sig: [A1] | |
A proper dyaloge / betwene a Gentillman and an Husbandman eche complaynenge to other theyr myserable calamyte / through the ambicion of the clergye. | |
¶An A.B.C. to the spiritualte. |
|
¶A_wake ye gostely persones / a_wake / a_wake / | |
Bothe preste / pope / byshoppe and Cardynall. | |
Considre wysely / what wayes that ye take / | |
Daungerously beynge lyke to have a fall. | |
5 | Every-where / the myschefe of you all. |
Ferre and nere / breakyth once very fast / | |
Godde wyll nedes be revengyd at the last. | |
¶Howe longe haue ye the worlde captiued / | |
In sore bondage / of mennes tradyciones: | |
10 | Kynges and emperoures / ye haue depryued / |
Lewedly vsurpynge / theyr chefe possessiones. | |
Muche mysery ye make / in all regyones. | |
Nowe youre fraudes / allmoste at the latter cast / | |
Of godde fore to be revengyd at the last. | |
15 | ¶Poore people to oppresse / ye haue no shame / |
Qwakinge for feare / of your double tyranny. | |
Ryghtful iustyce ye haue put oute of frame / | |
Sekynge the lust / of youre godde / the belly. | |
Therfore I dare you boldely certefye. | |
20 | Very lytle though ye be therof a_gast |
Yet god wyll be revengyd at the last / | |
sig: [A1v] | |
O Christen reder / from rashnes refrayne | |
Of hastye iugement / and lyght sentence | |
Though sum recke it frowardnes of brayne | |
Thus to detecte / the clergyes inconuenyence. | |
5 | Vnto chrystes wordes / geue thou aduertence |
Who sayeth / nothynge is done so secretly | |
But it shall be knowen manifestly. | |
Where-as men discerne no grefe of darcknes | |
Full little is desyred / the comfortable lyght | |
10 | The daye is restrayned to shew hys clerenes |
Tyll the clowdes / be expellyd of the nyght | |
As long as we perceiue not wronge from ryght. | |
Neyther holynes from fals hypocrisye | |
The truthe can not be knowen manyfestly. | |
15 | ¶Curssed are they / as Esaye dothe expresse |
Whych presume / the euyll for good to commende | |
Sayenge that swete is soure / and lyght darcknes | |
As nowe in the clergye / we may perpende. | |
Whos disguysed madnes / in the latter ende | |
20 | As saynt poule to Timothe dyd prophesye |
Shall be knowen to all men manifestly. | |
¶Example of twayne / he dothe there recyte | |
Whos names / were called Iannes and Iambres. | |
Which by enchauntment / through deuylls might | |
25 | Strongely resisted / the prophete Moyses. |
Doynge lyke merueyles / and wonderfulnes | |
So that none could the very trothe a_spye | |
Tyll theyr Iugglynge was knowen manifestly. | |
sig: A2 | |
Christe / lykewyse / with his predicacion | |
30 | The phariseyes shewynge outwarde holynes. |
Was / acounted of small reputacion / | |
Vyce cloked vnder shyne / of vertuousnes. | |
Vntyll at the last theyr furiousnes | |
Accusynge the woman taken in aduoutrye | |
35 | They sawe theyr fautes / detecte manifestly. |
Theyr vyces openyd / they could not abyde | |
Shame drevynge theym to confusyon | |
Which a_fore-season / through pope-holy pryde | |
They bolstred oute / vnder abusyon | |
40 | It is the practyse / of theyr collusyon. |
Zele of ryghtwysnes to fayne outwardly | |
Tyll theyr fautes be detecte manyfestly. | |
Which in oure clergye / is evydently sene | |
Fayned godlynes falsly pretendynge | |
45 | Wherby moste parte of peple do wene |
That they seke goddes honour in all-thynge | |
Howbeyt men shuld se that theyr sekynge. | |
Is to confounde christes gospell vtterly | |
Were theyr fautes detecte manyfestly. | |
50 | What greater despyte / can they Imagyne |
Agaynst god / hys hye honour to deface? | |
Than to vsurpe on theym hys power divyne | |
Abhomynably syttynge in holy place. | |
Which hath contynued longe tyme and space | |
55 | And shall with outragious blasphemy |
Tyll theyr fautes be detecte manyfestly. | |
sig: [A2v] | |
Scripture vnto theym was fyrst profferyd / | |
Mekely withoute any prouocacyon. | |
Which to resceive when it was offeryd / | |
60 | They refused / with indignacyon. |
Wherfore towchynge theyr reformacyon. | |
Lytle trust is to be had certaynly / | |
Tyll theyr fautes be detecte manyfestly. | |
Thus to conclude / o chisten reder | |
65 | Vnto pacyence / I the exhorte. |
Aduertesynge / howe and in what maner / | |
Christe rebuked thys pharisaycall sorte. | |
Whom as Mathew in the .xxiij. doth reporte. | |
With fearefull sentence he curssed ernestly / | |
70 | Theyr wicked fautes detectynge manyfestly. |
¶Nihil est opertum quod non reueletur. Math .x. | |
