Twenty-Seven Sermons, Sermons 3 · Sermon 1
The argument of the fyrst Sermon.
IN this first Sermon is declared, & taught the godly election of a king, and a rule of godly liuing as touching his owne person. … here … proueth our most excelēt king Edward, to be our most lawfull king both by natiuitie, and contrey, yea, & now appointed in these our daies to deliuer vsus from the daunger and captiuitie of Egipt and wicked Pharao, that is from … and ignorance and the deuelish antichrist the Pope of Rome. The forme of his godlye rule also he deuided here in this Sermon in three partes. Fyrst that he should not trust to muche vntounto his owne strength and policye, but only to walke … with God and to make him his … man & chief guide. Secondarily that he liue not lassiuiously and wantonly, folowing veneriall affections, but to lyue chastly. And whē time shall require, to lead a pure lyfe, vnderunder the yoke of matrimony, admonishing both his grace, and al other Maiestrates to be circumspect in chosyng a wyfe, eyther for themselues or for their children, hauing this alwaies in mind, that she be, of a faithful house, godly brought vp, and of a pure lyfe? Thirdly he admonished the kinges grace, that he should not desyre gold & syluer to muche, prouing by many argumentes that that kinde of vice with the other forsaid, to be destruction not only vntounto the kinges grace: but also vntounto the whole realme & people, In these thinges consisteth the whole sum of this sermon.
QVecunque scripta sunt: ad nostram doctrinam scrip Rom. xv. …ta sunt. What so euer thinges are written a fore time, are written for our learning, that we through pacience and comforte of scripture, might hauehave hope. In taking this parte of scripture (most noble audience) I play as a trowant, which when he is at schole, will chose a lesson, wherein he is perfight, because he is loth to take payne in studieng a new lesson, or els feareth stripes for his slothful nes. In like maner I mighte seme nowe in my olde age to some men, to take this part of scripture, because I woulde wade easily away therwith, and driue mi matter at my ple sure and to be bound vntounto a certayne theame. But ye shall consider, that the foresayd words of Paul are not to be vnderstand of al scripturs, but only of those, which are of god written in gods boke, and all thinges which are therin, are written for our learning, The excellency of this worde is so great, & of so hye dignity, that ther is no earthly thingeGen. i …. … xvii … to be compared vntounto it. The author therof is great, that is God himself, eternal, almighty, euerlasting. The scriptureDeut. iiii. … because of him, is also great, eternall, most mighty, and hoEsay. xxvi. … ly. There is no king Emperour, Maiestrate, and ruler, of…. viii. c Daniel. vii. cwhat state so euer they be but are bound to obey this GodWe ought to obey, god, to beleue his word, & to folow it. and to geue credence vntounto his holy word in directing their steppes ordinatly accordinge vntounto the same word, yea tru ly they are not only bound to obey gods boke, but also the minister of the same, for the wordes sake, so farre as he spe keth sitting in Moses chayre, that is, if his doctrine be takē out of Moses law. For in this world god hath. … swerdesThis world … led with two swordes. the one is a temporall swerde the other a spirituall, The temporall swerd resteth in the hands of kings, maiestrats,The temporall sword. and rulers vnderunder him, whereunto all subiects, as well the clergy as the layty be subiect, and punisheable, for any offence contrary to the same booke.
The spirituall swerd is in the hands of the ministers & The spirituall sword.preachers whervnto all kinges, maiestrates, rulers ought to be obedient, that is, to heare, and folowe, so longe as the ministers sit in christes chayre, that is, speaking out of chriMath. xxii. stes boke.
The king correcteth transgressors with the temporallThe king may correct the … cher. … yea, and the preacher also if he be an offender, But the preacher can not correct the king if he be a transgressor… the prea cher maye correct the kinge. of gods word, with the temporall swerde. But he must cor rect and reproue him with the spirituall swerd fearing no man setting god only before his eyes vnderunder whome he is a minister to supplant and roote vp all vice and mischief by gods word, whervnto all men ought to be obedient, as is mencioned in many places of scripture, and amonges many this is one. Quoecunque iusserint … seruare seruate, et … Math. xxiii. a.te What so euer they bid you obserue, yt obserue & do. Ther…. …. iii. a. fore let yt preacher teach, improue, amēd & instruct in right…. Pet. i. a. wisenes, with the spirituall sword, fering no man though death should insue. Thus Moyses fering no man with thisExod. v. vi. vii. &c. swerddid reproue king …, at gods commaundemēt.
