The Anatomy of Abuses: Containing A DISCOVERY, OR BRIEF summary of such Notable Vices and Imperfections, as now reign in many Christian Countries of the World: but (especially) in a very famous ISLAND called AILGNA: Together, with most fearful Examples of God's judgements, executed upon the wicked for the same, aswell in AILGNA of late, as in other places, elsewhere.  
Very Godly, to be read of all true Christians, every where: but most needful, to be regarded in ENGLAND.  
Made dialoguewise, by Philip Stubbes.  
Seen and allowed, according to order.  MATH. 3. ver. 2. Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. Luc. 13. ver. 5. I say unto you (saith Christ) except you repent, you shall all perish. 
¶ Printed at London, by Richard jones. ●●●●aij. 1583.   

To the Right Honourable, Philip Earl of Arundel: Philip Stubbes wisheth health of body & soul, favour of God, increase of Godly honour, reward of laudable virtue, and eternal felicity, in the Heavens, by JESUS Christ.  
NOBILITAS Patriae DECUS  
THE Lord our God (right honourable) having by the power of his word, created Heaven and Earth, with all things what soever, for the comfort and use of Man: the last of all other (even the sixth day) made Man after his own similitude and likeness, that in him he might be glorified above all other Creatures. And therefore, whereas in making of other things, he used only this Word, FIANT, be they made, or let them be made: when he came to make Man, as it wear advising himself, and ask council at his wisdom, he said, FACIAMUS HOMINEM, let us make▪ Man, that is a wondered Creature: and therefore is called in greek MICROCOSMOS, a little world in himself. And truly he is no less, whether we consider his spiritual soul, or his humane body. For what Creature is there upon the face of the Earth comparable to man, either in body or in mind? what creature hath a soul immortal inherent in his body, but only Man? what Creature can foresee things to come, remember things past, or judge of things present, but only man? what Creature beareth the image of God about with him, but Man? what Creature is made so erect to behold the Heavens, as man? What Creature may be likened to man, either in proportion of body, or gifts of the soul? And (finally) what Creature hath the promise of the resurrection & glorification of their bodies, & of eternal life but only Man? Than seeing the Lord hath made Man thus glorious, and preferred him in every degree, before all other Creatures (the Angelical Creatures set a part) it is manifest, he hath done it to some end & purpose, namely, that he might be glorified in him, and by him above all other his works, according to the measure of his integrity excellency and perfection. And hereby we may learn that it is the will of GOD, that we bend all our force to the advancing of his glorious Name, the edification of his People, and the building up of his Church, which he hath redeemed with the blood of his dear Son.  
Which thing (me think) is notably figured forth unto us in the .25. of EXODUS where the Lord commanded Moses to build him a Tabernacle, or house of prayer, to this end and purpose (doubtless) that therein his law might be read, his Ceremonies practised, Sacrifices, Victimates & Holocaustes offered, and his glorious Name called upon and obeyed. To the erection whereof, every one conferred some what, some brought gold, some silver, & some brass, lead & tin, other brought silk, purple, scarlet, and other ornaments, and the meanest brought some what, namely, skins hear, sand, lime, mortar, wood, stone, and such like. Even so (right honourable) would the Lord have every one to confer some what, even such as he hath, to the building of his spiritual house, the Church purchased with the blood of Christ. Wherefore seeing it is so, that every one is to further this spiritual building to his possible power, I have rather chosen with the simplest, and meanest sort to bring, though but heir, sand, skins, lime, mortar, wood or stones, than altogether to contribute nothing.  
Not doubting, but that the chief Master and Builder of this house, Christ jesus, will not dislike, but accept of my poor contribution, no less than he did of the poor widows Mite, to whom was imputed that she had cast more, in Gazophilatium Templi, into the treasury of the Temple, than all the rest: for what she wanted in effect, that she supplied in affect, And for that also the Lord our GOD committing his talents to every one, whether more or less, not only requireth of us the same again simply, but also, as a strait computist, demandeth interest and gain of every one of us: & for that not only, he is a murderer & a Homicide before God, who slayeth or killeth, a Man with material sword▪ but he also, who may prevent the same, and will not. And not only, he is guilty of heinous transgression that committeth any evil really, but also he who consenteth to it as he doth, who holdeth his peace, or he who by any means might avoid it, and either for negligence will not, or for fear of the world dare not. Therefore, albe it, that I have received, but one poor talon, or rather the shadow of one, yet lest I might be reproved (with that unprofitable Servant) for hiding my small talon in the Earth▪ not profiting therewith at all, either myself, or others, I have adventured the making of this little treatise, entitled, (The Anatomy of Abuses,) hoping that the same (by divine assistance) shall somewhat conduce to the building of this spiritual house of the Lord.  
And although I be one (most honourable Lord) that can do least in this Godly course of life (palpable barbarism forbidding me so much as once to enter into wisdom's school) yet for that somewil not, for fear of losing worldly promotion (though in the mean time they lose the Kingdom of Heaven,) Other some dare not for displeasing the world: I say, for these, & semblable causes together, with the zeal and goodwill I bear unto my Country, and fervent desire of their conversion and amendment, I have taken upon me the contriving of this book: Which GOD, grant may be with like plausible alacrity received, as with pains and good will, I have published it, for the benefit of my Country, the pleasure of the Godly, and amendment of the wicked. And I doubt not, that as none, but the wicked, and perverse whose gawld backs are tutched, will repine against me, so the Godly and virtuous, will accept of this my labour, and travail herein, whose gentle favour and goodwill, shall counterpoise, (and far surmount with me) the malign stomachs, and stern countenances of the other. After that I had (right honourable) fully perfected this book, I was minded, notwithstanding, both in regard of the strangeness of the matter it entreateth of, and also in respect of the rudeness of my pen, to have suppressed it for ever, for diverse and sundry causes, and never to have offered it to the view of the world. But, notwithstanding, being overcome by the importunate request, and infagitable desire of my friends, I granted to publish the same, as now you see, is extant.  
But, when I had once granted to imprint the same, I was in greater doubt than before, fearing, to whom I might dedicate the same so rude and impolished a work. And withal I was not ignorant, how hard a thing it is in these days to find a Patron of such books as this, which showeth to every one his sin, and discovereth every Man's wicked ways, which indeed, the ungodly can not at any hand abide, but as it were madmen disgorging their stomachs (Come in Authorem tum in codicem plenis buccis, & dentibus plusquàm caninis rabidè feruntur:) they rage, they fume and rail both against the AUTHOR and his book. Thus (vacillante animo) my mind wandering too and fro, and resting, as it wear in ecstasy of despair, at last I called to mind your honourable Lordship, whose praises have pierced the Skies, and whose laudable virtues are blown, not over the realm of England only, but even to the furthest costs and parts of the world.  
All whose virtues, and condign praises, if I should take upon me to recount, I might as well number the stars in the Sky, or grass of the Earth.  
For, for Godly wisdom, and zeal to the truth, is not your good Lordship (without offence be it spoken) comparable with the best? For sobriety, affabilite, and gentle courtesy to every one, far excelling many.  
For your great devotion and compassion to the poor oppressed, in all places famous: For Godly fidelity, to your Sovereign, love to the COUNTRY, and virtues in general, every where most renowned.  
But lest I might obscure, your Worthy commendations with my unlearned pen, (little, or no thing at all emphatical) I will rather surcease, than further to proceed, contenting myself rather to have given a shadow of them, than to have ciphered them forth, which indeed are both infinite, and inexplicable.  
In consideration (whereof) not withstanding that my Book be simpler, base, and meaner, than that it may (without blushing) present itself to your good Lordship (being far unworthy of such an honourable parsonage) yet according to your accustomed clemency I most humbly beseache your good Lordship to receive the same into your honours Patrociny and protection, accepting it as an infallible token of my faithful heart, service, and good will towards your honourable Lordship: For proof whereof, would GOD it might once come to pass, that if not otherwise, yet with my humble service, I might show forth the faithful and ever willing heart I bear in breast to your good Lordship, protesting before Heaven and Earth, that though power want yet shall fidelity, and faithfulness fail never.  
And because, this my Book is subject (my very good Lord (to as many reproaches, taunts and reproofs, as ever was any little book (for that few can abide to have their sin● detected) therefore I have had the greater care to commit the same to the guardance and defence of your honour, rather than to many others, not only for that GOD hath made your honour a Lamp of light unto the world, of true nobility and of all integrity and perfection, but also hath made you his substitute, or vicegerent, to reform vices, punish abuses, and correct sin.  
And as in mercy he hath given you this power and authority, so hath he given you a hungry desire to accomplish the same according to his will: Which zeal in your sacred breast, the LORD increase for ever.  
And as your Lordship knoweth, reformation of manners and amendment of life, was never more needful, for, was pride (the chiefest argument of this Book) ever so ripe? Do not, both Men and Women (for the most part) every one in general go attired in silks, velvets, damasks, satins, and what not? which are attire only for the nobility and gentry, and not for the other at any hand? Are not unlawful games, Plays and Enterluds, and the like every where used? Is not whoredom, covetousness, usury & the like daily practised without all punishment or law?  
But hereof I say no more, referring the consideration, both of these and the rest, to your Godly wisdom. Beseaseaching your good Lordship, to pardon my presumption in speaking thus much, for (Zelus domini huc adegit me:) the zeal of my God hath driven me hither.  
Knowing, that the LORD hath ordained you, to himself a chosen vessel of honour, to purge his Church of these Abuses, and corruptions, which as in a table are depainted and set forth in this little book.  
Thus I cease to molest your sacred eare●s any further with my rude speeches, most humbly beseaching your good Lord ship not only to admit this my Book into your honour's patronage and defence, but also to persist the just Defender thereof, against the swinish crew of railing ZOILUS and flouting MOMUS, with their complices, to whom it is easier to deprave all things, than to amend any thing themselves. Which, if I shall perceive to be accepted of your honour, besides that I shall not care for a thousand others, disliking the same, I shall not only think myself to have received a sufficient guerdon for my p●●●es, & shallbe thereby greatly encouraged (if GOD permit) hereafter, to take in hand some memorable thing to your immortal praise, honour and renown, but also shall daily pray to GOD, for your good Lordship long to continue, to his good pleasure and your heart's desire, with increase of Godly honour, reward of laudable virtue, and eternal felicity in the HEAVENS, by jesus Christ.  
Columna gloriae virtus. Your Honours to command, PHILIP Stubbes.   

A PREFACE TO THE READER.  
I Thought it convenient (good Reader, who soever thou art, that shalt read these my poor labours) to admonish thee (lest haply thou mightest take my words otherwise than I meant them) of this one thing: That whereas in the process of this my book, I have entreated of certain exercises, usually practised amongst us, as namely of Plays and Interludes, of dancing, gaming, and such other like: I would not have thee so, to take me, as though my speeches tended, to the overthrow and utter disliking of all kind of exercises in general: that is nothing my simple meaning. But the particular Abuses, which are crept into every one of these several exercises, is the only thing, which I think worthy of reprehension.  
For, otherwise (all Abuses cut away) who seeth not, that some kind of plays, tragedies and enterluds in their own nature, are not only of great ancientie, but also very honest and very commendable exercises, being used and practised in most Christian common weals, as which contain matter (such they may be) both of doctrine, erudition, good example and wholesome instruction? And may be used in time and place convenient, as conducible to example of life and reformation of manners. For such is our gross & dull nature, that what thing we see opposite before our eyes, ●o pierce further, and print deeper in our hearts ●nd minds, than that thing, which is hard only with the ears, as Horace, the heathen Poet can witness. Segnius irritant animum, dimissa per aures, quàm quae sunt hominum occulis obiecta. So, that when honest & chaste plays, tragedies, & enterluds, are used to these ends, for the Godly recreation of the mind, for the good example of life, for the avoiding of that, which is evil, and learning of that which is good, than are they very tolerable exercises. But being used (as now commonly they be) to the profanation of the Lord his Sabbath, to the alluring and invegling of the People from the blessed word of God preached, to theatres and unclean assemblies, to idleness, unthriftiness, whoredom, wantonness, drunkenness, and what not? and which is more, when they are used to this end, to maintain a great sort of idle Persons, doing nothing, but playing and loitering, having their livings of the sweat of other men's brows, much like unto dronets devouring the sweet honey of the poor labouring bees, than are they exercises (at no hand) sufferable. ● But being used to the ends that I have said, they are not to be disliked of any sober, and wise Christian.  
And as concerning dancing, I would not have thee (good Reader) to think that I condemn the exercise itself altogether, for I know the wisest Sages and the Godlyest Fathers and patriarchs that ever lived, have now and than used the same, as David, Solomon, and many others: but my words do touch & concern the Abuses thereof only. As being used upon the Sabaoth day, from morning until night, in public assemblies and frequencies of People, Men & women together, with piping, fluting, dromming, and such like enticements to wantonness & sin, together with their leapinges, skippings, & other unchaste gestures, not a few. Being used, or rather abused in this sort, I utterly discommend it.  
But upon the otherside, being used in a man's private-chamber, or house for his Godly solace, and recreation in the fear of GOD, or otherwise abroad with respect had to the time, place and persons, it is in no respect to be disallowed.  
And whereas I speak of gaming, my meaning is not, that it is an exercise altogether unlawful. For, I know that one Christian may play with another, at any kind of Godly, honest, civil game, or exercise, for the mutual recreation one of the other, so that they be not inflamed with covetousness, or desire of unlawful gain: for the commandment saith, thou shalt not covet: wherefore, if any be void of these affections, playing rather for his Godly recreation, than for desire of filthy lucre, he may use the same in the fear of God: yet so as the use thereof be not a let, or hindrance unto him, to any other Godly exploit.  
But, if a man make (as it wear) an occupation of it, spending both his time and goods therein, frequenting, gaming houses, bowling allies, and such other places, for greediness of lucre, to him it is an exercise altogether discommendable and unlawful. Wherefore, as these be exercises lawful, to them that know how to use them in the fear of GOD, so are they practices at no hand sufferable to them that abuse them, as I have showed. But take away the abuses, the things in themselves are not evil, being used as instruments to Godliness, not made as spurs unto vice. There is nothing so good, but it may be abused, yet because of the abuses, I am not so strict, that I would have the things, themselves removed, no more than I would meat and drink, beit is abused, utterly to be taken away.  
And whereas also I have spoken of the excess in Apparel, and of the Abuse of the same, as well in men, as in women generally, I would not be so understood, as though my speeches extended, to any, either noble, honourable, or worshipful: for, I am so far from once thinking that any kind of sumptuous, or gorgeous attire is not to be worn of any of them, as I suppose them rather Ornaments in them, than otherwise.  
And that they both may, and for some respects, aught to were such attire (their births callings, functions and estates requiring the same) for causes in this my Book laid down, as may appear, and for the distinction of them from the inferior sort, it is provable both by the Word of GOD, Ancient Writers, and common practice of all ages, People and Nations, from the beginning of the World, to this day.  
And therefore, when I speak generally of the excess of Apparel, my meaning is of the inferior sort only, who for the most part do far surpass, either noble, honourable, or worshipful, ruffling in Silks, Velvets, Satins, Damasks, Taffetas, Gold, Silver, and what not? with their swords, daggers, and rapier's guilt, and reguilte, burnished, and costly engraven, with all things else, that any noble, honourable, or worshipful Man doth, or may wear, so as the one cannot easily be discerned from the other.  
These be the Abuses, that I speak of, these be the evils, that I lament, and these be the persons that my words do concern, as the tenure of my Book considerately weighed, to any indifferent READER doth purport.  
This much I thought good (Gentle Reader) to inform thee of, for thy better instruction, as well in these few points, as in all other the like, wheresoever they shall chance to occur in my Book. Beseaching thee, to construe all things to the best, to bear with the rudeness thereof, and to give the same thy good-woord, and gentle acceptance. And thus in the LORD, I bid thee, farewell.  
Thine to use in the Lord, philip Stubbes.   

philippus Stubeus CANDIDO LECTORI.  

OFfendit nimia te garrulitate libellus  
fortè meus, Lector miror id ipse nihil.  
Obsitus est etenim verborum collwione  
plusquàm vandalica, rebus & insipidis.  
Quare si sapias operam ne perdito post hac  
nostra legendo, legas utiliora, vale.   

¶ Idem in Zoilum.  
ZOILE cum tanta rabie exardescis in omnes,  
non aliter rabidus, quàm solet ipse canis:  
Dent● Theonino rodens alios, calamoque,  
incessens hos, qui nil, nocuere tibi:  
Vipeream in cunctos vibrans O Zoile linguam,  
linguam quam inficiunt toxica dira tuam:  
Cum Debacchandi sinis ●it Zoile nullus,  
hora quieta tibi nullaque praetereat:  
Cum tumeas veluti ventrosus ZOILE bufo,  
demiror medius quòd minus ipse crepes.   

¶ Aliud in eundem.  
Daemones ad tetrum descendat Zoilus antrum,  
hunc lacerent furiae, Cerborus ore voret▪  
Imprecor at misero quid paenas, cui satis intus?  
daemona circumfert pectore namque suo.   

¶ Eiusdem aliud.  
Si tibi prolixus nimium liber iste videtur  
pauça legas, poterit sic liber e●●e brevis.    

A. D. In commendation of the Author and his Book.  
IF Mortallman may challenge praise,  
For any thing done in this life:  
Than may our Stubbes, at all assays,  
Enjoy the same withouten strife.  
Not only for his Godly zeal,  
And Christian life accordingly:  
But also for this book in sale,  
Hear present, now before thine eye:  
Herein the Abuses of these days,  
As in a glass thou mayest behold:  
Oh buy it than, hear what he says,  
And give him thanks an hundred sold.   

I. F. In Commendation of the AUTHOR and his Book.  
SHall men profane, who toys have writ,  
And wanton pamphlets store,  
Which only tend to nourish vice:  
And wickedness the more,  
Deserve their praise, and for the same,  
Accepted be of all,  
And shall not this our AUTHOR than  
Receive the Laurel pall?  
Who for good will in sacred breast  
He bears to native soil,  
Hath published this Godly Book,  
With much pain and toil.  
Wherein, as in a Mirror pure  
Thou mayest behold and see,  
The vices of the World displayed  
Apparent to thy eye.  
He flattereth none, as most men do,  
In Hope to game a price:  
But shows to all their wickedness,  
And Gods divine justice.  
A Godlyer book was never made,  
Nor meeter for these days:  
Oh read it then▪ thank GOD for it,  
Let T'HAVTOR have his praise.   

THE AUTHOR AND HIS BOOK.  

NOw having made thee, seely book,  
and brought thee to this frame:  
Full loath I am to publish thee,  
lest thou impair my name.   

The Book.  
Why so? good Master, what's the cause,  
why you so loath should be,  
To send me forth into the World,  
my fortune for to try?   

The Author.  
This is the cause, for that I know,  
the wicked thou wilt move,  
And eke because thy ignorance:  
is such, as none can love.   

The Book.  
I doubt not, but all Godly Men,  
will love and like me well,  
And for the other I care not,  
in pride although they swell.   

The Author.  
Thou art also no less in thrall,  
and subject every way:  
To MOMUS and to ZOILUS' crew,  
who'll daily at thee bay.   

The Book.  
Though MOMUS rage, and Zoilus carp:  
I fear them not at all,  
The Lord my GOD in whom I trust,  
shall soon cause them to fall.   

The Author.  
Well, ●●th thou wouldst so feign be gone,  
I can thee not withhold:  
Adieu therefore, GOD be thy speed,  
And bless thee a hundred fold.   

The Book.  
And you also good Master mine,  
GOD bless you with his grace:  
Preserve you still, and grant to you  
In Heaven a dwelling place.    

The Anatomy of the Abuses in AILGNA.  ¶ The Interlocutors, or Speakers. Spudeus. Philoponus. 
God give you good morrow, Master Philoponus.  Philo. 
And you also, good Brother Spudeus.  Spud. 
I am glad to see you in good health, 
Flying fame oftentimes lieth,  for it was bruited abroad every where in our country (by reason of your discontinuance, I think) that you were dead, long ago.  Philo. 
In deed, I have spent some time abroad, else where, then in my native country, (I must needs confess) but, how false that Report is (by whom soever it was first rumoured, or▪ how far so ever it be dispersed) your present eyes can witness.  Spud. 
I pray you, what course of life, have you lead in this your long absence, forth of your own country?  Philo. 
Truly (brother) I have lead the life of a poor travailer, 
The place where the Author hath travailed.  in a certain famous Island, once named, Ainabla, after, Ainatirb: but now presently called Ailgna, wherein I have lived these seven winters, and more, travailing from place to place, even all the Land over indifferently.  Spud. 
That was to your no little charges, I am sure?  Philo. 
It was so: but what than? I thank God I have achieved it, 
Travailing chargeable.  and by his divine assistance prosperously accomplished it, his glorious name (worthy of all magnificence) be eternally praised therefore.  Spud. 
And to what end, did you take in hand this great travail, if I may be so bold as to ask?  Philo. 
Truly, to see fashions, to acquaint myself with the natures, qualities, properties, 
The causes that moved the author to take this travail in hand  and conditions of all men, to break myself to the world, to learn nurture, good demeanour, & civil behaviour: to see the goodly situation of Cities. Towns and Countries, with their prospects, and commodities: and finally, to learn the state of all things in general: all which I could never have learned in one place. For who so sitteth at home, ever commorante or abiding in one place, knoweth nothing, in respect of him, that travaileth abroad: and he that knoweth nothing, is like a brute Beast, but he that knoweth all things (which thing none doth but God alone) he is a God amongst men. And seeing there is a perfection in knowledge, as in every thing else, every man ought to desire that perfection: for in my judgement, there is as much difference (almost) betwixt a man that hath travailed much, 
The difference betwixt a man the hath travailed, and a man that hath not.  and him that hath dwelled ever in one place, (in respect of knowledge, and science of things) as is between a man living, & one dead in grave. And therefore I have had a great felicity in travailing abroad.  Spud. 
Seeing that by divine providence, we are hear met together, let us (until we come to the end of our purposed journey) use some conference of the state of the World now at this day▪ as well to recreate our minds, as to cut of the tediousness of our journey.  Philo. 
I am very well content so to do, being not a little glad of your good company: For, Comes facundus in via, pro vehiculo est. 1. A good Companion too travail withal, 
The benefit of a good Companion to travail withal.  is in stead of a Wagon, or Chariot. For as the one doth ease the painfulness of the way, so doth the other alleviat the yrksomnes of the journey intended.  Spud. 
But, before I enter combat with you (because I am a country man, 
A request to avoid offence.  rude and unlearned: & you, a Cyvilian, endued with great wisdom, knowledge and experience) I most humbly beseech you, that you will not be offended with me though I talk with you somewhat grossly, without either polished words, or filed speeches, which your wisdom doth require, and my insufficiency and inabylitie is not of power to afford.  Phil. 
Your speeches (I put you out of doubt) shall not be offensive to me, if they be not offensive to God, first.  Spud. 
I pray you, what manner of Country is that Ailgna, where you say you have travailed so much?  Philo. 
A pleasant & famous Island, immured about with the Sea, 
Ailgna, a goodly country.  as it were with a wall, wherein the air is very temperate, the ground fertile, and abounding with all things either necessary to man, or needful for beast.  Spud. 
What kind of people are they that inhabit there? 
The people of Ailgna.   Philo. 
A strong kind of people, audacious, bold▪ puissant, and heroical, of great magnanimity, valiancy and prows, of an incomparable feature, of an excellent complexion, and in all humanity, inferior to none under the Sun.  Spud. 
This people, whom God hath thus blessed, must needs be a very godly people, either else they be mere ingrate, to God the author of all grace, & of these their blessings especially?  Philo. 
It grieveth me to remember their lives, or to make mention of their ways, 
The lives of the people of Ailgna.  for notwithstanding that the Lord hath blessed that Land, with the knowledge of his truth above all other Lands in the world, yet is there not a people more abrupt, wicked, or perverse, living upon the face of the earth.  Spud. 
From whence spring all these evils in man, for we see every one is inclined to sin naturally, and there is no flesh which liveth, and sinneth not?  Philo. 
All wickedness, 
From whence all evils spring in man.  mischief, and sin, (doubt you not brother Spud.) springeth of our ancient enemy the Devil, the inveterate corruption of our nature, and the intestine malice of our own hearts, as from the originals of all uncleanness, & impurity whatsoever. But we are now new creatures, and adoptive children, created in Christ jesus to do good works, 
We ought to have no dealing with the works of the fl●sh,  which God hath prepared for us to walk in. Wherefore we ought to have no fellowship with the works of darkness, but to put on the armour of light Christ jesus, to walk in newness of life and to work our salvation in fear and trembling, as the Apostle saith, and our saviour Christ biddeth us so work, as our works may glorify our heavenly Father. But (alas) the contrary is most true, for there is no sin, that was ever broached in any age, which flourisheth not now. And therefore the fearful day of the Lord cannot be far of: at which day all the World shall stand in flashing fire, and than shall Christ our Saviour come marching in the clouds of heaven, with his Taratantara sounding in each man's ear: arise you Dead, 
The day of Dome not regarded.  and come to judgement, and than shall the Lord reward every Man after his own works. But how little this is esteemed of, & how smally regarded, to consider it grieveth me to the very heart, and there is almost no life in me.  Spud. 
It is but a folly to grieve at them, who sorrow not for themselves. Let them sink in their own sin: 
Every Man must answer for himself.  live well yourself & you shall not answer for them, nor they for you. Is it not written? unusquisque portabit suum onus. Every one shall bear his own burden. Anima quae peccaverit, ipsa morietur the soul that sinneth shall die: wherefore surcease to sorrow or grieve any more for them: for they are such, as the Lord hath cast of into a reprobat sense, & prei●dicat opinion, & preordinat destruction, that his power, his glory and justice may appear to all the World.  Philo. 
Oh brother, there is no christian man, in whose heart shineth scintillula aliqua pietatis, any spark of God his grace, which will not grieve to see his brethren & sisters in the Lord, members of the same body, coheir of the same kingdom, & purchased with one & the same inestimable price of Christ his blood, to run thus desperately into the gulf of destruction and labyrinth of perdition. If the least and meanest member of thy whole body, be hurt, wounded, cicatriced or bruised, doth not the heart, and every member of thy body, 
The mutual harmony of one member with an other  feel the anguish and pain of the grieved part, seeking & endeavouring themselves, every one in his office & calling, to repair the same, and never joying, until that be restored again to his former integrity & perfection? Which thing in the balance of Christian charity, considerately weighed, may move any good Man to mourn for their defection, and to assay, by all possible means, to reduce them home again, that their souls may be saved in the day of the Lord. And the Apostle commandeth us, that we be (alter alterius emolumento) an aid and help one to an other. And that we do good to all men, dum tempus habemus, whilst we have tyme. To weep with them that weep, to mourn with them that mourn, and to be of like affection one towards an other. And common reason advertiseth us, that we are not borne for ourselves only: for, Ortus nostri partem patria, partem amici, partem parents vendicant. Our Country challengeth a part of our birth, our brethren and friends require an other part, 
No man born for himself.  and our parents (and that optimo iure) do vindicate a third part▪ Wherefore I will assay to do them good (if I can) in discovering their abuses, and laying open their enormities, that they seeing the grievousness of their maladies, & danger of their diseases, may in time seek to the true Physician, & expert Chirurgeon of their souls Christ jesus, of whom only cometh all health & grace, and so eternally be saved.  Spud. 
Seeing that so many and so heinous sins do reign and rage in Ailgna, as your words import, and which move you to such intestine sorrow, and grief of mind, I pray you describe unto me more particularly, some of those Capital crimes, and chief Abuses, which are there frequented, and which dishonour the majesty of God the most, as you suppose?   

