BOOK V.

CONTAINING
THE LAS'l' THREE HUNDRED YEARS FROM THE LOOSING OUT
OF SATAN.*
Edu-nid Thus having discoursed in these former books of the order and
" course of years, from the first tying up of Satan unto the year of our
A. D. Lord 1360, I have a little overpassed the stint of time in the Scripture
^■^^Q- appointed for the loosing out of hira again. For so it is written by
St. John [Apoc, XX.], that " after a thousand years, Satan, the old
dragon, shall be let loose again for a season,'' &c.
The years For thc bcttcr explanation of the which mystery, let us first con-
of foollirg ^^^^^ ^^^^ context of thc Scriptui-c ; afterAvards let us examine, by
ou' history and thc course of times, the meaning of the same. And first,
amined. to rccitc the words of the Apocalypse; the text of the prophecy is
Apoc. XX. this: — "And I saw an angel descending from heaven, having a key
of the bottondess pit, and a great chain in his hand. And he took thc
dragon, thc old serpent, which is the Devil and Satan, and bound him
for a thousand years, and put him in the bottomless dungeon and
shut him up, and signed him with his seal, that he should no more
seduce the Gentiles, till a thousand years were expired. And after
that he must be loosed again for a little space of time. And [ saw
seats, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them ;
and the souls I saw of them which were beheaded for the testimony
of Jesus." By these words of the Revelation, here recited, three
special times are to be noted.
First, The being abroad of Satan to deceive the world. Secondly, The binding up of him.
Thirdly, The loosing out of him again, after a thousand years
consummate, for a time.
The place Concerning the interpretation of which times, I sec the common
Ap^c.%x. opinion of many to be deceived by ignorance of histories, and the
ed.Trule ^^^^^ ^^ things douc in the church ; they supposing that thc chaining
iiMwing up of Satan for a thousand years, spoken of in the Revelation, was
Satan, meant from the birth of Christ our Lord. Wherein I grant that
spiritually thc strength and dominion of Satan, in accusing and con-
denming us for sin, was cast domi at the passion and by the passion
of Christ our Saviour, and locked up, not only for a thousand years,
(I) Edition 1563, p. 74 Ed. 1570, p. 493. Ed. 1576, p. 401. Ed. 15S3, p. 397. Ed. 15S6, p. 36J. Ed. 1084, vol. I. p. 452 —Ed.
WHAT THE LOOSIN'G OF SATAN DOTH MEAN IN SCBIPTURE. 725
but for ever and ever. Albeit, as touching- the malicious liatred and^ Sdwird
fury of that serpent against the outward bodies of Chrisfs poor saints !_
(which is the heel of Christ), to afflict and torment the church out- A.D. wardly ; that I judge to be meant in the Revelation of St. John, not ^^^^' to be restrained till the ceasing of those terrible persecutions of the primitive church, at the time when it pleased God to pity the sorrow- ^\^lat the ful affliction of his poor flock, being so long under persecution, the sTun^ ° space of three hundred years, and so to assuage their griefs and tor- ^"g"'j, j^ ments * Avhich is meant by the binding up of Satan, worker of all scripture, those mischiefs : understanding thereby, that forasmuch as the devil, the prince of this world, had now, by the death of Clirist the Son of God, lost all his power and interest against the soul of man, he shoidd turn his furious rage and malice, which he had to Christ, against the people of Christ, which is meant by the heel of the seed [Gen. iii.], in tormenting their outward bodies ; Avhich yet should not be for ever, but for a determinate time, when it should please the Lord to bridle the malice, and snaffle the power, of the old serpent, and give rest \mto his church for the term of a thousand years ; which time being expired, the said serpent should be suffered loose again for a certain or a small time. [Apoc. xx.J
And thus to expound this prophetical place of Scripture, I am led Three by three reasons: '^^'''"'■
The first is, for that the binding up of Satan, and closing him in The first the bottomless pit by the angel, importeth as much as that he "was at ^^^^°'^- liberty, raging and doing mischief before. And, certes, those so ter- rible and so horrible persecutions of the primitive time universally thi'ough the whole world, during the space of three hundred years of the church, do declare no less. Wherein it is to be thought and supposed that Satan, all that time, Avas not fastened and closed up.
The second reason moving me to think that the closing up of Satan The was after the ten persecutions of the primitive church, is taken out of reason, the twelfth chapter of the Apocalypse ; where we read, that after the woman, meaning the church, had travailed forth her man-child, the old dragon, the devil, the same time being cast down from heaven, drawing the third part of the stars with him, stood before the woman with great anger, and persecuted her (that is, the church of God) with a whole flood of water (that is, "with abundance of all kinds of torments), and from thence went, moreover, to fight against the residue of her seed, and stood upon the sands of the sea ; whereby it appeareth that he Avas not as yet locked up.
The third reason I collect out of the Apocalypse, chapter xiii., The third where it is written of the beast, signifying the imperial monarchy of Apoc.xiii. Rome, that he had power to niake war forty and two months ; by which months is meant, no doubt, the tijne that the dragon and the persecuting emperors should have in afflicting the saints of the primi- tive church. The computation of which forty-two months (counting Forty-two every month for a Sabbath of years ; that is, for seven years, after the i^°"he* order of Scripture), riseth to the sum (counting from the passion of Apoc.xiii. the Lord Christ) of three hundred years, lacking six ; at which time mined. Maxentius, the last persecutor in Rome, fighting against Constantinc, was drowned with his soldiers, like as Pharaoh, pcsecuting the children of Israel, was cfrowned in the Red Sea. Unto the which forty-two
^i'.Hi UIIKN SATAN WAS TIED UP
Krftrnrd montlis, Or Sabbaths of years, if yc ackl tlie other six years wlicrein '"' liicinius persecuted in tlie East, yc shall find just three hundred
A. |». years, as is specified before in the first book (vol. i. page :29l).
1360^ After the which forty and two months were expired, manifest it is xvi,„i tliat the furv of Satan, that is, his violent malice and power over the timi- sa- saints of Christ, was diminished and restrained universally tlirouwhout
t;in was y cd
tail up. the whole Avorld.
Thus then, the matter standing evident that Satan, after three
hundrctl years, counting from the passion of Christ, began to be
chained up, at which time the persecution of the primitive church
began to cease, now let us sec how long this binding up of Satan
should continue, which w'as promised in the Book of the Revelation
to be a thousand years ; which thousand years, if ye add to the forty-
Ab .i.t two months of years, that is, to two hundred and ninety-four years,
HilirVi'??"^ they make one thousand two hundred and ninety-four years after the
sutaliwas passion of the Lord. To these, moreover, add the thirty years of
hyth'e the age of Christ, and it cometh to the year of our Lord IS^-i, which
ui'e Apo'^ was the year of the letting out of Satan, according to the prophecy
caiypse. [y^ {.lic Apocalypsc.
A TABLE CONTAINING THE TIME OF THE PERSECUTION BOTH OF THE PRIMITIVE, AND OF THE LATTER CHURCH, WITH THE COUNT OF YEARS FROM THE FIRST BINDING UP OF SATAN, TO HIS LOOSING AGAIN, AFTER THE MIND OF THE APOCALYPSE,
The first persecution of the primitive church, beginning at the
thirtieth year of Clirist, was prophesied to continue forty-two months;
that is, till A.D. 294.
Ceasing The ccasing of the last persecution of the primitive church by the
last'^'rr- ^^^^^^^ "^ Liciuius, tlic last persecutor, began in the three hundred
sedition: and twenty-fourth year from the nativity of Clirist ; which was from
the thirtieth year of his age, two hundred and ninety-four years, itinding The binding up of Satan after peace given to the church, counting Satan, ^^m thc thirty years of Christ, began a.d. 294, and lasted a thou- sand years, that is, counting from the thirtieth year of Clirist, to the year 1294.
About which year, pope Boniface VIIL was pope, and made the sixth book of thc Decretals, confirmed the orders of friars, and pri- vileged them with great freedoms ; as appeareth by his constitution, ■■ Super Cathedram.' a.d. 1294. Tin e of Untf) thc which count of years doth not much disagree that which I'lim!"^ J fy^j^ J -jj j^ certain old chronicle prophesied and written in the latter end of a book ; which book was Avritten, as it secmeth, by a monk of Dover, and remaineth yet in thc custody of William Gary, a citizen The time of Loudou ; alleging the prophecy of one Hayncard, a Grey-friar, chrt"'*' pTounded upon the authority of .Joachim the" abbot, proph'esying that Antichrist should be born thc year from thc nativity of Christ 12(50; Avhich is, counting after thc Lord's passion, the very same year and time when the orders of friars, both Dominies and Fran- ciscans, began first to be set up by pope Honorius IIL and by pope Gregorius IX., which was the year of our Lord, counting from his
cxa mined
TllK AUTHOR OK TllK 1>LOUGIIM-\k'.S I'KAYKR XOl' KKOVX. 727
passion, a.d. 1226; and counting- from the nativity of our Lord, KJward
was tlie year 1260. Whereof these verses, prophesying tht coming
of Antichrist, in the author ■were written : — A.D.
i;u;o.
" Cum fiicvint anni completi niillc ducenti Et (Iccies si'ui post purUim virginis alma?, Tunc Anticliristus nascetur clain\ono plenus."
And tlicse verses were written, as appearetli 1)V tlic said author, A.D. 1285.
These things thus premised for the loosing out of Satan, according to the propliecy of the Apocalypse, now let us enter (Christ willing) upon the declaration of these latter times which followed after the letting out of Satan into the world ; describing the wondrous per- turbations and cruel tyranny stirred up by him against Christ's church, and also the valiant resistance of the church of Christ against him and Antichrist, as in these our books here under following may appear, the argument of which consisteth in two parts : first, to Argu- treat of the raging fury of Satan now loosed, and of Antichrist, ™,e"hooks against the saints of Christ fighting and travailing for the mainte- after foi- nance of truth, and the reformation of the church. Secondly, to declare the decay and ruin of the said Antichrist, through the power of the v/ord of God ; being at length, either in a great part of the worhl overthrown, or, at least, universally in the whole world detected.
Thus then to begin with the year of our Lord 1360, wherein I A.D.iseo have a little, as is aforesaid, transgressed the stint of the first loosing a brief out of Satan : we are come now to the time wherein the Lord, after offeftMui long darkness, beginneth some reformation of his church, by the '"anied diligent industry of sundry his faithful and learned servants, of v/hom wiiic'ii divers already we have fore-touched in the former book ; as Guliel. uie'pro-*"' de Sancto Amore, Marsilius Patavinus, Ockam, Robertus Gallus, ''f
'01 til 6
Robertus Grosthead, Petrus de Cugiieriis, Johannes Rupescissanus, pope. Conradus Hager, Johannes de Poliaco, Ccsenas, with others, who withstood the corrupt errors and intolerable enormities of the bishop of Rome, besides those who about these times were put to death by the said bishop of Rome, as Castilio and Franciscus de Arcatara in the book before recorded ; also the two Franciscans, martyrs, who were burned at Avignon, mentioned p. 710.
Now to these (the Lord willing) we will add such other holy martyrs and confessors, who following after in the course of years with like zeal and strength of God's word, and also with like danger of their lives, gave the like resistance against the enemy of Christ's religion, and sufl^ered at his hands the like persecutions. First, The au- beginning with that godly man, whosoever he was, the author of the plough-'^* book (his name I have not) entitled ' The Prayer and Complaint of ™''^'^'''' the Ploughman ;' Avritten, as it appeareth, about this present time. rK^t'
This book, as it was faithfully set forth by William Tindal, so 1 have as truly distributed the same abroad to the readei-'s h.ands ; neither changing any thing of the matter, nor altering many words of the phrase thereof. Although the oldness and age of his speech and terms be almost grown now out of use, yet I thought it best, botli for the utility of the book to reserve it from oblivion, as also in hk
728 thk i'loichman's ( omit.aixt
Eaniird Qvii lunguagc to Ict it go jibroacl, for the more credit and testimony
. '- — of the true antiquity of the same ; adding witlial in the margin, for
VP- the better understanding of the reader, some interpretation of certain ^'^^'^' difficult terms and speeches, whicli otherwise might perliaps liinder or stay tlie reader. The matter of this complaining prayer of the ploughman thus proceedeth : —
An oldc Booke intituled, the Ploughmans Prayer,' written as it seemcth about WicklifFe's time.
Tiie com- Icsu Christ that was ybore of the mayde Maryc, haul on thy poore seruantcs
playnt of mercy and pifyc, and liolpe them in their great nede to fighte agaynst synne,
piled "to ""^"^l against tiie diuil that is autur of synne, and more nede nes tlier neuer to cry
these to Cln-ist for help, tlicn it is riglit now. For it is fidfilled that God sayd by
limes. jj..^y j],^. |„.opliet : Ye ryscth vp erlicli to folow dronkennes, and to drinkc tyll
it he cuen, the liaqic and other minstrelsyes beeth in your feastes and wyne.
Cut tlie worke of (lod ye ne hehokleth not, ne taketh no kepe to the workes of
hys hands : And therefore my people is take prisoner, for they ne had no
cunnyng. And the noble men of my })eople deyeden for hunger, and the nnil-
lilude of my people weren drye for thyrst, and therefore hell hath drawen abroade
their soule, and hath yopcncd hys mouth withouten any ende. And eftsones
sayth Isay the prophet : The word is floten away, and the hyghnes of the people
is ymade sycke, and the earth is infect of his wonnyers, for they liaue broken
my lawes, and ychaunged my r3'ght, and ban destroyed myne euerlastyng bonde
and forward 2 betwcne them and me. And tlierefore cursing shall deuoure the
earth, and they that wonneth on the erthly shullen done synne. And therefore
the earth tilyars shullen waxe woode, and fewe men shullen ben yleft vpon the
earth. And yet sayth Isay the prophet, this sayth God, for as nnich as this
()eple nigheth me with their mouth, and glorificth me with their lips, and their lart is fan-e from mee. And they ban ydrad more mens commaundement, then myne, and more drawc to their doctrines, then myne. Therefore will I make a great wondring vnto tills people, wiscdome shall perish away from wise men, and vnderstanding of ready men shal bee yhid. And so it scemeth that an other saying of Isay is ftdfdled, tliere as God bade him goe teach the people, and sayd goe forth and say to this people : Eares haue ye, and vnderstand ye not, and eyes yee haue sight ne know ye not. Make blynde the hart of this jjcople, and make their eares hcauy, and close their eyen, least he sea with his eyen, and yheare with his eares, and vnderstande with his hart, and by yturncd, and yell lieale hym of hys sicknesse. And Isay sayd to God : How long Lord shal this be ? And God said : For to that the cities ben desolate withouten a wonnier, and an house wythouten a man.
Here is niychel nede for to make sorow, and to crye to our Lord lesu Christ
hertilich for helpe and for succour, that hee wole forgeue vs our sinnes, and
gene vs grace and conning to semen him better here after. And God of hys
endles mercy geue vs grace and conning tnilich to tellen which is Christes
law in helping of mens soules, for we beth lewde men, and sinnefid men, and
vncunning, and if he woll be our helpe and our succor, we shidlen wel per-
faurme our purpose. And yblessed bee our Lorde God that hideth his wisedome
from wise men, and fro ready men, and teacheth it to small children, as Christ
teaelietli in the gospel.
ThL- law Christen men haue a law to keepe, the wluch law hath twe parties. Beleue
staiiUctii '." ^I'^'is'^ that is God, and is the foundment of theyr law, and vpon this
oil two louiidemcnt, as he sayd to Peter, and the gospel bcareth witnes, he woll
parts byeldcn his church, and this is the first partie of Christes law. The second
partie of this law beth Christes commaundmcntes that beth written in the gospel,
and more verilich in Christen mens hartes.
