The Complaint of Verity, Frontispiece – Poem 1
IOHN BRADEFORD
The complaynt of Veritie, made by Iohn Bradford.
An exhortacion of Mathewe Rogers, vntounto his children.
The complaynt of Raufe Al…erton and others, being priſoners in Lolers tower, & wryten with their bloud, how god was their comforte.
¶A ſonge of Caine and Abell.
The ſaieng of maiſter Houper, that he wrote the night before he ſuffered, vppon a wall with a cole, in the newe In, at Gloceter, and his ſaiyng at his deathe.
ANNO DOMINI. 1559.
❧ The complaint of Veritie.
O Heauen, O earth, to thee I cal,
To witnes what I ſaye:
whych am cauſeleſſe in
England thrall,
and put to great decay.
Veritie of all thinges the light,
I am that thus do mourne:
Sent from God to teache them right,
whiche in this world be borne.
And that of me none might it dout
…heron ſo euer I preache:
I hauehave for me the word throughout,
…s Chriſtes Goſpell doth teache.
This truthe to Englande hauehave I taught
with trauel and with paine.
And for my hyre now am I ſought,
…ruelly to be ſlaine.
I that from bondage dyd the ſhield,
whiche was before oppreſt:
…m now by the as captiue held,
…or prechyng to the beſt.
From death to life I did thee bring
that thou might liue for aye:
And now my life for wel doing,
to death thou ſeekeſt a pray.
was there euer age ſo cruell.
that thus coulde me rewarde:
So ſoone to caſt into exile,
whome they did once regarde.
what vnrighteouſnes hauehave ye founde,
on me whome thus ye ſpite:
Let them ſpeake that wold me cōfound
by reaſon and by write.
I ſeke without vnfained clokes,
to mayntayne that is right:
But falſitie with her painted lokes,
wyll not abyde that ſyght.
O falſe time of iniquitie,
O ſeaſon moſt vniuſt:
where exiled is Veritie,
and caſt downe to the duſt.
what though falſe Iudges doe me dam
as Suſan was moſt chaſte:
yet by a Daniell ſure I am,
to be abſolued at the laſte.
The Lord ſend me a iudge vpright
to liſten to my cauſe:
Then dout I not to put to flight.
thoſe that nowe lye and gloſe.
Now whether ſhall I for remedy,
ſeeke that I may it fynde:
Thou Lord direct my ſteppes ready.
to ſome that will me frende.
The clergy ſay I am hereſy,
with me they fyght apace:
For faſhed blindes them ſo wilfully,
they hauehave no better grace.
Learned men which did me defend.
doe now their iudgement turne:
For liuynges ſake they do intend,
lyke wandering ſtarres to runne.
The lawiers ſay they could not thriue
ſince Scripture came in place:
Their vauntage is whē men do ſtriue,
and not by truth and peace.
The gentlemen whiche once me had,
…n praiſe and eke in price:
Now ſay for them I am to ſad,
and would hauehave them be wiſe.
The Marchaunt man ſaith he muſt lyue
and cannot with me gaine:
But all to riches his mind doth giuegive,
with much daunger and paine.
Wemen ſay they muſt nedes obey,
thir huſbandes when they lyſt:
Therfore in them I may not ſay,
to hauehave anye greate truſt.
The common ſort vnlearned be,
to them I may not leane:
They knowe not by deuinitie,
my cauſe for to maintaine.
Thus hauehave all perſons ſom pretence
from me quite to decline:
And am put to my owne defence,
to keepe my ſelfe from ruyne.
yet in this may I glory plaine,
that though with fewe I ſtand:
I am of power and ſtrength certaine
more then all my foes band.
For God ſo hath indued my tonge,
with wyſdome and with grace:
That I can ſhew ther doings wrong
which dare ſtand face to face.
Therfore mine enemies vilanouſly
put me from mens hearinges:
Leaſt I ſhould moſt manifeſtly,
tell them of their leaſynges.
For this they would out of mennes eyes
Gods worde to kepe ſo hie:
That where they preache boldly lyes,
none might agaynſt them replye.
Al to maintaine their pompe & pryde
their belly, ſlouth and eaſe:
They force me in thraldome to bide,
for that I them diſpleaſe.
Ah, England what is the treſpas,
that againſt god thou haſt done?
That thou wouldſt louelove darkenes alas
more then light of the Sunne.
Ah Ile of moſte nobilitie,
why art thou become bande?
To that proude harlots falſitie,
the ruine of all the lande.
Woo that I muſt that day beholde,
whiche came to make the free,
I would I had thee neuer tolde,
…he trueth in eache degree
Then were thy ſynne muche more les
whiche knowledge maketh great:
And of the ſame mightſt ſeeke redres,
to turne away the threate.
This dampnacion God doth ſay,
the father of all right:
That light is come nowe of the day,
yet in darkenes men more delight.
Thus do I wepe wt aboundāt teares,
with ſighes and eke with grones:
Ah that men wil not geue their eares
vntounto my lawfull mones.
Finis quod Iohn Bradforde.