The Anatomy of Abuses, Part 6

The Anatomy of Abuses · Part 6

Gluttonie and drunkennesse in Ailg.

Philo.

I HaueHave séene that which gréeueth mée to report. The People there are marueilously giuen to daintie fare, gluttonye, bellichéer, & many also to drunkennesse, & gourmandice.Daintie fare, gluttony and gourmandice vsed in Ailg.

Sp.

That is a manifest argumēt of good hospitality, which both is cōmended in y^• word of God, & which▪ I know you wil not reprehēde.

Ph.

Godly hospitalitieGodly hospitalitie to be commended. is a thing in no wis… worthy of reprehensiō, but rather of great cō mendatiō, for many hauehave receiued Angels into their houses, at vnawar…s, by vsing y^• same, as Abraham, Lot, Tobras, & many others. Yet if hospitality flow ouer into superfluitie & riotous excesse, it is not tolerable: for now adaies if y^e table be not couered frō the one end to y^• other as thick as one dish can stād by another, with delicat meats of sundry sorts, one cleane different from an other,Varietie of dishes, and meats, with their curious sawces. and to eueryevery dish a s…uerall sawce appropriat to his kinde, it is thought there vnworthye y^• name of a dinner. Yea so many dishes shal you hauehave posteruing the table at once, as the insaciablest Helluo, the deuouringest glutton, or the gréediest cormorant that is, can scarse eat of eueryevery one a litle. And these many shall you hauehave at the first course,Excesse of meats. as many at the second, and perad…entu…e, moe at the third, besydes other swéet …, and delicat …, of spiceries, and I cannot tell what. And to these dainties, all kind of wynes are not wanting, you may be sure. Oh what nisitie is this? what vanitie▪ excesse, ryot, and superfluitie is heare? Oh▪ farewell former world? For I hauehave heard my Father say,The austerity and Godly simplicity of the former World in meats, and drinke…. y^• in his dayes, one dish, or two of good wholsome meate was thought sufficient, for a man of great worship to dyne withall, and if they had thrée or four kinds, it was reputed a sumptuous feast. A good péece of beef was thought thā, good meat, and able for the best, but …ow, it is thought too grosse: for their tender stomacks are not able to disgest such crude and harsh meats: For if they shold (their stomacks being so que…sie as they be,Nice, tender stomacks. and not able to concoct it) they should but euacuat the same againe, as other filthie excrements, their bodies receiuing no noorishment therby, or els they should lye stincking in their stomacks, as dirte in a filthie sinck or pryuie. If this be so, I marueile how oure fore-Fathers lyued,The faraginie or rough fare of our Fore-fathers. who eat litle els, but cold meats, grosse and hard of disgesture? Yea, the most of them fead vppon graine, corne, roots, pulse, herbes, wé…ds, and such other baggage, and yet liued longer then wée, helthfuller then we, were of better complection then we, and much stronger then we in euerie respect: wherfore I cannot perswade my self otherwise, but that our nicenes and curiousnes in dyet, hath altered our nature, distempered our bodies,Our nice fare hath altered our bodies and chaunged our nature. and made vsus more subiect to millions of discrasies and diseases, then euer weare our Forefathers subiect vntounto, and consequently of shorter life then they.

Spud.

They wil aske you again, wherfore god made such varietie of meats, but to be eaten of men, what answere giuegive you to that?

Philo.

The Lord our God ordained indéede, the vse of meat and drinks for man to sustain the fraile, caduke and brittle estate of his mortall body withall for a time.Medietie to be obserued in meats. But he gaue it him not to delight and wallow therin continually, for as the olde Adage saith, Non viuendum vt edamus, sed edendum vt viuamus. Wée must not liue to eat, but wée must eat to liue, wée must not swill and ingurgitate our stomacks so ful, as no more can be crammed in. The Lord willed that they should be ordinarie meanes to preserue the state of our bodyes a time whilste we liue, and soiourne in this vaste wildernes of the worlde, but not that they should be instruments of destuction to vsus bothe of body and soule.When meats and drinks are Instruments of destruction vntounto vsus. And truely they are no lesse, when they are takē immoderatly without the feare of God. And dooth not the impletion and sacietie of meates and drinks prouoke lust, as, Hiero saith, Venter Mero estuans, spumat in libidinem, the belly enflamed with wine, bursteth foorth into lust. Doth not lust bring foorth sinne,Ge. 24. and sin bring foorth death? The Childre… of Isr…el, giuing them selues to delicat … & gluttony, fel to Idolatrie, … & …, worshipping stocks stones and deuils in-sted of the liuing God.