And as touching the beleue, we beleuen that Christ is God, and that there ne is no god but he. We beleuen ncuerthelcsse that in the Godhead there bene three persons, the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost, and al these three persons ben one God, and not many gods, and al they beth ylich mightie,
(1) This interesting document is fiivtii in every Edition hut the First \2) " Forward," that is, covenant.
and t)ie Tliiid.— Ei>.
OF THK ABUSKS OF TlIK WOULD. 729
ylich good, and ylich wise, and cuer hane ben, and cuci" shnllcn ben. We Edward beleuen this God made tlie world of nought, and n\an lie made after hys owne ^^^■ likenesse in Paradise tliat was a lande of blisse, and gaue him that hind for his . y^ heritage, and bad him tliat he shoulde not eate the tree of knowledge of good , .j.,„'
and euil, that was a-midde Paradise.^ Then the diuell that was fallen out '
of heauen for his pride, had enuie to man, and by a false suggestion he made
man eate of this tree, and breake the commaundement of God, and tho was
man ouercome of the deuil, and so he lost his heritage, and was put
out thereof into the world that was a land of trauel, and of sorow vnder
the feends thraldome, to be punished for his trespasse. There man followed
wickednesse and sinne, and God for the sinnc of man sent a floud into this
world, and drownd al mankinde sane eight soulcs. And after this flud lie let
men multiply in the world, and so hee assayed whether man di-ead him or
loued him, and among other he found a man that bight Abraham : this man Abraham.
he proued whether he loued him and drad him, and bad him that hee should
offeren Isaac his son vppon an hil, and Abraham as a true seruant fulfilled the
Lords comnaaundment : and for this buxumnesse and trutli, God sware vnto
Abraham that he would multiplie his seed as the grauel in the sea, and as the
stars of heauen, and he behight to him and to his heires the land of behest for
heritage for euer, gif they wolden ben his true seruauntes and keepe his hestcs.
And God helde him forward,* for Isaac Abraham's son begat lacob and Esau :
and of lacob that is ycleped Israel, comen Gods people that he chose to be his
seruants, and to whom he behight the land of behest. This people was in great
thraldom in Egypt vnder Pharao that was king of Egypt : and they crieden to
God that hee shoulde deliueren them out of that thraldome, and so hee did :
for he sent to Pharao, Moses and his brother Aaron, and bad him deliuer his
people to done him sacrifices : and to fore Pharao he made Moses done manie
wonders, or that Pharao would deliuer his people, and at the last by might hee
deliuered his people out of thraldome, and led tliem through a desert towarde
the land of behest, and there he gaue them a lawe that they shulden lyuen after,
when they comen into their countrey, and in their way thither ward, the ten
commaundementes God wrote himselfe in two tables of stone : the remnant
of the law he taught them by Moses his seruant how they shoulden doe euery
chone to other, and gif they trespassed again the law, he ordeined how they
shoulden be pimished. Also he taught them what maner sacrifices they should
do to him, and he chose him a people to been his pi'iests, that was Aaron and
his children, to done sacrifices in the tabernacle, and afterward in the temple
also. He chese him the remnant of the children of Leuy to ben seruaunts in
the tabernacle to the 2>riestes, and he said : When ye come into the land of
behest, the children of Leuy they shuUen haue none heritage amongst their
brethren, for I would be their part, and their heritage, and they shullen seme
me in the tabernacle by dayes and by nighteS, and he ordeined that priestes
should haue a part of the sacrifices that wer offred in the tabernacle, and the
first begotten beastes, both of men and beastes and other things as the lawe
telleth. And the other children of Leuy that serued in the tabernacle, should
haue tythings of the people to their lyuelode, of the which tythings they should
geuen the priestes the tenth partie in forme of ofFeryng. The children of Leuy
both priestes and other, should haue houses and crofts, and lesewes for their
beastes in the land of behest, and none other heritage : and so God gaue them
their land of behest, and bade them that they ne should worship no other God
then him. Also he bade that they should kepe his commaundementes, and gife
they did so, all their enemies about them shuld drede them and be their seruantes.
And gife they worshipped false gods, and so forsaken his lawes, he behight them
that he would bring them out of that land and make them seme their enemies,
but yet hee said hee would not benemen his mercie away from them, if they
would cry mercie and amend their defautes, and all this was done on Gods
side.
And here is much loue showed of God to man. And who so looketh the Gods liible, hee shall finde that man showed him little loue againcward : for when '"'"^ '" they were come into their heritage, they forgetten their God, and worshij)ped false gods. And God sent to them the prophetes and his seruants feile times ^
(1 ) "A midde Paradise," in the middest of Paradise. (2) " Helde him forward," kept promiiu with him. (3) " Feile times," oft times.
T-'JO THK i'i.ori;ii. man's comi'laint
Kiiwnnt to l)iil tliom witlulrawon tliem tVoin their sialics, aiul otlicr they hauc slowni '"■ tluMii, or thov beaten tiiem. or they led tliem in prison : and oft times God . tooke vp])()ii tlieni great vengeance for tlieir sinncs, and wlien tliey cried after J .• ■ helncn to (iod, he sent tlieni helpe and succour. Tiiis is the generall processe of the OUl Testament, that God gauc to his people by Moses his scruant. And all this testament and this doing ne was but a shadow and a ligure of a new Testament that was giuen by Christ. And it was byhoten by Icremic the ])n)plu't, as S. I'aul bt-areth witncs in the epistle that he writeth to tlie lewi's. And lercmie saith in this wise: Loe dayes shall come, (jod saith, and I will make a ncwe bande to tlic liouse of Israel, and to the house of hula, not like the forward that I made with their fathers in that day that I tooke their hande to led them out of the lande of Egypt, the which for- ward they maden vein, and I had lordship oner them. But this slial he the forward that I wold make with them after those daies : I will giue my lawes with them in their inwai'dnesse, and I wil wrytcn them in their harts, and I wil be tlieir God, and they shoidd be my people, and after that a man shall not teach his neighbour ne his brother, for all ((iod saith) from the least to the most, should know me, for I will forgeuen them their sinnes, and will no more thinke on theyr sinnes.
This is the newe testament, that Christ, both God and man borne of tlie mayd Mary, he taught here in this world, to bring man out of sinne and out of the deuils thraldomc and seruicc, to hcauen, that is land of blisse and heritage to all the that beleeuen on him and kepen his commaundementes, and for his teaching he was done to the death. But the third day arose againe from death to life, and sette Adam and Eue and many other folkc, out of hell, and afterward hee came to his discijjles and comforted them. After he stied vp to heauen to his father, and tlio he sent the Holy Ghost amonges his disciples : and in time comming he woll come and demen all mankinde after their workes, and after the word she spake vpon earth : some to blisse, within Ixnly and in soul euer withouten end, and some to paine withouten end, both in body and in soule.
This is our beleeue and all Christen mens, and this beleue is the first jioynt of the newe Testament that ych christen man is holde stcdfastly to beh'ue, and rather to suffer the death than forsaken this beleue, and so this beleue is the bread of spiritual life, in forsaking sinne, that Christ brought vs to life.
But for as much as manncs lining ne stondeth not all onlych by bread, he hath
y-giuen vs a draught of water of life to drinke. And who that drinketh of that
water, he ne shall neuer afterward ben a thurst. For this water is the clere
teaching of tlie gospel, that encloseth seuen commaundemeiits.
Spcciall The furst is this : Thou shalt loue thy God oucr all other things, and tby
precepts brother as thy sclfe, both enemiS and trend.
• 'ahe gos- '^'''^ second cominaundement is of meekenesse, in the which Christ chargeth pell. vs to forsake lordship vjion our brethren and other worldly worships, and so he
did hiniselfe.
The third commaundement, is in stonding stedfastlich in tnitli and forsaking all falsenesse.
The fourth commaundement, is to suffer in this world diseases and wrongs withouten agcinstondinges.
The fifth commaundement is mere ie, to forgeuen our brethren their trespassc, as often time as they gylteth, without asking of vengeance.
The sixth commandement is poorenes in spirite, but not to ben a bcgger.
The seuenth commaundement, is chastitie : that is a forsaking of lieshlych
likinges displeasing to God. Thfise commaundementes cncloscn the ten com-
mnmideinentcs of the old law, and somewhat more.
Cliristes This water is a blessed drinke for christen mens soule. But more harme is,
bheepo nuicli folke would drink of this water, but they mowe not come thereto: for
fum (^'od saith by Ezechiel the ])roj)het : When iche gene to you the most cleane
ckanc wafer to drinke, ye troubled that water with your feetc, and that water is
tompcHea ^" defoulcd, ye gene my shepe to drinke. But the cleane water is yhid fro
lo driiite the shepe, and but gif (Jod cleare this, it is dread least the shepe dyen for
])iid(leil. thurst. And Christ that is the wisedome of the father of heauen, and well
of this wisdome that come from heauen to earth to teach man this wisedome,
OF THE ABUSKS OK THK WOKI.P. 731
thorow tlio wliich man slioukl oiicrcoinc tlie sleiglitcs of tlic dcuill tliat is Edward
principall enemy of mankind: hane mercy and ])ityo of iiis peo2)le, and shew {f/-
if it be his wil how this water is tronbk'd, and by wliom : and sitli ' elere j^ j) this water that Ins shepe mownc drinkcn lierof, and kele tlie tlnn-st of tlieir i.-joo
scales. Blessed mote our Lord ben, for he hath itaught vs in the gospell,
that ere than liee woulde come to the vniucrsall dome, then should come manie in his name and sayen, that they weren Christ ; and they shoulden done many wonders, and begilen manie men. And manie false prophets shoulden arisen and begylen nnich folke.
A Lord, yblessed mote thou ben of euerieh creature : which ben they that haue ysaid that they weren Christ and haue begiled thus thy people? Trulich Lord I trow, thilke that sayen that they ben in thy steed, and Dinemen^ thy worship, and maken tliy people worshippen them as God, and haue hid thy lawes trom the people. Lord, who durst syt in thy stcede and benemen thee thy worship and thy sacrifice, and dui'st maken the people woorship them as gods? The Sauter telles, that (iod ne wole not in the day of dome demen men for bodilich sacrifices and holocaustes : But God saith, yeld to me sacrifice of hcrying, and yeld to Ciod thine auowes, and clcpe me in the day of tribulation, and ych wole defend thee, and shalt worship me.
The heiying ^ of God standcth in three things. In loiung God ouer all other things ; in di'eading God ouer all other thinges ; in trusting in God ouer all other things.
These three points Christ teacheth in the gospel. But I trow men louen The iio- him but a little. For who so loueth Christ, he wole kepen his wordes. no»n"K But men holden his wordes for heresie and follie, and kepeth mens wordes. standeth Also men dreden more men and mens lawes and their cursings, then Christ in three and his lawes and his cursings. Also men hopen more in men and mens '^"S'*- helpes, than they doe in Christ and in his helpe. And thus hath he that setteth in God's stede, bynomen God these three heryinges, and maketh men louen him and his lawes, more then Christ and Christes law, and dreden him also. And there as the people shulden yelde to God their vowes, he saith he hath jiower to assoylen them of their avowes, and so this sacrifice he nemetli * away from God. And there as the people should cry to God in the d,ny of tribidation, he letteth them of their ciying to God and bynemeth God that worship. This day of tribulation is whan man is fallen thorowe sinne into the deuils seruice, and than we shulden cry to God after help, and axen forgeuenes of our sinne, and make great sorrowe for our sinne, and ben in full will to doe so no more ne none other sin, and that our Lord God wole forgeuen vs our sinne, and maken our soule dene. For his mercie is endles.
But Lord, here men haue bynomen thee much worship : for men seyn that Against thou ne might not cleane assoylen vs of our sinne. But if we knowlegen our ^"ripi'laf sinnes to priestes, and taken of them a penance for our sinne gif we mowen sion. speake with them.
A Lord ! thou forgaue sometime Peter his sinnes and also Mary Magdaleine, Sinnes and manie other sinfull men withouten shriuings to priestes, and taking pe- fofKnic naunce of priests for their sinnes. And Lord thou art as mightie now as thou shiiit. were that tyme, but gif anj' man haue bynomen thee thy might. And wee lewed men beleuen, that there n3's no man of so great power, and gif any man maketh liimselfe of so great power he heighteth ^ himselfe aboue God. And S. Paul speakcth of one that sitteth in the temple of God and highten him aboue God, and gif any such be, he is a false Christ.
3ut hereto seyn priests, that when Christ made clean leprous men, he bade Obicction them go and shewe them to priestes. And therefore they seyn that it is a p^jp'^j^.^ commaundement of Christ, that a man should shewen his sinne to priestes. For to main as they seyn, lepre in the old lawe betokeneth sinne in this new law, A Lord '''"1 God ! whether thine apostles kjiew not thy meaning as well as men done now ? Answere And gif they hadden yknow that thou haddest commanded menne to shriucn to the them to priests, and they ne taught not that conunaundement to the pcojde, me "^"^'^^"'"• thinketh they hadden ben to blame : But I trow they knewen well that it w'as none of thy commandements, ne needfidl to heale of mannes soule. And as me
(1) " Sith," that is, afterwards. (2) " Bincmen," that is, take away.
(3) " Heryinj;," that is, worshipping. (1) " Kenicth," that is, taketh.
(5) " Heighteth," that is, exalteth.
732
TlIK IM.Orc;HM.\X S COMPLAINT
Kduiird III.
A.l).
v.m).
Mis- fhiefes that come by auricu- lar con ■; fcssion.
Popish
priesies
charged
with
simony.
tliiukctli tlie law of leprc, is notlnng to tlie pm-pose of shrining : for priestes in the old lawe hadilcn certainc points and tokens to know whether a man were leprous or not : and gif they were leprous, thej' haddcn power to pntten them away from other cleanc men, for to that they weren elene, and then they hadilen power to receiuen him among his brethren, and offeren for him a sacrifice t^.) (Jod.
This nys nothing to the purpose of shriuing. For there nis but one priest,
that is Christ, that may knowe in ccrtaine the lopre of the soule. Ne no priest
may make the soule cleane of her sinnc, but Christ that is priest iifter Melchise-
dekes order : ne no priest here beneath ma)- ywit for ccrtaine whetlier a man
be cleane of his sinne or cleanc assoyled, but gif God tell it him by rcuelation.
Penance Ne (iod ordeined not that his priests shuld set men a j)cnaunce for their sinne,
for sin, is .jftei. t],e (|uantitie of the sin, but this is mans ordinaunce, and it may well bee
di'nancX tl">t there commeth good thereof. But I wote wel that God is much vnwor-
notGods. shipped thereby. For men tnist more in his absolutions, and in his years
of grace, than in Christs absolutions, and therby is the people much apayrcd.
For now, the sorrow a man should make for his sin, is put away by this shrift :
and a man is more bold to doe sinne for tnist of this shrift, and of tliis bodilich
penance.
An other mischiefe is, that the people is ybrought into this belcefe, thai one priest hath a great power to assoylen a man of his sinne and clennere, then another priest hath.
An other mischiefe is this, that some priest may assoilen them both of sinne and paine, and in this they taken them a power that Christ graunted no man in earth, ne he ne vsed it nought on earth himselfe.
An other mischiefe is, that these priests sellen forgeuenes of mens siimes and absolutions for mony, and this is an heresie accursed that is ycleped simonie and all thilke priests that axeth price for graunting of spirituall grace, beth ' by holy lawes depriucd of their priesthood, and thilke that assentetli to this hercsye. And be they ware, for Helyse the jirophet toke no money of Naaman when he was made cleane of his lepre, but Giesi his seruaunt : and therefore the lepre of Naaman abode with him and with his heires euermore after.
