The Way to Wealth, Text
¶ The way to wealth, wherein is plainly taught a moſt preſent remedy for Sedicion. Wrytten and imprinted by Robert Crowley the .vii. Of Februarye in the yere of our LORDE. A thouſand fiue hūderd & fiftie
☞ In Elie rentes in Holburne
¶ Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum ſolum.
☞ Who ſo thou be that doeſt deſyre,
to liue and good dayes ſe.
Loke yt in thy tonge and thy lyps,
none yl or diſceite be.
Fle from yl and do that good is,
whereof commeth no blame.
Seke thou for peace diligently,
and then enſue the ſame.
Pſalm. xxxiiii.
¶ By what meanes Sedicion maye be put awaye, and what diſtruction wil folow if it be not put away ſpedely. Conſultatio Robert Crolei
COnſidering that al mē maye playnely perceiue the greate hurte yt (of late daies) Sedicion hath done in thys realme, & that all wyſe men maye eſilye gather, what greater hurte is lyke to enſue, if it be not ſpedely ſene vntounto: it ſhalbe eueryevery true Englyſhmans duty forth wyth to employe his whole ſtudy to the remouynge ſo greate an euel oute of ſo noble a realme and commone wealth, leſte haply (if throughe negligence it growe and take deper rote) it be ſhortly to ſtronge and more ſuerly grounded, thā that it maye be rooted oute, wythoute the vtter deſtruction of the whole realme. For what can be more true, then that whych the trueth it ſelfe hath ſpoken? EueryEvery kyngdome (ſayeth Chriſte) that is deuided in it ſelfe,Mathew. xii. ſhall be broughte to nought. Intendynge therefore to playe the parte of a true Englyſhman, and to do all that in me ſhall ly to plucke thys ſtincking wede vp by the rote: I ſhal in thys good buſines do as in their euell exerciſe the diſeplayars (that gladlye woulde, but hauehave nothynge to playe for) do. Holde the candle to them that hauehave wherewyth, and wyll ſette luſtily to it. And ſo doyng, I ſhal be no leſſe worthy the name of a true herted Engliſhman then the trumpettar is, worthy ye name of a man of war, thoughe he do not in dede fyght, but animate and encourage other.
Sedition therfore beinge a daungerous diſeaſe in the bodie of a commen wealth: muſte be cured as the expert Phiſicians do vſe to cure the daungerous diſeaſes in a naturall bodie. And as the moſte ſubſtanciall waye in curinge diſeaſes, is by puttinge awaye the cauſes wherof they grewe: ſo is it in the pullinge vp of Sedition. For if the cauſe be once taken awaye, then muſte the effecte nedes faile. If the rote be cut of: the braunch muſt nedes die. The boughes cannot budde, if the tree, hauehave no ſappe.
Geue eare therfore (o my countrey men) geue eare. And do not diſdaine to heare the aduiſe of one of the leaſte of poure brethren for the matter requireth euerie mans counſell,Daniel. xiii. and God reueiled vntounto younge Daniell, that whiche the whole counſell of Babilon perceiued not. Geue eare, I ſaye, and if I tell you trueth, be not aſhamed to do yt I bid, thoughe ye knowe me to be at youre commaundement.Gene. xxi For Abraham was contented to do at the biddinge of Saraie his wife, becauſe he knewe that hir biddinge was gods will. And ye Niniuites did at the biddinge of pore Ionas,Ionas. iii. ſit in ſackecloth & aſhes, becauſe they perceiued that he tolde them the trueth. Yea cruell Herode did not refuſe to heare Iohn Baptiſte, becauſe the thinge whiche he told him was true.marcke vi. Leaſte you therfore ſhulde be more loftie then the Babilonians, more ſhamefaſt then Abrahā, more ſtubborne then the Niniuites, & more cruell then Herod, geue eare and patientlye heare what I ſhal ſaye.
