
For a small sum,
Doth not become,
One of so high estate.
This law hath made,
Some priests glad,
To cap and knee full low:
And to promise,
Faithful service,
To them they do not know.
Some past all shame,
Obtaine the name,
By their importune suit:
Of kings chaplens,
And other men's,
Whose power is absolute.
These will all take,
And naught forsake,
With mo bags to the mill:
Lay on their back,
Till it do crack,
And yet they will beg still.
These tonglesse dogs,
With heavy clogges,
Can nother bite nor bark:
Neither espy,
The enemy,
Their kennels are so dark.
When they lack pence,
None residence,
Must help or all is lost:
For one half yere,
They make no chere,
Neither with sodde nor roste.
There be also,
Some other moe,
Whō we call serving priests:
These must needs lurk,
And do no work,
For filling of their fistes.
These for six pound,
You shall have bound,
To take the charge of cure,
The person may,
Him sport and play,
And live all at pleasure.
But this stipend,
Will not extend,
To spend all at their will:
Both to go gay,
In their array,
And fresh cups for to fil.
Some Marchandise,
They must devise,
To mende their living with:
So that they may,
Their hosts pay,
For all that she filleth.
Hence came trentals,
And long beadrols,
With mass pēce & dirge grotes
For if they pray,
They must always,
Have pence to scour their throats.
I will not tell,
How they do sel,
Christ's blood to by thē drink
For if I should,
Some if they could,
Would sel mine to I think.
But if they did,
All things counted,
Their gains would be but small:
For they shall pay,
At the last day,
Even for the dregs and all.
But let this pass,
My purpose was,
With words plain to express:
That the clergy,
Liueth fleshly,
And myndeth no godliness.
God may them send,
Grace to amend,
And to seek his glory:
Setting aside,
All worldly pride,
As vain and transitory.
Then shall their light,
Shew forth so bright,
That all men shall be glad:
Them to follow,
As men that know,
The good way from the bad.
But whiles we see,
Their ways to be,
So full of stumbling stocks:
We think the dawes,
Stumble at staws,
And leap over great blocks.
Whereby no seed,
That is sowed.
In man's heart taketh root:
For where
Phoebus,
Hath no clear course,
To till it is no boot.
Wherefore all ye,
That faithful be,
Pray that preachers may live:
As Christ doth teach,
Else when they preach,
No man will them believe.
But if their life,
Were without strife,
Though thei preached but seld:
I know right well,
They should compel,
The enemies to yield.
Then should famine,
No more be seen,
That now reigneth over all:
God's word should feed,
All that stand in need,
And lust for food to call.
3
PEstilence also,
From us should go,
We should be safe & sound:
There should no rot,
Light of our lot,
If such shepherds were found.
But since that we,
Were found to be,
So worthy the Lord's ire:
We have had few,
Whose works do show,
Them worthy the Lord's hire.
For we were led,
For to be fed,
In morishe marishe ground:
Thinking there was,
Such manner grass,
As would have fed us found.
But now we see,
How far we be,
Diseased in this case:
By them that die,
Most wretchedlie,
Of all kinds of disease.
Three kinds of rotte,
Full well I wotte,
As shepherds have me told:
Lighteth among,
The lusty young
Shepe, as soon as the old.
Fell rotte is one,
Wherof die none,
But such as lack drying:
After they be,
Washed as we see,
Before time of shearing.
But here I would,
That all men should,
Perceiue what washing is:
And what drying,
Is my meaning,
Wherof men have such mis.
It is baptism,
That washeth them,
That in Christ put their trust:
And their drying,
Is up bringing,
After the ghostly lust.
None can deny,
But faithfully,
Their babes to wash men use,
But to dry them,
As doth beseme,
Most parte of men refuse.
They go about,
To make them stout,
To get their fleshly food:
Thinking no need,
That they should feed,
The soul with doctrine good.
To fear and love,
The Lord above,
Their children are not taught:
Neither to pray,
But sing and say,
All rimes filthy and naught.
At three years old,
They shall be bold,
To name their mothers shap:
Their father will,
Maintaine them still,
And set them on his lap.
They shall not fear,
All oaths to swear,
By they have lived seuē years:
The parents shall,
Them princockes call,
And say they have no peares.
O bribers wood,
Think ye it good,
To laugh & make great game,
When you shall see,
Your babes to be,
So wanton past all shame?
No whelp so wild,
Is, as some child,
No young kitling so nice:
No swine so rude,
And to conclude,
No stews so full of vice.
Thou foolish man,
Say if thou can,
What reward thou shalt have.
That doest employ,
Thee to destroy,
The seed that God thee gave.
Eternal fire,
Shall be thine hire:
Unless thou do repent:
And call for grace,
Whiles thou hast space,
Before thy days be spent.
Christ saith alas,
In full hard case,
Art thou whose example,
Causeth babes young,
For to go wrong,
In ways abhominable.
For thee it were,
Saith he, better
To be drowned in the sea,
Than that the least,
Child of beheast,
Should learn to sin at thee.
Wherefore all ye,
That faithful be,
Let not your vice infecte:
The tender young,
That are among,
You as the Lord's elect.
But do emploie,
You busilie,
To teach them the Lord's will:
That in their age,
They do not rage,
But live thereafter still.