Here is much matter of sorowe, to sec the people thus far ylad away from God and worshupcn a false god in earth, that by might and by strength hath ydonc away the great sacrifice of God out of hys temple : of which mischiefe and discomfort, Daniel maketh mention, and Christ beareth thereof witnosse in the gospell. Whoe that readeth it vnderstand it. t Thus wee haue ytold apertlic, how he that saith he sitteth in Christes stede bincmeth ^ Chri^i his worship and his sacrifice of his people and maketh the people worshepen hym as a God on earth.
Cry we to God, and knowledge we our sinnes euerichone to oti.er as Seint lames teacheth, and pray we hartilich to God euerichone for otlu r, and then we shulen hopen forgeuenes of our sinnes. For God that is endle.^se in mercy saith, that he ne will not a sinfull mans death, but that he be turned from [his sin and liuen. And therefore, when he came downe to saue mankind, he gaue vs a law of louc and of mercie : and bade, gif a man doe a trespasse, amend him priuilich, and gif he leuc not his sinne, amend him before witnesse : and gif he ne amendeth not, men should tell to the church ; and gif bee ne amendetli not than, men shuld shone his company as apublicane, or a man that is misbeleued, and this law was yfigured in the lawe of Icjire, who that readeth it, he may see the sooth. The pope But Lord God, he that sittetli in thy stede, hath vndoe thy lawe of mercy I'lic^l^ w'of '^^^ "^ ^^^^^ ' L'^'"'^' t'lo^i biddest louen enemyes as our self; and thou shcwcst in loue, and 'be gospcll, there as the Samaritane had mercy on tlie lewe. And thou biddest mercy. vs also prayen for them that cursen vs, and that defamen vs, and ])Virsuen vs to death. And so Lordc thou didst, and thine apostles also. But he that clepeth liimselfe thy vicar on earth, and head of thy church, he hath vndone thy lawe of loue and mercie. For gif we speaken of louing oiu- ennemies, bee teacheth vs to fight with our enemies, that Christ hath forbodden. Ilee curseth and desireth uengeauncc to them that so dooth to him. Gif any man pmsueth him, hce curseth him, that it is a sorowe a christen man to hearen the cursingcb that
(1) " Beth," that is, be.
(2) " Pincmetli,' takcth away.
OF TIIK ABUSES OF THE WORLD. 7,j'j
tliey makcn, and blasplieniies in such cursing. Of what thing that I knowo, I E,iwnr may Loare true witnosse. I'l-
But git" we speake of loiiing of our brethren, this is vndone by him that . ,. saitli he is Gods vicar in earth. For Clirist in the gospel biddeth vs, tliat we •■ .w.„'
slioidden clepen vs no father vpon earth : but ck>pen CJod our father, to niaken — '- L
vs lone perfitHch together. And lie clepeth himself father of fathers and maketli The pope many religions, and to euerich a father. But whetlier is lone and charity enereased " (■"ther'^ by these fathers and by their religions, or els yniade lessc ? For a friar ne but lie loueth not a monke, ne a secular man neitlier, nor yet one frier another that is '^'^^'^*^"' not of the oi-der, and it is agaynward.
A Lord ! me thinketh that there is litle perfection in these religions. For Lord, what charitie hauen such men of religion, that knowen how they mowen against and sin, andfleen away fro their brethren that ben more vncunning then they ben, and sufFren them to trauelen in the world withouten their councel as beastes ? Tnilich Lord, me thinketh that there is but little charitie, and then is there litle perfection. Lord God, when thou were on earth, thou were among sinfiill men to drawen them from sin, and thy discij)les also. And Lord, I trow thou ne grauntest not one man more cunning then another all for himselfe : and I wote well that lewd men that ben laborers, ne trauell not alonlich for him self. Lord our belief is, that thou ne were not of the world. To for- ne thy teaching neither, ne thy semants that lyueden after thy teaching. But ^^^'^ "."^ all they forsaken the world, and so euerie christen man must. But Lord, ,jot to '" whether thou taughtest men forsake their brethrens companie and trauell of the Hue in world, to Ivuen in ease and in rest, and out of trouble and anger of the world, '^'^^^ *^^"'"
- . -^ t5 ' company.
by their brethrens trauell and so forsaken the world ?
A Lord ! thou ne taughtest not a man to forsake a pore estate and trauel, to ben afterward a lord of his brethren, or ben a lords fellow and dwelling with lords, as doth men of these new religions. Lord thou ne taughtest not men of thy religion thus to forsake the world, to lyuen in perfection by them selfe in ease, and by other mens trauell. But Lord they sayen they ben ybound to thy seruise, and seruen thee both night and day in singing their praiers, both for them selfe and for other men, that done them good both quick and dead, and some of them gone about to teach thy people when they hauen leisure.
A Lord ! gif they ben thy seruauntes : whose seruaunts ben we that cannot preyen as they done ? And when thou were here on earth, for our neede thou taughtest thy semants to preyen thy father priulich and shortlich : And gif there had been a better maner of pi-aying, I trow thou wonkiest haue taught it in help of thy people. And Lord thou reprouest hypocrits that preyen in long prayer and in open places, to ben yholden holy men. And thou seyst in the gospel, wo to j'ou Pharises hypocrites. And Lord thou ne chargedest not thy seruaunts with such maner seruice : But thou seyst in the gospel, that the Pharises worshopen thee with their lippes, and their hart is farre from thee. For they chargen^ more mens traditions than thy commaundementes.
And Lord, we lewed men han a beleefe, that thy goodnesse is endles : and gif we keepen thine hestes, than ben we thy true seruaunts. And though we preyen thee but a litle and shortlich, thou wilt tliinkc on vs, and granten vs that vs nedeth, for so thou behited ^ vs somtime : And Lord I trow, that pray a True ser- man neuer so many quaint praiers, gif he ne keep not thine bests he ne is not thj^ "ice of good seruaunt. But gif he kepe thine hestes, than he is thy good seniaimt, sta'ndeth and so me thinketh. Lord that prayeng of long praiers ne is not the seruice not in that thou desirest, but keeping of thine hestes : and then a lewd man may seme '""S pra'- God as well as a man of religion. * And so Lord our hope is that thou wilt assone keepi)ig heare a plowmans prayer and he keepe thyne hestes as thou wilt do a mans of Gods religion,* 3 though that the plowman ne may not haue so much siluer for his J,"a,ide- prayer, as men of religion. For they kunnen * not so well preyscn their prayers menis. as these other chapmen : But Lord our hope is, that our praiers be neuer the worse though it be not so well sold as other mens praiers.
Lord, Ezechiel the prophet saith that whan he spake to the people thy sjngingln
words, they turned thy wordes into songs and into tales : And so Lord men clmcches
done now : they singin merilich thy words, and that singing they clepen thy ^^\\^^
service. But Lord I trow that the best singers ne herieth thee not most : But Gods ser- uice.
(1) " Chargen," care for. (2) " Behited," promised.
(3) These words have heen inadvertently omitted in every Edition since tliat of 1570, in which this document first appeared.— Ed. (4) " Kunnen," they can.
731
Edunrd
in.
~A.U. 1.300.
Weeping for sins liettcr seruice then ling- ing in churcli.
The order
of
priestes,
not made
to offer
Christs
bodie.
The sa- crament of the bodie of DieLord abused.
Priests principal- ly sent to preach, not to say maise, or to make the Lords bodie.
He that
speaketh
Gods
teaching,
is holdcn
nn here-
tike.
TITF. PI.Orr.TIM.W 6 COMri.AIXT
lie tliat fnlfilleth thy words he herycth ' thee fill wel, though lie wcpc more then siiif;. And I trow that wcoping for breaking of thy cominaundements, be more plea.sing serniee to thee, than the singing of thy words. And would God that men would serue him in sorrow for their sinnes, and that they shoulden afterward semen thee in mirth. For Christ saith, yblessed ben they that maken sorrow, for thev shoulden ben yconfortcd. And wo to them that ben merry and haue their comfort in this worlde. And Christ said that the world should ioven, and his scruants sludden be sory, but their soiTow shoidd be turned into
A Lord ! he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar \'pon earth, hath yordained an order of ])riestes to doe thy seruice in church to fore thy lewd people in singing matens, euensong and masse. And therefore he chargeth lewd men in paine of eursiui,', to bring to his priests tythinges and offeringes to linden his priestes, and he elepi'th that (lods part, and due to priestes that semen him in church.
15ut Lord, in tlie old law, the tithings of the lewd people ne wer not due to priests, but to that other childer of Leuye that serueden thee in the temple, and the priest liadden their part of sacrifices, and the first bygetten beastes and other thinges as the lawe telleth. And Lord, S. Paul thy seruaunt saith, that the order of the ])riestliood of Aaron ceased in Christes comming and the lawe of that ])riesthood. For Christ was end of sacryfices yofFered vpon the crosse to the fatlier of hcauen, to bring man out of sinne and become Iiimselfe a priest of INIelehisedeckes order. For he was both king and priest without beginning and end, and both the priesthoode of Aaron, and also the law of that priesthood, ben ychaunged in the comming of Christ. And S. Paul seyth it is reproued, for it brought no man to perfection. For bloud of gotes ne of other beasts ne myght done away sinne, for to that Christ shadde his bloud.
A Lord lesu, wether thou ordenest an order of priests to ofFren in the auter tliy flesh and thy bloud to bringen men out of sinne, and also out of peine ? And whether thou geue them alonelycli a power to eate thy flesh and thy bloud, and wether none other man may eate thy flesh and thy bloud with outen leue of priestes ? I^ord, we beleuen, that thy flesli is very meatc, and thy bloud very drinke, and who eteth thy flesh and drinketh thy bloud dwelleth in thee, and thou in him, and who that eateth this bread shall line without end. But Lord thyne disciples seyde, this is an hard wordc, but thou answerest them and seyd- est: when ye secth mans soone stiucn vp there he was rather, the spintc is that niaketh you line, the words that ych haue spoken to j-ou ben spirit and lyfe. Lord, yblessed mote thou be, for in this word thou teachest vs that he that kepeth thy wordes and doth after them, eatetli thy fleshe and drynketh thy bloud, and hath an euerlasting life in thee. And for we shoulden haue minde of this liuing, thou gauest vs the sacrament of thy flesh and bloud, in forme of bread and wine at thy supper, before that thou shuldest suiier thy death, and took bread in thine hand, and saydest : take ye this, and eate it, for it is my body : and thou tookest wyne, and blessedst it, and saidest : this is the blond of a newe and an euerlasting testament, that shall be shed for many men in forgiuenesse of sinnes : as oft as ye done tliis, doe ye this in mynde of me.
A Lord ! thou ne bede not thine disciples maken this a sacrifice, to bring men out of paynes, gif a priest offred thy bodie in the auter: but thou bede them goe and fidlen '^ all the folke in the name of the father, and the sonne, and the holy ghost, in forgiueness of their sinnes : and teach ye them to kcejie those thinges that ych banc commaunded you. And Lord, thine disciples ne ordained not priests jirincipallich to make thy bodie in sacrament, but for to teach the people, and good husbandmen that wel gouern their housholdes, boll: wiues and children, and their meinj', they ordeind to be priests to teachen other men the law of Christ, both in word, in deede, and tliey liuedeyn as true christian men, cuery day they eaten Christs body, and drinken his bloud, to the sustenauncc of liuing of their soules, and other whiles they tooken the sacra- ment of his bodie in forme of bread and wyne, in mind of our lord lesn Christ.
I5ut all this is turned vpse downe : for now who so wil liuen as thou taughtest. he shal ben holden a foole. And gif he speake thy teaching, he shal ben holdeii an heretikc, and accursed. Lord yhaue no lenger wonder hereof, for so they seiden to thee when thou were here some time. And therefore wee moten take in pacience their words of blasphemie as thou didest thy selfe, or else we
(1/ " Herjcth," worsliippcth.
(2) " FuUen," baptise
OK TIIK ABUSES OF THE WORLD. 735
weren to blame. And tniellch Lord I trowe, that if tlum were nowe in the Edward worlde, and taughtest as tlum dyddest some time, tluni shuldcst bon done to III. death. For thy teaching is danuied for licrcsie of wise men of the world, and ^ £) then moten they nedes ben heretikes that tcachen thy lore, and all they also y^qq that trauellen to line thereafter. '—
And therefore Lord, gif it be thy will, help thine vnkunning and lewd ser- uaunts, that wolen by their power and their Running, helpe to destroy sinne. Leiie Lord, sith thou madest woman in lielpe of man, and in a more frayle degree then man is, to be governed by mans reason : what perfection of charitie is in these priests and in men of religion, that haue forsaken spoushod that thou ordeynedst in Paradise betwixt man and woman, for perfection to for- saken traueile, and liuen in case by other niens traueile ? For they mow not doe bodilich workes for defouling of tlieyr handes, wyth whom they touchen thy precious bodye in the aulter.
Leue Lord, gif good men forsaken the companye of woman, and ncedes thej^ What in - moten haue the gouernaile of man, then moten they ben ycoupled with shrewes, eonue- and therefore thy spoushode that thou madest in clennes from sinne, it is now the un- j'chaunged into liking of the flesh. And Lord, this is a great mischiefe vnto maried thy people. And yong priests and men of religion, for default of wiucs niaken 'r|g^tes. many women horen, and drawn through their eucl ensample many other men to sin, and the ease that they liuen in, and their welfare, is a great cause of this mischiefe. And Lord me thinketh, that tliese ben quaint orders of religion and lie com- none of thy sect, that wolen taken horen, whilke God forfends, and forsaken JJf^tJjy"' wiues that God ne forfendeth not. And forsaken trauail that God commands, idienesof and geuen their selfe to idlenes, that is the mother of all noughtines. pnestes.
And Lord, Mary thy blessed mother and loseph, touched oftentimes thy body, and wroughten with their hands, and liuede in as much clennesse of soule, as our priests done now, and touched thy body, and thou touchedst them in their soules. And Lord our hope is, that thou goen not out of a poore mans soule that traueileth for his liuelode with his hands. For Lorde, our beliefe is, that thine house is mans soide, that thou madest after thine owne likenesse.
But Lord God, men maketh now great stonen houses full of glasen win- what is dowes, and clepeth thilke tliine houses and churches. And they setten in these ^\^ t^|' houses masvmets of stocks and stones, to fore i them they knelen priuilich and Christ. apert, and maken their prayers, and all this they saj'en is thy worship, and a gi-eat herjang 2 to thee. A Lord ! thou forbiddest sometime to make such maw- mets, and who that had yworshipped such, had be M'orthy to be dead.
Lord in the gospel thou sayst, that true heriers ^ of God ne herieth him not in that hill beside Samaria, ne in Hicrusalem neyther, but fcrue heriers of God herieth him in spirite and in trueth. And Lord God what herying is it to bylden thee a church of deed stones, and robben th}^ quicke churches of their bodylich lyueloode ? Lord God what herj'ing is it, to cloth mawmettes of stocks He com- and of stones in siluer and in gold, and in other good colours ? And Lord I P'a'i'eth
1 • • • 1 1 1 • 1 • 1 1 11 11 • 1 i "1 images
see thme image gone ni colde and m hete ni clotlies all to broken, Avithout j,,
shone and hosen, an hungred and a thrust. Lord what herying is it to teende churches, tapei-s and torches before blinde mawmets that mowen not I seyen? And hide thee that art our light and our lanterne toward heauen, and put thee vnder a bushell that for darknesse we ne may not scene our way toward blisse ? Lord what heryinge is it to kneele tofore mawmetes that mowe not yheren, and wor- shepen them with preyers, and maken thine quick images knele before them, and asken of them absolutions and blessings, and worshepen them as gods, and putten thy quicke images in thraldom and in traueil euennore as bestes, in cold and in heate, and in feeble fare to finden them in liken of the worlde ? Lord what herieng is it to fetch deed mens bones out of the ground there as they shoulden kindelich rotten, and shrinen them in golde and in siluer : and suflren the quicke bones of thine images to rot in prison for default of clothings ? And suffren also thy quicke images to perish for default of sustenance, and rooten in the hoorehouse in abhominable lecherie ? Some become theeues and robbers, and manquellers that mighten ben yholpen with the gold and siluer that hon- geth about deed mens bones and other blind mawmets of stocks and stones. Lord here ben great abhominations that thou shewdist to Ezechiel thy
(1) " To fore," that is, before. (2) " Herying," worshipping.
