Twenty-Seven Sermons, Sermons 3 · Sermon 5
¶ The fyft Sermon of Mayster Hugh …, whych he preached before Kyng Edward, the. v. day of Aprill.
Quecunque scripta sunt, ad nostram doctrinam scripta sunt. Rom. xiiii.
A … thinges that are wrytten, they are writen to be our doctrine. What doctrine is wrytten for vsus in the parable of the Judge, and the wid dowe, I hauehave opened it to you (most honorable audience) Somthing as concerning the Judge I woulde wyshe and praye, that it myght be a lytle better kepte in memorye, that in the seate of Justyce, no more iniquitie and vnryghtousnes myght raygne. Better a little well kept, then a greate deale forgotten, I would the Judges would take forth theyr lesson, that there myghte beLet vp …. no more miquitye vsed, nor brybe taking, for if there shall be brybing, they know the peryl of it, they know what shall folowe. I would also they should take an erāple of thys Judge that dyd saye, not that that he thought hym selfe, but our sauioure Christ puttes him to say that thing, that … hid vntounto … selfe. Wherfore I would ye should kepe in memory, how vnscarcheable a mans harte is: I would ye should remē bre the fal of the Angles, and beware therby, the fall of the olde world, and beware therby, the fall of Sodom and Gomora, and beware therby. The fal of Lothes wyfe, and beware therby. I would not that miserable folke should forgetThe argument of the … iudge shoulde induce vsus to prayer. the argument of the wicked Judge, to induce them to praier, which argument is this. If the Judge being a tyrant, a cruell man, a wycked man, which dyd not cal her to hym, made her no promise nor in herying nor helpyng of her cause, yet in the end of the matter for the importunities sake dyd helps her: muchmore almighty God which is a Father who beareth a fatherlye affection, as the Father doeth to the childe, and is naturally merciful, and calleth vsus to hym wyth hys promise that he wyl heare them that cal vponupon hym, that … in distres and burdened with aduersity. Remember this. YouWhat may be wrought by prayer. know where to hauehave your remedy. You by your prayer can worke greate effycacy, and your prayer wyth teares is an instrument of great efficacy. It can brynge many thinges to passe. But what thing is that that maketh our prayer acceptableWhat maketh oure prayers acceptable to God. to God? is it our babling: No, no, It is not our babling nor our long prayer. There is an other thing thē it. The dignyty and worthynes of our wordes, is of no such vertue. For whosoeuer … vntounto God, not in the confidence of hys owne merites, but in the sure. trust of the deseruing of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, & in his passion. Whosoeuer doth inuocatOur praier pleseth god for christes sake. the father of heauen, in the trust of Christes merites, which offeryng is the most comfortable and acceptable offeryng to yt Father. Whosoeuer I say offereth vp Christ which is a perfect offeryng, he can not be denyed the thing he desyreth, so that it be expedient, for hym to hauehave it. It is not the babling of our lyppes, nor dignity of our wordes, but yt praier of the heart, is the offeryng that pleaseth, thorow the onelyonly meanes of hys sonne. For our prayer profiteth vsus bicause we offer Christ to his Father. Whosoeuer resorteth to God with out Christ, he resorteth in vayne. Our prayer pleaseth, becauseFaith is al. of Iesus Christ, whom we offer. So that it is fayth, fayth, faith is the matter. It is no praier that is without faith it is but a lippe labouring, and mockery without fayth. It is but alytle bablyng. I speake also of lacke of fayth and vponupon… of the … of … world. that also I sayd, the end of the world is neare at hand. For there is lacke of fayth now. Also the defection is come and swaruing frō the faith. Antichrist the man of synne the sonne of iniquity is …, … latter dai is at hand. Let vsus not think hys cōming is farre of. But when so euer he cōmeth he shall fynde iniquity inough, let hym come when he wyl. What isAs muche wyckednes vsed in our tyme, as euer was in the tyme of Noe. nowe behinde? we be eating and drincking as they were in Nocs …, and mariyng I thinke as wyckedly as euer was. We be building, purchasing, planting in the contempt of Gods word. He may come shortely when he wyl, for there is so much mischife and swaruing from the fayth (rayning now in … dayes) as euer was in any age. It is a good warning to vsus al to make ready against his cōming. This lytle rehearsal I hauehave made of the thinges I spake in my last sermon. I … Master Latimer retur neth to hys former que stion, & to yt dissolucion of the same Whether Gods people may be gouerned by a kynge or no.now for thys day retourne to my question & dissolue it, whether Gods people may be gouerned by a gouernour that beareth the name of a king or no. The Jewes had a lawe yt whē they should hauehave a kyng they should hauehave hym accordyng to the election of God, he would not leaue the election of a king to theyr owne braynes. There be som busy braynes, wanton wyttes, yt say, the name of a king is an odious name & wrieth this text of the scripture: where God semeth to be angry & displesed with the Israelites for asking a king … it very euill and odiously. As who would saye a King were an odious thinge. I comming riding in my waye, and calling to remembraunce wherefore I was sent, that I must preache; and preach before the Kinges Maiesty: I thought it mete toi. Reg. viif. frame my preaching according to a King. Musyng of thys, I remembred my selfe of a booke that came from CardinallDur preching must be accordig to yt … before whō we preach. …, Maister. Poole the Kinges traytor, which he sent to the Kinges Maiesty I neuer remember that man, me think, but I remember him wyth a heauy hart, a wytty man, a learned man, a man of a noble house, so in fauour that if he had taryed in the Reame, and would hauehave … hym selfe to the Kynges proceedinges, I heard saye, and I beleue it verely, that he had bene Byshop of … at this day. To be a bidden by, he would hauehave done much good in that part of the Realme. For those quarters hauehave all wayes had great nede of a learned man, and a preaching prelat. A thing to be muche lamented that suche a man shoulde take suche a way. I heare say he readeth much Saynt Ieromes workes, & is wel sene in them. But I would he would folow saynte …, where he expoundeth this place of scripture. Exite de illa popule meus. Almighty God sayth: Get you from it, get you from Rome, he cals it, the purple whoore of Babilon. It hadRome is ca led of … ye purple whoore of Babilon bene more commendable to go from it, then to come to it. What hys sayinges be in hys boke, I donot wel remember, it is in the farthest end of my memory. He declareth hym self in it, to hauehave a corrupt iudgment, I hauehave but a glymmering, of it, yet in gencrally I remember the scope of it. He … about to disswade the king frō his supremicy. In hys perswasionsThe scope or state of the booke, tendes to diswade yt kyng from hys supremacy. he is very homely, very quicke & sharpe with the King as these Cardinals wyl take wel vponupon them. He sayth that a King is an odious word, & touched the place how God was offended with the Israelites for calling for a Kyng. Uerye lyghtly he semeth to set forth the title of a king. As though he should mean: what is a King? What should a King take vponupon hym to redresse matters of religion? It pertayncth to our holy father of Rome. A King is a name and a tytle rather suffered of God as an euyl thyng, thē alowed as a good thing. Calling this to remembraūce it was an occasion that I spake altogether before. Now I wyl answer to thys. For the answcr I must somewhat ryppe the eyghte chapter of the fyrst booke of the Kinges. And that I may hauehave grace. &c.
