A New Dialogue Between the Angel of God and the Shepherds in the Field, Dialogue
¶ A newe Dialog betwene thangell of God, & the Shepherdes in the felde, concernynge the natiuite and birthe of Iesus Christ our Lorde, & Sauyoure, no lesse Godlye than swete and pleasante to reade, lately compyled by T. B.
Luc. ii.
¶ Beholde I brynge you tydynges of greate Ioye, that shall come to all the people. For vn to you is borne this daye in the Cytie of Dauid, a Sauioure, whiche is Christ the Lorde.
Esa. ix
A chylde is borne for our sake & a Sonne is gyuen vntounto vsus, vponupon his shulder doth the kyngdome lye, and he is called wt his owne name, euen, the wonderous gyuer of councell, the myghty God, ye euerlastinge Father, the Prynce of peace.
i. Timoth i.
This is a true sayinge, and by all meanes worthy to be receyued of vsus, that Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue synners.
.i. Ioan. iii.
For this cause apeared the sonne of God, euen to lowse the workes of the deuyll.
¶ The Dialoge.
Thangell speketh.
A Swete message
To eueryevery ageMath, i,
From God so sage
Is gyuen to me,Luc, ii,
Whiche to declare
Both nere and fare
To exclude care
Glad wolde I be.Esa, i…,
¶ Men hauehave full longe
Throwe Satans wrongeMat, iiii.
In bondage stronge
Ben detayned,
No lyberte
To make them fre
Founde coulde there be
Syns they synned.Gen, iii,
¶ In Adames fall
They became thralliiii, Es…, iii,
Both great and small
Remediles,Ose, vi, Rom, v.
Throughe Satans lure
They are vnpureEphe vi.
Drowned all sureIohn̄ iii.
In wyckednes.
¶ So that of ryghtRom iii.
Before Godes syghtPsal xiii Esa. i.
That lorde almyght
Damned are they all,Phal. v. Ga. at. iii
Without excuse
God maye refuseDeut. xxvii.
Suche as ensuse
Workes ethnicall.
¶ Notwithstandyng
God pyteyngRom. v.
Theyr backe slydyng
And greuous chaunce,
Of his mercy
Wyll nowe frelyEphe. ii. ii Timothe … Tit. iii.
Unto glory
Them all auaunce.
¶ This gentle father
In no manner
Wyll consyderIere. xxxi
Theyr great offenceHeb. viii.
Frely frelyEsa. xliiii
Shall they truly
Be brought clerelyApoc. xxi.
To his presence.
¶ Of his owne graceRom xi.
Before mennes face
This come to passeGal. ii. iii
Shall nowe playnly,Ephe ii. Iohn. iii.
By Christ h…s sonne
Whiche is come downeRom. v. Galat iii Ephe. i.
For theyr raunsome
The death to dye.
¶ He vndoubtedColost. i. i. Timo. ii
Undeserued
Was promysed
To men mortall,Gen. iii. xviii.
Of God aboue
For very louelove
To theyr behoueIohn̄. iii.
Whiche were full thrall.Rom. iii.
¶ Of a mayde pure
So to endureEsa. vii.
Is he borne sure
Without mannes sede.Math. i.
To puryfieLuk. xii.
Mennes vylanieLuc, ii,
Whiche wyckedlie
They wrought indede.
¶ This chylde alone
Sent from Gods throneEsa, ix,
All kynde of moneEsa, iiii. Math. viii. Math. xi. Psal. ii, Iohn̄. iii, vi,
Shall put awaye.
Who so embrace
His louyng face
Shall wante no grace
Nor yet decaye.
¶ He is the kynge
To whose byddynge…ach, ix.
EuerythyngeEsa, lxii, Math, xxi, Psal, clxxix. Phil, ii, Heb, ii, i, Timoth vi, Apoc, xvii, xix, Iohn̄, xiiii. xvi, xx. Ephe, ii, Coloss, i,
Obeyeth humbly,
He is the lorde
By whose concorde
All thynges restorde
Shall be playnly.
¶ He is the peace
Uvhiche shall release
All our disease
And greuous payne,
He is the staye
He is the wayeRom, v, Math, xi. Ioh. xiiii, Iohn̄, x, Iohn̄, xiiii,
By whom we maye
Glorye obtayne.
¶ He is the truthe
Uviche doth all ruthe
Suche as ensuethii, Cor, i, Tit, i, Iohn̄, x, xiiii,
Clene put awaye,
He is the lyfe
By whom all stryfeEphe, ii, Coloss, i, ii,
Is no more ryfe
But sone decaye.
¶ He is the GydeMiche, v Math, ii,
On eueryevery syde
Uvhiche at eche tydePsal, ccxlvii, Math. i.
Doth his people saue,
He is the health
Of whom all wealthPsal, ii, Act, iiii,
Uvithouten stealth
Men ought to craue.
¶ He is the lyght
That is so bryght
In all mennes syghtIohn̄. i, Ihō, viii,
To shewe the waye,
He is the RockeEsa, xlix,
If that we knockeAct. xiii.
He wyll vnlocke
And healpe vsus aye.Psal. xxxvi. Mat. xvi
¶ He is the louer
The sauiouri▪Cor x.
The mediatour
Of the faythfullMathe. vii. Luc x. Psal. xxxvi. Math. i. Luc ii. i. Timo i Psal. i. Gen. Deut. Psal.
If that we call
Thoughe we be thrall
He wyll vsus all
Unto hym pull.
¶ Pleasures many
Treasures plenty
Shall men truly
Of hym receyue,
Who so that wyll
Come hym vntylli. Tim. vi Esa. Math. xi. Iohn̄.
Shall hauehave his fyll
Without deceyue.