(3) " Heriers," worshippers.
73G
THE I'LOUCillMAN S COMPLAINT
Edward JII.
A.D.
1:500.
He coni- playiieth of false pastors that liue by their flock e, but feedc not them.
AR.iinst hireliDgg.
Popish
priestes
neitlier
teach
them-
selues,
nor will
SUfliiT
otliers besides them- Selues to teach.
prophet, that priests done in tliy temple, and yet they clepen that thine heryen But K'Vie Lord, uie thinketli tiiat they Umen thee litle that tluis defoulen thy quiek images, and \V()rsIiii)i)eM hliiule mawmets.
And Lord another great mischief tliere is now in the world, an hunger that Amos tliy jiropliet speaketli of, tliat there shall conien an hunger in the earth, not of hread ne thrust of drink, hut of hearing of God's worde. And thy sheepe woulden he refreshed, hut their shepheardes taken of thy she])e their liuelode, as tythings, &c. and liucn themselfe therehy where them liketli.
Of such slieplieards thou s])eaketh hy Ezechial thy propliet and seist : wo to the sheplieards of Israel that feden thcmself, for the flocks of sheepe shoulden he yfed of tlieir shej)heards : hut ye eaten the milke and clothen you with their wol'le, and the fat sheep ye slow, and my flock ye ne fede not, the sicke sheep ye ne healed not, thilk that weren to hroken ye ne knit not together, thilke that perished ye ne hrought not againe : hut ye ratled them with sternship and with power. And so the sheepe be sprad abroad in deuoiiring of all the beasts of the field. And leremio the prophet sayth : wo to the shepheards that dis- pearseth abroad and teareth the flocke of my lesew.'
A Lord, thou were a good shepheard, for thou puttest thy soule for thy sheep : but Lord thou teldest that thilk that come not in by the dore ben night theeues and day theeues, and a thefe as thou scest commeth not but for to steale, to slein, and to destroy. And Zacharie the prophet saith, that thou wouldest rerren vp a shepheard vnkunning, that ne wol not hele thy sheep that beth'' sick, ne seeke thilke that beth lost. Vpon his anne is a swerd, and vpon his right eye : his arme slial waxe dry, and his right eye shal lese his light. O Lord, help, for thy shepe beth at great mischife in the shepheards defaute.
But Lord, there commeth hired men, and they ne feden not thy sheep in thy plenteous lesew, but fceden thy sheepe with sweuens' and false miracles and tales. But at thy trewth they ne comen not : For Lord, I trow thou sendest them neuer. For haue they hire of thy sheepe they ne careth but little of the feding and the keping of thy shepe. Lord of these hired men speaketli leremie the prophet, and thou seyst that worde by him. I ne send them not, and tliey ronne bliuc : * I ne spcake vnto them, and they prophe- cidcn. For if they hadden stonden in my counsell, and they had made my wordcs knowen to the i)uple, ech -nould haue turned them away from their y\icll way and from their wicked thoughts. For Lord, thou seyst that thy words ben as fire, and as an hammer breaking stones. And Lord, thou saist : Lo I to these prophets meeting sweuens of losing, that haue ytold her sweuens, and haue begyled my puple in their lesing and in their false miracles, when I neitlier sent ne bede them. And these haue profitet nothing to my puple. And as leremie saith, from the lest to the niest* all they studien couetise, and from the prophet to the priest, all they done gyle.
A Lord ! here is much mischiefe and matere of sorow, and yet there is more. For gif a lewd ma wold teach thy people trewth of thy words as he is y hold by thy commandement of charity, he shal be forboden and put in prison gif he do it. And so Lord, thilke that haue the key of conning, haue y lockt the trewth of thy teaching viider many wardes, and yhid it from thy childi-en. But Lorde, sith thy teaching is jx'omc from heauen aboue, our hope is, that with thy grace it shall breaken these wardes, and show him to thy puple, to kele both the hunger and the thrust of the soule. And then shall no shep- heard, ner no false hiridman begile thy puple no more. For hy thy lawe I write, as thou ihightest" sometime, that fro the lest to the mest, all they shullen knowen thy will, and wcten' how they shullen please thee euev more in certaine.
And leue Lord, gif it be thy will helpc at this nede, for there is none helpe but in thee. Thus Lord, by hjm that makcth himselfe thy viker in earth, is thy connnaundement of loue to thee and om- brethren ybroken,both to him and to thy puple. But Lord God, mercy and patience that both tweyne* of thy commaundements, both destroyed, and thy puple hath forsake mercy. For Lord, Dauid in the Sauter saith : Blessed beth they that done dome and right- ftdness in euerich tynic.
(I) " Lescw," that is, pasture. (2) (4) " Bliuc," quickly. ;,)
A") " Wclen," know. (8)
lieth," that is, bee. (3) " Sweuens," that is, rireamea, ' Mest," most. [fi) " Ihightest," promised.
' Tweyne," that is, two.
OF THK AlUJSES OF TIIK WORLD. 737
O Lord, thou hast itaught vs as rightfuhies of hcaucn, and hast yhedeii vs Edward forgeuen our brethren as oft as tlicy trespassen against vs. And Lord, tliine olde ^^^- law of iustice was, that such harme as a man did his brother, sucli he should ,^ j^ suffer by the !awe, as eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth. But Christ made \-^qq
an cnde of this law, that one brother should not desire wrackc of an other : but — I 1.
not that he would that sinue should ben vnpunished, for thereto hath he or- dained kings and dukes and other lewd officers vnder them, whilke as Saint Paule saith, ne carien not the swerd in vaine, for they ben the ministers of God, and wrakers to wrath, to them that euil done. And thus hath Christ ymade an ende of this olde law, that one brother may not suen another himsclfe, for that* to wreken without sinne, for breaking of charitie. But this charitie Lord hath thy vicar ybroke, and says that we sinnen, but gif we suen for our right. And we see I wot that thou taughtest vs some time to giue our mantoll also, euer that we shoulden suen for our coate. And so Lord beleuen we, that we ben ybouuden to don by thy law, that is all charitie, and officers duty is to defenden vs from thilke theuery though we complainen not. But Lord, thy law is turned vpsedowne.
A Lord ! what dome is it to slean a theefe that take a mans cattel away from He com- liim, and sufFeren a spousebreaker to line, and a lecherour that killeth a womans ^Q^'p^.'^ soule ? And yet thy law stoned the spousebreakers and leachours, and let the nisliing tlieeues liuen and haue other punishment. _ fauUs
A Lord ! what dome is it to slean a thef'e for stealing of a horse and folef him ^„^ ,o i^^ Hue vnpunished, and to maintaine him that robbeth thy poore people of their great liuelod, and the soule of his food ? escape.
Lord, it was neuer thy dome to sayen, that a man is an hcretike and cursed jj. ^^ ^^^ for breaking of mans law, and demen him for a good man for breaking thine an heri-
liestes. breakeUi
Lord, what dome is it to curse a lewd man^ if he smite a priest, and not curse niajjgfaw, a priest that smiteth a lewde man and leeseth his charitie. what is
Lord, what dome is it to curse the lewd people for tythings, and not curse j|j^j^°P^ the parson that robbeth the people of tythings, and teacheth them not Gods breaketh law, but feedeth them with painting of stone wallcs, and songes of Latin that God^s^ the people knowen not ?
Lord, what dome is to punish the poore man for his trespasse, and suffer the rich to continue in his sinne for a quantitie of money ?
Lord, what dome is it to slayn an vncimning lewed man for his sinne, and suffer a priest, other a clearke that doth the same sin, scape aliue ? Lord the sinne of the priest or of the clearke is greater trespasse then it is of a lewd vncunning man, and greater ensample of wickednesse to the common people.
Lord, what nianer people be we, that neither keep thy domes and thy right- fiilnes of the olde testament that was a lawe of drede, nor thy domes and thy rightfulnes of thy new testament that is a law of loue and of mercy : but haue A-anst an other law, and taken out of both thy lawes that is liking to vs, and the rem- |^^. '''■'"°" nant of heathen mens lawes, and Lord this is a great mischiefe.
O Lord thou sayest in thy lawe, deme ye not and ye should not be demea : for the same mesure that yee meten to other men, men shall meten to you againeward. And Lord thou sayst that by their worke we should know them. And by that we know that thou commaunded vs not to demen mens thoughts, nor their works, that were not against thy lawe expresly. And yet Lord he The popes that sayth he is thy vicar, will demen our thoughts and aske vs what we thinke : ^^Jl^^^^^^ not of the Lord, of thy hestfs, for they caren little for them, but of him and of q^.'js' his whilke they set a'boue thine, and maken vs accusen our selfe, or else they lawe, in willen accursen vs, for our accusers mowen^ we not knowne. And Lord thou ^"^"'o^' saydest in thine old law, that vnder two witnes at the least or three, should stand acnifc euerv matter. And that the witnes shoulden euer be the first that shoulden tlien>- 11 1-11 seUu'9.
helpe to kil them.
And when the Scribes and the Pharises some tyme brought before thee a woman that was ytake in spousebreaking, and axeden of the a dome, thou didst write on the earth, and then thou gaue this dome : He that is without sinne, throw first at hev a etone, and Lord they went forth away from thee and the woman: and thou forgaue the woman her trespasse, and bad her goe forth and sinne no more.
(1) " For that," but. (2) " A lewd ma:i," a I.iy man. (3) •' Mowen," may.
VOL. II. 3 B
738
TIIK ri.Ol'CIIM AN S COMPLAINT
Eilif.ird III.
A.I).
Tlie
breaking
of tlic
|)0|>es
lawt-more
puni:>l\cd,
then the
breaking
of Gods
lawc.
Pilate more com- mended then the pope.
Th'> pope lireaV.eth p.V.ifncc.
Sweet Lorde, if the priestes tooke keepc ' to thy dome, they would he agast to demeii lueii a-s tliey done, i) Lord, if one of them breake a coniinaundenient of thy law, he will aske ineicy of thee, and not a peine that is due for the sinne, for ])eyne of death were too litle. O Lord, how daren they demen any man to the death for breaking of their lawes, other assent to such law? for breaking of thy law they will set men penainice or pardon them, and mantaine them as often as they trespassen. But Lord, if a man once breake iheir lawes or speake against them, hee may done penaunce but orice, and after he burnt. Trulveh Lord thou sayst, but if euerie of vs forgeue not other his trespasse, thy father will not forgeuen vs thou ])raiedst to thy fatjier to haue mercie on thy enemyes.
And yet they sain Lord, that they demen no man to the death, for they sain they ne mowen by their lawe demen any man to the death. A leeue Lord ! euen so saden their forfathers the Pharises, that it ne was not lawfull for them to kill anie man. And yet they bidden Pilate to done thee to the death against his owne conscience, for hee would gladly haue iquitte thee, hut for that the}' threatned him with the emperour and broughten against thee false witnes also. And he was an heathen man.
O Lord, how much truer dome was there in Pilate that was an heathen iustice, then in our kings and iustices that woulden demen to the death and heme in the fire him, that the priests deliueren vnto them withouten witnes or prefe ? For Pilate ne would not demen thee : for that the Phariseis sayden that gif thou ne haddest not bene a misdoer we ne would not deliuer him vnto thee : for to,^ they broughten in their false witnesses against thee. But Lord, as thou saidest sometime that it should ben lighter at domes day to Tyro and to Sydon and (lomorra, than to the cities wliere thou wrought wonders and myracles: so I dred, it shall be more light to Pilate in the dome, then to our kings and domes men that so demen without witnes and prefe. For Lord to demen thy folk for hereticks : is to holden thee an hereticke : and to brennen them, is to brennen thee, for thou saydest to Paul when he persecuted thy people : Saule, Saule, wherefore persecutest thou me, and in the dome thou shalt say, that ye haue done to the lest of mine, ye haue done to me.
Thus Lord, is thy mercy and iustice foredone by him that sayth he is thy vicar in earth : for he neither keepeth it himself, nor nill not suffer other to doe it.
The third commaundement, that is patience and sufferance is also ibroken by this vicar. Lord thou biddest sufferen both wrongs and strokes withouten againstanding, and so thou diddest thy selfe to geuen vs cnsample to sufferen of om- brethren. For suffering nourisheth loue, and againstandeth debate. All thy lawe is loue, or els the thing that draweth to loue.
But Lord, men teachen, that men shoulden pleten for their right and fighten also therefore, and els they seyn, men ben in pei-ill : and thou bid in the old law men fight for their countrey. And thy selfe haddest two swords in thy company when thou shouldest go to thy passion, that as these clerkes seyn, betokeneth a spirituall swurd and a temporall sword, that thou gaue to thy vicar to rule with, thy church.
Lord this is a sleight speech, but Lord we beleuen that thou art king of blissc, and that is thine heritage and mankindes countrey, and in this world we ne bene but straungcrs and pilgrimes. For thou Lord ne art of this world, ne thy lawe neither, ne thy true scruants that kcpen thy law. And Lord, thou were king of luda by inheritage if thou wouldest haue iliad it, but thou for- sooke it and pletcdest not therefore, ne fought not therefore.
But Lord, for thy kind heretage and mankindes countrey, that is a land of blisse, thou foughtest mightilich : In battaile thou ouercame thy enemie, and so thou wonne thine heretage. For thou that were a Lord mightiest in battail, and also Lord of vertues, are rightfullich king of blisse, as Dauid saieth in the Psalter. But Lord, thine enemie smote the despitefullich, and had power of thee and hang thee vpon the crosse as thou liadst ben a theefe, and benomyn thee all thy clothes, and slicked thee to the hart with a speare.
O Lord, this was an hard assault of a battaile, and here thou ouercome by ])acience mightilich thine enemies, for thou ne wouldest not done against the
(1) " Tooke kecpe," that Is, tookc licde.
(2) " For lo," that is, thereforo.
OF THE ABUSES OF THE WORLD. 739
wil of thy fatlicr. And tlms Lord thou tauglitest thy sc-ruantcs to fight for their Edu-ari country. And Lord tliis figliting was in figure itaught in the olde law. But ^IJ- Lord men holden now the sliadow of tlie old fighting and leuen the Hglit of thy fighting, that thou taughtest openhch hotli in word and in deede.
Lord thou gave vs a sword to fighten against our enemis for our country, that was thine holy teaching, and christen mens law. But Lord thy sword is put in a shethe and in priestcs ward, that haue forsake the fighting that thou taughtest. For as they seyn it is against their order to ben men of armes in thy battail, for it is vnsemelich, as they seyn, that thy vicar in earth, other his priests shulden suffer of other men. And therefore gif any man smyte him, christes other any of his clerkcs, he ne taketh it not in pacience, but anon he smiteth vicar with his sword of cursing, and afterward with his bodilich sword, he doth them p"ieJ{Jj!; to death. O Lord me thinketh that this is a fighting against kinde, and much will suffer against thy teaching. nothing.