TO com to the opening of this matter. I must begyn at yt chapter. That the vnlerned (although I am sure, here be a great many wel learned) may the better com to the vnderstanding of the matter: Factum est cum senuisset Samuel …. Reg. …fecit filios suos iudices populo. &c. It cam to passe when Samuell was strycken in age, he made his sonnes Judges ouer Israel. Of Samuel, I myghte fetche a processe a far of, of theSuche as vse vnlawful diuorcementes. storye of Elcana, who was hys Father, and who was hys Mother. Elcana hys Father had two wyues, Anna and Phenenna, and dyd not put them away, as men do now a dayes. There was debate betwene these two wyues. Phenenna in yt doing of sacrifice, embrayded Anna by cause she was barren, and not fruitful. I myght take here occasion to entreat of the duty betwene manne and wyfe, which is a holy relygyon, but… of ba ren made frutful, and mother to Samuel. not religiously kepte. But I wyll not cnter into that matter at thys tyme. Well, in processe of tyme, God made … fruitful thorow her deuout prayer. She brought foorth Samuel, who by the ordinaunce of God, was made the hygh priest. Father Samuel a good man, a singular example, and singular patcon, a man alone, fewe such men as father Samuel was. To beSamuel be yng aged chose to him two Suffra ganes, to as … hym in … office. shorte he was now come to age, he was an old man an impotent man, not able to go from place to place to minister iustice, … elected and chose two suffragans, two coadiutours, two cohelpers, I mean not hallowers of belles, nor Christiners of belles (that is a popish …) he made them to healp hym, to discharge his office, he chose hys two sonnes rather thē other, because he knew them to be wel brought vp in vertu, & Why … chose hys own. 2. sons rather then any other. Samuel tē dred yt ease of his pēple A third lord President woulde doo wel.learning. It was not for any carnall affection, he cared not for … renowne, or reuenewes, but he appoynted thē for the case of the people, the one for to supply hys place in Bethsabe, and the other in Bethlem. As … hauehave now in England, for the wealth of the Realme, two Lordes presidentes. Surely, it is weldone, and a goodly order, I would there were a third in an other place. For the ease of hys people, good Father Samuell, and to discharge hys offyce in places where he could not come hym selfe, he set hys two sonnes in office with him, as his suffragaynes, and as hys Coadiutours. Here I might take occasion to treate what olde and impotent Byshoppes should do what old preachers should do, when they come to impotency,What the impotent & old bishops should do. to ioyne with them preachers preachers, not Belhalowers, and to depart, parte of theyr lyuing wyth them. I myght hauehave dilated this matter at large. But I am honestely preuented of thys commune place, & I am very glad of it. It was very wellTher ar to many such … feders. handeled the last Sonday. They that wyl not for the office sake receyue other, regard more the flese then the flock. Father Samuel, regarded not hys reuenewes. Our Lord gyue thē grace to be affected as he was, and to folow hym. &c. Though I saye…. that I would wysh mo Lord presidentes. I meane not that I would hauehave prelates Lords presidentes, nor that Lord Bishops should be Lord presydentes. As touching that, I sayd my … M. … would not hauehave Byshops & prelats Lorde presidentes The office of a presidēt shyp is a ciuil office.and … the last yeare. And although it is sayd, …, it is not ment that they should be Lord presidentes, the … of a presidentship is a … office, & it canne not be, that one man shall discharge both wel. It foloweth in the text Non … filii eius in … eius. &c. Hys sons walked not in his waies, heare is the mater, here ye se the goodnes of Samuel, how, whē 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 the further partes of his Realme, to hauehave Iustice ryghtly ministered. But what folowed? Though Samuel wer good, & his children wel brought vp, looke what the world can do? Ah craftyThe world wil corrupt and deceiue vsus or we be ware. world. Whom shal not this worlde corrupt and deceaue at one tyme or other? Samuel thought hys sons should hauehave … wel, but yet Samuels sonnes walked not in theyr Fathers waye. Why? what then? Is the sonne alwayes bound to walke in the fathers way? No ye must not take it for a generall rule.The son is not alwaies bounde to walk in the Fathers wayes. Al sonnes are not to be blamed, for not walking in theyr Fathers wayes. Ezechias dyd not folow the steppes of hys Father Ahaz, and was wel alowed in it. Iosias the best king that euer was in Iewry, refourmed his fathers wayes, who walked in worldly …. In hys youth, he toke away all Idolatry, & 4. Reg. 18.purdged hys Realme of it, and set a good order in al his Dominions, wrestled wyth Idolatry. And although hys Father or4. Reg. 22. and. 23. hys grand Father Manasses (it makes no matter whether) repented hym in the ende, he had no tyme to refourm thinges, heHe was but eyght years olde whe he beganne to …. left it to hys sonne to be done. Iosias beganne and made an alteracion in hys chyldhood, he tourned al vpsydowne, he would suffer no Idolatry to stand. Therfore, you must not take it for a general rule, yt the son must euer walke in his fathers wales. Here I wyl rcnew, that which I sayd before of the … Iewes, the rebellyouse people (that is theyr tytle) they neuerWee are more styfnecked mor rebellious & sturdier thē the Ielves. This is no rule to recken vponupon. spake so rebelliouslye, as to saye, they would not receyue any alteracion, tyl theyr King came to age. Much lesse we Englysh men (if there be any such in England) may be ashamed. I wonder wyth what consience … can beare such things, and alowe it. This Iosias made an notable alteracion, and therefore take it not for a generall rule, that the … shal alwayes walke in hys Fathers wayes. Thinke not because he was slain … battel, that God was displeased wyth hym. For herein GodIosias was slayn in … tail of Pharao … kinge of Egipt at Ma …. shewed his goodnes to him wonderfully, who would not suffer hym to se the captiuity that he would bring vponupon the … He wold not him to hauehave yt sight, the feelyng, & the beholding of hys plage, he suffered him to be