The Second to Seventh Sermon to His Majesty, Sermon 4

The Second to Seventh Sermon to His Majesty · Sermon 4

¶The fyfte Sermon of Mayster Hughe Latymer, whych he preached before the Kinges Maiestie within his graces Palayce at Westminster the fyft. daye of Apryll.

QVecunque scripta sunt a… nostram doctrinam scripta sunt. Al thinges that are wrytten, they are writtē to be our doctrine. What doctrine is wrytten for vsus in the parable of the Iudge, and the wyddowe, I hauehave opened it to you, most honorable audience.

Some thinge as concerning the Iudge, I woulde wyshe and praye, that it myght be alytle better kepte in memorye. that in the seate of Iustyce, no more iniquitie and vnryghtuousnes, myght raygne.Thys I feare me is soner wyshed then often sene but yet let vsus praye.

Better a little well kept, then a greate deale forgottē, I wold the Iudges woulde take forth theyr lesson, that there myghte be no more iniquitie vsed,Some cā spell and spi out land and put together faste inoughe, but whē they read or heare a good lesson, that commeth in at one eare and goeth out at the other. nor brybetakynge, for if there shall be brybynge, they knowe the peryl of it, they knowe what shal folowe. I woulde also they should take an example of this Iudge that dyd saye, not that that he thought hym selfe, but our sauioure Christ puttes him to saye that thynge, that was hid vntounto him selfe. Wherfore I wold ye shold kepe in memory, how vnsearcheable a mās herte is. I woulde ye shoulde remembre the fall of the Angles, and beware therebye, the fall of the olde worlde, and beware therby The fal of Sodom & Gomorh, and beware therby.Marke many caueatis and beware byes. The fal of Lothes wyfe, and beware thereby. The fall of the manne that suffered of late, and beware therbye.

The argumēt of the wycked iudges should induce vsus to prayer.I woulde not that miserable folke shuld forget the argumēt of the wycked Iudge, to induce them to prayer, whyche argument is thys. If the Iudge beynge a tyraunte, a cruell man, a wycked man, whych did not call hir to hym, made hir no promise nor in herying nor helpynge of hir cause, yet in the ende of the matter for the importunytyes sake dyd helpe hyr, muche more almighty god which is a fathec who beareth a fatherlye affection, as the father doeth to the chylde, and is naturallye mercifull. and calleth vsus to him with hys Promise that he will heare them that call vponupon hym, that be in distres and burdened with aduersitie. Remēber this. You knowe where to hauehave youre remedy.What maye be wroughte by prayer. You by youre prayer can worcke greate effycacye, and your prayer wyth teares is an instrument of great efficacy. It canne brynge many thynges to passe. But what thinge is that that maketh oure prayer acceptable to god? is it our babling?What maketh oure prayer acceptable to God. No, no, It it is not our babling nor our longe prayer. There is an other thynge then it.

The dignyty and worthines of our wordes, is of no such vertue. For whosoeuer resorteth vntounto God, not in the confidence of hys owne merites, but in the sure truste of the deseruinge of oure Sauiour Iesus Christe, and in hys passyon.

Oure prayer pleaseth God for Christes sake when we dystruste oure owne merites and trust in hys deseruinges.Whosoeuer doeth inuocate the father of heauē, in the truste of Christes merites, whyche offerynge is the most confortable and acceptable offerynge to the father. Whosoeuer I saye offereth vp Christe, whyche is a perfecte offerynge, he can not be denyed the thing he desyreth so that it be expedyente for hym to hauehave it. It is not the bablynge of oure lippes, nor dignitye of oure wordes, but the prayer of the herte, is the offerynge that pleaseth thorowe the onelyonly meanes of hys sonne. For oure prayer profyteth vsus bicause we offer Christe to hys father.

Whosoeuer resorteth to god wythout Christ,In all oure prayes we muste brynge a present with vsus to god and marke wel who it is. he resorteth in vayne. Our praier pleaseth, because of Iesu Christ, whom we offer. So that it is fayth, fayeth faith, is the matter. It is no prayer that is without faith, it is but a lippe labouring, and monkerye wythout fayth. It is but alytle bablynge.

I spake also of lacke of fayth and vponupon that also I sayed, the ende of the worlde is neare at hand, For ther is lacke of faith nowe. Also the defectiō is come and swaruinge from the fayeth Antichriste the man of synne,Coniectures why the ende of the worlde is supposed to be nere at hand. the sonne of iniquity is reueled, the latter daye is at hande. Let vsus not thynke hys commynge is farre of. But when soeuer he cometh he shall fynde iniquitye inough, let him come whē he wil What is nowe behinde? we be eatynge and drynckynge as they were in Noes tyme, and Mariynge I thincke as wyckedly as euer was.As much wickednes vsed in our time as euer was in the time of Noe. We be buildynge, purchaching, plantynge in the contempte of Gooddes worde. He maye come shortelye when he wyll, for there is so much mischiefe and swaruynge from the fayeth (rayninge nowe in oure dayes) as euer was in anye age. It is a good warnyng to vsus all to make readye agaynste hys commynge. This lytle rehearsalle I hauehave made of the thynges I speake in my last sermon.M. Latimer returneth to hys former question and to the dissolucion of the same. I wyll nowe for thys daye retourne to my questiō and dissolue it, whether goddes people may be gouerned by a gouernoure that bereth the name of a kynge or no.Wether gods people may be gouerned by a Kyng or no. The Iewes hadde a lawe that when they shoulde hauehave a kynge they shoulde hauehave hym accordynge to the election of god, he woulde not leaue the election of a kyng to theyr owne braynes.The kynges of the Iewes were elected and chosē of God. i. Regu. viii. There be some busy braynes, wanton wyttes, that saye, the name of a kinge is an odyouse name and wrteth this text of the scripture, wher god semeth to be angrye & displesed wyth the Israelites for askyng a king expoūding it verye euil & odiously. As who wold say a king were an odiouse thyng. I cōmming ridinge in my way,Oure preachynge must be framed accordynge to the persōs before whom we preache. & callīg to remēbrance wherfore I was sēt, that I must preach &, preach afore the kings maiesti I thought it mete to frame my preaching accordyng to a kynge Musyng of thys I remembred my selfe of a boke that came frō Cardinall Pole,C. Pole the kynges traytor, a traytor agaynst kynd and nature. maister Pole the kynges traytor, whiche he sente to the kynges, maiesty I neuer remember that man me thyncke, but I remember hym wyth a heauye herte, a wyttye man, a learned man, a man of a noble house,M. Latimer lamentes the defection of C. Pole & the breche of hys allegiaunce to his liege and Roiale kyng. so in fauoure that if he had taryed in the realme, and woulde hauehave conformed hym selfe to the Kynges procedynges. I hearde saye, and I beleue it verelye, that he hadde bene byshop of Yorcke at thys day, To be a bidden by, he wold hauehave done muche good in that parte of the Realme. For those quarters hauehave all wayes had greate nede of a learned man,They nede as greately at thys daye as euer they dyd and a preachynge prelate. A thynge to be muche lamented that suche a man shoulde take suche awaye. I here say he readeth muche Saynte Ieromes works, and is wel sene in theim But I woulde he would folowe sayncte Ierome,Cardinal Pole vsyth (they saye) to rede much Saynct Ieromes worckes. where he expoū deth thys place of scripture. Exite de illa peopule meus. Almightye god sayth. Get you from it, get you from Rome, he calles it, the purple hore of Babilon. It had bene more cōmēdable to go from it, thē to come to it.Rome is called of Ierome the purple hoore of Babylon. What hys sayinges be in hys boke. I do not wel remember, it is in the fartheste ende of my memorye. He declareth hym selfe in it, to hauehave a corrupte iudgmente,He meaneth of the boke that C. Pole dyd send to the kynge. I hauehave but a glymmerynge of it Yet in generally. I remēber the scope of it. He goeth aboute to dissuade the kynge from his supremicie.The scope or state of the boke, tendes to disuade the king from his supremicye. In his persuasions he is very whomlye, verye quycke and sharpe wyth the Kynge as these Cardinals wyll take wel vponupon theym. He sayeth that a kynge is an odiouse word and touched y^e pl…ace how god was offended with the Israelites for calling for a kynge,Well Spoken and lyke a Cardinall▪ who may lye by authoritye because he dwelleth at Rome.

