A compendious treatise in metre declaring the first original of Sacrifice, and of the building of altars and Churches, and of the first receiving of the Christian faith here in England by G. M. jacob. 4. ¶ Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Anno Domini. 1.5.5.4.18. Decembris. ❧ The Preface, Unto the Readers. Spiritus ubi vult Spirat Good readers pardon me I pray you more and less The first letter of every of these verses doth contain the name of the maker. empty of learning, furnished with rudeness Only my good will, accept here in this place Regard here the stories, though they you apprehend Grudge you not at them, but your faults amend Examples they you show, for to move you to grace Use me & amend me, & I will thank you therefore Save me sure harmless, & I ask you no more Mark not my rhyme, but regard well the matter As time shall serve you, read it with leisure Referring all faults to your good discretion Sith I am bare of knowledge, and void of eloquence Have it not in despite, but pardon my insolence All things I wish to come, to good end and conclusion Laude god and praise him how ever the world turn Look well to the mark that all men must run jacob. 4. Cleanse your hands ye sinners, & purge your hearts ye wavering minded. ❧ To the right Worshipful master Richard Whartun Esquire G. M. doth wish long life with grace. inasmuch right worshipful Sir, as it is well known to all your neighbours, that you have been a worthy champion, and a bold soldier, that very manly hath stand and fought under the banner of Christ's faith, not being moved or driven back, neither with the pestiferous blasts of Antichristes' preachers, or yet in fear of peril of the high and mighty waves of this tempestrious sea, which unsatiably hath swallowed up many a cowardly heart, and overwhelmed many weak in faith. Which constancy of your behalf hath no less demerited, then Christ himself hath promised (as his Apostle saint james doth full well record) that is to say, a crown incorruptible. And therefore hath Christ himself willed all men to persevere in faith unto the end. Also monishinge all his, to beware and take heed of the false and devilish doctrine, that shallbe sown in the end of the world (saying) that thereby many shallbe deceived, yea and the hearts of innocentes shallbe thereby perverted, as the Apostle doth well testify. We may now in these our days right worshipful sir say, that seed hath been sown. But it is darnel in the stead of good corn. For the increase thereof is evil, and therefore the seed is the better perceived. For the nature of darnel is such, that if it be received in what liquor or meats, it will cause the eater thereof to judge himself to be dusie in the brains, as the experience doth full well prove, that this darnel, the which hath been received of many, what carnal vessels hath brought themselves, as to say into a madness of mind, neither fearing God, dreading hell, obeying their king, or knowing themselves, as we may daily perceive by experience in their works. For who have red of so many heresies, treasons, conspiracies, murders, false accusations, proud attempts, devilish assaults, fond enterprises, lamentable crimes, and wretched ending, as hath been sith the time, that this darnel hath entered into their brain. Yet may be well judged by these people, that Legion the great devil the monstruous cockatrice hath laid her eggs, and hath hacheged them, and hath brought forth her birds in an evil time, by whose poison innumerable hath been and is infected. Who happy good fyr is that man, that hath not entered into their wicked judgement, neither yet hath walked in their perverse ways, neither yet hath rested themselves in their seat or pestilent chair. Yet doth these wicked birds chatter, and continually say: that all the cause of our plagues hath been for that we have not received gods word, as though God's word was never in this realm before, and that God's word can not be received but in the English tongue. But surely good sir the rulers of the earth hath been to blame for suffering so precious and holy aynell to be cast among swine, sith Christ himself hath warned us the contrary. And so it is an old saying, that to much familiarity engendereth contempt: yet will this wicked generatiso stiffly stand in argument, that it is necessary, that all men should have the Bibel and Testament in their mother tongue, as though that all men being ordained to learn God's word, should also be teachers. But surely good sir their opinion is verily false, as you shall well perceive. Vza being appointed to drive the oxen that did bear the ark of God, was not ordained to touch the ark. For as it is written in the story, because he did stay the ark with his hand, when