¶ These ioyfull newesEsa. lii, Rom, x, Iohn̄: xii, Ose, xiii, i. Cor, xv, Heb, ii,
Whiche Satan ruyse
Without excuse
God commaunded
That I, thangell
Sulde shewe and telli, Ioā, iii,
To them that well
Are dysposed.Luc, ii,
¶ The obstynateMath, …, i, Cor, i, Psal, lxxxv,
Receyue this rate
Earely or late
Wyll by no wyse.
The symple therforeHeb, iii:
Nowe euermoreIac, ii, Esa, lxvi
To teache this lore
Wyll I deuise.Math, v, Psal. …i,
¶ Beholde I se
In this contre
Of small degre
Shepherdes watchyng,
Whiche nowe this nyght
With all theyr myght
Kepe in theyr syghtLuc, ….
Theyr flockes reastyng.
¶ From all pryde farre
These symple men are
Therfore declare
To them wyll I,
Gods good pleasure
That this ioye sure
Maye in them dure
Eternally.
¶ Upon this londe
Fre or yet bonde
By them to stonde
I wyll nowe playne,
And tell them true
These tydynge snewe
Whiche shall ensewe
Shortly certayne.
¶ What doth it mene
That on this grene
As personnes lene
They loke dismayde,
This myghtye lyghtLuc, ii,
That shyne so bryght
Nowe in theyr syght
Make them afrayde.
¶ The Shepherds speake.
O Lorde God what worke hauehave we here?
Uvhat meaneth this meruelous great lyghte
The Element was neuer so clere
That euer we sawe in any nyghte
Good lorde saue vsus and all our shepe
That none of vsus peryshe at all,
Gyue vsus grace euer well to kepe
That we hauehave charge of both great and smal.
Hrom the wolffe that rauenyng beaste
Defende our shepe, Lorde we praye the
And gyue vsus all this nyghte good reaste
For of this lyght sore afrayde are we.
¶ Thangell.
Be not afrayde
Nor yet dysmaydeLuc, ii,
Nothyng decayde
Shall be in you,
Your shepe harmeles
Shall be certes
Therfore dystres
Looke ye exchewe.
¶ To conforte you
With tydynges newe
Uvhiche shall ensue
I am nowe come,
Gods messengere
Both farre and nere
To you nowe here
Am I come downe.
¶ Myrth and pleasaunce
Texchewe greuaunce
Is my portaunce
That I nowe brynge,
Your hartes therfore
HaueHave ye in store
And euermore
Marke my sayinge.
¶ The Shepherdes.
UUe thyncke by thy cōmunicacion
That thou wylt not in any wyse
Hurte vsus or our flocke at this season
But to do …s good rather deuise
Seyng that thou art so mynded
And sayst more ou…r also,
That of God thou art appoynted
Ioyefull tyd…nges to brynge vsus to
Saye on we praye the hertely
Uvhat so euer thou haste to saye
we wyll heare the dyl gently
And do there after yf we maye
¶ Thangell.
Newes that I brynge
Come from that kynge
To whom all thyngeIohn̄, viii …x, xviii,
Oweth obeysaunce,
So of dutye
Ought ye trulye
Your myndes applye
To attendaunce.
¶ No poynte of sadnes
But all gladnes
Do I certes
Brynge vntounto you,
Whiche not to one
Personne alone
But to eche one
Shall chaunce full true.
¶ The newes are this
Uwithout any mys
This daye borne is
Youre Sauioure,Luc. ii, Miche, v. Math: ii, Dan, ix. Psa, cc, ix
In the Citie
Of Dauid fre
Christe calde is he
A lorde of power.
¶ The Shepherdes.
These are newes full of all plesaunce
And is Christ, sayste thou, borne in dede,
Surely this is a full good chaunce
He shall healpe vsus I truste, in our nede.
Uve hauehave …oked for hym full longe
For he is our true Messias,
The Romans hauehave done vsus great wronge
And holden vsus in a pyteous case.
But we are glad he is come nowe
I truste that by hym we shall be,
Delyuered from all sorowe
And set agayne at lyberte.
He shall be kynge and reygne ouer all
All nacions to hym shall obaye.Esa ix, Mich, iiii Dan. vii, Psal, ii,
On h…s heade the crowne imperiall
Shall be set for euer and aye.
All kyngdomes thorowe hym shall bowe
To vsus and our people Iudaicall,
All nacions vniuersall shall nowe
Take vsus for cheife and pryncipall.
Uve shall abounde with all rytches
Glorye and honoure hauehave shall we,
All in ioye shall we lyue certesMarc xi, Ihō, xii,
Nowe blyssed mought …ur newe kynge be.
¶Thangell.
But nowe one thyng
Of this your kyng
Gyue you warnyng
I must certes,
Spirituall
NottemporallLuc, xii, Iohn̄, xi,
His Realme royall
Is aye doubtles.Iohn̄, xviii,
¶Not outwardly
But inwardlyPsal, ii, zaeh, ix. Mathe, xxi, Marc, xi, Luc, xix, Ihō, xii.
His Impery
Is appoynted,
By his spirite
To rule eche wyghte
Is his sole ryghte
Determyned.Iohan, xiiii, xv, xvi.
¶If therfore you
Looke for rescue
Of your kynge newe
To make you fre,Galat, v,
That you eche one
Shulde reygne alonei, Pet, ii,
And other none
Deceyued are ye.
¶The Shepherdes.
UUhy good syr I praye you tell vsus
Is not this that same Messias
Uvhiche by his power so wonderous
Shall make vsus all fre in eche case?
¶Thangell.
It is euen he
Uvhiche with great gle
Shall make you freIhō, viii
From tyrauntes all,Iohn̄, viii. Act, xiiii, Galat. v, zach, ix,
Not outwardly
But inwardly
Tryumphantly
This thynge be shall.