Uerely lyghtely he semeth to sette forth the title of a kynge. As though he shoulde meane: what is a Kyng? What shoulde a Kynge take vponupon hym to redresse matters of religiyn? It pertaineth to ovre holye father of Rome. A kynge is a name & a title rather suffered of God as an euyl thynge, then alowed as a good thyng.

Callynge thys to remembraunce it was an occasiō that I speake altogether before. Nowe I wyll answere to thys For the answere I muste some what ryppe the ayght Chapter of the fyrst boke of the Kynges And that I mai hauehave grace. &c.

TO come to y^e opening of this matter. I must begyne at the begynning of the Chapter. that the vnlerned (although I am sure, here be a greate meany well learned (maye the better come to the vnderstandynge of the matter Factum est cum senuisset Samuel fecit filios suos iudices populo &c.i, Regu▪ viii. It came to passe when Samuell was strycken in age, he made hys sonnes Iudges ouer Israell. Of Samuel. I mighte fetch a processe a far of, of the story of Elcana, who was hys father, and who was hys mother. Elcana hys father had two wiues.Atan…t (by the waye) to suche as vse vnlawful dis…orsementes. Anna and Phenenna, and dyd not put theym away, as do men nowe a dayes

There was debate betwene these two wyues.

Phenenna in the doing of sacrifice, embrayded Anna bycause she was barren, and not fruitfull. I myght take here occacion to entreate of the dutye betwene man and wyfe, whyche is a holy relygyon, but not religiouslye kepte.Anna of barren made frutful and mother to Samuell. But I wyll not enter into that matter at thys tyme. Well, in processe of tyme, God made Anna fruitfull, thorowe hyr deuoute prayer. She broughte forth Samuell, who by the ordinance of God, was made the hyghe pryeste. Father Samuell a good man, a singular example, and singular patrone, a manne a lone, fewe suche men as father Samuell was.Samuell beynge aged chose to hym two suffragenes to assyst hym in hys offyce. To be shorte he was now come to age, he was an olde mā an impotente man, not able to go from place to place to minyster iustice, he elected and chose two suffraganes, two coadiutours, two cohelpers, I meane not hallowers of belles, nor Christiners of belles (that is a popysh suffraganship) he made thē to healpe hym,Why he chose hys owne two sōnes rather then any other. to dyscharge his office, he chose hys two sonnes rather then other, because he knewe thē to be well brought vp in vertue, and learninge, It was not for anye carnall affection, he cared not for hys renowne,Samuel tenderynge the ease of hys people appoynted two offycers. or reuenewes, but he appoynted them for the case of the people, the one for to supply his place in Bethsabe, & the other in Bethlem.

As we hauehave now in England, for the wealthe of the Realme, two Lordes presidentes. Surelye▪ it is wel done, and a goodly order. I wold ther were a thyrd in an other place.

A third Lord presydent wold do welFor the ease of hys people, good father Samuell, and to discharge hys offyce in places wher he coulde not come hym selfe, he sette hys twoo sonnes in offyce wyth hym, as hys suffragaynes, and as hys Coadiutoures.

Here I myght take occasyon to treate what olde and impotente Byshoppes should do, what olde preachers should do,What the impotēt and old byshoppes shoulde do whē they are not able to susteine the trauayle and paynes of preachyng when they come to impotency, to ioyne wyth them preachers preachers, not Belhalowers, and to departe, parte of theyre lyuynge wyth theym.

I myghte hauehave dylated this matter at large. But I am honestelye preuented of thys commune place, and I am verye glad of it.

It was very well handeled the laste Sondaye.There are …o many suche flese feders They that wyl not for the offyce sake receyue other, regarde more the flese then the flocke.

Father Samuel, regarded not hys reuenewes. Our Lorde gyue them grace to be affected as he was & to folowe hym. &c.Amen Thoughe I saye that I wolde wishe mo Lorde presidentes. I meane not that I woulde hauehave prelates Lordes presidentes, nor that Lord byshoppes shuld be Lorde presydentes.M Latimer woulde not hauehave byshoppes and prelates Lorde presidentes. As touchynge that, I sayed my minde and cōscience the last yeare. And all thoughe it is sayed, Presint, it is not mente that they shoulde be Lorde presydentes, the offyce of a presidenship is a ciuyll offyce, and it canne not be, that one manne shall discharge bothe wel. It followeth in the texte.The office of a president-shyppe is a ciuell offyce and occupieth a man, wholly. Non ambulauerunt filii eius in … ei…s. etc. Hys sonnes walked not in hys wayes, heare is the matter, here ye se the goodnes of Samuel, howe, when he was not able to take the paynes hym selfe for theyr owne ease, he appoynted them Iudges nere vntounto them, as it were in y^e further partes of his Realme, to hauehave Iustice ryghtly ministered. But what folowed?The worlde wyll corrupt and deceyue vsus or we beware of it, the dyuell is so crafty and lucre is so sweate.

Thoughe Samuell were good, and hys chyldrene well brought vppe, looke what the world can do? Ah crafty world. Whome shall not thys worlde corrupte and deceyue at one tyme or other?

