Comedy Concerning the Corruption of Laws of Nature Moses and Christ, Play

Comedy Concerning the Corruption of Laws of Nature Moses and Christ · Play

Actus Primus.

Our heauenly blessynge, be with you euerychone

Omnes simul.

All prayse and glorye, to your maiestie alone.

Christi lex.

Here styll to tarye, I thynke it be your mynde.

Nature Lex.

My offyce ye knowe, is to instructe Mankynde.

Moseh lex.

Than God be with you, we leaue you here behynde.

¶ Finit Actus Primus.

¶ Incipit Actus secundus.

Exeunt.

Nature lex.

THe lawe in effect…, is a teacher generall

What is to be done, and what to be layde asyde

But as touchynge me▪ the fyrste lawe naturall

A knowledge I am, whom God in Man doth hyde

In his whole workynge, to be to hym a gyde

To honour his God, and seke his neyghbours helth

A great occasyon, of peace, and publyque welth.

A sore charge I hauehave, Mankynde to ouerse

And to instructe hym, his lorde God to obaye

That lorde of heauen graunt, I maye so do my duetie

That he be pleased and Man brought to a staye

His bry…tle nature, his slyppernes to waye

Moche doth prouoke me, but yf God set to his hande

He shall do full well, for none maye hym withstande.

Infidelitas.

¶ He cōmeth in syngynge.

…Brom, brom, brom, brom, brom. Bye brom bye …Bye. bromes for shoes and powchrynges, botes and …busayus for newe bromes. Brom, brom, brom.

Marye God gyue ye good euen

And the holy man saynt Steuen

Sende ye a good newe yeare

I wolde hauehave brought ye the paxe

Or els an ymage of waxe

If I had knowen ye here.

I wyll my selfe so handle

That ye shall hauehave a candle

Whan I come hyther agayne

At this your sodayne mooyon

I was i… suche deuocyon

I had nere broke a vayne.

Nature lex.

That myght hauehave done ye smart….

Infidelitas.

No, no it was but a fart

For pastyme of my hart

I wolde ye had it forsoth

In syroppe or in sowse

But for noyaunce of the howse

For easement of your toth,

Nowe hauehave I my dreame in dede

God sende me wele to spede,

And swete saynt Antony

I thought I shulde mete a knaue

And nowe that fortune I hauehave

Amonge this company.

Nature lex

Why dost thou call me knaue?

Infidelitas.

I sayde I wolde be your slaue

Yf your grace wolde me hauehave

And do your worke anon.

I wolde so rubbe your botes

The rofe shulde from the rotes

Whan ye shulde do them on.

Nature lex.

Thou art dysposed to mocke

Sone mayst thou hauehave a knocke

If thou with me so game.

Infidelitas.

Your mouth shall kysse my docke

Your tonge shall it vnlocke,

But I saye what is your name?

Nature lex.

I am the lawe of Nature

Infidelitas.

I thought so by your stature

And by your auncyent gature

Ye were of suche a …ature

Whan I fyrste hearde ye speake.

Ye commoned with God lately

And nowe ye are his bayly

Mankynde to rule dyscretly

Welcome sy… huddyp…ke.

Nature lex.

If thou vse suche vyllanye.

I shall dysplease the trulye.

Infidelitas.

By the masse, I the defye

With thy whole Cukoldrye

And all that with the holde.

Nature lex.

Why doest thou me blaspheme

And so vngodly deme?

Infidelitas.

For by this blessed boke

I wende ye had ben a Cooke

And that made me so bolde,

For a Cooke ones, hauynge age

With a face demure and sage

And auncyent to beholde.

As you hauehave here in place

With a bearde vponupon your face

What is he but a Cooke olde?

Nature lex.

Ye are dysposed to dallye.

To leape and ouersallye

The compasse of your wytte

I counsayle ye yet in season

Somwhat to folowe reason

And gnawe vponupon the bytte.

Infidelitas.

Then after our great madnesse

Let vsus fall to some sadnesse

And tell me what ye entende.

Nature lex.

God sent me vntounto Man

To do the best I can

To cause hym to amende.

Suche creatures as want reason

My rules obeye eche season

And that in eueryborder

The sonne and mone doth moue

With the other bodyes aboue

And neuer breke theyr order.

The trees and herbes doth growe

The sea doth ebbe and flowe

And varyeth not a nayle

The floodes and wholsom sprynges

With other naturall thynges

Theyr course do neuer fayle.

The beastes and byrdes engender

So do the fys…hes tender

Accordynge to theyr kynde

Alonely man doth fall

From good lawes naturall

By a frowarde wycked mynde.

Infidelitas.

Nowe wyll I proue ye a lyar

Next cosynto a fryar

And on the gall ye rubbe

Ye saye they folowe your lawe

And varye not a strawe,

Whiche is a tale of a tubbe.

The sunne ones in the clyppes

Awaye the clearenes slyppes

And darkened is the daye

Of the planettes influence

Aryseth the pestylence.

To many ones decaye.

Doth not the sea sorage

That none can it aswage,

And swallowe in towne and streate

The ayre whiche gyueth breath

Someyme infecteth to death

By his most pestylent heate.

The beastes of vndemure

Whiche were lefte to mannes cure

Wyll hym somtyme deuoure

Thus are you rulers forgote

As thynges of slendre note

In Creatures daye and houre.

Nature lex.

It is the wyll of God

To vse them as a rod

Of his iust punysshment

Whan Man doth not regarde

The lorde nor his rewarde

Nor to his lawes consent.

They neuer are so ronnysh

But whan God doth Man ponnysh

For his vnhappynesse

From God they neuer fall.

Nor from lawes naturall

Doynge his busynesse.

Infidelitas.

And you are the same lawe

That kept them vnderunder awe

By your most polytyke wytte?

Nature lex.

God hath appoynted me

Mankynde to ouerse

And in his harte to syt

To teache hym for to knowe

In the Creatures hyghe and lowe

His gloryous maiestie

And on his name to call,

Or power celestiall,

In his necessytie.

To thynke hym euerlas…ynge

And wonderfull in workynge

And that he createth all

Both gouerne and conserue

From them he neuer swerue

That to suche fayth wyll fall.

Infidelitas

In dede here is good sporte.

But why do you resorte

Unto this present place?

Nature lex.

Man alwayes to exhort

To seke all helth and confort,

Of the onelyonly God of grace.

First in the hartes reioyce

And than with open voyce

To worshyp hym alone

Knowledgynge his deytie

His power and eternytie

Whan he shall make his mone.

Infidelitas.

I shall kepe ye as well from that

As my grandame kept her cat

From lyckynge of her creame.

Nature lex.

What wylte thou kepe me fro?

Tell me ere thou farther go

Me thynke thou art in a dreame.

Infidelitas.

From causynge of Mankynde

To gyue to God his mynde

Or his obedyence.

Nature lex.

What is thy name? tell me.

Infidelitas.

Marye Infydelyte

Whiche neuer wyll agree

To your benyuolence.

Nature lex.

Thou canste not kepe me from man.

Infidelitas.

Yet I wyll do the best I can

To trouble ye nowe and than

That ye shall not preuayle

I wyll cause ydolatrye

And moste vyle Sodomye

To worke so vngracyouslye

Ye shall of your purpose fayle.

Nature lex.

I defye the wycked fynde

With thy whole vene mouse kynde

God putteth now in my mynde

To fle thy companye.

Infidelitas.

Ye are so blessed a Saynt

And your selfe so well can paynt

That I must me aquaynt

With you no remedye.

Nature lex.

Auoyde thou cruell enemye

I wyll none of the truelye

But shurne thy companye

As I wolde the deuyll of hell.

Exit.

Infidelitas.

And are ye gone indede?

Small wyttam be your spede.

Except ye take good hede

I wyll be next of your counsell.

Now wyll I worke suche masterye

By craftes and su…yle polycye

The lawe of nature to poyson

With pestylent ydolatrye

And with most stynkynge sodomye

That he shall hauehave no foyson

Where are these vyllen knaues?

The deuyls owne kytchyu slaues

That them I can not se

I coniure you both here

And charge ye to appere

Lyke two knaues as yebe.

Monachu…

Sodomismus.

Ambo is a name full cleane

Knowe ye not what I meane?

And are so good a clarke.

Infidelitas.

By Terragramaton

I charge ye appere anon

And come out of the darke

Intrantsu…t.

Sodomismus

HaueHave in than at a dasshe

With swasshe mery annetswasshe

Yet may I not be to rasshe

For my holy orders sake.

Necromantia.

Idololatria.

Nor I sonne by my trouth

Tha cau…a …orage of slouth

And suche a comberouse cought.

Yeh wote not what to do.

Infidelitas.

At Christmas and at Paske

Ye maye daunce the deuyll a maske

Whyles his great cawdron pla…e

you suche a pretye mynyon

And you nowe in relygyon

Suche two I neuer sawe

Is not thy name Idolatrye▪

Sodomismus.

Yes, an wholsom woman verelye,

And w…lls…n… in phylosophye

Mennes fortunes she can tell

She can by sayenge her Aue marye

And by other charmes of sorcerye

Ease men of the loth ake by and bye

Yea, and farche the deuyll from hell

She an c…nyike the Cowe and hunte the foxe

And helpe men of the ague and poxe

So they bryng money to the boxe

Whan they to her make mdne.

She can fatche agayne all that is loste

And drawe drynke out of a rotten post

Without the helpe of the holye Ghost

In workynge she is alone.

Infidelitas.

What somtyme thou wert an he.

Idololatria.

Yea, but nowe yeh am a she

And a good mydwyf… perde

Yonge chyldren can Icharme▪

With whysperynges and whysshynges

With crossynges and with kyssynges

With blasynges and with blessynges

That sprytes do them no harme.

Infidelitas.

Then art thou lyke to Clysthenes.

To Clodius and Euclides,

Sardinapalus and Hercules

Whiche them selues ofte transfourmed

Into a womans lykenes

With agylyte and quyckenes

But they had venus syckenes

As wryters hauehave declared.

Sodomismus.

Let her tell forth her matter.

Idololatria.

With holy oyle and water

I can so cloyne and clatter

That I can at the latter

Many sutelties contryue

I can worke wyles in battell

If I do ones but spattle

I can make corne and cattle

That they shall neuer thryue.

Whan ale is in the fat

If the Oruar please me nat

The cast shall fall downe flat

And neuer hauehave any strength

No man shall tonne nor bake

Nor meate in inseason make

If I agaynst hym take

But lose his labour at length.

Theyr welles I can vp drye

Ca…se trees and herbes to dye.

And slee all pullerye

Where as men doth me moue

I can make stoles to daunce,

And earthen pottes to praunce

That none shall them enhaunce

And do but cast my gloue.

I hauehave charmes for the plowghe

And also for the cowghe

She shall gyue mylke …nowghe

So longe as I am pleased

Apace the myl… shall go.

So shall the credle do

And the musterde querne also

No man therwith dyseased.

Infidelitas.

Than art thou for me fytte.

Sodomismus.

The woman hath a wytte

And by her gere can sytte.

Thoughe she be somwhat olde?

It is myne owne swete bullye

My muskyne and my mullye,

My gelouer and my cullye

Yea myne owne swete hart of Golde.

Infidelitas.

I saye yet not to bolde.

Idololatria.

Peace fondelinge, tusshe a button

Infidelitas.

What wylte thou fall to mutton?

And playe the hungrye glutton

Afore this company?

Ranke louelove is full of heate

Where hungrye dogges lacke meate

They wyll durty pu…dynges eate

For want of befe and conye.

Heyghe mynyon for monye

As good is draffe as honye.

Whan the daye is whote and sonnye,

By the blessed rode of kent.

Sodomismus.

Saye forth your mynde good mother

For this man is none other

But our owne louynge brother

And is very well content.

Idololatria.