The cauſes of Sedition muſte be roted oute. If I ſhuld demaunde of the pore man of the contrey what thinge he thinketh to be the cauſe of Sedition: I know his anſwere▪ He woulde tel me that the great fermares, the graſiers, the riche but hares, the men of lawe, the marchauntes, the gentlemen, the knightes, the lordes, and I can not tel who, Men that hauehave no name becauſe they are duplicate page duplicate page doares in al thinges that ani gaine hangeth vponupon. Men without conſcience. Men vtterly voide of goddes feare. Yea men that liue as thoughe there were no God at all. Men yt would hauehave all in their owne handes, men that would leaue nothyng for others, men that would be alone on the earth, men that be neuer ſatiſfied, Cormerauntees, gredye gulles, yea men that would eate vp menne women & chyldren: are the cauſes of Sedition. They take our houſes ouer our headdes, they bye our growndes out of our handes, they reyſe our rentes, they leauie great (yea vnreaſonable) fines, they encloſe oure commens. No cuſtome, no lawe or ſtatute can kepe them from oppreſſyng vsus, in ſuch ſorte, that we knowe not whyche waye to turne vsus to lyue. Very nede therefore conſtrayneth vsus to ſtand vp agaynſt them. In the countrey we can not tarye, but we muſt be theyr ſlaues and laboure tyll our hertes braſt, and then they muſt hauehave al. And to go to the cities we hauehave no hope, for there we heare that theſe vnſaciable beaſtes hauehave all in theyr handes. Some hauehave purchaſed and ſome taken by leaſes, whole allyes, whole rentes, whole rowes, yea whole ſtreats and lanes, ſo that the rentes be reyſed, ſome double, ſome triple, and ſome four fould to that they were wythin theſe .xii. yeres laſt paſt. Yea ther is not ſo much as a gardē grownd fre from them. No remedye therfore, we muſt nedes fight it out, or elſe be brought to the lyke ſlauery that the french men are in. Theſe Idle bealies wil deuour al yt we ſhal get by our ſore labour in our youth, and whē we ſhal be old and impotent, thē ſhal we be driuen to begge and craue of them that wyl not geue vsus ſo muche as the crowmes tha… fall from their tables: Such is the pytie w… ſe in them. Better it were therfore, for vsus to dye lyke men, then after ſo great miſery in youth to dye more miſerably in age.
Alaſſe poore man, it pitieth me to ſe the myſerable eſtate that thou arte in. Both for that thou arte ſo oppreſſed of them by whō thou ſhouldeſt be defended from oppreſſiō: and alſo for that thou knoweſt not thy dutye in thys great miſery. Thou art not ſo much oppreſſed on the one ſide, but thou art more deſtituted on the other ſyde. They yt ſhould noriſh and defend thy body in thy labour do oppreſſe the: & they yt ſhuld fede thy ſoule & ſtrengthen thy mind to beare al this paciētly, do leaue ye alone. If thy ſhepherde had bene a diligent watchman, & had eſpied the woulfe comyng vponupon the, before yu hadſt bene wtin his reach he wold, hauehave ſtepped betwene ye & thine enemi, & enſtructed ye in ſuch ſort yt though he had come in nine ſhepe ſkinnes, yet he ſhoulde not hauehave deceiued thy ſyghte. The deuell ſhoulde neuer hauehave perſwaded the yt thou myghteſt reuenge thyne owne wronge. The falſe prophetes ſhoulde neuer hauehave cauſed the to beleue that thou ſhouldeſte preuaile againſte them with the ſwerde, vnderunder whoſe gouernaunce God hath apointed the to be. He would hauehave told the that to reuenge wronges, is in a ſubiect to take and vſurpe the office of a kinge and cōſequently the office of God. For the king is goddes miniſter to reuenge the wronges done vntounto the innocent. As he that taketh in hande therefore, or preſumeth to do anye office vnderunder a kinge, not beinge lawfully called vntounto it, preſumeth to do the office of a kinge: ſo he that taketh in hand to do the office of a king, taketh goddes office in hand. We reade that oure ſauioure Chriſt beinge in the eſtimation of the worlde but a priuate man,Luke .x…. wold not walke out of the boundes of that vocacion. But whē a certaine mā came vntounto him & deſired that he would cōmaund hys brother to deuide the enheritaūce wyth him: he axed who had appointed him to be iudge in ſuche matters. And againe when the woman takē in adultery was broughte vntounto hym: he ſhoulde not geue ſentence of the lawe againſte her, but axed hir if any man had comdemned hir, and vponupon hir deniall let hir go. If theſe examples,Iohn. viii. with the terrible ſtories of Corah, Dathā, Abira and Abſolom had ben diligently beatē into thine heade:Numeri. xvi thou wouldeſte (no doubte) hauehave quieted thy ſelfe,ii. Reg. xviii and hauehave ſuffered thy ſelfe rather to hauehave bene ſpoyled of al together yea and thy bodie toren in peces rather thē thou wouldeſt hauehave taken on the more then thou art called vntounto. For no cauſe can be ſo great to make it lawful for the to do againſte goddes ordinaunce: But thy ſhepeherde hathe bene negligent as (alas the while) all ſhepeherdes be at this daie, and hath not enſtructed the aright. He eſpied not the wolf before he had woried the, or happlye he knewe him not frome a ſhepe. But it is moſte like he was but an hirelinge, and cared for no more but to be fedde with the milcke & fatlinges and cladde with the woule, as the greateſte numbre of thē that beare the name of ſhepeherde in Englande be at this daie. Yea perchaunce he had many flockes to kepe & therfore was abſent from them al, leauing with euerye flocke a dogge that woulde rather worye a ſhepe then driue away the woulfe, wel, brother, theſe be greate plages, & it behoueth the ſynnes to be greate that hauehave deſerued theſe ſo great and intollerable plages at goddes hande. Returne to thi conſcience therfore, and ſe if thou hauehave not deſerued all this and more to. Conſider firſte if thou hauehave loued thy neighboure as thy ſelf, cōſider if thou hauehave done nothing vntounto him that thou wouldeſte not that he ſhoulde do vntounto the. Loke if thou hauehave not gone about, to preuent him in any bargen that thou haſt ſene him about, loke if thou hauehave not craftely vndermined him to get ſome thing out of his hand, or to deceiue him in ſome bargein. Loke if thou hauehave not laboured him oute of his houſe or ground. Se if thou hauehave not accuſed him falſely or of malice, or elſe geuen falſe euidence againſte him: Se if thou hauehave not geuen euell counſell to his wife or ſeruauntes which might turne him to diſpleaſure. Conſider if thou hauehave not deſired and wiſhed in thine herte to hauehave his commoditie frō him, if thou mighteſt without blame of the worlde hauehave broughte it aboute. For God loketh vpō the herte and if thine herte hauehave bene infected with ani of theſe euilles then haſte thou bene abominable in the ſight of God, and haſte deſerued theſe plages at goddes hād. Now if yu befoūd abhominable in thy be hauoure towardes thy neighboure what ſhalt thou be founde troweſt thou in thy demaners to god ward? God requireth thine whole hert, thyne whole mynd, and al the powers of thy body and ſoule. Thou ſhalt louelove thy Lord God wyth all thy lyfe, wyth al thy mynd, and wyth al thy ſtrēgth. That is to ſay,Math. xxii. ther ſhalbe nothynge in the whych thou ſhalt not apply wholly to the louelove of thy Lord God. But how was it poſſible for the to louelove God (whom thou ſeeſt not) ſyth thou loueſt not thy Brother whom thou ſeeſt? God requireth the to louelove him euer. And how often haſt thou gone whole dayes togither, whole weakes, yea whole yeres, and neuer thought once to louelove hym aryght? How many and how great benefites haſt thou receyued at goddes hand, and howe vnthanckful haſt thou bene for them, thynckynge that thou haſte gotten them by thyne owne laboure and not receyued them frely at goddes hand? As though God had not geuen the thy lyfe, thyne health, and thy ſtrength to laboure. Yea and as thoughe it were not God only that geueth the increaſe of euerye mans labour. But knowynge by thyne owne creacion and bryngyng vp, and alſo by the yonge fruite that God ſendeth ye of thy bodi, & further by the frutes yt God ſēdeth and cauſeth yerely to growe out of ye earth, yt there is a god almyghty; yet yu haſt not honoured him as God,romaynes .l. but haſt turned the glorie of God into an Image made after the ſhape or ſimilitude of mortall man, renuinge and ridinge from place to place to ſeke and to honoure thinges of thine owne makeinge, crienge and callinge vponupon them in thy nede and paying vntounto thē thy vowes and thancking thē for thyne health receiued doinge them dayly worſhipe and reuerence in the temples, and beſtowinge thine almes vponupon them in deckinge thē and ſetting lightes before them. Biſide this thou haſte put confidence of ſaluacion in pardones that yu haſte bought, in prayers that thou haſt hiered or mumbled vp thy ſelfe, in maſſes that thou haſt cauſed to be ſaide, and in worckes that thou thy ſelfe haſte fantaſied, and haſte not thanckefullye receyued the free mercye of God offered vntounto the in Chriſt in whom onlye thou maiſte hauehave remiſſion of thy ſinnes: and therfore God hath geuen the vp in to a reprobate minde to do the thinge that is not beſeminge.Rom. i. Euen to ſtande vp againſte God and goddes ordinaunce, to refuſe his holy word, to delite in lies and falſe fables, to credite falſe prophetes and to take weapē in hand againſt goddes choſen miniſters, I ſaye his choſen miniſters. For be they good or bad they are goddes choſen. If they be good: to defende the innocente▪ If they be euell: to plage the wicked. If thou wilt therfore that God ſhall deliuer the or thy children from the tirannie of them that oppreſſe the: lament thine olde ſinnes,i. Eſdras .i. and endeuour emendment of life. And then he that cauſed King Cirus to ſend the Iewes