Samuel thoughte hys sonnes shoulde hauehave proued well, but yet Samuels sōne walked not in theyr fathers waye, why? What then? Is the sonne alwayes bounde to walke in the fathers waye?The sonne is not alwayes bounde to walke in the fathers wayes.

No ye must not take it for a generall rule. All sonnes are not to be blamed in theyre fathers wayes.

Ezechias dyd not folowe the steppes of his father Ahaz,Ezechias did not follow the steppes of his father Ahaz. iiii. Reg. xviii Iosyas refourmed the wayes of his father Amon iiii. Re. xxii, and .xxiii. and was well alowed in it. Iosias y^e beste king that euer was in Iewry, refourmed his fathers wayes, who walked in worldly policye.

In hys youth, he toke awaye all Idolatrye, and purdged his Realme of it, and set a good order in al his Dominions, wrestled wyth Idolatrye.

And althoughe his father or hys grande father Manasses (it makes no matter whether) repented him in the ende,He was but ryght yeare olde when he beganne to Raygne. he had no tyme to refourme thynges, he left it to his sonne to be done

Iosias beganne and made an alteracion in hys chyldehode, he tourned al vpsydowne, he would suffer no Idolatrie to stand.

Therefore, you must not take it for a general rule, y^t the sonne must euer walke in hys fathers wayes.

Here I wyll renewe, that whiche I sayed before of the styfnecked Iewes, the rebellyouse people (that is theyr tytle) they neuer spake so rebelliousslye, as to saye,We ar more styffeneckyd more rebellyous and sturdyer thē the Iewes, they woulde not receyue any alteracion, tyl theyr kynge came to age. Much lesse we Englyshe men (if there be anye suche in England) maye be ashamed.

I wonder wyth what consience folke can heare suche thinges, and alowe it.

Thys Iosias made an notable alteracion, and therfore take it not for a generall rule, that the sonne shall alwayes walke in his fathers wayes.Thys is no rule to reke… vppon.

Thynke not because he was slayne in battell, that God was displeased wyth him. For herein God shewed hys gooodnes to hym wonderfullye, who would not suffer hym to se the captiuite that he woulde brynge vponupon the Israelites. He woulde not hym to hauehave the syght, the fealynge, and the beholdynge of hys plage,Iosias was slayne in battayle of Pharao Necho kynge of Egipt at Ma…d…o iiii. Reg. xiii. he suffered him to be taken awaye before, and to be slayne of the kyng of Egipt.

Wherfore a iuste man muste be glad when he is taken from misery. Iustus si morte preoccupatus fuerit in refri…erio erit.

If a ruste man be preuented wyth death, it shall be to hys relyefe. He must thynke that he is one of those, whome the worlde is not worthye to hauehave, it came of a singular goodnesse of god, that he was by death delyuered frome the syght of that captiuitie. Therfore take it not for a generall rule, that the sonne be alwaies bounde to walke in the fathers wayes.

Nolite in preceptis patrum …estrorum incedere. Walke not in the commaundementes of your fathers For so it is sayed in an other place of scrypture. It is spoken to the reproche of Samuels sonnes that they walked not in hys waye, for he was a good man.

A wonderfull thynge that these chyldren beynge so well brought vp shoulde so fall & be corrupte. Yf the dyuell can preuayle and hath power againste them, that had so Godlie education, what vauntage hath he at thē y^t be brought vp iniquitie & couetousnes? It is a Prouerbe that magistratus virum commonstrat. Authoryte and office tryeth what a man is.Offyce and authoritye sheweth what a man is. A man knoweth not hym selfe, tyll he be tryed. Many ther be that being wyth out office can rebuke magistrates,Thys hathe bene often tymes verefyed and sene in preachers before they were byshop pyd or benificed. and fynd faute wyth men y^t be in office & preeminince. After when it cōmeth to their chaūce to come to office them selues, thē they hauehave takē out a new lessō. cum essem paruulus sapieham vt paruulus. When I was a child, I sauered as a childe.

They wyll do then as other men do, they are come to hauehave experience, to be practisioners.Do as the most do, and the fewest shall wonder at them. The maydes childe is euer best taughte, for he that standes vp ryghte in offyce, he is the fellow, Samuel wold neuer hauehave thought that hys sonnes shold hauehave bene so corrupted.The state of a Iudge is daungerous and lucre is so lickorous that he that once lykes of it, leketh it. It is a perillous thyng, a daungerous state to be a iudge. They felte y^e smaker of thys worlde, a perillous thing. And therfore Chrisostom sayeth. Miror si aliquis retrosum saluabitur. I maruaile (sayeth he) that any ruler can be saued. If y^e peril were wel cōsidered, mē would not be so desirous as they be.The good man nemo otherwyse called nobody that dwelleth with vtopia. The world y^• worlde hath many subtil sleightes, it is a craftie thing & verie deceitful, a corrupter, & who is it whō the worlde doeth not corrupte and blynde at one tyme or other? What was y^e waie thei walked Declinauerunt post a…aritiam. That is one. They stouped after gaynes, turned a syde after lucre. What folowed Acceperunt munera They toke rewardes,They cal thē rewardes but brybes is the fyrste letter of theyr Christian name. gyftes, brybes (I shoulde call them) for that is theyr ryghte name. Peruerterunt iudicium. They turned Iustice vpsedowne. Eyther they woulde geue wrong iudgemente, or els put of & delaye poore mennes matters.

These were theyr wayes, here is the Deuylles genealogye.The deuels genealogye the ladder of hell. A gradacion of the Deuilles making. This is, Scala inferni. The ladder of hell.

I tolde you before of Scala celi the ladder of heauen, I woulde you shoulde not forget it. The steppes thereof are set forthe in the tenth to the Romanes. The fyrste is preachynge, then hearynge,Preachynge Hearynge Beleuynge and saluaciō. then beleuynge, and last of all Saluacion. Scala celi. is a preachynge matter I tell you, and not a massyinge matter, goddes instrument of saluaciō, is preachyng.Well moued and Godlye exhorted of M. Latimer but litle minded & slowlye followed for all that.

Here I moue you my Lordes, not to be greadye and outragyouse in enhaunsynge, and raysinge of youre rentes, to the minishynge, of the offyce of saluacion. It woulde pytye a mās herte to heare that, that I heare of the state of Cambrige, what it is in Oxforde I can not tell.The studi of diuinitie decayed in Cambriege. Ther be few do study diuinitie. but so many as of necessity must furnysh y^e Colledges. For theyr liuinges be so small, and …ayles so dere, that they tarry not there, but go other where to seke lyuynges and so they go aboute. Nowe there be a fewe gentylmen and they studie a little diuinite. Alas what is that? it wil come to passe that we shal hauehave nothing but a lytle Englyshe diuinite,The vsurped supremytye of the byshop of Rome wyll not be kept out w^t a lytle Englyshe dyuinitye. that wyll brynge the Realme into a verye barbarousnes, and vtter decaye of learnynge. It is not that I wyse, that wyl kepe out the supremacye of the byshoppe of Rome.