I neuer mysse but paulter

Our blessed ladyes psaulter

Before saynt Sauers aulter

With my bedes ones a daye

And this is my comoncast

To here Masse fyrste or last

And the holy frydaye fast

In good tyme mought I it faye.

With blessynges of Saynt Germyne

I wyll me so determyne

That neyther for nor vermyne

Shall do my chyckens harme

For your gese seke saynt Legearde

And for your duckes saynt Leonarde

For horse take Moyses yearde

There is no better charme.

Take me a napkyn folte

With the byas of a bolte

For the healynge of a …olte

No better thynge can be

For lampes and for bottes

Take me saynt Wylfrides knottes

And holy saynt Thomas lottes

On my lyfe I warrande ye.

For the cought take Iudas …are

With the parynge of a peare

And drynke them without feare

If ye wyll hauehave remedy

Thre syppes are for the hyckocke

And. vi. more for the chyckocke

Thus my prety pyckocke

Recouer by and by.

If ye can not slepe but slumber

Geue Otes vntounto saynt Un…umber

And beanes in a certen number

Unto saynt Blase and saynt Blythe

Gyue onyons to saynt Cutlake

And garlycke to saynt Cyryake

If ye wyll shurne the heade ake.

Ye shall hauehave them at quene hythe.

A dramme of a shepes tyrdle

And good saynt trances gyrdle

With the hamlet of an hyr…le

Are wholsom for the pyppe

Besydes these charmes afore

I hauehave feates many more

That I kepe styll in store

Whom nowe I ouer hyppe.

Infidelitas.

It is a sporte I trowe

To heate howe she out blowe

Her witchecraftes on a rowe

By the Masse I must nedes smyle.

Nowe I praye the let me knowe

What sedes that thou canst sowe

Mankynde to ouerthrowe

And the lawe of nature begyle.

Sodomismus.

My selfe I so behaue

And am so vyle a knaue

As nature doth depraue

And vtterly abhore

I am suche a vyce truelye

As God in his great …rye

Dyd punysshe most t…ryblye

In Sodome and in Gomorr▪

In the flesshe I am a fyre

And suche a vyle desyre

As brynge men to the myre

Of fowle concupyscence.

We two togyther beganne

To sprynge and to growe in manne,

As Thomas of Aquyne scanne

In the fourth boke of his sentence.

I dwelt amonge the Sodomytes

The Beniamytes, and Madyanytes

And nowe the popysshe hypocrytes

Embrace me eueryevery where

I am nowe become all spyrytuall

For the clergye at Rome and ouer all

For want of wyues to me doth fall

To God they hauehave no feare.

The chyldren of God I dyd so moue

That they the doughters of men dyd louelove

Workyng suche wayes as dyd not behoue

Tyll the floude them ouer went.

With Noes son Cham I was half ioyned

Whan he is dronken father scorned

In the Sodomytes I also reygned.

Tyll the hande of God them brent.

I was with Man not vnacquaynted

Whan he on the grounde his increase shed

For me his bretherne Ioseph accused

As Genesis doth tell

Dauid ones warned all men of vsus two.

Do not as mules and horses wyll do.

Confounded be they, that to ymages go

Those are the wayes to hell.

Both Esaye and Ezechiell

Both H…etemy and Daniell

Of vsus the abhominacions tell

With the prophetes euerychou

For vsus two God strake with fyre and water

With battayle, w^t plages, & fereful matter

With paynefull er…l…, than at the latter

Into Egipt and Babylon.

As Paule to the Romans testyfye

The gentyles after Idolatrye

Fell to suche be stiall Sodomye

That God dyd them forsake

Who foloweth vsus as he confesse

The kyngdome of God shall neuer possesse

And as the Aparalyps expresse

Shall synke to the burnynge lake.

We made Thalon and Sophocles

Thamiras, Nero, Agathocles

Tiberius and Iristoteles

Themselues to vse vnnaturallye

I taught Aristo and Fuluius

Semiramis and Hortensius

Crathes Hyliscus, and Pontius

Beastes to abuse most monstrouslye.

Infidelitas.

Marrye thou art the deuyll hym selfe

Idololatria.

If ye knewe howe he coulde pelfe

Ye wolde saye he were suche an elfe

As none vnderunder heauen were els.

Infidelitas.

The fellawe is well decked

Dysgysed and well necked

Both knaue balde and pypecked

He lacketh nothynge but helpe.

Sodomismus.

In the fyrste age I beganne

And so perseuerde with manne

And styll wyll if I canne

So longe as he endure

If monkysshe sectes renue

And popysshe pre estes contynue

Whiche are of my retynue

To lyue I shall be sure.

Cleane Marryage they forbyd,

Yet can not theyr wayes be hyd,

Men knowe what hath betyd

Whan they hauehave ben in parell

Oft hauehave they buryed quycke

Suche as were neuer sycke

Full many a propre trycke

They hauehave to helpe theyr quarell.

In Rome to me they fall

Both Bysshope and Cardynall

Monke, fryer, pryest, and all

More ranke they are then antes

Example in hope Iulye

Whiche sought in his furye

Two laddes, and to vse them beastlye.

From the Cardynall of Nautes.

Infidelitas.

Well, you two are for my mynde

Steppe forth and do your kynde

Leaue neuer a poynt behynde

That maye corrupt in man

The lawe wrytte in his harte

In his flesshe, do thy partAd Sodo.

And his soule so pernartAd Idol.

Do thou the best thou can.

Here hauehave I pretye gynnes

Both brouches beades and pynnes

With suche as the people wynnes

Unto Idolatrye

Take thou part of thē hereAd Idol.

Beades, rynges, and other gere

And shortely the be…ete

To deceyue Man properly

Take this same staffe and scryppe

With a God here of a chyppe

And good beldame forewarde hyppe

To set forth pylgremageAd Sodo

Set thou forth Sacramentalles

Saye dyrge, and synge tre…alles

Studye the popes Decretals

And myxt them with buggerage

Here is a stoale for the

A ghostly father to be

To here, Benedicite

A boxe of creame and oyle

Here is a purse of rellyckesAd Idol.

…agges, rotten boues, and styckes

A taper with other tryckes

Shewe them in eueryevery soyle

Sodomismus.

I wyll corrupt Goddes Image

With mos…e vnlawfull vsage

And brynge hym into dottage

Of all concupyscence.

Idololatria,

Within the flesshe thou art

But I dwell in the hart.

And wyll the soule peruart

From Gods obedyence.

Infidelitas.

Spare none abhomynacion

Nor detestable fasshyon

That mannes ymagynacion

By wytte maye comprehende

To quycken our sprytes amonge

Synge nowe some metysonge

But let it not be longe

Leaste we to moche offende.

Post cantion…m, Infidelitas alta voce dicet. Oremus.

OMnipotens sempiterne Deus, qui ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram formasti laicos, da quesumus, vt sicut corum sudoribus diuimus, ita corū vxoribus filiabus et domicellis perpetuo frui mereamur. Per domin… nostrum Papam,

Infidelitas.

Nowe are these horesons forth

It wyll be somwhat worth

To se howe they wyll worke

The one to poyson the hart

The other the outwarde parte

Ingeniously wyl lucke.

The lawe of Nature they wyll

Infect, corrupt and spyll

With theyr abhomynacion

Idolatrye with wyckednesse

And Sodomye with fylthynesse

To his most vtter dampnacion.

These two wyll hym so vse

Eche one in theyr abuse

And wrappe it in suche euyll

That by theyr wycked cast

He shall be at the last

A morsell for the deuyll.

Nowe vnderneth her wynges

Idolatrye hath kynges

With theyr No…ylytie

Both dukes, lordes, knyghtes and …arles

Fayre ladyes with theyr pearies

And the whole comynaltie.

Within the bownes of Sodomye

Doth dwell the spyrytuall clergye

Pope, Cardynall and pryest

Nonne, Chanon, Monke and fryer

With so many els as do desyre

To reygne vnderunder Antechrist.

Detestynge Matrymonye

They lyue abhomynablye,

And burne in carnall lust.

Shall I tell ye farther newes?

It Rome for Prelates are stewes

Of doth kyndes. This is iust.

The lawe of nature I thynke

Wyll not be able to wy…ke

Agaynst the assaultes of them

They hauynge so hygh prelates,

And so many gteat es…ates

From hens to Ierusalem.

Pause nowe a lytle whyle

Myne eares doth me begyle

If There not a sounde

Y…n folke hath sped I gesse

It is to by the Messe

Awaye nowe wyll I round….

Exit

Nature lex.

I thynke ye maruayle, to se such altera…ion

At this tyme in me, whom God lefte here so pure

O… me it cometh not, but of mannes operacion

Whom dayly the deuyll, to great synne doth allure

And his nature is full bryttle and vnsure

By hym hauehave I gote this fowle dysease of bodye

And as ye se here, am nowe throwen in a leprye.

I wrought in his hart, as God bad tr…estlye.

Hym oft prouokynge, to louelove God ouer all

With the inner powers, but that false Idolatrye

Hath hym peruerted, by slayghtes dyabolycall

And so hath Sodomye, throughe his abuses carnall

That he is nowe loste, offendynge without measure

And I corrupted to my most hyghe dyspleasure.

I abhorre to tell, the abusyous bestyall

That they dayly vse, whiche boast theyr chastytie

Some at the aulter, to incontyuencye fall

In confessyon some, full beastly occupyed be

Amonge the close Nonnes, reygneth this enormytie

Suche chyldren s…eythey, as they chaunce for to hauehave

And in theyr preuyes, prouyde them of theyr graue.

Ye Christen rulers, se ye for this a waye

Be not illuded, by false hypocrysye

By the stroke of God, the worlde wyll els decaye

Permyt prestes rather, Gods lawfull remedye

Than they shulde i…c…r…, most bestyall Sodomye

Regarde not the pope, nor yet his whorysshe kyngdom

For he is the master, of Gomor and of Sodome

With Man hauehave I ben, which hath me thus defyled

With Idolatrye, and vncleane Sodomye

And worthy I am, from God to be exyled

Pytie me yet lorde of thy moste bounteous mercye

I wyll forth and mourne, tyll thousende remedye

Promyse haste thou made, to a gloryous lybercie

To bring heuē & erth, thē wylt thou (I trust) restore me.

Incipit Actus tertius.

Moseh lex.

THe lord perceiuyng, his fyrst law thus corrupted

With vnclene vices, sent me his law of Moses

To se hym for synne, substancyallye corrected

And brought in agayne, to a trade of godlynes

For I am a lawe of rygout and of hardenes

I strayghtly commaunde, and yf it be not done

I threti…, I curej, and sle in my anger sone.

To God I requyre a perfyght obedyence

Con…empnynge all sache, as do it not in effecte

I shewe what synne is, I but dē sore mānes conscyence

To hym am I death, whan his lyfe is infect

Yet yf he take hede, to Christ I hym dyrect

Forgyuenes to hauehave, with lyke helth and saluatyon.

Leaste he shuloe dyspayre, and fall into dampnacion.

Infidelitas.

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha,

A pastyme quoth a, I knowe not the tyme nor whan

I dyd laghe so moche, sence I was an honest man

Beleue me and ye wyll, I neuer sawe suche a sporte

I wold ye had ben there, lye might hauehave made the fort.

Moseh lex.

Where woldest thou hauehave had me, tell me good brother myne.

Infidelitas.

At the Mynorasse syr, late yester nyght at complyne.

Moseh lex.

At the Mynorasse? why what was there a do?

Infidelitas.

For suche an other, wolde I to South ampton go

In dede yesterdaye was theyr dedycacion

And thythe… in Goddes name, came I to se the fasshion

An olde fryer stode forth, with spectacles on his nose

Begy…nynge this Anteme, a my fayth, I do not glose.

…

…pides pr…ciosi.

Moseh lex.

And what dyd folowe of this?