taken a may before, and to be slaine of the King of Egipt. Wherfore a iust man must be glad when he is taken from misery, … si morte preoccupatus fuerit in retrigerio erit. If a iust man be preuented with death, it shall4. Reg …. be to hys reliefe. He mustthynke that he is one of those, whom the world is not worthy to …, it came of a singular goodnesse of God, that he was by death delyuered from the syght of that captiuity. Therfore take it not for a general rule, that the sons he alwayes bound to walke in the Fathers wayes. Nolite in pre ceptis patrum uestrorum incedere. Walke not in the commaundementes of your fathers. For so it is sayd in an other place of scripture. It is spoken to the reproch of Samuels sonnes that they walked not in his way, for he was a good man. A wonderfull thyng that these children being so well brought vp should so fal & be corrupt. If the deuyll can preuayle and hath powerAuthority and office trieth what a man is. agaynst them, that had so Godly education, what vauntage hath he at them that be brought vp in iniquity and couetousnes? It is a Prouerbe that magistratus virum commonstrat. Offyce & authority sheweth what a man is. A man knoweth not hymThis hath bene often tymes vere fied & sene in prechers before they wer Bysho pes … bene ficed. selfe, tyl he be tryed. Many ther be that being wyth out office, can rebuke magistrates, and fynde faute wyth men that be in office and preeminence. After when it cōmeth to their chaunce to come to office them selues, then they hauehave taken out a new lession, eum essem peruulus sapiebam vt paruulus. When I was a chylde, I sauered as a childe. They wyll doo then, as other menne doo, they are come too hauehave experience, too be practisioners.
The maydes chyld is cuer best taught, for he that standes vpryghtDoo as the moste doo & the fewest shal wōder at them. in offyce, he is the fellow. Samuell would neuer … thought that hys … should hauehave ben so corrupted. It is a perillous thyng, a daungerous state to be a Iudge. They felte the smaker of this world, a perillous thing. And therfore Chrisostom sayth. Miror si aliquis rectorum saluabitur. I maruayleThe state of a Iudge is …-rous. (sayeth he) that any ruler canne be saued. If the perill were well considered, men would not be so desirous as they be: The world the world hath many subtil sleightes, it is a cratly thing and very deceitful, a corrupter, and who is it whom the world doth not corrupt and blind at one tyme or other? What was the way they walked Declinauerunt post auaritiam. That is one. They stouped after gaynes, turned aside after lucre. What folowed Acceperunt munera. They toke rewardes, gyftes,They call them … but bryhes they are. The … genealogy the … of …. … (I should cal them) for that is theyr right name. Per nerterunt iudicium. They turned Justice vpsedown. Either they would geue wrong iudgement, or els put of & delay poore mens matters. These were theyr wayes, here is the Deuilles genealogye. Agradacion of the Deuitles making. This, scala inferni. The ladder of hel. I told you before of, scala celi. The ladder of heauen, I would yon should not forget it. The steppes …, are set foorth in the tenth to ye Romains. The … is preaching, then hearing, then beleuing, and last of al Saluacion. Scala celi Preaching Hearing Beleuyng & saluation.is a preachinge matter I tell you, and not a massyng matter, Gods instrument of saluacion, is preaching. Here I moue you my Lordes, not to be greed ye and outragiouse in enhaunsyng, and caysing of your centes, to the minishyng of the office of saluacion. It would pyty a mans heart to heare that, that I heareThe study of … decayed in Cambrige. of the state of Cambrige, what it is in Drford I can not tell. There be few do study diuinity, but so many as of necessity must furnysh the Colledges. For theyr liuinges be so smal, and victayles so dere, that they tarry not there, but go other where to seke liuinges and so they go about. Nowe there be a fewe gentylmen and they study a litle diuinitie. Alas what is that?Englysh …. A reasonable …. it wil com to passe that we shal hauehave nothing but a lytle Englysh diuinity, that wil bring the Realme into a very barbarousnes, and vtter decay of learnyng, It is not that …, that wyll kepe out the supremacy of the Byshop of Rome. Here I wyll make a supplycation, that ye would bestow so much to the finding of scholers, of good wyttes, of poore mens sonnes, to exercyse the office of saluacion, in reliuing of scholers, as ye wereWhere vp pon we may be stow our goods well and please God well. wont to … in pilgrimage matters, in trentals, in masses, in pardons, in purgatory matters. Ye bestowed that lyberally, bountefully, but thys was not wel spent. You had a zeale, but not secundum scientiam, not according to knowledge. You may be sure if you …, your goods on this wise, ye shal … it wel to support & vphold gods word, wherin ye shal please God. I require no more, but that ye bestow so much Godly, as … were … to bestow vngodly. It is a reasonable peticion, for Gods sake, looke vponupon it, I say no more. There be none noweThey … hauehave least neede … most help. but greate mens sonnes in Colledges, and theyr Fathers looke not to hauehave them preachers, so eueryevery way this office of preaching is pinched at. I … speake no more of scala celi. But I am sure this is … inferni, the right way to hell, to be couetous, to take brybes, and peruert iustice. If a iudge should aske me yt The … way down to the … in hel.way to hel, I would shewe hym thys way. Fyrst let hym be a couetouse man, let … heart be poisoned with couetousnes. Then let … go a lytle further and take brybes, and last peruerte iudgement. Loo, here is the mother and the daughter, and the daughters daughter. Auarice is the mother, she brynges … taking, and bribetaking, peruertyng of iugment.A tiburn tipit for bribe takers and peruerters of iudgmēt. There lackes a fourth thing to make vp yt messe, which so God helpe me … I were iudge should be Hangum tuum, a tiburne typpet to take wyth hym, and it wher the Judge of the Kinges …, my Lord chiefe Judge of England, yea, and itThe wydow that was inprisē There should be curates of prisons. were my Lorde Chancelour hym selfe, to tiburne wyth him. There was with in these. xxx. yeares a