it was in jeopardy of falling, he was strooken down dead by the hand of God. Oza the king did also enterprise to incense the aultare, which was not his office to do, and therefore, he was strooken with leprosy in his face. Thus were they plagued, that did presume to the office, not being called thereunto, although they did suppose to do God good service. Christ himself did talk of the kingdom of heaven with Nicodemus a ruler in Israel, so did he with Zacheus, a man of worshipful estate among the jews, with the Centurion a captain, the young inheritor, the widow of Canaan, the woman of Samarie, and with many innumerable more, yet did not Christ command none of all these to preach the Gospel. Yet it was his good pleasure, that they should know it, when he healed the man, that was both dumb and deaf: which doth figure those, that know not Christ, neither can talk of his law. Yet when this man did know Christ, and could testify of his grace and mercy, yet Christ did not send him to preach, but to praise God, & him to magnify: and when Christ did cleanse the lepers, he did not send them to preach, but to show them to the priest, and gave them charge to fulfil, that the law did command them. And contrary, when Christ had strooken down Saul, and converted him to Paul, he sent him to preach unto the Gentiles, and Christ generally sent his Apostles to preach to all creatures. And if Christ should have given that commandment to all men, than all should have been preachers and no hearers: therefore even as God hath set orders and degrees among his archangels and angels: and diversity of the light and brightness of the sun, moon, & each other star. Even so he hath made some patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, Evangelists, doctors, and teachers, and so diversly of estate of each other degree among the people on the earth. For God himself even from the first creation, of stones, herbs, and fruits, that grow and spring yearly out of the earth, God hath made some of more virtue and worthy estimation than some. Like as the potter doth not make all his vessels for one use or purpose, but diverse vessels to serve for diverse uses, according to the will of the maker. And therefore it is Gods will, and also the counsel of the Apostle, that every man should abide and walk in his vocation and calling. And now good sir to conclude, for that I have ever heard, & well doth know, that you have been faithful in your office, and justly hath walked in your vocation. I have therefore dedicate this my simple work in your name, thereby declaring my good will towards the maintenance of the true religion, and also to do some thing to pleasure you, if it were in my simple power. But to conclude as I have said, I beseech you good sir consider my good will, and let it stand for a just fact. jesus preserve you. AS I lay musing in my bed alone My pillow removing. For sleep was gone So troubled was my spirit by grievous agony Considering the state and stay of our believe The oft changing thereof christian hearts doth grieve Which standeth in no stay, it is the more pity God give us grace our lives to amend And true faith in England again send For lack of grace we have gone astray Ensuing the steps of wickedness alway Our souls and bodies by sin is corrupted The things that of old to God was begun We fondly again have them fordone The bad for the good unseemly placed Experience hath taught us it is well known That evil men have reaped, that good men have sown When Adam did live with Eve his wife Genes. 3. The serpent begun to sow some strife Between our lord and the soul of man Persuading the woman of the apple to eat promising her wisdom thereby to get Where sin was unknown, there than it began Thus by the breaking of God's commandment Man's soul was caught captive by death to shent Genes. 9 When Abel and Cain first did begin Of their fruits to offer that then were growing On the earth to the lord in worthy sacrifice Cayn slew Abel there in that stead With the jaw bone of an Ass as we read Because the lord did his oblation despise, When oblation and sacrifice here first began The devil set strife between man and man As the people began to increase in number, With uncleanness their souls they did encumber Genes. 6.7. That God did repent that ever he made man And for that they would not repent & amend The rain from heaven to the earth did ascend Wherewith was destroyed all creatures than Thus was the world destroyed for sin But Noye had an ark to save him in When the flood was ended, than Noye gods preacher Began first to build to God an jultare Whereon he did offer sweet incense & sacrifice Which was so well accepted to God in heaven That he said he would never destroy again All creatures from the earth by glage or otherwise Genes. 