O Lord whether axsedest thou after swerdes in time of thy passion to againe stond thine enemies ? nay forsooth thou Lorde. For Peter that smote for great loue of thee, had no great thanke of thee, for his smiting. And Lorde thou were mightie ynough to haue again stond thine enemies, for throgh thy .ooking they fellen downe to the ground. Lord yblessed mote thou be. Here thou teachest vs that we shoulden sufli-en : For thou were mightie ynow to haue agaynstande thine enemies, and thou haddest wepen, and thy men weren hartie to haue smitten.
O sweet Lord, how may he for shame clepen him selfe thy vicar and head of the church, that may not for shame suffer? Sifhe thou art a Lord, and suffer- edst of thy subjects, to giuen us ensample, and so did thy true seruantes.
O Lord, whether gene thou to Peter a spirituall swerd to cursse and a tcm- no tem- poral swerd to sle mens bodies ? Lord I trowe not, for then Peter that loued porali •ihee so much, wold haue smit with thy swerds : but Lord, he taught vs to Vlnen to blessen them that cursen vs, and suffi-en, and not smiten. And Lord he fed thy Peter, people a? thou bed him, and therefore he suffred the death as thou didst.
O Lord, why clepeth any man him Peters successor that hath forsaken patience, and feedeth thy people with cursing and with smiting? Lord thou saydest in thy gospell, when thy disciples knewen well that thou were Christ, and that thou mustest goe to Jerusalem, and sufferen of the Scribes and Phari- ses, spittings, reprofes, and also the death. And Peter tooke thee aside, and saide, God forbidde that. And Lord thou saydest to Peter, goe behinde me Sathanas, thou sclaunderest me in Israel. For thou ne sauorest not thilke things ' that ben of God, but thilke tiiat ben of men. Lord to mens wit it is vnrea- sonable, that thou or thy vicar, gif thou madest any on earth, shoulden sufFren of )-our suggetes.
A Lord ! whether thou ordeynest an order of fighters to turn men to the Faith beliefe? Other ordeinest that knightes shoulden sweare to fight for thy wordes? conMneth A Lord ! whether bede thou, that gif a man tiu-ne to the faith that he should "utward peue his goods and cattel to thy vicar that hath great lordships, and more then force. him needeth ? Lord I wote well that in the beginning of the church men that weren conuerted, threwen adown their goods afore the apostles feet ; for al they weren in charitie, and none of them said this is mine, ne Peter made himselfe no lord of these goods.
But Lord, now he that clepeth hiinselfe thy vicar ^'pon earth, and successor to p^ Peter, hath ybroke thy commaundment of charitie, for he is become a lorde. breaketh And hee hath also broken thy commaundement of mercy, and also of patience, "i*" "''f Thus Lord we be fallen into great mischiefe and thraldome, for our chief- tie, of tayne hath forsaken war and armes, and hath treated to haue peace with our mercy, enemies. paUe^nce.
A Lord ! gif it be thy wil, draw out thy swerd out of his shethe, that thy ser- uants may fight therewith against their enemies, and put cowardise out of our harts : and comfort us in battail, or than ^ thou come with thy swerd in thy mouth, to take vengeance on thyne enemies. For gif we bene accorded with our enemies til that time come, it is dread least thou take vengeaunce both of them and of vs together. A J^orde ! there is no heljje now in this great mischiefe, but onelych in thee.
Lord, thou gcuest vs a commandement of trutli, in bidding vs say yea yea,
(1) " Thilk things," those tliiiiges. (2) " Or than," bcforr that.
3 B 2
740 TIIK I'l.OrGHMAX's COMPLAINT
Edward nay nay, and swcarc for nothing. 'JMiou gene vs also a mainulenient of mecke-
'^'- nes, and anotlier of jjoorciu-s. But Lord lie tliat clepeth hiniselfe thy vicar on
. y. earth, liath ybroken both these coniniandinents, for he maketh a law to compel
l^Go' '"'"" ^° sweare, and by his lawes he teachcth that a man to sane his life, may
1 L. forsweare and Ivc. And so Lord, through comfort of liim and his lawes, the
The I'ope people ne dreadeth not to sweare and to lye, ne oft times to forswearen them, breakeiii Lord here is lyttle truth.
iw't-arTn"[ ^^ Lord, thou hast yhrought vs to a lining of soules that standes in belceuing "' in thee, and kepyng thy hestes, and when we breaken thyne hestes, then we slen our soule : and lesse liarme it were to suffer bodilich death.
Lord, king Sanle brake tliine hestes, and thou took his kingdome from liis heires euermore after him, and gaue it to Uauid thy seruaunt, that kept thine hestes. And tliou saydst by Samnell thy prophet to Saule the king, that it is a maner of worshijjjiing of ftUse gods to breake thy hestes. For who that loneth thee oner al things, and drcadeth thee also: hee nole' for nothing break thine liestes.
O Lord, gif breaking of thine hestes be herying of false gods, I trow that he that maketh the people breake thine hestes, and commaundeth that his liestes ben kept of the ])eoj)le, maketh himself a false god on earth : as Nabuchodonosor did sometime : that was king of Babilon.
But Lord, we forsaken such false gods, and beleuen that ther ne ben no mo gods then thou : and though thou sutler vs a while to bene in disease for know- ledging of thee: we thanken thee with our hart, for it is a token that thou louest vs, to giuen vs in this world some pcnaunce for our trespas.
Lord, in the old law, thy true seruantes tooke the death, for they would not
eaten swynes flesh that thou haddest forbidde them to eate. O Lord, what
truth is in vs to eaten vncleen mete of the soul, that thou liast forbid ? Lord
thou sayst, he that doth sinne is seruant of sinne, and tlien he that lyeth in
forswearing liim selfe, is seruant of lesing : and then he is seniant to the deuil,
that is a Iyer and fatlier of lesinges. And Lorde thou sayest, no man may serne
two lords at ones. O Lord then euery Iyer for the time that he lyeth, other
forswearetli liim selfe, and forsaketh thy seniice for drede of his bodily death,
becommeth the dcuils seniant.
Beniant () Lord, what truetli is in him that clepeth himselfe seniant of tliy seriiants,
1*311^11 ^"'^ '" '^'^ 'loing, hcc maketh him a lord of thy seniants : Lord, thou were both
popes' Lord and niaister, and so thou said thy selfe, but yet in thy warkes thou were
'•'''«' as a semaunt. Lord this was a great trueth and a great meeknes: hut Lord
" '"''^' ■ bid thou thy seruauntes that they shoulde not haue lordship ouer their brethren ?
Lord thou saidst kings of the heathen men han lordship ouer their subiects,
and they that vse their power be cleped well doers.
But Lord, thou saidst it should not be so amongest thy seniaunts. But he that were most should be as a scniaunt. Thou Lord, thou taughtest thy dis- ciples to be nieeke. Lord in the old law thy seruaunts durst haue no lordshij) of theyr brethren, hut if that thou bid them. And yet they shoulde not doe to their brethren as they did to tlirailcs- that serued them. But they should doe to their brethren that were their seruauntes as to their owne brethren. For all they were Abrahams children. And at a ccrtaine time they shoulde let their brethren passe from them, in all freedom, but if they would wilfullich abidcn still in seniice.
0 Lord thou gaue vs in thy comming a law of perfect loue, and in token of loue thou clepedst thy selfe our brother. And to make vs perfect in loue, thou bid that we should clepe to vs no father vpon earth, but thy father of heauen wee should clepe our father. Alas Lord, how violently our brethren and thy children ben now put in bodily thraldom, and in desjiite as beasts euermore in greeuous trauell to find jiroud men in ease : But Lord, if we take this defoule and this disease in patience and in meekenes and kepe thine bests, we hope to be free. And Lord gene our brethren grace to come out of thraldom of sin, that they be fall in through the desiring and vsage of lordship vpon their brethren. I'ritie rf And Lord thy j)riests in the old law had no lordships among their brethren, jiriestb |3„{ lioiises and pastures for their beasts : but liOrd, our priests now haue great lordshijis, and put their brethren in greater thraldom then lewd men that be lords. Thus is meekenesse forsaken,
(1) " Nole," would not. (2) " Thrailes," tiiat is to say, boiulraen.
OF TIIK ABL3KS OK THE WOllLU. T41
Lord thou biddcst in the gospel that when a man is bid to the feast he Eduard should sit in the lowest place, and then he may be set hyer with worship when _j^_!__ the lord of the feast beholdeth how his guests sitteth. Lord it is drede that they ^_ j)_ that sit now in the highest place should be bidde, in time comming, sit beneath : i^qq".
and that will be shanie and vilenie for them. And it is thy saying, those that -
hyeth himselfe sliould be lowed, and those that loweth themselues should be an heyghed. O Lord thou biddest in thy gospel to beware of the Pharisies, for it is a point of pride contrary to mekenes. And Lord thou sayst that they loue the iirst sittinges at supi)er, and also the principall chaires in churches, and greetings in clicping and to be clcped maisters of men. And Lord thou sayst be ye not cleped maisters, for one is your maister, and that is Christ, and all ye be brethren. And depe ye to you no father vpon eai-th, for one is your father that is in heauen. O Lord this is a blessed lesson to teach men to be meke.
But Lord he that clepeth himselfe thy vikar on earth, he clepeth himselfe Meeknes father of fathers against thy forbidding. And all those worships thou hast ni^ded forbad. He approueth them, and maketh them maisters to many, that teach in mines- thy people their own teaching, and leaue thy teaching that is nedefidl, and \^,^J^^ .^^ hiden it by quaint gloses from tliy lewd people, and feede thy people with garth iK.t sweuensi tliat they mete, and tales that doth litle profite, but nmch harme to the tolleraida people. But Lord, these glosers obiect that they desire not the state of mastry p"pg'^ to be worshipped therby, but to profit the more to thy people when they preach thy word. For as they seggen the people will beleue more the preaching of a maister that hath taken a state of schole, then the preaching of another man that hath not taken the state of maistry.
Lord whether it be any nede that maisters beren witnesse to thy teaching that it is true and good ? O Lord whether may any maister now by his estate of maisterie, that thou hast forboden, drawe any man from his sinne, rather than an other nran that is not a maister, ne wole be none, for it is forbodden him in thy gospel I Lord thou sendest to maysters to preach thy people, and thou knowledgist in the gospel to thy father that he hath hid his wisedome from wise men and redy men, and shewed it to litle children. And Lord, maisters of the law hylden thy teaching folly, and saiden that thou wouldest destroy the people with thy teaching. Trulich Lord, so these maisters seggeth now : Master- . for they liaue written many books against thy teaching that is trueth, and so i^^'^'^fj ■',',' the prophecie of Hieremie is ftdfiUed, when he saitli : Truelich the false points of in preach the maisters of the law hath wrought lesing. And now is the time come that ers. S. Paul speaketh of, where hee saith : Time shall come when men shall not susteine wholesome teaching. But they shuUen gather to hepe maisters with hutching eares, and from trueth they shullen turnen away their hearing, and tiu-nen them to tales that maisters haue maked to showne their maistrye and their wisedome.
And Lord a man shall beleue more a mans workes then his words, and the dede sheweth well of these maisters that they desiren more maistrie for their owne worship than for prolite of the people. For when they be maisters, they nc prechen not so oft as tliey did before. And gif they preachen, commonlich it is before rich men there as they mowen beare worship and also profit of their preaching. But before poore men they prechen but seldem, when they ben maisters : and so by their works we may scene that they ben false glosers.
And Lord, me thinketh that who so wole keepen thine bests him needeth no gloses : but thilke that clepen them selfe christen men, and lyuen against thy teaching and thine hestes needelich they mote glose thine hestes after their False lining, other else men shulden openUch yknow their hypocrisie and their falshod. s'osirs.
But Lord, thou sayst that there is nothing yhid that shal not be shewed some time. And Lord yblessed mote thou be. For somewhat thou shewest vs now of our mischiefes that we ben fallen in through the wisedomes of mays- ters, that haue by sleightes ylad vs away from thee and thy teaching, that thou that were the maister of heauen taught vs for loue, when thou were here some time to heale of our soules, withouten error or heresie. But maisters of worldes wisedome and their founder, haue ydamned it for heresie and for errour.
O Lord, me thinketh it is a great pride thus to reproue thy wisedome and thy teaching. And Lord me thinketh that this Nabugodonosor king of Babi- lon that thus hath reproued thy teaching and thine bests, and comm:uulcth on
(I) '' Swcueiis," that is, dreanies.
742
THK I'l.OUGHMAN S COMPLAINT
Edirnrd III.
A.D.
l.iOO.
Pouertie of Christ not folov.ed.
Pouertie counted folly.
God Is serucd nf the worst.
A lesson for the that have goods well to spend thcni.
all wise to krpcn his hosts : makcn thy people hearen him as a God on earth, and makcfli thoni liis thralcs and his seniantes.
But Lord, we lewd men knowen no God but thee, and we with thine helpe and thy grace tbrjaken Nabugodonosor and his lawes. For he in his proud estate wolc haue al men vnder him, and he nele ' be vnder no man. He ondoth thy lawes that thou ordaynest to ben kept, and makcth his own lawes as him liketh : and so he maketh him king aboue al other kings of the earth, and maketh men to worshippen him as a god, and thy great sacriiice he hath ydone away.
O Lord, here is thy conimaundment of meekenes, mischiflich to broke : and thy blessed conunaundement of poorenes is also to broken, and yhid froin thy
Eeople. Lord, Zacharie thy prophet saith, that thou that shouldest ben our ing, shouldest bene a poore man, and so thou were : for thou saydcst thy selfe, Foxes haue dens, and birdes of heauen nestes, and mans sonne hath not where to leggc his head on. And thou saydest yblessed ben poore men in spirit, for thy kingdome of heauen is theiren. And woe to riche men, for they han their comfort in this world. And thou bade thy disciples to ben ware of all covietise, for thou saydest, in the abundance of a mans hauing, ne is not his lifclodc. And so thou teachest that thilke that han more then them needeth to their lining liuen in couetise. Also thou saiest, but gif a man forsake al thinges that he oweth, he ne may not ben thy disciple. Lord, thou sayest also that thy word that is sown in rich mens harts, bringetli forth no fruit : for riches and the biisinesse of this world maken it withoutcn fruit.
O Lord, here bene many blessed teachinges to teach men to bene pore, and loue porenesse. But Lord harm is, poore men and poorenes ben yhated, and rich men ben yloved and honored. And gif a man be a poore man, men holden him a man without grace, and gif a man dcsireth poorenesse, men holdcn him but a foole. And if a man be a rich man, men clepen him a gra- tious man, and thilke that bene busy in getting of riches : ben yhold wise men and ready : but Lord these rich men sayen that it is both lefid and needful to them to gather richesse togither. For they ne gathereth it for themselfe, but for other men that ben needj', and Lord their workes shewen the truth. For if a poore needy man would borowen of their riches, he nele 2 lean him none ol his good, but gif he mow be seker to haue it again by a certeine day.
But Lord, thou bede that a man should lend, and not hoping yelding againe of him that hce lendeth to : and thy father of heauen wol quite him his mede. And gif a poore aske a rich man any good, the rich man will giue him but a litle, and yet it shall be httle worth. And Lord me thinketh that here is little lone and charitie, both to God and to om- bretliren.