home to Ieruſalem againe: ſhall alſo ſtire vp our yong king Edward to reſtore the to thy liberty againe, and to geue ſtraight charge that non ſhalbe ſo bolde as once to vexe or trouble the.Prouerb. xxi. For the herte of a kinge is in goddes hand, & as he turneth the riuers of water, ſo turneth he it. Beſure therfore, that if thou kepe thy ſelfe in obedience and ſuffer al this oppreſſion patiently, not geueing credite vntounto falſe prophecies that tel the of victori but to the worde of God that telleth the thy dutie: thou ſhalt at the time, and after the maner that God hath alredie pointed,Ezech. xi. be deliuered. Perchaunce God wyl take frō thine oppreſſours their hard ſtony hertes & geue them hertes of fleſhe, for it is in hys power ſo to do. Let him alone therfore. Reade the prophecie of Ieremie, and eſpecially the ſeuen and twentie Chapter,Reade Ieremie hys prophecie. the eighte and twentie and the nine and twenti, and therein thou ſhalte learne thy duetie in captiuitye, and howe vayne a thynge it is to credite the prophetes that Prophecie vyc-torie to theym that hauehave by their ſynnes deſerued to be led awaye captyue, yea and to remaine captiue till ſuche time as the time be complete duringe whiche God hath determined to puniſhe them. And know thou for certentie, that if thou be ſtil ſtouberne, God wil not leaue the ſo. He will bringe the on thy knees, he wyl make the ſtoupe. If the gē tlemen and rulars of thy countreie ſhoulde be to weake for the, he would bringe in ſtrainge nations to ſubdue the (as the Babilonians did the Iewes) and leade the away captiue. So that refuſing to ſerue in thine own countrie, thou ſhalte be made a ſlaue in a ſtrainge contrei. Quiet thy ſelfe therfore, & ſtriue not againſte the ſtreame. For thi ſinnes hauehave deſerued this oppreſſion, and God hath ſent if the as a iuſt rewarde for thy ſinnes: & be yu neuer ſo loth, yet nedes ſuſtaine it thou muſte. Apointe thy ſelfe therfore to beare it. Let it not be layed vponupon the in vain let it do the thing yt God hath ſent it for, let it cauſe the to acknowledge thy ſinne, repēt it and become altogether a new man. That in the day when God ſhall deliuer the, his name maie be glorified in the. And thē God ſhal ſēd ye plentie of true prophets, yt ſhal go before ye in puriti of life, and godli doctrine. They ſhal not come or ſend .iiii. times in an yere and no more, neyther ſhal they ſet one togather vp the tenth of thyne encreaſe to their behoufe, and leaue the deſtitute of a diligente guyde (as thy ſhepherdes do nowe a dayes) but God hath promiſed by hys prophete to take a waye theſe ſhepeherdes from the, and to commyt the to the kepynge of Dauid hys fayethful ſeruaunte, that is to ſaye to ſuch as wyll be as diligent in feadyng the, as Dauid was in gouernyng the people of whom he had gouernaūce. Geue eare therfore ye ſhephardes of thys church of Englande. Ye Byſhoppes, ye Deanes, Archdiacons and Canons, ye Perſons and ye Vicares what ſoeuer ye be, that receyue any parte of the tenth of mens yerelye encreaſe or any other patrimony of preachers geue eare to ye prophet Ezechiel, for ye ſame Lord yt bad him ſpeake vntounto ye ſheperdes of Iuda, byddeth hym ſpeake vntounto you nowe alſo. Thou ſonne of manne ſayth the Lord: prophecye agaynſt the ſhepherdes of England, prophecy and ſay vntounto thoſe ſhepheardis: thus ſayeth the Lord God. Wo be to the ſhepherdes of England,Ezech. xxxiiii. that hauehave fed them ſelues. What ought not thoſe ſhepherdes to hauehave fed thoſe flockes of England. Ye eate the fatte, and decke youre ſelues with the woule, & the mutton that is fat, ye kil to fede vpō, but theſe ſilli ſhepe ye fede not. The ſoroweful & penſiue ye hauehave not cō forted, the ſicke ye hauehave not healed, ye broken ye hauehave not boūd vp, the ſtray ſhepe ye hauehave not brought againe nor ſought for ye loſt. But wt extreme crueltie ye hauehave plaied the lordes ouer them &c. I nede not to reherſe more of this prophets ſaiyng vntounto you, for ye know where to hauehave it and hauehave leyſure inough to ſeke it, for ought that I ſe you buſied withal onleſſe it be with purchaiſinge landes for youre heires & finde fingered ladies, whoſe womālike, behauiour and motherlike houſewifry ought to be a lighte to al womē that dwell aboute you, but is ſo fare otherwiſe that vnleſſe ye leaue them landes to Marye them wythall, no man wyll ſet a pinne by them whē you be gone. Wel loke to this geare be tyme, leaſte perhappes it beede a ſcabbe emonge you. I woulde not your wiues ſhoulde be taken from you: but I wold you ſhoulde kepe them to the furtheraunce of goddes trueth wherof ye profeſſe to be teacheares. Let youre wiues therefore put of theire fine frockes and frenche hoodes & furniſhe them ſelues with al pointes of honeſt houſewifery, and ſo let thē be an helpe to youre ſtudie and not a lette. S. Paul teacheth you not to make them