A particular description of PRIDE, the principal Abuse: and how manifold it is in AILGNA.  PHILOPONUS. 
YOu do well to request me to cipher forth unto you part of those great Abuses (and Cardinal Uices) used in AILGNA, for no man in any Catalogue, how prolix soever, is able to comprehend the sum of all abuses there in practice. 
The number of Abuses infinite.  And whereas you would have me to speak of those Capital or chief Abuses, which both are deadly in their own nature, and which offend the majesty of God most. Me think you shake hands with the sworn enemies of God the Papists, who say, there are two kinds of sin, the one venial, the other lethal or deadly. 
All sin in it own nature is mortal.  But you must understand, that there is not the least sin, that is committed either in thought, word, or deed, (yea, Vae universae justitiae nostrae, si remota misericordia iudicetur. Woe be to all our righteousness, if mercy put away they should be judged:) but it is damnable, dempta misericordia Dei, if the mercy of God be not extended. And again, there is no sin so grievous, which the grace and mercy of God is not able to countervail withal, & if it be his pleasure to blot it out for ever. So that you see now, there is no sin so venial, but if the mercy of God, be not stretched out, it is damnable: nor yet any sin so mortal, which by the grace and mercy of God, may not be done away. And therefore as we are not to presume of the one, so we are not to despair of the other. But to return again to the satisfying of your request. The greatest abuse, 
The greatest abuse which offendeth god most▪ is pride.  which both offendeth god most, & is there not a little advanced, is the execrable sin of Pride, and excess in apparel, which is there so ripe, as the filthy fruits thereof have long since, presented themselves before the throne of the majesty of God, calling and crying for vengeance day and night incessantly.  Spud. 
Wherefore have you intended to speak of Pride the first of all, giving unto it the first place in your tractation? Because it is evil in itself, and the efficient cause of evil, or for some other purpose?  Philo. 
For no other cause, 
Pride the begyning of all evil.  but for that I think it to be, not only evil and damnable in it own nature, but also the very efficient cause of all evils. And therefore the wise man was bold, 
ECCLES. 10.  to call it Initium omnium malorum, the beginning and wellspring of all evils. For as from the root all natural things do grow, & take their beginning: so from the cursed root of pestiferous Pride do all other evils sprout, and thereof are ingenerate. Therefore may Pride be called not improperly, Matercula & origo omnium vitiorum, 
What is it but pride dares attempt it.  the mother and nurse of all mischief: for what thing so heinous, what crime so flagitious, what deed so perilous, what attemptso venturous, what enterpriseso pernicious, or what thing so offensive to God or hurtful to man, in all the world, which man (of himself a very Sathanas) to maintain his pride withal, will not willingly achieve? hereof we have too much experience every day, more is the pity.  Spud. 
How manifold is this sin of Pride, whereby the glory of God is defaced, and his majesty so grievously offended?  Philo. 
Pride is tripartite, namely, the pride of the heart, 
Pride is three fold, pride of the heart, pride of the mouth and pride of apparel.  the pride of the mouth, & the pride of apparel, which (unless I be deceived) offendeth God more than the other two. For as the pride of the heart & mouth is not opposite to the eye, nor visible to the sight, and therefore entice not others to vanity & sin (notwithstanding they be grievous sins in the sight of God) so the pride of apparel, remaining in sight, as an exemplary of evil, induceth the whole man to wickedness and sin.  Spud. 
How is the pride of the heart committed?  Philo. 
Pride of the heart is perpetrate, when as a man lifting himself on high, thinketh of himself, above that which he is of himself: dreaming a perfection of himself, when he is nothing less: And in respect of himself, condemneth, vilefieth and reproacheth all men, thinking none comparable to himself, whose righteousness, notwithstanding, is like to the polluted cloth of a menstruous woman:  
Therefore, the Pride of the Heart, may be said, 
What pride of the heart is.  too be a Rebellious elation, or lifting up of the mind, against the Law of God, attrybuting and ascribing that unto himself, which is proper to God only. And although it be the Lord, Qui operatur in nobis velle, & posse, who worketh in us both the will and power to do good, Ne gloriaretur omnis caro, least any flesh should boast of his own power and strength, yet Pride, with his Cousin german Philautia 
PHILAUTIA.  which is self-love, persuadeth him, that he hath need of no man's help but his own: that he standeth by his own proper strength & power and by no man's else, & that he is all in all, yea, so perfect and good, as no more can be exacted of him.  Spud. 
How is Pride of words, or pride of mouth, committed?  Philo. 
Pride of the mouth, 
How pride of words, or of the mouth is committed.  or of words, is, when we boast, brag or glory, either of ourselves, our kindred, consanguynitie, birth, parentage, and such like: or when we extol our selves for any virtue, sanctimony of life, sincerytie of Godliness, which either is in us, or which we pretend to be in us. In this kind of Pride (as in the other) almost every one offendeth: for shall you not have all (in a manner) boast & vaunt themselves of their ancestors, and progenitors? saying, & crying with open mouth: I am a Gentleman, I am worshipful, I am Honourable, I am Noble, and I can not tell what: my father was this, my father was that: I am come of this house, and I am come of that: Whereas, Dame Nature, bringeth us all into the world, after one sort, and receiveth all again, into the womb of our mother, I mean, the bowels of the earth, all in one and the same order and manner, without any difference or diversity at all, whereof more hereafter shallbe spoken.  Spud. 
How is Pride of Apparel committed?  Philo. 
By wearing of Apparel more gorgeous, 
How pride of apparel is perpetrate & committed.  sumptuous & precious than our state, calling or condition of life requireth, whereby, we are puffed up into Pride, and enforced to think of ourselves, more than we ought, being but vile earth and miserable sinners.  
And this sin of Apparel (as I have said before) hurteth more than the other two: For the sin of the heart, hurteth none, but the Author, in whom it breedeth, so long as it bursteth not forth into exterior action: And the Pride of the mouth (which consisteth, as I have said, in ostenting and bragging of some singular virtue, either in himself, or some other of his kindred, and which he arrogateth to himself (by Hereditary possession, or lineal dissent) though it be mere ungodly in it own nature, yet it is not permanent, (for words fly into the air, not leaving any print or character behind them to offend the eyes.) But this sin of excess in Apparel, remaineth as an Example of evil before our eyes, and as a provocative to sin, as Experience daily showeth.  Spud. 
Would you not have men to observe a decency, 
A decorum to be observed.  a comeliness & a decorum in their usual Attire? Doth not the word of God command us to do all things decenter, & secundum ordinem civilem: decently, and after a civil manner?  Philo. 
I would wish, that a decency, a comely order, and as you say, a decorum were observed, as well in Attire, as in all things else: but, would God the contrary were not true: For most of our novel Inventions and new fangled fashions, 
Our apparel rather deformeth, than adorneth us.  rather deform us then adorn us: disguise us, then become us: making us rather, to resemble savage Beasts and stern Monsters, than continent, sober and chaste Christians.  Spud. 
Hath this contagious infection, of Pride in Apparel, infected and poisoned any other country, beside Ailgna, suppose you?  Philo. 
No doubt, but this poison hath shed forth his influence, and powered forth his stinking dregs over all the face of the earth, but yet I am sure, there is not any people under the Zodiac of heaven, how clownish, rural or brutish soever, that is so poisoned with this Arsnecke of Pride, or hath drunk so deep of the dregs of this Cup, as Ailgna hath, with grief of conscience I speak it, with sorrow I see it, and with tears I lament it.  Spud. 
But I have heard them say, that other Nations pass them, 
No Country so drunken with pride as Ailgna.  for exquisite bravery in Apparel: as, the Italians, the Athenians, the Spaniards, the Chaldeans, Helvetians, Zuitzers, Venetians, Muscovians, and such like: now, whither this be true or not, I greatly desire to know.  Philo. 
This is but a viso, or cloak, to hide their sodometry withal: only spoken, not proved: forged in the deceitful Mint of their own brains: For (if credit may be given to ancient writers,) the Egyptians are said, never to have changed their fashion, or altered the form of their first Attire, from the beginning to this day: as jacobus Stuperius, lib. de diver sis nostrae aetatis habitibus, Pag. 16, affirmeth: The Grecians, are said, to use but one kind of Apparel without any change: that is to wit: a long Gown, reaching down to the ground.  
The germans, are thought to be so precise in observing one uniform fashion in Apparel, as they have never recéeded from their first Origina: as the said Stuperius saith, in these words: Non enim mores leviter mutare vetustos, Germanus unqnam consuevit incola: Which in English Verse, is thus much in effect.  
¶ The Germayne people never use,  
lightly to chop and change  
Their customs old, or else Attire,  
wherein abroad they range.  
¶ The Muscovians, Athenians, Italians, Brasilians, africans, asians, Cantabrians, Hungarians, Ethiopians, or else, what Nation soever, under the Sun, are so far qehinde the people of Ailgna, in exquisiteness of Apparel, as in effect, they esteem it little or nothing at all, so it repel the cold, and cover their shame: yea, some of them are so smally addicted thereto, that setting apart all honesty and shame, they go clean naked. Other some meanly appareled, some in Beasts skins, some in hair, & what ever they can get: some in one thing, some in another, nothing regarding either hosen, shoes, bands▪ ruffs, shirts, or any thing else. And the civilest nations that are, be so far estranged from the pride of of apparel that they esteem him as bravely attired that is clothed in our carzi●s, frizes, ruggs, and other kinds of cloth, as we do him that is clad all over in silks, velvets, satins, damasks, grograins, taffetas, and such like. So that hereby you see, that they speak untruly that say, that other nations exceed them in bravery of apparel. For it is manifest that all other Nations under the sun how strange, how new, how fine, or how comely soever they think their fashions to be, when they be compared with the diverse fashions, & sundry forms of apparel in Ailgna, are most unhandsame, brutish and monstrous. And hereby it appeareth that no People in the World is so curious in new fangles, as they of Ailgna be. But grant it were so, and admit that others excelled them, (which is false) shall we do evil, because they do so? shall their wickedness excuse us of sin, if we commit the like & worse? shall not the soul that sinneth die? wherefore let us not sin of presumption, with the multitude, because they do so, lest we be plagued with them because we do the like. Moreover those Countries are rich and wealthy of themselves, 
Other countries not to be blamed though they, go in silk● velvets, and why:  abounding with all kind of precious ornaments, and rich attire, as silks, velvets, Satins, damasks, sarsenet, taffeta, chamlet, and such like (for all these are made in those foreign countries) and therefore if they wear them, they are not much to be blamed, as not having any other kind of clothing to cover themselves withal. So if we would content ourselves with such kind of attire, 
Other Countries esteem not so much of silks, velvets, as we do.  as our own Country doth minister unto us, it were much tolerable. But we are so surprised in Pride, that if it come not from beyond the seas, it is not worth a straw. And thus we impoverish ourselves in buying their trifling merchandizes, more pleasant than necessary, and enrich them, who rather laugh at us in their sleeves, than otherwise, to see our great folly in affecting of trifles, & departing with good merchandizes for it. And how little they esteem of silks, velvets, satins, damasks, and such like, we may easily see, in that they sell them to us for wols, frizes, rugs, carzies, and the like, which they could never do, if they esteemed of them as much as we do. So that you see they are forced of necessity to wear such rich attire, wanting other things (whereof we have store) to invest themselves withal. But who seeth not (except wilfully blind) that no necessity compelleth us to wear them having abundance of other things to attire ourselves with, both handsomer, warmer, and as comely as they in every respect? But far fetched, and dear bought, is good for Ladies they say.  Spud. 
Do you think it not permitted to any having store of other necessary clothing● to wear, silks, velvets, taffetas, & other such rich attire, of what calling soever they be of?  Ph. 
I doubt not, 
Every man may wear apparel according to his calling.  but it is lawful for the potestates, the nobility, the gentry, yeomanry, and for every private subject else to wear attire every one in his degree, according as his calling and condition of life requireth, yet a mean is to be kept, for, omne extremum vertitur in vitium, every extreme, is turned into vice. The nobility (though they have store of other attire) and the gentry (no doubt) 
The nobility may wear gorgeous attire, and why.  may use a rich, and precious kind of apparel (in the fear of God) to ennoble, garnish & set forth their births, dignities, functions and callings, but for no other respect, they may not in any manner of wise. The maiestrats also, & Officers in the weal public, by what title soever they be called (according to their abylities) may were (if the Prince, or superintendant do Godly command) costly ornaments and rich attire, 
Maiestrats may were sumptuous attire & why  to dignify their callings, and to demonstrat and show forth, the excellency, and worthiness of their offices, and functions, thereby to strike a terror & fear into the hearts of the people, to offend against the majesty of their callings: but yet would I wish, that what so is superfluous or overmuch, either in the one, or in the other, should be distributed to the help of the poor members of Christ jesus, of whom an infinite number daily do perish, thorough want of necessary refection, and due sustentation to their bodies. And as for the private subjects, it is not at any hand lawful that they should wear silk, velvets, satins, damasks, gold, silver and what they list (though they be never so able to maintain it) except they being in some kind of office in the common wealth, 
Not lawful for private subjects to wear sump●●ous attire.  do use it for the● dignifying and inno●●ing of the ●ame. But now there is such a confuse mingle mangle of apparel in Ailgna, and such preposterous excess thereof, as every one is permitted to flaunt it out, in what apparel he lust himself, or can get by any kind of means. So that it is very hard to know, who is noble, who is worshipful, who is a gentleman, who is not: for you shall have those, which are neither of the nobility gentility, nor yeomanry, no, nor yet any Magistrate or Officer in the common wealth, 
Hard to know a Gentleman from another by apparel.  go daily in silks, velvets, satins, damasks, taffetas▪ and such like, notwithstanding that they be both base by birth, mean be estate, & servile by calling. This is a great confusion & a general disorder, God be merciful unto us.  Spud. 
If it be not lawful for every one, to wear, silks, velvets, satins, damasks, taffetas, gold, silver, precious stones, & what not, wherefore did the Lord make & ordain them?  Philo. 
I deny not, but they may be worn of them, who want other things to clothe them withal, or of the nobylity, gentilytie, or magistery, for the causes abovesaid, 
Wherefore the lord made rich ornaments.  but not of every proud ●●xnet indifferently, that have store of other attire enough▪ And yet did not the Lord ordeane these rich ornaments and gorgeous vestments to be worn of all men, or of any, so much as to garnish, beautify, and set forth, the majesty & glory of this his earthly kingdom: For, as clothe of gold, Arase, tapestry, & such other rich ornaments, pendices and hangings in a house of estate, serve not only to manual uses and servile occupations, but also to decorate, to beautify & become the house, and to show the rich estate and glory of the owner: 
Whereto rich ornaments do serve.  so these rich ornaments and sumpteouse vestments, of the earthly territory of this World, do not only serve to be worn of them, to whom it doth appertain (as before) but also to show forth, the power, wealth, dignity riches, and glory of the Lord, the Author of all goodness. And here in, the providence and mercy of God appeareth most plainly, for where there is store of other clothing there hath he given, less store of silks, velvets, satins, damasks▪ and such like: and where there is plenty of them, there is no clothing else, almost, & thus the Lord did deal, for that every country ought to content themselves, with there own kind of attire: except necessity force the contrary, for than we are to use our liberty in the fear of God.  Spud. 
I pray you let me entreat you, to show me wherefore our apparel was given us, and by whom?  Philo. 
Your request is both diffuse and intricate, and more than my weak and infirm knowledge is able to comprehend: 
When, where, and for what cause our app●rell was given us.  yet, lest I might be adjudged unwilling to do good, I will assay to do the best I can.  
When the Lord our God▪ a spiritual, intellectible understanding substance, incomprehensible, immensurable, & inaccessible, had by his word, and heavenly wisdom Christ jesus, created and made the world, & all things therein contained, the sixth day he created man, after his own similitude and likeness, in innocency, holiness, righteousness, & all kind of perfection, he placed him in Paradise terestrial commanding him to till & manure the same. Than the devil, an old maligner of mankind, who before was an Angel in heaven, & through sin of pride in arrogating to himself the seat & throne of God's majesty, cast down into the lake of hell, enuying● man's glorious estate, which he than had lost, came unto man in Paradise, 
The fall of man by the malice of the devil.  & enticed him (o●● torteouse serpent) to eat of the forbidden fruit▪ whereof the Lord God had forbidden him t● taste, on pain of his life: notwithstanding, Ada● condescending to his wife her persuasions, o● rather to the Serpent, having buzzed his venomous suggestions into their ears, took of the apple, & did eat, contrary to the express commandment of his God. This done their eyes were opened, they saw their nakedness, & were not a little ashamed (& yet before sin was committed, they being both naked, were not ashamed, but sin once committed, they became unclean, filthy, loathsome, & deformed) & sewed them garments of fig leaves together, to cover their shame withal. Than the Lord pitying their misery, & loathing their deformity, gave them pelts, & fells of beasts to make them garments withal, to the end that their shameful parts might less appear: yet some are so brazen faced & so impudent, 
Impudent beasts.  that to make the devil & his members sport, will not stick to make open show of those parts, which God commandeth to be covered, nature willeth to be hid, & honesty is ashamed once to behold or look upon.  Spud. 
I gather by your words three special points. First, that sin was the cause why our apparel was given us. Secondly, that God is the author, & giver thereof. Thirdly, that it was given us to cover our shame with all, & not to feed the insatiable desires of men's wanton & luxurious eyes?  Philo. 
Your collection is very true. Than seeing that our apparel was given us 
Wherefore our apparel was given us.  of god to cover our shame, to keep our bodies from cold, & to be as pricks in our eyes, to put us in mind of our frailties, imperfections and sin, of our backsliding from the commandments of god and obedience of the highest, and to excite us the rather to contrition, and compunction of the spirit, to bewail our misery, & to crave mercy at the merciful hands of God, let us be thankful to God for them, be sorry for our sins, (which wear the cause thereof) and use them to the glory of our God, & the benefit of our bodies and souls, against the great day of the Lord appear. But (alas) these good creatures, which the Lord our God, gave us for the respects before rehearsed, we have so perverted, as now they serve in stead of the devils nets, to catch poor souls in: for every one now adays (almost) covet to deck and paint their living sepulchres 
men's bodies living sepulchres.  or earthly graves (their bodies I mean) with all kind of bravery, what soever can be devised, to delight the eyes of the unchaste beholders, whereby God is dishonoured, offence is increased, and much sin daily committed, as in further discourse shall plainly appear.  Spud. 
Did the Lord cloth our first parents in leather, as not having any thing more precious to attire them withal, or for that, it might be a permanent rule, or pattern unto us (his posterity) for ever, wherafter we are of force to make all our garments, so as it is not now lawful to go in richer array, without offending his majesty?  Philo. 
Although the Lord did not clothe them so meanly, for that he had nothing else, more precious to attire them withal (for Domini est terra, & plenitudo eius, the earth is the Lords and the fullness thereof, saith the Lord by his Psalmist: And by his Prophet. Gold is mine, silver is mine, and all the riches of the world is my own) yet no doubt, but he would that this their mean & base attire, should be as a rule, or pedagogy unto us, to teach us that we ought rather to walk meanly, 
In our apparel we ought rather to obey necessity, than to feed vanity.  and simply, than gorgeously, or pompously: rather serving present necessity, than regarding the wanton appetits of our lascivious minds: Not withstanding I suppose not, that his heavenly majesty would, that those garments of leather, should stand as a rule or pattern of necessity unto us, wherafter we should be bound to shape all our apparel for ever, or else grievously to offend: but yet by this, we may see, his blessed will is, that we should rather go an ace beneath our degree, than a jot above. And that any simple covering pleaseth the Godly, so that it repel the cold, and cover the shame, it is more than manifest, as well by the legends both of profane Historiographers Cronologers, and other writers, as also by the censures, examples and lives of all Godly, since the beginning of the world: And if the Lord would not, that the attire of Adam, should have been●▪ sign, or pattern of mediocrity unto us, 
Adam his meankind of attire was a ●igne 〈◊〉 mediocrity unto us ●n our apparel.  h● both in mercy would, & in his almighty power could have invested them in silks, velvets satins, grograins, gold, silver, & what not. But the Lord our God foresaw, that if he had clothed man, in rich and gorgeous attire (such is our proclyvitye to sin) he would have been proud thereof as we see it is come to pass at this day (God amend it) and thereby purchase to himself, his body and soul, eternal damnation.  Spud. 
Than it seemeth a thing material, and of great importance, that we resemble our first Parents in austerity, and simplicity of apparel, so much as may be possible, doth it not?  Philo. 
I put no religion in going, 
No religion reposed in apparel.  or not going in the like simple attire of our parents Adam, & Eva, (as our Papists, Papists? no, Sorbonists, Sorbonists? no, Atheists, atheists? no, plain Sathanists do, placing all their religion in heathen garments, & Romish rags) so that we observe a mean and exceed not in pride. But notwithstanding, if we approached a little nearer them, in Godly simplicity and Christian sobriety, both of apparel and manner of living, we should not only please God a great deal the more, and enritche our Country, but also avoid many scandals & offences, which grow daily by our excessive riot▪ and riotous excess in apparel. For doth not the apparel stir up the heart to pride? 
The fruit of Pride.  doth it not entice others to sin? and doth not sin purchase hell the guerdon of pride?  Spud. 
But they say, they please God, rather than offend him in wearing this gorgeous attire, for thereby the glory of his workmanship in them doth more appear. Besides that, it maketh a man to be accepted, and esteemed of in every place: whereas otherwise, they should be nothing less.  Philo. 
To think that the Lord our God is delighted in the splendente show of outward apparel, 
The Lord accepteth no man after his apparel.  or that it setteth forth the glory of his Creatures, and the majesty of his kingdom I suppose there is no man (at least no perfect christian man) so bewitched or assotted. For that wear, as much, as to say, that stinking pride, & filthy sin, tended to the glory of God, so that the more we sin the more we increase his praise and glory. But the Lord our God is so far from dilightinge in sin, that he adjudgeth them to eternal Death, and damnation, that commit the same. Than who is he that will take pleasure in vain apparel, which if it be worn but a while, will fall to rags, and if it be not worn, will soon rot or else be eaten with moths. His ways are not our● ways, his judgements, not our judgements, as he saith, by his Prophet: and whereas they hold, that Apparel setteth forth the glory of his Majesty in his creatures, making them to appear fairer, 
No attire can make the creature of God seem fairer.  than other wise they would of themselves, it is blasphemously spoken, and much derogateth, from the excellency and glory of his name. For saith not God by his prophet Moses, that after he had made all creatures, he beheld them all, & behold they wear (and especially man, the excellentest of all other his creatures, whom he made after his own similitude & likeness) exceeding good? And were all creatures good & perfect, & only man not perfect nor fair enough? If these their speeches were true (which in the fullness of their blasphemy they shame not to speak) than might we easily convince the Lord of untrue speaking, who in his sacred word, informeth us, that man is the perfectest Creature, & the fairest of all others, that ever he made (excepting the heavenly spirits, & Angelical creatures) after his own likeness: as before. O man who art thou, that reasonest with thy Creator? shall the clay say unto the potter, why hast thou made me thus? 
Every one is to content himself with his creation and to pr●yse God for it.  Or can the clay make himself better favoured than the potter, who gave him his first stamp & proportion? Shall we think that stinking pride, can make the workmanship of the Lord to seem fairer? Than why did not the Lord cloth us so at the first? or at least, why gave he not commandment in his will, & testament which he sealed with the price of the blood of his son to cloth ourselves in rich & gorgeous apparel to set forth his glory the more? But away with these dogs, & hellish hags, who retain this opinion, that cursed pride glorifieth God, & setteth forth or beautifieth his workmanship in his creatures. In vain is it, for me to expostulat with them, for doubtless none hold this, but such as be misecreants (or devils incarnate) & men cast of into a reprobate sense, 
The Lord ou● God is a consuming fire, to destroy all impenitent sinners.  whom I beseech the Lord in the bowels of his mercy, either speedily to convert that they perish not, or else confound, that they hurt not, that peace may be upon Israel. Thus having sufficiently (I trust) refelled their false positions, I leave them to the Lord, beseeching them (as they tender their own salvation linguas compescere digitis: to stop their sacrilegious mouths with their fingers, & not to spit against heaven or kick against the prick as they do, any longer. For the Lord our God is a consuming fire, & upon obstinate sinners shall rain down fire & brimstone, & consume them in his wrath. This is our portion acquired by sin.  Spud. 
But what say you to the other branch of their conclusion, namely, that Apparel maketh them to be accepted, and well taken in every place?  Philo. 
Amongst the wicked, and ignorant Peasants, I must needs confess, they are the more esteemed, in respect of their apparel, but nothing at all the more, but rather the less, amongst the godly wise. So far of will all wise men be, 
The wise will not accept of any, after apparel.  from accepting of any for his gay apparel only, that (be he never so gallantly painted, or curiously plumed in the deceitfully feathers of pride) they will rather contemn him a great deal the more, taking him to be a man, puffed up with pride and vain glory, a thing both odious, & detestable to God & good men And seeing it cannot stand with the rule of god his justice, to accept or not to accept any ma● for his apparel, or any other extern show 〈◊〉 deceitful vanity, it is manifest, that ma● doing the contrary, is a judas to the truth, 〈◊〉 Traitor to justice, & an enemy to the Lord 〈◊〉 wherefore far be that from all good christian● and if those that go richly clothed should b● esteemed the rather for their rich apparel, tha● à contrario must those that go in mean, an● base attire, be the more contemned, and despised for their poverty. And than should Chris●●● jesus our great Ambassador from the king 〈◊〉 heaven, & only Saviour, be comtemned: for 〈◊〉 came in poor, & mean array: but Christ Iesu● is blessed in his poor rags, and all others ar● contemned in their rich & precious attire. U●●der a simple cote, many times lieth hid grea● wisdom & knowledge: & contrarily under bra●●● 〈◊〉 sometime is covered great ydiotacy and folly. 
Wisdom not tied to exterior pomp of apparel.  Hereof every days success offereth proof sufficient, more is the pity.  Spud. 
Wherefore would you have men accepted, if not for Apparel?  Philo. 
If any be so foolish to imagine, that he shallbe worshipped, reverenced 
Reverence due to virtue not to attyr●.  or accepted the rather for his apparel, he is not so wise, as I pray God make me. For surely for my part, I will rather worship & accept of a poor man (in his clouts, & poor rags) having the gifts and ornaments of the mind, than I will do him that roisteth & flaunteth daily & hourly, in his silks, velvets, satins, damasks, gold or silver, what soever, without the induments of virtue, whereto only all reverence is due. And therefore as any man is endued, or not endued with virtue, & true godliness, so will I reverence, or not reverence, accept, or not accept of him: wherefore if any gape after reverence, worship, or acceptation, let them thirst after virtue, as namely, wisdom, knowledge, discretion, modesty, sobriety, affability, gentleness, & such like, than can they be without reverence, or acceptation no more than the son can be without light, the fire without heat, or the water without his natural moisture.  Sp. 
Than I gather you would have men accepted for virtue & true Godliness, would you not?  Ph. 
I would not only have men to be accepted & reverenced for their virtue (though the chiefest reverence is only to be attributed to him, 
Wherefore man is to be worshipped and had in reverence.  whose sacred breast, is fraught with virtue, as it may well be called, the promptuary or Receptorie of true wisdom and Godliness, but also (in part) for their births sake, parentage and consanguinity, and not only that, but also, in respect of their callings, offices and functions, whether it be in the Temporal Magistery a or Ecclesiastical presbytery (so long as they govern godly and well:) For, the Apostle saith, that those Elders which govern well amongst us, are worthy of double honour: But yet, the man whom God hath blessed with virtue and true godliness, though he be neither of great birth nor calling, nor yet any Magistrate whatsoever, is worthy of more reverence and estimation than any of the other, without the ornaments of the mind & gifts of, virtue above said. For what prevaileth it to be borne of worshipful progeny, 
Gentility without virtue is no gentility.  and to be destitute of all virtue, which deserveth true worship? what is it else, then to carry a golden Sword in a Leaden Scabbard? Is it any thing else, than a golden Coffin or painted Sepulchre, making a fair show outwardly, but inwardly is full of all stench, & loathsomeness? I remember once I red a certain story of one, a Gentleman by birth and parentage, who greatly reproached, and withal disdained an other, for that he was come to great authority only by virtue, being but a poor man's child by birth: What? saith the Gentleman by birth, art thou so lusty? Thou art but a cobblers son, 
The exordium of virtue, is the exordium of gentility, & worship, and want of the one, is the decay of the other.  and wilt thou compare with me, being a Gentleman by birth, and calling? To whom the other answered, thou art no Gentleman, for thy gentility endeth in thee and I am a Gentleman, in that my gentility beginneth in me. Meaning (unlest I be deceived) that the want of virtue in him, was the decay of his gentility, and his virtue was the beginning of true gentility in himself: for virtue therefore, not for apparel, is every one to be accepted. For if we should accept of men after apparel only respecting nothing else, than should it come to pass, that we might more esteem of one, both mean by birth, base without virtue, servile by calling, & poor in estate, more than of some by birth, noble, by virtue honourable and by calling laudable. And the reason is because every one, tag and rag, go braver, or at least as brave as those that be both noble, honourable and worpshipfull.  Spud. 
But I have hard say, there is more holiness in some kind of apparel, than in othersome, which makes them so much to affect varytie of fashions, I think.  Philo. 
Indeed I suppose that the sum of their religion, doth consist in apparel. 
No holiness in apparel.  And to speak my conscience I think there is more or as much holiness in the apparel, as in them, that is just none at all. But admit that there be hoylnesse in apparel (as who is so infatuat to believe it) than it followeth that the holiness pretended is not in them, & so be they plain hypocrites to make show of that, which they have not. And if the holiness by there attire presaged be in themselves, than is it not in the garments, & why do they than attribute that to the garments, which is neither adherente to the one nor yet inherent in the other? Or if it were so, why do they glory of it to the world, but I leave them to their folly, hasting to other matters more profitable to entreat of.  Spud. 
But I have hard them reason thus. That which is good in it own nature, cannot hurt: 
An argument trimly contrived.  apparel is good, and the good Creature of God, ergo no kind of apparel can hurt. And if there be any abuse in it, the apparel knoweth it not. Therefore take away the abuse, and let the apparel remain still, for so it may (say they) without any hurt at all.  Philo. 
These be well seasoned reasons, and substantial asseverations in deed, but if they have no better arguments to lean unto, than these, their kingdom of Pride will shortly, fall without all hope of recovery again.  
The apparel in it own nature is good, and the good Creature of God (I will not deny) and cannot hurt except it be thorough over own wickedness abused. And therefore woe be to them that make the good Creatures of God instruments of damnation to themselves, by not using them, but abusing them. And yet not withstanding, it may be said, to hurt, or not to hurt, as it is abused, or not abused. And whereas they would have the abuse of apparel (if any be) taken away, and the apparel to remain still, it is impossible to supplant the one, without the extirpation of the other also. For it is truly said, sublata causa, tollitur effectus: But not, subrepto effectu, tollitur causa. 
Unpossible to take away pride, except sumptuous apparel be taken away also.  Take away the cause, and the effect falleth, but not contrarily, take away the effect, and the cause falleth. The efficient cause of Pride is gorgeous attire, the effect is pride itself ingenerate by attire: But to begin to pluck away the effect (to wit pride) and not to take away the cause first (namely sumptuous attire) is as if a man intending to supplant a Tree by the roots, should begin to pull ●he fruit, and branches only, ●or to pull down heaven, should dig in the earth, working altogether preposterously, and indyreclye.  
And the reason is, these two collateral Cousins, apparel, and Pride (the Mother and Daughter 
Apparel and pride combined togetheas mother, & daughter.  of mischief) are so combinate together, and incorporate the one in the other, as the one can hardly be divorced from the other, without the destruction of them both. To the accomplishment whereof God grant that those wholesome laws, sanctions, and statutes, which by our most gracious and serene princess (whom jesus preserve for ever) and her noble, and renowned Progenitors, have been promulgate, and enacted heretofore, may be put in execution. For in my opinion, it is as impossible for a man, to were precious apparel, and gorgeous attire, and not to be proud thereof (for if he be not proud thereof, why doth he wear such rich attire, whereas meaner is both better cheap, easier to be had, as warm to the body, and as decent, and comely to any chaste christians eye?) as it is for a man to carry fire in his bosom, 
Unpossible not to be proud of rich attire.  and not to burn. Therefore would God every man might be compelled to wear apparel, according to his degree, estate, and condition of life: which if it were brought to pass, I fear lest some who ruff●● now in silks, velvets, satins, damasks, gold silver, and what not, should be glad to wear freeze coats, & glad if they might get them.  Spud. 
What is your opinion? did the people of the former world so much esteem of apparel, as we do at this present day, without respect had either to sex, kind, order, degree estate, or calling?  Philo. 
No doubt but in all ages, they had their imperfections and faults, for Hominis est errare, labi, & decipi, it is incident to man, to err, to fall, and to be deceived. 
The Godly have ever detested pride of apparel.  But notwithstanding as the wicked have always affected not only pride in apparel, but also all other vices whatsoever, so the chaste Godly, and sober Christians, have ever eschewed this excess of apparel, having a special regard to wear such attire as might neither offend the majesty of God, provoke themselves to pride nor yet offend any of their Brethren in any respect. But (as I have said) not only the Godly have detested and hated this vain superfluity of apparel in all times since the beginning of the World, 
The very heathen have contemned sumptuous apparel.  but also the very paynim, the heathen Philosophers, who knew not God▪ (though otherwise, wise Sages, and great Clarks) have contemned it, as a pestiferous evil: in so much as they have writ (almost) whole volumes against the same, as is to be seen in most of their Books yet extant.  Spud. 
Are you able to prove that?  Philo. 
That I am very easily, 
Testimonies of heathen people who derided rich● attire.  but of an infinite number, take a taste of these few. Democrates being demanded, wherein the beauty, and comely feature of man, or woman consisted? answered, in fewnes of speeches well tempered together, in virtue, in integrity of life, and such like. Sophocles seeing one wear gorgeous apparel, said to him, thou fool, thy apparel is no ornament to the, but 〈◊〉 manifest show of thy folly. Socrates being asked what was the greatest ornament in a woman? answered, that which most showeth her chastity, and good demeanour of body, and mind & not sumptuous attire, which rather showeth her adulterate life. Aristotle is so district in this point, that he would have men to use meaner apparel, than are permitted them by the law: The Wife of Philo the Philosopher, 
Virtue is the comeliest ornament of all.  being upon a time demanded why she ware not gold, silver, and precious garments, said, she thought the virtues of her husband sufficient ornaments for her. Dionysius the king sent the richest garments in all his wardrobes to the noble Women of the Lacedæmonians, who returned them from whence they came, saying, they would be a greater shame to them, than honore. King Pirrus sent rich attire to the Matrons of Rome, who abhorred them, as menstruous clouts. The conceived opinion amongst the Grecians to this day is, that it is neither gold, nor gorgeous attire that adorneth either Man or Woman, but virtuous conditions, and such like. Diogenes 
Dio●ines his ●suerity.  so much contemned sumptuous attire, that he chose rather to dwell in wilderness amongst brute beasts, all his life long than in the pompous courts of mighty kings one day to be commorante. For he thought if he had the ornaments of the mind, that he was than fair enough, and fine enough also, not, needing any more.  
A certain other Philosopher, addressed himself towards a king's court in his Philosopher's attire, that is in mean, base and poor array: But so soon as the Officers espied him, they cried away with that rogue, what doth he so nigh the kings majesty court.  
The poor Philosopher seeing it lighten so fast, retired back, for fear of their thunderclaps, and repairing home, appaireled himself, in rich Attire, and came again marching towards the court, he was no sooner in sight, but every one received him plausibly, and with great submission, and reverence. When he came in presence of the king, and other mighty potentates, he kneeled down, and ceased not to kiss his garments. The king and nobles marveling not a little thereat, asked him, wherefore he did so?  
Who answered, 
The example of a Philosopher deriding the pomp 〈◊〉 World.  O noble king, it is no marvel, for that which my virtue and knowledge could not do, my Apparel hath brought to pass. For I coming to thy gates in my PHILOSOPHER'S weed, was repelled, but having put upon me this rich attire, I was brought to thy presence with as great veneration and worship as could be. Whereby is to be seen in what detestation he had the stinking Pride of apparel, taking this occasion to give the King to understand the inormious abuse thereof, and so to remove the same as a pestilent evil out of his whole dominion & kingdom. I read of a certain other Philosopher that came before a king, 
The example of a Philosopher who spat in the king's face.  who at the same time, had invited his nobles, to a feast or banquet, the Philosopher coming in, and seeing no place to spit in (for every place was hanged with cloth of gold, cloth of silver, tinsel, arrace, tapestry, and what not) came to the king and spat in his face, saying, it is meet (o king) that I spit in the foulest place. This good Philosopher (as we may gather) went about to withdraw the king from taking pleasure or delight, in the vain glistering show, either of apparel or any thing else, but rather to have consideration of his own filthiness, misery, & sin, not rising up into pride, and spitting against heaven, as he did, by dilighting in proud attire and gorgeous ornaments. Thus we see the very paynim, and heathen people, have from the beginning despised this excess of apparel, both in themselves, and others, whose examples herein god grant we may follow.  Spud. 
But you are not able to prove that any good Christians, ever set light by precious attire, but always esteemed it as a special ornament to the whole man, As for these Heathen they were fools, neither is it material, what they used, or used not?  Philo. 
I am able to prove, that even from the beginning of the world, the chosen and peculiar people of God, have contemned proud Apparel, as things (not only) not necessary, but also as very evils themselves, 
Probation, that the former world hath contemned pompous attire.  and have gone both meanly and poorly in their usual attire. What say you to our Grandfather Adam, and Eva our Mother? Were they not clothed in peltes, and skins of beasts? Was not this a mean kind of Apparel think you? Was it not unfitting to see a woman invested all over in leather? But yet the Lord thought it precious, and seemly enough for them.  
What say you to the noble Prophet of the world Elias, 
Elias.  did he not walk in the solitude of this world in a simple plain mantel or gown, girded to him with a girdle of leather? Elizeus the Prophet, 
Elizeus. Samuel.  did not he in a manner the very same. And what say you to Samuel the golden mouthed Prophet, notwithstanding that he was an Archprophet, and a chief seer of that time, did he not walk so meanly, as Saul seeking his father's Asses, could not know him from the rest, but asked him, where was the seers house? This must needs argue that he went not richer than the common sort of people in his time. 
The children of Israel.  The Children of Israel being the chosen people of God, did they not wear their Father's attire forty years together in the wilderness? was not john the Baptist 
john Baptist.  clothed with a garment of Camels hear? girded with a thong of the skin of the same instead of a girdle or succinctorie about his loins Peter 
Peter.  the dear Apostle of our Saviour, was not distinct from the rest of his Fellows, Apostles by any kind of rich apparel, for then the maid would not have said I know thee by thy tongue, but rather by thy apparel.  
The Apostle Paul writing to the hebrews saith, that the persecuted Church, both in his time, and before his days were clothed some in Sheep skins, and some in Goat skins, some in Camels hear, some in this and some in that, and some in whatsoever they could get, for if it would hide their shameful parts, and kept them from the cold, they thought it sufficient, they required no more: but to speak in one word for all, did not our Saviour jesus Christ wear the very same fashion of apparel, that his Countrymen used, that is a cote without a seam either knit or weaved? which fashions the Palestynians use there, 
The humility and poverty of Christ upon earth.  yet to this day, without any alteration or change as it is thought. This his attire, was not very handsome (one would think,) at the least it was not curious, or new fangled, as ours is, but as the Poet well said, initimur in vetitum ●emper cupimusque negata, desired things forbidden, and covet things are denied us, loathing the simplicity of Christ, and abhorring the christian poverty and godly mediocrity of our Forefathers in apparel, are never content except we have sundry suits of apparel, one divers from an other, so as our Presses crack withal, our Coffers bruise, and our backs sweat with the carriage thereof: we must have one suit for the forenoon, 
Superfluity of apparel With diversity of fashions.  another for the afternoon, one for the day, another for the night, one for the workeday, another for the holieday, one for summer, another for winter, one of the new fashion, an other of the old, one of this colour, another of that, one cut, an other whole, one laced, another without, one of gold, and other of silver, one of silks and velvets, and another of cloth, with more difference and variety than I can express: god be merciful unto us and hasten his kingdom that all imperfectious may be done away.   