For Lord, tliou teachest in thy gospell, that what men doe to thy seruauntes, they done to thee. A Lord ! gif a poore man axe good for thy loue, men geuetli him a litle of the wurst. For these rich men ordeinen both bread and ale for Gods men of the wurst that they haue. O Lord, syth al the good that men have commeth of thee : how dare any man gene thee of the wurst, and kepe to him- selfe the best? Howe may such men say that they gatheren riches for others need, as wel as himselfe, sith theyr works ben contrary to their words? And that is no gi-eat truth. And be ye seker these goods that rich men han, they ben Gods goods, ytake to your keeping, to loke how ye wolen be setten them to the worshipping of God. And I^ord, thou sayest in the gospel, that who so is true in little, he is true in that thing that is more : and who that is false in a little thing, who wolc taken him toward things of a greater value ? And there- fore, be ye ware that han Gods goods to keepe. Spend yee thilke trulich to the worship of God, least ye leesen the blisse of Vieauen, for the vntruc dis- pending of (iods goods in this world.
O Lord, these rich men scggeU'' that they don much for thy loue. For many poore labourers ben yfotuid by them, that shoulden fare fel)elich, ne were not they aiid their rcadincsse : forsooth me thinketh th.at poor labourers geucth to these rich men, more then they giuen them agaynward. For the pocre men mote gone to his labovu- in cold and in heate, in wete and dry, and spend his flesh and his bloud in the rich mens works, vpon Gods ground, to find the rich man in case, and in liking, and in good fare of mcate, and of drink, and of clothing. l^eere is a great gift of the poore man, for he giueth his owne body. But what giucth the rjche man him agaynward ? Certes feable meat, and feable drink,
(1) ' Kcle," that is, will net.
(2) Ibid.
(3) " St't'gen," that is, do say.
seruamit vpoii
OF Tin: AmsKS of the would. 743
and feablc clothing. Wliateucr they seggcn, sucli be tlieir werks, and licre is Edward litle loue. And wliosoeuer looketh well about, all the worlde farcth thus as we -"^■ seggen. And all men studieth on eucry syde, how they may wcx rich men. ~A~~n~ And euerich man almost is a shamed to ben holden a poore man. \un
And Lord, I trow for tliou were a poore man, men token litle regarde to — '. L
thee, and to thy teaching. But Lord thou came to geue vs a new testament of loue, and therefore it was semelich that thou came in poorenes, to prone who wold loue thee, and kepen thyne bests. For gif thou haddest ycome in forme Tlie po- of a rich man and of a lord, men wold rather for thy dread then for thy loue, ^"'.v °f haue ykept thine bests. And so Lord now thou might wel ysee which louen rij,i,Hy thee as they should in keeping thine hestes. For who that loueth thee in thy consi- poorenes and in thy lownes, needes lie mote loue thee in thy lordship and '^'•*'^''''^- thy highnesse.
But Lord, the worlde is turned vpse downe, and men loue poore men but a litle ne poorenes neither. But men be ashamed of poorenes, and therefore Lord, I trow tliat thou art a jxjore kyng. And therefore I trow that he that a poore clepeth himself thy vicare on earth, hath forsaken poorenes, as he hatli do the king, and renmaunt of thy law : and is become a rich man and a lord, and maketh his uj'J^r'Jio^ treasiu-e vpon the earth that thou forbiddest in the gospel. And for his right ioyne and riches he will plete, and fight, and curse. And yet Lord, he will segge J'*';^,'^,'"" that bee forsaketh all thyngs that he oweth, as thy true disciple mete done after ^'' thy teaching in the gospel.
But Lord thou ne taughtest not a man to forsaken his goods and plete for them, Christ a
and light, and ciu-se. And Lord bee taketh on him power to assoyle a man of ""
all maner things, but if it be of dette. Truely Lord, me thinketh he knoweth earth
litle of charitie. For who that beth in charitie, possesseth thy goodes in '^ ''."''^
common and not in proper at his neighbours nede. And then shall there none ,,., '
^ ., 1 • • ^ 1 ■ • * 1 1 ,-, 1 , . llie pope
ot tliem segge this is myne, but it is goods that Ciod graunteth to vs to spenden it for l]is
to his worship. And so if anie of them borroweth a porcion of tliose goods, and ijfe'litand dispendeth them to Gods worship : God is apayed of this spending, and aloweth „,'j]j'^ him for his true doing : And if God is a payed of that dispending that is the princi- pieaii, pal lord of those goods, how dare any of his seniants axen thereof accounts, other 'j^''" ^'"^ challenge it for dette/ Serteii, of one thing I am incerteine, that these tluit charge so much dette of worldly cattell, they know litle of Christes law of charitie. For if Icli am a bayly of Gods goodes in the world, if I see my brother in nede, I am hold by charity to part with him of these goodes to his nede : and if he spendeth them well to the worship of God, I mote be well apayd as though I my selfe had spended them to the worship of God. And if the prin- cipal! Lord is well payed of my brothers doing, and the dispendyng of his goodes : how may I segge for shame that my brother is dettour to me, of the goodes that I tooke him to spende in Gods worship at his nede ? And if Propri- my brother spendeth amisse the goodes that I take him, I am discharged of my ^'i*^ "' deliuerance of the goodes, if I take him in charity thilk goodes at his nede. And here, is I am hold to be sorie of his euill dispending, ne I may not axen the goodes, ""t taken that I tooke him to his nede in forme of dette, for at his neede they were his ci^a^i^je as well as mine. And thus is my brother yholde to done to me gif he see me is re- in nede, and gif we bene in charitie, litle should we chargen of dette. And ?","^'','l '." ne we shold not axen so dettes, as men that knowen not God. And than we needuof be poore in forsaking all thinges that we owen : for gif we ben in charitie, we our woUen nother fight nor curse, ne plete for our goods with our brethren. hour'
O Lord thus thou taughtest thy seruauntes to lyuen. And so they lyucden while they hadden good shepheards, that feddeii thy sheepe and robbed them not of their lifelode, as Peter thy good shepheavd and thy other apostles. But Lord, he that clepeth himselfe thy vicar vpon earth and successour to Peter : he robbeth thy puple of their bodylich lyfelode, for he ordeneth proud shepherds to lyuen in ese by the tenth party of poore mens trauell. And he giueth them Icue to lyuen where them lyketh. And gif men no wolen wilfuUich genen them the tithinges, they wolen ban them against their will by maystery and by cursing, to maken them rich. -jlie .,ppc
Lord, how may any man segge that such shcphcrdes that louen more the Avolle a main- then the sheepe, and feden not thv sheep in body ne in soul, ne ben such |pJ "•"'' "'
11 o » 1 1 11 • /• 1 "leeucs
rauenours and theeues r And who may segge that tlic maintaynour ot such and rob-
slicphcards, ne is not a maintcnour of theeues and robbers? How wole bee bcrs.

744
THK ri-OI'CII.MAX S COMPI.AIXT
EdwOTd III.
A.U. i;j60.
Christ a pood shepc- lieard in deede.
Cora pari sou be- tween the popes •hcep- herdii and Christ.
Wolues in lambe- ckins de- scribed.
He com- plaineth against tiie \-aIi- ant be- gerc the friers.
as.-oile shepherds of their robliiiig without restitution of their eoods, that thev robben thy shcepc of against their will .' Lord, of all .shepherds, blessed mote thou be. For thou louedst more the slieepe then their wole. For thou feedest thy sheepe both in body and soule. And for loue of thy sheepe thou tooke thy death to bring thy sheepe out of wolues mouthes. And the most charge that thou gone to Peter was to feede thy sheepe. And so he did truelich, and tooke the deathe for thee and for thy sheepe. For he came into the fold of sheepe by thee that were the dore. And so I trow a few other did as he did, though they clepen theniself successours to Peter, for their works showen what they ben. For tliey robben and sleen and destroyen : they robben thy sheepe of tlie tenth i)art of their trauell, and feden them self in ease. They sleen thy sheepe, for they pyenen them for hunger of their soid to the death. They destroyen tlie slieej)e, for with might and with sternship tliey nden thy slieepe : that for dred they ben dispcarsed abrode in mountaines, and there the wulde beastes of the field destroieth them *and^ devoureth them* for defaidt of a good shepheard.
•O Lord, gif it be thy will deliuer thy sheepe out of such shej)heardes ward that retcheth not of thy sheepe, they han their woUe to make themselfe riche. For thy sheepe ben in great mischiefe, and foule accombred with their shepheardes.
But for^ thy shepheardes vvolden ben excused, they haue ygetten them hyred men to feed thy people, and these comen in sheepes clothing. But dredles, their workes shewen that within forth* they ben but wolfes. For han they their hyre, they ne retcheth but a little howe sorilich thy sheepe ben kept. For as they seggen themselfe, they ben but hyred men that han no charge of tliy sheepe. And when they shulden feden thy sheepe in the plenteous lesewe* of thy teaching, they stonden betweene them and their lesewe, so that thy sheepe ne han but a sight of thy lesewe, but eaten they shall not thereof. But they feden them in a sorry sowre lesewe of lesinges and of tales. And so thy sheepe fallen into greeuous sicknes through this euill lesewe. And gif any sheepe breake ouer into thy lesewe to fasten the sweetnesse thereof, anon these hj-red men driue him out with houndes. And thus thy sheepe by these hyred men, ben ykept out of tlieir kindlich lesewe, and ben yfed with soure grasse and sory baren lesewe. And yet they feden but seldome, and when they han sorilich fed them, they taken great hyre, and gone away from thy sheepe and letten them a worth.
And for dread least thy sheepe wolden in their absence go to thy sweet lesew, they lian enclosed it all about so stronglich and so high, that there may no sheepe comen there within, but gif it be a Walisch leper* of the mountaines that may witli liis long legges lepen ouer the wallys. For the hyrid men ben full certain, that gif thj' sheepe had ones ytasted the sweetnesse of thy lesewe: the}' lie woulde no more bene yfed of these hyred men in their sowre lesews, and therefore these hyred men keepen them out of that lesewe. For hadcn the sheepe ones ytasted well of that lesew, they woulden without a leder go thider to their mete, and then mote these hyred men sechcn them another labour to line by than keping of sheepe. And they ben fell and ware ynowe thereof, and therefore they feden thy sheepe with some meate that naught is, and liiden from tliy sheepe the sweetnesse of thy lesewe. And so though these hyred men gone in sheepes clothing, in their works they ben wolues, that much harme done to thy sheepe as wee haue ytold.
() Lord, they comen as sheepe, for they seggen that they ben poore and haue forsaken the world to liuen parfctlich as thou taughtest in the gospel. Lord this is sheeps clothing. But Lord thou ne taughtest not a man to for- saken tlie trauelous lining in poorenesse in the world, to liuen in ese with riches by otiier mens trauell, and haue lordship on their brethren. For Lord, this is more to forsaken thee and go to the world.
O Lord thou ne taughtest not a man to forsake the world to liuen in poore- nesse of begging by other mens trauell that bene as feble as they ben. Ne Lord thou ne tauglitest not a man to liuen in poorenesse of begging, that were strong inougli to travayle for his lifelodc. Ne Lord thou ne taughtest not a man to ben a begger to begge of men more then him needeth, to build great casHes and make great feasts to thilke that han no need.
(1) From the scrond Edition of 1570, p. 500.— Ed \3) " VVitliin fortli," inwardly. (4) " Lesewe."
pasture.
(2) " But for," but because. (5) " A Welch Icaper."
OF THE ABUSES OF THE WORLD. 745
O Lord thou ne taughtest not men tliis poorenesse, for it is out of charitie. Edward
But thy poorenesse that tliou taviglitest, norisheth charitie. Lord, sitli Paul i^I-
sayth, that hee that forsaketh the charge of thillie tluit hen liomelicli' with him, . y.
hath forsaken his faith, and is worse than a misbeleued mannc : how then now lopn*
these men scggen tliat they beleuen in Christ, that lum forsake their poore L
feeble friends, and let them line in trauell and in disese, that trauelled full
sore for them, wlien they weren yong and vnmiglity to helpen them self?
And they wolen hue in ease by other mens traueil euermore begging withouten
shame. Lord thou ne taughtest not this maner poorenes, for it is out of charitie.
And all thy law is charitie and thing that nourisheth chaiitie : and these
hyrdmen, these shepheards send about, to keep thy shepe and to feden them
other whiles in sorrye bareyne lesewes. Lord thou ne madest none such Wilfull
shepheai'ds, ne keepers of thy sheep that *wcreni ireners about countries and ^^J,'^"^''^
wolden oder ones twyes a yere -'* feed sorylich thy shepe, and for so litle trauel
taken a great hire, and sithen all the yeare afterward, doe what them liketh,
and let thy shepe perish for defaut of keping.
But thy shepheards abiden still with their sheepe, and feeden them in tliy
plenteous lesewe of tliy teaching, and gone byfore thy shepe, and teachen
them the way into the plenteous and sweet lesewe, and keepen thy flocke from
rauening of the wild beastes of the field.
O Lord deliuer thy sheepe out of the ward of these shepheards, and these The pro
hyred men, that stonden more to keepe their riches that they robben of thy pertie of
sheep, than they stonden in keping of thy sheepe. fhep-
O Lorde when thou come to lerusalem, sometime thou droue out of the heards.
temple, sellers of beastes and of other chafR-e, and saydest : Mine house shoulden
ben cleped an house of prayers, but they maden a den of theeues of it. O
Lorde, thou art the temple in whom we shoulden prayen thy father of heauen.
And Salomon's temple that was ybelded at lerusalem, was figure of this temple.
But Lord, he that clepeth himself thy vicar vppon earth, and sayth that he
occupieth thy place here on earth, is become a chapman in thy temple, and The pope
hath his chapmen walking in diuers countreys to sellen his chafFare, and to maken ** ^ '^^3P-
him i"ich. And he saith, thou gaue him so great a power abouen all other Gods'
men, that what euer he bindeth other vnljindeth in earth, thou bindest other temple
vnbindest the same in heauen. And so of great power he selleth other men
forgiuenesse of their sinne. And for much money hee will assoylen a man so
cleane of his sinne, that he behoteth* men the blesse of heauen withouten any
pain after that they be dead, that giuen him much money.
Bishoprickes and cherches, and such other chaffares he selleth also for mony,
and maketh hiniselfe rich. And thus he beguiled the puple.
O Lord lesu, here is much vntruth, and mischiefe, and matter of sorrow. Note good
Lord thou saidest sometime, that thou wouldest be with thy seruaunts vnto the reader if
end of the world. And thou saydest also, there as twejnie or three byn ygadred y^l^^^l ^
to gedder in thy name, that thou art in the niidle of t!iem. A Lord ! then it or 3 be
was no need to thee to maken a liefetenant, sith thou wolte be euermore amonsst gat'^^^red ,1 ^ ° m hi3
thy seruaunts. name,
Lorde, thou axedst of thy disciples, who they trowed that thou were. And ^''at Peter aunswered and saide, that thou art Christ God's sonne. And thou "^gj^o^fa saydest to Peter, Thou art ybjessed Symon Bariona, for fleshe and hloud ne lieuete- showed not this to thee, but my father that is in heauen. And I say to thee "''"'• that thou art Peter, and v'ppon this stone ych wolde bylde my churche, and the "^h^ place gates of hell ne shullen not auailen agens it. to Pete i-
And to thee jch wole geue the keyes of heauen, and what euer thou bindest >" k' yes, vpon earth shal be bound in heauen, and what euer thou vnbyndest on earth, g^'*""" shall be vnbounden in heauen. This power also was graunten vnto the other disciples as well as to Peter, as the gospell openlich telleth. In this place men seggen that thou graunted to Peters successors, the selue power that thou gaue to Peter. And therefore the bishop of Rome, that sayth he is Peters successour, taketh this power to him to bynden and vnbynden in earth what him liketh. But Lorde, ych haue nuicli wonder how he may for shame clepen himself Peters successour. For Peter knowledged that thou were Christ and God, and kept the hestes of thy lawe : but these ban forsaken the hestes of thy law, and hath ymaked a lawe contrary to thjne hestes of thy lawe. And so
'I) " Homelich,' of liis householde. (2) See Edition 1570.— Ed. (3) " Behoteth," promiseth.
