Thirty-One Epigrams, Title page – Table of contents
¶ One and thyrtye Epigrammes wherein are brieflye touched ſo manye abuſes, that maye and ought to be put away. Compiled and Imprinted by Robert Crowley, dwellinge in Elye rentes. in Holburne. Anno domini. 1550.
i. Cor. xiiii. What ſo euer ye do, let the ſame be done to edifie wythall.
Gala vi. If I ſhoulde ſtudye to pleaſe men: than coulde I not be the ſeruaunt of Chriſte.
The Boke to the Reader.
IF bokes may be bolde
to blame and reproue,
The faultes of al menne
boeth hyghe and lowe:
As the Prophetes dyd
whom Gods ſpirite did moue,
Than blame not mine Autor,
for right well I knowe:
Hys penne is not tempered
vayne doctrine to ſowe,
But as Eſaye hath bidden
ſo muſte he neades crye,Eſai. 5…
And tell the Lordes people
of their iniquitie.
Now if I do the worldlinges
in anye poynte offende
In that I reproue them
for their wyckednes:
It is a plaine token
they wyll not emende
I take all the wyſe men
of the earth to wytnes,
To them therfore mine Autor
biddeth me confeſſe,
That ſith they be determined
ſtyll in their ſynne to dwell:
Iohn. iii.He accounteth them no better
than fire brandes of hell.
Wherefore he bade me bid them
holde them contente,
He hath not written to them
that will not emende,
For to the willinge wicked
no prophete ſhall be ſente
Excepte it be to tell them
that at the laſte ende
They ſhall be ſure and certayne
wyth Satanas to wende.
For before ſuche ſwyne
Mat. vii.no pearles maye be caſte,
That in the filthye puddell
take all their repaſte.
To ſuche onelyonly therfore
I muſte his meſſage do,
As hauehave not their delite
in wickednes to dwell,
But when they heare their fault
are ſorye they dyd ſo,
And louingely imbrace
ſuche men as do them tell,Luke. v.
Reformynge euermore
their lyfe by the goſpell.
To theſe men am I ſente
and theſe I truſte will take
My warnynge in good parte
and their euill forſake.
Iohn, viii.
He that is of God, heareth the worde of God.
Finis.
¶ The table of the cōtentes of thys boke.
A
Of Abbayes
Of Alehouſes
Of Allayes
Of Almes houſes.
B
Of Balyarrantes
Of Baudes
Of Beggers
Of Bearebaytinge
Of Brawlers
Of Blaſphemous ſwearers.
C
Of Colliers
Of Commocioners
Of Commune drunckardes.
Of commune lyers
D
Of Dyce players
Of Double beneficed men
E
Of Thexcheker.
F
Of Fatterers
Of Fole
Of Foreſtallers
G
Of Godles men
I
Of Idle perſons
Of Inuenters of ſtraunge newes.
L
Of Laye men that take tythes
Of Leaſemongers
M
Of Marchauntes
Of Men that hauehave diuers offices.
N
Of Nice wyues.
O
Of Obſtinate Papiſtes.
R
Of Rente rayſers.
V
Of Vayne writers
Of Vnſauſiable Purchaſers
Of Vſurers.