A peculiar Description of apparel in A●lgna by degrees  
YOu have borne me in hand of many and grievous abuses reigning in Ailgna, but now setting apart these ambagies and superfluous vagaries) I pray you describe unto me more particularly the sundry abuses in Apparel there used, running over by degrees the whole state thereof, that I may see as it were the perfect Anatomy of that Nation in Apparel, which thing I greatly desire to know.  Philo. 
Your request seemeth both intricate, and hard, considering there be Tota tantae maeryadaes inventionum, So many, and so fond fashions, and inventions of Apparel every day. But yet, lest I might be judged unwilling to show you what pleasure I can, I will assay (pro virili mea, omnibus neruulis undique extensis) with all the might and force I can, to satisfy your desire. Wherefore to begin first with their Hats.  
Sometimes they were them sharp on the crown, pearking up like a sphere, or shaft of a steeple, 
The diversity of hats in Ailgna.  standing a quarter of a yard above the crown of their heads, some more, some less, as please the fantasies of their minds. Othersome be flat, and broad on the crown, like the battlements of a house. another sort have round crowns, sometimes with one kind of hand, sometime with an other, now black, now white, now russet, now red, now green, now yellow, now this, now that, never content with one colour, or fashion two days to an end. And thus in vanity they spend the Lord his treasure, consuming their golden years, and silver days, in wickedness & sin. And as the fashions be rare and strange, so are the things whereof their Hats be made diverse also: for some are of silk, some of velvet, some of taffeta, some of sarsenet, some of wool, 
The sundry things whereof hats be made.  & which is more curious, some of a certain kind of fine hair, far fetched, and dear bought you may be sure. And so common a thing it is, that every Servingman, Countryman, and other, even all indifferently, do wear of these hats. For he is of no account or estimation amongst men, if he have not a velvet, or a taffatie Hat, and that must be pincked and cunningly carved of the best fashion. And good profitable Hats be they, for the longer you wear them, the fewer holes they have. Besides this, of late there is a new fashion of wearing their Hats sprung up amongst them, which they father upon the Frenchmen, namely, to wear them without bands, but how unseemly (I will not say how Assy) a fashion that is, 
Wearing of hats without bands.  let the wise judge. Notwithstanding how ever it be, if it please them, it shall 〈◊〉 displease me. another sort (as fantastical as the rest) are content with no kind of Hat, without a great bunch of feathers of diverse and sundry colours, peaking on top of their heads, 
Wearing of Feathers in hats.  not unlike (I dare not say) Coxcombs, but as sternes of pride and ensigns of vanity, and these fluttering sails and feathered flags of defiance to virtue (for so they are) are so advanced in Ailgna that every Child hath them in his hat or cap, many get good living by dying and selling of them, and not a few prove themselves more the● fools in wearing of them.  Spud. 
These Feathers argue the lightness of their fond imaginations, and plainly convince them of instability and folly, for sure I am, handsome they cannot be, therefore Barges of pride they must needs be, which I think non● will wear but such as he like themselves.  
But to your intended discourse.  Philo. 
They have great and monstruous ruffs, 
Great ruffs deformed & ill favoured.  made either of Cambric, holland, lawn or else of some other the finest cloth that can be got for money, whereof some be a quarter of a yard deep, yea some more, very few less.  
So that they stand a full quarter of a yard (and more) from their necks hanging over their shoulder points, instead of a vail. But if Aeolus with his blasts, or Neptune with his storms, chance to hit upon the crazy bark of their bruised ruffs, than they go slip flap in the wind like rags flying abroad, and lie upon their shoulders like the dishcloute of a glut. But wots you what? the devil, as in the fullness of his malice, first invented these great ruffs, so hath he now found out also two great stays to bear up and maintain this his kingdom of great ruffs (for the devil is king and prince over all the children of pride) the one arch or pillar whereby his kingdom of great ruffs is underpropped 
Two arches or pillars to under prop the kingdom of greatruffes withal, videlicet supportasses, and starch.  is a certain kind of liquid matter which they call Starch, wherein the devil hath willed them to wash and dive his ruffs well, which when they be dry will then stand stiff and inflexible about their necks.  
The other pillar is a certain device made of wires crested for the purpose, whipped over either with gold, thread, silver or silk, & this he calleth a supportasse or underpropper. This is to be supplied round about their necks under the ruff, upon the out side of the band, to bear up the whole frame & body of the ruff, from falling and hanging down.  Spud. 
This is a device passing all the devices that ever I saw or heard of. Then I perceive the devil not only inventeth mischief, but also ordaineth instrumental means to continue the same.  
These bands are so chargeable (as I suppose that but few have of them, if they have, they are better moneyed them I am?  Philo. 
So few have them as almost none is without them, for every one how mean or simple soever they be otherwise, will have of them three or four apéece for failing. And as though Camericke, 
Every peasant hath his stately bands & monstrous ruffs, how cost lie so ever they be.  Holland, Lawn, and the finest cloth that may be got any where for money, were not good enough, they have them wrought all over with silk work, and peradventure laced with gold, and silver, or other costly lace of no small price. And whether they have Argente to maintain this gear withal or not, it forceth not much, for they will have it by one mean or other, or else they will either sell or mortgage their Lands, (as they have good store) on suitors hill, & Stangate hole, with loss of their lives at Tyburn in a rope.  Spud. 
The state and condition of that Land must needs be miserable, and in time grow to great scarcity and dearth, where is such vain Prodigality, and excess of all things used.  Philo. 
Their Shirts, which all in a manner do wear (for if the Nobility or Gentry only did wear them, it were somedeal more tolerable) are either of Camericke, Holland, Lawn, 
The shirts used in Ailgna.  or else of the finest cloth that may be got. And of these kinds of Shirts every one now doth wear alike: so as it may be thought, our Forefathers, have made their Bands & Ruffs (if they had any at all) of grosser cloth, and base stuff, than the worst of our shirts ●re made of now a days. And these shurts (sometimes it happeneth) are wrought through out with needle work of silk, and such like, and curiously stitched with open seam, and many other knacks besides, more than I can describe.  Spud. 
These be goodly shurts indeed, & such yet as will not chafe their tender skins, nor ulcerat their lily white bodies, or if they do, it will not be much to their grievances I dare be bound. Is it any marvel, si Cristas erigant & cornua attollant, if they stand upon their pantofles, and hoist up their sails on high, having these dya●●ond shurts on their delicate bodies: but how soever it is, I gather by your words, that this must needs be a nice, and curious People, who arethus' nusseled up in such dainty attire.  Philo. 
It is very true, 
Niceness of apparel maketh the body tender.  for this their curiosity, and niceness in apparel (as it were) transnatureth them, making them weak, tender and infirm, not able to abide such sharp conflicts and blustering storms, as many other people, both abraode far from them, and in their confines nigh to them, do daily sustain. I have hard my Father, with other wise Sages affirm, that in his time within the compass of four or five score years, when men went clothed in black, or white freeze coats, in hosen of huswives' carzie of the same colore, that the sheep bore them (the want of making and wearing of which cloth, together with the excessive wearing of silks, velvets, satins, damasks, taffetas, and such like, hath and doth make many a thousand in Ailgna, as poor mendicants to beg their bread) whereof some wear straight to the thigh, othersome little bigger: and when they ware shurts of hemp, or flax (but now these are to gross, 
Our predecessors weringe meaner apparel were strong than we.  our tender stomachs cannot easily digest such rough and crude meats) men wear stronger than we, helthfuller, fairer complexioned, longer living, and finally, ten times harder than we, and able to bear out any sorrow or pains whatsoever. For be sure this pampering of our bodies, makes them weker, tenderer, and nesher, than otherwise they would be if they were used to hardness and more subject to receive any kind of infection or malady. And rather abbreviat our days by many years than extenuate our lives one minute of an hour.  Spud. 
I think no less: For how strong men were in times past▪ how long they lived, and how healthful they wear, before such Niceness, and vain pampering curiosity was invented, we may read, and many that live at this day, can testify. But now through our fond toys and nice inventions, we have brought ourselves into such pusillanimity, and effeminate condition, as we may seem rather nice dames, and young girls, than puissant agents, or manly men, as our Forefathers have been.  Philo. 
Their doublets are no less monstrous than the rest: 
The monstrous dublet● in Ailgna.  For now the fashion is, to have them hang down to the midst of their theighes, or at least to their privy members, being so harde-quilted, and stuffed, bombasted and sewed, as they can very hardly either stoop down, or decline themselves to the ground, so stiff and sturdy they stand about them.  
Now what handsomeness can be in these dubblettes which stand on their bellies, like or much bigger than a man's codpiece, (so as their bellies are thicker than all their bodies beside) let wise men judge. For, for my part, handsomeness in them, I see none, and much less profit.  
And to be plain, I never saw any wear them: 
Great bellied doublets b●token gourmandice, gluttony and such like.  but I supposed him to be a man inclined to gourmandice, gluttony and such like.  
For what may these great bellies signify else, than that either they are such, or else are affected that way. This is the truest signification, that I could ever presage, or divine of them. And this may every one judge of them that seeth them, for certain I am there was never any kind of apparel ever invented, that could more disproportion the body of man then these Doublets which great bellies hanging down beneath their Pudenda, (as I have said) & stuffed with four, five or six pound of Bombast at the least: I say nothing of what their Doublets be made, 
Doublets of diverse fashions.  some of Saten, Taffeta, silk, Grogram, Chamlet, gold silver, & what not? slashed, jagged, cut, carved, pincked and laced with all kind of costly la●● of divers and sundry colours, for if I should stand upon these particularities, rather time than matter would be wanting.  Spud. 
These be the strangest doublets that ever I heard of, and the furthest from handsomeness in every respect, unless I be deceived.  Philo. 
Then have they Hosen, 
Hosen of diverse & sundry fashions.  which as they be of divers fashions so are they of sundry names. Some be called french-hose, some gally-hose and some Uenitians. The french-hose are of two divers makings, for the common french-hose (as they list to call them) containeth length, breadth, and sidenes sufficient, and is made very round. The other containeth neither length, breadth nor sidenes, (being not passed a quarter of a yard side) whereof some be paned, cut and drawn out with costly ornaments, with Canions annexed reaching down beneath their knees▪  
The Gally-hosens are made very large, and wide reaching down to their knees only, with three or four guards a piece laid down along either hose. And the Uenetian-hosens, they reach beneath the knee to the gartering place of the Leg, where they are tied finely with silk points, or some such like, and laid on also with rues of lace, or guards as the other before. And yet notwithstanding all this is not sufficient, except they be made of silk, velvet, saten, damask and other such precious things beside: yea every one, Serving man, and other inferior to them in every condition, 
The 〈…〉 hosen.  will not stick to flaunt it out in these kind of hosen, with all other their apparel suitable thereunto.  
In times past, Kings (as old Historiographers in their Books yet extant do record) would not disdain to wear a pair of hosen of a Noble, ten Shillings, or a Mark price, with all the rest of their apparel after the same rate: but now it is a small matter to bestow twenty nobles, ten pound, twenty pound, forty pound, yea a hundred pound of one pair of Breeches. (God be merciful unto us.)  Spud. 
This is a wonderful excess as eu●● I heard of, worthy with the Sword 〈◊〉 justice rather to be punished, then with pap●● and pen to be so gently confuteed.  Philo. 
Then have they nether-stocks to these gay hosen, 
The diversity of neither-stocks worn in Ailgna.  not of cloth (though never so fine) for that is thought to base, but of jarnsey worsted, silk, thread and such like, or else at the least of the finest yarn that can be, and so curiously knit with open seam down the leg, with quirks and clocks about the ankles, and sometime (haply) interlaced with gold orsiluer threads, as is wonderful to behold. And to such insolency & outrage it is now grown, that every one (almost) though otherwise very poor having scarce forty shillings of wages by the year will be sure to have two or three pair of these silk neither-stocks, or else of the finest yarn that may be got, though the price of them be a Ryall or twenty shillings, or more, as commonly it is, for how can they be less? when as the very knitting of them is worth a noble, or, a royal, and some much more?  
The time hath been, when one might have clothed all his body well, for less than a pair of these neither-stocks will cost.  Spud. 
I have seldom heard the like, 
The misery of these days  I think verily that Satan prince of darkness & Father of pride, is let lose in the land, else it could never so rage's as it doth, for the like pride (I am fully persuaded) is not used under the son, of any nation or people how barbarous so ever, wherefore woe be to this age and thrice accursed be these days, which bring forth such sour fruits, & unhappy are that people, whom Satan hath so bewitched, & captived in sin. The Lord hold his hand of mercy over us.  Philo. 
To these their nether-stocks, they have corked shoes, pinsnets, 
Corked shoes Pantofles, and pinsnets.  and fine pantofles, which bear them up a finger or two from the ground, whereof some be of white leather some● of black, and some of red: some of black velvet, some of white, some or red, some of green, razed, carved, cut and stitched all over with silk and laid on with gold, silver, and such like: yet notwithstanding, to what good uses serve these pantofles, except it be to wear in a private house, or in a man's Chamber, to keep him warm? (for this is the only use whereto they best serve in my judgement) 
Pantofles, & slippers are a let to those that go abroad in them.  but to go abroad in them as they are now used all together, is rather a let or hindrance to a man then otherwise, for shall he not be feign to knock, and spurn at every stone, wall or post to keep▪ them on his feet? wherefore to disclose even the bowels of my judgement unto you, I think they be rather worn abroad for niceness, than either for any ease which they bring, (for the contrary is most tru●) or any hansonnes which is in them. 
Pantofles uneasy to go in.  For how should they be easy, when as the heel hangeth an inch or two over the slipper on the ground? Insomuch ●as I have known divers men's legs swell with the same.  
And handsome how should they be, when as with their flipping & flapping up and down in the dirt they exaggerate a mountain of mire ● gather a heap of clay & baggage together, loading the wearer with importable burden?  Spud. 
Those kind of pantofles, can neither be so handsome, nor yet so warm as other usual common shoes be, I think. Therefore the weringe of them abroad rather importeth a Niceness (as you say) in them that wear them, than bringeth any other commodity else, unless I be deceived?  Philo. 
Their coats, and jerkins, as they be diverse in colours, 
The varytie of coats and jerkins.  so be they diverse in fashions, for some be made with colours, some without, some close to the body, some lose, covering the whole body down to the theighe, like gabs, or sacks that wear drawn over them, hiding the dimensions, and proportions of the body: some are buttened down the breast▪ some under the arm, & some down the back, some with flaps over the breast, some without▪ some with great sleeves, some with small, and some with none at all, some pleated and crested behind, & curiously gathered, some notso, & how many days (I might say hours or minutes of hours in the year,) so many sorts of apparel some one man will have, and thinketh it good provision in ●aire weather, to lay up against a storm. But if they would consider that their clothes (except those that they wear upon their backs) be non of theirs, but the poors, they would not heap up their presses, and wardrobes as they do. Do they think that it is lawful for them to have millions of sundry sorts of apparel lying rotting by them, when as the poor members of jesus Christ die at their doors for want of clothing? 
The poor● ought to be provided for.  God commandeth in his law, that there be no miserable poor man nor beggar amongst us, but that every one be provided for and maintained of that abundance, which God hath blessed us withal: 
Our small regard to the poor.  But we think it a great matter if we give them an old ragged coat, doublet, or a pair of hosen, or else a penny or two, whereas not withstanding we flow in abundance of all things. Than we think we are half way to heaven, and we need to do no more. If we give them a peace of brown bread, a mess of porridge (nay the stocks & prison, with whipping cheer now and than is the best portion of alms which many Gentlemen give:) at our doors, it is counted meritorious, and a work of supererogation when we far full delicately ourselves feeding on many a danity dish. There is a certain City in Ailgna called Munidnol, where as the poor lie in the streets, 
Cold charity to the poor.  upon pallets of stra●, and well if they have that to, or else in the mire and dirt, as commonly it is having neither house to put of their heads, covering to keep them from the cold, nor yet to hide their shame withal, penny to buy them sustenance, nor any thing else, but are permitted to die in the streets like dogs, or beasts without any mer●ie, or compassion showed to them at all. And if any be sick of the plague (as they call it,) or any other disease, their Masters and Mistress are so impudent (being, it should seem at a league with Satan, a covenant with Hell, and as it were obliged themselves by obligation to the devil never to have to do with the works of mercy) as strait way, they throw them out of their doors. And so being carried forth either in carts, or otherwise, and thrown in the streets, there they end their days most miserably. 
The Turkish impiety of some towards the poor diseased.  Truly Brother if I had not seen it, I would scarcely have thought, that the like Turkish cruelty, had been used in all the World. But they say, unus testis occulatus plus valet, quàm mill auriti: one eye witness, is better to be bely●ed, than a thousand ear witnesses besides. But to leave these excursions, and to return from whence I have digressed, I think it the best: For I am persuaded they will as much respect my words (or amend their manners) as the wicked World did at the preaching of our Saviour Christ jesus, that is, just nothing at all.  Spud. 
Well then, seeing they are such a stifneckned People, leave them to the Lord, and proceed to your former tractation.  Philo. 
They have cloaks there also in nothing discrepante from the rest, of diverse and sundry colours, 
The sundry fashions of cloks.  white, red, tawny, black, green yellow, russet, purple, violet, and infinite other colours: some of cloth, silk, velvet, taffeta, and such like, whereof some be of the Spanish, French, & Dutch fashion. Some short, scarcely reaching to the gyrdlestead, or waste▪ some to the knee, and othersome traylinge upon the ground (almost) liker gowns, than cloaks. These cloaks must be guarded, laced, & thoroughly faced: and sometimes so lined, as the inner side standeth almost in as much as the outside: some have sleeves, othersome have none, some have hoods to pull over the head, some have none, some are hanged with points & tassels of gold, silver, or silk, some without all this. But how soever it be, the day hath been, when one might have bought him two cloaks for less, than now he can have one of these cloaks made for, they have such store of workmanship bestowed upon them.  Spud. 
I am sure they never learned this at the hands of our Proconsul and chief Provost Christ jesus, 
The counting house of all evil, is man's brain.  nor of any other that ever lived godly in the Lord: but rather out of the deceitful forge of their own brains have they drawn this cursed Anatomy to their own destruction in the end, except the repent.  Philo. 
They have also bootehose, which are to be wondered at, for they be ●f the finest cloth, 
The vain excess of botehosen.  that may be got, yea fine enough to make any band, ruff, or shirt needful to be worn: yet this is bad enough to were next their greasy boots. And would God this wear all: but (oh fie for shame) they must be wrought all over, from the gartering place upward, with needle work, clogged with silk of all colours, with birds, fowls, beasts, and antiques purtrayed all over in comely sort. So that I have known the very needle work of some one pair of these bootehose to stand, some in four pound, vi. pound, and some in x. pound a piece. Besides this, they are made so wide to draw over all, and so long, to reach up to the waste that as little or less cloth would make one a reasonable large shirt. But tush, this is nothing in comparison of the rest.  Spud. 
I would think that bootehosen of grosser linen, 
The variety of fashions convince us of folly.  or else of woollen cloth, wear both warmer to ride in, as comely as the other, though not so fine, and a great deal more durable. And as for those gengawes wherewith you say they be blanched and trimmed, they serve to no end, but to feed the wanton eyes of gazing fools, & planly argue the vertiginie, & instability of their more than fantastical brains.  Phil. 
To these have they their Rapiers, Swords and Daggers gilded, twice or thrice over the hilts, 
Swords and daggers guilt & damasked.  with scabbards and sheaths of Velvet or the like, for leather, though it be more profitable and as seemly, yet will it not carry such a port or countenance like the other. And will not these golden swords & daggers almost apale a man (though otherwise never so stout a Martialist) to have any deling with them? for either to the end they be worn or else other swords, daggers and rapiers of bare iron and steel were as handsome as they, & much more conducible to that end, whereto swords and rapiers should serve, namely for a man's lawful and godly defence, against his adversary in time of necessity. But wherefore they be so clogged with gold and silver I know not, nor yet whereto this excess serveth I see not, but certain I am, a great show of pride it is, an infallible token of vain glory, and a●greeuous offence to God, so prodigally, and licentiously to lavish forth his treasure, for which we must tender accounts at the day of judgement, when it shall be said to every one, 
Luce. 16.  Red rationem Vilicationis tuae, Come give accounts of thy Stewardship.   