certayn widdow which, sodaynly was attached, had to pryson, …, …, … there were certayne learned men that visited her in the prison. Oh I would ye would resort to Prisons. A cōntendable thinge in a … Realme, I would wyshe there were Curates for prisons, that we myght saye, the Curat of Newgate, the CuratA holy day worke to vpsit the prisoners. of the Flete, and I would hauehave them well waged for theyr labour. At is a holy day worcke to vyset the prisoners, for they be kept from sermons. There was that resorted to thys woman, who, when she came to prison, was all on her beades, and nothingThe woman trurned from papistry by the diligēt resort of yt learned frequenting the prison. els, a popish woman, and sauered not of Iesu Christ. In proces she was so applyed that she … Quam suauis est dominus. She had such a sauiour, such a swetenes and felyng that she thought it longe to the day of execusion. She was wyth Christ already, as touching fayth. She had such a desyre that she sayd wyth saynt Paule, Cupio dissolui et esse cum …. I desyre to be ryd, and to be with Christ. The woord of God had so wrought in her. When she was brought to punishment, she desyred to confesse hyr faulte, she toke of her death, that she was giltlesse in that thyng she suffered for, and her neyghbours would hauehave … her wytnes in the same. She was alwayes an bonest … woman, her neyghbours would hauehave gone on her purgacion a great way. They would nedes hauehave her confesse, then sayth she. I am not gylty, would ye hauehave … to make me gilty, where I am not? … for al thys, she was a trespasser, she had von a great oftence. But before I go forward with this, I must first tel you a tale. I heard a good whyle ago, a tale of one (I sawe the man that told me the tale not long ago in thys auditory.) A rich mar chaunt cast into the Ca …He hath traueiled in … countries then one. He told me that there was once a pretour in Rome, Lord … of Rome, a Rych man one of the richest marchauntes in al the Cyty, & sodaynely he was cast in the castle Aungel. It was heard of, & eueryevery man, whispered in an others eare. What hath he done? Hath he killed any man? No. Hath he medled with …, … holy fathers marchaundice? No. Hath he counterfayted our holy Fathers Bulles? No. For these were hye treasons. … an other in the eare and sayid: Erat Diues. He was a rych man, A great fault. Here was a goodly pray for that holy Father. It was in Pope Iulius tyme, he was a great warriour. Thys praye would helpe hym to maintayne hys warres, a iolly praye for our holy Father. So thys woman was Diuet. A Gentleman of a … nose.She was a rych woman, she had her landes by the …. He was a Gentelman of along nose. Such a cup, such a couer. She would not depart from her owne. Thys Shyriffe was a couetuouse man, a worldly man. The Iudge at the enpanelyng of the quest, had hys grane lookes, and charged them wyth thys. It was the Kinges matter, loke well vponupon it. … … of the ….it makes for theyr purpose, they hauehave the King yt King in theyr mouthes. Wel, somewhat there was, there was walkyng of angelles betwene them. I would wish that of such a Iudge in … now, we might hauehave yt skin hanged vp. It wer a goodly signe yt signe of the iudges skin. It shoulde be Lots wyfe, to all Iudges that should folow after. By thys ye may perceiue, it is possible for a man to answere for hym selfe, and be arrained atA …, & … hauehave …, & be …, …. the …, and neuertheles to hauehave wrong. Yea, ye shall hauehave it in fourme of law, and yet hauehave wrong to. So it is possible, in a case, for a man that hath in his absence ataintement, to hauehave ryght, and no wrong. I wyl not saye naye, but it is a good lawe for a man to answere for hym selfe, this is reasonable, alowable and good. And yet such an vrgent cause may be, suche a … to a commune wealth, that a man may rightly … … in … absence. There be such causes that a man … in hys absence be condemned, but not ofte, except they be such cases that the reason of the general lawe maye be kepte. I am … of some to … thys lawe, but I am not able, so it be but for a time, and vponupon wayghty consideracions, so yt it be vsed rarely, seldomly, for auoyding distrubaunce in the commune wealth, such an epiky and moderacion maye be vsed in it. And neuertheles it is very mete and cequisite that a man should answere for hym selfe. We must cs̄ider the groūdThe … of yt law is the soule of the …. of the law: 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 should be iniured. A man may in his attayntment hauehave no more wrong done hym, then if he answered for hym selfe. Ah then I am not able to saye, that in no wise, an arrainement may be … into attaintement. A man may hauehave wrong (and that in open iudgement) & in forme of lawe, and yet alowed to answer for hym selfe, and euen so is possible he maye hauehave …, though he … answere for hym selfe. I wyl not saye but that the parliament houses bothHowe we must take yt doinges of the parliament. hye and lowe maye erre, and yet they maye … well, and christen subiectes must take al thinges to the best, and expounde theyr doinges wel, al though they can not yeld, a reason for it, except their proceedinges be manifestly wycked. For though they can not attayne to se for what purpose things he don, it is no good … that they … called euel don therfore. And is this aAn … argument. good argument, he is not alowed to answere for hym selfe in thys place or yt place, where he … apoint: Ergo, he is not alowed to answer for him selfe? No. He might hauehave answered yt best he could for him self before a great many, & hauehave had mo to if he had required thē. Yea, & was comaūded vponupon his allegiāce to speake for himself & to make answer, but he wold not, nedes he wold … out to iudgement, & appointed yt place him selfe. A man yt answers for himself at yt bar, is not alowed his man of law to answer for him, but he must answer him self. Yet in the parliament, although he were not ther him selfe, any frend heFre liberty is graunted to speake in the Parlia ment … bad, had liberty to answer for him, frank, and fre, I know of the old manner. The tenoure of the writtes is this. EueryEvery man to spake the beste he knoweth of hys conscience, for the … Maiesties honour, and the wealthe of the ….