The …onnes of … the Priest, giuing themselues to daintie … & belly-chéere,1. Reg. 2.1 Kgs 2 fell into such …, as the Lord sl…w them all, & their father also, for that he chastised them not for the same▪ The Children of blessed Iob in midst of all their banquetings & ryot, were slain by the lord, the whole house falling vponupon them, and destroying them most piti…ully. Bal…hasar, king of the Chaldeans, Daniel. 5.Dan 5in midst of all his good chéer,Verse. 5. saw a hand, writing vponupon the wall these woords, mene techel upha…sin: signifiing y^• his kingdōe should be taken from him, and so it was, and he slain the same night by the hand of y^• lord. The rich glutton in the Gospel, for his riotous feastings & proposterous liuing was cōdemned to y^e fire of hel.Luc. 16.Luke 16 Our Father Adam with all his of-spring (to the end or y^e world) was cōdemned to hel-fire, for taking one apple to satisfie his glotonus desire withall.Mat. 4.Matt 4 Gluttony was one of the chiefest canons, wherwith the deuil assa…led Christe, thinking therby to batter his kingdome & to win the féeld for euer, yet not withstanding, y^e greeuousnes héerof, the same is thought to be a coutenāce, & a great credit to a mā in Ailg. But true hospitality consisteth not in many dishes nor in sundry sorts of meats (the substance wherof is chaunged almoste into accidents thorow their curious cookries, & which doo help to rot y^• bodies & shorten their daies. but rather in giuing liberally to the poor,Wherin hospitalitie consisteth. and indigent members of Iesus Christe, helping them to meat, drink, lodging, clothing & such other necessaries wherof they stand in néed.

But such is their hospitality y^• the poor hauehave y^e least part of it: you shal hauehave 20. 40. 60, yea, a C.li. spent in some one house in bāqueting & festing, yet y^• poor shall hauehave litle or nothing,The small leef of the poore. if they hauehave any thing, it is but y^e refuge meat, scraps & patrings, such as a dog would scarse eat sōtimes, & wel if they can get y^• too: insted wherof, not a few hauehave whipping chéerto feed thē withall: it is coūted but a smal matter for a man that can scarslie dispend fortie pound by the yéer, to bestow against one time, ten or twentie pound therof in spices. And truely so long & so gréeuously hath this excesse of gluttonie and daintie fare su…ffeted in Ailgna, as I feare mée, it will sp…e out many of his Maisters ou… of dores before it be long. But as some be ouer largeous, so other some are spare enough, for when any meat is stirringLocking vp of Gates whemeat is stirring. then lock they vp their gates, that no man may come in. An-other sorte hauehave so many houses, that they visit them once in vij. yeer, many Chimnies, but little smoke, faire houses, but small hospitalitie. And to be plaine, there are three cankers which in proc…sse of time wil eat vp the whole common Welth, if spéedy reformatiō be not had, namely,Three deuouring Cankers daintie Fare, gorgious Buildings, and sumptuous Apparel, which thrée Abuses, especially, yet not without their cosin germanes doo florish there. God remooue them thence for his Christes sake.

Spud.

I had thought that dainty fare & good chéer had both noorished y^e body perfectly, and also prolōged life, & dooth it not so think you?

Philo.

Experience,Who more subiect to infirmit…es then they that fare best. as my former intimations you may gather, teacheth clean contrary: for who is sicklier thē they, that fare deliciously eueryevery day? who is corrupter? who bel…heth more, who looketh wursse, who is weaker, and féebler then they? who hath more filthie colour, flegme and putrifaction (repleat with grosse humors) then they? and to be bréef, who dyeth sooner then they? Doo wée not see the poor man that eateth brown bread (wherof some is made of Rye, barlie, peason, beans oates and such other grosse graines) & drinketh small drink, yea sometimes water, feedeth vponupon milk, butter and chéese, (I say) doo wee not see such a one, helthfuller, stronger and longer liuing then the other, that fare daintily eueryevery day? And how should it be otherwise? for wil not the eating of diuers and sundry kindes of meats of diuers operations and qualities (at one meale) engender distemperance in the body? And the body distempered,… wil it not fall into sundry deseases? one meat is of hard disgesture, another of light, & whilst the meate of hard disgesture is in concocti…g the other meat of light disgesture dooth putrifie and stink, & this is the very mother of all diseases: one is of this qualitie, another of y^•, one of this operatiō, another of that, one kind of meat is good for this thing, another is naught for that. Then how can all these contrarieties & discripancies agrée togither in one body at one & the same time? wil not one c…ntrary impugne his contrary? one enemy resist an other; Then what wiseman is he that wil receiue allthese enemies into the castle of his body at one time? Doo we not se by experiēc… that they y^• giuegive thēselues to dainty fare,The spedy …ecay of those …hat geue thē …elues to …aintie fare. and swéet meats, are neuer in helth? dooth not their sight wax dim, their eares hard of hering, their teeth rot & fall out? dooth not their breth stink, their stomack belch foorth filthy humors, and their memory decay? doo not their spirits and sences becōe heuie & dul by reason of exhalations & impure vapors which rise vp in their gingered brests & spiced stomacks: & sumyng vp to y^e hed they mortifie y^e vitall spirits & intellectiue powers? dooth not y^e whole body become pursie & corpulent, yea somtimes decrepit therwith & ful of all filthy corruptiō. The Lord keep his chosen from the tasting therof.