Here I wyll make a supplycacion,M. Latimer his reasōable request for poore schollers exibycions. that ye would bestow so muche to the fyndynge of scholers, of good wyttes, of poore mens sonnes, to exercyse the offyce of saluacion, in releuing of scholers, as ye were wont to bestowe in Pylgrimage matters, in trentales, in masses, in pardons, in purgatorye matters, Ye bestowed that lyberallye, bountyfully, but thys was not well spente.

You hadde a zeale but not Secundum scientiam. Wher vponupon we maye bestowe oure goodes well and please God well.Not accordynge to knowledge. You may be sure yf you bestowe, youre Goddes on this wyse, ye shall bestowe it well to supporte and vpholde Goddes word, wherin ye shall please God.

I requyre no more, but that ye bestowe so muche Godlye, as ye were wonte to bestowe vngodlye.

It is a resonable peticion, for Goddes sake, looke vponupon it I saye no more.

There be none nowe but great mens sonnes in Colledges, and theyr fathers loke not to hauehave them preachers,They that hauehave least nede hauehave most healpe. so euerye waye this offyce of preachynge is pynchyt at.

I wyll speake no more of Scal… celypunc; But I am sure thys is Scala inferni, the ryghte waye to hell, to be couetous, to take brybes, and peruerte iustice. If a iudge shoulde aske me the waye to hell. I woulde shewe hym thys waye.The ready waye downe to the deuell in hell. Fyrst let hym be a couetouse man, let hys hearte be poisoned with couetousnes. Then let hym go a lytle further and take brybes, and laste peruerte iudgemente. Loo, heare is the mother and the daughter, and the daughters daughter. Auarice is the mother, she brynges for the brybe taking, and bribetakyng, peruertyng of iugment

Ther lackes a fourth thynge to make vp the messe,A tiburne tippet for brybe takers & peruerters of iudgemente. whyche so god helpe me if I were iudge should be Haugum tuum, a tiburne typpet to take wyth hym, and it were the iudge of the kynges bench, my Lord chyefe iudge of Englande, yea, and it were my Lord Chanceloure him selfe, to tiburne wyth hym.

Ther was wyth in these .xxx. yeares a certain widdow,The wydow that was in prison. which sodaynly was attached, had to pryson, indyted, condempned, and there were certayne learned men that visited her in the prison. Oh I would ye woulde resorte to Prysonnes, A commendable thynge in a christen realme, I woulde wyshe there were curates for prisonnes, that we myght saye,Ther should be curates of presones. the curate of Newegat, the curate of the flete and I woulde hauehave theym well waged for theyr laboure. It is a holy daye worcke to vyset the prisoners,A holy daye worke to vysyt the presoners. for they be kept from sermons. Ther was that resorted to thys woman, who, when she came to preson, was all on hyr beades, and nothinge else, a popysh woman, and sauered not of Iesu Christe. In processe she was so applyed that she tasted.The woman turned from papyltrye by the diligent resort of, the learned frequentyng the preson. Quam suauis est dominus. She had suche a sauoure, suche a swetenesse and felynge that she thought it longe to the daye of execusion. She was wyth Christe already, as touchynge fayeth.

She had suche a desyre that she sayed wyth saynt Paule. Cupio dissolui et esse cum christo. I desyre to be ryd, and to be wyth Christ. The word of God had so wrought in hyr. When she was brought to punishment, she desyred to cōfesse hyr faulte, she toke of hyr death, that she was giltlesse in that thynge she suffered for, and hyr neyghbours would hauehave borne hyr wytnes in the same. She was alwayes an honeste ciuell woman, hyr neyghbours woulde hauehave gone on hir purgacion a greate waye

They would nedes hauehave hir confesse, then saith she. I am not gylty, wold ye hauehave me to make me gyltye, wher I am not? Yet for al thys, she was a trespasar, she had done a greate offence. But before I go forward with thys, I must first tel you a tale.

I hearde a good whyle ago, a tale of one (I saw the mā that tolde me the tale not longe ago) in thys auditorye. He hath traueiled in mo countries thē one.

He toulde me that there was once a pretour in Rome, Lorde mayre of Rome,A riche merchaunt cast in to the Castel-Aungell. a ryche manne, one of the richest marchauntes in all the cytye, & sodaynelye he was caste in the castle Aungell. It was herde of, & euerye man, whispered in an others eare. What hath he done? Hathe he kylled anye man? No. Hath he medled wyth Alam, oure holye fathers marchādice? No, Hath he coūterfaited our holy fathers Bulles? No. For these were hye treasons▪

One rowned an other in the ear and said. Erat Diues. He was a riche man. A great fault. Here was a goodlye pray for that holye father. It was in Popes Iulius tyme, he was a greate warrioure. Thys praye would healpe hym to mayntayne hys warres, a ioly praye for our holy father.

So thys woman was Diues She was a rych womā,A gentle man of a long nose from suche a nose, I praye God, Liberanos et saluanos. she had her lādes by the Shiriffes nose He was a gentil man of a long nose. Such a cup, such a couer. She wold not depart from her own. Thys Shyriffe was a couetnouse man, a worldely man. The Iudge at the enpanelyng of the queste, hadde hys grauelookes, and charged them wyth thys. It was the Kynges matter, loke well vponupon it.

When it makes for their purpurpose, they hauehave the Kynge, the kynge in theyr mouthes. Wel, some what there was, ther was walkynge of angelles betwene them.The sygne of the Iudges skynne▪ I would wishe that of suche a Iudge in Englande nowe, we might hauehave y^e skin hā ged vp. It were a goodly signe the sygne of the iudges skynne. It shoulde be Lotis wyfe, to all Iudges that shoulde folow after. By thys ye may perceiue, it is possible for a manne to answere for hym self,A man maye answere for hym selfe and yet hauehave wronge, and be absent, and yet hauehave ryghte. and be arrained at the barre, & neuertheles to hauehave wronge. Yea, ye shall hauehave it in fourme of lawe, and yet hauehave wronge to. So it is possible▪ in a case, for a manne that hath in his absence ataintement to hauehave right, & no wronge.

I wyl not saye naye, but it is a good lawe for a man to answere for him selfe, this is reasonable, alowable & good. And yet suche an vrgente cause maye be, suche a respect to a commune wealth, that a man may rightlye be condemned in hys absence. There be such causes that a man maye in hys absence be condemned, but not ofte, except they be such cases that the reason of the generall lawe maye be kepte. I am prouoked of some to condēpne this lawe, but I am not able, so it be but for a time, and vponupon wayghty consideraciōs, so that it be vsed rarely, seldomly, for auoyding distrubaunce in the cō mune wealth, such an epiky and moderacion maye be vsed in it.