There wer in the Parliament in bothe houses, a great many learned men, conscionable men, wise men. When that man was attainted ther, and they had liberty, ther to say nay, to his attayntment if they would. Sure I am the most allowed it, or els it could not hauehave gone forwarde. These premisses considered, I would hauehave you to beare suche a hart, as it becommeth Christen …. I know what men say of me wel inough, I could purge my …. There is that prouokes me to speake against this law of attaintment, they say I am not indifferent. Surely I would hauehave it to be done rarely vponupon some great respect to the cōmon wealth, for auoiding of greater tumult and peril. Saint Paule was allowed to answer for hym selfe, if Li … the tribune had not … him away from shewyng ofhysPaul was a lowed to an swer for hiselfe. matter, it had cost hym hys lyfe. Where he was saued by … Magistrate, being but a priuate man. Wyl ye not allowe that some thyng be done as wel for sauing of the Magistrates life? It behoues them of the Parliamēt to looke wel vponupon the matter.Actes. xix. And I for my part thinke not but they dyd wel, els I shuld not yeld the duty of a …. Some liken me to … ShawM. Latimer likned to doctour Shaw. that preached at Pauls crosse, that king Edwards sonnes wer Bastardes. An easy matter for one of the counsel to do as doctour Shaw dyd. Me thynke you being the Kynges seruaunt & his officer, should thinke better on the Kyng & hys Counsell, though I were lyght of beliefe. If he had beene a true man to hys mayster, he would neuer hauehave spoken it. The Counsayle nedes not my lye, for the defence of that, that they doo. I can beare it of my selfe. Concerning my selfe, that whyche I hauehave spoken, hath done some good. You wyl say this: the Parliamēt house are wiser then I am, you might leaue them to yt defence of them selues. Although the men of the Parliament house cā defend them selues, yet hauehave I spoken this of a good zeale, and a good …, I take God to witnes. Use therfore your iudgement & languages as it becōmeth Christian subiectes. I wyll now leaue the honourable counsayl to answer for them selues.
He confessed one fact, he woulde hauehave had the gouernaunceOne fact cō fessed of the Admiral he woulde not hauehave yt king brought vp like a ward in his mino rity. of the Kynges Maiesty. And wot you why? He sayd he would not in his minority hauehave him brought vp like a Warde. I am sure he hath bene brought vp so godly, with suche Scoolemaysters, as neuer King was in England, & so hath prospered vnderunder them, as neuer none did. I wot not what he … by … bringing vp like a Warde, vnles he wold hauehave him not to go to his booke, & learne as he doth. Now wo woorthe him, yet I wil not say so neither, but I pray God amend him, or els God send him short lyfe, that would hauehave my soueraygne not to beKynges shoulde … learned. brought vp in learning, & would plucke hym from his booke. I aduertise thee therefore my fellow subiect, vse thy tong better, and expound wel the doinges of the Magistrates.