Then the reward,
That is preparde,
For thē that Christ hath bought
Shall be to you,
As wages due,
Bicause you have it sought,
Now of the first,
Rotte as I trust,
You have intelligence:
Whereby you may,
Driue it away,
Through godly diligence.
The other twayne,
That do remain,
If God will be my guide:
I will descry,
So plenteously,
That no man shall it hide.
The hunger bane,
Is always tane,
As shepeheardes have told me,
By to much weate,
After great heat,
Which maketh grass plenty.
Wherof the sheep,
That could scase creep,
Before for lack of food:
Finding sweet meat,
Do often eat,
Much more thē doth them good.
By this excess,
There doth increase,
In them abundantly:
Blood corrupted,
Vndigested,
Which causeth them to die.
In like manere,
It doth appear,
Amongest them that profess,
The Christian faith,
As good Paul saith,
And yet work wickedness.
For though that they,
Desire always,
To know God's verity:
Yet when they have,
All that they crave,
They use it carnally.
By Christ we be,
At liberty,
Say they (and that is true)
For on the Rood,
He shed his blood,
Our freedom to renew.
From death and sin,
Which we were in,
This blood hath made us free:
And from the yoke,
Which Moses flock,
Toke for their liberty.
Yet are we not,
So free by that,
From sin that we may take:
Our fleshly lust,
And remain just,
Even for Christ Jesus sake.
But look what day,
We do obey,
The flesh in deed or thought,
Our fleshly will,
For to fulfill,
Christ's blood availeth naught.
Christ shed his blood,
To do them good,
That forsake their own will:
And not for those,
That will suppose,
They may live fleshly still.
For Christ did die,
To mortify,
The flesh, death, hell and sin:
In those that he,
Did know to be,
Free men of
Isaac's
kin.
For these he hath,
Ordeyned a path,
Wherein needs walk they must
If they by faith,
As Scripture saith,
Will be tried to be just.
For without mis,
No faith there is,
Where works do not ensue:
Which may declare,
Whose trees we are,
When judgment shall be due.
Good works therefore,
Will evermore,
Appeare in God's elect
For by that sign,
Such as are mine
(Saith Christ) shall be detect.
But such as lurk,
And will not wurke,
Ought else but wickedness,
Christ will forsake,
And them betake.
To the pit bottomless.
There they shall lie,
And wish to die,
But death shall flee them fro:
They shall sustain,
Eternal pain,
Bicause they lived so.
All ye therefore,
That heretofore,
Have been led in darkness:
Do not abuse,
These godly news,
Through your carnal excess.
Carnal excess,
Is as I guess,
To think Christ made us free:
For that we should,
Through him be bold,
To work iniquity.
But Christ our price,
The sacrifice,
For sin, having no stain:
Must needs forsake,
All them that make,
Themselves captive again.
And those be they,
That to us say,
Christ hath paid the ransom,
And worthy price,
For all our vice,
To purchase us freedom.
His precious blood,
Shedde on the Rood,
Hath set us all at large:
No manner wight,
Hath any might,
To lay ought to our charge.
By him we trust,
To be found just,
When he shall judge us all:
Notwithstanding,
That our living,
Be not like
Peter
and
Paul.
We do not doubt,
His blood without,
Our works, to be able,
Vs to restore,
Our works therefore,
Are found unprofitable.
All this is true,
Yet are works due,
And all that do neglect,
To do gods will,
Are bond men still,
As none of God's elect.
For none can be,
At liberty,
Through Christ that do not still
Themselves emploie,
To mortify
The flesh, to do God's will.
The fruit and tree,
Shall ever be,
All one, this is no nay,
The root and spring,
Is all one thing,
One good, both good always,
The branch also,
That cleaveth to
The vine, shall be fruitful:
It cannot be,
That a good tree,
Should be unprofitable.
Even so brothers,
All Christ's members,
Bring forth works plētuously:
The godly sect,
Of God's elect,
Can not live idelly.
The holy ghost,
Is not at host,
With them that live fleshly:
They must fulfill,
The fathers will,
That will have him tarry.
Therefore if we,
Intende to be,
Temples of the Lord's spirit:
Our life must not,
Dissent from that,
Which holy
Paul
doth write.
Make your bodies,
A sacrifice
Saith he, sincere and pure:
Keping therein,
No manner sin,
But seek the Lord's pleasure.
When we do this,
We shall not mis,
To have God's spirit in us:
Whose presence shall,
Help us in all
Things, that are dangerous.
But if we will,
Be fleshly still,
Working our beastly lust:
Vndoubted than,
In him we can,
By no means put our trust.
For he will be,
An enemy,
To all that will work vice:
And to them that,
Endeuour not,
From their old sin to rise.
Repent therefore,
And sin no more,
But seek God and his will:
That ye may be,
At liberty,
From death, sin, & the devil.
Walk not in sin,
Now you be in,
The light of God's doctrine,
For if ye do,
Ye are like to
The most vncleanely swine.
Which use to lie,
Most filthily,
In myer up to the head:
Even at high noon,
When that the sun,
Most glorious beams doth spread.
But we risen,
From death and sin,
By Christ our advocate:
Must in living,
Seek for the thing,
That will keep our estate.
That is God's grace,
For to embrace,
His word and work his will:
With all our might,
Both day and night,
To live thereafter still.
We have been led,
Blindely and fed,
Scarsly long time, what than?
Should we therefore,
Live evermore,
After the outward man?