ladies or gentlewomen.i. Timo. iii. Neither doeth he teache you to be ſo gredie vponupon liueings, that for the liueinge ſake ye will take vponupon you the dueties of twentie men and yet do not the duetie of one, no ſome of you be not able to do anye part of one dutie. If goddes worde do alow it that one of you ſhulde be a deane in one place, a canone in an other, a parſone here and a parſone there, a maiſter of an houſe in Oxforde or Cambridge and an officer in the kinges houſe, and yet to do none of the duities herof thorowly: thē ſet your pennes to the paper and ſatiſfie vsus bi goddes word and we wil alſo helpe you to oure power to ſatiſfie the conſciences of them that be offended at youre doinges herin. If you can not do ſo: then geue ouer youre pluralities and make your vnſaciable deſires geue place to goddes trueth. Content your ſelfe without competent liueinge, and faile not to be diligente in doinge the duetie therof. But if ye wyll do neither of boeth: truſte to it ye ſhall heare more of it. Youre checkinge of one or two in a corner can not ſtop euerye mānes mouth in a matter of trueth beynge ſo great an infamie to ye goſpel of god which ye profeſſe. And if ye wil nedes hold ſtil your pluralities for your lordlike liueing ſake doubt ye not ye wyll be charged with that whiche ye woulde ſeme to be cleare of. For a great numbre of youre vnworthye curates hauehave bene the ſtirrars vp of the ſimple people in the late tumultes that hauehave bene, where as if you had not robbed thē of that which thei paye yearely to hauehave a learned and Godly teachar, they had bene better enſtructed, as appeared by the quietnes that was emonge them that had ſuch ſhepeherdes. Well brother. Thou I ſaie that art thus oppreſſed on the one ſide and deſtituted on the other: take mine aduiſe with the. Submit thy ſelf wholy to the wyll of God. Do thy laboure truly, cal vponupon God continually. I meane not that thou ſhuldeſt be euer muttering on thy beads, or yt thou ſhouldeſt hauehave any beads, but my meaninge is, that thou ſhouldeſt euer hauehave thine harte lifted vp vntounto God, for ſo meaneth Sainte Paul when he ſayeth. I would men ſhould pray alwayes and in all places, liftinge vp theire pure handes. &c.
And in all thy doinges let thy deſire be that Goddes wil be fulfilled in the, and what ſo euer God ſendeth the, holde the content wt al and render vntounto him moſt hertie thāckes for that he dealeth ſo mercifully with the, acknowledginge that bi his iuſtice he might poure oute vponupon the mo plages then euer were heard of. And when thou commeſte to thy pariſhe church, if thy curate be an euell liue ar,Math. xxiii. then remember what Chriſte ſaid vntounto his diſciples. When the ſcribes and phariſes do ſet them downe vponupon Moſes ſeate, then do al that they commaunde you to do, but do not as they do, for they ſay & do not. Remember this I ſaie, and what ſo euer thi curate biddeth the do whē he ſitteth on chriſtes ſeate, that is, when he readeth the bible vntounto the: that do thou. But folowe not his examples. Do not as thou ſeeſt him do, but at thy firſte entraunce into the church, lifte vp thine herte vntounto god, and deſire of hym that he wyll geue the his holye ſpirit to illumine and lighten the eies of thine herte that thou maiſt ſe and perceiue the true meaning of all the ſcriptures that thou ſhalte heare reade vntounto the that dai. And ſo ſhalt thou be ſure, that thoughe thy curate were a deuell and would not that any man ſhoulde be the better for that whiche he readeth: yet thou ſhalt be edified and learne as much as ſhalbe neceſſarye for thy ſaluacion. And for thy ſake god ſhall make thy curate (that otherwiſe wold mumble in the mouth & drounde his wordes) to ſpeake out plainly, or elſe he ſhall geue the ſuch a gift that thou ſhalt vnderſtande him plainely.…. ii. Of ſuche power is God, for when the Apoſtles ſpake in the hebrue tonge onlye, al that were preſent heard eueryevery man his own language. Doubt thou not therfore but if thou be deſirous to learne thy duetie out of that thy curate readeth to the: God wil make it plaine vntounto ye, though it be not plainlye reade. For he that coulde make the hebrue tonge (which ſowndeth far otherwiſe thē other tonges do) ſownd al maner of languages, to euerie man his owne language: can alſo make thine owne language ſownde plaine vntounto the, though it were not ſpoken anye thinge plaine. Thus ſeeſte thou that the cauſe of Sedition is not where thou laieſt it, for I hauehave declared to the that thine owne ſinne is the cauſe that thou arte Sedicious. For Sedition is poured vpō the to plage thy former ſinne withall. Becauſe thou kneweſt God bi his creatures and yet dideſt not honoure him as God, he hath geuen the ouer into a reprobate ſence to do the thinge that is vnſemelye, euen to ſtande vp againſte God and goddes ordinaunce, as I hauehave ſayde before.