Now to the purpose, for these thynges let me of my matter. Some say Preachers should not medle with such matters, but did not our sauiour Iesus Christ medle with matters of iudgeLady … is a chyldyng woman. ment, when he spake of the wicked Iudge, to leaue example to … that folow, to do the same? Ye se here that Lady Couetousnes is a fruitful woman, euer chyldyng, & euer brynging forth her fruites. It is a true saying, radix omnium … auaritia Couetousnes is the roote of al wickednes. One wyl saye …, you speake vnsemely, & …, so to be against the officers, for toking of rewardes in doing pleasures.He yt … deare, must seltherafter Ye consider not the matter to the bottom. Their offices be bought for great sums, now how shuld they receiue their money againe, but by bribing, ye wold hauehave them vndone. Some of them gaue. CC. pound, some. v. C. pound, some. …. M. poūd. And how shal they gather vp this money agayne, but by helping them selues in their office. And is it so trow ye? Are ciuyl offices bought for mony? Lord God, who would hauehave thought yt? Let vsus not be to hasty to credite it. For then we hauehave the old prouerb, omnia venalia Rome, althinges are sold for money at Rome, & Rome is come home to our owne doores. If they …, they must nedes sel, for it is wittely spoken: Vendere iure potest, emerat ille prius, he maye law … sell it, he bought it before. God forfend that euer any such enormity shuld be in Englād, that … offices should be bought, & sold, wher as men should hauehave them giurn them for their worthines. I wold the kingesMete men, able & worthi to be put in office. maiesty shuld … thorow his … for mete men & able mē worthy to be in office, yea & giuegive thē liberally for their paines, & rather geue them money to take the office in hand, thē they to geue mony for it. This bying of offices is a making of brybery,It is a bribery to … offices. it is an … & …, & compelling of men to … bery. Holy scripture … the officers, & … weth what … of men they should be & of what qualities, Viros fortes Some … hauehave viros …. yt … translation hath it very well. Men of actiuityc that hauehave stomakes to do theyr office, they must not be milksops, nor white liuered kni ghtes, they must be wise, harty, hardy, men of a good stomack Secondarely, he qualifieth them … the feare of God. He saith they must be … deam, fearing God. For if he fear God, he shalbe no briber, no … of iudgement, faithful. Thirdly they must be chosē officers in quibus est ueritas, in whō is truth if … say it, it shalbe …. Forthly, qui … auaritiam, hating… of offices for money. …, far from it. He wil not come nere it yt hateth it. It is not he yt wil geue. v. C. …. for an office. With these qualities gods wisdom wold hauehave magistrats to be qualified. … cōmeth frō the deuils consistory to pay. v. C. li. for one office. If they pay so much, it must nedes folow yt they take bribes, yt they be …. Such as be mete to bear office, seke themGodly and meete men for offices, shoulde bee sought out, & liberallye …. out, hire them, geue them cōpetent & liberal fees that thei shal not nede to take any bribes. And if ye be a selling … offices, ye ar as they which sel their benefices, & so we shal hauehave … uenalia, althings bought for mony. I mar … the groūd gapes not & deuours vsus, howbeit we ought not to maruel, surely it is yt great lenity of God yt suffers it. Oh Lord in what case … we. If the great men in Turky should vse in their religion of …, to sel as our patrons cōmonly sel benefices here (yt Sellyng of offices, & sel ling of bene … is all one.office of preaching, the office of saluacion) it shuld be taken as an intollerable thing, tho Turk wold not suffer it in his com mon welth. Patrons be charged to se yt office don, & not to seke a lucre & a gayn by his patronship. Ther was a patrō in England (when it was) yt had a benefice fallen into his hand, and aThe Turk woulde not suffer that we do. good brother of mine cam vntounto him & brought him. xxx. apls in a dish, & gaue … his man to cary them to his mayster. It is like he gaue one to his mā for his labour, to make vp yt game & so ther was. xxxi. This man cōmeth to his maister & presētedThe patrōs dutye in bestowinge of his … him … the dish of apels, saying: Syr such a man hath sent you a dish of fruit, & desireth you to be good vntounto him for such a benefice. …, tush (quoth he) this is no aple mater, I wil none of his apels, I hauehave as good as these (or as he hath …) in … own orchard. The man cam to the priest agayne, & tolde hymA … of apls what his maister said. Then quod the … desire hym yet to proue one of … for my sake, he shall finde them muche better then they loke for. He cut one of them, & found. x. peces of gold in it. … quod he, this is a good apple. The priest standyng not far of, hearing what the gentlemā said, cried out & …, they ar alone aples I warrāt you syr thei … al on one …, & hauehave al one …. Wel, he is a good felow, let him hauehave itA graft of golde to get a benefice with all, … woorthe a great deale of learning The error of suche as beleue not the immortalitye of Soules. quod yt patron. &c. Get you a … of this tre, & I warrant you it shal stand you in better sted then al S. Pauls learning. Wel let patrons take heede, for they shall answer for al the soules yt perish through their defaut. Ther is a saying yt ther be a great many in England yt say ther is no soule, yt beleue not in yt im mortality of mans soule, yt thinke it is not eternal, but lyke a dogs soul, yt thinke ther is neither heauen nor hel. Oh Lorde, what a waighty matter is this? What a lamentable thing in a Christen cōmon welth? I cānot tel what they say, but I … their workes yt they think so, or els they would neuer do as they do. These sellers of offices shew, yt they beleue that ther is neither hel nor heauen. It is taken for a laughing mat ter, wel, I wil go on. Now to the chapter. The children of Israel cam to Samuel & said: Senuisti, thou art growen into age geue vsus a king. Thy sons walk not in thy waies. What a beuinesSamuel was … for the swar uing of … sons from his wayes. was this to father Samuels hart, to heare yt hys sonnes (whō he had so wel brought vp) shuld swarue frō his wayes yt he had walked in. Father Samuel goeth to God to knowe his wil & pleasure in this matter. God answered: let them hauehave a king. Thei hauehave not cast the awai but me, yt I shuld not raign … them. This is their ground that say a kyng is anodiousi. Sam. … thing, & not acceptable before yt sace of God. Thus thei force & A place … lented & forced to serue for other purpose, thē it was euer ment.