No God forbid,
That Abram's seed,
Should so degenerate:
That it should smell,
Of Ishmael,
Whose stock was reprobate.
Plenty of meat,
Now for to eat,
The good shepherd hath sent:
His sheep to feed,
Which stood in need,
No doubt was his intent.
And not to stroy,
Their health thereby,
Which thing it doth in deed:
When they half wood,
Abuse that food,
The flesh therewith to feed.
Feede we therefore,
The flesh no more,
With the food of the soul:
For if it catch,
A further smatche,
At length it will control:
Then may we say,
Woe worth the day,
And hour of our first birthe:
For death shall bring,
Extreme mourning,
And take away our mirth.
O cruel lotte,
O pestilent rotte,
What plague can be like this?
Which taketh away,
Immortal joy,
Banishing us all bliss?
No remedy
For this find I
But only earnest prayer:
Which as I find,
Hath often enclinde
God to remit his ire.
Wherefore let us,
Be studious,
In prayer, that it may please
The heavenly king,
Which knoweth all thing,
To cure this sore disease.
And then no doubt,
We shall without,
Delay come to the bliss:
That is preparde,
As a reward,
For them that seek justice.
The third kind as
My promise was,
I must needs now declare:
That is murraine,
As shepeherdes fain,
That worketh them much care.
But good herdmen,
Tell me that when,
Shepe take the murraine rote:
Then the shepherd,
For his reward,
Should be hanged by the throat.
For no sheep will,
Rotte on the hill,
So long as he is led,
Directly forth,
As the time doth,
Require for to be fed.
But such as do,
Lead sheep into,
The valley to make them fat:
Intend to sell,
The carcase well,
And gain something by that.
But he that will,
Not his sheep kill,
But have them to endure:
To feed them sound,
In wholesome ground,
He must ever be sure.
And such one will,
Up to the hill,
To feed his flock eche day,
And killeth not,
Such as are fat,
Lest his flock should decay.
Wherefore we may,
This safely say,
They are butchers eche one,
That feed their sheep,
In bottoms deep,
And let the hill alone.
They tend them not,
But for the fat,
They send at slaughter day:
They take no care,
For slender ware,
Though wolves fetch thē away.
Such can be bold,
For ready gold,
To bye a flock of sheep:
And for to have,
A slouthful knave,
That will take them to keep.
They do not pass,
What manner grass,
He hath to feed them on,
So that the sum,
Do yearly come,
That they do pointe upon.
Mark now brothers,
If no butchers,
May be found in this land:
Which busily,
Do Christ's flock bye,
Out of the shepeherdes hand.
What are they that,
Use to lie at
The court, or some lords place:
Where they sustain,
Importune pain,
Dauncing on
Gnatos
trace?
These will espy,
Where great flocks lie,
Where they set one to spy,
To bring tidings,
Before all things,
When the shepeherde doth die.
Then they apply,
Their flattery,
By friendship bought with gold:
That for their pain,
They may obtain,
To enter to the fold.
Yea long before,
Some get them store,
Of Vowsens to be sure:
That none shall let,
Them for to get,
In at their own pleasure.
Then do they set,
Some lewd verlet,
To try what may be made:
Yearely of that
Ware that is fat,
And all due charges paid.
The chief thing is,
The priests wages,
And tenths due to the king:
But such as be,
In poverty,
May be allowed nothing.
For if they should,
These butchers could
Not thrive upon their craft:
For poor men will
Be begging still,
So long as ought is lafte.
But they will spy
A remedy,
For that you may be sure:
Saying they ought
To give them naught,
That do them no pleasure.
Thus yearly they
Do fetch away
The gains that doth arise:
By tenth increase
Of men's riches,
After the largest sise.
But for to feed,
Such as have need,
These fellows take no thought
But let them pike,
In every dike
All weeds filthy and naught.
Thus they wander,
As sheep that were
Forsaken of their guide:
Feading themselfe,
With all such pelf,
As grows in the field wide.
But out alas,
In how hard case
Are they whose shepherds are:
Of God's preachers,
Become butchers,
Prouder than
Lucifer.
The murren rot
Is on their lot,
Their health is sore decayde:
No remedy,
They must needs die,
Unless God be their aid.
Shepeherdes are dead,
And we are led,
Be them that flee us fro:
When as they should,
Do what they could,
To save us from our foe.
Yea rather they,
Make us obey,
Our adversaries mind,
Bidding us trust,
To be found just,
By means that they do find.
Thus they lapped in,
A shepeherdes skin,
Do say they will us feed:
With ghostly food,
Holesome and good,
At all times when we need.
But when these do,
Minister to
Vs, as they do but selde:
Their medicines are,
Such mixed ware,
As few sick men have field.
There are also,
Some other mo,
Whose names I dare not tell:
Which bear them bold,
For ready gold,
The flock of Christ to sell.
These with Judas
Which damned was,
For selling Christ our hed:
Are like certain
In extreme pain
To make their endless bed.
Unless by grace,
They do embrace
God's word and ask mercy:
For their sin is
No less than his
Since they sell Christ's body.
In like danger
Is the byer
And all that condescende:
But chiefly they
That should always
Such great abuse amende.
All kings therefore,
Ought much the more
To loke upon their charge:
For all the land
Lieth on their hand
Be it never so large.
Let us therefore
Pray evermore
That good K. Henries thought:
May be enclinde
Such means to find
That Christ's flock be not bought.