Micheas the prophet also did not spare to blame kingeiii. Reg. xxii. Achab for his wickednes, according to Gods will and to prophery of his distruction contrary vntounto many false prophets. These foresaid kinges being admonished by the ministers of gods worde, because they would not folow their godly doctrine and correct theyr liues, came vntounto btter des truction. Pharao geuing no credit vntounto Moyses the prophetKing Pharao punished. of God, but appliant vntounto the lustes of his own hert, what time he hard of the passage of gods people, hauingeExod. xiiii. no feare or … of gods worke, he did prosecute after entending to destroy them and was drowned in theAhab. red sea. king Ahab also because he would not herken vntountoiii. Reg. xxi. Micheas was kild with an arrow. Likewise also the houseiii. Reg. xiiii. of Ieroboan with other many, came vntounto destruction, becauseThe preacher must hauehave god before his eies. he would not heare the ministers of gods worde, and correct hys life according vntounto his wyll, and pleasure. Let the precher therfore neuer feare to declare the … of god vntounto all men. And if the … wil not hear …, then the preachers may admonish and … them wyth their dewties, and so leaue them vntounto god and praye for them. But if the preachers digresse out of Christes chaire, andEuel prechers are to be refused. shall speake their owne phantasies, then in steade of. Quoe eúnqúe iusserint vos facere, facite, & seruate. What soeuer they bid you obserue, that obserue and do. Change it into theseMath. vii. g wordes folowing: Cauete vero vobis a … venunt ad vos. &c. Beware of false Prophets which come vntounto you in shepes clothing, but in wardly, they are raue ning woulfes, ye shal know them by their fruts: yea chang Quoecunque iusserint, (if theire doctrine be euill) into Cauete a Luke. …. …fermento pharisoeorum, &c. That is: Take heede and beware of the leauen of the Phariseis, and of the Saduces. In tea ching euil doctrine, all preachers are to be eschewed, and in no wise to be harkned vntounto. In speaking truth: they are to be hard. Al thinges written in gods booke, are most certayne true, and profitable for all men. For in it, is contayned mete matter for kinges, princes, Rulers, bishops,In gods boke is matter for all estates. and for all states. Wherfore, it behoueth eueryevery preacher, some what to appoynt and accomodate him selfe, and hys matter a greable vntounto the comfort, and amendment of the audience, vntounto the which he declareth the message of god. If he preach before a kinge, let hys matter be concerningeA preacher must hauehave res pect to his au dience the office of a king, if before a bishop, then let him treate of bishoply duties and orders, and so forth in other matters, as time and audience shall require.
I hauehave thought it good, to inteate vponupon these wordes folowing which are written in the. xvii. Chapter of Deuteronomy. Cū veneris in terrā quā Dominus Deus dat tibi possede Deut. xvii.risque eam, &c. That is. Whē thou art come vntounto the land which the Lord thy God geueth the, and enioyest it, and dwellest therein: If thou shalt say, I will set a kinge ouer me: like vntounto all the nations that are about me: Then thou shalt make him kinge ouer the, whome the Lord thy god shall chose.
One of thy brethrē must thou make king ouer the, and mayst not set a stranger ouer the, which is not of thy brethren. But in any wise, let him not hold to many horses, that he bring not the people againe to Egipt, thorowe the multitude of horses, for as much as the Lord hath sayd vn to you: ye shall henre forth go no more againe that waye. Also he shal not hauehave to many wiues, lest his hart turne away, nether shal he gather hym syluer and golde to much. As in diuers other places of scripture is mete matter for al …. So in this foresayd place is discribed chefly the doctrine fit for a king. But who is worthy to vtter th is doctrine before oure most noble king? Not I God knoweth, which am through age, both weak in body & obliuious, … apt I am, not only because of painful study, but also for yt short warning. Wel vntounto god I wil make my mone, who neuer fayled me. Auxiliator in necessitatibus. God is my helper in all my all my necessities, To him alone wil I make my peticion. To praye vntounto sayntes departed I am not taught, to desire like grace of god as they had (right godly it is) or to belene god to be no lesse merciful vntounto vsus (being faithful) then he was vntounto them, greatly comfortable it is. Therfore only vntounto god let vsus lift vp our hartes and saye the loros prayer.
Cum veneris &c. When thou arte come vntounto the landeThinges touched most chief ly in the hole sermon. which the Lorde, &c. Thou shalt appoynt him kinge &c. One of the brethren muste thou make kinge ouer the, and must not set a straunger ouer the whych is not of thy brethren.
But in any wise let not such one prepare vntounto him selfe many horses, that he bring not. &c.