Nowe if I ſhould demaūd of the gredie cormerauntes what thei thinke ſhuld be the cauſe of Seditiō: they would ſaie, the paiſāt knaues be to welthy, prouēder pritheth thē. They knowe not thēſelues, they knowe no obediēce, they regard no lawes, thei would hauehave no gentlemē, thei wold hauehave al mē like thēſelues, they would hauehave al thinges commune. Thei would not hauehave vsus maiſters of that which is our owne. They wil appoint vsus what rēt we ſhal take for our groundes We muſt not make the beſte of oure owne. Theſe are ioly felowes. Thei wil caſte doune our parches, & laie our paſtures opē, thei wil hauehave the law in their own hādes. They wil play the kinges. They wyll compel the kinge to grafit theyr requeſtes. But as they like their fare at ye breake faſte they had this laſte ſomer, ſo let thē do againe. They hauehave ben metely well coled, and ſhalbe yet better coled if they quiet not thē ſelues. We wyll tech thē to know theyr betters. And becauſe they wold hauehave al cōmone, we wil leaue thē nothing. And if they once ſtirre againe or do but once cluſter togither, we wil hang thē at their own dores. Shal we ſuffer ye vila…nes to diſproue our doynges? No, we wil be lordes of our own & vſe it as we ſhal thinke good.
Oh good maiſters, what ſhuld I cal you? you yt hauehave no name, you yt hauehave ſo many occupaciōs & trads yt ther is no on name mete for you. You vngētle gentlemē. You churles chikens I ſay. Geue me leue to make anſwere for the pore Ideotes ouer whom ye triumphe in this ſorte. And this one thing I ſhal deſire of you that ye report me not to be one that fauoureth their euel doinges (for I take God to witnes I hate doeth theyre euell doinges and youres alſo) but geue me leaue to tel you as frely of your faultes, as I hauehave alreadi told them of theires. And for aſmuch as you be ſtronge and they weake, I ſhall deſire you to beare with me though I be more erneſt in rebuking your faultes, then I was in rebuking theirs.
True it is, the pore men (whō ye cal paiſaunte knaues) hauehave deſerued more thē you can deuiſe to laie vponupon them. And if euerye one of them were able and ſhoulde ſuſtaine as much puniſhment as thei al were able to ſuſtaine yet could thei not ſuſtaine the plages yt thei hauehave deſerued. But yet if their offence wer laied in an equall balaunce with yours (as no doubt thei are in ye ſight God) do…t not but you ſhould ſone be aſhamed of yo…re parte. For what can you laye vntounto their charge, but they hauehave had examples of the ſame in you? If you charge thē wyth diſobedience: you were firſte diſobedient.
For without a law to beare you, yea contrarie to the law which forbiddeth al maner of oppreſſion & extortiō, & that more is cōtrarie to conſcience, the ground of al good lawes, ye encloſed frome the pore theire due commones, leauied greater fines thē heretofore hauehave bene leauied, put them frō the liberties (and in a maner enheritaunce) that they held vp cuſtome, & reiſed theire rentes. Yea whē ther was a law ratified to the contrary, you ceaſed not to finde meanes either to compel your tenantes to conſēt to your deſire in encloſinge, or elſe ye found ſuch maiſterſhip yt no man durſte gaine ſaye your doinges for feare of diſpleaſure. And what obediēce ſhewed you, when the kinges proclamations were ſent forthe, and commiſſions directed for the laying open of your encloſures, and yet you lefte not of to encloſe ſtil? Yea what obediēce was this which ye ſhewed at ſuch time as the kinges moſte honourable counſell perceiueinge the: grudginge that was emong the people, ſent forth the ſecond proclamation concerning your negligence or rather contempte in not laieinge open that which cōtrari to the good eſtatutes made in parliament you had encloſed? It appeareth by your doinges that there was in you neither obedience to your prince and his laws, nor louelove to your contrei. For if there had bē obedience in you: you wold forthwith hauehave put al his laws in executiō to the vttermoſt of youre power. And if you had loued your contrei, woulde you not hauehave preuented the great deſtructiō that chaūced bi the reaſone of your vnſaciable deſire: I am ſure you be not rulars in your contrey, but ye can ſe before what is likely to folowe vponupon ſuch oppreſſion, & eſpeciallye in a realme that hath hertofore had a noble and a valiaunte enmminalti. But graunt ye were ſo beaſtiſh: yet hauehave you not lacked thē that hauehave tolde you of it both by wordes and writtinges. You hauehave ben tolde of it I ſaye, and hauehave had the threatninges of God laied plainlye before your eies wherin you muſt nedes ſe the vē geaunce of God hanging ouer your heades for your lacke of mercy. Ther is not one ſtorie of the Bible that ſerueth to declare how readi God is to take vengeaunce for the oppreſſion of his people: but the ſame hath ben declared vntounto you to the vttermoſte, beſide the notable hiſtories and cronicles of thys realme, wherin doeth moſt plainly appeare the iuſtice of god in the reuenging of his people, at ſuch time as they hauehave kept thēſelues in quiete obedience to their prince & rulers & their deſtruction when they hauehave rebelled.