746 Till". ri.oitiiiM.w's coMri.AixT
EiUrnrd hcc niiikcd himself a false Clnist and a false God in earth. And I trowc tlioii '''• gaiio iiiuj no power to vndoe Uiy lawe. And so in taking this power vppon hin!, . ,-v niakelli him a false Christ and Antichrirst.
- ■ ■ For who may be more agens Christ, than he that in his words maketh hiin- selfe Christes vicar in earth : and in his werkcs vndoth the ordinaunce of The pope Christ, and maketh men hyleuen that it is needfidl to the heale of niannes FaTse "An"- so'il'"''. to byleuen that he is Christes vicar in earth ? And what cuer he ticiiri.stiii bvnddh in earth is ybounden in heauen, and viider this colour hee vndoth farth. Chri/^tes lawe, and maketh men alwaies to kepcn his law and hestes, Thepopes And thus men may yseene that he is agenst Christ, and thed'ore he is Ante- abboin- ehrist that maketh men worshupen him as a (iou on earth, as the proud king dcscriv" Nabugodonosor did sometime, that was king of Babylon. And therefore wee cd. lewed nienne that knowen no God but thee lesu Christ, beleuen in thee that
art our God, and our King, and our Christ, and thy lawes. And forsaken Anti- christ and Nabugodonosor that is a false God and a false Christ, and his lawes that ben contrary to thy preaching.
And Lorde strength thou vs agenst our enemies. For they ben about to maken vs forsaken thee and thy law, other else to putten vs to death.
O Lorde, onelich in thee is om- tmst to helpe vs in this mischiefe, for thy great goodnesse that is withouten end.
Lord thou ne taughtest not thy disciples to assoylcn men of their sinne, and setten them a penaimce for tluir sin, in fasting ne in praying, ne other almous dede : ne tliy selfe, ne thy disciples, vseden no such power here on earth. For Lord, thou forgeue men their sinnes, and bede hem sin no more. And th)' dis- ciples fidlcden' men in thy name, in forgiuenesse of her sins. Nor they took no such power vpon them a.s our priestes dare now. And Lord, thou ne assoyledest no man both of his sinne and of his peyne, that was due for his sinne, ne thou grauntedst no man such power here on earth. Purgato- And Lord me thinketli that gif there were a purgatorie, and any earth- ''*■ lich man had power to deliueren sinful men from the peynes of purgatory, he
should and he were in charitie, sauen euerich man that were in way of saluta- tion from thilke peynes, sith they make them greater then any bodilyche peynes of this world. Also gif the bishop of Rome had such a power, he himselfe shoidd neuer comen in purgatory ne in hell. And sith we see well that he ne hath no power to keepen himselfe ne other men nother out of these bodilich peynes of the world, and he may goe to hell for his sinne as an other man may : I ne byleuc not, that he hath so great a power to assoylen men of their sin as he taketh vpon him abouen all other men. And I trow that in this he hygheth him selfe aboue God. Selling of As touching the selling of bishopricks and personages, I ti-ow it be a point of bishop- fdlsehed. For agenst Ciods ordinance hee rohbeth poore men of a porcion of and be- their sustenance, and selleth it, other giueth it, to hnd proud men in idlenes iirtites. that don the lewd puple little profite, but much harme as we told before. Thus ben thy commaundements of truth, of meekenesse, and of poovnesse, vndon by him that clepeth himselfe thy vicar here vpon earth.
A Lord ! thou gaue vs a commaundement of chastite, that is, a forsaking of fleschlich lustes. For thou broughtest vs to a lining of soule that is ygouerned Mariage. by the word. For Lord, thou ordeinedist women more frele than man to ben ygouerned by mans rule, and his helpe, to please thee and keep thine hestes. Ne thou ne ordainedist that a man should desire the company of a woman, and maken her his wife, to liuen with her in his lustis, as a swine doth or a horse. And his wife ne iike him not to his lustes, Lorde thyu ne gaue not a man leaue to departen him from his wife, and taken him another.
But Lord, thy mariage is a common accord betweene man and woman, to liuen togitlier to their lines end, and in thy seruice eyther the better for others lulpe, aiul thilke that ben thus ycome together, bene ioyned by thee, and thilke that God ioineth, may no man depart. But Lord, thou sayst that gif a man see a woman to coueten her, than lie doth with the woman lecherye hi his hart. And so Lord, gif a man desire his wife in couetise of such lustes, and not to fly from whoredomc, his wcddins is lechery, ne thou ne ioynest them not toge- how'*o" f • 'f^>"s ^^'^s Riigncls daughter ywedded to seuen husbandes that the deuill tnarrye. instrangled. But Toby tookc her to line with her in clennes, and bringing vjt
(1) " FuUcden," Ihat is, baptised.
OF THE ABUSES OF THE WOULD. 747
:if her children in thy worship, and on him tlie deuill ne had no power. For Edward the wedding was yniaked in God, for God, and thi-ough God. m
A Lord, the people is farre ygo from thys maner of wedding. For now men wedden their wiues for faircnes, other for riches, or some sucn other fleshlich A. 1). lusts. And Lord, so it preueth by them for the most part. For a man shall ^•''^''^- not finde two wedded in a land, where the husband loues the \vife, and the wife is buxum to the man, as they shoulden after thy law of marriage. But other the man loucs not his wife, or the wife is not buxum to her man. And thus Lord is the rule of prefo, that neucr fayleth no preue whether it be done by thee or no. And Lord, all this mischiefe is common among thy people, for that they know not thy word, but their shepheards and hyred men fedden them with their sweuens ' and leasings. And Lord, where they shoulden gon before vs in the field, they seggen their order is so holy for thy marriage. And Lord, he that calleth himself thy vicar vpon earth, will not sufFren priests to taken them wyues, for tliat is against his law : but Lord, he will dispensen with them to kepen horen for a certaine somme of mony. And Lord, all horedome is forfended in thy lawe. And Lord, thou neuer forfendest priests their wiues, priests ner thy apostles neither. And well I wote in our land, priestes hadden wiues 'i^i'l vntill Anselmus dales in the yeare of our Lord God, a leuen hundred and twentie the"tlrne*^ and nine, as Huntingdon writes. And Lord, this makes people for the most of Ansel- part beleuen, that lecherie is no synne. Therefore wee lewd men prayen thee ™^*- that thou wolt send vs shepheardes of thine owne that wolen feden thy flocke in thy Icsewe, and gon before them selfe, and so wTitten thy law in our harts, that from the least to the most all they mayen knowen thee. And Lord, geue our king and his lords, hart to defenden thy true shepheardes and thy sheepe from out of the wolues mouthes, and grace to know thee that art the true Christ, the Sonne of thy heauenly father, from the Antichrist, that is the sonne of pride. And Lord, geue vs thy poore sheepe patience and strength to suffer for thy law, tlie cnielnes of the niischieuous wolues. And Lord, as thou hast pro- mised, shorten these dayes. Lord we axen this now, for more need was there neuer.
I doubt not, gentle reader, but in reading this goodly treatise above prefixed, the matter is manifest and plain of itself without any- further explication, what is to be thought and judged of this vicar of Christ, and successor of Peter, whom we call the bishop of Rome ; whose life here thou seest not only to be disordered in all points, SAverving from the steps and example of Christ the prince and bishop of our souls, but also whose laws and doctrines are so repugnant and contrary to the precepts and rule of the gospel, that almost there is no convenience between them ; as in the perusing of this complaining prayer thou mayest notoriously under- stand. Wherefore, liaving no need to stand in any further express- ing of this matter, but leaving it to thine own consideration and discretion, I will speed myself (Christ willing) to proceed toward the tmie of John WicklifF and his fellows, taking in the order of years as I go, such things by the way, as both happened before the said time of NVickliff, and also may the better prepare the mind of the reader to the entering of that story ; where, first, I think it not inconvenient to infer a prophetical parable, written about this time, or not much before, which the author morally applieth unto the bishop of Rome. To what author this prophecy or moral is to be ascribed, I have not certainly to affirm : some say, that Rupescissanus (of whom mention is made before) was the author thereof, and allege it out of Froysard; but in Froysard, as yet, 1 have not found it. In the mean season, as I have found it in Latin expressed, because it painteth out the
(1) " Sweuens," that is, dreames.
74-8 A I'AUAEi.r, rKoi'iiKSYiNi; thk di:structiox of the rori:
K,i "^ was not to be omitted, so 1 took this present phice, as ni(jst fit A. I), (altliough pcradventure missing the order of years a little) to in- ^•'^ written.
Tn the time of popc Innocent VI. above specified, this Johannes de l^ipescissa, a friar, among his other prophecies marvellously fore- six-ike (as allegcth Froysard, who both heard and saw him) of the taking of John the French king, prisoner, and brought forth many other notable collections concerning the perils, mutations and chang- ings in the church to come. At the time the popc kept him at Avignon in prison (where Froysard is said to have seen him, and to have spoken with him), the said Froysard heard in the pope''s court this example and parable, recited by the aforesaid friar Rupescissanus to two cardinals, to wit, the cardinal of Ostia, and the cardinal of Auxerre, which folio weth in these words : —
A Parable prophesying the Destruction of the Pope.
When, on a certain time, a bird was brought into the world all bare and with- out feathers, the other birds hearing thereof, came to visit her : and as they saw her to be a marvellously fair and beautifid bird, they counselled together how they might best do her good, since by no means without feathers she might either fly, or live commodiously. They all wished her to live for her excellent form and beauty's sake, insomuch that among them all there was not one that would not grant some part of her own feathers to deck this bird withal : yea, and the more trim they saw her to be, the more feathers still they gave unto her, so that by this means slic was passing well penned and fea- The pope thered, and began to fly. The other birds that thus had adorned her with rompared goodly feathers, beholding her to fly abroad, were marvellously delighted there- feHthercd with. In the end this bird seeing herself so gorgeously feathered, and of all the with rest to be had in honour, began to wax proud and haughty ; insomuch that she {^I'rj" had no regard at all unto them, by whom she was advanced : yea, she pungcd feathers, them witli her beak, plucked tliem by the skin and featliers, and in all places The first Imrt them. Whereupon the birds sitting in council again, called the matter in ii'roud*"'' question, demanding one of another what was best to be done touching this lirospcri- unkind bird, whom they lovingly with their own feathers had decked and ty of the adorned ; affirming that they gave not their feathers, to the intent that she, thereby pufied up with pride, should contemptuously despise them" all. The peacock therefore answereth fii'st, " Trul}-," saith he, " for that she is bravely The de- set forth with my ])aintcd feathers, I will again take them from her." Then cay of the saith the falcon, " And I also will have mine attain." This sentence at length scribed, ^ook place among them all, so that every one plucked from her those feathers whicli before they had given, challenging to them their own again. Now this proud bird, seeing herself thus to be dealt withal, began, forthwith, to abate her haughty stomach, and humbly to submit herself, openly confessing and acknowledging, that of herself she had nothing, but that her feathers, her honour, and other ornaments were their gift ; she came into the world all naked and bare ; they clad her with comely feathers, and, therefore, of right may they receive them again. Wherefore, in most humblewise, she desireth pardon, promising to amend all that was past, neither would she at any time hereafter commit that whereby, through pride, .she might lose her feathers again. The gentle birds, that before had given their feathers, seeing her so lunnble and lowly, being moved with pity, restored again the feathers which lately they had taken away, adding withal this admonition, " We will gladly," say they, " behold thy flying among us, so long as thou wilt use thine oHice with hinnblcness of mind, which is the chiefest comeliness of all the rest : l)ut this have thou for certainty, that if at any time hereafter thou extol thyself in pride, we will straightways deprive thee of thy feathers, and reduce thee to thy former state wherein we found thee." " Even so, O you cardinals I" saith
HISTORY OF AUMACHANUS. 7 If)
Johannes Rupescissanus, " sliall it happen unto you: for the emperors of the Eiiwird Romans and Almains, and other christian kings, potentates, and princes of the ^^^■ earth, have bestowed upon you goods, hinds and riches, that shoukl serve God, ~a~TJ but you liave poured it out, and consunu'd it upon pride, and all kind of wicked- lof^ uess, riot and wantonness." '^ — '. L
Clje 'Itife nnD .§tori; of "^Crmacljcinu^, 'JCcclj&iiSfjop niiD Ipcimate of 3l^fl'in^
In the catalogue of tliese learned and zealous defenders of Christ against Antichrist above rehearsed, whom the Lord about this time began to raise up for reformation of his church, being then far out of frame, I cannot forget or omit something to write of the reverend prelate and famous clerk, Richard, archbishop of Armagh and primate of Ireland : a man for liis life and learning so memorable, as the condition of those days then served, that the same days then, as they had but few as good, so had none almost his better. His name was Richard Fitz-Ralph, made archbishop and primate, as is said, of Ireland ; first brought up in the university of Oxford in the study of all liberal knowledge, wherein he did exceedingly profit under John Bakenthorpe, his tutor and instructor. In this time the begging friars began greatly to multiply and spread, unto whom this Bakenthorpe was ever a great enemy ; whose steps the scholar also following, began to do the like. Such was the iiisoom- capacity and dexterity of this Fitz-Ralph, that he, being commended t'ion. to king Edward III., was promoted by him, first, to be archdeacon of Lichfield, then to be the commissary of the university of Oxford : at length, to be archbishop of Armagh in Ireland. He being arch- bishop, upon a time had cause to come up to London ; at what time here, in the said city, was contention between the friars and the clergy about preaching and hearing confessions, &c. Where- Armach. upon, this Armachanus, being requested to preach, made seven or p;"gj ,,^ eight sermons ; wherein he propounded nine conclusions against the ^^^ '■'■'i»''3 friars, for which he was cited up by the friars before this pope beforrtue Innocent VI., to appear; and so he did: wdio before the face of^°'^^' the pope valiantly defended, both in preaching and in writing,^ the same conclusions, and therein stood constantly unto the death, as the words of John Wickliff, in his Trialogue, do well testify.^ The like also Waldenus testifieth of him ; also Volateranus reporteth the same. Gulielmus Botonerus,^ testifying of him in like manner, saith, that Armachanus first reproved begging friars for hearing the confessions of professed nuns without license of their superiors, and also of married women without knowledge of their husbands. What Troubles dangers and troubles he sustained by his persecutors, and how seJliUoiis miraculously the Lord delivered him from their hands; insomuch, °[^""^- that they meeting him in the open streets, and in clear davlight, yet had no power to see him nor to apprehend him: in what peril of thieves fa'ii,';f,l'i'" and searchers he was, and vet the Lord delivered him ; yea, and caused '"'''."''vs.
•' ^ J ^ l,y i.ie
Laril.
(1) See Appendix for the fuller application of the parable. — Ed
(2) For his numerous writings om this subject, see Catalogue of MSS Angl. et Hibern. — Ed.
(.■i) Ab Anglorum episcopis conduetu.s, Armachanus novem in Avinione conclusiones coram In- nocentio VI. et surrum cardinalium cnetu, contra fratrum mendicitateni, audacter publicavit, ver- boque ac scriptis ad mortem usque detcndit.
(4) In fasiculo ziz^niorum. (51 On Gulielmus Botonerus, see Appendix. — Ed.
7r)0 inSTOUY OF ARMACHAXUS.