¶Here foloweth the dyaloge / the Gentyll-man begynynge first hys complaynte. |
|
¶Gentyll-man. |
|
WIth soroufull harte / maye I complayne | |
Concernynge the chaunce / of my mysery | |
Allthough parauenture it is but vayne | |
Trueth oppressyd / with open tyranny. | |
5 | My enheritaunce and patrimony. |
Agaynst ryght / from me they kepe a_waye | |
Which saye / for my frendes soules they praye. | |
sig: A3 | |
Myne aunceteres / of worthy progeny / | |
With rentes and lyuelood largely endued | |
10 | Maynteyned theyr estates honorably / |
Aydynge the poore / indigence to exclude. | |
Tyll at the last / the clergy to theym sued. | |
Pretendynge godlynes / vnder a fals waye / | |
Sayenge they wold for theyr soules praye. | |
15 | Stoutely they allegyd before theyr syght / |
Howe after thys lyfe / is a purgatory. | |
Wherin theyr soules / both daye and nyght / | |
Shuld be tourmentyd with-oute memory | |
Excepte of theyr substaunce transitory. | |
20 | Vnto theyr seactes / they wold somewhat paye / |
Sayenge that they wold for theyr soules praye | |
They bare theym in hande / that they had myght / | |
Synneres to bynde and loose / at theyr oune plesure. | |
Takynge vpon theym / to leade theym a_ryght / | |
25 | Vnto Ioye / that euer shuld endure. |
Of popes pardones / they boosted the treasure. | |
Chalengynge of heuyne and hell the kaye / | |
Sayenge / that they wold for theyr soules praye. | |
To trust wyfe o[r] children / they dyd diswade / or] o 1529 | |
30 | Eyther any frendes / or persones temporall. |
Affermynge / that oure love shuld a_way fade / | |
Withoute any memory of theym at all | |
Onely to hope in theyr seactes spirituall. | |
They entyced / with perswasiones gaye / | |
35 | Sayenge that they wold for theyr soules praye. |
sig: [A3v] | |
Thus with wylines and argumentes vayne | |
Myne aunceters brought in-to perplexite | |
Partely thourough feare of eternall payne | |
And partely for desyre of felycite. | |
40 | They consentyd / makynge no difficulte |
To graunt theyr reqwestes / withoute delaye | |
Sayenge / that they wold for theyr soules praye. | |
Theyr chefe lordshyppes and londes princypall | |
With comodytees of theyr possessyon | |
45 | Vnto the clergye / they gaue forthe with-all |
Dyshearetynge theyr ryght successyon. | |
Which to resceyue / with-oute excepcyon | |
The couetous clergy made no denaye | |
Sayenge that they wold for theyr soules praye | |
50 | By the meanes wherof / I and suche other |
Suffrynge the extremyte of indygence | |
Are occasyoned to theft or mourder | |
Fallynge in-to moche inconuenyence. | |
Because the clergye a_gaynst conseyence | |
55 | Devoureth oure possessyones nyght and daye |
Sayenge that for oure frendys soules they praye. | |
I haue wyfe and chyldren vpon my hande | |
Wantynge substaunce / theyr lyfes to sustayne | |
Wherfore to the clergye that haue my lande | |
60 | Sume-tyme I come / and pitously complayne. |
Whos statelynes / to helpe me hauynge disdayne | |
With-oute any comforte / to me they saye | |
That for my frendes soules they duely praye | |
sig: A4 | |
Shuld I and my houshold for hounger dye | |
65 | They wold not an halfe-peny with vs parte |
So that they lyue in welthe haboundantly | |
Full lytle they regarde oure woofull smerte. | |
To waste oure goodes / they nothynge aduerte | |
In vicious lustes / and pompous araye | |
70 | Sayenge that for oure frendes soules they praye. |
They take vpon theym apostles auctoryte | |
But they folowe nothynge their profession But] Buth 1529 | |
Often-tymes they preache of christes pouerte | |
Howe-beyt towarde it they haue no affeccyon. | |
75 | Yf so be they pleate ones in possession pleate=plead, see OED |
Harde it is to gett aught fro them a_waye | |
Sayenge that for oure frendes soules they praye. | |
Thus must we bare theyr oppressyon | |
Whyles to complayne / there is no remedye | |
80 | The worlde they haue brought in subiection |
Vnder theyr ambicyous tyranny. | |
No respecte they haue to the mysery | |
Of vs poore gentyllmen that belaye | |
Sayenge that for oure frendes soules they praye. | |
85 | Alas / is it not a myserable cace |
To se ydle persones voyde of pyte | |
Occupyenge the landes before oure face | |
Which shuld pertayne vnto vs of duete. | |
They haue rychesse / and we calamyte | |
90 | Theyr honour encreacyd / oure must dekaye |
Sayenge that for oure frendes soules they praye. | |
sig: [A4v] | |
¶The husbande-man |
|
Syr / god geue you good morowe / | |