And neuertheles it is verye mete and requisite that a man should answere for hym selfe▪

We must consider the groūd of the lawe:The reason of the law is the soule of the lawe. for Ratio legis, anima legis. The reason of the lawe, is the soule of the lawe. Why? what is the reason and ende of the lawe? It is thys, that no man shoulde be iniured. A man may in hys attayntmente hauehave no more wronge done hym then if he aunswered for hym selfe. Ah then I am not able to saye, that in no wise, and arrainemēt maye be tourned in to attaintement. A mā maye hauehave wronge (and that in open iudgemente) and in forme of lawe, and yet alowed to aunswere for him self, and euen so is possible he maye hauehave ryghte, thoughe he neuer aunswere for hym selfe. I wyll not say but that the parliament houses both hye and lowe, may erre, and yet they may do wel, & christen subiectes must take all thynges to the beste,How we must take the doynges of the parliamente. and expounde theyr doynges well, althoughe they can not yelde, a reason for it, except their proceadings be manifestli wicked, For though they can not attayne to se for what purpose thynges be done, it is no good reasone that they be called euell done therefore.An vntrue argument. And is thys a good argumente, he is not alowed to answer for hym selfe in thys place or that place, where he wyll appoynte: Ergo, he is not alowed to answere for him selfe? No. He myght hauehave aunswered the beste he coulde for hym selfe before a greate meanye, and hauehave hadde moe to, if he had requyred theym. Yea, and was commaunded vponupon his allegiaunce to speake for hym selfe, and to make aunswere, but he woulde not nedes he woulde come oute to Iudgemente, and appoynte the place hym selfe.

A manne that answeres for hym selfe at the barre, is not allowed hys manne of lawe to answere for hym, but he muste aunswere hym selfe. Yet in the Parliament,Fre lybertye is graūted to speake in the Parlyemente house. althoughe he were not there hym selfe, anye frende he had, had lyberty to aunswere for him, franke, and fre, I know of the olde manner. The tenour of the wryttes is thys, Euerye man to speake the best he knoweth of hys conscience, for the kynges magesties honour, and the wealth of the realme. There were in the Paliamente in both houses, a great meanye learned men, conscionable men, wise mē. When that man was attainted there, and they hadde lybertye, ther to say naye, to his attayntmente yf they woulde. Sure I am the mooste allowed it, or else it coulde not hauehave gone forwarde.

These premisses considered. I woulde hauehave you to beare such a hert, as it be commeth christen subiectes. I knowe what men say of me wel ynoughe, I could pourge my selfe.

There is that prouokes me to speake againste thys lawe of attayntemente, they saye I am not indyfferente. Surelye I woulde hauehave it to be doone rarely vponupon some greate respect to the commune wealth, for a uoiding of greater tumulte and peryll.

Paule was alowew to aū swere for him selfe.Saynct Paule was allowed to answere for hym selfe, if Lisias the tribune hadde not plucte hym awaye from shewynge of hys matter, it hadde coste hym hys lyfe.Actes. xxi.Acts 21 Where he was saued by the magystrate, beynge but a pryuate manne. Wyll ye not alowe that some thyng be done as wel for sauyng of the magistrates lyfe? It be houes theym of the Parliament to looke wel vponupon the matter. And I for my parte thyncke not but they dyd well, else I should not yelde the dutye of a subiecte.

Some liken me to doctour Shaw, that preached at Pauls crosse,M. Latimer likened to doctoure Shaw. that Kynge Edwardes sonnes were bastardes. An easy matter for one of the counsell to doctour Shaw did. Me thinke you beynge the kynges seruaūt and hys offycer, shoulde thynke better on the Kynge, and hys councell, thoughe I were lyght of belefe. If he had bene a true man to hys mayster, he woulde neuer hauehave spoken it.

The counsaile nedes not my lye, for the defence of that, that they do. I canne beare it of my selfe. Concernynge my selfe, that which I hauehave spoken, hath done some good.

You wyl say this. The Parliamente house are wyser then I am, you myghte leaue theym to the defence of thē selues. Althoughe the men of the Parliment house can defende them selues, yet hauehave I spoken thys of a good zeale, and a good groūd of the Admiralles wrytynge, I hauehave not fayned, nor lyed one iote. Use youre Iudgement and languages, as it becommeth Christian subiectes.

I wyll nowe leaue the honourable counsayle to answere for them selues. He cōfessed one facte,One facte cō fessed of the Admyrall he would not hauehave the kyng brought vp lyke a warde in hys minoritie▪ he woulde hauehave hadde the gouernaunce of the kinges maiestye. And wot ye whye? He sayed he would not in his minoritie hauehave hym broughte vp lyke a warde. I am sure he hath bene brought vp so Godly, with such Scholemasters as neuer kyng was in Englande, and so hathe prospered vnderunder them, as neuer none dyd. I wotte not what he mente by hys brynging vp like a warde, onles he woulde hauehave hym not to go hys boke and learne as he doeth. Nowe woo worth hym, yet I wyl not say so neyther,Kinges shuld be learned. but I pray God amend hym, or els God send him short lyfe, that woulde hauehave my soueraygne not to be brought vp in learnynge, and woulde plucke hym from hys booke. I aduertyse the therfore my fellow subiecte, vse thy tonge better, and expounde well the doynges of the magystrates.

Now to the purpose, for these thynges lette me of my matter,

Some saye preachers should not meddle wyth suche matters, but dyd not our Sauiour Iesus Christ medle wyth matters of Iudgemente, when he spake of the wycked Iudge, to leaue ensample to vsus that follow, to do the same?

Ye se here, that Ladye couetuousnes is a fruitfull woman,Lady couetusnes is a chyldynge woman euer chyldynge, and euer bryngynge forthe her fruites. It is a true saynge. Radi… omnium malorū auaricia. Couetousnes is the root of al wyckednes. One wyl saye paraduenture, you speake vnsemelye and in conuenyentlye so to be agaynste the offycers▪ for takynge of rewardes in doyng pleasures.