Infidelitas.

I shall tell ye by Goddes blysse

Then came Dame Isbell an …lde Noune and a cal…e

Crowynge lyke acapon, and thus began the Psalme.

…

Sepe expugnauetun… me a i…uent…te …

Moseh lex.

And what includeth this mysterye?

Infidelitas.

A symple probleme of bytcherye

Whan the fryer begonne, afore the Nonne

to synge of precyous stones

From my youth sayth she / they hauehave comforte me

As it had ben for the nones

Moseh lex.

I assure the playne, I set not by suche gaudes

Thy vsage shewe the, to be brought vp amonge baude…

Infidelitas.

It was a good world, whā we had such holsom story…s

Preached in out churche, on sondayes and other feryes

With vsus was it in…rye

Whan we went to Berye

And to our lady of grace

To the blou…e of hayles

Where no good chere fayles

And other holy place.

Whan the pryestes myght walke

And with yonge wyues talke

Than had we chyldren plentye

Then Cuckoldes myght leape

A score on a heape

Nowe is there not one to twentie.

When the Monkes were fatte

And ranke as a ratte

With bellyes lyke a Bore.

Then all thynges were dere

Both beafe, breade and bere

Nowe grudge the iourers sore.

Whan Bysshoppes myght burne

And from the truth turne

The syllye symple sowle.

Than dut… no man creake

Open mouth nor speake

Of Christ nor yet of Powle.

No we are the knaues bolde

With Scriptures to bolde

And teache them eueryevery where

The carter, the sowter

The bodger, the clowter

That all wyll awaye I fere.

At vsus so they pulle

Our lyuynges are dulle

We are nowe lyke to fall

If we do not fyght

For the churches ryght

By the Messe we lose all.

But I praye ye syr, tell me what is your name▪

Moseh lex.

The lawe of Moses, to lye were I to blame

Infidelitas.

In the same partyes, what do you intende?

Moseh lex.

Mankynde to refourme, that he his lyfe amende

I shewe what synne is, & what thynge pleseth God

I comforte the iust, and the yll, I ponysshe with rod

The cōmon people, hauehave thought it commodyous

Dyuers Goddes to hauehave, with rytes supersticious.

My cōmaundement is, to seke one God alone

And in all theyr nedes, to hym to make theyr mone

Amonge the Gentyles, was it thought none iniurye

If a man were hurte, to slee his aduersarye

This thynge I forbyd, and saye, thou shalt not kyll

Lawe is the reuenger, the man maye do no yll.

Some persones there are, that inordynatlye louelove

Those are perswaded, all thynges them to behoue

Whiche I inhybyte, sayenge contynuallye

No rape shalt thou do, nor yet cōmyt aduouteye

Thou shalt do no thefte, nor coueyte that is not thyne

Agaynste thy neyghbour, shalt thou not falsely dyffyne.

Infidelitas.

We maye do nothynge, yf we be pynned in thus

Neither you nor God, to that harde trade shal bryng vsus

We must hauehave one God, and worshyp hym alone

Matye that in dede, wolde make a Turke to g…ne

If we be stryken, we maye not stryke agayne?

Aprope… …gyne▪ and dyscretlye v…t… r…d …la…ne

For companyes sake, ye saye we maye not louelove

I defye your worste, and to you there is my gloue.

Moseh lex.

What? thou wylt not fyght thy wits are better than so.

Infidelitas.

In the quarell of louelove, I shall proue ye ere I go

By the Messe I thynke, to put ye to your f…ure.

Moseh lex.

Thou were moche better, to kepe thy pacyence.

Infidelitas.

Naye by Cockes sowle frynd, I must laye ye on y^• coate

In loues cause to fyght, ye may soone hauehave m…a f… ar…

Naye but hauehave at your py…ch…, defende ye yf ye maye.

Moseh lex.

Suche a foole art thou, as sekes thyne owne decaye

If I ones medle, t… the, it wyll be death

Dyddest thou neuer here, that law sleeth in his wrath.

Infidelitas.

By the blessed lorde, than wyll I playe Robsons parte.

Moseh lex.

Whye what part wylte thou playe?

Infidelitas.

By cockes sou…e geue ouer, so soone as I fele smarte

Moseh lex.

It wyll be to late, it I one scupple with the

Infidelitas.

Then let me a…on…, and we shall soone agre

And I shall be glad to be acquaynted with ye.

Moseh lex.

Acquainta…ce good felaw, thou mayst soone hauehave of me

Infidelitas.

The worste faulte I hauehave, I am hast…e nowe & than

But it is sone gone, I toke it of a woman

But what meane those tables, y^• ye hauehave in your hande.

Moseh lex.

Kepe scylence a whyle, and thou shalte vnderstande

Thre things I declare, the fyrst are y^• preceptes moral

Next, the lawes iudicial, and last the rytes ceremoniall

The morall preceptes, are Gods cōmaundementes ten

Whiche ought euermore to be obserued of all men

The lawes of Nature, the morall preceptes declare

And y^• plesaunt workes, to God they teache & prepare

They sturre man to fayth & prouoke hym also to louelove

To obey, to serue, and to worshyp God aboue

Into s…ony tables, God wrote them fyrste of all

That they shulde remayne, as thynges contynuall▪

The first hath but thre, whiche tende to Goddes hyghe honour,

Seuen hath the seconde, & they concerne our neybour.

The fyrste doth expounde, the fyrste lawe naturall

The …ext the other, makynge them very formall

Inspryt… i… the fyrst, y^• we shulde God honour and louelove

To outwarde workynge the seconde doth vsus moue

For…ydoynge all wronges preseruynge iust maryage

Norysshynge true peace, and other godly vsage.

Infidelitae.

What is the effecte, of your lawes Iudyciall?

Moseh lex.

Suche thynges to cōmaunde, as are cyuyle or tēporall

From vyce to refrayne, and outwarde iniurye

Quyet to conserue, and publyque honestie

These are to supporte, the lawes of the seconde table

Ceremonyall rytes are also commendable

In holy dayes, garmētes, temples & consecta…ions

Sacryfices & vowes, with offerynges and expi…acions

Which are vntounto Christe, as fygures, types, & shadowes

As Paule doth declare, in his Epistle to the Hebrues

These are onelyonly fygures, and outwarde testymonies

No man is perfyght, by suche darke ceremonyes

OnelyOnly perteyne they, vntounto the thyrde cōmaundement

Of the Sabboth daye, tyll Christ the lorde be present.

In his death endynge, the whole Iudiciall presthode.

Infidelitas.

Good dayes myghte ye hauehave, ye speake full well by the roode.

I am a poore lad, and by my trouth bent earues…lye▪

To wayte vponupon ye, and to be your very lackye.

Moseh lex.

What art thou called, I praye the hartelye.

Infidelitas.

Graye fryer am I none, by the Messe I can not flatter.

I am Infydelytie, to tell the truth of the matter.

Moseh lex.

And hast thou so longe dyssembled thus with me?

Infidelitas.

Yea, for aduauntage to smellout your subtyltie.

Moseh lex.

Auoyde hens I saye, thou false Infydelyte.

Infidelitas.

Naye that I wyll not, by yngham Trynytie.

Moseh lex.

Wylt thou not in dede, thā wyll I fet hyther the poure

Of Iudges & kynges, to subdue the within this houre.

Exit.

Infidelitas.

Suche knyghtes wyll I hauehave, as shall cōfounde thē al▪

Is S…dduces & scrybes, with the sec… pharysaycal…

By helpe of my chyldren Idolatrye and Sodomye

The lawe of Nature, I cast ones in a leprye

I hauehave yet two more, Ambycion & Coneytousnes

Whiche wyll do as moche to the lawe of Moyses

Where are my whorsons, that they come not awaye.

Iutisconsu…tus.

Auaritia.

Yea, whorson on thy face, euen in thy best araye

I wyll thou knowe it, I am a worshypfull Doctour

A Scrybe in the lawe, and a profytable proctour.

Infidelitas.

Guppe with a vengeaunce, howe comest thou so alofte.

Auaritia.

I shall tell the man, yf thou wylt comen more solte

By fayned flattery…, and by coloured adulation

Ambycion here also, …ose of a lyke foundacion.

Infidelitas.

Come, are me blessynge, pretye boyes apace

Ambitio.

I wyll not bowe sure▪ to suche a folys…he face.

Infidelitas.

Axe blessynge I saye, and make me no more ado.

Ambitio.

Unsemely were it, we Prelates shulde do so.

Auaritia.

For no compu…syon wyll I do it by swete Marye.

Infidelitas.

I must fatche ye in, there is no remedye

A noughty horsons, hauehave I brought ye vp hytherto?

And know not your father, ye shall drynke both ere I go

Ambosimul.

No more at this tyme, forsoth we crye amercye.

Infidelitas.

Downe on your knees than, & axe me blessynge shortly.

Ambosimul.

Blesse me gentell father, for swete saynt charytie.

Infidelitas.

Aryse noughtyknaues, God let ye neuer to the

Though among our selues, we mu…mur…, brag, & face

Somtyme for lucre, somtyme for the hygher place

Yet for aduauntage, in this we all agree

To blynde the rulers, and deceyue the com…ynaltie.

Auaritia.

Art aduysed of that, by the Messe we are in dede

Yet of our knaueryes, the fo…le & wyll neuertake hede.

To labour with a spade

Our colour wolde it fade

We maye not with that trade

We louelove so moche our ease

We must lyue by theyr sweate,

And hauehave good drynke and meate

Whan they hauehave not to eate

The substaunce of a pease.

We leade them in the darke

And so theyr conseyence marke

That stutdye they are and starke,

In eueryevery wycked euyll

We teache Idolatrye

And laught full merelye

To se eche companye

Ronne headlonges to the deuyll.

Ifwe maye hauehave the tythynges

And profytable offeryages

We ca…e not to what doynges

They customablye fall

We are suche mercenaryes

And subtyle propryetaryes

As from the flocke all carryes

The w…lle, skynne, flesshe and all.

In our perambulacyons

We looke for commendacions

And lowly salutacions

In temple, howse and strete.

Our lowsye latyne howres

In borowes and in bowres

The poore people deuoures

And treade them vnderunder fete.

Ambitio.

I am Ambycion, whose bysposycyan

Is honour to appete

I gape for empyre, and worshyp desyre

As Mynos dyd in Crete

I loke vp Aloft, and louelove to lye softe

Not carynge for my flocke

HaueHave Iones the flese, with pygges, lambes, and gese

They maye go turne a Socke.

Lucifer I made, so hyghly to wade,

To God he wolde be equall

Of Adam and Eue, I slewe the beleue

And caused them to fall

What nede I rehearce, the gyauntes most fearce

With the buylders of Babell

Nemrod the tyrraunt, with them there applyaunt,

Agreed to my counsell.

From me wolde not go, cruell Pharao

No more wolde Amalech

Saul, Achitophell, Absolo…, Iesabel

Nor Adonisedech.

I made Roboam, and Hierobeam

With Nabuchodouosor

Triphon, Alchmius, and Simon magus

To abuse them euermore.

Inpryde I excede, and no people fede

But with lyes for aduauntage

As Mantuane tell, to leade men to hell

Is my most common vsage.

Hyghe thynges I attempt, and wyll in exempt

From prynces iurisdition

A am suche an enyll, as brynge men to the deuyll

Without any contradiction.

Infidelitas.

Here is a prelate euen for myne owne toth

Suche an other is, not in the whole South

Clappe thou somwhat more, as thou hast begunne

I lyke wele your ta…kynge, by the holy Nunne.

Auaritia.

I Coutyse am, the beuyll or his dam

For I am insacyate

I rauysshe and plucke, I drawe and I sucke

After, a woluys she ra…e.

Father nor mother, Syster nor brother

I spare not in my moode.

I feare neyther God, nor his ryghtfull rod

In gatherynge of goode.