But that we may
Have them always
To lead us in and out:
That for our health
To lose the wealth,
Of this world will not doubt.
Such doubtless will,
Walk to the hill,
Of gods word with their flock:
Going before,
Them evermore,
Like men of David's stock.
Then shall their sheep
After them skippe
In life worthy their name:
So that there shall,
Be naught at all,
In them worthy of blame.
For they shall hear,
His voice so clear,
And see him go so bright:
Before their face,
That they may trace,
His foot both day and night.
No darkness can,
Trouble them than,
No cloud shall duske their sight:
They shall not stray,
Out of the way,
Bicause their guide is bright.
O joyful thing,
God grant our king,
Grace to see us his flock,
Ledde on this sort,
For our comfort,
By guides of
David's
stock.
Then shall we sing,
Praise to our king,
And glory to the Lord:
Of Israel,
With whose Gospel,
Our life should then accord.
4
IT followeth next,
Now in the Text,
Great earthquakes shall be seen:
Which shall cast down,
Both tower and town,
And great castels I ween.
Now let us see,
Whether there be,
In our days any town:
Castell or tower,
That through the power,
Of the earthquake is down.
But that we might.
Therin judge right,
The causes must be known:
That do so make,
The earth to quake,
That towns are overthrown.
In this we must,
Their judgment trust,
That have writ of the same:
Since their writing,
Teacheth nothing,
That is worthy of blame.
All such men do,
Consent unto,
This thing putting no doubt:
But vapors make,
The earth to shake,
When they seek a way out.
In caves hollow,
These vapors grow,
To such a multitude,
That at the last,
They will out brast,
No strength can them include.
Then cast they down,
Both tower and town,
That is nigh to the place:
No manner wight,
May welde their might,
Nor look for any grace.
What say we than,
If that in man,
These vapors may be found:
Should we look for,
Then anymore,
The shaking of the ground?
No that were vain,
For then certain,
We might look for a beast:
Like to a Bear,
Which should appear,
After saint John's beheast.
Nor drink the pleasant drink:
How should Vintners,
And Victulers
Live then, as you do think?
God hath all sent,
For to be spent,
And not to whord in store:
Why should not than,
A Gentleman,
Eate it paying therefore?
Should a vile slave,
So fine food have,
As one of noble blood:
Or should a king,
Lacke anything,
That is dainty and good?
But let a king,
Mark well this thing,
And teach his nobles all:
That fine feeding,
Helpeth nothing,
To life celestial.
And they that think,
Their meat and drink,
Should pass others so far:
Ought well to know,
That high and low,
Are made of one matter.
King Solomon,
Saith all is one,
A poor man and a king:
Are first gotten, And then borne,
And differ yet nothing.
Then are they fed,
With milk and bread,
Both like, both wail and weep,
A like both cry, A like both lie,
A like both wake and sleep.
The mighty King,
Is found nothing,
Better than the beggar:
For by his birth, He is but erth,
The best is no better.
All loose their strength,
By age at the length,
All die and fall to dust,
This thing to be, True ye may see,
In their graves if you lust.
The noble blood,
Doth them no good,
Whē they rot in y
e
ground:
Nor when they come,
To the last dome,
Where beggars shall be crounde.
Some king shall stand,
At the left hand,
And say, when did we see:
The Lord lack ought,
And we have naught
Holpe thy necessity?
But once for all,
To them Christ shall
Say, get you hence from me,
Down into hell,
Where you must dwell,
For your iniquity.
When ye denied,
To them that cried,
Asking help in my name:
Even than was I, In misery,
The scripture saith the same.
So hard judgment,
Toward them is bent,
That have all thing plenty:
How hard they fare, Taking no care
That are in poueriie.
For riche men are,
They that should care,
For the poor impotent:
Both goods and lands,
Are in their hands,
Which serve for that intent.
God gave great power,
And like honor,
To some because they should:
Defend the rest,
Which are oppressed,
With thirst, hunger, and cold.
Should they then make,
Reuell and take,
Their pleasure day and night:
Letting the poor,
Man lack succor,
Whō they should aid by right.
No they shall pay,
At the last day,
All that they have misspent:
At cards and dice,
And other vice,
And excess of raiment.
Broches and ringes,
With other things,
Which are had in great price:
Helpeth nothing,
To good living,
But rather unto vice.
For honesty,
Will always be,
Content with necessaries:
Then must excess,
Be wickedness,
For they are contraries.
Do you riche men,
I must say then,
Set foolish toys aside:
In all your ways,
During your days,
Let conscience be your guide.
Let not the poor,
Stand at your door,
And starve for lack of food:
Whiles that ye eat,
All manner meat,
Much more than doth you good.
Kepe not in store,
Much clothing more,
Thā that you must needs ware:
Bestow your gold,
In time of cold,
Upon such as be bare,
Let your works show,
That you do know
God's word, set fantasie
Aparte, thinking
Your selves nothing,
Without the Lord's mercy.
Persuade yourself,
This worldly pelf,
To be but vanity:
And that ye ought,
To withhold naught,
From needful poverty.
You are not set,
Riches to get,
But to order the same:
Ministering,
Eche needful thing,
To halte, blind, and to lame.
And for to see,
That such men be,
Punished that have their health:
And will not work,
But lie and lurk,
Hurting the common wealth.