He that byeth dere must nedes sel ther after.Ye consyder not the matter to the bottome. Their offices be bought for great sommes, now howe shall they receyue theyr money agayne, but by brybyng ye woulde hauehave them vndone. Some of thē gaue .CC. poūdes some .v.C. pounde, some .ii.M poūd. And how shal thei gather vp thys monye agayne, but by healpyng them selues in theyre offyce. And is it so trow ye?Ye must vnderstande, yea, as well as cyuyl oyle to make the sentence perfect. Are ciuile offices bought for monei? Lorde God. Who would hauehave thought that? Let vsus not be to hasty to credit it. For then we hauehave the old prouerbe, Omnia …e…lpa Roma. Althinges ar sold for mony at Rome, & Rome is come home to our own dores. If thei by, they must nedes sell, for it is wittely spoken. Vendere iure potest emerat ille prius. He may lawefully sel it, he bought it before. God forfend that euer any such enormitie shuld be in England, that ciuile offyces should be bought and soulde, wher as men shulde hauehave thē geuē thē for theyr worthines, I would the kinges maiestie shuld seke thorow his real me for mete men,Mete men able, are worthy to be put in offyce. and able men, worthye to be in offyce, yea and giuegive thē liberally for theyr paines, and rather geue thē monye to take the office in hande, then they to geue money for it. This byinge of offyces is a makynge of bryberye, it is an enducinge, and enforsyng,It is a brybery to bye offyces. and compelling of men to briberye. Holye scripture qualyfieth the officers and sheweth what maner of mē they shuld be and of what qualites, Vi…os fortes. What m…nner of men offycers shulde be.Some Translacyons hauehave Viros sapientes. The Englishe translaciō hath it verye welll. Menne of actyuitye that hauehave stomakes to do theyr office, thei must not be milke soppes,They muste hauehave .iiii. properties. nor whyte leuered knyghtes. they muste be wyse, hartye, hardye men of a good stomake. Secōdarely, he qualifieth them wyth the feare of god. He saieth they must be Timentes deum. fearyng God. For yf he feare God he shalbe no briber, no peruerter of iudgemente, faithful. Thyrdly they must be chosen offycers. In quibus est veritatis. In whome is truth. If he saye it, it shalbe done. Fourthly. Qui oderunt auaritiam. Hatynge couetousnes, farre from it, he wyll not come …ere it, that hateth it.Fyue .C. pounde, geuen for an offyce. It is not he that wyll geue .v C pounde for an offyce. With these qualityes Goddes wysdome woulde hauehave magistrates to be qualyfied. Thys cometh from the deuilles cōsistoroy to pay .v.C. poundes for one offyce. If they paye so much, it must nedes followe that they take bribes,They that are mete to beare offyce wold be sought out & lyberally feed. Sellyng of offyces and sellynge of binefyces are both one. that is to say Symony otherwyse called Symonye that they be bribe takers. Suche as be mete to beare office seke them out, hyere them, geue them compotente and lyberall fees that they shall not nede to take anye bribes. And if ye be at selling ciuile offices, ye ar as they which sell theyr benefyces, and so we shal hauehave Omnia ue…lia. Al thinges boughte for monye. I meruaile the groūde gapes not and deuours vsus, how be it, we ought not to maruayle, surely it is, the great lenitie of god that suffers it. Oh Lord in what case are we If the great mē in Turky shuld vse in theyr religion of Mahomete to sell as our patrons cō monlye sell benefyces here, the offyce of preaching,The Turke woulde not suffer that we do, the office of saluacion it should be taken as an intollerable thing. The turk would not suffer it in his commō wealth. Patrons be charged to se y^e office done,The patrōs deutye, in bestowynge of hys benefyce & not to seke a lucre and a gaine by his patrō ship. Ther was a patrō in Englād (whē it was) that had a benefyce fallen into hys hand and a good brother of mine came vntounto hym & brought him .xxx. Apples in a dysh,The merye tale of the patrone that sold a benefyce for a deputye dyshe of Apples. and gaue thē his man to carrye them to his maister. It is like he gaue one to his mā for his laboure to make vp the game, & so ther was .xxxi This man cōmeth to his mayster and presented hym with the dyshe of Apples, sayinge. Syr suche a man hathe sente you a dyshe of frute, and desyreth you to be good vntounto hym for such a benefice. Tushe tushe (quod he) thys is no apple matter, I wyll none of hys apples. I hauehave as good as these (or as he hathe any) in mine owne orcheard. The man came to the pryest againe, and toulde hym what hys mayster saied. Then quod the priest desyre hym yet to proue one of thē for my sake, he shal find thē much better thē they loke for. He cut one of them and founde ten peces of golde in it. Mary quod he, thys is a good apple. The pryest standyng not farre of, heringe what the Gentle mā sayed, cryed out and answered, they are all one apples I warrante you Syr, they grewe al on one tree, and hauehave all one taste. Well, he is a good fellowe, let hym hauehave it quod the patrone. &c. Get you a grafte of this tre and I warraunt you it shall stande you in better steade then all Sayncte Paules learnynge.A graft of golde to get a benefyce wyth all, is worth a great deale of learnynge. Well, let patrons take hede for they shall aunswere for all the soules that peryshe throughe theyr defaute. There is a saying that ther be a greate maenye in Englande that saye there is no soule,The errour of such as beleue not the immortalytie of Soules. that beleue not in the immortalitye of mās soule, that thyncke it is not eternal, but like a dogges soule, that thynke there is neyther heauen nor hell. Oh Lorde, what a wayghtye matter is thys? What a lamentable thynge in a chrysten common wealth? I can not tell what they saye, but I perceyue by theyr worckes that they thyncke so, or elles they woulde neuer do as they do. These sellers of offices shew that they beleue that there is neyther hell nor heauen. It is taken for a laughynge matter, wel, I wyll gooe on. Now to the Chapiter. The children of Israell came to Samuell and sayed S…uisti. Thou arte growen into age. Geue vsus a King? Thy sonnes walke not in thy wayes. What a heauenes was thys to father Samuels herte,Samuel was sory for the warnyng of hys sonne from hys wayes. to here that hys sonnes (whom he hadde so wel brought vppe) should swarue from hys wayes that he had walked in. Father Sāuel go…th to God to knowe hys wyll and pleasure in thys matter, God answered, let them hauehave a Kynge. They hauehave not caste the a waye but me, that I shoulde not raygne ouer them.