A particular Description of the Abuses of women's apparel in Ailgna.  
THus having given thee a superficial view, or small taste, (but not discovered the hundredth part) of the guises of Ailgna in men's apparel, & of the abuses contained in the same, now will I with like celerity of matter impart unto thee, the guise and several Abuses of the apparel of women there used also: wherefore give attentive ear.  Sp. 
My ears be priest to hear, begin when you will, and truly herein you shall pleasure me much, for I have greatly desired to know thoroughly the state of the Land, even a crepundiis (as they say (from my tender years, for the great praise I have hard thereof) Wherefore, I pray you proceed to the same, & though I be unable with any benefit to countervail your great pains, yet the Lord I doubt not, will supply my want.  Ph. 
The Lord our God is a merciful God, & a bountiful Rewarder of every one, that trusteth in him, but yet (such is the magnificency & liberality of that gentle sex 
The reward of the female sex. ) that I trust I shall not be unrewarded at their hands, if to be called a thousand knaves be a sufficient guerdon for my pains. But though it willbe a corrosive to their haughty stomachs, & a nippitatum to their tender breasts to hear their dirty dregs ripped up and cast in their diamond faces, yet hoping that they, seeing the horror of their impieties, and tragical abuses laid open to the world, (for now they sleep in the grave of oblivion) will at the last like good Conuertes and Penitentiaries of Christ jesus leave of their wickedness, call for mercy at the hands of God, repent and amend. I will proceed to my intended purpose.  
The Women of Ailgna use to colour their faces with certain oils, liquors, unguents and waters 
Coloring of faces with ointments and waters.  made to that end, whereby they think their beauty is greatly decored: but who seethe not that their souls are thereby deformed, and they brought deeper into the displeasure and indignation of the Almighty, at whose voice the earth doth tremble and at whose presence the heavens shall liquifie, and melt away. Do they think thus to adulterate the Lord his workmanship, 
Adulteration of the Lord his workmanship in his Creatures.  and to be without offence? Do they not know that he is Zelotipus a jealous God, and cannot abide any alteration of his works, otherwise than he hath commanded?  
If an Artificer, or Craftsman should make any thing belonging to his art or science & a cobbler should presume to correct the same: would not the other think himself abused, and judge him worthy of reprehension?  
And thinkest thou (oh Woman) to escape the judgement of God, who hath fashioned thee, to his glory, when thy great and more than presumptuous audacicitie dareth to alter, & change his workmanship in thee?  
Thinkest thou that thou canst make thyself fairer than God who made us all? These must needs be their inventions, or else they would never go about to colour their faces, with such sibbersawces. And these being their inventions what can derogate more from the majesty of God in his creation? For in this doing they plainly convince the Lord of untruth in his word who saith he made man glorious, after his own likeness, and the fairest of all other terrestial Creatures. If he be thus fair then what need they to make them fairer? Therefore this their colouring of their faces importeth, 
They that colour their faces deny the Lord of glory to be true God and so no God at all.  (as by probable conjecture may be presupposed) that they think them selves not fair enough, and then must GOD needs he untrue in his word.  
And also they deny the Lord to be either merciful or almighty or both, and so consequently no God at all: for if h●e could not have made them fair, then is he not almighty, and if he could and would not, then is he not a merciful God, and so every way they fall in to the finck of offence, being ashamed of the good creation of the Lord in them, but it is to be feared least at the day of judgement, the Lord will be ashamed of them, & in his wrath denounce this heavy and inevitable sentence condemnatory against them, 
Sentence condemnatory against those that colour their faces.  Depart from me you cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the devil, and his Angels, I know you not: (I say) depart, for you were ashamed of me, and of my creation in you.  Spud. 
Whereof do they make these waters, and other unctions wherewith they besmear their faces, can you tell?  Philo. 
I am not so skilful in their matters of pride, but I hold this for a Maxim, that they are made of many mixtures, and sundry compounded simples, both far fetched and dear bought, cunningly couched together, and tempered with many goodly condiments and wholesome confections, I warrant you, else you may be sure they would not apply them to their amorous faces, 
invectives of the Fathers against painting and coulouring of faces.  for fear of harming or blemishing the same.  Philo. 
S. Cyprian amongst all the rest, saith, a Woman thorough painting and dying of her face, showeth herself to be more than whorish. For (saith he) she hath corrupted and defaced (like a filthy strumpet or brothel) the workmanship of GOD in her, what is this else, but to turn truth into falsehood, with painting and sibbersawces, whereas the Lord saith, Thou canst not make one hair white or black. In an other place he saith, Qui se pinguunt in hoc seculo, aliter quám creavit Deus, metuant ne cum dies resurrectionis venerit, artifex creaturam suam, non recognoscat. Those which paint or colour themselves in this world otherwise then GOD hath made them, let them fear least when the day of judgement cometh, the Lord will not know them for his Creatures.  
Again, Feminae crines suos inficiunt malo praesagio, capillos enim sibi flammeos auspicari non metuunt. Whosoever do colour their faces or their hair with any unnatural colour, they begin to prognosticate of what colour they shallbe in hell.  
S. Ambrose saith that from the coullouring of faces spring the enticements to vices, and that they which colour their faces do purchase to themselves the blot and slain of chastity.  
For what a dotage is it (saith he) to change thy natural face which God hath made thee, for a painted ●ace, which thou hast made thyself? If thou be'st fair, why paintest thou thyself to seem fairer? and if thou be not fair, why dost thou hippocrittically desire to seem fair, 
No painting can make any to seem fairer but ●owler.  and art nothing less? Can those things which beside that they be filthy▪ do carry the brand of God his curse upon their backs for ever, make thee to seem fairer? I could show you the sharp Inuections, and grounded reasons of many 〈◊〉, as of Augstine, Jerome Chrisostome, Gregory, Calvin, Peter Martyr, Gualther, and of an infinite number mo●: yea of all generally since the beginning of the world, against this whorish and brothellous painting and coulouring of faces, but to avoid prolixity, I will omit them, deferring them to further opportunity, for pauca sapienti, To a wiseman few words are sufficient.  Spud. 
It must needs be granted, that the dying and coulouring of faces with artificial colours, 
Colouring of ●aces, the devils ne●  and unnatural Ointments is most offensive to God, and derogatory to his Majesty: for do they think that the God of all glory, and who only decketh and adorneth the Sun, the Moon, the Stars and all the host of heaven with unspeakable glory, and incomparable beauty, cannot make the beautiful and fair enough (if it please him) without their sibbersawces? And what are they else then the devils inventions to entangle poor ●oules in the nets of perdition?  Philo. 
Then followeth the trimming and tricking of their heads 
Trimming of their heads.  in laying out their hair to the show, which of force must be curled, frizzled and crisped, laid out (a World to see) on wreaths & borders from one ear to an other. 
Simia erit simia etiam si aurea gesta● insignia.  And lest it should fall down it is under propped with forks, wires & I can not tell what, rather like grime stern monsters, then chaste christian matrons. Then on the edges of their bo●stred heir (for it standeth crested round about their frontiers, 
Laying out of their hair  & hanging over their faces like pendices with glass windows an every side) there is laid great wreaths of gold, and silver curiously wrought, & cunningly applied to the temples of their heads. 
Gold wreaths circumgyring the temples of their heads.  And for fear of lacking any thing to set forth their pride withal, at their heir thus wreathed and crested, are hanged, bugles (I dare not say, babbles) ouches, rings, gold, silver, glasses, & such other gewgaws and trinkets beside, which for that they be innumerable, and I unskilful in women's terms, I can not easily recount. But God give them grace, 
Gewgaws hanged about their Frontiers.  to give over these vanities, and study to adorn their heads with the incorruptible ornaments of virtue, & true Godliness.  Spud. 
The Apostle Paul (as I remember) commandeth w●men to cherish their heir, saying, that it is an ornament to them, & therefore me think, this abuse of curling and laying it out (if either were lawful) is much more tolerable than dying their faces.  Philo. 
If curling, 
Curling and crisping, and laying out of heir.  & laying out of their own natural heir wear all (which is impious, and at no hand lawful, notwithstanding, for it is the ensign of Pride, and the stern of wantonness to all that behold it) it were the less matter, but they are not simply content with their own hair, 
Bought heir and coloured, used to be wor●.  but buy other heir, dying it of what colour they list themselves: & this they were in the same order as you have heard, as though it wear their own natural heir: and upon the other side, if any have heir, which is not fair enough, than will they die it into diverse colours almost changing the substance into accidents, by their devilish & more than thrice cursed devices. So, whereas their heir was given them, as a sign of subjection, and therefore they were commanded to cherish the same, now have they made (as it were) a Metamorphosis of it, making it an ornament of Pride, and destruction to themselves for ever, except they repent.  Spud. 
This is a stiffnecked People, & a ●●bellious, I see well, that thus dareth in every respect, to pervert the strait ways of the Lord, digging up to themselves cisterns of iniquity, & pits of adversity, which in th', end without the great mercy of God will be their utter confusion.  Philo. 
Than on tops of these stately turrets (I mean their goodly heads, 
Capital ornaments for the head.  wherein is more vanity, than true Philosophy now and than) stand their other capital ornaments, as french hood, hat, cap, kercher, and such like, whereof some be of velvet, some of taffatie, some (but few) of will, some of this fashion, some of that, and some of this colour, some of that, according to the variable fantasies of their serpentine minds. And to such excess is it grown, as every artificers wise (almost) will not stick to go in her hat of Velvet every day, 
Hearts of velvets, taffeta, worn in common.  every merchants wife, and mean Gentlewomen, in her french-hood, and every poor Cottagers Daughter, in her taffatie hat, or else of will at least, well lined with silk, velvet, or taffatie. But how they come by this (so they have it) they care not, who payeth for it they regard not, nor yet what hurt booth to themselves, and others it doth bring they fear not: But run daily a malo, ad peius, 
Trahit sua● quenque voluptas.  (as they say) from one mischief t● an other, until they have filled up the measure of their evil to their own perdition at that day.  
They have also other ornaments besides these to furnish forth their ingenious heads, which they call (as I remember) cawles, made Netwyse, 
Cawles made Netwyse.  to th'end, as I think that the cloth of gold, cloth of silver, or else tinsel (for that is the worst) wherewith their heads are covered and attired withal underneath their cawls may appear, and show itself in the bravest manner. So that a man that seeth them (there heads glister and shine in such sort) would think them to have golden heads.  
Thus lavish they forth the goods of the Lord, 
Golden heads fraught with leaden wit.  which are none of their own (but lent them for a time) upon Pride and naughtiness, delighting (as it seemeth) in nothing so much, as in the stinking puddle of vanity and sin, which will be their own decay at the last. Another sort of dissolute minions, & wanton Sempronians (for I can term them no better) are so far bewitched, 
Making of holes in their ears, to hang rings and jewels by.  as they are not ashamed to make holes in their ears, whereat they hang rings, and other jewels of gold and precious stones. But what this signifieth in them, I will hold my peace, for the thing itself speaketh sufficiently. There is a certain kind of People in the Oriental part of the World (as Writers affirm) that are such Philauto● lovers of them selves and so proud with all, that having plenty of precious Stones, and Margarits amongst them, 
A people who cut their skin to set precious stones in themselves.  they cut and lance their skins, and flesh, setting therein these precious Stones, to the end they may glister and shine to the eye.  
So, except these Women wear minded to tread their paths and follow their direful ways in this cursed kind of unhard of Pride, I wonder what they mean.  
But because this is not so much frequented, amongst Women as Men, I will say no more thereof, until further occasion be offered.  Spud. 
Except it wear a People wedde● to the devils eldest Daughter Pride, for I think, chastity amongst them may dwell a Virgin for any that will marry her) and given over of God, I never heard the like.  
I am persuaded, neither the Libertines, the Epicures nor yet the vile Atheists ever exceeded this people in pride, nor the wickedness of them might ever counterpoise, with the wickedness of these people. God be merciful unto them.  Philo. 
You hear not the tenth part, for no pen is able so well to describe it, as the eye is to descry it. The Women there use great ruffs, 
Great ruffs Neckerchiefs and partlets used of Women.  & neckerchiefs of holland, lawn, camerick, and such cloth, as the greatest thread shall not be so big as the least hair that is, then lest they should fall down, they are smeared and starched in the devils liquore, I mean Starch: after that dried with great diligence, streaked, patted and rubbed very nicely, and so applied to their goodly necks, 
Supportasses ●●he▪ pillars of ●ride.  and withal, underpropped with supportasses (as I told you before) the stately arches of pride: beyond all this, they have a further fetch nothing inferior to the rest, as namely three or four degrees of minor ruffs, placed gradatim, step by step one beneath another, and all under the Master devil ruff, 
●inor ruffs.  the skyrts then of these great ruffs are long and side every way pleated and cre●ted full curiously, God wots. Then last of all, they are either clogged with gold, silver, or silk lace of stately price, wrought all over with needle work, speckled and sparkled here & there with the son, the moon, the stars and many other antiquities strange to behold. 
The great curiosity of rufs and neck●rchers.  Some are wrought with open work down to the midst of the ruff and further, some with purled lace so cloyed and other gewgaws so pestered, as the ruff is the least part of itself. Sometimes, they are pinned up to their ears, sometimes they are suffered to hang over their shoulders, like windmill sails fluttering in the wind, and thus every one pleaseth herself with her foolish devices, for suus cuiusque crepitus sibi bene olet, as the proverb saith: every one thinketh his own ways best, though they lead to destruction of body and soul, which I wish them to take heed of.  Spud. 
As in a Chameleon are said to be ●all colours, save white, so I think, in these people are all things else save Virtue and christi an sobriety. 
Proteus  Proteus that Monster could never change himself into so many forms & shapes as these women do, belike they have made an obligation with hell and are at agreement with the devil, else they would never outrage thus, without either fear of God or respect to their weak brethren, whom herein they offend.  Philo. 
The Women also there have doublets & jerkins 
Women wearing doublets and jerkins.  as men have here, buttoned up the breast, and made with wings, welts and pinions on the shoulder points, as man's apparel is, for all the world, & though this be a kind of attire appropriate only to man, yet they blush not to wear it, and if they could as well change their sex, & put on the kind of man, as they can wear apparel assigned only to man, I think they would as verily become men indeed as now they degenerate from godly sober women, 
A curse to them that wear contrary apparel to their sex.  in wearing this wanton lewd kind of attire, proper only to man.  
It is written in the 22. of Deuteronomie, that what man so ever weareth woman's appare●● is accursed, and what woman weareth man's apparel is accursed also. Now, whether they be within the hands and limits of that curse, let them see to it themselves. Our Apparel was given us as a sign distinctive to discern betwixt sex and sex, & therefore one to wear the Apparel of another sex, is to participate with the same, and to adulterate the verity of his own kind. Wherefore these Women may not improperly be called Hermaphroditi, 
Hermaphroditi.  that is, Monsters of both kinds, half women, half men.  Spud. 
I never read nor heard of any people except drunken with Cyrces' cups, or poisoned with the exorcisins of Medea that famous and renowned Sorceress, that ever would wear such kind of attire as is not only stinking before the face of God, offensive to man, but also painteth out to the whole world, the venereous inclination of their corrupt conversation. 
The diversity of Go●●es.   Philo. 
There Gowns be no less famous also, for some are of silk, some of velvet, some of grogran, some of taffeta, 
Simiae in purpuris.  some of scarlet, and some of fine cloth, of ten, twenty or forty shillings a yard. But if the whole gown be not silk or velvet, than the same shall be laid with lace, two or three fingers broad, all over the gown of else the most part.  
Or if not so, (as lace is not fine enough sometimes) than it must be guarded with great guards of velvet, 
Costly gowns,  four or six fingers broad at the least, and edged with costly lace, and as these gowns be of divers and sundry colours so are they of divers fashions changing with the Moon, for sun be of the new fashion, some of the old, some of this fashion, and some of that, 
divers fashions of Gounes.  some with sleeves hanging down to their skirts trailing on the ground, and cast over their shoulders, like Cow-tayles.  
Some have sleeves much shorter, cut up the arm and pointed with silk-ribons very gallantly, tied with true-looves knots, (for so they call them.)  
Some have Capes reaching down to the midst of their backs, faced with Velvet or else with some fine wrought silk Taffeta, at the least, fringed about very bravely▪ & (to shut up all in a word) some are pleated, & ryveled down the back wonderfully, with mor● knacks, than I can declare. Than have they Petticoats 
Potticots.  of the best cloth that can be bought and of the fairest dye that can be made. And sometimes they are not of cloth neither, for that is thought to base, but of scarlet, grograin taffatie, silk, and such like, fringed about the skirts with silk fringe, of changeable colour. But which is more vain, of whatsoever their petticoats be, yet must they have kyrtles 
Kyrtles.  (for so they call them) either of silk, velvet, grogra●, taffatie, saten, or scarlet, bordered with guards, lace, fringe, and I cannot tell what besides. So that when they have all these goodly robes upon them, women seem to be the smallest part of themselves, not natural women, but artificial Women, 
Women the least part of themselves.  not Women of flesh, & blood, but rather puppets, or mammets of rags & clouts compact together. So far hath this canker of pride eaten into the body of the common wealth, that every poor Yeoman his Daughter, every Husband man his daughter, 
Poor men's Daughters excess.  & every Cottager his Daughter will not spare to flaunt it out, in such gowns, petticoats, & kirtles, as these. And not withstanding that their Parents own a brace of hunndred pounds more than they are worth, yet will they have it quo iure quauè iniuria, either by hook, or crook, by right or wrong as they say, whereby it cometh to pass, that one can scarcely know, who is a noble woman, who is an honourable, or worpshipull Woman▪ from them of the meaner sort.  Spud. 
Their parents & Friends are much to be blamed, 
Parent's 〈◊〉 blame.  for suffering them to go in such wanton attire. They should not allow them such large pittance, nor suffer them to measure their apparel, after their own licentious yards of self will, and wicked desires.  Philo. 
Than shall they be sure, never to have good day with them. For they are so impudent, 
The impudence of proud harlots.  that all be it, their poor Parents have but one cow, horse, or sheep, they will never let them rest, till they be sold, to maintain them in their braveries, past all tongue can tell.  
And to say the truth, some Parents (worthy to be inaugured with the laurel Crown of triple folly) are so buxom to their shameless desires, and so exorable to their prostitute requests, 
Our remiss levity of Parents ●o their Children.  that they grant to their too too nice daughters more than they can desire themselves, taking a singular felicity & surmounting pleasure in sing them to go plumed and decked in the Feathers of dece●ptfull vanity.  Sp. 
This over great lenity, & remiss liberty in the education of youth, in respect of the event, and success in the end, may rather be counted an extreme cruelty, than a Fatherly pity of them towards their children: For what maketh them so soon whores, strumpets, and bawds, as that cockering of them doth?  
What maketh them apt & prone to all kind of naughtiness, 
What maketh Whores, and strumpets.  but this? Nothing in th● World so much. For give a wild horse the liberty of the head never so little, and he will run headlong to thine and his own destruction also.  
So long as a sprig twist or branch, is young, it is flexible and bowable to any thing a man can desire, but if we tarry till it be a great tree, it is inflexible and unbowable: If wax be taken whilst it is hot, any character may be easily imprinted, but tarrying till it be hard, it receiveth no print at all.  
So, correct Children in their tender years, and you may bow them to what good lore you will yourself, but tarry till they be old, than is it to late, as experience teacheth daily.  Philo. 
Their neitherstockes 
Nether-stocks of gernsey or silk.  in like manner are either of silk gearn●ey, worsted, cruel, or at least of as fine yarn, thread, or clothe as is possible to be had cunningly knit, and curiously indented, in every point, whereto they have korked shoes, pinsnets, pantofles, 
Corked shoes pinsnets, pantofles, & such like for wo●●.  and knippers: some of black velvet, some of white, some of green, and some of yellow: some of spanish leather, and some of English leather, ●●itched with silk and embroidered with Gold, ●nd silver all over the foot, with other gewgaws innumerable: All which if I should endeavour myself to express, I might with more facility number the sands of the Sea, the Stars in the sky, or the grass upon the Earth so infinite, and innumerable 
The innumerable fashions of women's attire.  be their abuses.  
For wear I never so expreme an Arithmetrician, or Mathematician, I wear never capable of the half of them, the devil broacheth so many new fashions every day.  
Wherefore to their Author I leave them, not omitting to tell you by the way (as an interim) of a certain kind of sweet Pride used amongst the Gentlemen and Gentlewomen in Ailgna.  Spud. 
I have learned out of the Book of God, that all Pride is stinking before the face of GOD, 
Pride stinking before the face of God.  wherefore I greatly desire to know what abortyve Miscreant this is, for it is some portenteous misshapen monster, I am persuaded.  Philo. 
Is not this a certain sweet Pride, 
The having of civet, musk and other perfumes a sweet kind of Pride.  to have civet, musk, sweet powders, fragrant Pomanders, odorous perfumes & such like, whereof the smell may be felt and perceived not only all over the house or place where they be present, but also a stones cast of, almost, yea the bed wherein they have laid their delicate bodies, the places where they have sa●e, the clothes and things which they have touched shall smell a week, a month, and more after they be gone. But the Prophet Esaias 
isaiah. Cap. 3.  telleth them, instead of their Pomaunders, musks civets, balms, sweet odours and perfumes, they shall have stench and horror in the nethermost hell. Let them take heed to it and amend their wicked lives.  
And in the Sommer-time whilst flowers 〈◊〉 green and fragrant, ye shall not have any Gentlewoman almost, no nor yet any droye or pussle in the Country, but they will carry in their hands, nosegays and posies of flowers 
Nosegays, & posies of flowers, worn and carried abroad.  to smell at, and which is more, two or three Nosegays sticked in their breasts before, for what cause I cannot tell, 
Beware the Spanish pip.  except it be to allure their Paramours to catch at them, whereby I doubt not but they get many a slabbering kiss, and paradeventure more friendship beside, they know best, what I mean.  Spud. 
You will be thought very strait la●ed to speak against these things, for I have heard it said, that these sweet smells are both corroborative to the senses and confortative to the spirits, and which do viui●●e and recreate aswell the body as the mind.  Philo. 
They are so far from comforting the brains, or lightning the spirits of men, that as mists and exhalations which evaporate from these earthly bodies, and are drawn up by the attractive power of the Sun, 
These eurious smells obnub●lat the spirits & darken the senses.  Moon, and stars do rather obnubilate and darken the beams of the Sun, not suffering his radiations to disparcle abroad. So these (in a manner) palpable odours, fumes, vapours, smells of these musks, 
Sweet smells of musks civet, and such like, do annoy the spirits.  cyvets, pomanders, perfumes balms & such like ascending to the brain, do rather denigrate, darken and obscure the spirit and senses, then either lighten them, or comfort them any manner of way. But howsoever it falleth out, sure I am, they are ensigns of pride, allurements to sin and provocations to vice. After all this, when they have attired themselves in the midst of their pride, it is a world to consider their coyness in gestures, 
The vain gestures & coins of women in the midst of their peacock feathers. Fingers clogged with rings.  their minsednes in words and speeches, their gingerlynes in tripping on toes like young goats, their demure nicety and babishnes and withal their haughty stomachs and more than Cyclopicall countenances: their fingers are decked with gold, silver, and precious stones, 
women's trinkets. Sweeted gloves.  their wrists with bracelets, and armlets of gold, and other precious jewels, their hands are covered with their sweet washed gloves embroidered with gold, silver, and what not, & to such abomination is it grown, as they must have their looking glasses carried with them wheresoever they go: 
Looking glasses, the devils spectacles.  And good reason, for else how cold they see the devil in them? for no doubt, they are the devils spectacles to allure us to pride, & consequently to destruction for ever: and above all things they must have their silk scarves 
Silk scarves.  cast about their faces & fluttering in the wind with great tassels at every end, either of gold, silver or silk. But I know where for, they will say they wear these scarves, namely, to keep them from sunburning. But I would ask these Nice ling one question, where in if they can resolve me, them I will say as they say, the scarves are necessary, and not flags of pride. 
A question to skarke werers.  Can that thing which is most glorious & fair of itself, make any thing foul or ill-favoured? the sun is a most glorious & fair creature, & therefore cannot make them fowler, than they are of their own nature. From whence then is it, that the Sun burneth them & altereth their orient colour into worser hue? The cause thereof proceedeth from their own genuine corruption and natural imperfection, for no more is their foulness to be ascribed to the stelliferous beams of the glistering sun, then the stench of a dead carcase, may be said to come of the Sun, & not rather of it own corruption & filthiness. They busy themselves in preserving the beauty of their bodies, which lasteth but for a time, & in time is cause of his own corruption, & which in effect is nothing else then putrefaction itself, & a dunghill covered with white & red, but for the beauty of the soul they care nothing at all. When they use to ride abroad they have invisories or visors made of velvet, 
Visors, or invisories of velvet, to ride abroad in.  wherewith they cover all their faces, having holes made in them against their eyes, whereout they look. So that if a man that knew not their guise before, should chance to meet one of them he would think he met a monster or a devil, for face he can see none, but two broad holes against her eyes, with glasses in them. 
Sues volutabris versantur.  Thus they profane the name of God & live in all kind of voluptuousness, & pleasure worse them ever did the heathen.  Sp. 
What think you, are not the inventors, & first finders out of these new toys & devilish devices in great danger, and partakers with them of the evil committed.  Philo. 
It cannot be, 
The first finders, and inventors of new fashions, are culpable of all the evil that cometh by them.  but the Inventors of these new toys, are in great danger before God, as they who shall render accounts to god not only for the invention of them, but also for the evil committed by them. For whosoever, is author of any evil must needs answer for the evil. And surely the author's of these newfangles, are not unworthy to be canonised saints when the year of jubilee cometh (I mean saints of sathan) for there is no deed so flagitious, no fact so dangerous, nor any thing so heinous, which with alacrity is not plausibly committed for the maintenance of these Devilish toys and devices: And albeit that the Persons themselves who offend this way shall die in their sins, their own blood being powered upon their own heads, yet the Authors of these new toys, wherethrough they offended, shallbe guilty of their deaths and surely answer for their destruction in the day of the Lord.  Spud. 
But say they, if I make them not, an other will, 
A vain excuse.  & it is as good for me to make them, as an other, & it is my living, wherefore I am discharged of blame, if I make them (being commanded) with sweat of my face, and with travail and pain to get my living?  Philo. 
We are commaunned indeed to get our living with the sweat of our face, 
We are bound to get our living in well doing, not in evil doing.  but how? Not in doing those things, which are evil of themselves, and also draw and entice others to evil, but in things lawful and good, & which induce to goodness. And to say, others will make them if I do not, no more excuseth them of offence, than for a Murderer or Thief to say, if I had not rob, or killed this man another would, dischargeth him from the penalty of the judicial law to be inflicted against him. Is it lawful for us to do evil, because others do it? Or doth the wickedness of an other, 
A 〈◊〉 to Artificers that invent new fashions.  deliver me from blame, if I commit the same offence? no, nothing less. Wherefore, let Tailors and Artificers beware, how they either invent or make these new devices and devilish fashions every day: And being requested to make them, if they perceive them tend to vice, and allure to sin, let them refuse them in the name of God, more tendering the salvation of many, than the private commodity of themselves alone: which thing, if every one would do, he should deliver his own soul, & support an infinite number from falling into the gulf of sin, and so in short time these new toys, fond devices and childish babelries, (new fashions I should say,) would soon vanish away, and come to nought▪ which God grant may once be seen.  Spud. 
Did the women of the former world attire themselves in such sort, as these women do?  Philo. 
The Women of the former age you may be sure never appareled themselves like one of these: But lest you should think, that the Godly only lived thus austerly, you shall hear how little the very heathen and barbarian Women have, and do at this present esteem of apparel, as Stuperius witnesseth, whose words are these speaking of the Egyptian w●men: Vestimenta sciunt nec nova pristini● mutare, verum semper his in cultibus gaudent perpetuo tempore congredi, quascunque gentes hunc per orbem visitent, Which may be thus turned into English verse.  
The Egyptian Matrons never use  
Their fashion of attire to change,  
But ever keep one form to choose  
Although they visit Nations strange.  
AND as all Writers do affirm, all the Women there, indifferently to with their hair hanging down, with a broad hat upon their heads, and other attire as plain as the rest, so far are these People from Pride, and hunting after strange fashions as our Women do.  
The Women of Africa are witnessed by the fame Stuperius, and others, to be so far from affecting strange fashions, or curiosity in apparel, that they cloth themselves in a manner all over, ferinis pellibus, with beasts skins, furs, and such like. And this they think so rich attire, as they use it altogether, when they celebrat their festival solemn days, or when they go abroad to be seen.  
The Brasilian Women esteem so little of apparel also as they rather chose to go naked (their secret parts only being covered) than they would be thought to be proud, or desirous of such vanities.  
The Cantabrian Women likewise with many others do the same. In High Germany the Women use in effect one kind of apparel, or habit, without any difference at all, nothing like other Nations delighting in new fangles: yea the wives there, are so far from pride, that they will not disdain to carry all their household stuff and other trinkets about with them upon their backs in time of extremity. These Maids & Virgins go very plain, with kerchers only on their heads, their hair hanging down behind, in token of virginity.  
Thus you see, every Nation, how barbarous soever, are much inferior to the people of Ailgna in pride & excess of apparel: and yet these examples I allege not to th'end I would wish all others to use the same, or the very like brutish kind of austere habit, but to show how far they be from Pride, & how much the other be wedded to the same. And as for the virtuous & godly christian women from the beginning of the world, they have so little cared for the vain glory of apparel, & so little (or rather nothing at all) were they a quainted therewith, as they hunted for nothing else so much as for the ornaments of the mind, as wisdom, continency, chastity, & true godliness, thinking the same beauty sufficient. They counted it great shame to clothe their bodies with sumptuous apparel, & their minds to be naked, & void of true virtue. So, if these women would seek after the beauty of the mind, they would not affect apparel so much, for if they be fair in body already, than need they not gorgeous apparel to make them fairer: & if they be deform in body, it is not y● that can make them fairer. And either their beauty consisteth in them, or in their apparel: If in them, than not in the Apparel, & so it is mere foolery to were them. And if in apparel, than not in them, and so cannot the garments make them fair, whom God, & nature hath made otherwise: wherefore, look in what shape, form, or condition every one is created by God, let him content himself with the same, without any alteration or change, with praise to his Creator.  Spud. 
They hold (notwithstanding) that it is the pride of the heart, which God so much hateth, and detesteth.  Philo. 
It is very true that GOD punisheth the pride of the heart 
Pride of the heart.  with eternal damnation (if they repent not) for he will be served, and obyed either with the whole man, or else with none. Than if he punish the pride of heart with everlasting damnation, he must needs (in justice) punish the pride of Apparel with the like, 
Pride of apparel equivalent with Pride of the heart.  being booth joined in one predicament of sin, and the pride of apparel much more hurting before the world, than the other.  
Also, it is manifest, that the pride of apparel, riseth first from the corruption of the heart, as the effects from the cause, the fruit from the root of the tree▪ than if the pride of the heart, which, notwithstanding, it hurteth not outwardly, but is secret betwixt God, and himself, be damnable in it own nature before God, than must it needs be, that the Pride of apparel, (which showeth itself to the world, both offensive to GOD, and hurtful to man, and which also is the fruit of the pride of the heart, and throweth almost as many as behold it, at least, as many as follow it, into the deep dungeon of hell) is much more pernicious and damnable than the other.  Spud. 
Hath the Lord plagued this sin of pride, with any notable torture or punishment, ever from the beginning of the World unto this day, or hath he omitted the revenge thereof as a thing of small force, or importance?  Philo. 
Most fearful plagues, and dreadful judgements of GOD have in all ages been powered upon them that offended herein, as all Histories both holy, and profane do bear record. For proof whereof, I will give you a taste but of a few, whereby may appear how wonderfully the Lord in all ages, times, kindreds & peoples hath punished those that thorough pride (like wicked recusants, and backslyders from God) have rebelled against his majesty. 
Examples of God his punishments executed upon them that offended in Pride, in all ages.  The devil, who before was an Angel in Heaven, arrogating to himself the imperial throne of the majesty of God, was cast down into the déepth of Hell burning with fire and sulphur for ever.  
Adam, desiring to be a God (for the serpent told him he should be as God, knowing both good & evil) was for the sin of Pride thrown down to the bottom of Hell, & not only he, but all his posterity to the end of the World. The host of Core, Dathan, and Abiram for their exceeding pride, in stirring up mutiny, rebelling against their lawful Magistrate were swallowed up quick into hell, the earth opening her mouth, & devouring them, withal their complices whatsoever. The People of Babylon intending to build a tower, whose top should touch the Sky, thinking that if God should drown the world again with water, they would be sure enough on the top of their high turret's, yea they intending to sit with God himself (if need wear) wear all confounded, and a diverse language put into every man's mouth, that none knew what an other spoke. And thus were they forced to leave there building, and dispersed themselves abroad upon the face of the earth, whereof sprung the first diversity of languages in the world. Wherefore when we hear any language spoken we know not, it may be a memorandum 
A memorandum.  to us to put us in mind of our Pride, which was the cause thereof.  
Goliath, the great Giant, the huge Cyclops, and swor●e enemy to the Children of Israel, for his pride against the Lord, was slain by David, the faithful Servant of the Lord.  
Antiochus 
Antioch●.  intending to overthrow, and sack jerusalem, to spoil the Sanctuary and Temple of the Lord, and to kill the people of God, was for his pride overturned in his chariot riding thetherward, his belly burst and fill thy worms crawled out, most loathsomely, and in sine, began so to stink and swell, as neither his Servants nor he himself could abide his own savour, and thus ended his life in great misery, and wretchedness.  
Nabuchodonosor, 
Nabuchodonosor.  was for his pride cast out of his Kingdom and forced to eat grass with wild beasts in the wilderness. 
Daniel.   
King Saul, 
K.  for his pride and disobedience, was deposed of his principality and Kingly regiment, and in the end slew himself on 〈◊〉 Gelboe most desperately.  
Sodoma and Gomorra, were both destroyed with fire & brimstone from heaven for their sin of pride, & contempt of the Lord. All the world in the days of Noah was drowned with universal deluge for pride & contumacy of heart.  
King Hezekiahs' for his pride in showing to the Ambassadors of the king of Babylon, 
2. Reg. Cap. 20.  all his treasure (for he sent Messengers unto him with gift & letters congratulatory, for the recovery of his health) lost all his jewels, treasures & riches, with his own sons also, being transported captives into Babylon: K. David▪ for his pride in numbering the people contrary the will of god was grievously punished, and threescore and ten thousand of his People slain with a grievous pestilence for the same. 
2. Samuel. 1. c. 24. Vers. 15.   
King Pharaoh for his pride against the Lord, (for he thought himself a GOD upon the Earth, and therefore asked he Moses in derision, who is the Lord) was drowned in the read Sea with all his host. The proud Pharisey 
The proud Pharisey.  justifying himself, for his pride was reproved of the Lord, and rejected.  
King Herode 
K. Herode.  for attiring himself in sumptuous array, & not ascribing glory to the Lord, was strucken dead, by an Angel, and worms consumed his flesh immediately. All these, with infinite millions more in all ages, have perished thorough pride, and therefore let not this people think that they shall escape unpunished, who drink up pride as it wear sweet wine, feed upon it, as upon delicious meats, and wallow in it, as a filthy swine doth in the dirty myr●: will the Lord punish his peculiar people, and elect vessels, and let them go free?  
Wherefore I would wish them to be warned, for it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of GOD, 
God his Plagues are prepared, if we repent not.  who is a consuming fire, & a fearful God. His bow is bent, his arrows of judgements are drawn to the head, his fire is kindled, his wrath is gone out, & ready to be powered upon the contemners of his laws. Tempt not the Lord any longer, provoke not his wrath, exasperated not his judgements towards thee: for as mercy proceedeth from him, so doth justice also: And be sure of it, he payeth home at the last. For as in mercy he suffereth no good deed to be unrewarded, so in his just judgement there is no wickedness, which he leaveth unpunished. And yet notwithstanding their wickedness and pride is such, as stinketh before the face of God, and maketh the Enemies to blaspheme and speak evil of the ways of the Lord: For say they, the men of Ailgna are wicked, & licentious in all their ways, which easily appeareth by their apparel, & new fangled fashions every day invented. The beastly Epicures, the Drunkards, & swilbowles upon their ale benches, when their heads are intoxicat with new wine, will not stick to belch forth, 
Our new fangles and toils, are occasions, why all nations mock, and flo●te us.  and say, that the inhabitants of Ailgna go bravely in Apparel, changing fashions every day, for no cause so much as to delight the eyes of their harlots withal, and to inamoure the minds of their fleshly paramours. Thus be this People a laughing stock to all the world for their pride, 
Our living a slander to the truth.  a slander to the word of God & to their profession, scandalles to their brethren, a dishonour and reproach to the Lord, and very caterpillars to themselves, in wasting and consuming their goods and treasures upon vanities & trifles.  Spud. 
Seeing that by divine assistance, you have now finished your tractation of the Apparel of Ailgna, show me (I pray you) what other abuses be there used, for I am persuaded, that pride the Mother of all sin, is not without her Daughters of sin semblable to herself?   