Sp.

You spake of dr…kēnes, what say you of y^•?

Phi.

I say, y^e it is a horrible vice & too too much vsed in Ail. EueryEvery cūtrey, citie, towne, villaged & other, hath abundāce of alehouses, taue…ns & I…nes, which are so fraughted with mault-wormes night & day, that you would wunder to se them. You shal…hauehave them there sitting at y^e wine, and goodale all the day long, yea all the night too, peraduenture a whole wéek togither,The beastly vice of drunknees requen…ed in Ailg so long as any money is left, swilling, gulling & carowsing from one to an other, til neuer a one can speak a redy woord. Then when w^t the spirit of the buttery they are thus possess…d, a world it is to consider t…eir gestures & dem…nors, how they stut and stāmer, stagger & réele too & fro, like madmen, some vomiting spewing & disgorging their filthie stomacks, other some (Honor sit auribus) piss…ng vnderunder the boord as they sit, & which is most horrible, some fall to swering, cursing & …āning,The spirite of the buttery, is drunknes, and excesse. interlacing their spéeches w^e curious tearms of blasphemie to y^e great dishonour of God and offence of the godly eares present.

Sp.

But they wil say y^• god ordained wines & strong drinks to chéer y^• hart, & to sustain the body therfore it is lawful to vse thē to y^e end.The Iothsome qualities of those that be drunke.

Phi.

Meats (moderatly taken) corroborate y^e body, re…resh y^e arteries, & reuiue the spirits, making them apier eueryevery member to doo his office as god hath appointed: but being immoderatly takē (as cōmonly they be) they are instrumēts to damnatiō to y^e abusers of y^e same, & noorish not y^e body but corrupt it rather, & casteth it into a world of deseases: And a man once drunk with wine or strong drink, rather resembleth a brute beaste,The transsiguration of those that … drunke. then a christian man: for doo not his eies begin to stare & to be red, fiery & blered, blubbering …oorth seas of teares? dooth he not frothe & fome at the mouth like a bore? dooth not his tung faulter & stāmer in his mouth? dooth not his hed séeme as heuie as a milstone, he not being able to bear it vp? Are not his wits & spirits as it were drowued? Is not his vnderstanding altogher decayed? doo not his hands & all his body quiuer & shake as it were with a quotidiā feuer? Besides these, it cast…th him into adropsie or pluresie nothing so soon, it inféebleth the sinewes, it weakneth y^• natural strength, it corrupteth the blood,The discommodities of drunkennes. it dissolueth y^e whole man at y^e lēgth, and finally maketh him forgetful of him self altogither, so that what be dooth being drunk he remembreth not being sober. The Drunkard in his drunkennes killeth his fréend, reuileth his louer, discloseth secrets and regardeth no man: he either expelleth all feare of god out of his minde, all looue of his fréends & kinsfolkes, all remembrance of honestie, ciuilitie & humanitie: so that I will not feare to call drunkerds beasts, and no men, and much wursse then beasts,Drunkerds wursse then Beasts. for beasts neuer excéed in such kind of excesse, or superfluitie, but alway modum adhibent appetitum, they measure their appetites by the rule of necessitie, which would God wee would doo.

Spud.

Séeing it is so great an offence before God, I pray you show me some testimonies of the holy Scripture against it, for whatsoeuer is euil, y^e woord of God I doubt not reproueth the same.

Philo.