¶The Shepherdes.
Yet syr all we full well hoped
That b… the power of this our kyng,
Uv… Iew…shulde be delyuir…d
From the …omans cruell handlyng.
Uve hoped also I tell you playne
That we vnd…r our …essias,
Shu…d great victor…es obtayne
And so worthye lyuynges purchase.
¶Thangell.
Your messias
In eueryevery place
From all euyll case
Shall you defende,
His seruauntes true
Shall this kynge newe
Euer rescueMathe, xxvii….
Unto the ende.
❧Notwithstandyng
Marke my sayeng
This your newe kyng
Is appoynted,
Uvithin your brest
To rule with restIohn̄. xiiii. xv. xvi.
So is it best
Determyned.
☞Externall powreLucke. xii.
In hall or bowre
Uvith great honoure
Nowe shall he beare,Iohn̄. vi
In spirite and myndeIohn̄. xviii.
Suche as be kynde
Fauoure shall fyndePsal.
Uvithout all feare.
❧Your enmyseEsa. lxvi. Ose. xiii i Corītians. xv. Ephe, ii. Coloss. i, ii.
Shall in no wyse
Ones enterpryse
You to damage,
Defende you all
Dubtles he shall
Both great and small
In eueryevery age.Heb. ii. i Iohn̄. iii.
¶The Shepherdes.
If his power be not externall
To reygne with great aucthorite,
Nor he a Prynce imperiall
Uvhat than shall we the better be?
Uvhat enemyes shall he subdue
Or of them gette the victorie?
We se not, what ioye shall ensue
Why we shulde reioyse so greatly.
¶ Thangell.
FOr to reioyse
All with one voyce
Makyng swete noyse
Great cause ye hauehave,
Ye were all lorne
In Satanes scorne
But he is borne
Uvhiche shall you saue.
❧Thorowe Adam
All ye becameGen. iii. iiii. Esd. iii, Ose, vi, Iohn̄, iii.
In goodnes lame
And so damned,
Chyldren of yre
Bonde to hell fyreRom, v.
By your grande Syre
Are ye proued.Ephe, ii
☞His wyckednes
Agaynst Gods goodnesOse. vi.
Uvas your certesiiii, Esd iii,
And synne all one,
His vylanieIohn̄. iii, Rom v,
Broubgte mysery
Generally
To your great mone.
❧By his great synne
This dyd ye wynneGen,
Neuer to blynne
From euyll doyng,
By your fre wyll
No godly skyllii. Corī thiās iii Pro, Gen.
Can ye fulfyll
In your workyng.
¶ Your powers all
Are nowe full thrallIeremi. xvii. Psal. xiiii, Mathe. xix. ii Corī thiās, iii
In goodnes small
Without vertue,
Not a good thought
Can ones be wrought
Ye are so nought
And euyll ensue.
¶ Bonde to Satan
Both nowe and than
Is eueryevery man
Of Adam borne,Iohn̄. iii
So that nowe ye
Are no more fre
But as ye se
Parsonnes all lorne.
¶ The Lawe agayne
To your great payneRom. v. Galat. iii. ii Cor, iii
Proueth certayne
You synners styll,
Seyng that yeAct. xiii.
In no degre
So faythfull be
The Lawe to fulfyll.Psal. xiii.
¶ The Lawe transgresse
In wyckednesseIohn̄. vii. Rom. iii Act. xiii.
Ye do certesse
Eche one of you,
Ye hauehave no wyllPro. xx. ii Cor. iii
It to fulfyll
But remayne styll
In workes vntrue.Gen.
¶ So of reason
To damnacionDeut. xxvii.
Ye are eche one
Fallen carefully,Galat. ii Mathe. xxv. Iohn̄. v Roma. i ii. iii. i, Cor, vi Ephe, v Ose. xiii Heb. ii,
Therfore agayne
Nothyng but payne
To you pertayne
Eternally.
¶ Thus to Satan
Is eueryevery man
For ought he cani. Iohn̄. v. Psal. x,
Greuously bonde,
So that in hell
Ye must nowe dwellMathe. xxv.
With Satan fell
And therin stonde.
¶ With God no partePsal. vi
HaueHave ye in harte
But greuous smarteEsa. xi.
For your merite,
So that nowe ye
By equite
Damned must be
Of very ryght.
¶ For ye doubtlesRom. vii.
In this distres
Can healpe certesii. Corī thiās. iii Galat, ii, iii, iiii. Psal, C v, Psal, C, xliii,
Nothynge at all,
Your whole desarte
Is to departe
Into hell smarte
Perpetuall.
¶ The Shepherdes.
Ah syr a, nowe well perceyue we
That we are in a farre worse case
Than we thought our selues for to be
By Adam, saye you, is this come to passe?
¶ Thangell.
By Adam sure
Synne dyd allureGen, iii, Ose, vi, iiii, Esd iii, Rom, v, Iohan, iii,
You to endure
In damnacion,
His wyckednes
Is yours certes
Brynggynge endles
Destruction.
¶ The Shepherdes.
Seynge that the matter stande so
Uvhat meanes shall we than inuent,
To be delyuered from this wo
And to hauehave grace vntounto vsus sent?
Ah syr a, Synne, Death, Satan, and hell,
Are they our enemies so greuous
That all other they do excell
And of all are moste myscheuous?
It is tyme with all haste in dede
To hunte after some remedie,
Lest Satan that moste wycked sede
Destroye vsus perpetually.
Tell vsus therfore thou messenger
If from the hyghe God thou be sent,
Howe we shall escape this daunger
For in great sorowe are we pent.
¶ Thangell.