Wittinglye and willinglye therfore ye hauehave boeth diſobeied youre kinge and his lawes, and alſo broughte youre contrei into the miſeri it is in, bi pulling vpō your ſelf ye vengeaunce of god whiche of his iuſtice he can not holde backe from ſuch people as do wyllinglye and wittynglye oppreſſe him in his membres, in ſuch ſorte as ye hauehave done. Howe you hauehave obeyed the lawes in rukeinge together of fermes, purchaiſinge and prollynge for benefices, robbing the people of good miniſters therby, al the world ſeeth and all godly hertes lament. Loke the eſtatutes made in the time of our late ſouerayne of famouſe memorye Henrie the .viii. & ſaye if ye maye by thoſe eſtatutes (taken in theyr true meaninge) either beinge no prieſtes nor ſtudentes in the vniuerſities hauehave benifices, or other ſpirituall promotions (as you call theym for ye are aſhamed to calle theym, miniſtracious becauſe ye neyther wyll nor can miniſter) or beinge prieſtes hauehave pluralities of ſuch miniſtrations. Well I wyl burden you no more wyth youre faultes, leaſte perhappes you can not wel beare thē But thys I ſhall ſaye vntounto you. You ſhall neuer the ſoner be gentlemen for your ſhout oppreſſion, nor the later hauehave thynges in priuate for that ye let youre tenauntes lyue by you vponupon theyre laboure. And thincke not to proſpere the better in youre vnſatiable deſyre for that you tryumphe ſo Lordelyke ouer the poore Captyfes, that beynge ſeduced by the vayne hope of vyctorye promyſed theym in piuyſhe Prophecies hauehave greatly offended God by rebellion: for the greater their offence is, the greater ſhall your plage be when it commeth. For you hauehave bene the only cauſe of theyr offence. If he therfore that is the occaſion of one mans fallyng vntounto any kynd of vyce, were better hauehave a mylſtone tied aboute hys necke and be caſt into the depe ſea wythall: what ſhalbe thought of you that hauehave bene the occaſiō of ſo many mens fallyng into ſo deteſtable ſynne and treſpaſſe agaynſte God, as to diſtrube ye whole eſtate of their contrei with the great perill and daunger of their anointed Kyng in hys tender age, whoſe bloud (if he had periſhed) ſhould hauehave bene required at your handes as the bloud of al them that hauehave periſhed ſhal? Oh merciful god, were it not that goddes mercy is more then your ſynnes can be: ther were no way but to deſpeyre of forgeuenes. But god is not onelyonly mightye in mercy & able to forgeue al ye ſinnes of the whole world: but he is alſo redye to forgeue al that returne frō theyr wycked wayes, and wt a conſtant faith & ſure beleue to obtayne do call on hym for mercye. I aduertiſe you therfore, & in the name of Chriſt (whoſe name you beare) I require you, that wtout delaye ye returne to your hertes & acknowledge your greuous and manifold offences, cōmitted in your behauiour to wardes the poore members of Chriſt (youre brethren boeth by religion and nation) whome you hauehave ſo cruellye oppreſſed, wyſhe euen from the bottome of your hertes, yt you had neuer done it. Be fully determined to make reſtituciō of that ye hauehave miſſe takē, though ye ſhould leaue your ſelues nothynge. For better is a cleare conſciēce in ye hour of deth in a beggars boſome, then mountaynes of gould wt a conſcience yt is gilty, Wiſhe that you had contented your ſelues wt that ſtate wherin your fathers left you, and ſtriue not to ſet your children aboue the ſame, leſt god take vengaunce on you boeth ſodenly, when ye be moſt haſtie to clime. And if for youre worthines god hauehave called you to offyce ſo that ye may wyth good conſcience take vpō you ye ſtate that ye he called vntounto: then ſe you deale iuſtly in all poyntes, & folowe not fylthy lucre to make your children Lordes, but ſtudye to furniſh them wt al knowledge and godly maners, that they may worthily ſuccede you. Grudge not to ſe ye people growe in wealth vnderunder you, neither do you inuent waies to kepe thē bare: leſt haply it chaunce vntounto you as it did to Kinge Nabuchodonozer and hys ſeruauntes when they diuiſed wayes to kepe the Hebrues in ſlauery ſtil,Exodi. i…
They rebelled not but quietly did theyr labour, referrynge theyr cauſe to God. They prepared not for warres neither had any cō fidence in theyr owne ſtrength, but when the Egiptians thought to hauehave had a faire day at them:Exodi. xii. God drowned them al in the redde ſea, and draue theyr deade bodies on land in ſuch ſorte that they whom they thoughte to kepe ſtyll in ſlauerye myght eaſyly take the ſpoyle of them. Thincke not therfore, but if the people quiete thēſelues in theyr oppreſſion and cal vntounto God for deliueraunce: he wyll by one meane or other geue them the ſpoile of their oppreſſours. He is as mighty nowe as he was in thoſe dayes and is now as able to flea boeth you and youres in one night,Exodi. xiiii. as he was to flea al the firſte borne of the Egiptyans: And then who ſhal hauehave the ſpoile? Be warned betime, leaſt ye repēte to late leaue of your gredie deſire to pul away the liueynge from the cleargy, and ſeke diligentlye to ſet ſuche miniſters in the churche as be able and wyl enſtruct the people in al pointes of theyr dutie, that you with them and they with you may eſcape the wrath of God that hangeth preſently ouer you both. Ionas. iii.The kinge & Citizens of Neniue were not aſhamed to fitte in ſackecloth and in aſhes lamentynge their ſynnes and there vponupon founde mercye. Wherefore if ye wyll …ynde mercye, ye muſte not be aſhamed to do the lyke, for certenlye the greatnes of your ſinnes importeth as preſent diſtruction to you as if ye were the ſame Niniuites yt Ionas was ſēt vntounto. Be not aſhamed therfore to proclame a ſolemne faſt thorowe out the whole realme, yt all at once wt one voyce we may crye vntounto god for mercy. Leaue of your cōmunions in a corner, & come to ye opē temples yt men may ſe yt ye regard ye Lords inſtitucion. Breake your bread to the pore, yt al men may ſe yt ye regard faſtyng. For yt is the true faſt, to refraine the meate & drinke yt accuſtomably we were wout to take & geue the ſame (or the value therof) to the nedy. So ſhal you both fele & know theyr diſeaſe, and eaſe it alſo. Truſt not to your great nūber of valiant warriours, neither to your mightye prouiſions, but remēber what befel to Holofernes ye ſtout captaine of king Nobuchoddnozer, when he woulde not harken to the right aduice of Achior hys vndercaptaine.