Furthermore let him not prepare vntounto him selfe many wiues, leaste his he arte receede from god. Nor he shall not … vntounto him selfe, to much golde, and syluer. As the text doth rise, I wil touch and go a little in eueryevery place, vn till I come vntounto to much. I will touch all the forsayd thin ges, but not to much. The texte is, when thou shalte come into the lād. &c. To hauehave a king the Isralits did with much importunity cal vntounto god, & god lōg before promised them a king and they were full certified therof, that god had pro…. xvii. …. mised that thinge. For vntounto Abraham he said: Ego crescere te faciam vehementer ponamque te in gentes, sed et reges ex te prodibunt. That is, I will multiply the excedingly, and will make nations of the, yea and kings shall spring out of the These wordes were spoken long before … children of Israell had any king. Not withstanding, yet God prescribed vntounto them an order, how they should chose their king, and what manner a man he should be, where he sayth: whan thou shalt come into the land, &c. As who should say. O ye children of Israell, I know your nature right well, which is euill, and inclined vntounto al euils. I know that thou wilt chose a king to raigne ouer the and to appere glorious in the face of the worlde, after the manners of Gentyles, But because thou art … necked, wilde, and art geuen to walke without a brydell, and lyne: Therfore now I wyll preuent thy euill and beastly manners, I wil hedge strōgly thy way, I will make a durable lawe, whiche shall compell thee to walke ordinatly, and in a playne way, that is: thou shalt not … thee a king after thy will and fantasy but after me thy Lorde and God. Thus, God condicioned with the Iewes, that their king should be such a one as he himselfe would chose them. This was not much vnlyke a bargayn that I herd of late should be betwixte two frinds for a horse, the owner promised the other should hauehave the horsse if he would, the other axed the price, he sayd: xx. nobles. The other would geue him but iiii. pound: the owner said he should not hauehave him then. The other claymed the horsse because he said, he should hauehave him if he woulde. Thus this bargain became a Westminster matter, the lawA notable …. yers gote twyse the valure of the horse, and whē all came to all, two fooles made an ende of the matter. Howbeit, the Israelites could not go to law with God, for chosyng their king, for would they, nyl they, theyr king shoulde be of his chosyng, lest they should walke inordinatly, in a deceiuable way, vntounto their vtter losse and destruction. For as they say cōmonly. Qui … plane, vadit sane, that is, he thatA common … ing: walketh plaiuly walketh safly. As the Iewes were …, & were euer redy to walk inordinatly, no lesse are we English men geuen to vntounto wardnes, and inordinate walking after our owne fantasies and braynes. We wil walk without the limites of Gods word, we will chose a kynge at our owne pleasure. But let vsus learn to frame our liuesReg. xix. after the noble king Dauid which when he had many occasions, geuen of king Saule to warke euill, for euill, yea and hauing many times oportunitie to perfourme mischief and to slay kyng Saule. Neuertheles yet fearing,1. Reg. xxiiii. would not folow his fleshly affections and walke inordinatly,Red the … they be verye pleasaunt and profitable. without the will of Gods worde, which be confessed alwayes to be his direction, saying. Lucerna … ineis ver … et lumen semitis meis. Thy worde, O Lorde, is aPsal. cxix. Lanterno vntounto my feet aud a lyght vntounto my steppes.Gods word is our lyght. Thus hauing in minde, to walke ordinatly he did alwaies … to do euil. For when kyng Saul was in a caue with out any man. Dauid and his men sitting by the sydes of the caue, yea and Dauids men mouing hym to kill Saull, Dauid made answer & sayd vntounto them: Seruet me dominus, ne rem istam. &c. contra dominum meū Messiam. &c. That is:Dauid did walke ordinatly. The Lord kepe me from doing this thing vntounto my master that is the Lordes anoynted. At another tyme also, moued by Abisay to kyll Saull slepyng, Dauid sayd Ne interficias i. Reg. xxvi. be / dt / u, quis enim impune manū suā inferret … domino. &c. That is: Destroy him not, for who can lay his hands on the lords anoynted and begiltyles. &c. I would God we wold folow king Dauid, and then we should walke ordinatly, and yet doo but that we are bound of dutie to doo, for God sayeth: Quod ego proecipio, hoc tantum facito. That thing which I commaundPhantasticall braynes are reproued inordinatly, that only do. There is a greate errour risen now a dayes among many of vsus, which are vayne and new fangled men climbyng beyond the limites of our capacitye and wit, in wrenchyng thys text of scripture, hereafter folowyng, after theyr owne phantasie and brayne, theyr errour is vponupon this text: Audi vocem populi in omnibus quoe dicunt tibi, …. Reg. viii.non enim te reprobant sed me reprobarunt ne regnem super eos. That is: Heare the voyce of the people in al that they say vntounto thee, for they hauehave not cast thee a way but me. They wrench these wordes a wrye after their owne fantasyes, & make muche doubt as touchyng a kyng, and his Godlye name. They that so do walke inordinatly. they walke not directly and plainly, but delite in balkes, and stubble way.