Dowe in sadnes
Are ye certes
But great gladnes
Shall to you chaunce,
If that ye wake
And the newes take
Uvhiche greatly make
To your pleasaunce.
¶ This your sorowe
Euen and morowe
Christe your borowe
Shall put awaye,
With myrth and gle
Replete shall he
All your hartes fre
For euer and aye.
¶ The occasion
Of his descension
At this season
Is nowe onelyonly,
To put to fiyght
Your enemies myght
That in his syght
Ye maye glorie.
¶ All Satans powreIohan. xii, Ose, xiii
That is so sowre
Christe shall deuourei Cor. xv
By his puysaunce,
His strength dulyshei, Iohn, ii, Heb, i,
Shall Christe vanquishe
And extynguishe
To your plesaunce.
¶ So that SatanPsal, ixxxxi,
Shall nowe or than
Subdue no manRom, viii, ii Pet. i, Mathe, xvi
That faythfull is,
So weake and thrall
Nowe ouer allOse, xiii i Cor. x…
Satans powre shall
Be without mys.Iohan, xii.
¶ The other all
In generall
Your foes mortall
Shall come to nought,
By Christe your kynge
EueryEvery thynge
To your pleasynge
Shall be so wrought.
¶ The morall laweRom, viii,
With all her sawe
Shall no more draweAct, xiii.
You to damnacion,
Christe of fre wyll
Shall it fulfyllRom, x. Iohan. viii,
To your ioye styll
By his perfection.
¶ By synne and gylteEphe, i, ii, Coloss, i
That heuytylte
Nomore be spylte
Shall you certayne,i, Tim, … Heb. i, i. Iohn̄, i, iii.
Christes vertue
Shall so saue youEsa.
And eke rescue
With puyssaunte mayne.
¶ Hell that so wydeOse, xiii
On eueryevery syde
Gape at eche tydei, Cor, xv, Heb, ii. i, Iohā, iii,
Menne to deuoure,
Christe maynly shall
As prynce royall
Subdue for thrall
By his stronge powre.
¶ Desperacion
At no seasonRom. viii.
Worke damnacion
Shall after this,
Deathes tyrannyOse, xiii
Shall Christe trulyi Cor, xv
Make hense to flye
Certen this is.Coloss. ii,
¶ Ennemyes none
Shall worke you mone
Christe so alonePsal, ixxxxi, Psal, xxvii Esa,
Shall for you fyght,
His good wyll is
That after this
Ye shall hauehave blyssei, Timothe, ii,
And heauenly syght.
¶ The Shepherdes.
Hayre cheue the for thy good tydynges
Uviche are to vsus all full plesaunt,
Uvel worth hym that such good newes vriges
That it maye be so the Lorde graunte.
But how shal those thynges come to paste
A good fellawshyppe no we tell vsus,
For we greatly desyre in this case
To be taughte of the so bounteous.
¶ Thangell.
CHriste your newe kynge
EueryEvery thynge
To passe shall brynge
By his puyssaunce,
He shall deuoure
By his stronge powre
All your doloure
And great greuaunce.
¶ He nowe full lowe
In age shall growe
And ouer flowe
With all wysdome,
All mēnne excellLuc, ii,
Where so they dwell
As scriptures tell
He shall ryght sone.
¶ Than in processeMathe, iii, Marc, i Luc. iii,
Of tyme certes
It shall hym please
Baptysed to be,
That on this wyse
He maye deuyse
All true iusticeMath, iii,
To make you fre.
¶ This do he shall
Of bonde and thrallSap, iiii,
To make you all
Cleane, fayre, and pure,Ephe, v Mathe, v. Ephe, v Phil, ii,
That in his syght
With godly lyght
Ye maye shyne bryght
And so endure.
¶ After all thisEsa, ixi,
He shall not mysMathe, iiii,
The worde of blys
To preache purely,Mart, i,
His fathers wyllLuc, iiii, Iohan, iiii, v, viii, x, xiii,
He shall speake styll
And there vntyll
Euer applye.
¶ To that good saweMat, v. vi, vii,
And heauenly lawe
All menne to draweLuc, vi,
He shall laboure,
From cecite
To make them freIohan, i, iii, viii ix, xii,
Dubtles shall be
His endeuoure.
¶ With myracles alsoEsa, xxxv,
Where seuer he go
Both to and fro
Confyrme he shall,Math, iiii,
His good preachyng
By that prouyngIohn̄, v Iohan. …
He doth nothyng
Fantasticall.
¶ The blynde to syghte
The sycke to myghteMat, xx
Shall he delyghteMatt, x Luc, xviii,
For to restore,
His sole plesaunceIohan, ix. Mathe, viii. ix, xv, xvii, Marc i, ii, iii, v ix, x. Luc, iiii, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, xiii, xi. ii, xix,
You to auaunce
From all greuaunce
Shall be euermore.
¶Notwithstandyng
His true preachyng
And good workyng
Many shall be,
His aduersaryse
Whiche shall deuyse
By falsesurmyseIohn̄, ii v, vi, vii viii. ix. xi Iohan, vii, xi. Mathe. xxvi,
His death to se.
¶Byshoppescruell
That are so fell
Agaynst them that mell
With any goodnes,
Shall spitefullyMarc, xv, Luc, xxii Iohan, xviii. xix
Lyke botchers blody
Worke vylany
Agaynst hym causles.
¶The Pharises
The SaducesMathe. xii, xv, xvi, xix, xxi, xxii, xxiii,
The Scribes certes
With the Lawers,
Shall neuer blynneLuc, xi,
With sutle engynné
His great ruyne
To worke euers.
❧Christes good nameMathe. ix, xi, xii, xvi, xviii
As worthy blame
They shall dyffame
Yet no cause why,Iohan, viii, x. xviii.