The horrible vice of Whoredom in Ailgna.  Philo. 
THE horrible vice of Whoredom also is there too too much frequented, 
Whoredom in Ailgna too too ri●e.  to the great dishonour of God, the provoking of his judgements against them, the stain and blemish of their profession, the evil example of all the world, any finally to their own damnation for ●uer, except they repent.  Spud. 
I have heard them reason, that mutual coition betwixt man and woman, is not so offensive before God. 
Vain and ungodly reasons pretending that whoredom is no ●●nne.  For do not all Creatures (●ay they) as well reptilia terrae, as volati●a Coeli, the creeping things upon the earth, as the flying Creatures in the air, and all other Creatures in general both small & great engender together? hath not nature and kind ordained them so? & given them members incident to that use? & doth not the Lord (say they) (as it were with a stimule, or prick by his mandat, saying crescite & multiplicamini, & replete terram, increase, multiply, & fill the earth,) stir them up to the same? Otherwise the World would become barren, and soon fall to decay: wherefore they conclude, 
Oh wicked Lybertynes.  that whoredom is a badge of love, a cognizance of amity, a touch of ●ustie youth, a friendly dalliance, a redintegration of love, and an ensign of virtue, rather meritorious than damnable: these with the like be the exceptions which I have hard them many times to object, in defence of their carnal pollutions.  Philo. 
Cursed be those mouths, that thus blaspheme the mighty God of Israel, and his sacred word▪ making the same cloaks, to cover their sin withal, worse are they than Libertines who think all things lawful, or Atheists, who deny there is any God. The devils themselves never sinned so horribly, nor erred so grossly, as these, (not Christians, but dogs) do, that make whoredom a virtue, and meritorious: but because you shall see their deceptions displayed & their damnable abuses, more plainly discovered, I will reduce you to the first institution of this Godly ordinance of matrimony. The Lord our God having created all things in Heaven, 
The first institution of matrimony.  earth, or Hell whatsoever, created of every sex, two, male & female of both kinds, and last of all other creatures, he made man after his own likeness, & similitude, giving him a woman, 
Gen. 2. Mat. 19  made of a rib of his own body, 
Marc. Luc. 16.  to be his companion, 
1. Cor. 6.  & comforter, & linking them together in the honourable state of 
Ephe. 5.  venerable wedlock, he blessed them both, saying, crescite, multiplicamini, & replete terram. Increase, multiply, & replenish the earth: whereby it is more than apparent, that the Lord, whose name is jehovah, the mighty GOD of Israel, 
Marriage insti●uded for. 4 ca●ses.  is the Author of Godly matrimony, instituting it in the time of man's inconcency in Paradise, and that as me seemeth for four causes. First, for the avoidance of whoredom: Secondly, for the mutual comfort, & consolation, that the one might have of the other in all adversities & calamities whatsoever: thirdly, for the procreation, 
All mutual copulation, except marriage, is unlawful.  and Godly propagation of Children in the fear of the Lord, that both the world might be increased thereby, and the Lord also in them glorified. And fourthly, to be a figure or type of our spiritual wedlock betwixt Christ and his church both militant, and triumphant. This congression, and mutual copulation of those that be thus joined together in the Godly state of blessed matrimony▪ is pure virginity, and allowable before God and man, as an action whereto the Lord hath promised his blessing thorough his mercy, not● by our merit, ex opere operato, as some shame not to say. All other goings together and coitions are damnable, pestiferous, and execrable▪ So, now you see, that whereas the Lord saith, increase, multiply, & fill the earth, he alludeth to those that are chained together in the Godly state of matrimony and wedlock, and not otherwise: For to those that go together after any other sort, he hath denounced his curse and wrath for evermore▪ as his alsaving word beareth record. And whereas they say that all cr●atures upon the Earth do engender together, 
●ow all creatures do go together in their kind●.  I grant it is true. But how? in suo genere, in their own kind. There is no creature creeping, on the earth, or flying in the air, how irrationable soever that doth degenerate as man doth, but kéepethe the same state and order wherein they were made at the first, and so if man did, he should not commit abominable whoredom and filthy sin as he doth. It is said of those that writ de natura animalium, that (almost) all unreasonable beasts and flying fowls after they have once linked and united them selves together to any one of the same kind▪ and after they have once espoused themselves the one to the other, 
The fidelity of unreasonable creatures in marriage one towards an other.  will never after join themselves with any other, till the one be dissolved from the other by death. And thus they keep the knot of matrimony inviolable to the end. And if any one chance to revolt and go together with any other during the life of his first mate, at the rest of the same kind, assemble together, as it were in a council or parliament, and either kill or grievously punish the adulterer or adulteress whether ever it be, which law I would God were amongst Christians established. By all which it may appear how horrible a sin whoredom is in nature, that the very unreasonable creatures do abhor it.  
The Heathen people who know not God, so much loath this sti●king sin of whoredom, that some burn them quick, some hang them on gibbets, some cut off their heads, some their arms, 
How much the Heathen have detested whoredom.  legs and hands, some put out their eyes, some burn them in the face, some cut of their noses, some one part of their body, some another, and some with one kind of torture, and some with another: but none leaveth them unpunished: 
sundry punishments of whoredom amongst the Heathen.  so that we are set to school to learn our first rudiments (like young Novices or Children scarce crept out of the shell,) how to punish whoredom, even by the unreasonable creatures and by the heathen people who are ignorant of the divine goodness.  
God be merciful unto us.  Spud. 
I pray you rehearse some places out of the word of God, wherein this cursed vice of whoredom is forbidden, for my better instruction.  Philo. 
Our Saviour Christ in the eight of john speaking to the woman, 
Testimonies out of the word of god wherein whoredom is forbid,  whom the malicion●● Iewes had apprehended in adultery, bade her go her way and sin no more. If it had not been a most grievous sin, he would never have bid her to sin therein no more.  
In the fift of Matthew he saith, who so lusteth after a woman in his heart, hath committed the fact already, and therefore is guilty of death for the same. 
Mat. 5.  To the Pharisees, ask him whether a man might not put away his wife for any occasion? Christ answered, for no cause, save for whoredom only, inferring that whoredom is so heinous a sin, as for the perpetration thereof it shallbe lawful for a man to sequester himself from his own wife and the wife from her own husband. 
Mat. 19  The Apostle Paul saith, 
Mat. 10.  know you not that your bodies are the members of Christ, 
Luc. 16.  shall I then take the members of Christ (saith he) and make them the members of an whore? 
1. Cor. ●.  God forbidden, know ye not that he who coupleth himself with a harlot is become one body with her? flee fornication (saith he) therefore, for every sin that a man committeth is without the body, but who committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. And in an●other place: know you not, that your Bodies are the temples of the holy ghost, which dwelleth within you? And who so destroyeth the Temple of God, him shall God destroy.  
In an other place, he saith: be not deceived, for neither Whoremonger, Adulterer, Fornicator, incestuous person nor such like shall ever enter into the kingdom of heaven. Again, Coni●gium honorabile est inter omnes. Marriage is honourable amongst all men, and the bed undefiled, but whoremongers and adulterers God shall judge. In the Revelation of Saint john it is said, that they who were not defiled with women, do wait upon the Lamb, whether soever he goeth. The Apostle Paul willeth us to be so far from fornication, that it be not once named amongst us, as becometh Saints, with infinite such places, which for bréefnes I omit, referring you in the old Testament to these and such like places, namely, the 20. of Exodus. 20. of Leviticus. De●tronomie 22. Deutro. 27. 2. Reg. 11. levit. 18. Exodus. 22. Num 5. Eccle. 9 Pro. 33. Pro. 7. verse. 24.  Spud. 
As you have now proved by invincible testimonies of holy Scripture, that whoredom is forbidden by the Lord: so I pray you show me the grievousness thereof by some severe & rare examples of Gods just judgement executed upon the same from the beginning. 
Genesis 7. 8.   Philo. 
The whole world was destroyed with water, 
Punishments of whoredom in all Ages.  not any living thing left upon the earth, (save in the Ark of Noath) for the sin of whoredom incest & brothelry used in those days. Sodoma and Gomorra two famous Cities were consumed with fire and brimstone from heaven for the like sin of whoredom adultery and fornication. 
Genesis. 19  The city of the Sichemits, 
Genesis. 24.  man, woman and child wear put to the edge of the sword, for the ravishing of Dina the daughter of jacob. The Lord also told Abimelech, that if he did not let go untouched Sara, Abraham his wife, 
Genesis. 20.  both he and all his household should die the death, notwithstanding he did it ignorantly. 
Goe 26.  The very same happened to Isaac also. 
Goe 18.  judas understanding that his daughter in law was impregnate and great with child, and not knowing by whom, comm●nded that she should be burned without any further delay. 
2. Reg. 16.  Was not Absalon, king David his son plagued all his life for going into his Father's Concubines? And did not Achitophel who gave council so to do hang himself? Was not Reuben the first borne son of jacob, 
Goe 29.  accursed for going up to his Father's bed, and lost he not his birthright, his dignity and primacy over his brethren for the same? Were there not above threescore and five thousand men slain for the adultery done with one Levites wife? 
judi. 20.  Was not king David punished all the days of his life for his adultery done with Bersabe, Urias his wife? 
2. Reg 13. 12.  Was not his son Amon, for lying with Thamar, slain? Was not Solomon being perverted with heathen women cast out of the favour of GOD, 
1. Reg. 1●.  notwithstanding, being otherwise, the wisest Prince in all the world? Did not Achab at the persuasions of jesabel, 
3. Reg. 2●.  his cursed wife, falling to Idolatry and woorshiping of Idols and devils, suffer most cruel punishment in this life all his days, besides what he suffereth now God only knoweth. Were not the Israelite, 
Nume. 25.  and Madianitish woman both slain by that worthy man Phinees, who ran them both thorough the privy members with his javelin or sword? 
jud. 16.  Was not Samson brought to a miserable end, his eyes being both put out, and he made to be a laughing stock to all men, thorough his too much favouring of wanton women? 
〈◊〉. 22.  Was not king Pharaoh wonderfully plagued for but intending evil in his heart towards Sara Abraham his wife? Did not the Lord slay (with a most grievous mortality) four & twenty thousand of the Israelites in one day, for whoredom and adultery with the women of the Moabites and Madianits?  
By these and such like fearful Examples of the justice of God powered upon these whoremongers & adultrers', we may learn to know the grievousness of the same, and the punishment due to all whoremongers and fornicators either in this life, or in the World to come, or else in both: for if the Lord defer the punishment of whoredom in this life, he reserveth it for the world to come, suffering the wicked to wallow in their sin, and to fill up the measure of iniquity, that their damnation may be just. And if the Lord l●ft not sin unpunished, no, not in his most dear Saints, what he will do in them who daily crucify him a new, let the world judge?  Spud. 
Now am I fully persuaded by your invincible reasons, that there is no sin greater before the face of God, than whoredom, wherefore, God grant that all his may avoid it.  Philo. 
You have said true, for there is no sin (almost) comparable unto it, for besides that, it bringeth everlasting damnation to all that live therein to the end, without repentance, it also bringeth 
What ●ui whoredom bringeth to man's body in th●s life.  these inconveniences, with many more, vidilicet, it dimmeth the sight, it impaireth the hearing, it infirmeth the sinews, it weakeneth the joints, it exhausteth the marrow, consumeth the moisture and supplement of the body, it riveleth the face, appalleth the countenance, it dulleth the spirits, it hurteth the memory, it weakeneth the whole body, it bringeth it into a consumption, it bringeth ulcerations, scab, scurf, blain, botch, pocks & biles, it maketh hoar hairs, & bald pates: it induceth old age, & in fin●, bringeth death before nature urge it, malady enforce it, or age require it.  Sp. 
Seeing the whoredom bringeth such sour sauce with it, namely, death everlasting after this life, and so many discommodities beside in this life, I wonder that men▪ dare commit the same so securely as they do now a days?  Philo. 
It is so little feared in Ailgna, that until every one hath two or three Bastards a piece, they esteem him no man, (for that, they call a man's deed) insomuch as every scurvy boy of twelve, 
〈…〉.  sixtéen or twenty years of age will make no conscience of it, to have two or three, peradventure half a dozen several women with child at once, and this exploit being done, he shows them a fair pair of heels, and away goeth he, Euro volociu●, as quick as a B●e (as they say) into some strange place where he is not known where, how he liveth, let the wise judge, for coelum non animum mut 〈◊〉 qui trans mare currunt, though they ch●u●ge their place of abode, 
Whormongers' runagates.  yet their naughty dispositions they retain stil.  
Then having estranged themselves thus for a small space, they return again, not to their pristine cursed life I dare say, but unto their country, and then no man may say, black is their eye, but all is well, & they as good christians as those that suffer them unpunished.  Spud. 
The state and condition of that Country is most miserable if it be true you report, it wear much better that every one had his lawful wife, and every woman her lawful husband, as the Apostle commandeth, than thus to bedrowned in the filthy sin of whoredom.  Philo. 
That is the only salve and sovereign remedy, which the lord ordained against whoredom, 
Marriage, an antidotary against Whoredom.  that those who have not the gift of continencis might marry, and so keep their vessels undefiled to the Lord. But notwithstanding, in Ailgna there is over great liberty permitted therein: for little infants, 
Maring of infants in swaddling clothes.  in swaddling clouts, are often married by their ambitious Parents and friends, when they know neither good nor ●uill, and this is the origen of much wickedness, & directly against the word of God, and examples of the primitive age. And besides this, you shall have every saucy boy, 
Every Boy snatcheth up a Woman to wife..  of x. xiv. xvi. or xx. years of age, to catch up a woman & marry her, without any fear of God at all, or respect had, either to her religion, wisdom, integrity of life, or any other virtue, or which is more, without any respect how they may live together with sufficient maintenance for their callings and estate. No no, it maketh no matter for these things, so he have his pretty pussy to huggle withal, it forceth not, for that is the only thing he desireth. Than build they up a cottage, though but of elder poals, in every lane end, almost, where they live as beggars all their life. This filleth the land with such store of poor people, that in short time (except some caution be provided to prevent the same) it is like to grow to great poverty and scarceness, which GOD forbidden.  Sp. 
I cannot see how this gear should be holpen? 
A restraint of marriage.   Ph. 
What if a restraint were made, the none (except upon special and urgent causes) should marry before they come to xx. or xxiv. years, or at the least, before they be xiiij or xviij years old, would not this make fewer beggars, than now there are?  Sp. 
But if this were established, than should we have more Bastards, and of the two, I had rather we had many legittimats, than many illegittimates.  Philo. 
The occasion of begetting of many Bastards were soon cut of, 
How whoredom may be suppressed.  if the punishment which either God his law doth allow, or else which good policy doth constitute, were aggravated, and executed upon the Offenders.  
For the punishment appointed for whoredom now is so light, 
The punishment for whoredom over remiss.  that they esteem not of it, they fear it not, they make but a jest of it. For what great thing is it, to go ij. or three days in a white sheet before the congregation, and that sometimes not past an hour or two in a day, having their usnall garments underneath, as commonly they have? This impunity (i● respect of condign punishment, which that vice requireth) doth rather animate and embolden them to the act, than fear them from it. In so much, as I have heard so●e miscreants impudently say, that he is but a ●east, that for such white lyvered punishment would abstain from such gallant pastime: but certain it is, that they who think it such sweet meat here, shall find the sauce sour and stiptic enough in Hell.  Spud. 
What punishment would you have inflicted upon such as commit this horrible kind of sin?  Philo. 
I would wish that the Man or Woman who are certainly known without all scruple or doubt, 
What kind of punishment whoredom ought to have.  to have committed the horrible fact of whoredom, adultery, incest, or fornication, either should drink a full draft of Moses' cup, that is, ●ast of present death▪ or else, if y● be thought too severe (for in evil, men will be more merciful, than the Author of mercy himself, but in goodness, far well mercy,) than would GOD they might be cauterized, and seared with a hot iron on the cheek, forehead, or some other part of their body that might be seen, to the end the honest and chaste Christians might be discerned from the adulterous Children of Satan: But (alas) this vice (with the rest) wanteth such due punishment, as GOD his Word doth command to be executed there upon.  
The Magistrates wink at it, or else as looking thorough their fingers, they see it, and will not see it.  
And therefore, the Lord is forced too take the sword into his own hands, and to execute punishment himself, because the Magistrates will not.  
For better proof whereof mark this strange & fearful judgement of god showed upon two adulterous people there, even the last day in effect, the remembrance whereof is yet green in their heads.  
There was a man whose name was W. Ratsurb, being certainly known to be a notorious usurer (and yet pretending always a singular zeal to religion, so that he would seldom times go without a bible about him, but see the judgements of God upon them that will take his word in their mouths, and yet live clean contrary, making the word of God a cloak to cover their sin and naughtiness withal) who upon occasion of business visiting Lewedirb a place appointed for the correction of such that be wicked livers, saw there a famous whore, but a very proper Woman, whom (as is said) he knew not, but whether he did, or not, certain it is, that he procured her delivery from thence, bailed her, & having put away his own wife before, kept her in his chamber, using her at his pleasure. Whilst these two members of the devil were playing the vile Sodomites together in his chamber, & having a little pan of coals before them wherein was a very little fire, it pleased GOD even in his wrath, to strike these two persons dead in a moment. The Woman falling over the pan of coals, was burned that all her bowels gushed out, the man was found lying by, his clothes in some parts being scorched and burned, & some parts of his body also. But which is most wonderful, his arm was burned to the very boon, his shirt sleeve, and doublet, not once perished, nor tutched with the fire. Whereby may be thought & not without great probability of truth, that it was even the fire of God his wrath from Heaven, and not any natural fire from the earth. And in this wonderful, & fearful manner wear these couple found: which God grant may be a document to all the hear or read the same, to avoid the like offence, and to all Magistrates, an Example to see the same punished with more severity, to the glory of God, and their own discharge.  
But so far are some, from suffering condign punishment for this horrible sin, that they get good maintenance with practising the same. For shall you not have some, yea many thousands, that live upon nothing else, and yet go clothed Gentlewomenlike, both in their silks and otherwise, with their fingers clogged with rings, their wrists with bracelets, & jewels, and their purses full of gold and silver? And here of they make no conscience, so their Husbands know it not. Or if they do, some are such peasants, and such maycocks, that either they will not, or (which is truer) they dare not reprove them for it. But & if the Husband once reprove them for their misdemeanour, than they conspire his death, by some mean or other. And all this cometh to pass, because the punishment thereof is no extremer, as it ought to be. And some both Gentlemen and others (whereof some I know) are so nuzzled herein, that having put away their own wives, do keep whores openly, without any great punishment for it, and having be●ne convented before the magistery, and there been deposed upon a book to put away their whores, have put them forth at one door, and taken them in at the other.  
And thus they dally in their oaths with the Lord, and stop the course of the law, with rubrum argentum, whereof they have store to bestow upon such wickedness, but have not a mite to give towards any good purpose.  
Wherefore, in the name of GOD, let all men that have put away their honest wives be forced to take them again, and abandon all whores, or else to taste of the law. And let all whores, be cut of with the sword of right judgement. For, as long as this immunity and impunity is permitted amongst us, let us never look to please GOD, but rather provoke his heavy judgements against us. And the reason is, for that there is not sin in all the World, but these whores, and whoremasters will willingly attempt, and achieve, for the enjoying of their whoredom?  
And Hell, destruction, and death everlasting is the guerdon thereof, and yet men cannot be aware of it. The Lord remove it from all his Children, and present them blameless before his tribunal seat, without spot, or wrinkle at that great day of the Lord.  Spud. 
What memorable thing else have you seen there frequented▪ For seeing you have begun, in part, I pray you describe the whole?   