It maketh no matter by what name the rulers be named,God calleth his ministers by diuers names. if so be they shall walke ordinately with God, and derect their steps with God. For both patriarkes, Judges, & kinges, had, and hauehave their authoritie of God, and therfore Godly. But this ought to be considered which God sayeth. Non proeficere tibi potes hominem alienum, that is. Thou must not set a straunger ouer the. It hath pleased god to graunt vsus a naturall lieg king & Lord, of our owne natiō an EnglishKing Edward the vii. is our naturall kyng and a most precious treasure. man, one of our owne religion. God hathe geuen him vntounto vsus, and is a most precious treasure, and yet many of vsus doo desyre a straunger to be kynge ouer vsus. Let vsus no more desire to be bankers, but let vsus endeuour to walke ordinatly and playnly, after the worde of God. Let vsus folow Dansell, let vsus not seke yt death of our most noble and rightfull kyng, our owne brother, both by natiuytie,Let vsus pray for hys lyfe. and Godly religion. Let vsus pray for his good state, that he lyue longe amonge vsus.
Oh what a plage were it, that a straūg king of a straung land, and of a straunge religion should raygne ouer vsus. Where now we be gouerned in the true religiō, he shouldA straunger would rout out all godlynes & plant again all hipocrisy. extirp and plucke away all together, and then plant again all abhomination, and popery, God kepe suche a kyng frō vsus. Well, the kings grace hath sisters, my Lady Mary, and my Lady Elizabeth, which by succession and course are inheritoures to the crowne: Who if they should mary, with straungers, what should ensue: God knoweth. But God graunt if they so doo: wherby straunge religion cometh in, that they neuer come vntounto coursyng nor succeding. Therfore to auoid this plage, let vsus amend our lyues and put a way all pride, whiche doth drowne men in this realme at these dayes, all couetousnes wherin the magistrates and rich men of this realme are ouerwhelmed, all lechery and other excessiue vices, prouoking Gods wrath were he not mercifull, euen to take from vsus our naturall king and leig lord, yea, and to plage vsus with a strang king for our vnrepentauntThey that … God or the kyng will amend their sinfull lyuing. heart. Wherfore (if as ye saye ye louelove the kyng) amend your liues, and then ye shalbe a meane that God shall lend him vsus long to raigne ouer vsus, for vndoubtedlye sinnes prouoke much gods wrath scripture sayth: Dabo ti bi regem in furore meo, That is: I wil geue the a … in my wrath. Now we hauehave a lawful king, a godly kinge, neuertheles yet many euils do raygne. Long time the ministers appoynted, hauehave studied to amend, and redres al euils, lōg time before this great labour hath bene aboute this matter, great crakes hath bene made that all shoulde be well. But when all came to all for all their …, little or nothing was done, in whome these words of … mai wel be verified sayinge. parturiunt montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. ….The mountaynes swelleth vp, the poore mouse is brought out, long before this time, many hath … in hād to bringe many things vntounto passe, but finally theyre workes came vntounto small effect and profit. Nowe I heare say all things are ended after a Godly maner, or els shortly shalbe. Make hast, make hast, and let vsus learne to conuert, to repent, and amend your lyues. If we do not, I feare, I feare, lest for our sinnes and vnthankful nes, an Hipocrit shall raign ouer vsus. Long we hauehave ben serThe Pope hath long raigned. uaunts and in bondage, seruyng the Pope in Egipt. God hath geuen vsus a deliuerer, a naturall kyng. Let vsus seke no straūger of another nation, no hipocrite which shal bringGod hath sent vsus a deliuerer. in agayne all papistrie, hipocricie, and Idolatry. No diabolicall minister whiche shall maintain all deuelish workes and euil exercises. But let vsus pray that God maintain andLet vsus nomore seke to serue a straunger. continue our most excelleut kyng here present, true inheritour of this our realme, both by natiuitie, and also by theLet vsus pray for our kyng. speciall gift and ordinaunce of God. He doth vsus rectifye in the libertie of the Gospell, in that therfore let vsus stand. State ergo in libertate, qua Christus nos liberauit. Stand ye inGal. v. a. the libertie, wherwith Christ hath made vsus free. In Christes libertie we shall stand, If we so lyue that we profyt. If we cast away all euill, fraud and deceyt, with suche other vices, contrary to Gods word. And in so doing we shal not onelyonly prolong and maintain our most noble kynges dayes in prosperitie: but also we shal prosper our owne lyues, to lyue not onelyonly prosperously, but also godly.