It séemeth you hauehave not read y^e holy fcripture very much, for if you had, you should hauehave found it not only spoke against, but all… throwē down euen to hel, for proof whereof of infinit places, I wil recite a few. The Prophet Esaias thundereth out against it,Esais. 5. saying, ve qui consurgitis mane ad ebrietatē sectandā

Wo be to them that ryse earlie to followe drunkennesse,Testimonies against drunkennesse, out of the word of GOD. wallowing therein, from morning to night, vntill they be set on fire with wyne & strong drinke. Therfore gapeth heil, & …peneth her mouth wyde, that the glory, multitude, and welth of them that delight therin, may go downe into it, saith the Prophet.

The Prophet Hoseas Hoseas. c. 4.saith, fornicatio, vinū, & mustum auferunt animum, Whordome, wyne & strong drinke infatuat y^e heart of mā.

The Prophet Ioel, Ioel. 1.Joel 1biddeth all Drunkards awake, saying, wéepe and howle you winebi… bers, for the wickednesse of destruction that shall fall vppon you.

The Prophet Habacuck, Habacuck. 2.soundeth a most dreadfull alarme, not only to all Drunkards, but also to all that make them drunken saying: wo be to him that geueth his Neighbour drinke, till he be drunke, that thou mayst sée his priuities. Salomon saith,Prouerb. c. …. wyne maketh a Man to be scornfull, and strong drinke maketh a Man vnquiet, who so taketh pleasure in it, shall not be wise. In an other place, kéep not companie with wynebibbers, and riotous Persons, for such as be Drunkards shal come to beggerie. In the xxiij. of his ProuerbesProuerb. 23. he saith. To whome is woo? To whome is sorow? to whome is strife? to whome is murmuring? to whome are woūds without cause? and to whome are red eyes? Euen to thē that tarie longe at the wyne, to them that go, and séek mixt wyne. And againe: Looke not thou vppon the wyne when it is red, and when it sheweth his colour in the cup or gooth downe pleasantlie, for in the end, it will bite like a serpent, and hurt like a Cockatrise,Prouerb. 31. or Basilicock, which slay or kill men with the poison of their sighte. Again, it is not for Kings to drinke wyne, nor for Princes to drinke strong drinke.Luc. 21.Luke 21 Our Sauiour Christ in the gospell of of S. Luke biddeth vsus take héed that we be not ouercome with surffeting and drunknes and cares of this lyfe, least the day of the Lorde come vppon vsus vnawares.

Paule to the Ephesians Ephe. 5.Eph 5biddeth beware that we be not drūk with wine, wherin is excesse, but to be filled with y^e spirit. The same apostle in an other place, saith, y^• neither whoremōger adulterer, Drunkard, glutton, ryotous person, nor such like, shal euer enter into y^e kingdome of Heauen. By these few places out of many, you may sée the inormitie of this vice, which is so much eueryevery where frequented.

Spud.

Let me intreate you to shew me some examples withall, wherby I may see, what euill it hath done in al ages?

Philo.

Gene. 19.Gen 19Drunknes caused Lot to commit most shamefull incest with his owne two Daughters, who got them both with Child, he not perceuing it, neither when they lay downe, nor when they rose vp. See how drunkennesseExamples against drunkennesse. assotteth a man, depriuing him of all sence, reason and vnderstanding.

Drunkennesse caused Noah to lye with his priuities bare in his Tabernacle, in suche beastlie sorte, as his wicked Sonne Cham iested and …coffed at the same.

Thorow drunkennesse, Holophernes, that great and inuincible Monarche of the Assyrians, was ouercome by a Woman, hauing his head cut from his shoulders with a fauchone. Thorow drunkennesse,Luc. 16.Luke 16 King Herode was brought to suche ydiocie, and foolishe dotage, that he caused the head of good Ihon Baptist, to be cut of, to satis…ie the request of a dauncing strumpet.Luc. 16.Luke 16 That riche Epulo of whom Luke maketh mention, was for his drunkennesse, and ryotous excesse condemned to the fire of Hel for euer, with many moe examples, which for shortnes I omit. Now seeing than that drunkēnesse is both offensiue to GOD, and bringeth such euil…s in this lyfe present, let vsus in the name of GOD auoyde it, as a most wicked thing, and prenicious euill. For eueryevery Dr…nkard is so farre estranged from himselfe,How farre Drunkards are estranged from themselues. that as one in an extasie of mind, or rather in a playne Phrensie, he maye not be said to be, sui animi compos, or a man of sounde wit, but rather a very Bedlem, or muche worse, no Christian, but an Antichristian, no mēber of Christ Iesus, but an impe of Sathā, and a lymme of the Deuill. Wherfore, in the name of God, let vsus auoyd al excesse, imbrace temperancie, and sobrietie, & receiue so much meats and drinks as may satisfie nature, not the insaciat appetits of our fleshly desires. Knowing that except the Lord blesse our meats and drinks within our bodyes, and giuegive them power & strength to nourish and féede the same,Wh…t if God blesse not our meats. and our bodyes their naturall powers, eueryevery mēber to doo his office, and dutie, our meates shall lye in our stomacks stincking, smelling, and rotting like filthie carion in a lothsom sinck. So farre of ought we to be from abusing the good creaturs of God, by ryot, drunknesse, or excesse, that we ought neuer to take morsell of bread, nor sope of drinke, without humble thankes to y^e Lord for the same. For we neuer read, that our Sauiour Christ euer eat,Geuing of thanks befor meat, & after. or dranke, but he gaue thankes (or as we call it, said grace) both before the receipt therof, and after. This néeded he not to hauehave done in respect of himselfe, but for our erudition & learning, according to this saying. omnis Christi actio, nostrà est instructio. EueryEvery action of our Sauiour Christe is our example and instructiō, to follow as néere as we are able. And thus much of drūkenesse, which god graūt may eueryevery wher be auoided.