Gluttony and drunkenness in Ailg.  Philo. 
I Have seen that which grieveth me to report. The People there are marvelously given to dainty fare, gluttony, bellichéer, & many also to drunkenness, & gourmandice. 
Dainty fare, gluttony and gourmandice used in Ailg.   Sp. 
That is a manifest argument of good hospitality, which both is commended in the word of God, & which▪ I know you will not reprehend.  Ph. 
Godly hospitality 
Godly hospitality to be commended.  is a thing in no wis● worthy of reprehension, but rather of great commendation, for many have received Angels into their houses, at unawares, by using the same, as Abraham, Lot, Tobras, & many others. Yet if hospitality flow over into superfluity & riotous excess, it is not tolerable: for now adays if the table be not covered from the one end to that other as thick as one dish can stand by another, with delicate meats of sundry sorts, one clean different from an other, 
Variety of dishes, and meats, with their curious sauces.  and to every dish a s●uerall sauce appropriate to his kind, it is thought there unworthy the name of a dinner. Yea so many dishes shall you have posteruing the table at once, as the insaciablest Helluo, the devouringest glutton, or the gréediest cormorant that is, can scarce eat of every one a little. And these many shall you have at the first course, 
Excess of meats.  as many at the second, and peradventure, more at the third, besides other sweet 〈◊〉, and delicate 〈◊〉, of spiceries, and I cannot tell what. And to these dainties, all kind of wines are not wanting, you may be sure. Oh what nisitie is this? what vanity▪ excess, riot, and superfluity is hear? Oh▪ farewell former world? For I have heard my Father say, 
The austerity and Godly simplicity of the former World in meats, and drinker.  that in his days, one dish, or two of good wholesome meat was thought sufficient, for a man of great worship to dine withal, and if they had three or four kinds, it was reputed a sumptuous feast. A good piece of beef was thought than, good meat, and able for the best, but ●ow, it is thought too gross: for their tender stomachs are not able to digest such crude and harsh meats: For if they should (their stomachs being so queysie as they be, 
Nice, tender stomachs.  and not able to concoct it) they should but evacuat the same again, as other filthy excrements, their bodies receiving no noorishment thereby, or else they should lie stinking in their stomachs, as dirt in a filthy sink or privy. If this be so, I marvel how our forefathers lived, 
The faraginie or rough fare of our Forefathers.  who eat little else, but cold meats, gross and hard of disgesture? Yea, the most of them feed upon grain, corn, roots, pulse, herbs, weeds, and such other baggage, and yet lived longer than we, helthfuller than we, were of better complexion than we, and much stronger than we in every respect: wherefore I cannot persuade myself otherwise, but that our niceness and curiousness in diet, hath altered our nature, distempered our bodies, 
Our nice fare hath altered our bodies and changed our nature.  and made us more subject to millions of discrasies and diseases, than ever wear our Forefathers subject unto, and consequently of shorter life than they.  Spud. 
They will ask you again, wherefore god made such variety of meats, but to be eaten of men, what answer give you to that?  Philo. 
The Lord our God ordained indeed, the use of meat and drinks for man to sustain the frail, caduke and brittle estate of his mortal body withal for a time. 
Medietie to be observed in meats.  But he gave it him not to delight and wallow therein continually, for as the old Adage saith, Non vivendum ut edamus, sed edendum ut vivamus. We must not live to eat, but we must eat to live, we must not swill and ingurgitate our stomachs so full, as no more can be crammed in. The Lord willed that they should be ordinary means to preserve the state of our bodies a time whilst we live, and sojourn in this vast wilderness of the world, but not that they should be instruments of destuction to us both of body and soul. 
When meats and drinks are Instruments of destruction unto us.  And truly they are no less, when they are taken immoderately without the fear of God. And doth not the impletion and satiety of meats and drinks provoke lust, as, Hiero saith, Venture Mero estuans, spumat in libidinem, the belly inflamed with wine, bursteth forth into lust. Doth not lust bring forth sin, 
Goe 24.  and sin bring forth death? The Childre● of Isr●el, giving themselves to delicate 〈◊〉 & gluttony, fell to Idolatry, 〈◊〉 & 〈◊〉, worshipping stocks stones and devils instead of the living God.  
The ●onnes of 〈◊〉 the Priest, giving themselves to dainty 〈◊〉 & bellychéere, 
1. Reg. 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 job in midst of all their banquetings & riot, were slain by the lord, the whole house falling upon them, and destroying them most pitifully. Bal●hasar, king of the Chaldeans, 
Daniel. 5.  in midst of all his good cheer, 
Verse. 5.  saw a hand, writing upon the wall these words, mean techel upharsin: signifying that his kingdom should be taken from him, and so it was, and he slain the same night by the hand of the lord. The rich glutton in the Gospel, for his riotous feastings & preposterous living was condemned to the fire of hell. 
Luc. 16.  Our Father Adam with all his offspring (to the end or the world) was condemned to hell-fire, for taking one apple to satisfy his glotonus desire withal. 
Mat. 4.  Gluttony was one of the chiefest canons, wherewith the devil assailed Christ, thinking thereby to batter his kingdom & to win the field for ever, yet not withstanding, the grievousness hereof, the same is thought to be a countenance, & a great credit to a man in Ailg. But true hospitality consisteth not in many dishes nor in sundry sorts of meats (the substance whereof is changed almost into accidents thorough their curious cookries, & which do help to rot the bodies & shorten their days. but rather in giving liberally to the poor, 
Wherein hospitality consisteth.  and indigent members of jesus Christ, helping them to meat, drink, lodging, clothing & such other necessaries whereof they stand in need.  
But such is their hospitality that the poor have the lest part of it: you shall have 20. 40. 60, yea, a C.li spent in some one house in banqueting & feasting, yet the poor shall have little or nothing, 
The small leef of the poor.  if they have any thing, it is but the refuge meat, scraps & patring, such as a dog would scarce eat sometimes, & well if they can get y● too: instead whereof, not a few have whipping chéerto feed them withal: it is counted but a small matter for a man that can scarcely dispend forty pound by the year, to bestow against one time, ten or twenty pound thereof in spices. And truly so long & so grievously hath this excess of gluttony and dainty fare su●ffeted in Ailgna, as I fear me, it will sp●e out many of his masters ou● of doors before it be long. But as some be over largeous, so other some are spare enough, for when any meat is stirring 
Locking up of Gates whemeat is stirring.  then lock they up their gates, that no man may come in. another sort have so many houses, that they visit them once in seven. year, many Chimneys, but little smoke, fair houses, but small hospitality. And to be plain, there are three cankers which in process of time will eat up the whole common Wealth, if speedy reformation be not had, namely, 
Three devouring Cankers  dainty Fare, gorgeous Buildings, and sumptuous Apparel, which three Abuses, especially, yet not without their cousin germans do flourish there. God remove them thence for his Christ's sake.  Spud. 
I had thought that dainty fare & good cheer had both nourished the body perfectly, and also prolonged life, & doth it not so think you?  Philo. 
Experience, 
Who more subject to infirmity than they that far best.  as my former intimations you may gather, teacheth clean contrary: for who is sicklier them they, that far deliciously every day? who is corrupter? who bel●heth more, who looketh worse, who is weaker, and féebler than they? who hath more filthy colour, phlegm and putrefaction (replete with gross humours) than they? and to be brief, who dieth sooner than they? Do we not see the poor man that eateth brown bread (whereof some is made of Rye, barley, peason, beans oats and such other gross grains) & drinketh small drink, yea sometimes water, feedeth upon milk, butter and cheese, (I say) do we not see such a one, helthfuller, stronger and longer living than the other, that far daintily every day? And how should it be otherwise? for will not the eating of divers and sundry kinds of meats of divers operations and qualities (at one meal) engender distemperance in the body? And the body distempered, 
〈…〉  will it not fall into sundry diseases? one meat is of hard disgesture, another of light, & whilst the meat of hard disgesture is in concocting the other meat of light disgesture doth putrefy and stink, & this is the very mother of all diseases: one is of this quality, another of y●, one of this operation, another of that, one kind of meat is good for this thing, another is nought for that. Then how can all these contrarieties & discripancies agree together in one body at one & the same time? will not one contrary impugn his contrary? one enemy resist an other; Then what wiseman is he that will receive allthese enemies into the castle of his body at one time? Do we not see by experienc● that they that give themselves to dainty fare, 
The speedy decay of those ●hat give themselves to ●aintie fare.  and sweet meats, are never in health? doth not their sight wax dim, their ears hard of herring, their teeth rot & fall out? doth not their breath stink, their stomach belch forth filthy humours, and their memory decay? do not their spirits and senses become heavy & dull by reason of exhalations & impure vapours which rise up in their gingered breasts & spiced stomachs: & sumyng up to the head they mortify the vital spirits & intellective powers? doth not the whole body become pursy & corpulent, yea sometimes decrepit therewith & full of all filthy corruption. The Lord keep his chosen from the tasting thereof.  Sp. 
You spoke of dr●kennes, what say you of y●?  Phi. 
I say, the it is a horrible vice & too too much used in Ail. Every country, city, town, villaged & other, hath abundance of alehouses, taverns & Inns, which are so fraughted with maultwormes night & day, that you would wonder to see them. You shal●haue them there sitting at the wine, and goodale all the day long, yea all the night too, peradventure a whole week together, 
The beastly vice of drunknees requen●ed in Ailg  so long as any money is left, swilling, gulling & carousing from one to an other, till never a one can speak a ready word. Then when with the spirit of the buttery they are thus possessed, a world it is to consider their gestures & dem●nors, how they stut and stammer, stagger & reel too & fro, like madmen, some vomiting spewing & disgorging their filthy stomachs, other some (Honour sit auribus) pissing under the board as they sit, & which is most horrible, some fall to swearing, cursing & ●anning, 
The spirit of the buttery, is drunkness, and excess.  interlacing their speeches with curious terms of blasphemy to the great dishonour of God and offence of the godly ears present.  Sp. 
But they will say that god ordained wines & strong drinks to cheer the heart, & to sustain the body therefore it is lawful to use them to the end. 
The jothsome qualities of those that be drunk.   Phi. 
Meats (moderately taken) corroborate the body, refresh the arteries, & revive the spirits, making them apier every member to do his office as god hath appointed: but being immoderately taken (as commonly they be) they are instruments to damnation to the abusers of the same, & noorish not the body but corrupt it rather, & casteth it into a world of diseases: And a man once drunk with wine or strong drink, rather resembleth a brute beast, 
The transsiguration of those that 〈◊〉 drunk.  than a christian man: for do not his eyes begin to stare & to be red, fiery & bleared, blubbering forth seas of tears? doth he not froth & foam at the mouth like a boar? doth not his tongue falter & stammer in his mouth? doth not his head seem as heavy as a millstone, he not being able to bear it up? Are not his wits & spirits as it were drowued? Is not his understanding altogher decayed? do not his hands & all his body quiver & shake as it were with a quotidian fever? Besides these, it cast●th him into adropsie or pleurisy nothing so soon, it inféebleth the sinews, it weakeneth the natural strength, it corrupteth the blood, 
The discommodities of drunkenness.  it dissolveth the whole man at the length, and finally maketh him forgetful of himself altogether, so that what be doth being drunk he remembreth not being sober. The Drunkard in his drunkenness killeth his friend, revileth his lover, discloseth secrets and regardeth no man: he either expelleth all fear of god out of his mind, all love of his friends & kinsfolks, all remembrance of honesty, civility & humanity: so that I will not fear to call drunkards beasts, and no men, and much worse than beasts, 
Drunkards worse than Beasts.  for beasts never exceed in such kind of excess, or superfluity, but always modum adhibent appetitum, they measure their appetites by the rule of necessity, which would God we would do.  Spud. 
Seeing it is so great an offence before God, I pray you show me some testimonies of the holy Scripture against it, for whatsoever is evil, the word of God I doubt not reproveth the same.  Philo. 
It seemeth you have not read the holy fcripture very much, for if you had, you should have found it not only spoke against, but all● thrown down even to hell, for proof whereof of infinite places, I will recite a few. The Prophet Esaias thundereth out against it, 
Esais. 5.  saying, ve qui consurgitis mane ad ebrietatem sectandam  
Woe be to them that rise early to follow drunkenness, 
Testimonies against drunkenness, out of the word of God.  wallowing therein, from morning to night, until they be set on fire with wine & strong drink. Therefore gapeth hell, & openeth her mouth wide, that the glory, multitude, and wealth of them that delight therein, may go down into it, saith the Prophet.  
The Prophet Hoseas 
Hoseas. c. 4.  saith, fornicatio, vinum, & mustum auferunt animum, Whoredom, wine & strong drink infatuat the heart of man.  
The Prophet joel, 
joel. 1.  biddeth all Drunkards awake, saying, weep and howl you winebi●bers, for the wickedness of destruction that shall fall upon you.  
The Prophet Habacuck, 
Habacuck. 2.  soundeth a most dreadful alarm, not only to all Drunkards, but also to all that make them drunken saying: woe be to him that giveth his Neighbour drink, till he be drunk, that thou mayst see his privities. Solomon saith, 
Proverb. c. ●●.  wine maketh a Man to be scornful, and strong drink maketh a Man unquiet, who so taketh pleasure in it, shall not be wise. In an other place, keep not company with wynebibbers, and riotous Persons, for such as be Drunkards shall come to beggary. In the twenty-three. of his proverbs 
Proverb. 23.  he saith. To whom is woe? To whom is sorrow? to whom is strife? to whom is murmuring? to whom are wounds without cause? and to whom are red eyes? Even to them that tarry long at the wine, to them that go, and seek mixed wine. And again: Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, and when it showeth his colour in the cup or gooth down pleasantly, for in the end, it will bite like a serpent, and hurt like a Cockatrice, 
Proverb. 31.  or Basilicock, which slay or kill men with the poison of their sight. Again, it is not for Kings to drink wine, nor for Princes to drink strong drink. 
Luc. 21.  Our Saviour Christ in the gospel of of S. Luke biddeth us take heed that we be not overcome with surffeting and drunkness and cares of this life, lest the day of the Lord come upon us unawares.  
Paul to the Ephesians 
Ephe. 5.  biddeth beware that we be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but to be filled with the spirit. The same apostle in an other place, saith, that neither whoremonger adulterer, Drunkard, glutton, riotous person, nor such like, shall ever enter into the kingdom of Heaven. By these few places out of many, you may see the enormity of this vice, which is so much every where frequented.  Spud. 
Let me entreat you to show me some examples withal, whereby I may see, what evil it hath done in all ages?  Philo. 

Gene. 19  drunkness caused Lot to commit most shameful incest with his own two Daughters, who got them both with Child, he not perceiving it, neither when they lay down, nor when they rose up. See how drunkenness 
Examples against drunkenness.  assotteth a man, depriving him of all sense, reason and understanding.  
Drunkenness caused Noah to lie with his privities bare in his Tabernacle, in such beastly sort, as his wicked Son I'm jested and scoffed at the same.  
Thorough drunkenness, Holophernes, that great and invincible Monarch of the Assyrians, was overcome by a Woman, having his head cut from his shoulders with a fauchone. Thorough drunkenness, 
Luc. 16.  King Herode was brought to such ydiocie, and foolish dotage, that he caused the head of good John Baptist, to be cut of, to satis●ie the request of a dancing strumpet. 
Luc. 16.  That rich Epulo of whom Luke maketh mention, was for his drunkenness, and riotous excess condemned to the fire of Hell for ever, with many more examples, which for shortness I omit. Now seeing than that drunkenness is both offensive to GOD, and bringeth such evils in this life present, let us in the name of GOD avoid it, as a most wicked thing, and prenicious evil. For every Dr●nkard is so far estranged from himself, 
How far Drunkards are estranged from themselves.  that as one in an ecstasy of mind, or rather in a plain Frenzy, he may not be said to be, sui animi compos, or a man of sound wit, but rather a very Bedlam, or much worse, no Christian, but an Antichristian, no member of Christ jesus, but an imp of Satan, and a limb of the Devil. Wherefore, in the name of God, let us avoid all excess, embrace temperancy, and sobriety, & receive so much meats and drinks as may satisfy nature, not the insatiate appetits of our fleshly desires. Knowing that except the Lord bless our meats and drinks within our bodies, and give them power & strength to nourish and feed the same, 
Wh●t if God bless not our meats.  and our bodies their natural powers, every member to do his office, and duty, our meats shall lie in our stomachs stinking, smelling, and rotting like filthy carrion in a loathsome sink. So far of aught we to be from abusing the good creatures of God, by riot, drunkenness, or excess, that we ought never to take morsel of bread, nor soap of drink, without humble thanks to the Lord for the same. For we never read, that our Saviour Christ ever eat, 
giving of thanks before meat, & after.  or drank, but he gave thanks (or as we call it, said grace) both before the receipt thereof, and after. This needed he not to have done in respect of himself, but for our erudition & learning, according to this saying. omnis Christi actio, nostrà est instructio. Every action of our Saviour Christ is our example and instruction, to follow as near as we are able. And thus much of drunkenness, which god grant may every where be avoided.  Spud. 
Show me I pray you the state of that Country a●litle further: is it a wealthy Country with in itself, or otherwise poor and bare?  Philo. 
It is a most famous Island, a fertile Country, 
Ailgra a famous Island.  & abounding with all manner of store both of riches, treasure, & all things else whatsoever, but as it is a wealthy and rich Country, so are the inhabitants from the highest, to the lowest, from the priest, to the populare sort, even all in general, wonderfully inclined to covetousness, and ambition, which thing, whilst they follow, they can never be satisfied: for, erescit amor nummi, quantum ipsa pecunia crescit. The love of money, doth by so much the more increase, by how much more the money itself doth increase: and the nature of a covetous man is such, 
The nature of a covetous man.  that tam deest quod habet, quàm quod non habet: as well that thing which he hath, as the which he hath not, is wanting unto him. A covetous man may well be compared to Hell, which ever gapeth and yawneth for more, and is never content with enough. For right as Hell ever hunteth after more, so a covetous man drowned in the quagmire, 
The insatiable desi●e of a covetous man.  or plash of avarice and ambition, having his summam voluptatem reposed in momentaine riches, is never content with enough, but still thirsteth for more, much like to a man sick of the ague, who the more he drinketh, the more he thurteth: the more he thirsteth, the more he drinketh: the more he drinketh, y● mor● his disease increaseth: Therefore I hold it true, which is writ, bursa avari os est diaboli the powch of a rich covetous Man, 
The purse of a rich man..  is the mouth of the devil, which ever is open to receive, but always shut to give.  Spud. 
But they will easily wipe away this blot, namely in saying, are we not bound to provide for ourselves, our wives, our children & family▪ Doth not the Apostle hold him for an infidel and a deneger of the faith, who provideth not for his Wife and Family? Is it not good to lay upsomthing against a stormy day? wherefore, they will rather deem themselves good husbands, than covetous or ambitious persons.  Philo. 
Every Christian Man is bound in conscience before God, 
How far every Man is bound to provide for his Family.  to provide for their household & Family, but yet so as his immoderate care surpass not the bands, nor yet transcend the limits of true Godliness His chiefest trust & care is to rest only in the Lord, who giveth liberally to every one that asketh of him in verity & truth, & reproacheth no man, & withal he is to use such ordinary means, as God hath appointed▪ to the performance of the same. But so far from covetousness & from immoderate care would the Lord have us, 
Immoderate care for riches reproved.  that we ought not this day to care for to morrow, for (saith he) sufficient to the day, is the travail of the same. After all these things (with a distrustful, & inordinate care) do the heathen seek, who know not God, saith our Saviour christ, but be you not like to them. And yet I say, as we are not to distrust the providence of God, or despair for any thing, so are we not to presume, nor yet to tempt the Lord our God, but to use such secondary and instrumental means, as he hath commanded and appointed to the end & purpose, to get our own living & maintenance withal. But this people leaving these Godly means, do all run headlong to covetousness & ambition, attempting all ways, & assaying all means possible to exaggerate & heap up riches, the thick clay of damnation to themselves for ever. So (likewise) Landlords make merchandise of their poor tenants, 
Landlords rack their tenants.  racking their rents, raising their fines & incommes, & setting them so straightly upon the tenter hooks, as no man can live on them. Besides y●, as though this pillage & pollage, were not rapacious enough, they take in, 
Enclosing of common● from the Poor.  and enclose commons, moors, heaths, and other common pastures, where out the poor commonalty were wont to have all their forage and feeding for their cattle, & (which is more) corn for themselves to live upon: all which are now in most places taken from them, by these greedy Puttocks, to the great impoverishing and utter beggaring of whole towns and parishes, whose tragical cries and incessant clamours have long since, pierced the Skies, and presented themselves before the Majesty of God, saying: how long Lord, how long wilt thou defer, to revenge this villainy of thy poor Sainctts, and unworthy members upon the earth? Take heed therefore you rich men, that poll and pill the poor, for the blood of as many as miscarry any manner of way, thorough your injurious exactions, sinister oppressions, and indirect dealings shall be powered upon your heads at the great day of the Lord, Cursed is he (saith our Saviour Christ) that offendeth one of these little ones, it were better that a millstone were hanged about his neck, 
Injury to Christ his members, is injury to Ch●●st.  & he cast into the midst of the sea. Christ so entirely loveth his poor members upon earth, that he imputeth the contumely which is done to any one of them, to be done to himself, and will revenge it, as done to himself: wherefore, GOD give them grace to lay open their enclosures again, to let fall their rents, fines, incommes and other impositions, whereby GOD is offended, their poor Brethren beggared, & I fear me, the whole realm will be brought to utter ruin & decay, if this mischief be not met withal, 
Enclosures.  and encountered with very shortly. For these enclosures be the causes, why rich men, eat up poor men, as beasts do eat grass. These I say are the Caterpillars, and devouring locusts that massacre the poor, & eat up the whole realm to the destruction of the same: The Lord remove them.  
Upon the other side, the Lawyers they go ruffling in their silks, velvets and chains of Gold, they build gorgeous houses, 
Lawyer's ruffling io poor men's riches.  sumptuous edefices, and stately turrets: they keep a port like mighty potentates, they have bands and retinewes of men attendant upon them daily, they purchase castles & towers, Lands and Lordships, and what not? And all upon the polling and pilling of the poor commons.  
They have so good consciences, that all is fish, that comes to the net, they refuse nothing that is offered, and what they do for it in preferring their Poor client's cause, the Lord knoweth, and one day they shall find it: If you have argent, or rather rubrum unguentum, I dare not say Gold, but red ointment, to grease them in the fist withal, 
Ointment to grease lawyers in the fist withal.  than your suit shall want no furtherance, but if this be wanting, than farewell client, he may go shoe the goose for any good success he is like to have of his matter: without this, sheriffs & Officers will return writs with a tarde venit, or with a non est inventus, smally to the poor man's profit. So long as any of this ointment is dropping, they will bear him in hand, his matter is good and just, & all to keep him in ure, till all be gone, and than will they tell him his matter is nought: and if one ask them why they told not their clients so in the beginning: they will answer, I knew not so much at the first, 
The pretenced excuse of L●wers, when their cliants have lost their pleas.  the fault is in himself, he told me the best, but not the worst: he showed me not this evidence & that evident, this precedent, and the precedent, turning all the fault upon the suggester whereas the whole fault indeed is in himself, as his own conscience can bear him witness: In presence of their clients, they will be so earnest one with another, 
The slaightie practices of layers.  as one (that knew not their slaightes, would think they would go together by the ears) this is to draw on their clients withal (but immediately after their clients being gone, they la●gh in their sleeves, to see how prettily they fetch in such 〈◊〉 of money, and that under the pretence of equity, and justice. But though they can for at●●e (prestigiatorum insta●) like cunning deceivers, cast a mist before the blind world, yet the Lord who seeth (suborned by none) the secrets of all hearts shall make them manifest to all the world, 
The fraudulent dealing of merchant Men.  and reward them according to their 〈◊〉. The merchant men by their marting, chaffering and changing, by their counterfeit balances & untrue weights, and by their surprising of their wares, heap up infinite treasures. The Artificer 
Artificers.  & Occupiers, even all in general, will not ●ell their wares for no reasonable price, but will swear & tear pitifully, that such a thing cost them so much, & such a thing so much, whereas they swear as false, as the living Lord is true: But one day let them be sure that the Lord (who saith, thou shalt not swear at all, nor deceive thy Brother in bargaining) will revenge this villainy done to his Majesty. 
Great dearth in plenty of all things.   
Into such a ruinous estate hath covetousness now brought that Land, that in plenty of all things, there is great scarcity and dearth of all things. So, that, that which might have been bought heretofor within this twenty, or forty years, for twenty shillings, is now worth twenty nobles, or xx. pound. That which than was worth twenty pound, is now worth a. C. pound, and more: Whereby the rich Men have so balaunced their chests with Gold and silver, as they crayke again. And, to such excess is this covetousness grown, as every one that hath money will not stick to take his neighbours house, 
Taking of houses over men's head●.  over his head, long before his years be expired: wherethrough many a poor man, with his wife, children, & whole family, are forced to beg their bread all their days after. Another sort who flow in wealth, if a poor man have either house or Land, they will never rest until they have purchased it, giving him not the third part, of that it is worth. Besides all this, so desperately given are many, 
The desperate desire of Men to get money  that for the acquiring of silver and Gold, they will not sick to embrew their hands, and both their arms in the blood of their own Patents and Friends most unnaturally. Other some will not make any conscience, to swear and forswear themselves for ever to lie, dissemble and deceive the dearest friends they have in the world. Therefore the heathen Poet Virgil 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 the love of thee? This immoderate thirst of Gold & money, 
Many brought to rueful end thorough means of Gold and silver.  bringeth an infinite number to shameful end: some, as homicides, for murdering & 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 avaritiae pestis absorpsit, quam quos gladius vel ensis per●orauit: the number of those whom the pestilence of avarice hath swallowed up, is greater, than the number of those whom the sword hath destroyed: the Lord assuage the heat hereof with the oil of his grace, if it be his good pleasure and wil  Spud. 
If I might be so bold, I would request you to show me out of the word of god, where this so detestable a vice is reproved?  Philo. 
Our Saviour Christ jesus, 
Math. 6.  the Archdoctor of all truth in his evangely, 
Testimonies out of the word of God against covetousness.  the sixth of Matthew, saith: Be not careful for to morrow day, for the morrow shall care for itself.  
Again, be not careful for Apparel, what you shall put on, nor for meat what you shall eat, but seek you the Kingdom of Heaven, & the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be given unto you. He charged his Disciples to be so far from covetousness, 
Luc. 6.  as not to carry two coats with them in their journeys, 
Math. ix.  nor yet any money in their purses. He told his Disciples another time, striving which of them should be the greatest, that he who would be the greatest, must condescend to be servant of all. When the people would have advanced him to have been King, he refused it, and hid himself: He telleth us, we cannot serve two Masters, God & Mammon: he biddeth us not to set our minds upon covetousness, inferring that where our riches be, there will our hearts 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 Kingdom of God, than for a Camel to go thorough the eye of a needle. The Apostle biddeth us if we have meat & drink and clothing, to be centent, 
1. Timo. v●.  for they that will be rich (saith he) fall into diverse temptations and snares of the Devil, which drown Men in perdition. 
Psalm. 39  David saith, Man disquieteth himself in vain, heaping up riches, & cannot tell who shall possess them: 
Proverb. ●.  Salom. compareth a covetous man, to him the murdereth & sheddeth innocent blood. 
Prove. xxvii.  Again, Hell and destruction are never full, so the eyes of Men can never be satisfied. The Apostle S. Paul, saith, neither Whormongers, Adulterers, nor covetous persons, nor Extortioners shall ever enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. And saith further, that the love of money is the root of all evil. 
Mat. 5.  Christ, biddeth us be liberal, 
Luc. 6.  & lend to them that have need, not looking for any restitution again, & never to turn our face away from any poor man, & than the face of the Lord shall not be turned away from us. By these few places it is manifest how far from all covetousness the lord would have all cristians to be.  Spud. 
Be their any examples in scriptures to show forth the punishments of the same, inflicted upon the Offenders therein?  Philo. 
The Scripture is full of such fearful examples, 
The punishmen of covetousness showed by examples.  of the just judgements of God powered upon them that have offended herein. Whereof I will recite three or four, for the satisfying of your Godly mind. Adam, was cast out of Paradise for coveting that fruit, which was inhibited him to eat. Giese, the Servant of Elizeus the Prophet, 
4. Reg. 5.  was smitten with an incurable leprosy, for that he to satisfy his covetous desire, exacted gold, silver, & rich garments of Naaman the K. of Syria his servant. Balaam was reproved of his ass, 
Num. 22.  for his covetousness in going to curse the Children of Israel, at the request of K. Balac, who promised him abundance of gold & silver so to do. Achab y● K. for covetousness to have poor Naboth his viniard slew him and died after himself, with all his progeny, a shameful death. The Sons of Samuel were for their infaciable covetousness, 
Sa. viii.  detained from ever enjoying their Father's kingdom. judas for covetousness of money sold the Saviour of the world, and betrayed him to the jews, but afterward died a miserable death, his belly bursting & his bowels gushing out. Ananias & Saphira his wi●e, 
Act. v.  for covetousness, in concealing part of the price of their lands from the apostles, were both slain, & died a fearful death. Achan was stoned to death by the lord his commandment for his covetousness in stealing gold, silver, & jewels, at the sacking of jericho, & all his goods were burned presently. Thus you see how for covetousness of money, in all ages, Men have made shipwreck of their consciences, and in the end by the just judgement of God have died fearful deaths whose judgement I leave to the Lord.  Spud. 
S●eing that covetousness, is so wicked a sin, & so offensive both to God & Man, & pernicious to the soul, I marvel what moveth Men to follow the same, as they do?  Ph. 
Two things move men to affect money so so much as they do: 
What make Men to affect money.  y● one, for fear lest they should fall into poverty & beggary (oh ridiculous infidelity) the other, to be advanced, & promoted to high dignities & honours upon earth. And they see, the world is such, the he who hath moni enough shallbe rabbied & mastered at every word, and the vain title of worshipful, and right worshipful, though notwithstanding he be a dunghill Gentleman, or a Gentleman of the first head, as they use to term them. And to such outrage is it grown that now adays every Butcher, 
Every Beggar almost is called Master at every word.  Shoemaker, Tailor, Cobbler, Husbandman, and other, yea every Tinker, peddler and swinherd, every Artificer and other, gregarii ordinis, of the vilest sort of Men that be, must be called by the vain name of Masters at every word. But it is certain, that no wise Man, will entitle them, with any of these names, worshipful and master (for they are names and titles of dignity, proper to the Godly wise, for some special virtue inherent, either else in respect of their birth, or calling due unto them,) but such Titivillers, flattering Parasites, and glozing Gnatoes, as flatter them, expecting some pleasure or benefit at their hands, which thing if they were not blown up with the bellows of pride, and puffed up with the wind of vainglori they might easily perceive. For certain it is, they do but mock and flatter them with these titles, 
Refusing of ●aine Titles.  knowing that they deserve nothing less. Wherefore, like good Recusants of that thing which is evil, they should refuse those vainglorious Names, remembering the words of our saviour Christ, saying: be not called Master, in token there is but one only true Master and Lord in Heaven: which only true Master & Lord: God grant all other may follow both in life and name, until they come to perfect men in jesus Christ.  Spud. 
The people being so let upon covetousness, as I gather by your speeches they be, is it possible that they will lend mo●ey without usury, or without some hostage, guage or pawn? for usury followeth covetousness, as the shadow doth the body.   