Do not retain,
Such as disdain,
To work having no lands:
Nor qualities,
Worthy of fees,
Let such work w
c
their hands.
By idleness,
Vice doth increase,
And virtues are oppressed:
Wherefore if ye,
Love honesty,
Let these things be redressed.
Delight not in,
Other men's sin,
Nor your own wickedness:
But fast and pray,
Striuing always,
To follow righteousness.
Then the earthquake,
Of vice shall take,
No root within your breast:
You shall be stalde,
As ye are calde,
The children of beheast.
And you that be,
Of low degree,
Submit you to the powers:
Do you all thing,
By Christ's teaching,
And his kingdom is yours.
If you rebel,
You do not well,
But yet you may boldly,
Professe God's word,
Fearing no sword,
But suffer manfully.
Repine not at,
Your base estate,
But rather give glory:
To God which hath,
Made you a path
Way, unto victory.
The riche men are,
With worldly care,
Opprest that scarcely they:
Can at the last,
Their load down cast,
And enter to your way.
You have therefore,
Much cause the more,
To render thanks to God:
For that you may,
Passe the straight way,
Easily with your light lode.
Grudge not at such,
As have so much,
Treasure as they call it:
But rather pray,
To God that they,
May have grace to use it.
And then shall ye,
Through charity,
Upon Christ build so sure:
That no earthquake,
May your life shake,
Nor work you displeasure.
5.
NOw let us see,
If the stars be,
Fallē as Christ prophesied:
Whose wondrous fall,
The Divines all,
Have thus interpreted.
They say that by
Astronomy,
Men may well understand:
That the least star,
That doth appear,
Is more than all the land.
Then they say that,
If these so great,
And so many should fall:
Before domes day,
There were no way,
We should be quelled all.
But Christ's Gospel,
Doth plainly tell,
That even at his coming,
Men shall apply,
Them busily,
To provide for living.
Some shall plant vines,
And some press wines,
And some shall marry wives:
And some shall by,
To gain thereby,
But few shall mende their lives.
The son of man,
Shall appear than,
And take them suddenly:
When they think lest,
To be oppressed,
And live most iocundly.
Here we are taught,
That they do naught,
And take the prophecy:
Of Christ amis,
That say there is,
In it no mystery.
For if it were,
So taken there,
As the letter doth sound:
Two things plainly,
Cleane contrary,
In God's word should be found
Which cannot be,
And therefore we,
Must needs grant that there lieth:
More mystery,
In prophecy,
Than the word signifieth.
Let us therefore,
Tarie no more,
Upon the words only:
But let our mind,
Be given to find,
What thing is meant thereby.
The stars are bright,
Both day and night,
But when the Sun is clear,
He doth so shine,
Before our eyne,
That no star can appear.
But so soon as,
The Sun doth pass,
The circle of our sight:
We may espy,
Them easily,
Through darkness of the night.
Yet are they not,
Themselves of that,
Nature to appear bright,
Unless
Phoebus,
Splendiferous
Do endue them with light.
Natural light,
Of day and night,
Since the world was begun:
Is proved by
Astronomy,
To proceed of the Sun.
The stars therefore,
Have evermore,
Their light from
Phoebus
face:
Although they be,
As we do see,
Of a far distant place.
So the clearness,
Of godliness,
By God's word is given:
In like manner,
To them that are,
Of Christ called Christian.
Christ by the sters,
Meant good livers,
whose works show very bright:
But their brightness,
Is but darkness,
When God's word is in sight.
For God's mercy,
Showeth so clearly,
And man's unworthiness:
Is found so dark,
That no good warke,
May show any brightness.
But the poor man,
That never can,
By day walk in the light:
Of God's word must,
Follow the just,
whose works shine in the night.
The night I call,
This world through all,
Wherein the Christian sect:
Are as stars bright,
To give them light,
Whom darkness doth infecte.
The stars should move,
In heaven above,
The shadow of the ground:
That
Phebus
bright,
Might give them light,
To shine in the world round.
But now they be,
The more pity,
Eche one fallen fro thence:
None do intend,
For to ascend
Again, and leave their pence.
But much rather,
They go lower,
To get gold and treasure,
Their only mind,
Is for to find,
Means to live at pleasure.
And they that would,
That other should,
Take them for true leaders:
Began to fall,
Down first of all,
And are now deceivers.
I mean prelates,
And magistrates,
Which say we must incline:
Vs to agree,
With such as be,
Men of great discipline.
They say we must,
Their judgment trust,
And obey their decrees,
Although we see,
Them for to be,
Against God's verities.
They say how can,
The private man,
Discerne God's verity,
If great prelates,
And magistrates,
Should teache the falsity?
For God they say,
Giueth always,
The truth to the rulers:
They cannot err,
In peace nor war,
That are God's partakers.
Would God they were,
But many fear,
These will be tried at the last:
To be nothing,
But ravening
Wolves seeking for repast.
Such proud Prelates,
And magistrates,
I mean to seek glory:
To them and theirs,
As though their heirs,
Should have the earth only.
Bishop Caiaphas,
Pilate Annas,
Herod with many mo:
Were magistrates,
And great Prelates,
And yet wrought Christ much woe.
Their fear to leese,
Their dignities,
Was cause that they did this,
And that they slue,
All preachers true,
That were Christ's witnesses.