… this place … make for their purpose, wher no such thing is ment. Shew yt Istaelites (saith God) & testify to thē a kings autority, & what a hing is, & what a king wil do. If yt wyl not perswade them, I wil not hear thē hereafter, when they shal cry vntounto me. I must needes confes yt the Iewes trespassed against God in asking a kyng: but … is the matter, in what thing their offence stode, whither absolutely in asking a king,Wherein yt intet of the Jewes … consist. or in any other circūstance. It was in a …. Thei said not, aske vsus a kyng of God: but make vsus a kyng to iudge vsus, as al other nacions hauehave. They woulde hauehave a kyng of theyr owne swinge, and of theyr own …, as though they pastThe iewes … in thre … not of God. In a nother poynt ther was pride. They woulde he lyke the Heathen, and iudges vnderunder kynges as they …. Thirdly, they offended God because they asked a kyng to the … & wrong of good father Samuel to depose …, so … was a wrong toward Samuel. It was not with … andA comparison betwen Samuell & his sones, & Ely and his sonnes. hys children, … and Phinies, lyke as with Elye and his children They were cruel who wyth hokes taking the flesh out of the pottes when that sacrifice was offered to God, brought yt people into a contempt of Gods word. They were lecherers. Theyr synne were manyfestly and notoriously knowen: but theyr father Ely knowing and hearing of it dyd blame thē, butElys sōnes wer leacherers & mani fest offeders nothing to the purpose, be dyd not earnestly and substancially chastise them, and therfore he was … deposed of God. The synnes of Samuels Sonnes were not knowen, they were not so notorious, wherefore it was not … father Samuel as it was wyth Elye, hys sonnes fautes were taking of bribes, and peruertingSamuels sonnes wer bribers, and peruerters of … of iudgementes. Ye know that bribery is a secret faut, and therfore it was not knowen. It was done vnderunder a … and a pretence of iustice, hidly and couertly done. Therfore because it stod in brybes it was not like in Samuel as in Ely. It is a daungerous thyng to be in office for qui attingit picem coinquinabitur ab ea. He that medleth wyth pitch is lyke to be spotted… are lyke pitche. with it. Bribes may be assembled to pitch, for euen as pitch doth polute theyr handes that … with it: so brybes wyll bryng you to peruerting of iustyce. Beware of pytch, you iudges of the world, brybes wyl make you peruert iustice. Why, you wyl say. We touch none. No mary. But my Mistres yourAnglice a receiuer of his masters bribes. wyfe hath a fyne finger she toucheth it for you, or els you … a seruaunt a Muneribus, he wyll say, yf you wyll come to my Maister and offer hym a yoke of oxen, you shal spede neuer the worsse, but I thincke my Maister wyl take none, when he hath offered them to the Maister, then commes a nother seruante & sayes: If you wyll bring them to the Clarke of the kitchen, you shal be remēbred the better. This is a … fassiō that wil receyue no mony in theyr hands but wyl hauehave it put vponupon theyrA frierly fa shion in refusing of brybes, a goodly rag of popish re …. sleues. A goodly rag of … religiō. They be lyke gray friers they wyl not be sene to receyue no brybes them selues, but hauehave other to receyue for thē. Though Samuels sons wer … bribers & kept the thing very close, yet yt cry of yt people brought it to Samuel. It was a hid kind of sin. For mē in this poynt wold face it & brace it, & make a shew of vpright dealing, whē they be most gilty. Neuertheles this geare cam out. Oh wicked sons yt brought both their father to deposicion, & thē selues to shame. When Samuel heard of their fault, he went not about to excuse their fautes. He would not beare with his sons, he would not communicare peccatis alienis, be partaker with his sonnes ofSamuell would not be partaker of his sōnes offences. fēces, he said: ego senui, ecce filii mei uobiscum sunt. As sone as he heard of it, he deliuered his sōnes to the people to be punished. He went not about to excuse them, nor said not: this is the first time, bear with them, but presented them by & by to the people saying: Lo here they be, take them, do with them according to their desertes. Oh, I wold ther wer no more bearers of other mens syns, then this good father Samuel was. I heard of late of a notable boodshed. Audio saith S. Paul, & so do I. I know it not, but I heare of it. Ther was a searcher in London, whych executing his office, displeased a marchaunt man, in so much, that when he was doing his office, they wer at words, the mar chant man threatned him, the searcher said, the king shuld not lose his custome. The marchant goes me home & sharpes hys woodknife, & comes againe & knockes him on the head & kyls hym. They that tolde me the tale, saye it is wyncked at, they looke thorow their fingers & wil not se it. Whether it be taken vp with a pardon or no, I cānot tel, but this I am sure, & if ye beare with such matters, the diuel shal beare you away to hel. Bloodshed & murder would hauehave no bearing. It is a haynous thing bloudshedding & especially voluntary murder, & … murder. For in … God saith, it poluteth the wholeBloudshed ding & pretē sed murther woulde not be borne wyth all. realme. Poluitur illa terra. &c. et non potest expiari fine sanguine. The lād cānot be purged nor clensed again til his blud be shed yt shed it. It is the office of a king to see suche murderers puni shed with death, non frustra gest at gladiū. What wil you … of a king? he beareth a swearde before him, not a Pecockes fether. I go not about to styr you now to cruelty, but I speake a gainst bearing of bloodshed. This bearing must be looked vpō. In certain causes of murther, such great circumstaūces may be, that the king mai pardon a murther. But if I wer worthy to be of counsail, or if I wer asked myne aduise, I would not hauehave the king to pardon a velūtary murther, a pretensed … ther. I can tel where one man … an other in a townshyp, & was attached vponupon the same, …. men wer impaneled, the … had frendes, the Shriue laboured the bench, the. …. men stack … it & said, except he would disburs. …. … they woulde finde him gilty. Meanes wer found that the. …. crownes was paid. The quest comes in & saies not gilty. Here was not gilty …. …. crownes. This is bearing, & some of the bench wer hā ged, thei wer wel serued. This makes men bold to do murder & slaughter. We should reserue murdering tyl we come to our enemies, & the kyng byd vsus fight. He that woulde bestur hym then, were a prety felow in dede. Crownes? If theyr crownesShauing of crounes. wer thauen to she shoulders, they wer serued well ynough. I knew wher a woman was got with child, & was a shamed at the matter, & went into a secret place, wher she had no womē The history of a woman.at her trauel, & was deliuered of three children at a birth. She wroung their neckes, & cast them into a water, & so