With madde dotage
They shall so rage
In eueryevery age
Unworthely.Luc. xxii Iohan, vii,
☞His doctrine pure
That heauenly lure
All they shall sure
Call heresy,
The worde of grace
So to deface
In eueryevery place
They shall be busye.
¶Yet so to cease
It wyll not pleaseMathe. xii. Iohan. xi.
Theyr great madnes
Tyll they hauehave brought,
Christe from this lȳfeIohan. xi,
Therfore with stryfe
Shall they be ryfe
That this besoughte.
❧His disciple playne
For wordly gayneMath, xxvi,
They shall obtayne
Christe to betraye,Marc, xiiii, Luc. xxii
Neuer leauyng
Tyll they hym bryng
To his endyng
Out of theyr waye.
☞They shall menne tyre
For mony hyre
To do theyr desyreMath, xxviii,
Ungracious,
Mony nor ware
Shall they ones spare
For to declare
Theyr actes myscheuous.
❧In conclusion
With expedicion
Unto confusion
Christe for to brynge,
They shall laboure
With all theyr powre
Mothe dishonoure
Therby workynge.
¶So to be shorteMathe, xxvi.
Christe your conforte
Mocke and eke sporteMarc. xiiii. Luc, xxii
They shall truly,
Wordes euyll and vayneIohan, xix.
Full of dysdayne
Shall they certayne
Speake spitefully.
¶They shall so rage
That in mockage
Christe wyse and sage
Kynge they shall call,Mathe. xxvii.
Bowynge theyrkne
Saynge AUe
With game and gle
Both great and small.
¶A crowne of thorne
As one forlorne
And all to torneMa…, xv.
Shall he also weare,
Uestures royallMath, xxvii, Iohan, xix.
Put on he shall
In mockage all
Shall be this geare.
¶Buffettes many
And strypes plenty
HaueHave shall he trulyEsa, liii Math, xxvii. Marc, xv, Luc, xxiii. Iohn̄, xix, Ephe, ii Coloss, …, ii. Act, ii, Galat, iii. Phil, ii, i, Pet, ii Esa, lii i
Of those scorners
This for your sake
Shall he than take
And so peace make
For your maners.
¶So at the laste
These thynges beyng paste
They shall nayle faste
Hym to the crosse,
Moste greuous payne
Shall he sustayne
You to refrayne
From damnable losse.
¶His body redde
His harte bloude sheddeIohn̄, xix
For you damned
Shall be certes,
By that aloneEphe, f, ii, & v, Coloss, i, ii. i Timo, ii. Heb, i. Esa, liif Math, viii. Ephe, v Coloss, i, ii. i Pet. i, Heb, ix, i Pet, ii i Ioh, i, Apoc, i, Heb, vii, ix, x.
From all your mone
Shall ye eche one
Be made gyltles,
¶The facrifice
That shall suffice
For your yll gyse
Is christe alone,
His precious bloode
Shedde on the roode
Shall make you good
Before Gods throne.
¶One oblacion
At his passion
Unto perfection
Shall all them brynge,
Whiche hauehave entent
Synne to repent
And not dissent
From christes sayeng.Iohan. iii, v, vi, vii, xi, Rom, viii, i Cor, …
¶No man decaythe
As scripture saythe
Whiche hathe trne faythe
Inchristes bloude
Christes bloude sureEphe, i, v. Coloss, i ii, Pet. i i, Iohn̄. iii. i Iohn̄ i i, Pet. i,
Shall make hym pure
So to endure
Both mylde and good.
¶ Purgatory
To puryfie
Your synnes trulyApoc. i, Esa, liii i. Pet, ii. i, Timo. ii,
Is none at all,
But Christes bloude
Shedde on the roode
Whiche make you good
And immortall.
¶ Christes passion
Is the rannson
From damnacion
To make you fre,
By that your det
Is awaye setEphe, ii Colos, ii
So that no let
At all hauehave ye.
¶ But that ye mayeIohn̄. x. Iohan, xiiii, Rom, v, Ep…s, ii.
EueryEvery daye
Come nowe alwaye
To God boldly,
His bloude so dereHeb, iiii, vii. Ephe. ii Coloss, i i Iohn, i
Hath made you nere
To God all clere
And his glory.
¶ No more to hellOse, xiii i, Cor, xv.
Therin to dwell
As scriptures tell
Do ye partayne,Roma, viii. Esa, lxiiii, i Cor, ii, Iohan. xvii, Ephe, i, ii. Coloss, i, ii, Iohan, viii, Rom. viii, Cor, vii
But vntounto blysse
Where great ioye is
There without mysse
With Christe to reygne.
¶ Christe of Gods grace
In eueryevery place
Shall this purchase
By his swete bloude,
By hym so fre
This liberte
Obtayne shall ye
To be made good.Mat. xii
¶ Thus seye nowe
That from sorowe
Christe your borowe
Shall make you fre,
Your enmyse allOse, xiii i, Cor. xv, Coloss, ii, Heb. ii.
No domage shall
Worke you at all
So blessed are ye.
¶ The Shepherdes.
To here these newes we moche delyghte
But this one thynge greueth vsus greatly,
That this our hynge the lorde of myghtePsal, xx. ii.
Must so cruelly the death dye.
¶ Thangell.
Nothynge at allGalat, …i. Ose. vi, Psal. xvi. Ionas. i. ii, Math. xii. xxviii. Marc, xvi. Luc. xxiiii. Ioh. xx. i. Cor. xv. ii, Tim, ii. Iohn̄, xii.
Greue you it shall
Thoughe it so fall
For with stronge mayne,
On the thyrde daye
Foreuer and aye
As Scriptnres saye
Shall he ryse agayne.