I perceyue the cause of youre sorowe / | |
And moost lamentable calamyte. | |
95 | Is for the oppressyon intollerable / |
Of thes monstres so vncharytable / | |
Whom men call the spirytualte. | |
Trouthe it is / ye poore gentyll-men are / | |
By theyr craftynes / made nedy and bare / | |
100 | Your landes with_holdynge by vyolence |
Howbeyt we husbandmen euery-where / | |
Are nowe in worsse condycyon ferre / | |
As it may be markyd by experyence. | |
¶Gentill-man |
|
In worse caas? nay / that can not be so / | |
105 | For loke over the whole worlde to and fro / |
Namely here in oure oune region. | |
And thou shalt fynde that in theyr handes / | |
Remayneth the chefe lordshyppes and landes / | |
Of poore gentyll-menes possession. | |
110 | They haue oure aunceters lyuelood and rentes / |
Theyr pryncipall fearmes and teneamentes / | |
With temperall fredomes and lybertees. | |
They haue gotten vn-to theyr kyngdomes / | |
Many noble baronries and erldomes / | |
115 | With esqwyres landes and knyghtes fees. |
¶Husbandeman. |
|
Natwithstandynge yet they saye precysely / | |
That your Aunceteres gaue to theym freely / | |
Soche worldly domynyon and lyuelood. | |
¶Gentil-man. |
|
sig: [A5] | |
Freely quod a? nay / that is but fayned / | |
120 | For they ware certeynly therto constrayned / |
By theyr couetous disceite and falshod. | |
¶Husbandman. |
|
Howe dyd they youre aunceteres compell? | |
¶Gentillman |
|
Mary / in threatnynge the paynes of hell / | |
And sharppe punysshment of purgatorye. | |
125 | Wher to brenne / they made theym beleue / |
Excepte they wolde vnto theym geue / | |
Parte of theyr substaunce and patrimony. | |
¶Husbondman |
|
But howe wold they delyuer theym fro thence? | |
¶Gentillman. |
|
As they sayde / by theyr prayoures assistence / | |
130 | Which with boostynge wordes they dyd alowe. |
¶Husbandman. |
|
Prayour? god geue her a shamefull reprefe / | |
For it is the moost bryberynge thefe / | |
That euer was / I make god a_vowe. | |
For by her the clergy withoute doute / | |
135 | Robbeth the hole countre rounde a_bowte / |
Bothe comones and estates none excepte. | |
I wote they haue prayed so longe all-redy | |
That they haue brought the lande to beggery / | |
And all thryftynes clene a_waye swepte. | |
140 | What-so-euer we gett with sweate and labour / |
That prolle they a_waye with theyr prayour / | |
Sayenge they praye for oure soules all-waye | |
But is theyr prayour not more avaylynge / | |
To the deade soules / than to the lyuynge. | |
sig: [A5v] | |
145 | So is it not worthe a rotten aye. |
¶Gentillman. |
|
To the deade soules it is not profitable | |
For-whye / thos that are in cace dampnable | |
No assistence of prayour can attayne. | |
And as for purgatory ther is none | |
150 | All-though there be clerckes many one |
Which to seke it take moche payne. | |
¶Husbondman. |
|
Than I wold their prayenge were at an ende | |
For yf they pray longe thus so god me mende | |
They shall make the lande worsse than nought. | |
155 | But nowe I will rehearce seriously |
Howe we husbande-m[e]n full pitously men] man 1529 | |
Vnto miserable wrechednes are brought. | |
Fyrst whan englonde was in his floures | |
Ordred by the temporall gouernoures | |
160 | Knowenge no spirituall iurisdiccion. |
Than was ther in eche state and degre | |
Haboundunce and plentuous prosperite | |
Pessable welthe without afliccion. | |
Noblenes of blood / was had in price | |
165 | Vertuousnes auaunced / hated was vyce |
Princes obeyd / with due reuerence. | |
Artificeres and men of occupacion | |
Quietly wanne their sustentacion | |
Without any grefe of nedy indigence | |
170 | We husband-men lyke-wise prosperously |
Occupyenge the feates of husbandry | |
Hyred fearmes of pryce competent. | |
Wherby oure lyuinge honestly we wanne | |
sig: [A6] | |
And had ynough to paye every manne | |
175 | Helpinge other that were indigent. |
Tyll at the last the rauenous clergye | |
Through their craftynes and hypocrisye | |
Gatt to theym worldly dominacion. | |
Than were we overcharged very sore | |
180 | Oure fearmes sett vpp dayly more and more |
With shamefull pryce in soche a fasshyon. | |
That we paye more nowe by halfe the sume | |
Than a_foretymes we dyd a_custome | |
Holdinge aught of their possession. | |
185 | Besyde this / other contentes of brybery |
As payenge of tythes / open and preuy | |
And for herynge of confession. | |
Also prestes dueties and clerckes wages | |
Byenge of perdones and freres quarterages | |