kylde her children. Sodaynly she was gaunt agayne, & her neyghbours suspecting the matter, caused her to be examined, & she graunted al. Afterward she was rained at the bar for it, & dispatched & found not gilty, through bearing offrienoes, & bribyng of yt Judge. Wher at the same Sessions another poore womā was hanged for stealing a few rags of a hedge, yt wer not woorth a crowne. Ther was a certayne gentleman, a professour of the woorde of God (he sped neuer the better for yt, ye may be sure)The history of a Gē tilman. who was accused for murthering of a mā, wherupon he was cast into prison. And by chaūce as he was in prison, one of his frendes cam vntounto him for to visit him, & he declared to his frēd yt he was neuer gilty in the murthering of the mā. So he wēt his waies, the gentleman was arained & …, & as he went to his execution, he saw his frendes …, & sayd vntounto him: Cōmend me to thy maister, & I pray thee tel him, I am yt same man …, I was when he was wt me. And if thou tarye a whyle, yu shalt se me die. Ther was sute made for this mās par… may do somewhat for his frēd, in a shiere, he mai help to hang vp the gyltles. don, but it could not be gotten. Belike the Shriues or some other bare him no good wyl. But he died for it. And afterward I being in the Tower, hauing leaue to com to the Lieutenāts table, I heard … say that ther was a mā hanged afterward, yt killed the same man, for whom this Gentleman was put to death. O lord what bearing, what bolstering of naughty matters is this in a Christen realm? I desire your Maiesty to reme dy the matter, & God graunt you to se redres in thys … inAu Apostro … to the king for rebres of lear ning & … of naughty matters. your own person. Although my Lord Protector, I dout not, & the rest of the counsail do in the mean while, al yt lieth in them to redres things I would such as be rulers, noble men & maisters shuld be at this point wt their seruaunts to certify … this sort: If any man go about to do you wrong, I wyl do my best to help you in your right. But if yu breake the law, yu … hauehave iustice. If ye wil be māquellers, murderers, & transgressours, looke for no bearing at my handes. A straunge thyng.A godly aduertisment for … men and maisters, but I feare me it is to godly to be folowed. What nede we in the vengeaunce to burden our selues wyth other mēs syns? HaueHave we not syns ynowe of our own? What nede hauehave I to burden my self wt other mens syns? I hauehave bur dens &. …. heapes of syns. One heape of knowen syns, an other of vnknowen …. I had nede to say: Ab occultis meis munda me domine, O lord deliuer me frō my hidden & my vnknowē sins. Thē if I beare wt other mens sins, I must say: Deliuer me frō … mens syns. A straunge saying: from my other mens syns. Who beareth wyth other folkes offences, he cōmunicateth wt other folkes syns. Men hauehave sins inough of their own, although they bear not & bolster vp other men in their noughtines, thys bearing, this bolstering & lookyng thorow their singers, is naught. What yt … hap shuld I (or ani els) encrease my burden. My other mens synnes forgeue me O Lorde. A straunge language, they hauehave hyd syns of theyr own ynough, although they bear not wt giltines of other mens syns. Oh father Samuel would not beare hys owne sonnes. He offerd his own sons to punishmēt, & said: Ecce filij … sunt, euen at the fyrst tyme he said: Lo, here they be, I discharge my self, & take thē vntounto you, & as for my part, presto sū loqui corani domino et Christo eius. I am here redy to answer for selfe my before the Lord & his anointed. Behold here I am, recorde of me before the Lord, Vtrum cuiusquam bouem. &c. Whether I hauehave taken any mans Oxe, any mans Asse, or whether I hauehave don any man wrong, or hurt any man, or taken any bribes at any mans hand. I can cōmend the English translatiō yt doth interpreate munera bribes, not giftes. They answered: nay forsooth we know no such things in you. testis est mibi deus, saith he, god is witnes, Quod nihil inuenieritis in manu mea, That you hauehave found nought in my hands. Few such Samuels are in Englād nor in the world. Why dyd Samuel this? mary to purge him selfe, he was enforeced to it, for he was wrongfully deposed.
Then by this ye may perceiue yt faut of the Jewes, for they offended not God in asking of a king, but for asking for a king to the wronging & deposition of good father Samuel. … Samuels death the people had asked of God a kyng, they had not faulted, but it is no smal faut to put an innocent out of his office. King Dauid like wise cōmaunded his people to be nambred, & ther with offended God greuously. Why? myght he not know the number of his people? Yes, it was not the … of the people that offended God, for a king maye number hys people. But he did it of a pride, of an elation of mynde, not according to Gods ordinaunce, but as hauing a trust in yt nūber of his men, this offended God. Lykewyse the Iewes asked a king, & therwith they offended not God, but they asked him … such circumstaunces, that God was offended with them. It is no smal fault to put a iust man out ofhis office, & to depose … vnworthely. To chuse a kyng contrarying the ordinaunce of God, is a casting a way of God, & not of a kyng. … dout not, but the title of a king is a lawful thing, is a lawfull tytle, as ofother Magistrates. OnelyOnly let the kings take hede yt they do as it becōmeth kinges to do, that they do their office wel. It is a great thinge, a chargeable thing. Let them beware yt they do not communicare peccatis alienis, that they beare not wyth o. ther mcns fautes, for they shal geue a strait account for al that perisheth thorow their negligence. We perceiue now what thys text meaneth. It is written in the last of Iudicum: In diebus illis non erat rex in Israel, In those daies there was no kyng in Israel, eueryevery man did that which semed right in hys owne eyes. Men wer then allowed to do what they wold. When mē may be alowed to do what they wyl, then it is good to hauehave no king at al. Here is a wonderful matter yt vnpreaching prelats shuld be suffred so long. Thei can … for them selues. …. C yeres. This while the realm had ben as good to hauehave no king. Likewise these … Iudges hath ben suffred of a … time, & then it was Quasi non fuisset re xin Anglia. To suffer thys is as much to say: ther is no king in England. It is the duty of a king to hauehave al states set in order to do their office. I hauehave trobled you to long, I wil make an end. Blessed be they that hear the … of God, but so yt they folow it & kepe it in credite, in memory, not to depraue it & sclaunder it, & bryng yt Preachers out of credite, but that folow it in their life, & lyue after it. He graunt you al that blessing yt made both you & me.
Amen.