For they thought that,
Their power could not,
Be able to resist:
And keep under,
The great number,
That would have followed Christ.
For they knew well,
That his Gospel,
Agreed not with their pride:
And thought if that,
They slew him not,
Their sect would be destroide.
These were they that,
Did stumble at,
The stone in Israel,
Even their leaders,
And chief rulers,
As Scripture doth us tell.
Masters of schools,
Were proved fools,
And wise men lacked wit:
But simple souls,
That gathered tolles,
And caught fishes had it.
Even so this day,
Full well ye may,
Affirme that Christ hideth:
His mysteries,
From proud men's eyes,
Which to babes he showeth.
Princes Prelates,
All magistrates,
Could not destroy the pride:
Of Rome till that,
Poor men sparde not,
To speak till some were fride.
But at the last,
It was down cast,
Within this realm ye know:
Both far and nere,
And Abbayes were,
Supprest and brought full low.
Bicause therein,
Was such foul sin
Vsed, and such popery:
That some men thought,
The ground could not,
Sustaine their buggery.
Well when this was,
Thus come to pass,
Men praised God in our king:
Which by prudence,
And diligence,
Had brought to pass this thing.
They looked for,
To have no more,
Popery maintainde here:
Bicause within,
This realm was seen,
No Monk, Chanon, nor Frier.
But apes will be,
You may trust me,
Apes still though their clothing:
Were purple fine,
Nought can incline
Them to leave their mowing.
These pied goats,
Chaunged their coats,
Yet are their minds the same:
That they were once,
Though for the nonce,
They do such popery blame.
Some wear miters,
And some gray furs,
And some have cure of souls,
But their living,
Differeth nothing,
From thē that drank in boules.
In Colleges,
You cannot miss,
To see of them great store:
Where they apply,
Their buggery,
Even as they did before.
Wherefore all ye,
That learned be,
And may do ought therein:
Do what ye may,
Both night and day,
To pluck up this fowl sin.
Else doubt ye not,
But the Lord that
Burned the five cities:
And hath cast down,
In field and town,
The great and huge abbaies:
For that foul sin,
Will soon begin,
To make your place defart:
No fresh singing,
Nor gaye piping,
Shall make ought for your part.
Such as cannot,
Refraine from that,
Ought for to marry wives:
No vow can bind,
Such as can find,
No mean to mende their lives.
In eche degree,
Matrimony,
And the bed undefiled:
Are holy things,
Though the shavelings,
Count married men defiled.
God grant we may,
Once see the day,
Wherein we may be free:
To lead our lives,
With honest wives,
And preach God's verity.
For now he that,
Conteyneth not,
And hath the gift to preach:
Must either hide,
That gift or bide,
Still burning like a wretch.
So that no man,
Unless he can,
Obtayne of God the gift
Of chastity,
May look to be,
A preacher by this drifte.
And doubtless this,
Were not amis,
If God would not require:
Increase of that,
Which man hath at,
His hand received here.
But since God will,
Punishe them still,
That doth not occupy:
Their talentes than,
No Justice can,
Deny them liberty.
Let no popery,
Therefore deny,
Christ's members to profet:
Eche other still,
After God's will,
With such gifts as they get.
Let all men be,
At liberty,
To preach if that they can,
An honest wife,
Hurteth not the life,
Of any godly man.
Most noble king,
Help in this thing,
And give them liberty:
To preach that can,
Though a woman,
Do help their chastity.
Then shall you see,
The verity,
Of gods word taught full plainly
By them that will,
Defend no ill,
To have living thereby.
But some will say,
That by this way,
Great schism shall arise:
For the clergy
And the laity,
Will preach two contraries.
Grant that they do,
Yet of them two,
One shall not miss to speak:
The truth always,
Where now men say,
To lie priests do not reake.
Then should we be,
In worse degree
Say they, than we be now:
For no man could,
Tell which he should,
Of these two sortes follow.
Yes yes be bold,
It were soon told,
Which of them preacheth true:
For true preachers,
Are observers,
Of God's commandment new.
A new precept,
For to be kept,
Saith Christ I give you now:
That eche brother,
Love another,
Even as I have loved you.
For by that sign,
Such as are mine,
Shall be known to all men:
Faith cannot be,
Where charity,
Is not the graunde capteine.
That sort that love,
As is above,
Eche other faithfully:
And will betake,
Them to the stake,
Ere they will ought deny,
Of that they preach,
That sort doth teach,
The truth you may be sure:
These will not say,
Both yea and nay,
For any man's pleasure.
Yet once again,
Such as disdain,
That married mē should preach:
Will say that then,
All married men,
Will count eche priest a wretch.
What forceth that,
If priests be not
Of Christ, but of Satan:
We may ordain,
Mo priests again,
After the inward man.
None should regard,
Such as outward,
Signs do make priests only:
But them whose life,
Is without strife,
And their doctrine godly.
Vnfainedly,
Such are worthy,
To have double honor,
For that they are,
So full of care,
To help their christen brother.
Such men look not,
For the crown that,
Shall be taken them fro,
But to encrese,
Godly riches,
Is all thing that they do.
But now alas,
In how hard case,
Standeth this world this day:
When all Rulers,
And all Preachers,
Forsake this godly way.
Who would not be,
Of high degree
This day, what Prince or King:
Desireth not,
More rule than that,
Was his fathers leaving.