Spud.

Shew mée I pray you y^e state of that Cuntrey a…litle further: is it a welthie Countrey with in it selfe, or otherwyse poore and bare?

Philo.

It is a most famous Yland, a fertile Cuntrey,Ailgra a famous Yland. & abounding with all maner of store both of riches, treasure, & all things els whatsoeuer, but as it is a welthie and riche Countrey, so are the inhabitaunts from the highest, to the lowest, from the priest, to the populare sorte, euen all in generall, wonderfully inclyned to couetousnes, and ambitiō, which thing, whilest they follow, they cā neuer be satisfied: for, erescit amor nummi, quantū ipsa pecunia crescit. The louelove of mony, doth by so much the more increase, by how much more y^e monie it selfe doth increase: and y^e nature of a couetous man is such,The nature of a couetou… man. that tam deest quod habet, quàm quod non habet: as well that thing which he hath, as y^• which he hath not, is wanting vntounto him. A couetouse man may wel be compared to Hell, which euer gapeth and yawneth for more, and is neuer content with inough. For right as Hell euer hunteth af…er more, so a couetous mā drowned in the quagmire,The insaciable desi…e of a couetouse man. or plash of auarice and ambition, hauing his summam voluptatem reposed in momentaine riches, is neuer content with inough, but still thirsteth for more, much like to a mā sicke of the ague, who the more he drinketh, the more he thurteth: the more he thursteth, the more he drinketh: the more he drinketh, y^• mor… his disease increaseth: Therfore I hould it true, which is writ, bursa auari os est diaboli the powch of a rich couetous Man,The purse of a riche Man. is the mouth of the deuill, which euer is open to receiue, but alway shut to giuegive.

Spud.

But they will easily wipe away this blot, namely in saying, are we not boūd to prouyde for our selues, our wyues, our children & famelie▪ Doth not the Apostle hold him for an infidell and a deneger of the faith, who prouydeth not for his Wyfe and Family? Is it not good to lay vpsomthing against a stormie day? wherfore, they wil rather déeme thēselues good husbāds, than couetous or ambicious persons.

Philo.