But howse and medowe, from the poore wydowe

I spare not forto take

Ryght heyres I rob, and as bare as Iob

The fatherles I make.

With me toke Nadab, Nabal and Achab

With all the clergye of Bell

Iudas and Giezi, with the sōnes of Hel…

And the sonnes of Samuell.

Iannes and Iambres, also Diotrephes

Wrought wylfull wyckednesse

So dyd Menelaus, with false Andronicus

And all for Coueytousnesse.

Ambicio.

With vyces seuen, I close vp heauen

And speare vp paradyce

I oppen hell, by my counsell

Mayntaynynge eueryevery vyce.

Auarititia.

For Syluer and golde, with falsehed I holde

Supportynge eueryevery euyll

I hauehave it in awe, for to thoke the lawe

And brynge all to the deuyll.

Infidelitas.

By the blessed Trynytie, no men more fyt for me

To do my busynes.

Ambycion to begyle, and Auaryce to defyle

The lawe of Moyses.

Tell me fyrste of all, what wylte thou do Ambycyon.

Ambitio.

I am thyne owne chylde, thou knowest my dysposycion

I wyll sure do, as dyd the Phylystynes.

Infidelitas.

Why what dyd those knaues?

Ambitio.

They stopped vp Abrahās pyttes, as Genesis diffynes

With mudde and with myre, & l…f… them full vnclene

Infidelitas.

By the same practyse, tell me what thou dost meane.

Ambitio.

With fylthy gloses, and dyrtye exposytion,

Of Goddes lawe wyll I hyde, the pure dysposycions

The keye of knowledge, I wyll also take awaye

By wrastynge the text, to the scriptures sore decaye.

Infidelitas.

And what wy…te thou, my felowe Coueytousnes?

Auaritia.

A vayle wyll I sprede, vponupon the face of Moyses

That none shal perceyue, the clerenes of his coūtenaūce

Whiche is the lawe, the meanyng & true ordynaunce.

Infidelitas.

Wy what wyll ye saye, vntounto the ten cōmaundemētes

Ambitio.

We must poyson them, with wylworkes, & good intētes

Where as God doth saye, No straunge goddes thou shalte hauehave

With Sayntes worshyppynge, that clause we wyl depraue.

And thoughe he cōm…unde, to make no graued ymage

For a good intent, yet wyll we hauehave pylgremage

Thoughe he wyll vsus not, to take his name in vayne

With tradycions yet, therunto wyll we constrayne.

No Sabboth wyll we, with Gods worde sanctyfye

But with lyppe labour, and yd…e ceremonye.

To father and mother, we maye owe none obedyence

Our relygion is, of so so great excellence.

Thoughe we do not slee, yet maye we hertyckes burnè

If they wyll not soone from holy Scripture turne

What though it be sayde, thou shalt do no fornycacion

Yet wyll we mayntayne, moche greater abhomynacion

Though thefte be forbyd yet wyll we contynuallye

Robbe the poore people, throughe prayer & purgatorye

God hath inhy…yted▪ to gyue false testimonye

Yet we wyll condempne the Gospell for Heresye.

We shulde not coueyte our neybours house nor wyfe

His seruaunt nor b…ast, yet are we therin most ryfe

Of men make we swyne, by the draffe of our tradycions

And cause them nothynge to regarde but supersticions

As Dogges vnreasonable, on mos…vyle carren fede

So wyll we cause them, seke ydolles in theyr nede.

And alwayes theyr grounde, shalbe for a goodintent

Infidelitas.

More myscheuous I trowe, the deuyll coulde not inuēt

Than you two can do, by the Messe ye are alone

Lytle coulde I do, were ye ones from m… gone

To the corruptynge, of the lawe of Morses

Go forwarde therfore, in your deceytful…es

Auaritia.

With superstitions, the Iewes ceremoniall lawes

I wyll so handle, they shall not be worth▪ ii. strawes

The lawes Iudiciall throug…e cawtels and d…layes

I wyll also drowne, to all ryghteous mēnes decaye

To set this forwarde, we must hauehave sophystrye

Phylosophye and Logycke, as scyence necessarye

The Bysshoppes must hold theyr priestes in ygnoraūee

With long laten houres, lest knowledge to them chaūce

Let them hauehave long mattens, longe euen songes & long Masses

And that wyll make them as dull as euer were asses

That they shall neuer be able to prophecye

Or yet preache the truth, to our great iniurye.

Let the Cloyster…rs be brought vp euerin scylence

Without the Scriptures, in paine of dysobedyence

Se the laye people, praye neuer but in latyne

Let them hauehave theyr Crede, and seruyce all in latyne

That a latyne beleue, maye make a latyne sowle

Let them nothynge knowe, of Christe, nor yet of powle

If they hauehave Englysshe▪ let it be for aduauntage

For pardons, for Dyrges, for offerynges & pylgremage

I teken to make them, a newe Crede in a whyle

And all in Englysshe, theyr Conscyence to begyle.

Infidelitas.

Reherse vntounto me, the Artycles of that Crede.

Auaritia.

The Artycles are these, geue eare and take good hede

First they shall beleue, in our holy father Pope

Nexte in his decrees, and holy decretals.

Then holy churche, with sencer, crosse and cope

In the Ceremonyes, and blessed Sacramentals

In purgatorye then, in pardons and intrentals

In prayenge to sayntes, and in saynt Frances whoode

In our lady of Grace, and in the blessed roode

They shall beleue also, in relyckes and relygion

In our ladyes psalter, in frewyll and good workes

In the ember dayes, and in the popes remyssyon

In b…des and in belles, not vsed of the turkes

In the golden Masses, agaynst such sprites as lurkes

With charmes and blessynges. This crede wyll bryng in money

In Englysshe therfore, we wyll it clarkely conueye.

Infidelitas.

Yea, and burne the knaues, that wyll not beleue y^e crede

That into the dytche, the blynde the blynde maye lede.

Ambitio.

Then I holde it best, that we alwayes condempne

The Byble readers, least they your actes contempue.

Infidelitas.

Yea, neuer spare them, but euermore playe the bytar

Expressyng alwayes, the tropes and types of thy mytar

Ambitio.

Why, what doest thou thynke, my mytar to sygnyfye.

Infidelitas.

The mouth of a wolfe, and that shall I proue by & by

If thou s…oupe downward, lo, se how y^• wolfe doth ga…e

Redye to deuoure the lambes, leaste any escape

But thy woluyshnes, by thre crownes wyll I hyde

Makynge the apope & a captayne of all …ryde

That whan thou dost slee, such as thy lawes cōtempne

Thou maist say, not I, but the powers did thē condēpne

The Cabels betoken, the lawes of se non & cannon

Ambicio.

I trow thou w…ldest say, the. ii. lawes Cyuyle & Canon

Infidelitas.

As I spake I thought, & styll thynke by saynt Iohan

Yea, persecute styll the instructers of the people

And thou Coueytous…es, let no bell rynge in Steple

Without a profyght. T…sshe, take money eueryevery where

So nygh …lyppe and shaue, that thou leaue neuer a here

Aua…itia.

I caused the Pope, to take but nowe of late

Of the graye fryers, to hauehave a canonyzate

Franciscus de pola, thre thousand duckattes and more

And as moche besydes / he had not longe afore

For a Cardynall hatte, of the same holy ordre

Thus drawe we to vsus, great goodes from eueryevery border

Pope Clement the seuenth payed ones for his papacye

Thre hondred thousād, good duckates of lawful money

Infidelitas.

I maruayle howe he coulde come to so moche good.

Auaritia.

Yes, yes, by pollage, and by shedynge Christen blode.

Crosers and Mytars, in Rome are good merchandyce

And allto lyttle, to mayntayne theyr pompe and vyce

Ambitio.

The pope for whordom, hath in Rome and Uiterbye

Of golde and syluer, a wonderfull substaunce yearely

Tush they be in England y^t moch rather wold to dwell

Whores in theyr dyoceses, than the readers of Christes Gospell.

Infidelitas.

They do the better, for by thē they maye hauehave profyght

As for the other, do trouble them daye and nyght

Well, nowe steppe forewarde, and go do your busynes

To the corruptynge, of the lawe of Moyses.

Auaritia.

Doubt not but we shall, make hym a crepple blynde.

Infidelitas.

Synge then at our farewell, to recreate our mynde.

Finita catiuncula exeunt ambo.

Infidelitas.

Nowe am I lefte alone, And these. ii. marchaūtes gone

Theyr myschyefe to seclude

I thynke within a whyle, they wyl trap and begyle

The worthy lawe of Iude.

Ambycion fyrste of all, with his rytes bestiall

Wyll make the people swyne

In draffe wyll he them lede, and with tradycions fede

Where they shall suppe or dyne

Coueytousnes wyll warke, that many one shall barke

Lyke dogges agaynst the truth

Some shal goddes word defyle, and some wyll it reuyle

Suche beastlynes ensu…th.

Ambicion hath this houre, al the whole spyritual poure

And maye do what hym lust

Now coueytousnes doth rule, & hath both horse & mule

All matters by hym dyseust

Now bysshopryt…es are …ol…e, & the holy ghost for golde

The pope doth bye and sell

The truth maye not be tolde, vnderunder paynes manyfolde

With sendynges downe to hell

The people preestes do famysshe, and theyr gooddes frō them rauysshe

Yea and all the worlde they blynde

All prynces do they mocke, and robbe the sellye flocke

Nothynge they leaue behynde

On the face of Moyses, a vayle they hauehave cast doubtles

The lyght of the lawe to hyde

Least mē to christ shulde come, frō ceremonyes dōme

As to theyr heauenly gyde

The lawe can neuer be, at any lybertie

Where suche two enemyes rayne

Nowe is it tyme to walke, of this more wyl I talke

Whan I come hyther agayne.

Exi… ▪

Moseh lex.

If pytie maye mou…, your gentyll christen hartes

Let it nowe sturre ye, to mourne this heuye chaunce

Two enemies with me, hauehave played most wicked partes

And lefte me starke blynde, God knoweth to my sore greuaunce.

And I thynke also to your mothe hynderaunce

To leade you to Christ, somtyme a gyde I was

Nowe am I so blynde, I can not do it, alas.

Most rygorously those enemyes nowe of late

Dyd fall vponupon me, and spoyle me of my syght

One was Ambycion, whiche euer ought me hate

And Coueyeousnesse, the other enemye hyght

Now forsoth and God, iutheyr most cruell spyght

The one made me blynde, the other made me lame

And whā they had done, therat they had great game.

Thus a blynde cryple, I wander here alone

Abydynge the tyme and grace, of restauracion

By the sonne of God, to whom I make my mone

My cause to pytie, and graunt me supportacion

Least I be left here, to vtter desolacion

And extreme decaye without any remedye,

If he dyd not helpe of goodnesse and of mercye.

Ye christen prynces, God hath gyuen you the poure

With scepture and swerde, allvyces to correcte

Let not Ambycion, nor Coueytousnesse deuoure

Your faythfull subiectes, nor your offycers infect

HaueHave to your Clergye, a dylygent respecte

And se they do not corrupt the lawes of God

For that doth requyre, a terryble heuy… rod.

God gaue me to man, and lefte me intables of stone

That I of hardenes, a lawe shulde specyfye

But the Pharysies, corrupted me anone

And toke from me cleane, the quyueru…s of bodye

With cler…uesse of syght, and other pleasures many

Nowe wyll I to Christ, that he maye me restore

To more perfection, than euer I had afore.

Finis Actus tertius.

Incipit Actus quartus.

Euangilium.

VN faythfulnes hath, corrupted eueryevery lawe.

To the great decaye, of Adams posterytie

were it not for me, which now do hither draw

Al flesh wold perysh, no man shulde saued be

I am Christes Gospell, and infallyble verytie

Suche a power of God, as saueth all suche as beleue

No burden nor yoke, that any man wyll gr…ue.