In any wyse, let no such a wone prepare vntounto hym selfThe second part of his sermon. many horsses. &c. In speakyng these wordes, ye shall vnderunder stand, that I do not entend to speake against the strength, polisye and prouision of a kyng, but against excesse, & vain trust that kinges hauehave in them selues, more then in the liuing God the authour of all goodnes, and geuer of all vic tory. Many horses are requisite for a kyng, but he may not excede in them, nor triumphe in them, more then is nedefull, for the necessary affayres and defence of the realme: what meaneth it, that God hath to do with the kyngs stable? but only he would be master of his horsses, the ScripturePsalm. …. sayeth, In altis habitat. He dwelleth on hye, it foloweth. Humilia respicit. He loketh on low thinges, yea, vponupon the kinges stables, and vponupon all the offices in his house.God is graund master in the kinges house. God is great grand mayster of the kinges house, and will take accompt of eueryevery one that beareth rule therin, for the executing of their offices, Whether they hauehave … and truly serued the king in theyr offices or no. Yea god loketh vponupon the kinge him selfe, if he worke well or not. EueryEvery king is subiect vntounto god, and al other men are subiects vn to yt king. In a king god requireth fayth, not excesse of hor ses. Horses for a king be good and necessary, if they be wel vsed. But horses are not to be preferred aboue pore men. I was ones offended with the kinges horses, and therfore toke occasion to speake in the presence of the kinges maiesty that deade is, whan … stode. Abbeis were … ned for the cōfort of the poore, Wherfore I sayd it was not decent that the kings horses should be kept in them (as ma ny were at yt time) the liuing of poore mē therby minished & takē a way: But afterward a certain noble mā said to me what hast thou to do with the kinges horses? I answered, and said, I spake my conscience as gods word directed me. He sayd horses be the maintenances and part of a kinges honour, and also of his realme, wherefore in speakinge agaynst them ye are against the kinges honour. I aunswered. God teacheth what honour is decent for the king andAn aunswer de claring the true honour of a king for all other men accordinge vntounto their vocations. God apoynteth eueryevery king a sufficient liuing for his state and de gree both by landes and other customes. And it is lawfull for eueryevery king to enioy the same goodes and possessions. But to extort and take away the righte of the poore, is agaynst the honour of the king. And you do moue the kinge to do after that manner, then you speake agaynste the honour of the king. For I full certify you, extortioners, violent oppressers, in grossers of tenamēts and lāds, throughHe describeth the dishonors of a king playnly and most truly. whose couetusnes, villages decay and fall down, the kings leig people for lack of susten āce are famished and decayed. They be those which speake a gaynste the honoure of the king. God requireth in the king and al magistrats a good hart, to walk directly in his wayes. And in all subiects, an obediēce dewe vntounto a king. Therfore I pray god both thegod requireth a good hert. king and also we his people may endeuer diligently to walke in his wayes, to his great honour and our profite. Let him not prepare vntounto him selfe to many wiues. &c. AllThe. iii. parte of his sermen. though we reade heare that the kings amongst the Jewes had liberty to take more wiues then one, we may not therforeKinges of the Jew̄es had a dispensation to hauehave mo wiues then one. attempt to walk in ordinatly and to thinke that we may take also many wiues.
For christ hath for bidden this vntounto vsus Christians. And let vsus not impute … vntounto the Iewes because they had many wiues. For they had a dispensation so to do. Christe limiteth vntounto vsus one wife only. And it is a great thing for a man to rule one wife rightly, and ordinatly. For a woman is frayle and procliue vntounto all euels, a woman is a very weake vessel, and may sone deceiue a man, and bring him vntounto euil. Many examples we hauehave in holy scripture.One wife is hard to be wel ruled. Adam had but one wife, called Cue, and how sone had she brought him to consent vntounto euilt, and to come to destrucA godly womā … to be chosē. tion, How did wicked Iesabell peruerte kinge Hachabs hart from god and al godlines, and finaly vntounto …. It is a very hard thing for a man to rule well one woman Therfore let our king, what time his grace shalbe so minded to take a wife, chose him one which is of god, that is, which is of the houshold of fayth. Yea let all estates be no lesse circumspect in chosing her, taking great deliberacion and then they shall not neede diuorsements, and such mischeues to the euil example and slaunder of our realm. And that she be such one as the kinge can finde in his hearte toLoueLove which is godly is to be preferred a boue all earth ly thinges in mariage. louelove and leade his life in pure and chast espousage, and … shall he be the more prone and redy to aduance gods glory punish and extirpe, the great lechery vsed in this realme. Therfor we ought to make a continuall prayer vntounto god, for to graunt our kinges grace such a mate as may knitte his heart and heres, according to gods ordinance and law, and not to consider and cleaue onelyonly to a politike matter or coniunction, for the enlarginge of