190 | With chirches and aultares reparacion. |
All oure charges can not be nombred | |
Wherwith we are greatly acombred | |
Overwhelmyd with desolacion. | |
We tourmeyle oure-selfes nyght and daye tourmeyle: see OED turmoil, v. 1c | |
195 | And are fayne to dryncke whygge and whaye |
For to maynteine the clargyes facciones. | |
¶Gentyllman. |
|
This were a great shame to be knowen | |
Seynge halfe the reame is their owne | |
That they charge you with soche exaccions. | |
200 | Methyncketh so to do is no small cryme |
For they kepte as good houses a_fore-tyme | |
Whiles theyr fearme-hyres was ferre lesse. | |
sig: [A6v] | |
¶Husbandman. |
|
Ye / more plentuous houses a great deale | |
How-beyt in hyndrynge the comone-weale | |
205 | Thei vse also this practyse doutles. |
Where-as poore husband-men a_fore-season | |
Accordinge vnto equite and reason | |
House or lande to fearme dyd desyre. | |
Without any difficulte they myght it gett | |
210 | And yet no hygher price was ther vp sett |
Than good conscyence dyd require. | |
But nowe their ambicious suttlete | |
Makyth one fearme of two or thre | |
Ye some-tyme they bringe .vi. to one. | |
215 | Which to gentyll-men they lett in fermage |
Or elles to ryche marchauntes for avauntage | |
To the vndoynge of husbandemen echone. | |
Wherby / the comones sufferynge damage | |
The hole lande is brought in-to rerage | |
220 | As by experience ye may well se. |
Thus is the wealth of village and towne | |
With the fame of honorable re[n]owne | |
Fallen in-to myserable pouerte. | |
Plentuous housholdes hereby ar dekayde | |
225 | Relefe of poore people is awaye strayde |
Allmes exyled with hospitalyte. | |
By seche meanes / all-thinge waxyth dere | |
Complaynte of subiectes cryenge ferre and nere | |
Oppressed with greuous calamyte. | |
¶Gentillman. |
|
230 | Truely thou shewest the very abuse |
Neuerthelesse concernynge oure excuse | |
sig: [A7] | |
Why we gentyll-men fearmes occupye. | |
The principall occasyon is onely this | |
That oure patrimony geuen a_waye is | |
235 | Vnto thes wolffes of the clargye. |
By whos oppression / we are so beggeryd | |
That necessite hath vs compellyd | |
With fearmes soche shyft to make. | |
For as ye husbande-men can well vnderstande | |
240 | Towchynge expences and charges of the lande / |
They dysdayne any parte with vs to take. | |
¶Husbandman. |
|
Ye by saynte Marye / I you warrante | |
In soche caces / their ayde is very scant | |
Makynge curtesye to do any goode. | |
245 | Let the reame goo what waye it wull |
They hauynge ease / and their belyes full | |
Regarde lytle the comone-weale by th'roode. | |
Yf princes demaunde their soucour or ayde | |
This answere of theym is comonely sayde | |
250 | We are poore bedemen of youre grace. |
We praye for your disceaced auncetryes | |
For whom we synge massys and dyrigees | |
To socour their soules in nedefull eace. | |
¶Gentyll-man. |
|
Oh they afoorde prayoures good cheape | |
255 | Sayenge rather many massys by heape |
Than to geue a poore man his dyner | |
Wherfore as thou saydest / so god helpe me | |
I se of their prayenge no comodyte | |
Neyther avauntage in any maner. | |
260 | For-whye with-in this .iiij. hundred yere |
sig: [A7v] | |
Thourough-oute christendome was not a freer | |
Of thes / whom we mendicantes call. | |
And syth that tyme / dyuers facciones | |
Of collegianes / monkes and chanones | |
265 | Haue spred thys regyon ouer-all. |
Also of prestes / were not the tenthe parte | |
Which as they saye / haue none other arte | |
But for vs worldly people to praye. | |
And yet the worlde is nowe farre worsse | |
270 | As euery man felyth in his poorsse |
Than it was at that tyme I dare saye. | |
Wherfore the trueth openly to be tryde | |
I wolde they shuld laye theyr prayenge a_syde | |
And geue theym-selfes to labour bodely. | |
¶Husbandman. |
|
275 | It were harde to bringe theym therto |
Vtterly refusynge any labour to do | |
Because they are people gostely. | |
¶Gentyllman. |
|
Were not the apostles gostely also? | |
¶Husbandman. |
|
Yes syr / but it is so longe ago | |
280 | That their lyuynge is oute of memorye. |
¶Gentyll-man. |
|
We fynde it well in the newe testament. | |
¶Husbondman. |
|
The clargye saye / it is not conuenyent | |
For layemen / therwith to be busye. | |
¶Gentyll-man. |
|
Wotest thou wherfore they do that? | |
¶Husbondman. |
|
sig: [A8] | |
285 | In fayth syr I coniecture some-what |
And I suppose I do not moche erre. | |