Great Usury in Ailgna.  Philo. 
IT is as impossible for any to borrow money there (for the most part) without usury 
Usury.  & loan, or with out some good hostage, guage or pledge, as it is for a dead man to speak with audible voice.  Spud. 
I have heard say, that the positive, and statute laws there, 
The positive Laws.  do permit them to take usury, limiting them how much to take for every pound.  Philo. 
Although the civil laws (for the avoiding of further inconveniences) do permit certain sums of money, to be given overplus beyond or above the principal, for the loan of money lent, yet are the usurers no more discharged from the gilt of usury before God thereby: then the adulterous jews were from whoredom, because Moses gave them a permissive law for every man to put away their wives, that would, for every light trifle. And yet the laws there give no liberty to commit usury, 
The laws of Ailgna permit no usury.  but seeing how much it rageth, lest it should exceed, rage further and over flow the banks of all reason and godliness. As covetousness is a raging sea and a bottomless pit, and never satisfied nor contented, they have limited them within certain méeres, and banks (to bridle the insatiable desires of covetous men) beyond the which, it is not lawful for any to go: but this permission of the laws argueth not, that it is lawful to take usury, no more (I say) then the permission of Moses argued that whoredom & adultery is lawful & good, because Moses permitted them to put a way their wives, for the avoiding of greater evil: for as christ said to the Jews from the beginning it was not so, so sa●▪ I to these usurers from the beginning it was not so, nor yet ought so to be.  Spud. 
If no interest were permitted, than no man would lend, & then how should the poor do? wherefore the laws that permit some small overplus therein do very well.  Philo. 
Non faciendum est malum, ut inde veniat bonum, we must not do evil, that good may come of it: yet the laws in permitting certain reasonable gain to be received for the loan of money lent, lest otherwise the poor should quail (for without some commodity the rich would not lend) have not done much amiss, 
The laws permit some overplus, but command it  but if they had quite cut it of, and not yielded at all to any such permission, they had done better. But herein the intent of the law is to be prepended: which was to empale with in the Forest, or park of reasonable and conscionable gain, men who cared not howmuch they could extort out of pooremens' hands, for the loan of their money lent, and not to authorize any man to commit usury, as though it were lawful because it is permitted.  
Therefore, those that say that the laws there do allow of usury, & licence men to commit it freely, do slander the laws, & are worthy of reprehension: for though the laws say, thou shalt not take above ij.s. in the pound, x. li. in a hundred, and so so forth. Doth this prove that it is lawful to take so much, or rather that thou shalt not take more then y●? if I say to a man, thou shalt not give him above one or two blows, doth this prove that I licence him to give him one or two blows, 
Forbidding to outrage in mircheef, is not permission to commit mischief.  or rather that he shall not give any at all, or if he do, he shall not exceed or pass the bands of reasonable measure: so this law doth but mitigate the penalty: for it saith that the party that taketh but x. li. for the use of an C.li loseth but y● x. li. not his principal.  Spud. 
Then I perceive, if Usury be not lawful by the laws of the Realm, then is it not lawful by the laws of God.  Philo. 
You may be sure of that. For our Saviour Christ willeth us to be so far from covetousness and usury, as he saith: give to him that asketh thee, 
Math. 5. 6.  and from him that would borrow, 
Luc. 6.  turn not thy face away.  
Again, Lend of thy goods to them who are not able to pay thee again, and thy reward shallbe great in heaven. If we must lend our goods then to them, 
The word of God against usury.  who are not able to pay us again, no not so much as the bare thing lent, where is the interest, the usury, the gain and overplus, which we fish for so much? Therefore our Saviour Christ saith, beatius est dare, potius quam accipere. It is more blessed to give, then to receive. In the 22. of Exodus, 
Exodus. 20.  Deut. 24. 23. 
Deut. 24. 23.  levit. 25. 
levit. 25.  Nehe. 5. 
Nehe. 5.  Eze. 22. 18. 
Ezech. 22. 18.  & many other places, we are forbidden to use any kind of usury or interest, or to receive again any over-pluss, besides the principal, either in money, corn, wine, oil beasts, cattle, meat, drink, cloth, or any thing else what soever. David asketh a question of the Lord saying, 
Psalm. 15.  Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle, and who shall rest in thy holy hill? whereto he giveth the solution himself saying: even he that leadeth an incorrupt life, & hath not given his money unto usury, nor taken reward against the innocent, who so doth these things shall never fall. In the ●5. of Deut. the Lord willeth us not to crave again the thing we have lent to our neighbour, for it is the Lords free year. 
When it is not lawful to● ask again our goods lent.  If it be no lawful (then) to ask again the which is lent, (for it is not the law of good conscience for thee to exact it, if thou be abler to bear it, than the other to pay it) much less is it lawful to demand any usury or overplus. And for this cause the Lord saith, let there be no beggar amongst you, nor poor person amongst the Tribes of Israel. Thus you see the word of God abandonneth usury even to hell, and all writers both divine and profane, yea the very heathen people, moved only by the instinct of nature and rules of reason, have always abhorred it.  
Therefore Cato, 
heathen men against usury and interest.  being demanded what usury was, asked again, what it was to kill a man? making usury equivalent with murder: And good reason, for he that killeth a a man, riddeth him out of his pains at once, but he that taketh usury is long in butchering his patient▪ suffering him by little & little to languish, and sucking out his heart blood, never leaveth him so long as he feeleth any vital blood, (that is lucre and gain) coming forth of him. 
usury equal with murder.  The Usurer killeth not one, but many, both Husband, Wife, Children, servants, famelie and all, not sparing any.  
And if the poor man have not wherewith to pay▪ aswell the interest, as the principal, when soever this greedy cormorant doth demand it, than suit shallbe commenced against him, out go butterflies and writs, as thick as hail, so the poor man is apprehended, and brought coram nobis, 
Suit commenced against him that is not able to pay aswell the Usury as the Principal.  and being once convented, judgement condemnatory and definitive sentence proceedeth against him, compelling him to pay, aswell the usury and the loan of the money▪ as the money lent. But if he have not to satisfy aswell the one as th'other, then to Bocardo goeth he as round as a ball, where he shallbe sure to lie until he rot one piece from an other, without satisfaction be made. 
To prison with him that cannot pay the usury.  Oh cursed caitive, no man but a devil, no Christian but a cruel Tartarian, and merciless Turck: darest thou look up toward heaven, or canst thou hope to be saved by the death of Christ, that sufferest thine own flesh and blood, thine own brethren & sisters in the Lord, and which is more, the flesh and blood of Christ jesus, vessels of salvation, coheirs with him of his superiall kingdom, adoptive sons of his grace, & finally, saints in heaven, 
No mercy in imprisoning o● poor-men for usury.  to lie and ●ot in prison for want of payment of a little dross, which at the day of doom, shall bear witness against thee, g●aw thy flesh like a canker, and condemn thee for ever: The very s●ones of the prison walls shall rise up against thee, and condemn thee for thy cruelty, Is this love? Is this charity? is this to do to others as thou wouldst wish others to do to thee? or rather as thou wo●ldest wish the Lord to do unto thee? Art thou a good member of the body, which not only cuttest of thyself from the vine, 
No cruelty to be showed, but mercy and compassion ought to be extended.  as a rotten branch and void lop, but also he west off other members f●om the same true vine, Christ jesus? No, no, thou art a member of the Devil, a limb of Satan, and a Child of perdition.  
W●e ought not to handle our brethren in such sort, for any worldly matter whatsoever. We ought to show mercy and not cruelty to our brethren, to remit trespasses and offences, rather than to exact punishment, referring all revenge to him, who saith:  
Mihi vindictam, et ego retribuam. Vengeance is mine, and I will reward (saith the LORD.)  
Believe me, it grieveth me to hear (walking in the streets) the pitiful cries, and miserable complaints of poor prisoners in durance for debt, 
The petiefull crying of Prisoners in prison for dept.  and like so to continue all their life, destitute of liberty, meat, drink, (though of the meanest sort) and clothing to their backs, lying in filthy straw, and loathsome ●●ng, worse than any Dog, void of all charitable consolation, and brotherly comfort in this World, wishing and thirsting after death, to set them ●●●●ibertie, and lose them from their shackles, gives and iron bands:  
Notwithstanding, some merciless tigers are growe● to such barbarous cruelty, that they blush not to say, 
A tygerlicke tyrannical saying.  tush, ●e shall either pay me the whole, or else lie the●● till his héels' ●ot from his butt●●●s, and before I will release him, I will make d●ce of his bones. But take heed thou Devil (for I dare not call thee a Man) le●t the Lord say to thee, as he said to that wicked Servant (who having great sums forgiven him, 
Math xviii. Marc. xi.  would not forgive his Brother his small debt, but catching him by the throat, said: pay that thou owest) ●ind him hands and feet, and ●ast him into utter Darkness, where shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth.  
An Usurer is worse than a Thief, for the one stealeth, 
An Usurer worse than a Thief.  but for need, the other for covetousness and excess: the one stealeth, but in the night commonly, the other daily and hourly, night and day at all times indifferently.  
An Usurer is worse than a jew, 
An Usurer worser than a Iew.  for they ●o this day, will not take any usury of their Brethren, according to the law of God.  
They are worse than judas, for he betrayed Christ, 
An Usurer worser than judas.  but once, made restitution, and repent for it (though his repentance sprang not of faith, but of despair) but these Usurers betray Christ in his members daily and hourly without any remorse or restitution at all.  
They are worse than hell itself, 
usurers worse than ●el.  for it punisheth but only the wicked and reprobate, but the Usurer maketh no difference of any, but punisheth all alike. They are crueler than death, 
An Usurer worse than Death.  for it destroyeth but the body, and goeth no further, but the usurer destroyeth both body and soul for ever. And to be brief, the Usurer is worse than the Devil himself, 
An usurer worse than the Devil.  for the Devil plagueth but only those that are in his hands, or else those whom God permitteth him, the Usurer plagueth not only those that are within his jurisdiction already, but even all other without permission of any. Therefore saith Ambrose, if any man commit usury, 
The sayings of Godly Fathers and Writers against usury.  it is extortion, ravine & pillage, and he ought to die. Alphonsus' called usury nothing else then a life of death. Lycurgus' banished all kind of usury out of his lands. Cato did the same. Agessilaus, General of the Lacedæmonians, burned the Usurer's books in the open market places. Claudius' Vaspatiannus, and after him Alexander Severus, made sharp laws against usury, 
Usurers punished with sundry tortures.  and utterly extirped the same. Aristotle, Plato, Pythagoras, and generally, all writers both holy and profane, have sharply inveighed against this devouring canker of usury, & yet cannot we, that fain would be called christians avoid it. And if it be true, that I hear say, the●e be no men so great doers in this noble faculty and famous science, 
Scriviners the devils agents to set forward Vserie.  as the Scriveners be: For it is said (and I fear me too true) that there are some, to whom is committed a hundred or two of pounds, of some more, of some less, they putting in good sureties to the owners for the repayment of the same again, with certain allowance for the loan thereof, then come there poor men to them, desiring them to lend them such a some of money, and they will recompense them at their own desires, who making refusal at the first, as though they had it not (to acuate the minds of the poor petitioners withal) at last they lend them how much they desire, receiving of the poor men what interest & assurance they lust themselves, and binding them, their lands, Goods, and all, with forfeiture thereof, if they fail of payment: where note by the way, the Scrivener is the Instrument whereby the Devil worketh the frame of this wicked work of Usury, he being rewarded with a good fleece for his labour: 
The Scriviners fleece, or pittance for his pains.  F●r, first he hath a certain allowance of the Archdivel who owes the money, for helping him to such vent for his coin: Secondly, he hath a great deal more usury to himself, of him who borroweth the money, than he alloweth the owner of the money: And thirdly, ●e hath not the least part for making the writings between them. And thus the poor man is so implicate and wrapped in on every side, as it is impossible for him ever to get out of the briars, without loss of all that ever he hath to the very skin. Thus the rich are enriched, the poor beggared, and Christ jesus dishonoured every way, God be merciful unto us. De his hactenus.  Spud. 
Having (by the grace of Christ) hitherto spoken of sundry Abuses of that country, let us proceed a little further, how do they sancti●ie and keep the Sabbaoth day? In godly Christian exercises, or else in profane pastimes and pleasures?   

The Manner of sanctifying the Sabaoth in Ailgna.  Philo. 
THE Sabaoth day, of some is well santified, namely in hearing the Word of GOD read, preached and interpreted, in private and public Prayers, in singing of Godly Psalms, in celebrating the sacraments, & in collecting for the poor & indigent, which are the true uses and ends whereto the Sabaoth was ordained. But other some spend the Sabaoth day (for the most part) in frequenting of bawdy stage-plays and interludes, in maintaining Lords of misrule (for so they call a certain kind of play which they use) May-games, Church-ales, feasts and wakeesses: in piping, dancing, dicing, carding, bowling, tennisse playing: in bearbaiting, cockfighting, 
Profane exercises upon the Sabaoth day.  hawking, hunting, and such like. In keeping of Fairs, and markets on the Sabbath. In keeping Courts and Léets: In football playing, and such other devilish pastimes: reading of lascivious and wanton books, and an infinite number of such like practices and profane exercises used upon that day, whereby the Lord God is dishonoured, his Sabaoth violated, his word neglected, his sacraments contemned and his People marvelously corrupted, and carried away from true virtue and godliness. Lord remove these exercises from thy Sabaoth.  Spud. 
You will be deemed too too Stoical, if you should restrain men from these exercises upon the Sabaoth, for they suppose, that, that day was ordained and consecrate to that end and purpose, only to use what kind of exercises they think good themselves, & was it not so?  Phi. 
After that the Lord our God had created the world, and all things therein contained, in six days, in the seventh day he rested from all his works, (that is from creating them, not from governing them) and therefore he commanded that the seventh day should be kept holy in all ages to the end of the world: 
When the Sabaoth wa● ordained.  then after that in effect 2000 years, he iterated this Commandment, when he gave the law i● mount Horeb to Moses, & in him to all the Children of Israel, saying, remember (forget it not) that thou keep holy the seventh day etc. If we must keep it holy, then must we not spend it in such vain exercises, as please ourselves, but in such godly exercises as he in his holy word hath commanded. And (in my judgement) the Lord our God ordained the seventh day to be kept holy, for four causes especially. First to put us in mind of his wonderful workmanship, & creation of the world and creatures beside. Secondly, that his word (the Church assembling together) might be preached, 
Wherefore th● Sabaoth wa● instituted.  interpreted & expounded, his sacraments ministered sincéerly according to the prescript of his word, & that suffrages & prayers both private & public might be offered to his excellent Majesty. Thirdly, for that every christian man might repose himself from corporal labour, to the end they might the better sustain the travails of the week to ensue, and also to the and, that all beasts & cattle, which the Lord hath made for man's use, as helps & adiuments unto him in ●his daily affairs & business, might rest and refresh themselves, the better to go thorough in their travels afterward. For, as the heathen Man knew very well, sine alterna requie, non est durabile quicquàm. Without some rest or repose, there is not any thing durable, or able to continued long. Fourthly, to th'end it might be a typical figure, or signitor to point (as it were) with the finger, and to cipher forth and shadow unto us that blessed rest & thrice happy joy▪ which the faithful shall possess after the day of judgement in the Kingdom of Heaven. Wherefore, seeing the Sabaoth was instituted for these causes, it is manifest, that it was not appointed for the maintenance of wicked and ungodly pastimes and vain pleasures of the flesh, which GOD abhorreth, and all good men from their hearts do loath and detest.  
The Man of whom we read in the law, 
Punishment for violating the Sabbath.  for gathering of a few small sticks upon the Sabaoth, was stoned to death, by the commandment of God from the Theatre of Heaven.  
Than if he were stoned for gathering a few sticks upon the Sabaoth day, which in some cases might be, for necessity's sake, and did it, but once, 
Violators of the Sabbath.  what shall they be, who all the Sabaoth days of their life give themselves to nothing else, but to wallow in all kind of wickedness and sin▪ to the great contempt both of the Lord, and his Sabaoth? And though they have played the lazy lurdens all the week before, yet that day of set purpose, they will toil and labour, in contempt of the Lord and his Sabaoth. But let them be sure, as he that gathered sticks upon the Sabaoth, was stoned for his contempt of the same, so shall they be stoned, yea grinded to pieces for their contempt of the Lord in his Sabaoth.  
The jews, are very strict in keeping their Sabbaths, 
The jews very precise in keeping Sabbath.  in so much, as they will not dress their meats and drinks upon the same day, but set it on the tables the day before. They go not above ij. miles upon the sabaoth day, they suffer not the body of any Malefactor to hang upon the gallows upon the Sabaoth day, with legions of such like superstitions. Wherein, as I do acknowledge they are but too scrupelous, and overshoot the mark, so we are therein plain contemptuous, and negligent, shooting short of the mark altogether. 
No work to be done upon the Sabbath, except necessity enforce it.  Yet I am not so straight laced, that I would have no kind of work done upon that day, if present necessity of the thing require it (for Christ hath taught us, the Sabaoth was made for Man, not Man for the Sabaoth) but not for every light trifle which may as well be done other days as upon that day. And although the day itself in respect of the very nature and original thereof be no better than another day, for there is no difference of days except we become temporizers, all being alike good● yet because the Lord our God hath commanded it to be sanctified & kept holy to himself, let us (like obedient & obsequious Children) submit ourselves to so loving a Father, for else we spit against heaven, we strive against the stream, and we contemn him in his ordinances. But (perchance) you will ask me, whither the true use of the Sabaoth consist in outward abstaining from bodily labour and travail? I answer no: the true use of the Sabaoth (for Christians are not bound only to the Ceremony of the day) consisteth as I have said, 
Wherein the true use of the Sabaoth consisteth.  in hearing the word of God truly preached, thereby to learn and to do his will, in receiving the sacraments (as seals of his grace towards us) rightly administered, in using public and private prayer, in thanksgiving to God for all his benefits, in singing of godly Psalms and other spiritual exercises and meditations, in collecting for the poor, in doing of good works: and briefly in the true obedience of the inward man. And yet notwithstanding, we must abstain from the one, to attend upon the other: that is, we must refrain all bodily labours, to the end that we may the better be restant at these spiritual exercises upon the Sabaoth day.  
This is the true use and end of the Lord his Saboth, who grant that we may rest in him for ever.  Spud. 
Having showed the true use of the Saboth, let us go forward to speak of those Abuses particularly, whereby the Saboth of the Lord is profaned. And first to begin with stage plays and enterluds: What is your opinion of them? Are they not good examples to youth to fray them from sin?   

Of stage-plays and Enterluds, with their wickedness.  Philo. 
ALL stage-plays, Enterluds and Comedies, are either of divine, or profane matter: If they be of divine matter, than are they most intolerable, or rather Sacrilegious, for that the blessed word of GOD, is to be handled, reverently, gravely, and sagely, with veneration to the glorious Majesty of God, which shineth therein, and not scoffingly, flowtingly, & iybingly, as it is upon stages in Plays & Enterluds, without any reverence, worship, or veneration to the same: the word of our Salvation, the price of Christ his blood, & the merits of his passion, were not given, to be derided, and jested at as they be in these filthy plays and enterluds on stages & scaffolds, 
The deriding of the word of God in stage plays.  or to be mixed and interlaced with bawdry, wanton shows & uncomely gestures, as is used (every Man knoweth) in these plays and interludes. In the first of John we are taught, that the word is GOD, and God is the word. Wherefore, who so ever abuseth this word of our God on stages in plays and enterluds, abuseth the Majesty of GOD in the same, maketh a mocking stock of him, & purchaseth to himself, eternal damnation. And no marvel, for the sacred word of GOD, and God himself, 
Reverence to the majesty of God du●.  is never to be thought of, or once named, but with great fear, reverence and obedience to the same. All the holy company of Heaven, Angels, Archangels, Cherubins, Seraphins, and all other powers whatsoever, yea the devils themselves (as james saith) do tremble & quake, at the naming of God, and at the presence of his wrath, and do these Mockers and Flowters' of his Majesty, these dissembling Hypocrites, and flattering Gnatoes, think to escape unpunished? beware therefore you masking Players, you painted sepulchres, you double dealing ambodexters, be warned betimes, 
A warming to Players.  and like good computi●tes cast your accounts before what will be the reward thereof in the end, lest God destroy you in his wrath: abuse God no more, corrupt his people no longer with your dregs, and intermingle not his blessed word with such profane vanities. For, at no hand, it is not lawful, to mixed scurrility with divinity, 
Not lawful to intermixed divinity, with scurrility  nor divinity with scurrility.  
Theopompus, mingled Moses' law with his writings, and therefore the LORD struck him mad. Theodictes began the same practice, but the Lord struck him blind for it. With many others who attempting the like devices, were all overthrown, and died miserably: besides, what is their judgement in the other World the Lord only knoweth. Upon the other side, if their plays be of profane matters, than tend they to the dishonour of God and nourishing of vice, 
What if plays be of profane matter.  both which are damnable. So that whither they be the one or the other, they are quite contrary to the Word of grace, and sucked out of the devils teats, to nourish us in idolatry hethenrie, and sin.  
And therefore, they carrying the note, or brand of GOD his curse upon thei● backs, which way soever they go, are to be hissed out of all Christian Kingdoms, if they will have Christ to dwell amongst them.  Spud. 
Are you able to show, that ever any good Men from the beginning, have resisted Plays and Enterluds?  Philo. 
Not only the word of GOD doth overthrow them, addiudging them, & the maintainers of them, to Hell, but also all holy counsels, and synods, both general, national and provincial, 
The word of God, all Writers, counsels and Fathers have writ against plays, and e●terluds.  together, with all Writers both divine and profane, ever since the beginning have disallowed them, and writ (almost) whole volumes against them.  
The learned Father Tertullian in his book de Speculo, saith, that plays, were consecrat to that false idol Becchus, for that he is said to have found out, and invented strong drink.  
Augustinus de civit. Dei, saith, 
Wherefore plays 〈◊〉 ordained.  that plays were ordained by the Devil, and consecrat to heathen Gods, to draw us from Christianity to idolatry, and gentilism. And in an other place: Pecunias Histrionibus dare, vitium est innane, non virtus. To give money to Players, is a grievous sin.  
Chrisostome, calleth those plays, festa Sathani, feasts of the Devil. Lactantius, an ancient learned Father, saith, Histrionum impudissimi gestus, nihil aliud nisi Libidinem movent: The shameless gestures of Players, serve to nothing so much, as to move the flesh to lust, 
Concilium. 3.  and uncleanness. And therefore, in the .30. 
Carth●. Cap▪ 11  Counsel of Carthage, & Synod of Laodicea, 
Synod▪ Laodicea.  it was decreed, that no Christian Man, 
Cap. 54.  or Woman, should resort to plays and interludes, where is nothing but blasphemy, scurrility and whoredom maintained. Scipio, seeing the Romans bent to erect theatres, & places for plays, dehorted them from it, 
Writers both divine and profane against playe● and Enterluds.  with most prudent reasons and forcible arguments. Valerius Maximus saith, plays were never brought up, sine regni rubore, without shame to the Country.  Arist. 
debarreth youth access to Plays & Enterluds, lest they seeking to quench the thirst of Venus, do quench it with a pottle of fire. Augustus, banished Ovid, for making Books of love, Enterluds and such other amorous trumpery.  
Constantius, ordained that no Player should be admitted to the table of the Lord. Than seeing, that Plays were first invented by the Devil, 
The ends of plays and Enterluds.  practised by the heathen gentiles, and dedicat to their false idols, Gods and Goddesses: as the house, stage and apparel, to Venus: the music, to Apollo: the penning, to Minerva, and the Muses: the action and pronunciation to Mercury and the rest, it is more than manifest, that they are no fit exercises for a Christian Man to follow. But if there were no evil in them, save this, namely, that the arguments of tragedies, 
The arguments of tragedies.  is anger, wrath, immunity, cruelty, injury, incest, murder & such like: the Persons or Actors, are Gods, Goddesses, Furies, Fyends, Hags, Kings, Queens, or Potentates. Of Comedies, the matter and ground is love, 
The ground of Comedies.  bawdry, cozenage, flattery, whoredom, adultery: the Persons or agents, whores, queans, bawds, scul●lions, Knaves, Courtesans, lecherous old men● amorous young men, with such like of infinite variety: If I say there were nothing else, but this, it were sufficient to withdraw a good christian from the using of them. For so often, as they go to those houses where Players frequent▪ they go to Venus' palace & satans synagogue to worship devils, & betray Christ jesus.  Spud. 
But notwithstanding, 
theatres and curtains Venus' palaces.  I have hard some hold opinion that they be as good as sermons, and that many a good Example may be learned out of them?  Philo. 
Oh blasphemy intolerable: 
No plays comparable to the word of God  Are filthy plays & bawdy enterluds comparable to the word of God, the food of life, and life itself? It is all one, as if they had said, bawdry, hethenrie, paganrie, scurrility, and devilry itself, is equal with the word of God. Or that the Devil, is equipolent with the Lord.  
The Lord our God hath ordained his blessed word, and made it the ordinary mean of our Salvation, the Devil hath inferred the other, as, the ordinary mean of our destruction, and will they yet compare the one with that other? If he be accursed, 
He is cursed that saith plays and enterluds are comparable to sermons.  that calleth light darkness, & darkness light, truth, falsehood, & falsehood truth, sweet, sour, and sour sweet, than a fortiori is he accursed that saith that plays & enterluds be equivalent with Sermons, Besides this, there is no mischief which these plays, maintain not. For, do they not nourish idleness? and otia dant vitia, idleness is the Mother of vice. Do they not draw the people from hearing the word of God, from godly Lectures, and sermons? for you shall have them flock thither thick & thréefould, when the church of God shallbe bare & empty. And those that will never come at sermons will flow thither apace. The reason is, 
Wherefore so many ●flock to see playe● and enterluds.  for that the number of Christ his elect is but few, and the number of the reprobat is many, the way that leadeth to life is narrow, and few tread the path, the way that leadeth to death, is broad, & many find it. This showeth, they are not of God, who refuse to here his word (for he that is of God, heareth God his word saith our Saviour Christ) but of the devil, whose exercises they go to visit. Do they not maintain bawdry, 
The fruits o● theathers, & plays.  insinuat folery, & renew the remembrance of heathen idolatry? Do they not induce whoredom & uncleanness? nay, are they not rather plain devourers of maidenly virginity and chastity? For proof whereof, but mark the flocking and running to theatres & curtains, daily and hourly, night and day, time and tide to see Plays and Interludes, 
The Godly demeanoures used at plays and enterluds  where such wanton gestures, such bawdy speeches: such laughing and fleering: such kissing and bussing: such clipping and culling: Such winckinge and glancinge of wanton eyes, and the like is used, as is wonderful to behold. Than these goodly pageants being done, every mate sorts to his mate, every one brings another homeward of their way very friendly, and in their secret conclaves (covertly) they play the Sodomites, or worse. And these be the fruits of Plays and Enterluds, for the most part. And whereas, you say, there are good Examples to be learned in them:  
Truly, 
The goodly examples of Plays and Enterluds.  so there are: if you will learn falsehood, if you will learn cozenage: if you will learn to deceive: if you will learn to play the hypocrite: to cog, lie and falsify: if you will learn to jest, laugh and fléer, to grin, to nod, and mow: if you will learn to play the vice, to swear, tear, and blaspleme, both Heaven and Earth: 
What things are to be learned at plays.  If you will learn to become abawde, unclean, and to deverginat Maids, to deflower honest wives: if you will learn to murder, s●aie, kill, pick, steal, rob and rove: If you will learn to rebel against Princes, to commit treasons, to comsume treasures, to practise idleness, to sing and talk of bawdy love and venery: if you will learn to deride, scoff, mock & flout, to flatter & smooth: If you will learn to play the whoremaster, the glutton, Drunkard, or incestuous person: if you will learn to become proud, haughty & arrogant: and finally, if you will learn to comtemne GOD and all his laws, to ●are neither for heaven nor hell, and to commit all kind of sin and mischief you need to go to no other school, 
Theatres 〈◊〉 Seminaries of pseudo christianit  for all these good Examples, may you see painted before your eyes in interludes and plays: wherefore, that man who giveth money for the maintenance of them, must needs incur the damage of praemunire, that is, eternal damnation except they repent. For the Apostle biddeth us beware, 
A divine praemunire.  lest we communicate with other men's sins, & this their doing, is not only to communicate with other men's sins, & maintain evil, to the destruction of themselves & many others, but also a maintaining of a great sort of idle lubbers and buzzing dronets to suck up and devour the good honey, 
What it is to communicate with other men's sins.  whereupon the poor bees should live.  
Therefore I beseech all players & Founders of plays and interludes, in the bowels of jesus Christ, as they tender the salvation of their souls, and others, to leave of that cursed kind of life, 
An Exhotation to players.  and gi●e themselves to such honest exercises, and godly mysteries, as God hath commanded them in his word to get their livings withal: for who will call him a wiseman that playeth the part of a fool and a vice? who can call him a Christian, who playeth the part of a devil, 
The 〈◊〉 due to Play●ers.  the sworn enemy of Christ? who can call him a just man, that playeth the part of a dissembling hypocrite? And to be brief, who can call him a strait dealing man, who playeth a Cozeners trick? And so of all the rest. Away therefore with this so infamous an art, for go they never so brave, 
Players live upon begging.  yet are they counted and taken but for beggars. And is it not true? live they not upon begging of every one that comes? Are they not taken by the laws of the Realm, 
Players counted Rogues by the laws of the Realm  for rogues and vacabounds? I speak of such as travail the countries, with plays & interludes, making an occupation of it, and aught so to be punished, if they had their deserts. But hoping that they will be warned now at the last, I will say no more of them, beseeching them to consider what a fearful thing it is to fall into the hands of God, & to provoke his wrath and heavy displeasure against themselves and others, which the Lord of his mercy turn from us.  Spud. 
Of that sort he the other kind of plays, which you call Lords of Misrule? for me think, the very name itself carrieth a taste of some notorious evil.   