22. levit. 9 Matth. 5. Then altars was used as the books doth tell Of the Levites, patriarchs, prophets, & gospel The Angel to Abram from the lord was sent That Isaac his son in sacrifice should present Genes. 10. Unto the lord for so was his will Abram then stood not this message to reason But went with his son with all expedition Unto the mount there Isaac to kill To sacrifice his son, Abram was content As the lord himself had given commandment Here may you see though some will prate The altar and sacrifice was not devised of late As the stories old doth truly tell When Hanna the barren did fast and pray 1. Regum. 1. And sacrifice to the lord as the story doth say He gave her a son, that hyte Samuel With prayer and oblation God was pleased The troubled heart, he therefore hath eased When the citizens of Ninive wickedly did live jonas. jonas was sent them warning to give Within forty days there subversion to be The King in all the haste, sent commandment then That all should repent, both woman and man Their clothes not rending but their hearts inwardly Thus by repentance, the City was saved By prayer and fasting, their pains released Israel being plagued with mortal Pestilence 2. Regum. 2.4. Bavyd it knew it was for his insolence From numbering the people, from Dan to Bersaba Then David did cause to rear up an aultare Whereunto the lord he did sacrifice and offer To cease the plague of Israel and juda When the people of old the lord had offended By sacrifice acceptable their sins they cleansed Solomon the king and most wise of fame 3. Regum. 6. builded a temple to God's honour and name With riches abundant he did it beautyfye Cedar, Olive, & palm tree, there was not scant Tin, Copper, Silver, nor Gold did there want Neither stones precious or ornaments costly Of socks and laver, there was many a one All of bright brass, they were made each one An aultare of Gold unto the lord he made A table of the same, where the sweet bread was laid Idem. And candlesticks ten on the aulcare standing The lamps and flowers of gold were pure Bowls, pieces, spoons, and every masure richly was wrought, for no cost sparing 3. Regum. ●. Here may you see that the good fathers of old Destroyed no altars, but made some of gold Many very fond in argument doth stand Act. 7. That God doth not dwell in temple made with hand As though the scripture meant so plainly The heavens & whole earth are insufficient God to attain or keep, a time or moment But where his will is, there will he be Yet is the church an house to God builded Matth. 2.1. Esay 5.6 A place for his name, there ever to be praised Some thing it is but labour lost To bestow on the church one penny of cost In Cope, cross, or vestiment, or any other jewel For sacrifice or offering God doth not care Esay 58. To feed the hungry, and the oppressed to spare Of such good works, the scripture doth tell This do they surmise devotion to oppress Counterfeiting holiness, and meaning nothing less Matth. 2. Christ himself at his birth was content To receive of the kings their offering and present That they in the stable to him did offer And when he was of twelve years of age Luke 2. He came with his mother and his father sage To offer in jerusalem, according to the manner Thus our lord jesus would not in no wise Offend the law though we it despise Christ knowing right well his death to draw near Matth. 22. He sent for an Ass, as it doth well appear thereon for to ride to jerusalem willingly Some cut down bows, and before him they strawed Some put of their garments, & in the way them laid singing altogether, hosanna God on high God was content the people should adore With Body and goods, he gave it therefore In all times past, such was the Conclusion When schisms hath been, then true Religion Was falsely perverted as the book says Since the time that Peter in Rome did rain There hath been schisms, twenty and twain Petrus de Aliaco in concordantia theology cum Astronomia. ca 58. This now excepted, begun in our days Like to this schism in this Realm never was With so great destruction to soon now alas Fifteen hundred years past we in writing find Since Lucy was King of England by kind Poli. Which sent to the Pope called Elentherius That he would send or else soon come This Realm to convert to holy Christendom Which sent Damian with his fellow Forganus Then was this Realm to Christ converted Which we again hath falsely subverted Although from Rome these preachers were sent Poli. To christian this Realm by the kings consent Should we therefore our faith again deny Christ in Bethleem jury, a poor city was borne Matth 2. Luke. 27 In stable among beasts that fed were with corn Should this dimynyshe his power or his glory To gods pleasure & will humble souls should 〈◊〉 To his works & words, & not against them say Trouble not thy brains thy faith for to scan For God is a great God, & thou a simple man Yet is not in thy thought, to search out his wisdom Eccle. 