EueryEvery Christen Mā is bound in cō science before God,How farre eueryevery Man is boūd to prouyde for his Familie. to prouide for their houshould & Family, but yet so as his immoderat care surpasse not the bands, nor yet transcend the limits of true Godlynes His chiefest trust & care is to rest onelyonly in the Lord, who giueth liberally to eueryevery one y^• asketh of him in verity & truth, & reprocheth no mā, & withall he is to vse such ordinarie meanes, as God hath appointed▪ to y^• performaunce of y^e same. But so farre frō couetousnes & frō immoderate care wold y^e Lord hauehave vsus,Immoderate care for riches reproued. y^• we ought not this day to care for to morow, for (saith he) sufficient to y^e day, is the trauail of the same. After all these things (with a distrustfull, & inordinat care) do the heathen séek, who know not God, saith our Sauiour christ, but be you not like to thē. And yet I say, as we are not to distrust the prouidence of God, or despaire for any thing, so are we not to presume, nor yet to tempt the Lord our God, but to vse such secundary and instrumental meanes, as he hath commaunded and appointed to y^• end & purpose, to get our owne lyuing & maintenance withall. But this people leauing these Godly meanes, do all runne headlōg to couetousnes & ambition, attēpting all waies, & assaying al meanes possible to exaggerat & heap vp riches, y^e thick clay of damnatiō to thēselues for euer. So (likwise) Lād-lords make marchandise of their pore tenāts,Land-Lords racke their tenantes. racking their rents, raising their fines & incō mes, & setting thē so straitely vppō y^e tēter hookes, as no man cā lyue on them. Besides y^•, as though this pillage & pollage, were not rapacious enough, they take in,Inclosing of common… from the Poore. and inclose commons, moores, heaths, and other common pastures, wher out the poore commonaltie were wont to hauehave all their forrage and féeding for their cattell, & (which is more) corne for them selues to lyue vppon: all which are now in most places taken from them, by these greedye Puttockes, to the great impouerishing and vtter beggering of whole townes and parishes, whose tragicall cries and incessant clamors hauehave long since, pearced the Skyes, and presented them selues before the Maiesty of God, saying: how long Lord, how long wilt thou deferre, to reuenge this villanie of thy poore Sainctts, and vnworthie members vppon the earth? Take héed therfore you riche men, that poll and pill the poore, for the bloud of as manye as miscarie any maner of way, thorow your iniurious exactions, sinister oppressions, and indirect dealings shall be powred vppon your heads at the great daye of the Lord, Cursed is he (saith our Sauiour Christ) that offendeth one of these litle ones, it were better that a milstone were hāged about his neck,Iniurie to Christ his members, is iniury to Ch…st. & he cast into y^e middest of the sea. Christ so entierely loueth his poore members vppon earth, that he imputeth the contumely which is done to anie one of them, to be done to himselfe, and will reuenge it, as done to himselfe: wherfor, GOD giuegive them grace to lay open their inclosures againe, to let fall their rents, fines, incommes and other impositions, wherby GOD is offended, their poore Brethren beggered, & I feare mée, y^e whole realme will be brought to vtter ruine & decay, if this mischiefe be not met withall,Inclos…res. and inco… ̄tred with verie shortlie. For these inclosures be the causes, why rich men, eat vp poore men, as beasts doo eat grasse. These I say are the Caterpillers, and deuouring locustes that massacre the poore, & eat vp y^e whole realme to y^e destruction of the same: The Lord remooue them.

Upon the other side, the Lawyers they goe rufling in their silks, veluets and chaines of Gold, they build gorgeous howses,Lawyers rufling io poore Mens riches. sumptuous edefices, and stately turrets: they kéep a port like mightie potētates, they hauehave bands and retinewes of men attendant vppon them daylie, they purchase castels & towers, Lands and Lordships, and what not? And all vppon the polling and pilling of the poore commons.

They hauehave so good consciences, that all is fish, that comes to the net, thei refuse nothing that is offred, and what they do for it in preferring their Poore clients cause, the Lorde knoweth, and one day they shall finde it: If you hauehave argent, or rather rubrum vnguentum, I dare not say Gold, but red oyntment, to grease them in the fist withall,Oyntment to greese lawiers in the fist withall. than your sute shall want no furtherance, but if this be wanting, thā farewel clyent, he may go shooe the goose for any good successe he is like to hauehave of his matter: without this, sheriffes & Officers wil returne writs with a tarde venit, or with a non est inuentus, smally to the poore mās profit. So long as any of this ointmēt is dropping, they wil beare him in hand, his matter is good and iust, & all to kéep him in vre, till all be gon, and than will they tell him his matter is naught: and if one aske thē why they tould not their cliēts so in y^• beginning: they will answere, I knew not so much at the first,The pretēsed excuse of L…wers, when their cliants hauehave loost their plees. y^e fault is in himselfe, he tould me y^e best, but not the worst: he shewed mee not this euidence & that euidente, this president, and y^• presi…ent, turning al the fault vpō y^e suggester wheras y^e whole fault indeed is in himselfe, as his own conscience cā beare him witnesse: In presence of their clients, they will be so earnest one with another,The slaightie practises of lawers. as one (that knew not their slaightes, wold thinke they would go together by the eares) this is to draw on their cliēts withal (but immediatly after their clients being gon, they la…gh in their sléeues, to see how pretily they fetch in such … of money, and y^• vnderunder the pretence of equitie, and iustice. But though thei cā for at…e (prestigiatorum insta…) like cūning deceiuers, cast a mist before y^e blind world, yet the Lord who séeth (suborned by none) y^• secrets of all harts shall make them manifest to al the world,The fraudulent dealing of marchant Men. and reward them according to their …. The marchāt mē by their marting, chaffering and changing, by their counterfait balances & vntrue waights, and by their surprising of their wares, heap vp infinit treasures. The ArtificerArtificers. & Occupyers, euen all in generall, will not …ell their wares for no reasonable price, but will sweare & teare pittifully, y^• such a thing cost thē so much, & such a thing so much, wheras they swear as false, as the lyuing Lord is true: But one day let them be sure y^• the Lord (who saith, thou shalt not sweare at all, nor deceiue thy Brother in bargaining) will reuenge this villanie done to his Maiestie.Great dearth in plenty of all things.