Might men the scripture in Englishe rede | |
We secular people shuld than se in-dede | |
What Christ and the apostles lyves were. | |
290 | Which I dout nothinge are contrarye |
Vnto the lyuynge of oure clargye | |
Geuyn to pompous ydlenes euery-where. | |
Whos abhominacion ones knowen | |
Their pryde shuld be sone ouerthrowen | |
295 | And fewe wold their statelynes forbeare. |
¶Gentyll-man. |
|
Thou hyttest the nayle vpon the heed | |
For that is the thinge that they dreed | |
Least scripture shuld come vnto light. | |
God commaundyd man in the begynnynge | |
300 | With sweat of vysage to wynne his lyuynge |
As Moses in his fyrst boke dothe wryte. | |
And as Marcke sayeth in the .vi. chapter | |
Christe here vpon erthe was a carpenter | |
Not dysdayninge an occupacion. | |
305 | Also the disciples vniuersally |
With their handes laboured busyly | |
Exchewynge ydle co[n]uersacion. | |
¶Husbondman. |
|
Oure clargye lyue nothynge after their rate | |
¶Gentillman. |
|
No / they seke ydelly to auaunce their estate | |
310 | And to be had in reputacyon. |
¶Husbondman. |
|
Are they worldly or gostely to saye the trothe? | |
sig: [A8v] | |
¶Gentyllman. |
|
So god helpe me I trowe none of bothe | |
As it apperyth by their fasshion. | |
For in matters of worldly busynes | |
315 | The clergye haue moche more entresse |
Than temporall men I ensure the. | |
The rhyme-scheme suggests that 3 lines have dropped out here | |
The landes of lordes and dukes to possesse | |
Thei abasshe not a whitt the seculernes | |
Chalengynge tytles of worldly honour | |
320 | But is the reame in any necessyte |
Where-as they shuld condescend of duete | |
To stande by their prince with socour | |
Than to be of the world they renye | |
Sayenge that their helpe is spiritually | |
325 | From the worlde makinge a separacion. |
¶Husbandman. |
|
Whiles they vse soche craftynes to contryue | |
The temporalte ought theym to depryue | |
Of their worldly dominacyon. | |
And euen as they saye that they are gostely | |
330 | So without any assistence wordly wordly:=worldly, OED |
To lyue gostely they shuld haue no lett | |
¶Gentyllman |
|
That were an expedyent medicyne | |
Accordinge vnto saynt Paules doctryne | |
Qui non laborat / non manducet. | |
335 | Notwithstonding their power is so stronge |
That whether they do ryght or wronge | |
They haue their awne will without fayle. | |
Their enormytees so ferre out_breaketh | |
That all the worlde agaynst theym speaketh | |
sig: B[1] | |
340 | But alas man what dothe it avayle? |
¶Husbondman |
|
The remedy that I can ymagyne | |
Were best that we together determyne | |
To gett vs to londone incontynent. | |
Where-as it is here for a surete tolde | |
345 | The kinge with his nobles dothe holde |
A generall counsell or parlament | |
¶Gentill-man. |
|
What woldest thou that we shuld do there? | |
¶Husbond-m[a]n. man] men 1529
|
|
The constraynte of oure myserye to declare | |
Vnder a meke forme of lamentacyon. | |
¶Gentyll-man. |
|
350 | So shuld we be sure of soche answeres |
As were made vnto the poore beggers | |
For their piteous supplicacyon. | |
Against whom the clergyes resons nought worthe | |
The soules of purgatory they brought forthe | |
355 | The beggers complaynte to discomfyte. |
Wherfore against oure peticion I the tell | |
They wold bringe out all the deuylls in hell | |
For to do vs some shamefull despyte. | |
¶Husbond-man. |
|
And was ther none other waye at all | |
360 | But the soules of purgatory to call |
In ayde and assistence of the clargye? | |
¶Gentill-man. |
|
It was the suerest waye by saynt Ihone | |
For had they to playne scripture gone | |
Iwousse they hadde be taken tardye. Iwousse: =Iwys | |
sig: [B1v] | |
365 | The beggers complaynte was so groundyd |
That the clargye hadde be confoundyd | |
Had they not to purgatory hasted. | |
¶Husbondman. |
|
Where sayde they purgatorye shuld be? | |
¶Gentillman. |
|
By scripture they shewyd no certente | |
370 | Albeit with stowte wordes they it faced. |
Even like vnto the man / which went | |
A certayne straunge ylonde to inuent | |
But whan he sawe / he could it not fynde. | |
Least his witt and trauayle shuld seme in vayne | |
375 | Reporte of other men / he beganne to fayne |
The simplicite of rude people to blynde. | |
But touchinge oure communicacion | |
Ther is a nother consideracion | |
Which somewhat more troubleth my mynde. | |
This stanza is three lines short: confusion with rhyme-scheme in previous stanza? | |