Their only care,
Is for to fare,
Delicately eche day:
And to maintain,
This they are fain,
To get all that they may.
Might is their law,
Whereby they draw,
All goods into their hands:
And he that will,
Say they do ill,
Shall loose both goods & lands.
They think not, that
They were made at
The first, them to defend,
That have no might,
To keep their right,
Nor their wrongs to amend.
For that intent,
Sufficient
Lands, was given to eche one:
Bicause he should,
Do what he could,
To save the weal commone.
But now they be,
The more pity,
So fond of vain honor:
That on the ground,
Scarce can be found,
Inough for their own store.
Both more and less,
Study to pass,
Their forefathers degree:
Thinking it shame,
To bear the name,
Of fruitful poverty.
Lord's must inclose,
Pastures, meadows,
To hold in their own hands:
And that the rent,
May keep his stent,
They must improve their lands.
The merchant man,
Doth what he can,
To be Lord over towns:
Eche king is bent,
With full intent,
To subdue many crowns.
Alas the while,
They do begile,
Themselves now everyone:
Thinking that they,
Shall reign always,
Upon the ground alone.
The day shall come,
When their kingdom,
Shall not be worth a straw:
Nor they themselfe,
With all their pelf,
The value of an haw.
Their gold and all,
To dust will fall,
This is to manifest,
And they also,
Must after go,
Perchance when they think lest
What folly then,
Is in these men,
To leave God's verity,
And to apply,
So busily,
This worldly vanity?
But I you pray,
Harke what I say,
And give me ear a while:
I shall you show,
At words few,
What doth these men begile.
They think God will,
Compte nothing ill,
That man's law justifieth:
And that by might,
To claim their right,
With God's word agreeth.
To make the best,
Of most and lest,
Is lawful for eche man,
They say, and to
Be bound to do,
For no man though they can.
To gather pelf,
Eche for himself,
So they do no man wrong:
Is not they say,
Out of the way,
Such errors are up sprong.
Fear to displease,
Desire of ease,
And cloaked flattery:
As I suppose,
Hath made men gloss,
God's word so subtly.
But if the kings,
With their lordings,
Would lead the dance aright:
We may be bold,
The poor men would,
Follow with all their might.
You kings therefore,
Couet no more,
One to subdue the rest:
But let your strife,
Be in good life,
Which of you can rule best.
Desire not,
To rule them that,
Refuse your imperie
But do intend,
Them to defend,
That serve you willingly.
And you lordings,
Leave your diggings,
And your raising of rentes,
Take not such fines,
To by you wines,
For God knoweth your intents
And you merchantes,
Be not servants,
To coueteous desire:
But sell and by,
All things truly
And God shall give you hier.
Briefly all ye,
That of Christ be,
Cognomed Christians,
Study to move,
In heaven above,
This earthly inhabitance,
Let men know that,
You regard not,
This worldly vanity:
But let them see,
That your works be,
Fruits of God's verity.
Then shall your meede,
As far exceed,
When Christ shall judge us all:
Theirs that by sin,
Would heaven win,
As the free doth the thrall.
6
NOw let us see,
If the Moon be
Blud as christ prophesied
That we may try,
What mystery,
Under the words lieth.
I did you tell,
As I think well,
That since the world begun:
Both day and night,
Have all their light,
At the beams of the sun.
This if you list,
Is tried soonest,
By marking the Moons light,
Which doth always,
Growe and decay,
As we may judge by sight.
The cause of this,
Vndoubted is,
The unequal distance:
Of the Moon from,
The Sun by whom,
She doth hir light auaunce.
Mark if ye list,
That side soonest,
Receiueth light always:
That is next to
The Sun and so,
The other doth decay.
Yea if you mark,
That side is dark,
That is fromwarde the sun:
When that is bright,
Both day and night,
That
Phoebus
shineth on.
Ask if ye will,
Them that can skill,
And they will not make strange:
That
Phoebus
bright,
Should have full light,
Both at full and at change.
For they have found,
That she is round,
And that half is aye bright:
Which is not strange,
Though at the change,
It be out of our sight.
For at that tide,
The further side,
From us is toward the Sun:
So that no light,
Showeth to our sight,
To be upon the Moon.
If this Moon should
Be blood, none could
Make the scriptures agree:
For the great dome
Saith
Paul,
shall come
Upon men sodainlie.
Even when men say,
All care away,
All things are in good plight:
This sudden day,
Shall men affray,
As a thief in the night.
If a thief do,
Give warning to
Him whose house he will break
Then may we say,
This sudden day,
Shall not lie in our neck.
But I say if,
The subtle thief,
Give no warning before:
Then to think the
Moon blood to be,
We were deceived sore.
Then let us see,
What it may be,
That Christ meaneth in this place:
Endeuouring
Above all thing,
To apply to his grace.
The Moon I call,
That sort through all,
To whō God giveth not grace.
To attain to
Such things as do
Godly knowledge increase.
For all the light,
That shineth bright,
On them is from the sun:
Which is no doubt,
The very root,
That God's grace lighteth on.
Of these Christ saith,
Your fruitful faith,
Showeth you to be the light:
Of this world round,
And of the ground,
The salt your surname hight.
This Moon no nay,
Is blood this day,
For all their desire is:
To see men fry,
And then they cry,
O godly sacrifice.
These men can sing,
None other thing,
But burn, burn, hang & draw:
Let no man scape,
Out of our shrape.