In the bloude of Christ, I am a full forgyuenes

Where fayth is grounded, with a sure confydence

I am suche a grace, and so hyghe tydynges of, gladnes

As rayse the synner, and pacyfye his conscyence.

I am spyryte and lyfe, I am necessarye scyence

I requyre but louelove, for mannes iustyfication

With a fayth in Christ, for his health and saluacion.

Infidelitas.

Goddes beneson hauehave ye, it is ioye of your lyfe

I hauehave hearde of ye, and of my maystresse your wyfe.

Euangilium.

If thou hardest of me, it was by the boy…e of God.

Infidelitas.

Naye, he that spake of ye, was …ellynge of a God

In an Oystre bote, a lytle beyonde quene hythe

A Northen man was he, & he besought ye to be blythe

Euangilium.

If he spake of me, he was some godly preacher.

Infidelitas.

Naye syr by the roo…e, nor yet a wholsom teacher.

Euangilium.

After what maner dydhe speake of me? tell.

Infidelitas.

He swore lyke a man, by all contentes of the Gospell

He swore and better swore, yea, he dyd sweare & sweare agayne.

Euangilium.

That speakynge is suche, as procureth eternall payne

Wyll not the people, leaue that most wycked folye?

And it so damnable, to heare it I am sorye

But what dyddest thou meane, whau thouspakest of my wyfe?

Infidelitas.

Nothynge, but I thought it was ioye of your lyfe

That ye were so good to your neyghboures as ye are

Euangilium.

Why, howe good am I? thy fantasye declare.

Infidelitas.

Ye ease them amonge, yf it be as I heare

Whan ye are abrode, there is fyne merycheare.

Euangilium.

As thou art, thou speakest after thy hertes abundaun…e

For as the man is, suche is his vtteraunce.

My wyfe is the churche, or christen congregacion

Regenerate inspyryte, doynge no vyle operacion

Both cleane and holy, without eyther spot or wryncle

The lambe with his bloud, dyd her wash & bespryncle.

This is not the churche, of dysguysed hypocrytes

Of apysh shauelyng…s, or papisticall Sodomytes

Nor yet as they call it, a temple of lyme and stone

But a lyuysh buyldynge, grounded in fayth alone

On the harde rocke Christ, whiche is the sure fosidacion

And of this churche, some do reygne in eueryevery nacion

And in all coūtreyes, though theyr nombre be but smal

Infidelitas.

Theyr nombre is suche, as hath ronne ouer all

The same Danes are they, men prophecye of playne

Whiche shuld ouer ronne this realme yet ones agayne.

Euangilium.

What Danes speakest thou of? thy meanynge shewe more clerely.

Infidelitas.

Da…e Iohan, Dane Robert, Dane Thomas, and Dane Harrye.

The same are those Danes, that laye with other mens wyues.

And occupyed theyr landes, to the detryment of theyr lyues.

These are acccounted, a great part of the churche

For in Goddes seruyce, they honourably wurche

Yellynge and cryenge, tyll theyr throtes are full sore.

Euangilium.

That Churche was descrybed, of Esaye longe afore

This people (sayth God) with theyr lyppes honour me

In vayne worshyp, they teachynge mēnes fatuyte

Apparaunt is that churche, and open to the eyes

Theyr worshyppynges are, in outwarde ceremonyes

That coūterfetchurch standeth al by mēnes tradycions

Without the scriptures, & without y^• hertes affections

My churche is secrete, and euermore wyll be

Adorynge the father, in spyryte and in verytie

By the worde of God, this churche is ruled onelye

And doth not consyst, in outwarde ceremonye

This congregacion, is the true Churche mylytaunt

Those Counterfayte Desardes, are the verye Churche malygnaunt.

To whom Christ wyll saye, I knowe none of your sor…

Infidelitas.

Moche are they to blame, that brethren so report

Euangilium.

Suche are no brethren, but enemyes to Christes blode

As put saluacion, in shauen crowne mytar, or whoode.

Infidelitas.

I praye ye how lōge, hauehave your swete spowse cōtynued

Euangilium.

Sens the beginnynge, and now is in Christ re…ued.

Adam dyd promyse, of Christes incarnacion

So had Abraham, with his whole generation

Whiche was vntounto them, a preachynge of the Gospell

Into saluacion, and delyueraunce from hell.

Infidelitas.

By this tyme I hope, ye hauehave a fayre increase?

Euangilium.

She is not ba…en, but beareth and neuer cease

The Corinthes first epistle, hath this clere testymonye

In Christo Iesu, per Euangilium vos genui

I hauehave begot you, in Iesu Christ sayth Powle

By the Gospell preachyng, to the cōfort of your sowle.

Infidelitas.

Than are ye a ouckolde, by the blessed holy masse

As I sayde afore, so cōmeth it nowe to passe

For I am a prophet, by hyghe inspyration led

Nowe lyke I my selfe, moche better than I dyd

Ye say y^• saynt Paule, begate your wyfe with chylde.

Euangilium.

By mysunderstandyng, thou art vngracyously begylde

An only mynyster, was paule in that same doynge

That he therin dyd, was by the Gospell preachynge

His mynde is the Gospell, to hauehave done that operation

And this must thou holde, for no carnall generacion.

Infidelitas.

Mary so they saye, ye fellowes of the newe learnynge

Forsake holy churche, and nowe fall fast to wyuynge.

Euangilium.

Nay they forsake whordom, with other dāpnablevsage

And lyue with theyr wyues, in lawfull maryage

Whyles the popes oyled swarme, …aygne styll in theyr olde buggerage

Infidelitas.

Yeà, poore maryed men, hauehave very moche a do

I count hym wysest, that can take a snatch and to go?

Euangilium.

Thou semest one of them, that detesteth matrymonye▪

Whiche is afore God, a slate both iust and holye.

Of suche as thou art, saynt Paule dyd prophecye

By the holy Ghost, that a certayne companye

In the latter dayes from the truth of God shulde fall

Attendynge to spyrytes, of errour dyabolycall

Whiche in hypocrysye, wyll teache lyes for aduaūtage

With marked conseyences, inhabytynge maryages

Thou apperest by thy fruytes, to be Infydelyti…

Infidelitas.

I am none other, but euen the very he

And hyther nowe come I, to cōmenthe matter with ye

Euangilium.

Auoyde cursed fende, and get the out at the gates.

Infidelitae.

Nay fyrst wyl I serue ye, as I lately serued your mates

And hence wyll I not, for this place is for me

Who shulde here remayne, but I Infydelyte?

Euangilium.

Well, than for a tyme, I must departe from hens

But this fyrste wyll I saye, before this andyens

Easyer wyll it be, concernynge punysshment

To Sodom and Gomor, in the daye of iudgement,

Than to those Cyties, that resyste the verytie

At the suggestions of Infydelytie.

That people wyll be foreuer and euer lost

For it is the great synne, agaynst the holy Ghost

In the olde lawe fyrste, the father his mynde exprest

Then came his sonne Chryst, & made it more manyfest

And nowe the holy Ghost, is come to close vp all,

If he be not hearde, extreme dampnacion wyll fall

No prayer remayneth, nor expyracion for synne

To them that no profyght, of the worde of God wyll wynne.

Take good hede therfore, & saye that ye hauehave warnyng

Exit.

Infidelitas.

God sende your mother, of you to hauehave a fondelynge.

By the masse I thynke, he is wel… out of the waye

Nowe wyll I contryue the dryfte of an other playe

I must worke such wayes, Christes lawe maye not cō tynue,

In a whyle am I lyke, to hauehave none els of my retynue

Com… anyons I hauehave, to begynne this tragedye,

Namely false Doctryne, and his brother Hypocrysye

They wyll not belonge, I suppose nowe verelye

By cockes soule me thynke, I se suche a companye

Hem, I saye chyldren, wyll not my voyce be hearde

As good is a becke, as is adewe vow garde.

By my honestie welcome, myne own companyons both

Intran…

Pseudodoctrina.

Thou shalt hauehave a liuery of the same cloth,

Gramatcyes by God, my olde frende Infydelyte.

Hypocrisie.

What brother su…psuap, how go the worlde with the▪

Infidelitae,

What, fryre …ypflap, how saye ye to, Bendicite?

Hypocrises.

Marry nothynge but well, I crye now aduaūtage

Infidelitae.

At her purse or arse, tell me good fryre fuccage?

Hypocrisie.

By the Messe at both for I am a great penytensar

And syt at the pardon, tush I am the popes owne vycar

If thou lackest a pece, I know where thou mayst be sped

With choyse of a score, and brought euen to thy be… ▪

Pseudodoctrina.

Art thou not ashamed, to talke so lyke a knaue?

Hypocrisie.

No, for it is such gere, as the holyest of vsus wyll hauehave

Pope, cardynall, byshop, mōke, chanon prist & fryre,

Not one of ye all, but a woman wyll desyre.

Pseudodoctrina.

Our ordres permyt vsus not, to hauehave them in maryag…

Hypocrisie.

No, but ye fatche them in, by an other carryage.

Ye do euen as we do, we both are of one rate.

Infidelitae.

By the Messe I laugh, to here this whoreson prate▪

Pseudodoctrina.

What fasshion vse ye, to vsus here intymate.

Hypocrysie.

Ego distingu…, whyther ye wyll hauehave Lyons or Parys.

Pseudodoctrina.

Of them both to shewe, it wyll not be farre amys▪

Hypocrisie.

In Parys we hauehave, the mantell of saynt Lewes

Whiche women seke moche, for helpe of theyr barēnes.

For be it ones layde, vponupon a womans bellye

She go thens with chylde, the myracles are sene there daylye

And besydes all this, ye wolde marueyle in confessyon

What our fathers do, to assoyle them of transgressyon

Iohan Thessecelius, assoyled a yonge woman ones

Behynde the hygh aulter, tyll she cryed out of her bones

And as for lyons, there is the length of our lorde

In a great pyller, she that wyll with acorde

Be fast bounde to it, and take suche chaunce as fall

Shall sure hauehave chylde, for within it is hollowe all

Tush, I coulde tell ye, of moche more wondre thā this

In course to here them, I thynke ye wolde ye blys.

Pseudodoctrina.

As thou hast begonne, go forwarde in it and te….

Infidelitae.

Suche a knaue I suppose, is not from hens to hel.

Hypocrisie.

In our relygyon, was an holy popysh patryarke

Whiche of all bawdrye, myght be the great monarke.

The Nunnes to confesse, he went from place to place

And two hundred of them, he broached in that space

Many spyces he eate, his courage to prouoke

Suche a fellowe was he, as of that gere had the stroke

Pseudodoctrina.

Now somwhat wyl I tel, to confyrme thy tale withall

In kyng f…dināds tyme, in Spayne was a Cardynall

Petrus mendoza, was the very man that I meane

Of lemmans he had, great nombre besydes the quene

One of his bastardes, was an earle, an other was duke

Whom also he abused, and thought it no rebuke.

Ioannes Cr…mona an other good Cardynall

For reformation, of the clergye spyrituall

Came ones into Englād, to dāpne preestes matrymony

And the next nyght after, was taken, doynge bytcherye

Doctor Eckius also, whiche fearcely came to dyspute

In …psia with luther, myndyng there hym to con…ute.

For maryage of pryestes, thre chyldren …ad that yeare

By this may ye se, that somtyme we make mery cheare

Euangelium.

Mary that do ye, I shall beare ye recorde nowe

But howe wyll ye answere, for breakynge of your vow.

Pseudodoctrina.

We neuer breake vowe, so longe as we do not marye

Thoughe we in whordome, be neuer so bolde and busy.

Infidelitas,

By your ordre than, ye maye walke moche at large

What hast thou hypocresy, to laye for thy dyscharge

Hypocrisie.