¶ The death to dye
For you truly
Necessary
Doubtles it is,
Or els neuer
Coulde ye entre
And perseuer
In ioyfull blys.
¶ His bodye slayneEphe. v Heb. vii ix. x. i Pet. ii. Esa. liii. i Tim, ii
For you obtayne
Fredome from payne
Shall without doubte,
His oblacton
Shall gette pardon
For your transgression
Nowe rounde aboute.
¶ But as he shall
For your synnes all
Both great and small
Dye the death playne,Rom. iiii.
So in lyke fashion
After his passion
For your Iustificacion
Shall he ryse agayne.
¶ Than ryghteous
Shall Christe IesusOse. xiii i, Cor. xv.
By grace bounteous
Make you eche one,Heb. ii. i, Iohn̄. iii.
The victory
Gettynge playnly
Of your enmye
Satan alone.
¶ He euen aloneEsa. Rom, viii. ii. Tim. i, Heb, ii, i Iohan …, v, Rom, vii, Ose. xiii i. Cor, xv. Mathe, xxviii.
And other none
Your enemyse eche one
Shall put to flyght,
Satan and hell
With synne so fell
And death cruell
With all theyr myght.
¶ Gloriously
For you truly
The victory
Shall he purchase,
So that no euyllPsal, …xiii,
Shall come you tyll
He so fulfyllRom. viii,
Sall you with grace.
¶ The Shepherdes.
This chereth vsus gayly well at the hartte
Fayre theue the for these thy good newes,
God let the from vsus neuer departe
Tyll thou haste tolde vsus all that ensuyse.
Uvhat shall become than on our kynge
So good, so gentle, so beneficiall,
Shall he alwaye be remaynynge
Here in this worlde terrestriall▪
¶ Thangell.
Na verelyPsal, …. viii, Esa, lxiii. Marc, xvi, Luc, xxiiii, Act, i.
For he shortly
Shall bodely
Ascende agayne,
To his father
With hym euer
In lyke powerRom, viii. i. Tim, iii. Heb, i.
There to remayne.
¶ The Shepherdes.
Blacke, alacke than socourles
Shall we be leafte, vf he go awaye,
Our enemies shall vsus oppresse
And we agayne shall all decaye.
¶ Thangell.
Naye, naye, not so
Thoughe he hens go
Yet from all woLuc, xxiiii. Iohan, xvi, xvi
Shall ye be fre,
A confortoure
From Gods owne bowre
That heauenly lowre
Sende downe shall he.
¶ The Shepherdes.
Uvhat shall he be, I peaye the tell vsus
For this worke vsus great wo and smarte,
That this our kynge full bounteous
Shulde so shortly from vsus departe.
¶ Thangell.
The holy GhosteAct. ii. x.
Of power moste
To eueryevery coste
Shall he sende downe,
Uvhiche shall defendeMath. xxviii
Unto the ende
Suche as amende
Theyr conuersacion.
¶ He doubtles shall
Preserue them all
That from workes thrallMath: xvi. Luc. xxii Iohn̄. vii. x. xv. xvi. Rom. viii. ii. Pet. i
Manly aryse,
He at no tyde
Uvyllones abyde
That they shall slyde
In any wyse.
¶ Theyr breastés aryghtei Iohn̄, iii. Psal. lxviii. Luc. xxiiii. Act ii. Rom. viii. Galat. iiii. ii Tim. i Iac. iiii. i Iohn̄, ii, iii. Iohan, xv, Iohan. vii, Esa, xl,
Uvith godly myghte
For to endyghte
He shall not cease,
That puyssantly
They maye truly
Satans fury
Resiste at ease.
¶ Affectes carnall
That make menne thrall
Exclude he shall
From the Christen,
Uvith heauenly grace
In eueryevery place
Fyllynge the trace
Of faythfull menne,
❧This holy spirite
Shall leade aryghte
The Christens syghte
Into all truth,Iohan, xv, xvi.
That they easely
Maye sone espyei Iohā. ii,
Hipocrisye
That falshede ensueth.
¶ With vertues pure
Make menne demureGalat, v. Apoc. xxii,
This spirite shall sure
By influence,
Of gyftes diuine
Wherto all fyne
They shall enclyne
Without offence.
¶ This good spirite
Workynge all ryghtei, Cor, iii. vi, ii Cor, vi, Leuit, xxvi, Mathe. xxviii, Luc. xxiiii,
Shall inhabite
Christen mennes hartes,
Wiche shall them gyde
At eueryevery tyde
And put a syde
All woes and smartes.
¶ All vice to fie
Uertu to seIohan, xv, xvi, i Iohan ii,
Teache you shall he
At eche season,
That for euer
Ye maye perseuet
In Gods fauer
And his kyngdome.
¶ Thus se ye nowe
That in sorowe
Christe your borowe
Wyll not leaue you,Iohan. xiiii, xv. xvi, Math xxviii. Mathe. xvi, Iohan, xii.
By his spirite
Agaynst Satans myghte
He wyll for you fyghte
Faythfull and true.
¶ The Shepherdes.
All these thynges please vsus ryght well
So ioyefull newee they to vsus brynge,
But we all praye the, vsus nowe tell
What shall become of our newe kynge.
¶ Thangell.
Christe your newe kynge
In heauen syttynge
Shall a dwellynge
For you prepare,Iohan. xiiii.
That after this
In ioyefull blys
Ye maye not mysIohan, xvii,
To abyde thare.
¶ Early and late
Your aduocatei Iohan ii.
And bounteous matei Tim, ii Rom, viii. Heb, vii
Shall he be sure,
To pleate euer
All your matter
Before his father
To make you pure.