Be he wise man or daw.
Try we our might
(Say they) in fight,
Against our enemies:
It shall be good,
To see their blood,
Run out before our eyes.
Let us possess,
All their richesse,
Let the knaves live no more:
Shall we suffer,
Them to prosper,
That set by us no store?
It is noble,
To be manfull,
Fie on all wretched knaves:
That to us preach,
And would us teach,
To live like wretched slaves.
Let eche man try
It manfully,
what should we pass for laws?
They were not made,
For to be had,
Amongest other than dawes.
Who would regard,
A knave coward,
That dare not strike a stroke?
Say what you can,
He is no man,
But rather a dead stock.
It is manhood,
To shed your blood,
For eche good fellows sake:
He is a mome,
John dwell at home,
That feareth a fray to make.
Alas this song,
Hath last so long,
That the Moon is all blood:
They think nothing,
But bloodsheding,
To be manly and good.
They take no shame,
To bear the name
Of Christ, whose doctrine is
Full of meekness,
And forgiveness,
Eche one of others mis.
And yet they will,
Shead man's blood still:
As it were none offense:
But Christ shall quell,
Such into hell,
To make them recompense.
Thus he shall say,
At the last day,
To this noble manhood,
Auoyde from me,
All you that be,
The sheaders of man's blood.
Then shall meekness,
Come and possess,
Euerlasting glory,
And sufferance,
Inheritaunce,
That is not transitory.
To the Jews stern,
Christ saith, go learn
What this may signify:
I have in price,
No sacrifice,
I delight in mercy.
Leave tyranny,
And show mercy,
Therefore ye men of power:
For he that is
Cruel, shall mis,
Of mercy in that hour.
Mark this thing well,
That the Gospel
Teacheth, to them shall be
Judgment, without
Mercy no doubt,
That show extremity.
7
THe Sun is bright,
And giveth light,
As he hath done always:
And shall do still,
Even until,
The very judgment day.
For as it did,
Till
Noah
entered,
Into the ark shine bright:
So shall it do,
Till Christ come to
Judge all the world aright.
Some other thing,
Is the meaning,
Therefore of Christ, where he
Sayth,
Phoebus
bright
Shall loose his light,
Before this day shall be.
We do know all,
The natural,
Light of this world to be:
The sun, and so
Alludyng to,
The spirit thus say may we.
Like as the Sun,
Since he begun
His course, hath given us light:
So hath the sect,
Of Christ's elect,
Bene glorious in our sight.
Wherefore he might,
Say thus of right,
The Sun shall be darkened:
When he meaneth,
Their light faileth,
That have to me harkened.
Such as profess,
All holiness,
And would be called the light:
Of this world wide,
Shall ere that tide,
Be as dark as midnight.
Their life shall be,
All vanity,
They shall say and not do:
They shall offend,
And not amende,
Nor for their miss be woe.
This great darkness,
Shall them oppress,
Sayth Christ, let us therefore
Mark this time well,
For the Gospel,
May be fulfilled this hour.
Do not men boast,
In every coast,
That their trust is only:
In Jesus Christ,
Son of the highest,
And yet live ungodly?
They that profess,
This perfectness,
Are of Christ called the light
Of this world wide,
Which at this tide,
Do shine nothing so bright.
As they did once,
When they did renounce,
All wordly vanity:
Having no mind,
Treasures to find,
That are but transitory.
For
Epicure,
Sought not pleasure,
So much as these men do:
That do use most,
To make such boast,
Of Christ whom they clean to.
Soft feather beds,
And for their heads,
Pillows well stuffed with down:
No kind of ease,
Can them well please,
Either in field or town.
They may not eat,
Such kind of meat,
As God giveth plenty:
They will not dine,
Without some fine
Dishes that be deintie.
They will not spare,
For them that are,
Opprest with poverty
They take no keep,
Though other weep,
So they be not hungry.
I cannot tell,
Whether in hell,
May be less charity:
Than is this day,
In most that say,
We know God's verity.
None take such care,
For dainty fare,
As they, none pass less howe
They get richesse,
So they possess,
Therof plenty ynowe.
Their Simony,
And vserie,
I think is right well known:
For all that may,
Be won that way,
Is counted for their own.
Thus they are dark,
For their good warke,
Doth not shine in men's sight:
Though they profess,
Such perfectness,
As ought to shine full bright.
We may apply,
This prophecy,
To God's word, affirming
It to be dark,
Through the lewd warke,
Of dunsecall learning.
The Moon also,
May be like to
Mans vain inventions:
Which are this day,
I dare well say,
Bloody intentions.
But I seeing,
The miss living,
Of all degrees this day:
Have chose rather,
And think better,
To take the other way
This have I told,
Even as I could,
The signs of the last day:
To be all past,
And that in hast,
The trumpetter shall say:
Fall in array,
Fall in array.
All ye of Adams stock:
The shepehearde will,
Come from the hill,
To disseuer his flock.
Then without let,
The sheep shall get
Them unto his right side:
The goats shall stand
At the left hand,
Judgment for to abide.
God grant that we,
May faithful be,
And then we shall not miss:
At the last day,
To take the way
Into eternal bliss.
FINIS.
IMPRINTED AT LONdon by Henry Bynneman for John Charlewood, dwelling in Barbican, at the sign of the half Eagle and the Key.