Saynt Frances habyte, with the holy gyrdle & whoode

Noue can go to hell, that therin dye by the roode

In case saynt Frances, be sure vponupon theyr syde

Els maye they fortune, to be of theyr purpose wyde

For I teade of one that shulde hauehave gone to the deuyll

But the spyrytes of hell, coulde do no hym no euyll.

Tyll saynt Frauces came, & loke from hym this cowle

Then went he to hel, the fryers dyd here hym howle.

I wyll therfore serue S Frances, with hert and mynde

With dayly memoryes, that he maye be my frynde

And than I care not for all the deuylles in hell

That I hauehave tolde you, is more true then the Gospell.

Infidesitas.

Then are ye more sure, than monkes for your herytage

For theyr landes are here, but ye clayme heauen for aduauntage.

Pseudodoctrina.

Yet is it to them, a very pleasaunt thynge

Theyr Abbot at home, tobe called lorde and kynge.

Infidesitas.

Naye monke and churle, for here …s no kynge but one,

If he be a kynge, his mace is a mary bone

And his crowne a cowtorde, suche knaues as come frō the carte

Must be called kynges, for playenge a popysh par….

Pseudodoctrina.

It becometh not the, the Romyshe pope, so to lurche

Consyderynge he is the hyghest of the churche.

Infidesitas.

If he be the hyghest, than is he the …thercocke

Pseudodoctrina.

Ah, nowe I per…eyne, thou art dysposed to mocke

Of all holy Churche, he is the pry…eypall heade.

Infidesitas.

Mary that is true, he sendeth out bulles vnderunder lead

And he hath two …yes, the one to open hell

The other spea…eth heuen, thus do new here tyekes tell

They reporte also that Dogges hauehave no deuocion

To his holy lawes, nor his olde instruction.

Pseudodoctrina.

Why shuld dogges hate him? make that more euident

Infidesitas.

They louelove no p…se portege, nor yet red herynges in lent

Steckfysshe nor oysters, but curse hym body and bone

And wolde his red sprottes, & rotten fysshe were gone

Tush, I heare them I, and that maketh me full sad.

Hypocrisis.

Eyther thou doest mocke, or els thou art sure mad.

Infidelitas.

Theare the people complayue very moche of the.

Pseudodoctrina.

What is theyr pratlinge, I praye the hartely tell me.

Infidelitas.

They say thou teachest, nothynge but lowsy tradictōs.

And lyes for lu…e, with damnable supersticions

And thus they cōclude, that the draffe of popysh prysies

Is good ynough for Swyne, by whome they do meane the Papystes.

Yea, and they saye also, the dyet of men is all

To most byle carryen, the dogges wyll soonest fall

Pseudodoctrina.

Than do they compare, the papistes vntounto dogges.

Infidelitas.

Marye that do they, and to suche swynys she hogges

As in swyllandsosse, are brought vp all theyr lyfe

Suche are the Papistes, they saye both man and wyfe

They saye also, that thou art a noughty knaue

By prowlynge and ly…ge, ye fryers wolde all hauehave

Thyne ordre they saye, is spronge euen out of hell

And al this knowledge, they hauehave now of the Gospell.

Hypocrisis,

Why, where is he nowe, I beseche the hartely tell.

Infidelitas.

By the messe abrode, & I warrande ye maketh reuell.

I comoned with hym, and he dyd vsus despyse

Agaynst hym therfore, somwhat we must de uyse.

Pseudodoctrina.

Mary that must we, or els it wyll be wronge

He wyll sure dystroye vsus▪ yf we do suffre hym longe

Nedes must we serue hym, as we ones serued Christ.

Infidelitas.

Why mad bray…ed whorsons, how did ye handle Christ

Pseudodoctrina.

As he preached here, we folowed frō place to place

To trap hym in snare, and his doctryne to deface

Than founde we the meanes, to put hym so to death

Leaste he agaynste vsus, shulde open any more breath

And we set foure knyghtes, to kept hym downe in his graue

That he neuer more, our lyuynge shulde depraue.

And thus must we serue the Gospell, no remedye

Els wyll he destroye our lyuynges perpetuallye.

B…tt…r one were lost, than we shulde perysshe all

As Cayphas ones sayde, in Counsell pharisa…call.

Infidelitas.

By god well sayd, whan ye hauehave hym in his graue

Stāpe hym down, tyl he shyte, & serue him lyke & knau…

Hypocrisis.

We must so ordre hym, that he go no more at large.

Pseudodoctrina.

Foure knyghtes wyllwe hyre, whom we shall streyghtlye charge.

To kepe hym downe harde, the fyrste are ambycyous Prelates.

Then Coueytous lawyers, that Goddes worde spyght fuliye hates.

Lordes without learnynge, and iustyces vnryghtfull

These wyll kepe hym downe, & rappe hym on the sc…ll.

Theyr Somners and theyr Scrybes, I warrande ye shall stere

With baylyurs and catchp…lles, to holde hym downe eueryevery where

I trow Rug & Corbet, at Norwit…h wyll do theyr part

With wharton of …ongaye, and for my sake put hym to smart.

Hypocrisis.

And I wyll rayse vp in the vnyuersyties

The seuen slepers ther, to aduaunce the popes decrees

As Dorbell and Duns, Durand & Thomas of Aquyne

The master of sentens, with Bachon the great deuyue

Hēricus de Gandauo, and these shall read ad cletū.

Aristotle and Albert, de secretis mulierum

With the Cōmentaryes, of Aui…en and Aueroyes

And a Phebo Phebe, whiche is very good for boyes

Infidelitas.

Yea and let the pope, as Gods owne Uicat here

In his hand▪ iii. cro…ses, &. iii. crownes on his head …ere

His power betokenynge in heauen, in earth, & in hell

That he may comaūde all kynges, & subdue the gospell

Pseudodoctrina.

His selfe maye do that he nede comaunde none other

Is not he the heade of the holy churche out mother

May not be make sayuts & deuyls at his owne plesure

Which hath in his hādes, the …eyes & churches tresure

So well as he made saynt Herman fyrst a saynt

And twentye yeares after, of Heresye hym attaynte.

Fyrste he sent hym to heauen, by his canonyzacion

And from thence to bell, by auexcommunycation

We reade of formosus, that after he was deade

One pope his fyngars, another cut of his heade

And threwe his Carkasse, into the floude of Tyber

With the head and fyngers, as Platina doth remēber

In token that he, is iudge ouer quycke and dead

And maye dampne and saue, by his pardons vnderunder lead

Syluester the seconde, to the deuyl hymselfe ones gaue

For that hyghe offyce, that he might dampne and saue

He offered also his stones to Sathan, they saye

For priestes chastytie, and so went theyr maryage away

Hypocrisis.

Here is one cōmynge, enquyre what he entende.

Infidesitas.

Ha? it is the Gospell, from hym God vsus defende.

Exit secreto,

Pseudodoctrina.

Shewe me brother myne, who dyd the hyther sende.

Euangelium.

The father of heauen, of his mere beuyu…lence

I desyre therfore, of free audyence.

Pseudodoctrina,

Ye mynde than to preache afore this companye?

Euangelium.

In the lawes of God, wolde I instructe them gladly

For none other waye, there is vntounto saluacion

But the worde of God, in eueryevery generation

That qayckeueth, that saueth, y^t bryngeth vntounto heuen.

As before his death, Christ taught the Apostle aleuen.

Pseudodoctrina.

Preache here thou shalt not, without the Aucthorytie

Of pope or bys…hop, or some of theyr affynytie.

Euangelium.

Goddes worde, neuer taketh his auctorytie of man.

Pseudodoctrina,

Thou shalt not here preache, do thou the best thou can.

Hypocrisis.

Goddes blessynge on your harte, it is spoken euen lyke a man.

Ye knowethis daye syr, we hauehave a full holy feast

And must go processyon, with the blessed roode of reast

We hauehave longe mattens, longe laudes, longe houres, longe pryme.

Masse, euensong, complyne, & all must be done in tyme

Sensynge of the Aulters, and castynge of holywater

Holy breade makynge, with other necessarye matter.

Euangelium.

HaueHave God cōmaunded any suche thynges to be done

Pseudodoctrina.

What is that to the? go medle with olde shone

Canst thou saye, but they are good sygnyfications?

Euangelium.

I saye they are fruytes of your ymagynacions.

To brynge in luere, and darken Goddes hyghe glorye.

Of you God doth axe, no suche vayne beggerye

Christ neuer sent his, to she we sygnyfications

But his lyuynge worde, to all the Christen nations

Ye forsake the Lorde, as Esaias doth tell

And hyghly blaspheme, the holy of Israell.

In his fyrste chapter, this horryble sentence is

Quis hec frusteanea quesiuit, be manibus Bestris,

Who hath requyred, of yousuche sacryfyce

In vayne offre you, that vntō maunded seruyce

Your incense to me, is great Abhomyuation

I sore abhorte it, and moche detest your fasshyon

Whan ye pray to me, I gyue ye none attendaunce

But auert my face (sayth God) & my countenaunce

By this ye maye se, that the lorde doth not regarde

your mangre mutteryng, neither graūt it any rewarde

No man wylleth Paule, to speake in the congregation

In a straunge language, without interpretation.

In your latyn houres, the flocke do ye not consyder

But declare your selues, to be Romys she all togyther

Be not led aboute (sayth Paule, by any straūge letuyng

What els is your doctryne, but a blynde popysh thyng?

He testifyeth also, Non enim vt baptizatem

Dis…t tu… Christue, sed vt Euangeliz…rem.

Christ hath not me sent, that I shulde baptyse, sayth Paule

But to preache his worde, to the cōforte of mans soule

Loo, thoughe baptyme be a thynge very necessitye

yet must it gyue place, to Goddes worde, no remidye

Why than preferreye, your draffys she ceremonyes

To the Gospell preachyuge, O dampuable iniuryes.

Hypocrysis.

Why suffre ye hym, to pratle here so longe?

Pseudodoctrina.

Get the hence shortly, or with the, it wyll be wronge.

Intran….

Infidelitas.

Peace be here and God, mayster Doctour by your leaue

That I maye declare, a pardon here in my slene

Of our Ladye of Boston, Ingham, and saynt Iohannes Frarye

With the indulgence, of blessed saynt Antonye

Pseudodoctrinai

Well, take thy pleasure, and do it hardelye.

Hypocrisie.

Syr he doth me wronge, for this daye it is my stacion

To preache my brotherhed, and gather my lymytacion

Pseudodoctrina.

Who fyrste spake, fyrste spede, steppe forth and rede thy pardon

And whan he hath done, your course is, father warden.

Euangelium.

What course appoynt ye, for preachynge of the Gospell

Pseudodoctrina.

I wolde thy Gospell, and thou, were both nowe in hell

Euangelium.

Why and shall this baggage, put by the worde of God

Pseudodoctrina.

Thou wylt not be answered, tyl thou fele a sharper rod

Infide…ita…,

Good Christen people, I am come hyther berelye

As a true poctour, of the house of saynt An…onye

Of cleane remyssyon, I hauehave brought ye indulgence

A pena et culpa, for all your synne and …ff…ure

By the Auctorytie of pope Leo and pope Clement

Pope Bonyface, pope Pius, pope Iohan, and pope Innocent.

And here I blesse ye, with the wynge of the holy ghost

From thundre to saue ye, and frō spyrytes in eueryevery coo…

Lo, here is a bell, to hange vponupon your hogge

And saue your Cattell, from the bytynge of a dogge

So many as wyllcome, to this holy frater…ytie

Come paye your money, and ye shall hauehave letters of me

Pseudodoctrina.

Let me hauehave a letter, for I wyll be a brother

Hypocrisie.

Then gyue me a bell, for I wyll be an other.