380 | Thou knowest that in the parlament |
The chefe of the clargye are resydent | |
In a meruelous great multitude. | |
Whos fearce displeasure is so terryble | |
That I iudge it were not possyble | |
385 | Any cause agaynst theym to conclude. |
As for this ones / we shall not be herd | |
And great men I tell the are a_ferd | |
With theym to haue any doynge. | |
Who-so-euer will agaynst theym contende | |
390 | Shall be sure of a myschefe in the ende |
Is he gentill-man / lorde or kynge. | |
And that vnto kynge Ihonne I me reporte | |
With other princes and lordes a great sorte | |
sig: B2 | |
Whom the cronycles expresse by name. | |
395 | Whiles they were a_lyue they did them trouble |
And after their deathe with cruelnes double | |
They ceascyd not their honour to dyffame. | |
Dyd not they so longe striue and wrastle | |
Against the good knyght syr Ihon_oldecastle | |
400 | Other-wise called lorde of Cobbam. |
That from hygh heresye vnto treasone | |
They brought him to fynall destruction | |
With other many a nobleman. | |
Moreouer at saynt_Edmundes_bury some saye | |
405 | That the famous prince duke Humfray |
By them of his lyfe was abrevyate. | |
Sythe that tyme I coude recken mo | |
Whom they caused to be dispached so | |
Parauenture some of no lowe estate. | |
¶Husbond-man. |
|
410 | Their tyranny is great without fayle |
Neuerthelesse yf we would theym assayle | |
With argumentes of the holy gospell. | |
They shuld not be ones able to resiste | |
For the wordes of oure saueour christe | |
415 | Shuld stoppe theym were they neuer so fell. |
Who in the .xxiij. chapter of saynt Luke | |
To their great confusyon and rebuke | |
For_bedyth secular ambicyon. | |
Wherin he hym-selfe example gaue | |
420 | Contempnynge worldly honour to haue |
Of this world claymynge no kyngdom. | |
Also when his disciples forthe he sent | |
He commaundyd theym to be content | |
sig: [B2v] | |
With foode and apparayle necessary. | |
425 | Wherto saint Paules doctrine acordinge |
Saieth: hauynge meate / drincke and clothinge | |
We shuld not couett superfluously | |
¶Gentill-man. |
|
Yf the holy gospell allege we shuld | |
As stronge heretikes take vs they would | |
430 | Vnto their churche disobedient. |
For-why they haue commaunded straytely | |
That none vnder great payne be so hardye | |
To haue in englishe the testament. | |
Which as thou knowest at London | |
435 | The bisshoppe makinge ther a sermon |
With shamefull blasphemy was brent. | |
¶Husbondman. |
|
Alas that cruelte goeth to my hert | |
Wherfor I feare me we shall all smert | |
At lengthe with bitter punishment. | |
¶Gentill-m[a]n. man] men 1529
|
|
440 | Vndouted it is greatly to be fearyd |
Least the hole region shall be plagyd | |
For their outragious blasphemy. | |
In kinge Henryes dayes of that name the fyft | |
The clargye their pride aboue to lyft | |
445 | Persecutyd christen brotheres haynously |
The gospell of Christ a_syde to cast | |
Which at that tyme prospered fast. | |
With all their pusaunce they dyd conspyre | |
Euery-where / they threwe theym in presones | |
450 | In sharppe gayles / and horrible doungeones / |
Causynge many to be brent in fyre. | |
sig: [B3] | |
Theyr furyous malyce neuer stentyd | |
Tyll they had the lyght oute_quenchyd oute_quenchyd: see OED out-quench v. | |
Of the gospell and holy scrypture. | |
455 | Wher-of / all bokes that they could gett |
They causyd on a fayre fyre to be sett | |
To expell goddes worde doynge theyr cure | |
But consyder what ther-of dyd chaunce | |
Moste terryble plages of fearfull vengeaunce. | |
460 | And endles sorowe to oure nacion. |
For within shorte season after they lost | |
Wich many a manes lyfe dyd cost | |
I[n] fraunce theyr domynacyon | |
Amonge theym-selfes moste hatefull mourdre | |
465 | Many stronge batayles / one after a nother |
With great effusyon of englysshe bloode | |
Frende agaynst frende / brother agaynst brother. | |
Euery man at varyaunce with other | |
The reame longe season in myschefe stoode | |
¶Husbandeman. |
|
470 | Thys is nowe-a_dayes clene oute of mynde |
¶Gentyll-man. |
|
I praye god / here-after we do not fynde | |
The same vengeaunce for lyke offence | |
For as it is in the byble playnely red | |
God left neuer lande yet vnpunyshed | |
475 | Which agaynst hys worde made resystence. |
¶Husbandeman |
|
Well syr / yf scrypture ye forthe brynge | |
I beseche you / what is theyr answerynge | |
Are they so bolde goddes worde to denye? | |