E.iwnrd Ins moncv, bcinc^ Uikcn from liini, to be restored to liini again by por-
"' lions in time of his necessity and fanjinc : also from Mliat dangers
^ 1^ of tlic king's ollicers, wlio, coniing with the king's letters, laid all the
13G0. havens for him ; yet how the Lord Jesus delivered him, showing
■ — ' " liini by wliat ways to escape them : moreover Avhat appeals were laid
against liini, to the number of sixteen ; and yet how the Lord gave him
to triumph over all his enemies : how the Lord also taught him and
brou'dit him out of the profound vanities of Aristotle's subtlety, to the
study of the Scriptures of God : all this, with much more, lie himself
cxpresseth in a certain prayer or confession made to Christ Jesus our
Lord, in which he dcscribeth almost the whole history of his own life ;
which prayer I have to show in old writing liand, and hereafter
(Christ willing) intend, as time serveth, to publish the same.^
Thus what were the troubles of tliis good man, and how he was cited up by the friars to the pope, you have partly heard. Now, what were his reasons and arguments whercwitli he defended his (•ausc in the pope's presence, followcth to be declared ; for the trac- tation whereof, first, T must put the reader in remembrance of the controversy mentioned before in the story of Gulielmus de Sancto Amore, p." 510; also in the story of the university of Paris contend- ing against the friars, p. 712; for so long did this controversy con- tinue in the church, from a. D. 1240, Avhen the Oxford men began first to stand against the friars, to the time of this Armachanus, A. D. 1360; and after this time yet more did it increase. So it pleased the secret providence of God, for what cause he bestknowcth, to suffer his church to be entangled and exercised sometimes with matters and controversies of no great importance ; eitlier to keep the vanity of men's wits thus occupied from idleness, or else to prepare their minds, by these smaller matters, to tlie consideration and scavcli- ing out of other things more grave and weighty. Like as now in these our queen's days we see what tragedies be raised up in England about forms and fashions of ministers' wearings, what troubles grow, what placing and displacing there is about the same. Even so at this time happened the like stir about the liberties and privileges of the friars, which not a little troubled and occupied almost all the churches and divines throughout Christendom. 'J'his controversy, to the intent it may better be understood, all the circumstances thereof being explained, wc will first begin, from the original and foundation of the matter, to declare by order and course of years, upon what occasion this variance first rising, in continuance of time increased and multiplied by gatlicring more matter, and burst out at length in this tumultuous contention among learned men.
C(Micerning therefore this present matter ; first, it is to be under- stood, that (a. D. 1215), under pope Innocent IIL, was called a general council at Lateran, mentioned before (p. 334), in the days of king John. In that council, among many other things, was consti- tuted a certain law or canon, beginning " Omnis utriusque sexus," &c. the tenor of which canon in English is thus : —
(1) Thehfginnhi;] of the prnyi'r in Lnliii is this: " Tilii l.T.is, tibi gloria. til)i crrafianim nrlio, Jpsu piiasime, Jesu potiJiitissime, Sean dulcissime ; qui dixisti, cpo sum via. voiitas et vita. Via sine devio; Veritas sine niibllo; ct vita sine termini). Quod tutc viam mibi ostcndisti ; tiite veram veritntem me doruisti ; et tute vitam milii promisisti. Via eras niilii in exilio ; Veritas eras in consilio; et Vila eris niilii in pra'mio."
POPE gbkcory's bull. 7o1
Be it decreed, that every faithful Christian, both man and woman, coming Edward to the years of discretion, shall confess himself alone of all his sins to the priest ^"- of his own proper parish, once in the year at least ; and that he shall endeavour, j^ ^y by his own self, to fulfil the penance, whensoever he receiveth the sacran\ent of j;jqq'
the Eucharist, at least at the time of Easter, unless by the assent of his minister, — ! 1-
upon some reasonable cause, he abstain for the time. Otherwise doing, let him No'^e ^^^ both lack the comnumion of the church being alive, and christian burial when caile'ih it lie is dead. Wherefore be it decreed, that this wholesome constitution shall be not the published accustomably in churches, to the end that no man, of ignorance or *^",^\,p blindness, make to himself a cloak of excuse. And if any shall confess himself the altar. to any other priest than of his own parish upon any just cause, let him first ask and obtain license of his own priest : otherwise the priest shall have no power to bind liim or to loose him, i*tc.
In the time of this Innoeent, and of this Lateran council, uas Dominic, tlie first author and founder of the prcaehin": friars ; who hiboured to the said pope Innocent for the confirmation of his order, but did not obtain it in his life time.
The next year after this Lateran council ' died pope Innocent, A.D. 1216, after whom came Honorius III., who in the first year of his popedom confirmed tlie order of the friars Dominic, and gave to him and his friars authority to preach, and to hear confessions, with divers other privileges. And under this pope, who governed ten years, lived Dominic five years after the confirmation of his order, and died A.D. 1221. About that year the order of the Franciscan friars began also to breed, and to spread in the world, through prcacliing and hearing confessions.
After this Honorius, next followed Pope Gregory IX., March, A.D. 1227, who, for the promoting of the aforesaid order of Domi- nies, gave out this bull, in tenor as followeth : —
' The Bull of Pope Gregory in the behalf of the Dominic Friars.
Gregorius bishop, servant of God's servants, to his reverend brethren, arcli- bishops, bishops, and to his well-beloved children, abbots, priors, and to all prelates of churches, to whomsoever these presents shall come, greeting, and apostolical blessing. Because iniquity^ hath abounded, and the charity of many hath waxed cold ; "behold, the Lord hath raised up the order of our well-beloved | children the preaching friars, who not seeing things of their own, but pertain-' ing to Jesus Christ, for the extirpating of heresies, as well as for the rooting out also of other pernicious pestilences, have dedicated themselves to the preaching of the words of God. We therefore, minding to advance their sacred pur- priars to pose, &c., command you to see the said persons, gently to be received among hearcon- you ; and that your flocks committed to your charge do receive devoutly the l,';,^,^'"^*' seed of God's word out of their mouth, and do confess their sins unto them, all join psn- such as list, whom we have authorized to the same, to hear confessions, and to ance. enjoin penance, &c. Dat. Perusii. An. Pont, nostri 8.
This pope Gregory died a.d. 1241, after Avhom came Celestine IV. inno- and sat but eighteen days: then came Innocent IV., and sat eleven against' vears and six months ; who, although he began first to favour the ti^^ frian. friars, vet afterwards, being altered by certain divines of universities, prelates of churches, and curates, he debarred them of their liberties
(1) Friar Dominic, in the time of pope Innocent III., obtained not the confirmation of his order; but the order was first confirmed by pope Honorius III. The order of Franciscans was confirmed shortly after the Dominies.
(2 1 Iniquity hath abounded nt Rome.
(3) Nay, to the prcachiue rather of ni«n's traditions against the word of God.
4-">^ TUF. STrDF.XTS OK PARIS AGAINST TIIK lUIAUS.
Xdwnrd and priviloLfos, ami fi^vt- out aur.iin prt'ccpts ami excomiminications, as '. — well a
A.I), after the same, he was de.sj)atehcd.
1.5()0. Innocent being thus removed out of the way, Dec'- a.d. 1254
uiKiocih sat six years. He revoked and re})ealed the acts and writings of Jiu'rede- p<>pe Innocent liis predecessor, given forth against the friars; wjiere- cissur. y^\^\^ {]|^. divines and students of l^aris being not well contented. Four stirred up four ))rinci])al doctors: the first and chief captain was pior!" (Julielmus de Sancto Amorc, mentioned bel'ore (p. 510), against iUv"i\Ls ^^1'*"" wrote Albertus Magnus, and Thomas Aquinas ; and, at last, .he was condemned by this aforesaid pope Alexander IV. in the P'xtravagant, " Non sine multa." The second was Simon Joraalensis; the third Godfridus de Fontibus ; the fourth Henricus dc Gandavo. These four, with other their accomplices, compiled a certain book against the begging order of friars, both Dominicans and Franciscans, entitled, ' Dc j)ericulis Ecclesijc,"' containing fourteen chapters, ■whereof the fourteenth, which is the last, with thirty-nine articles against the friars, we have already translated and expressed, p. 511. Besides these thirty-nine articles, be other seven articles, moreover, to the said book annexed, under the name of the students of Paris against the friars, proving why the said friars ought not to be ad- mitted into their society. These seven articles, because they are but short, I thought here better to place, than to omit tlicm.
.Certain Articles given out by the Students of Paris, against the Friars, why they should not be admitted to their Society.
First, We say, they are not to be admitted to the society of our scliool, but upon our will and license ; for our company or fellowship ought not to be coactive but vohnitarj- and free.
Secondly, ^\'e say they are not to be admitted, forasmuch as we oft proved their community manifold ways to be hurtful and incommodious.
Thirdly, Seeing they be of a diverse profession from us, for they are called regular, and not scholastic, we, therefore, ought not to be joined and associated together iu one scholastic office ; forasmuch as the council of Spain doth say, "Thou shalt not plough with an ox and with an ass together ;"' which is to say, — Men of divers professions ought not together to be matched in one kind of calling, or standing, for their studies and conditions be disagreeing and dis- severed from ours, and cannot frame or couple together in one connnunion. Ttie friars Fourthly, We affirm by the apostle that they are not to be admitted, because uiake (lis- they work dissensions and offences ; for so saith the apostle [Rom. xvi.] " We desire you, brethren, that ye observe and take heed of such as make dissensions and oflences about the doctrine which you liave learned by the apostles, and avoid them ; for such serve not the Lord, but their own belly." Gloss. "Some they flatter, some they backbite, whereby they might feed their belHes." " That through their sweet and pleasant words, and by their benedictions, they may deceive the hearts of the simple." Gloss. " That is, with their fine sugared and trimly couched words they set forth their own traditions, wherewith they beguile the hearts of the simple innocents." Devour Fifthly, We say they are not to be admitted, for that we fear lest they be in
lurii'. ilie number of them, who go about and devour men's houses : for they tlniist " I'eiie- '" tncuiselves mto every man s liouse, searchmg and sackmg the conscience trante«_^ and states of all jiersons : and whom they find easy to be seduced, as women, domos. y,,^.}, (),j,^. jjjj circvunvent, and lead them away from the counsels of their ])rc- lales, binding them either in act or oath : such we are warned by the apostif to avoid.
(I) Sec Appendix for the correction of an error here. — Eo.
REPUGNAXCE BETWEEN POl'ES. 758
Sixthly, We say they are to be avoided, because we fear they are false pro- Edward phets, who being neither bishops, nor parisli priests, nor yet their vicars, nor ^^l- sent by them, yet they preacli (not sent) against the mind of the apostle . t^ [Rom. X.], saying, " IIow shall they preach except they be sent?" for else -inr.)
there appeareth in them no such great virtue, for the which they ought to be — '- L
admitted to preach uncalled. Seeing therefore that such are so dangerous to ''''^■''",,'' the church, they ought to be avoided.
Seventhly, We say they are not to be admitted, because they be a people so curious in searching and inquiring of other men's doings and spiritual demean- our. And yet be they neither apostles, nor yec successors of the apostles, as bishops ; nor of the number of the seventy-two disciples of the Lord, nor their successors, that is, parish priests, nor their helpers, nor yet vicars. "Wherefore, Have no seeing they live thus in no order, by the sentence of the apostle we are com- '"'d'-T of manded to avoid them [2 Thess. iii.], where he saith, " We admonish and de- j^^ ;„ ti',g nounce unto you, O brethren! in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ," (that is, church, as the gloss saith, " We command )'ou by the authority of Christ,") " that you ■withdraw yourselves irom every brother that walketh inordinately, and not after the tradition whicl; you have received of us," &c. Look upon the common gloss of this place, and you shall find, that such are to be avoided till such time as they amend from so doing, S:c.
Besides these articles above reliearsed, certain propositions or con- clusions were also propounded in tlie schools of Paris at the same time, solemnly to be disputed and defended against the friars ; which, in a brief sum of words to collect them, were these : —
First, That the begging friars were not in the state of salvation. Certain
Secondl}', That they were bound to labour with their hands that could, and conciu-
nottobeg. _ _ ^hTuni'-
Thirdly, That they ought not to exercise the office of preaching, or to hear versity of the confessions of them that will come unto them, although being licensed there- Paris to unto by the bishop of Rome, or by the diocesan ; forasmuch as the same is p„fe^'of prejudicial to the ministers and priests of the parishes. against
the friars.
All these aforesaid articles and conclusions, with the book set forth by these men of Paris, this pope Alexander IV. condemned to be abolished and burned, wting his precepts to the French king, and also to the university of Paris, in favour of the friars; willing and commanding the said friars to be restored to all their privileges and liberties in as ample manner, as before in pope Gregory's time.
Not long after pope Alexander IV. followed Clement IV. (a. n. Another 1265) and sat three years : who also gave the privilege to the friars, P[j,'^',''^fo* beginning "Quidam temere," &c. ; in which privilege he condemneth the friars those who say, that no man without license of his curate or minister cicmint ought to confess liim to the friars, or that a subject ought to ask '^■ license of their ministers so to do, which was against the canon, " Omnis utriusque sexus," &c. made by pope Innocent III., before recited.
After this Clement came pope Martin IV. (a. d. 1281), who PopeT^rar- renewed again the canon, " Omnis utriusque sexus,'' in behalf of ^"1 je^j, the curates against the friars. wituou-
Then pope Boniflice VIII. began to sit a.d. 1294, and sat eight against 3'-ears and nine months ; who, taking side -^ith the friars, gave them pjg"'"' another privilege, beginning, " Supra cathedram,'"' &c., in which he Boniface licensed the friars, that without license of vicars of churches they ^vith^\!e shall first present themselves to the ])rclates to be admitted ; by ^^^^l ■whom, if they be refused the second time, then they, u])on special
VOL. II. 3 C
754 DIVKUSK OPINION'S OF LKARNKD MKN AGAINST FRIARS.
EJnard authority of tliis ]iope, shall be privileged, witliout cither bishop or '"' oiirate, to preach, to bury, and to licar confessions, whosoever will A. D. c'omc to tlieuj ; revoking all that was decreed by liis predecessors ^'^'^^- before to the contrary notwithstanding.
By this pope Boniface, a certain Dominic friar was made cardinal,
named Nicolas Bocasi de Trevisa, and after the death of Boniface
was also made pope, a.d. 1303, surnamed pope Benedict XL;
who, seeing the constitution of Bonifoce, his predecessor, to gender
dissension between the priests and friars, made another constitution,
beginning *' Inter cunctas,"''' &c., revoking the constitution of Boni-
joiianncs face, liis prcdcccssor. Upon which constitution of pope Benedict
chus'Ve- Johannes Monachus making a gloss, revoked also liis other gloss
hu'^gioss. i'i!^dc upon the constitution of pope Boniface before.
Popecie- Again, after this Benedict XT. followed pope Clement V., (a. d.
hoVdlth" 1305,) and sat nine years; who, in his general council, liolden at
with the Vienne, revoked the constitution of Benedict, his predecessor, and
and re- renewed again the former decree of Boniface, by a new constitution
th^con- of his, beginning " Dudum a Bonifacio VIII.,""' &c., Avhicli consti-
of'sene- tution, morcovcr, was confirmed afterw-ards by pope .John XXII.,

Upon this variable diversity of the popes (one dissenting and
repugning from another) rose among the divines and schoolmen in
universities great matter of contention, as well in the university of
Paris, as the university of Oxford, about the begging friars, some
holding one way, some another. But especially five principal opinions
be noted of learned men, who, then disputing against the friars, were
condemned for heretics, and their assertions reproved.
Diverse Opinions of Learned Men in this Age against Friars.