Euangelium,

O damnble leadyuge, of Babylonicall sodomytes

Your selues ye declare, to be shamefull hypocrytes

Lorde pytie thy people, and take awaye these gydes

These scorners, these robbers, these cruell homycydes

Suche prophetes are they, as God dyd ueuer sende

As Hiere mye sayth, they damnable wayes pretende.

Wo Hypocrytes wo, for here ye tryfie and mocke

With christen people, & the kyngdō of heauen vp locke

Ye counte it a game, to lose that Christ hath bought

With his precyous blode, & here most derely sought

O ye are wretches, and pestylent Antichristes

Mynysters of Dagon, and most deceytfull papistes.

Lyke tauenouse Wolues, poore Wydowes ye deuoure

By tytle of prayer▪ eternall dampnacion is youre

Your owne dreames ye folow, but matter moche more wayghtye

Ye do not esteme, as iudgement, fayth, and mercye

Wo Pharyses wo, ye make cleane outwardelye

But inwardes ye are full, of coueytousues & bawdrye.

Paynted tumbes are ye, apryenge tyght beautyfull

But within ye stynke, & hauehave thoughtes very shamefull

Ye slewe the prophetes, your doynge yet beare wytnes.

How thynke ye to auoyde, that poynt of vnrighteousnes

Oh ragynge serpentes, and vyperouse generation

Howe can ye escape, the daunger of dampnacion

Pseudodoctrina.

Who made the so bolde, to medle within my cure?

And teache newe learnynge? an heretyke art thou sure

If due serch were made, we shulde fynde the (I thynke) no pryest

Euangelium,

Yes, anoynted of God, but no popysshe Antichrist.

Pseudodoctrina.

Let me se, where are the letters of thy ordres?

Euangelium,

Where Chryste his selfe is, & not in the same borders

No suche pryest am I, as is anoynted with oyle

But the holy Ghost, for I am none of this soyle.

Pseudodoctrina.

Here I attache the, for a buysye scismatyke

And wyll the accuse, for an haynouse heretyke

Laye handes vponupon hym, & depryue hym of this apparell

H…c Beste spotiatum sordidiori…us induunt.

Loo, thus wyl I handle al thē, that shal take thy quarel

Holde awaye with this gere, and laye it forth asyde.

Hypoc…isis.

Nay, tary brother myne, for away shalt thou not slyde

Euangelium.

I am not goynge, why doest thou slaunder me?

Infidelitas.

But ne hym to ashes and shewe to hym no pytie.

Pseudodoctrina.

Brent shall he not be, if he wyll nomore do so.

Felowe howe sayst thou? wylt th…u here abiute or no?

Euangelium,

I wyll neyther abiure, nor yet recant Gods glorye.

Pseudodoctrina.

I offered the reason, and therto thou wylt not applyd,

Well get the forewarde for thou shalt sure dye

The temporall power, shall iudge the to the fyre

At our Accusement, and holy relygyous desyre.

Euangelium.

Thought you for my sake impryson men cruellye

Famysshe them, stocke them, and them with fagots frye

Hurte me ye shall not, for I can neuer dye

And they for my sake, shall lyue perpetually….

Pseudodoctrina.

Here is a pratynge, with a very vengeaunce hēnce.

Ex…unt cum …ol

Hypoc…isis,

This horryble hetetycke, now shal we well recompence

Infidelitas.

Yea, hurne hym well fryre, and let hym no longer raigne

Laye on greue faggottes, to put hym to more payne

By the messe I laugh, to se howe this ge…e doth wurke

He is lyke of thē, to hauehave no more gra…r than a turke

For suche knaues they are, as a man shall not lyghtly fynde.

And take ouer hell, companyons they are to my mynde

My busynesse all, is nowe at good conclusion

That I hauehave brought these. iii. lawes to confusion

Nowe shall I be able, to lyue here peaceablye

And make frowly…e chere, with hey how frysfa Iolye

The lawe of Nature, I caste fyrste in a leprye

By the secrete helpe, of ydolatrye and sodomye.

The lawe of Moyses, I made a crypple blynde

Auaryce and Ambycion, to helpe me were not behynde

And nowe Christes lawe, I hauehave br…ut for heresy…

By helpe of false doctryne, and my cosyn hypocrysye

On these same thre lawes, all other lawes depende

And can not prenayle, nowe these are at an ende.

If Christen gouerners, do not these lawes vpholde

Theyr Cyuple ordynaunces, wyll soone be very colde

Well, this valeaunte George, hath made them all to stoupe.

Cheare nowe maye I make, and set cocke on the houpe

Fyll in all the pottes, and byd me welcome hostesse

And go cal me hyther, myne own swete mynyon Besse▪

Finit Actus quartus.

Incipit Actus quintus.

Uindicta Dei.

QUid gloriaris in malicia? qui potens es in iniquitate.

Thou vengeable wretche, replete with poyson and vyce

Why doest thou thus, reioyce in crueltie and maiyte?

Thynkest thou that God slepeth, & wyl not his defende

And that thy myschyefe, shall neuer hauehave an ende

The blode of Innocentes, to hym for vengeaunce call

And therfore this houre, must I fearcely vponupon the fall

Infidelitas.

Thou spyryte of the ayre, I straygtly coniure the here

By Panton & Craton, and charge the to come no nere.

Uindicta Dei.

Thynkest thou to stop me, with thy foolysshe cōsuracion

Whom God sendeth hyther, for thy abhomynacion.

Infidelitas.

What art thou called? thy name to me reherse.

Uindicta dei.

I am Uindicta Dei, in punysshement most fearce,

With water, with sooerde, and with fyre I muste thee pearce

Infidelitas.

Be good in thy offyce, & thou shalt hauehave money & meat

Uindicta Dei.

By fylthy rewardes, thou canst not me entreate

But that I wyll do, as God hath me commaunded

For yf worldely gyftes, my furye myght hauehave changed

The buyuetfall worlde, had ben drownde with water

Nor Sodome & Gomor, with so fyery fearefull matter

Nor yet the Israelyties, with terrour of the sworde

With hungre & pestylence, in the angre of Gods worde

Pharao in Egypte, the plagues had neuer felte

Myght I hauehave bene stopped, for syluer or for g…l…e

Into Egipte I brought, ten terryble punysshementes

Upon the people, for breakynge his cōmaundementes

Theyr wholsom waters, I tourned into bloude

I multyplyed frogges, to poyson therwith theyr foode.

I made waspes and Dranes, them greuously to stynge

And all kyndes of flyes, soone after dyd I in brynge

Upon theyr cattell, I threwe the fowle pestylence

Both botche, byle, and blayne, they had for theyr offence

Lyghtenynges and haylynges, destroyed theyr Corne and fruyte.

A swarme of hungry locustes, theyr pastours destytute

The space of thre daies, I gaue thē palpable darkenes

I slewe the fyrst goten, of mā and beast, for thy rudenes

For I neuer stryke, but for the Infydelytie.

Infidelitas.

Stryke for me quoth …? By y^• mary Masse I defye thē

Uindicta Dei.

What thou wylte not so, thy braynes are not so lyght

Infidelitas.

Angre me not to moche, for if thou do, I fyght

Uindicta dei.

All that wyll not helpe, thy wycked workynges nowe

Whan the stronger come, the weaker must nedes bowe

The lawe of Nature, infected thou hast, with a leprye.

Infidelitas.

Naye, it was not I, but that wytche Idolatrye

And that polde shorne knaue, that men cal Sodomye

Uindicta Dei.

Of whom syronge they fyrste? but of Infydelytie?

Therfore thou shalte hauehave, that plage of penaltie

Whiche they fyrste tasted, for theyr Iniquitie

For those two vyces, I drowned the worlde with water

In token wherof, I plage the, with the same matter.

Hic Infidelitatem … …pha perc…tit,

Infidelitas.

Tusshe, I defye thy worst, this shall not dryue me hē …

For after the floude, with Cham had I resydence

And so contynued, tyll Moyses lawe came in

With his iolye tryckes, a newe rule to begyn

Uindicta Dei.

And hym thou cortuptest, with Auaryce and Ambicion

And so dydst leaue hym in myserable condycion

Thou shalte hauehave therfore, that than to them was due

Most terryble battayle, the Israelties vntrue

That tyme dyd suffre, for theyr Infydelytie

Wherfore with this swerde, I iustlye banysshe the.

Bycause thou shalt here, gyue place to Christes gospel

Gladio Infidelitatem denuo cedit.

Infidelitas.

Yet wyll I not hence, but agayne ones rebell.

Dyd not I remayne, with Iudas, and other more?

Whan Christe prea…hed here, and taught them to ve… hym sore.

Yes, and after that, was I with Simon Magus

With Saunder Coppersmyth, with Elimas and Demetrius.

And nowe I perseuer, amonge the ranke rable of Papistes

Teachynge theyr sho…lynges, to playe the Antichriste…

Uindicta Dei.

The Innocent bloude, of sayntes contynually

Dothe all vntounto God to reuenge theyr iniurye▪

Agaynst false doctryne and cursed hypocresye

Whom thou hast raysed the glory of the Gospell

To darken, and his fryndes most myserably to quell.

Wherfore thou shalt hauehave lyke as thou hast deserued

For thy wycked doynges, thy punysshmēt now doubled.

Ignis ipsum precedet. The Prophet Dauid sayth thus.

At que inflammabit in citcuitu inimicos eiue.

A consumynge fyre, shall ronne before the iudge

His enemyes consumynge, they shall fynde no refuge.

Ob scesera et culpas hominum, titus que nephandes

In cineres ibit tissus, tenuim que fauillam

As Mantuan writeth, for the wickednesse of the

The earth to asshes, by fyre, shall turned be.

Ignis flamnia Infidelitatem … coget.

Infidelitas,

Credo, credo, credo. I saye, credo, credo, credo,

To the Denyll of hell, by the Messe I wene I go.

Exit.

Deus Pater.

As …e hauehave sene here▪ howe I hauehave stryken with fyre

The pestylent vyce of Infydelytie

Sowyll I destroye, in the fearcenes of my…tyre▪

All sectes of errour, with theyr enormytie

Whiche hath rysen out of that iniquytie

For as it is sayde, that my hande hath no set

Shall vp by the roote, no power maye it let.

The Apostle Iohan, in the Apo…alyps doth saye

He sawe … newe he euen, and a newe earth appearynge

The olde earth and se, were taken cleane awaye

That heauen is mannes fayth, that earth his vnderstandynge.

Whom we hauehave renued, by our most sexxet work ynge

The olde cauered earth, exylynge with the see

Whiche is supersticion, and Infydelytie.

A newe Hierusalem, the sayde Iohn also se

As a beautyfull … to her husbande

Our …ue faythfull churche is that same fayre Cytie

Whō we …, by the power of our ryght hand

As a s…ouse to Christ, in eueryevery Christen lande

… the …ecres, of Babylonicall poperye

That… in …y…yte, maye walke to our glorye.

… thre l…wes, for you wyll I …lere also

Of suche infections, as by Infydelytie

Ye hauehave reciyued, that ye with he… maye go

Declarynge the wayes, of Christen lybertie

…, she may take, …

For her onelyonly God, and be our people styll

In our lawes walkynge, accordynge to our wyll.

Omnes simue.

At your commaundement, we are most blessed lorde,

Deus pater.

Approche nyghar than, and ye shall be restorde.

Thou lawe of Naturewe fyrste begyn with the

Restorynge the agayne, to thy first purytie

Auoyde Idolatrye, Auoyde vyle Sodomye.

We charge ye no more, this lawe to putryfye

Kepe styll that same hart for a sygne perpetuall

That thou wert written, in mannes hart firste of all.

Thou lawe of Moses▪ gyue me that vayle from the

No longer shalt thou, neyther blynde nor croked be

Hence thou Ambycion, and cut sed Coueytousn…s

I here banysche you, from this lawe euer doubtles

Lose not those tables, whiche are a token ture

That thou in the flesche, shalt euer more contynue.