¶Gentill-man. |
|
sig: [B3v] | |
Naye but after theyr Imagynacyon | |
480 | They make there-of an interpretacyon |
Vnto the texte clene contrary | |
They allege the popes hygh auctoryte | |
Customes of auncyent antyqwite | |
With dyuers counseiles approbacyon | |
485 | Also the holynes of religious fathers |
With the bloode-sheadynge of marters | |
For theyr chirches preseruacyon | |
Besyde that / contynuaunce of yeres | |
Myracles of bysshoppes / monckes and freers | |
490 | Whom for specyall patrones they holde |
And fynally to make a conclusyon | |
In fortefyenge theyr abusyon | |
Other practyses they vse many-folde | |
They resorte to lordes and great estates | |
495 | With whom they are daily checke-mates |
Ye to saye the trouthe their soueraynes | |
Where amonge other comunycacyo[n] | |
They admonysshe theym with protestacyon | |
To beware of thes heretyke lutheranes | |
500 | Whom they saye is a secte newe-fanggled |
With execrable heresyes entanggled | |
Sekynge the chyrches perdycyon. | |
Which oure fore-fathers as wyse as we | |
Were contente with humble symplycyte | |
505 | To honour / obeynge theyr tuycyon |
Also none presumyd tyll nowe a_late | |
Agaynst the clergye to bare any hate | |
Or grudged at theyr possessyon | |
¶Husbande-man. |
|
sig: [B4] | |
By saynt mary syr / that is a starcke lye | |
510 | I can shewe you a worke by and by |
Agaynst that poynte makynge obieccyon | |
Which of warantyse I dare be bolde | |
That is a_boue an houndred yere olde | |
As the englysshe selfe dothe testefye | |
515 | Wherin the auctour with argumentes |
Speakyth agaynst the lordsshyppes and rentes | |
Of the clergye / possessyd wrongfully | |
¶Gentyll-man |
|
Is it so olde as thou doste here expresse | |
Reprouynge theyr pompous lordlynes | |
520 | So is it than no newe-found heresy. |
¶Husbandman. |
|
No but alas / halfe the boke we want | |
Hauynge no more left than a remenant | |
From the begynnynge of the .vi. chapter verely | |
¶Gentyllman. |
|
As for that / it maketh no matter | |
525 | Begynne hardely at the syxte chapter |
Redynge forthe to the ende seryously | |
For though old wrytynges apere to be rude | |
Yet notwithstandynge they do include | |
The pythe of a matter most fructuously | |
¶Husbandman |
|
530 | To rede it I shall be dylygent |
Though the style be nothynge eloquent | |
With ornate speache sett oute curyously | |
This stanza is three lines short: confusion with rhyme-scheme in the previous stanza? Or a special nine-line stanza to conclude this section? | |
¶Here foloweth an olde treatyse made aboute the tyme of kinge Rycharde the secounde. |
|
sig: [B4v] | |
prose section follows, Sigs. B4v-C7v | |
sig: [C7v] | |
¶Husband-man. |
|
Syr howe lyke ye nowe thys olde treatyse | |
Yf so be noble-men wold it aduertyse | |
535 | Puttynge a_parte pryuate affeccyon. |
Shuld they not perceyue here euydently | |
That the clergye dothe theym great iniury | |
Retaynynge thus temperall possessyon? | |
¶Gentyllman. |
|
Nowe I premyse the after my iugement | |
540 | I haue not hard of soche an olde fragment |
Better groundyd on reason with scrypture. | |
Yf soche auncyent thynges myght come to lyght | |
That noble-men hadde ones of theym a syght | |
The world yet wolde chaunge perauenture. | |
545 | For here-agaynst the clergye can not bercke |
Sayenge as they do / thys is a newe wercke | |
Of heretykes contryued lately. | |
And by thys treatyse it apperyth playne | |
That before oure dayes men dyd compleyne | |
550 | Agaynst clerckes ambycyon so stately. |
¶Husbandman. |
|
Concernynge thys treatyse and lyke matters | |
I haue hard saye of my forefathers | |
Howe in kynge henry the .v. raygne. | |
What tyme as ye dyd specyfye | |
sig: [C8] | |
555 | The clergye persecutyd the gospell fercely |
Causynge moche chrysten people to be slayne. | |
The kynge at the last hauynge informacyon | |
Thourough seryous consyderacyon | |
Of soche proper matters as thys is. | |
560 | Beganne to note the clergyes tyranny |
And what temporaltees / they dyd occupye | |
Theyr spyrytuall state ferre a_mysse. | |
Wherfore he determyned certeynly | |
To depryue theym temporally | |
565 | Of all theyr worldly gouernaunce. gouernaunce] gouuernaunce 1529 |
Whos pretence / as sone as they perceyued | |
Amonge theym-selfes they Imagyned | |
To gett the kynge ouer in-to fraunce. | |
That whyles he conqweryd ther is ryght | |
570 | In england do what they lyst they myght |
Theyr froward tyranny to fulfyll. | |