dominions, for suerty and defence of contries, settinge apart the institution & ordinance of god. We hane now a prety little shilling, in deede a very prety one. I hauehave but one I think in my purse and the last day I had put it away almost for an old groteA notable say ing. and so I trust some will take them. The fines of the siluer I can not se. But therin is printed a fine sentence: that is. Timor domini fons vite vel sapientie. The feare of the Lord isProuer. xvi. the fountayne of life or wisedome. I would god this sentence were alwayes printed in the hart of the king in chosing his wife, and in al his officers. For like as the feare of God is fons sapientie or vite, so the forgetting of god is fons Policye if it be not of god bringeth death.stulticie the fountaine of folishnes or of death, although it be neuer so politike. for vponupon such politike matters death doth ensue and folow. All their deuorcementes and other like conditions to the greate displeasure of all mighty god which euils I feare me, is much vsed at these dayes in the mariage of noble mens children, for ioyning lands to lāds, possessions to possessions, neither the vertuous education, nor liuing being regarded, but in the infācy such mariages be made, to the displeasure of god and breach ofespousals. Let the king therfore chose vntounto him a godly wife, wherby he shall the better liue chast, and in so liuing, all godlines shall encrease and rightwisenes be maynteyned. Notwith stāding, I know here after, some wil come and moue your grace towardes wantonnes, and to the inclination of the flesh and vayne affectiōs. But I would your grace shouldA notable histo ry of a French kyng. beare in memory, an history of a good king called Lewes, that traueled towardes the holy land (which was a greate matter in those dayes) and by the way sickned, being long absent from his wife. And vponupon this matter the phisitiansThe good coun cell of by byshops did agre, that it was for lack of a woman. And did consult with the bishops therin, who did conclude that because of the distance of his wife (being in an other contry) he should take a wench. This good kynge hearyng theyr couclusyon wold not assent there vntounto, but sayd, he had rather be syck euen vntounto death, then he would break hys espousals. Do worth suche councellers, byshops, nay rather bussardes. Neuerthelesse if the kyng shoulde hauehave consented to theyr conclusyon, and accomplyshed the same, if he had not chaū sed well, they woulde hauehave excused the matter, as I hauehave hard of two that hauehave consulted together, and accordynge to the aduise of his frend, the one of them wroughte where the succession was not good. The other imputed a pece of reproche to him for hys such counsel geuen. He exeused the matter sayinge: that he gaue hym none other councell, but if it had bene hys cause, he woulde hauehave done lyke wise.
So I thynke the bishops woulde hauehave excused the matter, if the kyng should hauehave reproued them for theyr counsel. I do not reade that the king dyd rebuke them for theyrNote. councel, but if he had, I know what wold hauehave bene theyr aunswer. They would hauehave sayde, we geue you no worse councel, then we wold hauehave folowed our selues, if we had ben in like case. Wel sir, thys king did wel, and hadde theThe kinge fearing God auoyded euyil. fear of God before his eies. He wold not walk in by walkes, where are many balkes. Amongst many balkinges, is muche stomblinge, and by stomblinge it chaunceth manye tymes to fal down to the grounde. And therfore, let vsus not take any by walkes, but let Gods worde direct vsus, lette vsus not walke after, nor leane to our own iudgements and procedinges of our forfathers, nor seke not what they dyd, but what they shuld hauehave done, of which thing scripture admonisheth vsus, saying: Ne inclinemus preceptis & traditionibus patrum ne que faciamus ꝙ videtur rectum in oculis nostris. Let vsus notDeut. xii. a inclyne our selues vntounto the precepts and traditions of our fathers, nor let vsus do that seemeth righte in oure eies. But surely, we wil not exchange oure fathers doinges and tradityons with scripture, but chefely lean vntounto them and to theyr prescription, and do that semeth good in oure owne eyes. But surely that is going down the ladder, Scala celi as it was made by the Pope came to be a masse, but that is a false ladder to bringe men to heauen. The true ladder to bring a man to heauen is the knowledge and folowyng of scrypture. Let the kyng therfore chuse a wife which feareth God, let him not seke a proud, wanton, and one ful ofThe iii. part of thesermon. rych treasures and worldly pompe. He shal not multiplye vntounto him self to much golde and syluer. Is there to muche thynke you for a king? God doth alow much vntounto a kynge,A kynge may hauehave muche for his expenses are great. and it is expedyent that he should hauehave much, for he hathe great expenses, and many occasyons to spend much for the defence and surety of his realme and subiectes. And necessary it is that a king hauehave a treasure alwaies in a readines for that, and such other affayres, as be daily in his handes. The which tresure, if it be not sufficient, he may lawfullye and with a safe conscience, take taxis of his subiects. For it wer not mete, the tresure should be in the subiectes purses whan the mony should be occupied, nor it were not best for them selues, for the lack therof, it might cause