3. Rom. 11. Psal. l 18. Matth. 26. Mark. 14. Luke. 22. johan 6. 1 Cor. 11. All thing of nothing with his word he made The bread eke his body, when he the word said And so to remain till he again come The Euagelistes & Apostle of this doth record Saying take and eat the body of over Lord josephus. Upon this Scripture, & Christ's own saying The sacrifice of the Mass took the beginning The Apostles themselves the same hath begun james Alpheus in the self same year Said Mass in jerusalem, as it doth appear At the Penticost after Christ's Ascension This is not new, though fools surmise Against the Mass to counterfeit lies james the less in jerusalem bishop did reign Eusebius in historia ecclessiastica. lib. 3. jeronimus de viris illustrisbus. Peter in Antioch & in the East lands certain And so in Rome twenty years and five Andrew to the Greeks in Constantinople did preach To Egeas Christ crucified he did well teach In legenda Andreae. The lamb daily offered, and yet still alive These three Apostles said Mass in their days Though Satan's satyllites against it says When this james was made first bishop of jerusalem They ordained him ministers & deacons seven As the Acts of the Apostles doth well testify Act. 6. Stephen, Philip, procures: Timon & Permenas With the other also, Nichanor, and Nicolas Which ministered to the people well & worthily Act. 2. This was ordained by the Apostles whole consent According to the authority, that God them sent Ambrose. jeronimus. Many now doth muse and fondly can chat Where Rome this authority first them got Since they are but men, even as we be This authority to the place forsooth was not given The holy ghost to the Apostles was sent from heaven Act. 2. Them to end we with power and authority Which ordained by lot the Apostle Mathias To be on the stead of the traitor judas Thus had the Apostles power as you may see To ordain in the church ministers of each degree jeronimus de viris illustribus. The people to god's lore and rules for to call In all public weals, where good order is scant There love, rest, and riches doth ever want And suddenly are trapped in dangerous thrall Matth. 12. That realm or monarch can not long endure Where good order doth want, you may be sure The ship without guide long can not sail Matth. 12. jacob. 3. Neither can the puisantes of men prevail Without good rule, and order decente In time all things had their beginning And so in time shall return to their ending For so it is ordained by gods just consent Eccle. 3. We may not impute it as a fault or crime That the Apostles and fathers ordained in their time When faith in England began first to springe The Priests in the churches did daily Mass sing And so did continue and still hold an Till at the last as the stories doth tell A king here did reign, that faith did expel Dioclusion by name, that slew saint Albon Poll. This man is holden as a martyr full good And the other a tyrant cruel and wood josephus libr. 20. Gayus Decius, Herode, and cruel Hero Persecuted the churches with other tyrants more To kill and to slay was all their whole delight Peter and Andrew on the cross they spread Act. 12. james they slew, and Paul lost his head Thus at god's servants they had despite Like as the Perselites doth now in our time Skanne of their faith, and against it time When Dioclusian and Maximilian forsooth did reign Eusebius. Beda. There was xvij thousand of volye martyrs slain So cruel was these tyrants faith to delay That Peter and the Apostles so sore was afraid That in spelunkes & caves there they mass said Before the holy brethren privily each day In legenda sancti Syluestri. Till Silvester came, that bishop full good That builded stone altars, that before was of wood This persecution held on full as I ween Poli. The space of two hundredth years and syxetene Destroying the church and good christianity The holy places to gods honour dedicated ●. Regum. 