Which counseil / thus brought to passe | |
The kynge euer after so busyed wasse | |
That he could not performe hys sayde wyll. | |
¶Gentyll-man |
|
575 | So moote I the / it was happye for the kynge |
That by soche a colour they could hym brynge | |
From medlynge with that cace any more. | |
For hadde he it ones ernestly begonne | |
They had put hym to a confusyon | |
580 | Euene as they dyd other kynges before. |
¶Husbandman. |
|
What suppose ye they wold haue done? | |
¶Gentyll-ma[n]. |
|
Mary / fyrst with a fayre interdyccion | |
sig: [C8v] | |
To coursse the lande as blacke as pytche. | |
Than to inhybyt sayenge and syngynge | |
585 | Of mattyns and masse / and belles-ryngynge |
With chrysten buryall of poore and ryche | |
Besyde that precheres euery-where | |
Shuld haue brought men in soche fere | |
By theyr threatnynge exclamacyon. | |
590 | That theyr malycyous partye to take |
Subgettes shuld theyr prynce forsake | |
Contrary to goddes ordynacyon. | |
Euene as they dyd in hygh Germany | |
To the Emperour lewes of Bauerye | |
595 | Whom Pope Ihone sought to confounde |
And so dyd the clergy as I vnderstande | |
Vnto kynge Ihon here in Englande | |
To kynge Steuen / and henry the secounde. | |
¶Husbandman. |
|
They saye kynge Ihone was poysoned | |
600 | Because an halfe-peny lofe of breed |
He sayde / he wold make worthe .xij. pence. | |
¶Gentyll-man. |
|
Tushe that is a cast of theyr comon gyse | |
Soche infamy of prynces to deuyse | |
To cloke theyr oune tyrannous vyolence | |
605 | For hadde not kynge Ihone gone aboute |
From theyr temporaltees to put theym owt | |
He hadde bene longe after a lyues-man. lyues-man: see OED life, n. 15b. | |
But murder they neuer so shamefully | |
They can geue it a cloke full craftely | |
610 | Sayenge / nobis non licet occidere quenquem |
Whan they brennyd the newe testament | |
sig: [D1] | |
[Th]ey pretendyd a zele very feruent Leaf badly stained here and below | |
To maynteyne onely goddes honour. | |
Which they sayde with protestacyon | |
615 | [W]as obscured by translacyon |
In englysshe / causynge moche errour. | |
[Bu]t the trueth playnly to be sayde | |
[Th]ys was the cause why they were a_frayde | |
[L]east laye-men shuld knowe theyr iniquite. | |
620 | [Whi]ch through goddes worde is so vttred |
That it were not possyble to be suffred | |
Yf to rede scripture men had lyberte. | |
Also after the same maner and fasshyon | |
Subtelly to colour theyr abhomynacyon | |
625 | They destroyed cronicles not longe a_gone. |
Which for certeyne poyntes vnreuerently | |
Soundynge agaynst the kynges auncetrye | |
As they saye / were brent euerychone | |
But for all that / they shulde haue been spared | |
630 | From burnynge: had they not so declared |
The clergyes abhomynable excesse. | |
¶Husbandman. |
|
I suppose then / that they vse the same wayes | |
In burnynge of heretykes nowe-a_dayes | |
Whom they pursue with great furyousnes | |
¶Gentyll-man. |
|
635 | No fayle / they perswade temporall menne |
Thes heretykes as they saye to brenne | |
Least other good christians they shuld infecte | |
But the cause why they wolde haue theim rydde | |
Is onely that theyr vnhappynes nowe hydde | |
640 | They dreede least they shuld openly detecte |
¶Husbandman. |
|
sig: [D1v] | |
By my trouth it is nothinge vnlickly. | |
For lett one lyue neuer so wyckedly | |
In abhominable scandalisacion. | |
As longe as he will their church obaye | |
645 | Not refusynge his tithes duely to paye |
They shall make of him no accusacion. | |
Howbeyt lett him ones begynne to pynche. | |
Or to withdrawe their tithinge an ynche | |
For an heretike they will him ascite.ascite: see OED accite v. | |
650 | Wherfore I wonder moche of the tempor[alte]Leaf damaged |
That in performynge the clargyes cruelte | |
To burne soche parso[n]es they haue delyte. | |
¶Gentyllman. |
|
It is no merueil yf thou marcke well | |
The clargye sayenge that it is goddes quarrell | |
655 | Their mischeuous murdre to execute. |
¶Husbondman. |
|
So they are not a_knowen by their wyll a_knowen: see OED acknow v. | |
That it is their cause christen men to kyll | |
But the faute vnto other they impute. | |
¶Gentyllman. |
|
Touchinge that / another tyme at leyser | |
660 | I shall shew the more of their maner |
But nowe I can not tary verely. | |
¶Husbondman. |
|
Well syr / yf ye may no longer abyde | |
Oure lord be your continuall gyde | |
Grauntinge the trouth to be knowen openly. | |
665 | ¶AMEN. |