both it, & all the rest that they hauehave, shuld not long be theirs. And so forNote whan the kynge hathe to much of his cō mens. a necessary and expedient occasion, it is warranted by gods word to take of the subiects. But if there be sufficient treasures, and the burdening of subiects be for a vain thing, so that he wil require thus much, or so much of his subiectes, (which perchance are in great necessity, and penury.) The thys couetous intent, and the request therof is to muche,Who shal see this to much. None that be seruants to the kyng. which God forbyddeth the king here in this place of scrypture to hauehave. But who shal se this to much, or tel the kinge of this to much. Thinke you any of thelkyngs preuy chamber? No. For fear of losse of fauer. Shall any of his sworneCorporall eyes cannot se to much. chaplains? No. They be of the clausset, and kepe close such matters. But the king himself must se this to much & that shal he do by no meanes with the corporal eies: Wherfore,Spiritual eyes are to be hadde faith & charity. he muste hauehave a paire of spectacles, whiche shall hauehave two clear sightes in them, that is, that one is faith, not a seasonable faith, which shal last but a whyle, but a faith, which is continuing in God. The second clear sighte is charitye, which is fervent towardes hys christen brother. By them two, must the kyng see euer whan he hath to muche. But few there be that vseth these spectables, the more is theyr dampnation. Not without cause Chrisostome wyth admirationChrisostomes saying. sayeth. Miror si aliques rectorum potest saluari: I maruelThe vnderstandynge of it. if any ruler can be saued. Which woordes he speaketh not of an impossibility, but of a great difficultye. For thatI fGod wil not graunt to much vntounto a kinge much lesse vntounto the subiect. their charge is maruelous great, & that none aboute them dare shew them the truth of the thing how it goeth. Wel: then if God wil not alow a king to much. Whether wil he alow a subiect to much? no, that he wyll not. whether hauehaveWho is not fauty in takinge to much learne. any man here in England to much? I doubt mooste ryche men hauehave to much, for without to much, we cā get nothing. As for example. The Phisition.Phisitions. If the pore mā be diseased, he cā hauehave no help without to much: & of ye lawyer,Lawyers the pore mā can get no coūsel, expediciō, nor help in his matter, except he geue him to much. At marchāts hands, no kynde of ware can be had, except we geue for it to much.Marchaunts. You landlords,Landlordes you rētreisers,Rent raysers I may say you steplords,steplordes. you vnnatural lords,Unnatural Lordes. you hauehave for your possessiōs yerely to much. For For that here before went for xx. or xl. poūd by yere (which is an honest portien to be had gratis in one Lordshyp, of an other mans sweat and labour) nowe is it let for l. or an C. pound by yere. Of this to much commeth this monsterousOf this to muche commeth al dearth and scarcitye. and portentious dearth is made by man, notwithstanding God doth send vsus plentifully the frutes of the earth mercifully, contrarye vntounto oure desertes. Notwithstandynge to much, which these rich men hauehave, causeth such dearth, that pore men (which liue of theyr labor) cannot with the sweat of theyr face hauehave a liuing, all kinde of victuals is so dear, pigges, gese, Capons, Chickens, egges &c. These thynges with other are so vnreasonablye enhansed. And I thynkeNote the couetous men. verely, that if it this continue: we shal at length be cōstrayned to pay for a pigge a pound. I wyl tel you my Lordes & maisters, this is not for the kinges honoure: yet some wyllThys to much is not for the kynges honour say, knowest thou what belongeth vntounto the kinges honor better then we? I answeare, that the true honor of a king, is most perfectly mentioned and painted forth in the scriptures, of which, if ye be ignorant, for lacke of time that ye cannot read it, albeit, that your counsail be neuer so polytike, yet is it not for the kings honour. What hys honour meaneth ye cannot tell. It is the kinges honoure that hysA descriptyon of the kynges honoure. subiectes be led in the true religion. That all hys prelates and cleargy be set about theyr worke in preaching and studying, and not to be interrupted from their charge. Also itFirst in true religyon. is the … honor that the common wealth be auaunsed that the dearth of these forsaide thynges be prouided for, & the commodities of thys realme so employed, as it mayeSecōdly a wel thy cominaltye. be to the settyng hys subiectes on worke, and keping them from idlenesse. And herein reasteth the kynges honor and hys office. So doing, his accompt before God shalbe alowed, and rewarded. Furthermore, if the kynges honoure (asThirdlye the kynges honour standeth in the multytude of people. some men say) standeth in the greate multitude of people. Then these grasiers, inclosers, and rentrearers, are hynderers of the kynges honor. For where as hauehave ben a greate many of housholders and inhabitauntes, there is now but a shepheard and his dog, so they hinder the kynges honourThis to muche wil make … ry slauerye, and the shauery …. most of all. My Lordes and maysters, I say also, that al such procedings which are against the kinges honor (as I hauehave a part declared before) and as far as I can perceyue, doo intend plainly, to make the yomanry slauery, and the clergy shauery. For such workes