12. With heathen Maumentes they did maculate Thus faith was turned to infidelity This was forsooth a full piteous case To pluck down Christ, & set satan in his place There was a bishop that hyte by name Ive Beda, lib. 2. That came to England, and in Devenshere did arrive Which Christ & the faith to the people did preach He was the kings son of pierce, a good holy man Hutte, hutte, and yught where his deacons then Which busied themselves gods lore for to teach In legenda sancti juonis. These men were buried in Huntyngdon shire In a place called Slepe, as the story doth appear Yet was not this realm fully converted Which was before by infidelity subverted Poli. Till Gregory in Rome Pope was there He came into the market, as it by chance fell Where as he found English children to sell In legenda sancti Gregorij. Beda. lib. 1. ca 23. Demanding of what country & nation they were Answer was made of England they be As Angles said Gregory they seem to me Then sent to Augustine with good intent Which did arrive at Tanette in Kent The king and the subjects he converted there Beda. lib. 1. ca 23. Then faith again began for to spring Which then was received of subjects & king As in the English Chronicles it doth appear Why should we at Rome now have despite That changed our darkness again to light Ethelbertus was then king, as I have red Berta hyte the Queen, that much desired Beda. idem. To here Augustine preach gods word divine Then did it chance, and follow by success Wilhelmus lib. 1. That the people converted both more and less To Christ's faith, and holy doctrine Then began Kings Churches to build Which were before with Idols defiled Then came to reigning by succession in time Beda. lib. 3. ca 13 Noble king Edgar, Oswoulde and edwin That found & rebuilded more than forty abbeys That were before by the saxons destroyed And eke by infideles, that the faith denied To count some by name, as stories says Whinchester, Wylton, Brought, and Ramsey, Glastonbury, Abyngton, and also Thorney. Edmund & Edward, full noble kings they were Which builded worthily, & for no cost did spare To erect such places to gods honour and glory O Henry the seventh a full worthy king was he Whose noble works in cambridge you may see And eke in Westminster both sumptuous & costly Matth. 7. As the good tree by the fruit is ever tried So are good men by their works espied. Thus noble kings in old time were content To build Abbeys, and to endue them with rent There to remain while the world should endure Prayer, almose, and fasting they ordained there to be And in indifferent of good hospitality That the penylesse man of meat may be sure And though he there tarried days two or three No man would demand from whence came he O cursed Germany, woe be unto the That first now began to scour the old heresy Of the Caphernites and Arians with other diverse more With the was harboured the cursed Luther Decolampadius, Melancton, and Bullingere, Carolstadious, Stalbrydge, and wicked Otho Mark to what end their learning is come By war and sedition, their Realm undone These cursed men and wicked teachers Where clean contrary to gods holy preachers that taught false liberty, devout virtue to hide Down with the church, the Mass, & the grail Prayer and fasting nought doth prevail That thing that was good, they might not abide That good men of old, study to maintain Now Antichristes' preachers hath destroyed again Then Cupid and Venus in England began As gods for to govern both woman and man And avarice was ordained, then puruior to be Their lust and their will, to support & uphold With abundance of treasure of silver & gold Till weal and wealth was turned to poverty Then be thought treason some rule to bear Which suddenly was caught, and taken in a snare Yet chanced in England as I shall you tell Now king Edbaldus, from the saith fell And gave his believe, to false maumentry Beda. lib. 2. ca 9 Milletus the byssshoppe, then to flee was fain Till the king unto Christ was turned again Which then was restored to his see in Canterbury The citizens of London would not in no wise Leave their infidelity, and to Christ again rise Rom. 13. Helias made prayer to God against Israel Which slew their prophets, & their altars down fell And I am left alone, and they my life seek God answered and said there be yet left some That by the adoption of grace to heaven shall come With me to dwell, and my servants meek Though some have their faith by folly defiled Yet some remain constant and never changed This story doth resemble the people in these days That grin at the ministers, & against the aultare says Uttering out lies covered with hypocrisy Yet some men did espy their devilish intent And would in no wise thereunto consent perceiving it was new skowered heresy Even for the heresies that many hath been burned Fools hath believed, and there unto turned All the old heresies that heretofore were Were put in use by john Wyckeleffe here And were confuted by William Wylford He was a famous clerk & an english man borne Whose works contain those heresies each one Which he did confute, as the books record honey and poison of sweet flowers are sucked So truth and falsehood on scripture is gathered Some men there be that will not believe No writing or story except scripture it prove As though all were false, but the writing there The succession of kings and eke lords by hest, The scripture doth not tell of civil war or conquest Yet are they true, and in writing do appear If you will not believe but what scripture sayeth Then change not the truth to perverse ways The Phariseis doubted, Christ gods son to be desiring from heaven some wondrous to see Matth. 