Into such a ruinous estat hath couetousnes now brought that Land, that in plentie of all things, there is great scarsitie and dearth of all thinges. So, that, that which might hauehave been bought heretofor within this twentie, or fourtie Yéers, for twentie shillings, is now worth twentie nobles, or xx. pound. That which thā was worth twentie pound, is now worth a .C. pound, and more: Wherby the rich Men hauehave so balaunced their chests with Gold and siluer, as they cra…ke againe. And, to such excesse is this couetousnes growne, as eueryevery one y^• hath money will not stick to take his neighbors house,Taking of howses ouer Mens head…. ouer his head, long before his yéers be expired: Wherthorow many a poore man, with his wyfe, childrē, & whole famelie, are forced to begge their bread all their dayes after. Another sorte who flow in welth, if a poore mā hauehave eyther house or Land, they will neuer rest vntill they hauehave purchased it, giuing him not the thirde parte, of that it is worth. Besides all this, so desperately giuen are many,The desperat desire of Men to get money that for the acquiring of siluer and Gold, they will not sicke to imbrew their hands, and both their armes in y^• blood of their owne Patents and Fréends most vnnaturally. Other some will not make any conscience, to sweare and forsweare themselues for euer to lye, dissemble and deceiue the déerest frends they hauehave in the world. Therfore the heathen Poët Virgill said very well: O sacra auri fames, quid non, mortalia pectora cogis: Oh cursed desire of gold, what mischief is it, but thou forcest Man to attempt it, for y^• louelove of thée? This immoderat thirst of Gold & monie,Many brought to rufull end thorow meanes of Gold and siluer. bringeth an infinit nūber to shameful end: some, as homicides, for murthering & killing: some as latrones, for robbing & stealing: some for one thing, some for another: So that surely I think, maior est numerus Ho…minum, quos dira auaritiae pestis absorpsit, quam quos gladius vel ensis per…orauit: the number of those whom the pestilence of auarice hath swallowed vp, is greatter, than the nūber of those whom the sword hath destroid: the Lord asswage the heat hereof with y^e oyle of his grace, if it be his good pleasure and wil.

Spud.

If I might be so bold, I wold request you to shew me out of the word of god, where this so detestable a vice is reproued?

Philo.

Our Sauiour Christ Iesus,Math. 6.Matt 6 the Archdoctor of all truth in his Euangely,Testimonies out of the word of God against couetousnes. the sixt of Mathew, saith: Be not carefull for to morow day, for the morow shall care for it selfe.

Againe, be not carfull for Apparell, what you shall put on, nor for meat what you shall eat, but séeke you the Kingdome of Heauen, & the righteousnes therof, and all these things shal be giuen vntounto you. He charged his Disciples to be so farre from couetousnes,Luc. 6.Luke 6 as not to cary two coates with them in their iorneys,Math. ix.Matt 9 nor yet any money in their purses. He tould his Disciples another time, stryuing which of them should be y^• greattest, that he who wold be the greattest, must condescend to be seruāt of all. When the people wold hauehave aduaūced him to hauehave béene King, he refused it, and hid him self: He telleth vsus, we cannot serue two Maisters, God & Mammon: he biddeth vsus not to set our minds vppō couetousnes, inferring that wher our riches be, there will our harts be also. He saith, it is harder for a rich Man (that is, for a Man, whose trust is in riches) to enter into the Kingdome of God, than for a Camell to go thorow the eye of a néedle. The Apostle biddeth vsus if we hauehave meat & drinke and clothing, to be centent,1. Timo. v…. for they that will be rich (saith he) fall into diuerse temptations and snares of the Deuill, which drowne Men in perditiō.Psalm. 39.Ps 39 Dauid saith, Man disquieteth him selfe in vaine, heaping vp riches, & cannot tell who shall possesse them:Prouerb. …. Salom. cōpareth a couetous man, to him y^e murthereth & sheadeth innocent bloud.Proue. xxvii. Againe, Hell and destruction are neuer ful, so the eyes of Men can neuer be satisfied. The Apostle S. Paule, saith, neither Whormōgers, Adulterers, nor couetous persons, nor Extortioners shal euer enter into the Kingdom of Heauen. And saith further, y^• the louelove of monie is y^e root of al euil.Mat. 5.Matt 5 Christ, biddeth vsus be liberal,Luc. 6.Luke 6 & lend to them that hauehave néed, not looking for any restitutiō again, & neuer to turn our face away frō any poore mā, & thā y^e face of the Lord shall not be turned away frō vsus. By these few places it is manifest how farre frō al couetousnes y^e lord wold hauehave al cristiās to be.