For certenly I ſay vntounto you,Iudeth. v. god was neuer more redy to deliuer his people of Iſrael frō oppreſſiō at al times when they walkinge in his wayes committed their cauſe vntounto him: then he is now redy to deliuer al chriſten mē that do wyth lyke confidence cal vponupon him, If you therfore wyl not he arken vntounto Achior his counſel, but determine to tormēt him when ye ſhal triumpth ouer the reſt: doubte you not but Iudith ſhal cut of al your hedes on after another & god ſhal ſtrike youre retinew wt ſuch a feare,Iudeth. xiii. and .xv. yt none ſhalbe ſo bolde as once to tourne hys face. Yea if there were no men left on liue to put thē in feare, they ſhould be feared wyth ſhadowes. And though ther were no gonnes to ſhote at thē, yet the ſtones of the ſtrete ſhuld not ceaſe to flye emonge them, by the mightye power of God, who wyl rather make of eueryevery graſſe in the field a man, then ſuch as truſt in hym ſhould be ouerrun or kept in oppreſſion. Be warned therfore, & ſeke not to kepe the commones of England in ſlauery. For that is ye next way to deſtroie your ſelues. For if thei cōmit theyr cauſe to God & quiet thē ſelues in their vocacion, beyng contented with oppreſſion, if goddes wyll be ſo: then ſhal ye be ſure that God wyll fyghte for them, and ſo are ye ouer matched. But if they wyl nedes take in hand to reuenge theyr owne wronge God wyll fyght agaynſt you boeth, ſo that you boeth conſumynge one the other ſhall ſhortly be made a praye to thē that ye doubt leaſt of al the world.
As you tender your owne wealth therefore and the publique wealth of thys noble realme of Englande, which God hath enriched wyth ſo manye and ſo greate commodities, & as you deſyre to vſe and enioye the ſame, and not to be led away captiue into a ſtraynge nacion, or elſe be cruelly murthered among your wyues, kinſfolke and children, and finallye to be damned for euer: ſo loke vponupon theſe cauſes of Sedicion, and do your beſt endeuour to put them awaie. You that be oppreſſed, I ſay, refer youre cauſe to God. And you yt hauehave oppreſſed, lamēt your ſo doinge and do the office of your callinge, in defendinge the innocente and fedinge the nedye. Let not couetyſe conſtraine you to robbe the people of that porcion which they paie to hauehave godly miniſters to enſtruct thē in their duetie, and to releue the vnweldy that be not able to labour for theire fode Be carefull and diligent to ſeke for ſuche miniſters, and when you hauehave founde them let them hauehave al that the people paye yearely out of their encreaſe, that they may liue ther on and miniſter vntounto the pore, out of ye ſame.
Thus doinge, ye ſhall not onelye eſcape the vengeance that hangeth preſentlye ouer you but alſo be rewarded at goddes hande boeth with excedinge plenti of al good thinges in this life, & alſo with life euerlaſtinge when nature ſhal ende the ſame. Where as if ye wyl not take counſell but remayne ſtyl in your wycked purpoſe▪ Pharao nor ye Sodomites were neuer ſo hardened as you ſhalbe, neyther is the remembraunce of theyr diſtruccion ſo terible to vsus, as the diſtruccion of you ſhalbe to others that ſhall come after. The ſpirite of GOD worcke in youre hertes that ye beynge admoniſhed of the ſword that is commynge, maye by repentaunce of your ſyn eſcape the daunger therof.
☞ So be it ☜
End of the text · Robert Crowley, The Way to Wealth (1550)