Thys is theyr grounde thati. Sam. viii.1 Sam 8 saye a kyng is an odiouse thing and not acceptable before the face of God.A place vyolentyd and forsyd to serue for other purpose then it was euer meante. Thus they forcr and violent thys place to make for theyr purpose, wher no such thynge is mente. Shewe the Israelites (sayth God) and testify to them a kinges authorite & what a thing a king is, & what a king wyll do. And y^e wyll not perswade them, I wyll not here them heare after, whē they shall trie vntounto me. I muste nedes cō fesse that the Iewes trespassed against almighty God in askīg of a King.Wherin the entent of the Iewes, dyd consyst. But heare is y^e matter, in what thinge ther offence stode, whether absolutelie in askynge a kynge, or in any other circumstaunce. It was in a circumstaunce. They sayed not. Aske vsus a kynge of God: but make vsus a kynge to iudge vsus,The Iewes offendyd in thre thynges as all other nacions hauehave. They woulde hauehave a kynge of theyr owne swinge and of theyr owne election, as thoughe they paste not of God. In a nother poynte there was pryde. They would be lyke the heathē & iudged vnderunder kynges as they wer. Thyrdly, they offended God because they asked a kynge to the iniury & wronge of good father Samuell to depose him,A comparisō betwene Samuel and his sonnes, and Ely and his sonnes. so this was a wrong toward Samuel. It was not w^t Samuel & hys childrē like as wyth Ealy & his childrē, Ophenes and Phines. They were cruel, who with hokes taken the fleshe out of the pottes when that sacrifyce was offered to god, brought the people in to a cōtēpt of Gods word They were lecherers. Theyr s…nne were manifestlye and notoriously knowyn:Ely sonnes were leacherers & manyfest offēders. i. Samuel. but theyr father Elye knowynge and herynge of it dyd blame them, but nothinge to purpose, he dyd not ernestly & substancially chastise them, and therfore he was iustlye deposed of God The sinnes of Samuelles sonnes were not knowen, they were not so notorious, wherfore, it was not wyth father Samuell as it was wyth Elye,Samuels Sonnes wer brybers and peruerters of Iudgemente, hys sonnes fautes were takynge of brybes and peruertynge of iudgementes. Ye knowe that brybery is a secrete faute, and therefore it was not knowen.

It was done vnderunder a coloure and a pretēce of iustice, hidlye & couertly done. Therfore because it stode in brybes it was not like in Samuell as in Ely. It is a daungerous thing to be in office for qui attingit picē coinquinabitur ad ea He that medleth with pitch is like to be spotted with it.Brybes are lyke pyche. Brybes maye be assēbled to pitch, for euen as pitch doth pollute theyr handes y^e medle with it: so bribes wyll bringe you to peruertinge of iustice. Beware of pitch, you iudges of y^e world, bribes wyll make you peruerte iustice. Why you wyll say. We touche none.Anglice a receyuer of his master brybes, No mary. But my Mystres your wyfe hath a fine fing…r, she toucheth it for you or els you hauehave a seruaūt a …eribus, he wyll say yf you wyl come to my master & offer him a yoke of oxen, you shal spede neuer the worsse, but I thincke my Mayster wyll take none, whē he hath offered thē to y^e maister, then cō mes another seruaunt and sayes. If you wyll bring thē to the clarke of the kichen, you shallbe remembred the better. Thys is a fryerly fassion that wyll receyue no monye in theyr handes,A fryerly fashion in refusynge of brybes. A goodly radg of papysh religiō. but wyll hauehave it put vponupon theyr sleues. A goodly rage of popyshe religyon. They be lyke graye fryers, they wyll not be sene to receyue no brybes them selues but hauehave other to receiue for them. Thoughe Samuell sonnes were preuye brybers and kepte the thynge verye close, yet the crye of the people brought it to Samuel, It was a hyd kynde of sinne. For mē in thys poynte, woulde face it and brace it and make a shew of vpryghte dealynge, when they be most gyltye.But suche …orn carrye bryde in their bosomes that accused them Neuerthelesse this gere came out. Oh wycked sonnes, that brought both their father to deposiciō and thē selues, to shame. When Samuel herd of theyr faut, he went not about to excuse their fautes. He would not beare with hys sonnes. He would not. Communicari peccates alienis. Samuell woulde not be partaker of hys sonnes offences.Be partaker wyth hys sonnes offences he sayed Ego senui, ecce filii mei vobiscū sunt. As sone as he hearde of it, he delyuered hys sonnes to the people to be punyshed, He wente not aboute to excuse them▪ nor sayed not, thys is the fyrst time, beare with them, but presented theym by and by to the people, saying: Loe, here they be, take theym, do wyth them accordinge to theyr desertes. Oh I woulde ther were no more bearers of other mens synnes, thē this good father Samuell was. I hearde of late of a notable bloudshed. A…dio. sayeth S. Paule and so do I. I know it not, but I hear of it. Ther was a searcher ī london, which executing his office displeased a marchaunt man, in so muche that when he was doing his office, they ware at wordes, the marchāt man threatned hym, the searcher saied▪ the king shuld not lose his custome. The marchant goes me home & sharpes his woodknife, & comes againe & knockes hym on y^e head & killes him, they y^t told me the tale sai it is winked at, they loke thorow ther fyngers & wyll not se it.

Wheyther it be taken vp with a pardon or no I cā not tel, but this I am sure,Ye but it were better to go to God then to be borne to the deuyll. & yf ye beare w^t such matters the deuil shal bear you away to hel. Bloudshed & murder would hauehave no bearing It is a heinous thinge bloudshedynge & especially voluntary murder & prepensed murder. Form Numerye God sayeth it poluteth the whole realme▪ Bludsheding … prepensed murder would not be borne with alPolluitur illa terra, et …non potest expiari sine sanguine. The lande can not be purged nor clensed agayne tyll hys bloude be shed that shed it. It is the office of a king to se suche murders punished with death.The kynge beareth a swerd before him and not a Pecokes fether. Non frustra gesta gladiū What wyl ye make of a kinge? He beareth a swerd before hym, (not a Pecokes fether) I go not about to styrrc you nowe to crudelitye, but I spake agaynste bearynge of bloudshed. Thys bearynge must be loked vponupon. In certayne causes of murther such great circumstaunces may be, that the kynge maye pardon a murtherer. But if I were worthye to be of counsaylle, or if I were asked myne aduice, I wolde not hauehave the kynge to pardō a voluntary murtherer, a prepē sed murther.

I can tell where one man slew an other, in a tounshyp, & was attached vpō the same .xii. men were impaneled, the man hadde frendes, the Shirife laboured the bench, the .xii. men stacke at it and sayed, excepte he woulde disburse .xii. crownes they woulde fynd him gyltie.

Meanes were found that the xii. crownes was payed. The quest commes in and sayes not giltye.

Here was a not gyltye, for xii. crownes. Thys is bearing, And some of the bench were hanged, thei were wel serued. Thys makes men bolde to do murder and slaughter. We shoulde reserue murderynge tyll, we come to our ennemyes, and whyle the Kynge bydde vsus fight. He that wolde be stur hym than, were a pretie felow in dede. Crowenes?

If theyr crownes were shauen to the shoulders they were serued well inoughe. I knewe where a womanne was gotwyth chylde, and was a shamed at the matter, and wente into a secreate place, where she hadde no women at her trauail and was deliuered of thre chyldren at a byrthe.

She wrounge theyr neckes and caste theym into a water, and so kylde her chyldren. Sodaynelye, she was gaunte agayne, and her neyghboures suspectynge the matter, caused her to be examened, & she graunted all. Afterwarde she was rayned at the barre for it, and dyspatched and founde not giltye, throughe bearynge of friendes and brybynge of the iudge.