12. By the prove thereof, the truth they might know Even so our Perselites doth as fondly deny The bread to be gods body, by his word verily Unless they see blood in their teeth when they chowe O you vipers birds, and adulterous nation Your dullness of faith, hasteth fast your damnation Read out the stories, and mark to what end To the church destroyers, god did oft send The bibell in diverse places, doth well testify 3. Regum. 13. Daniel. 4.5. Macha. 5.6. What misery and mischief hath been in this land What penury and plagues have we here found Since we began first the church to destroy That plague never in no Realm hath been But we in these days hath it felt or seen Yet is but in vain herein to interdict What care them befell, that at the church had despite Wittenesseth well Cromwell as you well know Duddely the stout with his fellows Ay Their part on the scaffold full well did play That then were on high, and now are full low These men are to us example and warning To serve our lord God, and obey the King To say all Amen, and to give God the glory We her subyectes are bound for the state of her majesty For surely she is God's chosen vessel Like to our Queen▪ we may not well compare Neither the widow judith, or yet queen hester Whose worthy facts the bybel doth tell To each of this women, God showed once his mercy As he hath diverse times to our Queen Mari Judith with wine, & eke with fair promise, Holofernes overcame, & slew him in his drunkness Whereby she the city of Bethulia hath preserved But Mary our Queen, by prayer devout Overcame her enemies, being never so stout Without fair promise, or any gift proffered God right well heard her chaste & humble prayer That suddenly struck her enemies, & caused them retire. Hester made her prayers for the jews only Which a man went about by envy to destroy Whose prayer god heard, & the jews delivered But Mary our Queen, prayed in generally That no blood might be shed, of her friend or enemy God heard her prayer, and the matter so ended A wonderful miracle, ever to be remembered That God wrought for our Queen, he ever be praised The faith of Christ and all true religion With prayer and fasting, and eke good devotion Was almost gone out of every man's heart The Church, the altar, & Gods sacred body They rob & spoiled, and their faith did deny Like desperate wretches, thus played they their part All was forlorn, till good Queen Mary Restored them again to god's honour & glory The sacraments of the church was new to begin Adultery & sacrilege was counted for no sin Nor the selling of offices, to maintain bribery The bells they plucked down by subtle pretence To coin thereof testers, groats, and eke pence, Thus all came to nought, till good queen Mary Began for to reign, as we right well see That jesus preserve, her grace's majesty The church God's spouse, was brought under tribute With laws unjust, and payments great The church & the commons was grieved yearly, The catholic fathers, that are good men in deed Wrongfully were oppressed, and evil placed in their stead That usurpplie did rule, till good queen Marie Deposed the proud & the good men in chain She justly unloosed, and restored again The noble lion, that of colour is white guiltless they held captive, by envy & spite Their purpose to compass, they thought it so best For this they well knew, that if he were at large he would soon have tempered their madness & rage bringing the uprorers again some to rest O England rejoice at our good queen Mary That justly hath loosed the lion not guilty Let us all pray God both more and less that hath sent us a queen, our thralls to release Where with we were captive both in soul & body We may be right glad, the god hath now changed A lamb for wolves, the unsatiably devoured The realm & the commons without pity or mercy God save and preserve our noble Queen Mari Over us long to reign, let us all pray heartly God save the Queen. Praise be to god that a noble queen hath sent Over us for to reign if we can be content That well hath begun to call things again, The which were before by falsehood subverted, Again to God's glory, she hath them converted Among us Christians ever to remain Scythe we were before deceived with heresy Let us now be faithful, & give God the glory AMEN. Matth. 24. Coelum & terra transibunt, verba autem mea non praeteribunt. ¶ Excusum Londini in aedibus lohannis Cawodi Typographi Regiae Maiestatis.