Thou lawe of the Gospell, thoughe thou be last of all

In operation yet, thou art the pryacypall

From the I exyle, hypoetysye and false doctryne

With all that depende, vponupon the papisticall…yne

Reserue the came boke, for a sygne of heauenly poure

For y^e boke thou art, that Iohn frō headuē dyd deuoure.

Nature lex.

Euerlastyng prayse, to thy gloryous maiestie.

Moseh lex,

Our heauenly gouernour, great is thy gracious pytie,

Christi lex.

Of mankynde thou art, the eternall felycitie.

Nature lex.

Nowe leauest thy seruauntes, in thy perpetuall peace

To do the seruyce, from hence, wyll we notcease.

Moseh lex.

For your eyes hauehave se…e, what thou hast nowe prepared

For thy peoples health, which hath benhere declared.

Christi lex.

A lyght thou hast sent, whiche is thy ioyous Gospell

To the consolacion of the howse of Israell.

Nature lex.

In reioyce of this, make we some melodye.

Moseh lex.

The name of our God, to prayse and magnyfye.

Christi lex.

I assent therto, and wyll synge very gladly.

Hic ad Dei gloria… canta…unt. In exitu Israel de Aegipto, …l aliud simile.

Deus Pater,

Nowe hauehave we destroyed, the kyngdome of Babylon

And throwen the great whore, into the bottomles pyt

Restorynge agayae, the true fayth and relygyon

In the Christen churche, as we hauehave thought it fyt

Depurynge these lawes, so to contynue it

Man is our creature, and hath grace in our syght

To dwell with hym now, is our whole hartes delyght.

Man is our people, his God we are agayne

With hym wyll we hauehave, contynuall resydence

A waye wyll we wype, from all sorowe and payne

He shall no longer dyspayre, for his offence

Nor hauehave in his soule, any carefuldoubte of conscience

The olde popyshnes is past, whiche was dampuacion

We hauehave nowe re…ued, our Christen congregation.

Stande forth Christen faith, and take our aduertismēt

We here appoynt the, to gouerne our congregacion

Se thou do nothynge, without the admonysshement

Of these thre lawes here, Imprynt theyr declaration

Of my swete promyses, and than make thou relation

To my folke agayne, that they maye walke to me

Without popysshe dreames, in a perfyght lybertie.

Fid… Christiana.

Most heauenly maker, in it thoudoest cōmaunde me

Euermore wyll I, full prompt and dylygent be.

Deus Pater.

Thou lawe of Nature, shalt …ache man God to knowe

And thatto refuse, wherby any yll maye growe.

Nature lex.

From this your precepte, shall I not varye I crowe▪

Deus Pater.

Teache thou hym also, to worshyp one God about

And his proper neyber, to persecute with louelove.

Moseh lex.

I hope blessed lorde, to do as me shall behoue.

Deus Pater.

And thou shalt teache hym, to louelove God in his hart.

And those to forgyue, by whom he sufferethsmarte.

Christi lex.

In your appoyntmentes, wyll I do also my part.

Deus Pater.

Worke thou in the harte, a knowledge necessarye

In the flesshe, worke thou, by outwarde Ceremonye.

Change thou notto the sp…et▪ … workyn…s of these …wo

And cause our people, in a perfyght waye to go

Take hede christē fayth, to the techynges of these thre

And moue our people, to walke in the verytie.

The promyses we made, in all these thre are Gospell

We wolde thou shouldest so, to our Congregation tell

Our eu…rlastynge b…estynge, be with you euer more.

Omnes simul.

To thy swete name lord, be prayse & perpetuall honour▪

Fides Christiana.

It hath pleased God, to put me in this offyce

To gouerne his churche, and christen Congregation

And theri… do, as ye shall me entyce

Gyue me I praye you, suche holsome exhortation

As maye be to Man, aclere edyfication

And I wyll be glad, to take your adurttyshment

As it shall become, any chylde obedyent.

Christi lex.

Ye speake it full wele, than marke what shalbe sayde

And dylygently, looke that it be obeyed.

Nature lex.

The effecte of me, is for to knowe the lorde

Euerlastynge, stronge, most gracyous and godlye

And as touchynge Man, to hauehave fraternall concorde

F…r to norysshe, and to do non iniurye

To … …uenasites made, and louelove true matrymonye

T…ese noble effectes, so temper you in Man.

That them to fulfyll, he do the best he can.

Moseh lex.

The effect of me, is for to worshyp the lorde

As one God alone, and to flye from Idolat…ye

Not to flee nor stele, nor yet to beare false recorde

To shewe what is synne, and to seke the remedye

Publyque peace to hold▪ and sore to punysshe the gyltie

From these good effectes, se that man neuer soo…rue

Thau shall he be sure, that God wyll hym preserue.

Christi lex.

The effecte of me, is for to worshyp the lorde

In the inwarde spyryte, and to fauoure frende & eumye

And in all poyntes els, with Gods wyll to accorde

To preache remyssyon, to saue and to iustyfye

In Christ all to se…elyfe, iustyce, peace and mer…y…

These heauenly effectes, in man so incorporate

That he maye in spyryte, be newly regenerate.

Fides Christiana.

More swete than honye, are your thre exhortacions

And regestred they be, in my memoryall

Nowe wyll I forwarde, to all the Christen nations

And se in effecte, these lawes obserued all

To the abolyshment, of the dreames papisticall

Nowe the lyght is come, the darkenes dyeth awaye

I truste in the lorde, men wyll walke in the daye.

Good Christen people, to these thre lawes applye

First knowe that ye hauehave, a lyuynge God aboue

Than do hym honour, and his name magnyfye

Worshyp hym in spryte, as the Gospell you doth moue

Than obey your quen…, lyke as shall you behoue

For she in her lyfe, that lorde doth represent

To sauegard… of the iust, and fynners punysshement.

Se that ye regarde, suche lawes as she doth make

For they are of God, as Salomon doth reporte

Of these lawes doubteles, those lawes theyr groundynges take

To the publyque wealth, to gyue ayde, strength, and comforte

For preseruacion, of all the christen sort

In no case folowe, the wayes of …eygnolde Pole

To his dampnacion, he doubtles playeth the foole.

HaueHave … due respecte, vntounto your countrey natyue

Whiche hath brought ye vp, and gyuen ye noryshment

Euen from your cradelles, to these dayes nutrytyue

Do that ye maye do, to her wealth and preferment

Mynyster to bet, no hatefull detryment

A dogge to his frende, wyll neuer be vnlouynge

Let reason in ye, not lose his naturall workynge.

Nature lex.

Who lyueth without lawe, shall perysshe without lawe

And therfore we hauehave, thre lawes to you descrybed

That after theyr lyues, ye shulde in your lyuyng drawe

We hauehave also shewed, howe they hauehave ben corrupted

By fowle Idolaters, and Sodomytes poluted.

By coueytous preestes, and by ambytyous prelates

Hypocrytall fryers, false Doetours and false Cutates

Mose… lex,

Who hath restored, these same thyr lawes agayne

But your late Iosias, and valeaunt kynge Henrye

No prynce afore hym, toke euer yet suche payne

Frō Englāde to banysshe, Idolatrye & fowle Sodomye

Coueytousnes, Ambycion, false Doctryne & hypocresye

It was he that brought, Christes verytie to lyght

Whan he put the pope, with his fylthynes to flyght.

Christi lex.

Frō dāpnable darkenesse, as my brother here doth saye

He hath delyuered, this realme of Englande godlye

Bryngynge his Subiectes, into the true path waye

Of theyr soules sauegarde▪ if they now folow it wysely

And lefte them he hath, the same waye styll to fortyfye

His noble sonne Edwarde, suche a kynge of God electe

As questionles, whyle helyued, did perfourme it in effect

Fides christiana.

Praye we to the lorde, for the longe contynuaunce

Of Quene Elizabeth, in this worldes habytacion

And that of her Noblesse, she hauehave true mayntenaunce

In the pryncyples of this most worthy foundacion

…hat she maye to Christ, brynge vsus from desolation

And for her noble Counsellours, to god let vsus all praye

That in the true fayth, theyr hertes directe he maye.

Amen.

The ten comaundementes bryefelye.

LoueLove thy Lorde God. Sweare thou no othe

Thy sobbeth kepe. Please thy fryndes bothe.

Wytnes none yll. Holde no mannes wyfe.

Brybe mannes good. Slee not with knyfe

Wysshe no mannes house. Nor Oxe nor Asse

As thou wylte hauehave. Do thou lyke case.

¶ These Cōmaundementes nede not be rehersed in the Enterlude.

¶ A songe vponupon Benedictus: Compyled by Iohn Bale.

BEnedictus dominus, Deus Israel Which hath ouer throwne, the migh tye Idoll Bell

The false God of Rome, by power of the Gospell

And hathe prepared from the depe lake of hell.

Redēptionem ple…i… su….

…t …rexit cornu, of mercye, health and grace

That cruell Tyraunt, nowe clearely to de face

Whose blodye kyngdome, dymynyssheth apace

By the worde of God, whiche lately hath take place.

In …omo Dauid, pueti sui▪

Sicut Iocutus est, the Lorde celestiall

That Romys she Antichrist, is lyke to hauehave a fall

With his whole rable, of sectes dyabolycall

And nowe the nombre, wyll florysshe ouer all

Prop…etatum eiu….

Salutem ex inimicis, nowe we maye dayly heare

The enemyes of Christ, with hym doth wytnesse beare

Saule is become a Paule, and preaching eueryevery wheare

Nowe may we receyue, most heauenly wholsom geare

De manu corum qui …d…t nos.

Ad faciendam misericodiam

The sonne of our God, from his hyghe gloryecam

To redeme the synne, of the chyldren of Adam

And to remembre, to faythfull Abraham

Testamentisui sancti.

Ad iusiurandum, whiche God hath made afore

Unto our fathers he wyll kepe euermore

Promysed he hath if we regarde his lore

For sakynge the Pope, with his dampnable store

Daturum se nobis.

Ut sine timore, from Romysh tyrauntes fre

The lorde graunt vsus grace, that we maye speakers b…

Of his holy worde, and therin to agree

That in the Gospell and Christen lybertie

Seruiam… i…i.

In sanctitate, and purenes of lyfe

Let vsus nowe trauayle, both mayden man and wyfe

All tyghtrous doynges, in vsus be euer ryfe

That we perseuet, without debate orstryfe

Omnibu… dicbus nostri….

Tupuer Propheta, elected of the lorde

Our Quene Elizabeth, to hauehave Goddes lawe restorde

Folowest Iosias, therofto take recorde

In all thy doynges, and in Goddes holy worde

Patate via…iu….

Ad dandam scicentiam, for mens helth and saue garde

Christes holy Gospell, by the is frely hearde

Wherin doth cousyst, theyr lyfe and full rewarde

With preseruacion, from daungerous i…oba…dye.

Peccatorum corum.

P…t viscera misericordie

Christ our dere mayster, vsus dayly ouer…

Least we here perysshe, in our iniquytie

Our mediatour, continuallye is he.

Ori…ns ex afto.

Illuminare, swete lorde we the desyre

To menin darkenes, and in the popysshe myre

Let not his baggage, thy faythfull seruauntes tyre

But vsus delyuer, from them and from hell fyre.

In viam pacis.

Amen.

THVS ENDETH this Cōmedye, concernynge thre Lawes, of Nature, Moyses, and Christ, corrupted by the Sodomytes, Pharysies, and Papistes most wicked. Compyled by Iohn Bale.

IMPRYNTED AT London / in S. brydes Churchyarde, ouer agaynste the North Doore of the Churche, by Thomas Colwell.

Anno Domini. M. D. LXII. vi. Die Nouembris.

End of the text · John Bale, Comedy Concerning the Corruption of Laws of Nature Moses and Christ (1562)