Spud.

Be their any examples in scriptures to shew foorth the punishmentes of the same, inflicted vponupon the Offenders therin?

Philo.

The Scripture is full of such fearful examples,The punishmen of couetousnes shewed by examples. of the iust iudgements of God powred vponupon thē that hauehave offended herein. Wherof I will recite three or four, for the satisfying of your Godly mind. Adam, was cast out of Paradice for coueting that fruit, which was inhibited him to eat. Giese, the Seruant of Elizeus y^e Prophet,4. Reg. 5. was smitten with an incurable leprosie, for y^• he to satisfie his couetous desire, exacted gold, siluer, & riche garments of Naamā y^e K. of Siria his seruant. Balaam was reproued of his asse,Num. 22.Num 22 for his couetousnes in going to curse y^e Children of Israel, at the request of K. Balac, who promised him aboundance of gold & siluer so to doo. Achab y^• K. for couetousnes to hauehave pore Naboth his viniard slew him and dyed after himselfe, with all his progeny, a shameful death. The Sōnes of Samuel were for their infaciable couetousnes,Sa. viii. deteined frō euer inioying their Fathers kingdome. Iudas for couetousnes of mony sould the Sauiour of the world, and betrayed him to the Iewes, but afterward dyed a miserable death, his bellye bursting & his bowels gushing out. Ananias & Saphira his wi…e,Act. v.Acts 5 for couetousnes, in cōcealing part of y^• price of ther lāds frō y^• apostles, were both slain, & died a fearful death. Achā was stoned to death by y^• lord his cōmandemēt for his couetousnes in stealing gold, siluer, & Iewels, at the sacking of Iericho, & al his goods were burned presently. Thus you sée how for couetousnes of mony, in all ages, Men hauehave made shipwrack of their consciences, and in the end by the iust iudgemēt of God hauehave dyed fearful deaths whose iudgmente I leaue to the Lord.

Spud.

S…eing that couetousnes, is so wicked a sin, & so offensiue both to God & Man, & pernicious to the soule, I marueile what moueth Men to followe the same, as they doo?

Ph.

Two things moue mē to affect mony so so much as they do:What make Men to affect money. y^• one, for feare least they shold fal into pouertie & beggery (oh ridiculous infidelitie) y^e other, to be aduanced, & promoted to high dignities & honors vpō earth. And thei see, y^e world is such, y^e he who hath moni enough shalbe rabbied & maistered at eueryevery word, and the vaine title of worshipfull, and right worshipfull, though notwithstanding he be a dunghill Gentleman, or a Gentleman of the first head, as they vse to terme them. And to such outrage is it growne that now adayes eueryevery Butcher,EueryEvery Begger almost is called Maister at eueryevery word. Shooemaker, Tailer, Cobler, Husband-man, and other, yea eueryevery Tinker, pedler and swinherd, eueryevery Artificer and other, gregarii ordinis, of the vilest sorte of Men that be, must be called by y^e vain name of Maisters at eueryevery word. But it is certen, that no wyse Man, will intitle them, with any of these names, worshipfull and maister (for they are names and titles of dignitie, proper to y^e Godly wyse, for some speciall vertue inherent, either els in respect of their birth, or calling due vntounto thē,) but such Titiuillers, flattering Parasits, and glosing Gnatoes, as flatter them, expecting some pleasure or benefit at their hāds, which thing if they were not blowen vp with the bellowes of pride, and puffed vp with the wind of vainglori they might easily perceiue. For certen it is, they do but mocke and flatter them with these titles,Refusing of …aine Titles. knowing that they deserue nothing lesse. Wherfore, like good Recusants of that thing which is euill, they should refuse those vainglorious Names, remembring the words of our sauiour Christ, saying: be not called Maister, in token there is but one onelyonly true Maister and Lord in Heauen: which only true Maister & Lord: God graunt all other may followe bothe in life and name, vntil they cōe to perfect men in Iesus Christ.

Spud.

The people béeing so let vponupon couetousnes, as I gather by your speeches they be, is it possible that they wil lend mo…ey without vsurie, or without some hostage, guage or pawn? for vsurie followeth couetousnes, as the shadowe dooth the bodie.