☞If that ye synnei, Iohn, ii,
He wyll not blynne
You for to wynne
Agayne to grace,
Of the father
By his prayer
All this fauer
Shall he purchase,
¶ The Shepherdes.
But what, when shall he come agayne
To vsus whiche are his enheritaunce?Psal ii.
Shall our kynge there euer remayne
And worke vsus than no more pleasaunce?
¶ Thangell.
Beturne shall heIoh, iii, Malache, iii, Math, xxv, Iohn̄, v
From the hyghe see
Of Gods maieste
At the laste daye,
And gyue iudgementPhil. iii i Thes, iiii.
Indyfferent
Uvith powre extent
For euer and aye.
❧Christe the Iudge than
Shall the dedes scanneRom, xiiii, ii Cor, v Math, xxv. Iohn̄, v Dan, xii,
Of eueryevery manne
As it is fytte,
The euyll to payne
The good agayne
To ioye certayne
Shall he commytte.
☞Than shall all you
His seruauntes trueEsa, lxv. ii Pet, iii, Apoc, xxi, Iohn̄, xvii, Phil, i,
A glorye newe
Receyue certes,
Of this your kynge
Uvith hym reygnynge
In one dwellynge
For aye doubtles.
❧Ioye eternallEsa, lxv, Dan, xii. Ezech. xxxvii.
His seruauntes all
Receyue than shall
Uvith hyghe solace,
Neuermore payneS…ph. iii Ioel, iii, i Cor. ii. Apoc. xxi.
But all ioye playne
Shall ye sustayne
In that good place.
¶ The Shepherdes.
That shulde we than nowe desyre moreLuc. i, Esa, x. Iohn, i. i, Iohn̄, iii. Esa vii Math i Luc i, ii. Iohn̄. ii Ephe ii. Esa, lxi Tit ii,
Of this our kynge so lyberall,
Seynge he hath all thynges in store
That make to our health eternall?
Our kynge ye saye, is Gods owne sonne
Equall with his father in powre,
whiche from his hyghe throne is come downe
To vanquyshe Satan, that is so sowre.
Of a Mayde pure without mannes sede
Is he borne by ghostly inspiracion,
All our deformyties out to wede
whiche we toke of Adams procreation.
He shall not onelyonly be our kynge
But also our good scole maister,Esa, xxxv. Iohn̄, v Iohn̄, xi Mathe, xxvi. Marc, xv. Luc, xxii Mathe, xii, xv, xvi, xix, xxi, xxii, xxiii,
Truly teachynge vsus eueryevery thynge
That pertayne to a Christen manner.
His godly doctrine he also shall
Uvith myracles approue and fortyfie.
Declarynge hereby vntounto all
That he is Messias vnfaynedly.
But the Byshoppes and preestes also
with the Lawers and Pharises,
Scribes, Sad…ces and many mo
Shall seake all meanes hym to displease.
His sermons they shall callumniate
And his innocency dyffame,
Appliynge nether early nor late
To mayntayne the honour of his name.Luc. …. xxiii. Iohn̄. viii. x. xviii. Math. xxvi. Marc, xiiii. Luc. xxii Phil. ii, Esa. liii
They shall so encrease in fury
That theyr malice shall neuer cease,
T…ll they hauehave slayne hym cruelly
To satisfye theyr wyckednes.
His owne disciple shall they allure
Christe his Maister for to betraye,
Gyuynge hym gyftes to make hym sure
That from his purpose he go not awaye.
False wytnesse also shall they hyre
Agaynste Christe our true lorde and kynge,
To accomplyshe theyr wycked desyre
That vntounto death they maye hym brynge.
After diuers kyndes of tormentPsal. xv Ionas. i. ii. Ose vi, Rom, iiii. Psal. lxviii. Esa. lxiii. Marc, xvi. Act. i, i, Iohn̄, ii. Rom. viii. Heb. vii Luc. xxiiii. Iohn̄, xvi.
wherwith he shall be greatly vered,
To the crosse than shall he be sent
Unto the death to be scurged.
So that the conclusion shall be
That his swete badye shall be slayne.
And his precious bloude shed on the tre
To release all our synnefull payne.
But he shall ryse agayne the thyrde daye
Lyke a lorde puysaunte and bounteous.
That before God the father we maye
Euer appere Iust and ryghteous,
Than to the heauens ascende he shall
Both God and man by his diuine powre,
Syttynge on the ryght hande eternall
Of God the father at eche howre.
For vsus shall he without ceasynge
Praye there vntounto God his father,
His prayers hereto appliynge
That in grace we maye perseuer.
Moreouer to vsus shall he sende
The holy Ghoste from the heauens hyghe,
Uvhiche shall preserue vsus vntounto the ende
Agaynst Satan our olde enemye.Art. ii, x, Psal. lxviii. Ioel iii. Math. xxv. Phil. iii i. Thess, iiii, Psal. L. clv. Psal. L. xviii,
This holy spirite shall garnyshe
Our myndes with vertues aboundante,
And to abstayne from workes deuylyshe
Grace euer to vsus shall he graunte,
At the laste daye shall he agayne
Returne vntounto the great iudgement,
The euyll shall he committe to payne
The good to glory shall be sent.
O what a glorious kynge hauehave we
Howe gentle, howe good, howe liberall,
Nowe blyssed mought Messias be
whiche to suche glory doth vsus call.
Fayne wolde we se this our newe kynge
Gladly nowe wolde we hym visite,
For neuer was there any thynge
wherin we had so great delyghte,
Tell vsus therfore we praye the all
Uvhyther we shall go for to fynde,
This our newe kynge a prynce royall
whom we all louelove with hart and mynde.
¶ Thangell.