are al singular, priuate wealthe and commodity. … of the cleargye had to much, but thatClergy had to much, but … to lytle. is taken awaye, and nowe we hauehave to litle. But for myne owne part, I hauehave no cause to complain, for I thanke God and the kynge. I hauehave suffycient, and God is my iudge I came not to craue of any mā, any thing, but I know them that hauehave to litle. There lieth a great matter by these appropriations,An example of the clergy. great reformation is to be hadde in them. I know wheris a great market town wt diuers hamelets & inhabitants, wher do rise yerely of their labours to the va lue of l. pound, and the vicar that serueth (being so great a cure) hathe but xii. or xiiii. markes by yeare, so that of thys pensyon he is not able to bie him bokes, nor geue his neigh bor drinke, al the great gain goeth another way. My father was a …, and had no landes of hys own, only he hadAn example of the yomanry. a farme of iii. or iiii. pound by yere at the vttermooste, and here vponupon he tilled so much as kept halfe a dosen men. He had walke for a hundred shepe, and my mother milked xxx. kyne. He was able and did finde the kyng a harnesse, with himselfe, and his horse, whyle he came to the place that he shoulde receiue the kynges wages. I can remembre, that I buckled hys harnesse, when he wente vntounto Blacke heathe felde. He kept me to schole, or els I hadde not bene able to hauehave preached before the kinges maiesty now. He maryed my systers wyth v. pounde, or xx. nobles a piece, so that he brought them vp in god linesse, and fear of God. He kepte hospitality for his pore neighboures. And some almesse he gaue to the pore, and al thys dyd he of the said farm. Where he that now hath it, payeth xvi. pound by yere or more, and is not able to do any thing for his prince, for him selfe, nor for his children, or geue a cup of drink to the pore. Thus al then hansyng & rearing goth to your priuate commodity & welth. So yt where ye had a single to much, you hauehave that: & sins the same, ye hauehave enhansed the rent, & so hauehave encresed an other to muche. So nowe ye hauehave double to muche,No preachyng can helpe … euell. which is to to much. But let the precher preach til his tōg be worn to yt stomps, nothing is amended. We hauehave good statutes made for the common wealth as touching commemanye statutes but …. ners, enclosers, many metings and …, but in the … of the matter, there commeth nothing forthe. Well, well, thys is one thing I wil say vntounto you, from whence it commethThe … is authoure of to much. I know, euen from the deuil. I know his … in it. For if ye bring it to passe, that the yomanry be not able to put their sonnes to schole (as in dede vniuersities do wonderously decay al redy) and that they be not able to marryeTo decaye of learnynge and purity of lyfe. theyr daughters to the auoidynge of whoredome, I say ye plucke saluation from the people, and vtterly destroye theSaluatyon resteth in them. Yomens … be teachers of God. realme. For by yemans sonnes, the faith of Christe is, and hath bene maintayned …. Is this realme taughte … rich mens sonnes? No, no, read the chronicles ye shall finde somtime noble menues sonnes, whych hauehave beue vnpreaching bishops and prelates, but ye shal fynde none of them learned men. But verily, they that shoulde looke to the redresseA notable thing of these thinges, be the greatest againste them. In thys realme are a great many of folkes, and amongest many, I knowe but one of tender zeale, at the motyon of his pore tenauntes, hath let down his landes to the old rentes for their relief. For gods louelove, let not him be a Phenix, let him not be alone, let him not be an hermite closed in a wal some good man folow him, and do as he geueth example. Surueyers there be, that gredely gorge vp their couetousSurueyers be handmakers. goodes, handmakers I meane, (honest men I touche not) but al such as suruey they make vp their mouthes, but the commens be vtterlye vndone by them. Whose bitter crye ascending vp to the eares of the God of Sabaoth, the gredyThe crye of the poore. pit of hel burning fire (without great repentance) do ta ry and loke for them. A redresse God graunt. For furelye, surely, but that two thinges do comforte me, I would despair of the redresse in these matters. One is, that the kings maiesty when he commeth to age: wil se a redresse of these things so out of frame. … example by … down his own lands first, and then enioyn his fubiects to folow him. The second hope I hauehave is, I beleue that the generall accompting day is at hand, the dreadful day of … I mean, which shal make an end of all these … and miseries. For as the scriptures be. Cū dixerint pax pax, whē they shal say peace, peace: Omnia tura, all thynges are sure: Then is the day at hand, a mery day I say, for al such as do in this world study to serue & please God, and continue in his faith, fear & louelove: and a dreadful horrible daye for them that decline from God, walkinge in their owne wayes, to whome as it is wrytten in the xxv. of Mathew is said: Ite The reward of wicked men.maledicti in ignem eternum. Go ye cursed into eueriasting pu nyshment. Wher shalbe wailinge and gnashing of teethe. But vntounto thother he shal say: Venite benedicti. Come ye blesThe blesse of the godly. sed children of my Father, possesse ye the kingdome prepared for you from the beginnyng of the world, of the which God make vsus al partakers.
Amen.