Where at the same sessions, another poore womanne was hanged for stealing a fewe ragges of a hedge, that were not worthe a crowne.

There was a certayne gentle, man a professour of the word of God (he spedde neuer the better for that ye maye besure) whoo was accused for murtheryng of a manne, where vppon he was cast into prison. And by chaūce as he was in pryson one of hys friendes came vntounto hym for to visite hym, and he declared to hys friende that he was neuer gylty in the murtheryng of the man. So he wente hys wayes, the gentle man was arayned & condempned, and as he wente to hys execusion, he sawe hys frendes seruaunte, and sayd vntounto hym. Commende me to thy master, and I praye the tel him, I am the same man styl I was when he was wyth me.

And if thou tary a whyle, thou shalt se me dye. There was sute made for thys mannes pardon, but it coulde not be gotten.An euyll Shirife maye do some what for hys friend in a Shyre, he maye helpe to hange vp the gyltles. Bilike the Shiriues or some other bare hym no good wyll. But he dyed for it. And afterwarde I beyng in the Tower, hauynge leaue to come to the Lieuetenauntes table. I hearde hym saye that ther was a man hanged afterwarde, that kylled the same manne for whom this Gentyll man was put to death. O Lord what bearyng, what bolsteryng of naughtye matters is thys in a Chrystian realme? I desyre youre Maiestye to remedye the matter,An Apostrophe to the kynge for redresse of learnyng and bolsterynge of naughty matters. and God graūt you to se a redres in thys realme in your owne person.

Althoughe my Lord Protector I doubt not and the reste of the counsayle do in the meane whyle all that lyeth in theym to redresse thinges. I woulde such as be rulers,A Godlye aduertisemēt for noble mē and masters but I feare me it is to Godly to be folowed noble men & maisters should be at this poynt w^t their seruauntes to certify them on thys sort. If anye man go about to do you wrong I wyl do my best to helpe you in your right. But if thou breke the lawe thou shalte hauehave iustice. If ye wyll be manquellers, murderers, & transgressoures, loke for no bearynge at my handes. A straunge thynge. What nede wee in the vengaunce to burden oure selues wyth other mē nes synnes? HaueHave we not synnes inowe of oure owne? what neade hauehave I to burden my selfe wyth other mennes synnes? I hauehave burdens and .ii. heapes of synnes. One hepe of knowen sinnes, an other of vnknowen synnes. I hade nede to say. Aboccultis meis mūdame domine O Lorde deliuer me frō my hidden and my vnknowē synnes,

Then if I beare wyth other mennes synnes, I muste saye Delyuer me frome my other mennes sinnes. A straunge sayinge, frome my other mens synnes. Who beareth wyth other folkes offences, he communycateth wyth other folkes synnes. Men hauehave sinnes inoughe of theyr owne, althoughe they beare not and bolster vp other men in theyr naughtynes, thys bearinge, thys bolsteryng & lokyng thorowe their fingers: is naught. What the fayre happe should I (or anye else) encrease my burden. Myne other mens synnes for gyue me o Lord. A straūge language they hauehave hid sinnes of their own inough, althoughe they beare not wyth gyltines of other mens synnes

Oh father Samuell would not beare hys owne sonnes. He offered hys owne sonnes to punyshment. And saied. Ecce filli mei vobiscum sunt. Euen at the fyrste tyme he sayed. Lo, here they be. I discharge my selfe, take them vntounto you, and as for my parte.

Prest… sum loqui coram domino et Christo eius. I am here ready to answer for my selfe, before the Lorde and hys anointed. Behold here I am, record of me before the Lorde. Vtrum cuiusquā bona. &c. Whether I hauehave taken any mans oxe, ani mans asse, or wether I hauehave done anye man wronge, or hurte anye man, or taken any bribes at anye mans hande. I canne commende the Englyshe traslation that doeth interprete munera, bribes, not gyftes. They answered, nay forsooth. We knowe no such thinges in you. Testis est michi deus, saieth he, God is witnes, Quod nihil inueneritis in manu mea, That you hauehave found nought in my handes. Fewe suche Samuels are in England nor in the world. Why dyd Samuell thys? marye to purge hymselfe, he was enforced to it, for he was wrōgfullye deposed.

Thē bi this ye mai perceiue the fault of the Iewes, for they offended not God in askyng of a king, but for asking for a kinge to the wronging and desposiciō of good father Samuel, If after Samuels death the people had asked of God a kynge they hadde not faulted, but it is no smale faute to put an innocente out of his office. Kynge Dauyd lykewyse commaunded his people to be numbred, and therewyth offended God greuouslye Why? might he not knowe the numbre of hys people? Yes, it was not the numbrynge of the people that offended God, for a king may number his people, but he dyd it of a pride, of an elacion of mynde, not accordyng to Gods ordinaunce, but as hauinge a truste in the numbre of hys men, thys offended God.

Lykewyse the Iewes asked a kynge, and there wyth they offended not God. But they asked hym with suche cyrcumstaunces, that God was offended wyth them.

It is no smale faute to putte a iuste man oute of hys office, & to depose hym vnworthelye.

To chose a Kynge contraryinge the ordinaunce of God is a castynge away of God and not of a kyng.

Therfore doubt not, but the tytle of a kynge, is a lawefull thynge, is a lawefull tytle, as of other maiestrates. Onelye, let y^e kings take hede, that they do as it becometh Kynges to do, that they do their offyce wel. It is a great thynge, a chargeable thynge. Let them beware that they do not. Communicare peccatis alienis.

That they beare not wyth other mens faultes for they shal geue a strayte accounte for all that perisheth, thorowe theyr necligence. We perceyue nowe what thys texte meaneth.

It is wrytten in the laste of Iudicum. Iu diebus illis nō erat rex in Israel. In those dayes there was no kynge in Israel, euerye manne dyd that whyche semed ryght in hys owne eyes. Men were then allowed to do what they woulde. When men maye be alowed to do what they wyl, then is it as good to hauehave no king at al. Here is a wōderfull matter, y^t vnprechinge prelates shuld be suffered so long. They can alledge for them selues .vii C. yeares. Thys whyle the Realme had bene as good to hauehave no kyng, likewise these brybing iudges hathe bene suffered of a longe tyme, & then it was, Quasi non fuisset rex in anglia. To suffer this is asmuch to say. There is no king in Englād. Yt is the dutye of a kynge to hauehave al states set in order to do their office. I hauehave troubled you to lōg. I wil make an end brefly. Beati qui audi ūt verbū dei. Blessed be thei y^t here the word of god, but so that thei folowe it, & kepe it in credite, in memori, not to depraue it & slaū der it, & bring the preachers out of credite, but that folowe it in theyr life, and liue after it. He graūt you al that blessinge that made both you and me. Amen.