If that ye be
Mynded to se
Your kynge so fre
Corporally,
In bethelem sureMath. ii, Luc. ii.
Is he demure
With Mary pure
Unfaynedly.
❧There shall ye fynde
Your kynge so kynde
After the mynde
Of the prophet,Miche, v.
Whiche that cyte
Of Dauid fre
Confesse to be
There vntounto set.
¶ And that ye maye
Nowe in your waye
All your iournaye
The better make
I shall you tell
Howe ye maye well
Of Christe so bell
True knowledge take.
¶ The chylde swadled
Uilely clothedLuc. ii.
And reposed
In a maunger,
Shall ye there fynde
Yet let your mynde
To hym be kynde
And soperseuer.
¶ In pouerte
Thoughe ye hym se
Yet sure is hei, Tim, vi. Apoc. xvii. xix,
The lorde of all
So to be borne
For you all lorne
He thoughte no scorne
As knowe ye shall.
¶ He is of Mary
Borne so symplyMath. xi.
That ye boldly
Shulde to hym come,
If he dyd weare
All pryncelyke geare
So wolde ye feare
This his kyngdome.
¶ But poore I wys
Become he is
That you by this
Maye be rytched,
His pouerteii, Cor, viii.
Maketh you to be
Both rytche and fre
Undaungered.
¶ Be not therfore
Dysmaied the more
Because in store
He hath suche nede,
True zachary
Dyd prophecyzach. ix.
Of his penury
In very dede.
¶ And that ye maye
Knowe that I saye
To be true alwaye
And without lye,
With me that bryng
This gladde rydyng
Ye shall heare syng
Angelles many.
¶ The songe of thangels.
Prayse and glory
To God on hyghe
And peace trulyLuc. ii.
On earth mortall,
To menne agayne
A good wyll playne
Moughte be certayne
Perpetuall.
¶ The Shepherdes.
O heauenly noyse and plesaunte syght
O tydynges full of all solace,
To gloryfie God it …s ryght
From whom alone procedeth all grace.
The Ang…lles are nowe from vsus gone
Into heauen are they ascended,Luc, ii.
Thorowe theyr tydynges is all mone
Utterly from vsus excluded,
Uvhat than doth there yet nowe remayne
But that to Bethlem we make haste,
Aud with our eyes se the tydynges certayne
whiche God hath shewed vsus at the laste.
Moche are we bounde vndoubtedly
To this our lorde omnipotent
Whiche of his great grace and mercy
Hath these tydynges vntounto vsus sent,
Greatly also before all other
Are we sheph rdes poore and myserable.
Bounde to this our lorde and maist…r
For these newes swete and confor…able,
He hath not openned them to …nges
To Byshoppes, to Priestes, to Lawers,
Nor yet to couetous worldlyngesMath. xi. Esa. xxix. i, Cor, i, Iac. ii,
But to vsus symple and poore mysers,
To vsus to vsus whiche are counted
Uery slaues before the worldes syght,
Are these ioyfull newes openned
To confoōde the wycked worldlynges myght,
The wycked worldlynges cannot abyde
This our, newe kynge the lorde Ihesus,
For they reiect and …st a syde
Both hym and his worde as venomous.
Herode wyll persecute doubtles
Christe our kynge with great violence,Math. ii Iohn̄. xi. Act. iiii.
The Byshoppes, the Priestes, the Pharises,
wyll surely commytte no lesse offence.
The poore in spirite are fytte onelyonly
To receyue Christe and his preachyng,
The wyse worldlynges counte it foly
Ony suche newes abrode to brynge.Math, v. Math, xi.
In worldly goodes is theyr delyght
Gorgious howses are theyr plesaunce
Sumptuousl… before mennes syght
To be decked is theyr pastaunce
Delicately also to fare
Is all theyr whole delectacion.
And on the worlde to caste theyr careLuc, xvi
Is theyr whole studye and intencion.
These wycked worldlynges therfore
And belly Gods voluptuous.
Cannot awaye with Christes loreIohn̄. vii.
Althoughe neuer so bounteous
For this cause hath our lorde God sent
To vsus shepherdes symple and rusticall,
These newes so good so excellent.
Whiche shall brynge great ioye ouer all.Luc. ii.
Let vsus therfore without …aryaunce
Go and vysite this our newe kynge
That we maye enioye that plesaunte
whiche the Angell to vsus dyd brynge.
Let vsus all with humble reuerence
Go vntounto our true Messias,
Beholdyng his royall presence
Althoughe in a vile and homely place.
And thoughe we hauehave no worldly treasure
To offer to this our newe kynge,
Yet let vsus brynge hartes meke and pure
whiche shall be to hym well pleasyng.
Hartes full of fayth and charite
To Christe our kynge let vsus offer,
Beleuynge truly that this is he
whiche is our kynge and Redemer.
In hym alone, in hym alone
Let vsus put all our confidence,
Let vsus scake saluacion at none
But onelyonly at his diuine presence
Let vsus louelove hym vnfaynedly
With a true hart and faythfull mynde,
Seakyng euermore his glory
whiche is to vsus so gentle and kynde.
To god the father omnipotent
whiche of his mere mercy and grace,
Hath vntounto vsus this treasure sent
Let vsus lyue worthy his ayndnes
In all our lyfe and conuersacion,
And suche wyse sake hym to please
That we maye ane the heauenly mansion.
AMEN.
Gyue the glory to God alone.
Uirescit vulnere virtus.
¶ Imprynted by me Iohn̄ Daye dwellyng in Sepulchres paryshe a lytle aboue Holbourne Conduit.
Cum priuilegio Regali. Ad imprimendum solum.
End of the text · Thomas Becon, A New Dialogue Between the Angel of God and the Shepherds in the Field (1547)