Lords of Misrule in Ailgna.  Philo. 
THE name indeed is odious both to God and good men, 
Lords of Misrule in Ailgna.  & such as the very heathen people would have blushed at, once to have named amongst them. And if the name importeth some e●il, then what may the thing itself be, judge you. But because you desire to know the manner of them, I will show you as I have seen them practised myself. First, all the wilde-heds of the Parish, conventing together, choose them a Graund-Captain (of all mischief) whom they ennoble with the title of my Lord of Misrule, 
The manner how Lords o● Misrule are used to be played.  and him they crown with great solemnity, and adopt for their king. This king anointed, chooseth forth twenty, forty, threescore or a hundred lusty Guts like to himself to weight upon his lordly Majesty, and to guard his noble person. Then every one of these his men, he investeth with his liveries, of green, yellow or some other light wanton colour. And as though that were not (bawdy) gaudy enough I should say, they bedeck themselves with scarves, ribbons & laces hanged all over which gold rings, precious stones & other jewels: this done, 
The monstruous attiring of my Lord of Misrules' Men.  they tie about either leg xx. or xl. bells, with rich handkercheifs in their hands, and sometimes laid a cross over their shoulders & necks, borrowed for the most part of their pretty Mopsies & loving Bess', for bussing them in the dark. Thus all things set in order, then have they their Hobby-horses, dragons & other Antiques, 
The rablee●● 〈◊〉 devils guard●  together with their bawdy Pipers and thundering Drummers to strike up the devils dance withal, then march these heathen company towards the Church and Church-yard, their pipers pipeing, their drummers thundering, their stumps dancing, their bells iyngling, 
The behaviour of the devils band in the temple of God.  their handkerchiefs swinging about their heads like madmen, their hobby horses and other monsters skirmishing amongst the rout: & in this sort they go to the Church (I say) & into the Church (though the Minister be at prayer or preaching) dancing & swinging heir handkercheifs over their heads, in the Church, like devils incarnate with such a confuse noise, that no man can hear his own voice. Then the foolish people, they look, they stare, they laugh, they fleer, & mount upon ●ourmes and pews to see these goodly pageants solemzed in this sort. 
Receptacles. in the Cemiteries or church yards for the devils agents  Then after this, about the Church they go again and again, & so forth into the churchyard, where they have commonly their Sommer-haules, their bowers, arbours, & banqueting houses set up, wherein they feast, banquet & dance all that day, & (peradventure) all the night too. And thus these terrestrial furies spend the Sabaoth day.  
They have also certain papers, wherein is painted some babblerie or other, of Imagery work, & these they call my Lord of mis●rules badges, 
My Lord of misrules cognisances.  these they give to every one, that will give money for them, to maintain them in their hethenrie, devilry, whoredom, drunkenness, pride, and what not. And who will not be buxom to them, and give them money for these their devilsh cognisances, they are mocked, & flouted at, 
Wearing m● Lord of misrules badges  not a little. And so assoted are some, that they not only give them money, to maintain their abomination withal, but also wear their badges & cognisances in their hats or caps openly. But let them take heed, for these are badges, seals, brands & cognisances of the devil, whereby he knoweth his Servants and Clients, from the Children of God. And so long as they wear them:  
Sub vexillo diaboli militant contra Dominum et legem suam. They fight under the banner and standard of the devil against Christ jesus, and all his laws, Another sort of fantastical fools bring to these helhounds (the Lord of misrule and his complices) some bread, some good-ale, some new-chéese, some old, some custards & fine cakes, some one thing, some another: 
Sacrifice brought to this filthy Ydol, my L. of misrule.  but if they knew that as often as they bring any thing to the maintenance of these execrable pastimes, they offer sacrifice to the devil and sathanas, they would repent and withdraw their hands, which God grant they may.  Spud. 
This is a horrible profanation of the Sabbath (the Lord knoweth) & more pestilent than pestilence itself, but what? be there any abuses in their May-ganes like unto these.  Philo. 
As many as in the other. The order of them is thus, Against May, Whitsonday or other time, all the young men and maids, old men and wives run godding over night to the woods▪ 
The order of their May-games.  groves▪ hills & mountains, where they spend all the night in pleasant pastimes, & in the morning they return bringing with them birch & branches of trees, to deck their assemblies withal, and no marvel, for there is a great Lord present amongst them, as superintendant and Lord over their pastimes and sports, namely, Satan prince of hell: But the chiefest jewel they bring from thence is their Maypole, 
A great Lord present in May games, as superintendant thereof.  which they bring home with great veneration, as thus. They have twenty or forty yoke of Oxen, every Ox having a sweet nosegay of flowers placed on the tip of his horns, and these Oxen draw home this Maypole (this stinking Ydol rather) which is covered all over with flowers, and herbs bound round about with strings from the top to the bottom, and sometime painted with variable colours, with two or three hundred men, 
The manner of bringing home their Maypoles.  women and children following it with great devotion. And thus being rea●ed up, with handkerchéefs and flags hovering on the top, they straw the ground round about, bind green boughs about it, set up summer hauls, bowers and arbours hard by it. And then fall they to ●aunce▪ about it like as the heathen people did at the dedication of the Idols, whereof this is a perfect pattern, or rather the thing itself. 
Maypoles a pattern of the heathen▪ idols  I have heard it credibly reported (and that, viva voce) by men of great gravity and reputation, that of forty, threescore, or a hundred maids going to the wood over night, there have scarcely the third part of them returned home again undefiled  
These be the fruits which these cursed pastimes bring forth. 
The fruit of May-games.  Neither the jews, the Turcks, Saracens, nor Pagans, nor any other nations how wicked, orbarbarous soever, have ever used such devilish exercises as these, nay they would have been ashamed once to have named them, much less, have used them. Yet we that would●● Christians, think them not amiss. The Lord forgive us, and remove them from us.  Spud, 
What is the manner of their church ales, which you say they use, for they seem uncouth and strange to mine ears?   

The Manner of Church-ales in Ailgna.  Philoponus. 
THE manner of them is thus, 
The manner of Church-ales in Ailg.  In certain Towns where drunken Bacchus bears all the sway, against a Christmas, an Easter, Whitsonday, or some other time, the Churchwardens (for so they call them) of every parish, with the consent of the whole Parish, provide half a score or twenty quarters of malt, whereof some they buy of the Church-stock, and some is given them of the Parishioners themselves, every one conferring somewhat, according to his ability, which malt being made into very strongale or beer, it is set to sale, either in the Church or some other place assigned to that purpose.  
Then when the Nippitatum, this Hufcap (as they call it) and this Nectar of life, is set abroach, well is he that can get the soonest to it, and spend the most at it, for he that sitteth the closest to it, and spends the most at it, he is counted the godliest man of all the rest, 
The filthiest beast, the godlyest man.  but who, either cannot for pinching poverty, or otherwise will not stick to it, he is counted one destitute both of virtue and godliness. In so much, as you shall have many poor-men make hard shift for money to spend thereat, for it, being put into this Corban, they are persuaded it is meritorious & a good service to God. In this kind of practice, they continued six weeks, a quarter of a year, yea half a year together, swilling and gulling, night and day, till they be as drunk as Apes, and as blockish as beasts.  Spud. 
Seeing they have so good utterance, it should seem they have good gains. But I pray you how do they bestow that money, which is got thereby?  Philo. 
Oh, well I warrant you, if all be true which they say: For they repair their Churches and Chapels with it, 
How the money is spent which is got by Church-ales.  they buy books for service, cups for the celebration of the Sacrament, surplice for Sir John, and such other necessaries: And they maintain other extraordinary charges in the parishes besides. These be their exceptions, these be their excuses, and these be their pretenced allegations, whereby they blind the world, and convey themselves away invisibly in a cloud. But if they dance thus in a net, no doubt they will be espied.  
For if it were so, that they bestowed it as they say, 
Will the Lord have his house build with maintenance of evil.  do they think that the Lord will have his house build with drunkenness, gluttony and such like abomination? Must we do evil, that good may come of it? must we build this house of lime and stone, with the desolation, and utter overthrow of his spiritual house, cleansed and washed in the precious blood of our Saviour jesus Christ? But, who seeth not that they bestow this money upon nothing less, than▪ in building and repairing of Churches and Oratories? For, in most places, lie they not like swyn coats? their windows rend, their doors broken, 
The decay of Churches, which are lacerate, rend and torn.  their walls fall down, the roof all bare, and what not, out of order? Who seeth not the book of GOD, rend ragged and all betorn, covered in dust, so as this epitaph may be writ with one's finger upon it, ecce nunc in pulvere dormio: (Alas) behold I sleep in dust, and oblivion, not once scarce looked upon, which less red upon, and the least of all preached upon. And on the other side, who seeth not, (for this I speak but in way of parenthesis) in the mean time, their own houses and mansion places, 
Sumpteousnes of their own mansions.  are curiously build, and sumptuously adorned: which plainly argueth, that they rather bestow this drunken got-money, upon profane uses and their own private affairs, than upon the house of prayer, or the temple of God: And yet this their doing is well liked of, and no man may say, black is their eye. For why? They do all things well, and according to good order, as the say. And when time cometh, like good accoumptantes they make their accounts, as please themselves.  Sp. 
Were it not better, & more consonant to the truth, that every one contributed somewhat according to his ability to the maintenance of templaries & oratory's, than thus to maintain them, by drunken church-ales? as you say, they do?  Philo. 
It wear much better: And so we read, the Fathers of the old Testament, 
Churges are to be maintained by mutual contribution of every one after his power.  every one after his ability did impart some what, to the building and restoration of the Tabernacle, which Moses erected to the Lord. So, as in the end, there was such abundance of all things, as the Artificers, consulting with Moses were glad to request the People, to stay their liberality, for they had more, than they knew what to do withal. These People made no drunken Church-ales to build their edefice withal: notwithstanding, their importable charges and intolerable costs. But as their zeel was fervent, and very commendable in bringing to the Church, so our zeal is more than frozen & blame worthy in detracting from the Church: and bestowing it upon whoredom drunkenness, 
Our zeal waxed cold and frozen, in respect of the zeal of the former world  gluttony, pride, and such like abominations: God amend it▪  Spud. 
How do they solemnize their feasts and wakesses there, and what order do they observe in them?   

The manner of keeping of Wakesses, and feasts in Ailgna.  Philoponus. 
THis is their order therein: every town, parish and village, some at one time of the Year, some at another (but so that every town, parish & village keep his proper day assigned and appropriate to itself, (which they call their Wak day) use to make great preparation, and ordinance for good cheer. To the which all their Friends and kynsfolks far and near are invited, where is such gluttony: such drunkenness: such saturity and impletion used, as the like was never seen. In so much, as the poor men that bear the charges of these feasts and wakesses, 
saturity in feasts and wakesses.  are the poorer, and keep the Worse houses a long time after. And no marvel, for many spend more at one of these wakesses, than in all the whole year beside. 
The great charges of Wakesses.  This makes many a one to thripple & pinch, to run into debt and danger, and finally, brings many a one to utter ruin and decay.  Spud. 
Would you not have one friend to visit another at certain times of the year?  Philo. 
I disallow it not, but much commend it. But why at one determinat day, more than at another (except business urged it) why should one and the same day continue for ever, 
Against wakes & feasts.  or be distinct from other days, by the name of a wake day? why should there be more excess of meats and drinks at that day, than at another? why should they abstain from bodily labour. ij. or three days after, peradventure, the whole week, spending it in drunkenness, whoredom, gluttony, and other filthy Sodomitical exercises.  Spud. 
Seeing you allow of one Friend to visit another, would you not have than to congratulat their coming with some good cheer?  Philo. 
Yes truly, but I allow not of such excess of riot & superfluity as is there used. I think, it convenient for one Friend to visit another (at sometimes) as opportunity & occasion shall offer itself, 
Whereto wakesses and feasts do very aptly tend.  but wherefore should the whole town, parish, village and country, keep one and the same day, and make such gluttonous feasts as they do? And therefore, to conclude, they are to no end, except it be to draw a great frequency of whores, drabs, thieves and varlets together, to maintain whoredom, bawdry, gluttony, drunkenness, thiefte, murder, swearing and all kind of mischief and abomination. For, these be the ends whereto these feasts, and wakesses do tend.  Spud. 
From whence sprang these feasts and wakesses first of all, can you tell?  Philo. 
I cannot tell, 
From whence these annual feasts and stacionarie wakesses had their beginning.  except from the Pagans and heathen People, who when they were assembled together, and had offered Sacrifices to their wooden Gods and blokish idols, made feasts and banquets together before them, in honour and reverence of them, so appointed the same yearly to be observed in memorial of the same, for ever: But whence soever they had their exordium, certain it is, the devil was the Father of them, of drown us in perdition and destruction of body and soul: which GOD forefend.  Sp. 
As I remember, you spoke of dancing before, inferring that the sabaoth is greatly profaned thereby: whereof I pray you show me your judgement.   

The horrible Vice of pestiferous dancing, used in Ailgna.  Philoponus. 
Dancing, as it is used (or rather abused) in these days, is an introduction to whoredom, a preparative to wantonness, a provocative to uncleanness, & an introite to all kind of lewdness, rather than a pleasant exercise to the mind, or a wholesome practice for the body: yet notwithstanding, in Ailg. both men, women & children, are so skilful in this laudable science, as they may be thought nothing inferior to Cynoedus, the prostitut ribald, nor yet to Sardanapalus that effeminate varlet. Yea they are not ashamed to erect schools of dancing, 
●choles of dancing e●ected.  thinking it an ornament to their children, to be expert in this noble science of heathen devilry: and yet this people glory of their christianity & integrity of life: Indeed, verbo tenus Christiani boni vocitentur: But vita & moribus Ethnicis, & paganis peiores reperientur. From the mouth outward, they may be said to be good Christians, but in life & manners, far worser than the heathen, or Pagans: Whereof, if they repent not, & amend, it shallbe easier for that Land of Sodoma and Gomorra at the day of judgement then for them.  Sp. 
I have heard it said, the dancing is both a recreation for the mind, & also an exercise for the body, very wholesome, and not only that, but also, a mean whereby love is acquired.  Ph. 
I will not much deny, 
Dancing a pleasure to them that delight in vanities.  but being used in a mean, in time and place convenient, it is a certain solace to the minds of such as take pleasure in such vanities, but it is not good reason to say, some men take pleasure in a thing ergo, it is good, but the contrary is true rather: For this is (basis veritatis) a ground of truth, that whatsoever a carnal man with uncircumcised heart, either desireth, or taketh pleasure in, is most abominable & wicked before god: As on the other side, what the spiritual man regenerate, & borne anew in Christ, by the direction of God his spirit desireth or taketh delight in, is good, and according to the will of God. And seeing man's nature is too procli●e of itself to sin, it hath no need of allurements & allections to sin (as dancing is) but rather of restraints & inhibitions from the same▪ 
What a lurements to sin, be in dancing.  which are not there to be found. For what clipping, what culling, what kissing and bussing, what smouching & slabbering one of another, what filthy groping and unclean handling is not practised every where in these dancings? yea the very deed and action itself, which I will not name for offending chaste ears, shall be purtrayed and showed forth in their bawdy gestures of one to another. All which, whither they blow up Venus' coal, or not, who is so blind that seeth not? wherefore, let them not think that it is any recreation (which word is abusively used to express the joys, or delights of the mind, 
Dancing no recreation, but a corrosive to a good Christian.  which signifieth a making again of that, which before was made) to the mind of a good Christian, but rather a corrosive most sharp and nipping. For seeing that it is evil in itself, it is not a thing wherein a Christian Man's heart may take any comfort.  
The only, 
The only thing, wherein a good christian doth delight.  summum bonum, wherein a true Christians heart is recreated and comforted, is the meditation of the passion of jesus Christ, the effusion of his blood, the remission of sins, and the contemplation of the ineffable joys and beatituds after this life, prepared for the faithful, in the blood of jesus Christ. This is the only thing, wherein a Christian man ought to rejoice, and take delight in, all other pleasures & delights of this life set a part, as amarulent and bitter, bringing forth fruit to eternal destruction, but the other, to eternal life: And whereas they conclude, it is a wholesome exercise for the body, the contrary is most true, for I have known divers by the immoderate use thereof, have in short time become decrepit and lame, so remaining to their dying day. Some have broke their legs with skipping, 
Dancing no wholesome exercise for the Body.  leaping, turning and vaulting, and some have come by one hurt, some by another but never any came from thence without sun part of his mind broken and lame, such a wholesome exercise it is. But say they it induceth love, so I say also, but what love?  
Truly a lustful love, a venereous love, a concupiscencious, bawdy & bestial love, such as proceedeth from the stinking pump and loathsome sink of carnal affection, and fleshly appetite, 
What love dancing procureth.  and not such as distilleth from the bowels of the heart ingenerat by the spirit of God.  
Wherefore, I exhort them in the bowels of jesus Christ to eschew not only from evil, but also from all appearance of evil, as the Apostle willeth them, proceeding from one virtue to another, until they grow to perfect men in Christ jesus, knowing that we must give accounts at the day of judgement of every minute and jot of time, from the day of our birth to the time of our death: for there is nothing more precious, 
We must render accounts for time here lent us.  than time, which is given us to glorify God in good-woorks, and not to spend in luxurious exercises after our own fantasies and delights.  Spud. 
But I have heard then: affirm that dancing is provable by the word of God: for (say they) did not the women come forth of all the Cities of Israel to meet king Saul? 
1 Sa. 18.  and David returning from the slaughter of Goliath, with psalteries, flutes, tabrets, Cymbals and other musical Instruments, dancing & leaping before them? 
Exo. 15.  Did not the Israelites having passed over the red sea bring forth their Instruments and danced for joy of their deliverance? 
Exo. 32.   
Against, did they not dance before th● golden Calf, which they had made, in Horeb or Sinai? Did not king David dance before the Ark of the Lord? 
2. Sa. 6.  Did not the Daughter of jephtah dance with tabret and harp at the return of her Father from the Field? 
judic, 11.  Did not the women of the Israelits dance coming to visit● good judith? 
judic. 15,  Did not the Damsel dance before King Herod? 
Mat. 14,  Did not Christ blame the people for their not dancing, when he said, 
Luc. 7.  we have piped unto you, but you have 
Eccle. 3.  not danced?  
Saith not Solomon, there is a tune to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance?  
And doth not the Prophet David in many places of his Psalms commend and command dancing and playing upon Instruments of Music.  
Wherefore (for thus they conclude) seeing these holy Fathers (whereof some were guided by the instinction of God his Spirit) have not only taught it in doctrine, but also expressed it by their Examples of life, 
No man without errors both in lives and doctrine  who may open his mouth once to speak against it.  Philo. 
The Fathers as they were men had their errors and erred as men, for Hominis est errare, decipi et labi: it is natural for man to err, to be deceived & to slide from the truth. Therefore the Apostle saith: follow me in all things as I follow Christ: but to the intent that they who perpend the Examples of the Fathers, and Scripture falsely wrested, to maintain their● devilish dancings withal, may see their own impiety & gross ignorance discovered, I will compendiously set down the true sense and meaning of every place, as they have cited them particularly. For the first: whereas they say that the Women came forth in dances with timbrels and Instruments of joy to meet David and Saul, 
1. Sa. 18.  I ask them for what cause they did so? 
The first pillar of dancing overthrown.   
Was it for wantonness or for very joy of heart, for their victory gotten over the Philistines their sworn Enemies? Was it in praise of GOD? or to stir up filthy lust in themselves, or for niceness only, as our dances be?  
Did men and women dance together, as is now used to be done: or rather was it not done amongst women only? for so saith the text, the women came forth etc. But admit it were neither so, 
〈◊〉 good cō●uent to say ●ers did so, ●o it is ●od, or we ●y do the ●e.  nor so, will they conclude a general rule, of a particular example? it is no good reason to say such and such did so, therefore it is good, or we may do so, but all things are to be poised in the balance of holy scripture and thereby to be allowed or disallowed, according to the meaning of the holy Ghost, who is only to be heard and obeyed in his word.  
The Israelitish women hearing of the fame of David, and how he had killed their deadly enemy Goliath, came forth to meet him playing upon instruments, dancing & singing songs of joy and thanksgiving to the Lord who had given them victory and delivered them, from the deadly hostility of him, who sought their destruction every way. Now what maketh this, for our le●d, wanton, nice and ubiquitary dancings, for so, I may call them because they be used every where, let the godly judge: 
●he difference between the ●ances of our forefather's, ●nd ours.  who seethe not rather that this example, (let Cerberus the dog of hell alatrate what he list to the contrary) clean overthroweth them. Theirs was a godly kind of dancing in praise of God: ours a lustful, bawdy kind of deame●our, in praise of ourselves: the●rs to show their inward joy of mind for the blessings of God bestowed upon them, ours to show our activity, agility and curious nicety and to procure lustful love and such like wickedness infinite: But to their second allegation: 
Their s●co● Pillar shak●  the Children (say they) of Israel danced being delivered out of the servitude of Pharo and having passed over the red sea: I grant they did so, and good cause they had so to do: For were they not emancipate and set free from three great calamities and extreme miseries? First from the serui●e bondage of Egypt, from the sword of Pharo, who pursued the rearward of their host, and from the danger of the red sea, their enemies being overwhelmed in the same.  
For these great and inestimable benefits and blessings received at the hands of God, they played upon Instruments of music, leapt, danced, and sung godly songs unto the Lord, showing by these outward gestures the inward joy of their hearts and minds. Now what conduceth this, for the allowance of our luxurious dancings? 
How the Isr●●●lits danced●  Is it not directly against them? They danced for joy in thanks to god, we for vainglories: they for love to God, we for love of ourselves: they to show the interior joy of the mind for God his blessing, heaped upon them: we to show our concinitie, dexterity, and vain curiosity in the same: they to stir up and to make themselves the apt to praise God, we to stir up carnal appetites and fleshly motions: they to show their humility before God, and we to show our pride both before God and the world. But how so ever it be, sure I am, their dancing was not like ●ures, consisting in measures, capers, quavers, & I cannot tell what, for they had no such leisure in Egigt to learn such vain curiosity in that lustful bawdy school, for making of brick and tiles. 
The dancing of our Forefathers may not ●e called a 〈◊〉, but 〈…〉 Godly 〈…〉. for joy  And notwithstanding, it is ambiguous whether this may be called a dancing or not, at lest not like ours, but rather a cer●●̄ kind of modest leaping, skipping, or moving of the body to express the joy of the mind in praise of God, as the Man did, who being 〈◊〉 by the power of our Saviour Christ, ●●alked in the Temple, leapping, skipping, & praising God.  
We never read, that they ever danced, but at some wonderful portent, or strange judgement of God, and therefore, made not a common practice of it, or a daily occupation as it were, much less set up schools of it, and frequenting nothing else night and day, Sabaoth day, 
Their .3. Reason▪ ●examined.  and other, as we do. But to their third Reason: The Israelits danced before the Calf in Horeb. And what than? They made a Golden Calf, and adored it, may we therefore do the like? They committed idolatry there, therefore is idolatry good, because they committed it?  
Adam, disobyed GOD, and obeyed the devil: is obedience therefore to the devil good, because he did so?  
Therefore we must not take heed what man hath done heretofore, but what God hath commanded in his word to be done, and that follow, even to the death. But to be short, as it is a frivolous thing to say, because they committed Idolatry, therefore may we do the like, so it is no less ridiculous, to say, because they danced, therefore we may do the same: for as it is not lawful to commit Idolatry, because they did so, so is it not lawful to dance, because they daunted.  
So that if this place infer any thing for dancing, it inferreth that we must never dance but before a golden Calf, as they did: but I think by this time, they are ashamed of their dances: therefore, of this place I need to sayn● more, giving than to note, that this their dancing in respect of the end thereof, was far dissonant from ours: for they danced in honour of their Idol, we clean contrary though neither the one nor the other be at any hand tolerable.  
Their fourth reason, 
Their .4. Reason.  Did not David dance before the Ark, say they? very true: and this place (as the rest before) refelleth their customary dancings of men and women together most excellently. For David danced himself alone, without either woman, or musical Instrument to effeminate the mind. And this dancing of David was no usual thing, nor frequented every day but that one time, and that in praise of God, for the delivery of the Ark of God his testament out of the hands of the Infidels and heathen people: the joy of this holy Prophet was so vehement, for this great blessing of GOD (such a fervent zeal he bore to the truth) that it burst forth into exterior action, the more to induce others to praise God also. Would God we would dance as David danced here, for the delivery of his alsaving word out of the hands of that Italian Philistin & archenemy of all truth, the Pope of Room, for in this respect I would make one to dance, to leap, to skip, to triumph, and rejoice as David did before the Ark. 
Why David danced before the Ark.  By this I trust any indifferent man seeth, that by this place, they gain as much for the maintenance of their▪ lewd dance, and bawdy choruses, as they did by citing the former places, that is just nothing at all, which they may put in their eyes and see never the warsse?  
Their fift reason. 
Their fift Reason examined.  Did not jeptath his daughter meet her Father when he came from war dancing before him, and playing upon Instruments of Ioy. jeptath going forth to war against the Amonites promised the Lord (making a rash vow) that if it would please his Majesty to give him victory over his Enemies, he would sacrifice the first living thing that should meet him from his house: It pleased GOD that his sole daughter and heir hearing of her Father's prosperous return (as the manner of the Country was) ran forth to meet her Father playing upon instruments, in praise of GOD, and dancing before him for joy. Now what proveth this for their dances? Truly, it overthroweth them if it be well considered: for first, we read that she did this but once, we daily: She in praise of God, we in praises▪ of ourselves: 
Wherefore & how the Daughters of jepthath danced.  she for joy of her Father's good success, we to steer up filthy and unclean motions: She with a virginal gravity, we with a babish levity: she in comely manner, we in bawdy gesture. And moreover, this showeth, that women are to dance by themselves (if they will needs dance▪) and men by themselves, for so importeth the Tert, making no mention of any other her colleagues, 
Ther. 6. Reason. judith. Ca 15.  or Companions dancing with her.  
Their vi Reason: Did not the Israelitish women dance before judith, coming to visit her? I grant they did s●: the story is thus.  
Holofernes, opposing himself, against the Israelits, the chosen people of GOD, and intending to overthrow them, and to blot out▪ their remembrance for ever from under heaven, assembled a huge power, and besieged them on every side.  
The Israelits, seeing themselves circumvalled and in great danger on eachside, suborned good judith, 
judith cutteth of the head of holofernes.  a virtuous Godly Woman (for without some stratagem, or policy wrought, it was unpossible for them in the eyes of the world, to have escaped) to repair to Holofernes, & by some means or other to work his destruction: who guided by the hand of God, attempted the thing & brought it happily to pass. For she cut of his head with his own fauchine, wrapping his body in the canopy, wherein he lay sléepingly possessed as he was with the spirit of drunkenness: this done, the Women of Israel came together, and went to visit this worthy Woman, and to congratulat her prosperous success, with instruments of music, singing of Godly songs, and dancing for joy, in honour and praise to God, for this great victory obtained. Now who s●eth not, that these women sang, danced, and played upon instruments in praise of God, 
The unlawfulness of dancing of men and women together  & not for any other lewdness, or wantonness, as commonly the world doth now adays? This also overthroweth the dancings of Men and Women together in one company: for though there was an infinite number of People by, yet the Text saith, there danced none, but only Women, which plainly argueth the unlawfulness of it in respect of man.. And this being but a particular fact of a sort of imprudent Women, shall we draw it into example of life, and think it lawful, or good, because they did practife it?  
It was a custom in those days, when God had powered forth and notable blessing upon his People from his Heavenly Palace, 
A customet dance in praise of God.  the People in honour, praise and thanksgiving to God for them▪ would, play upon their instruments, sing Godly Songs, dance, leap, skip and triumph, showing forth the joy of their minds, with their thankfulness to GOD, by all exterior gestures, that they could devise. Which kind of thankful dancing, or spiritual rejoicing, would God, we did follow, leaving all other wanton dancing to their Father the Devil.  
Their vij Reason: 
Ther. 7. Reason.  Did not (quoth they) the damosel dance before King Herode, when the head of john Baptist was cut of? She danced indeed: And herein they may see the fruit of dancing, what goodness it bringeth: For, was not this the cause of the beheading of john the Baptist? See whether dancing, 
Dancing stirreth up lust.  stirreth not up lust and inflameth the mind.  
For, if Herode with seeing her dance, was so inflamed in her love, and ravished in her behaviour, that he promised her, to give her whatsoever she would desire, though it were half of his Empery, or Kingdom: what would he have been, if he had danced with her? and what are those that dance with them, hand in hand, chéek by chéek, with bussing and kissing, slabbering and smearing, most beastly to behold? in so much, as I have heard many impudently say, that they have chosen their wives, and wives their Husbands by dancing: Which plainly proveth the wickedness of it. Their eight reason: 
Their. 8. Reason. Luc. 7.  Did not Christ rebuke the People, for not dancing, saying: we have piped unto you, but you have not danced. They may as well conclude that Christ in this place, was a Pyper, or a Minstrel, as that he allowed of dancing, or reproved them, for not excercysing the same.  
This is a Metaphorical, or Allegorical kind of speech, wherein our Saviour Christ, goeth about to reprove and check the styfneckednes, the rebellion and pertinacious contumacy of the Scribes and Phariseis, who were neither moved to receive the glad tidings of the Gospel by the austerity of john the baptist, 
The more than obdurate hardness of the jews.  who came preaching unto them the doctrine of repentance, in mourning sort: neither yet at the preaching of our Saviour himself, breaking unto them the pure Ambrosia, the Celestial Manna, the word of life in joyful, and gladsome manner.  
John the Baptist he piped unto them, that is, he preached unto them, austerity of life, to mourn for their sins, to repent, to fast, pray and such like. Our Saviour Christ he piped (that is) preached unto them, the glad & comfortable tidings of the Gospel, yet at neither of these kind of concions, they were any whit moved, either to embrace Christ, or his gospel: Wherefore he, sharply rebuketh them, by a similitude of foolish Children sitting in the market place, and piping unto them that would not dance. This is the true undoubted sense of this place, which, whether it overthrow not all kind of lewd dancing (at lest maketh nothing for them) allowing a certain king of spiritual dancing, and rejoicing of the heart unto God (that I may suspend my own judgement) let wise men determine. 
Eccle. 3. Their. 9 Reason.   
Their ix Reason: Saith not Solomon, there is a time to weep, & a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance? This place is directly against their usual kind of dancing. For, saith not the Text, there is a time, meaning, sometime, now and than, as the Israelites did in praise to GOD, when any notable thing happened unto them, and not every day and hour as we do, making an occupation of it, never leaving it, until it leave us. But what, and if Solomon 
Solomon meaneth a certain kind of a spituall dancing or reioying of the heart.  speaketh here of a certain kind of spiritual dancing, and rejoicing of the heart in praise to GOD? This is easily gathered by the circumstances of the place, but specially by the sentence precedent (uz. there is a time to mourn, & a time to dance etc.) that is, a time to mourn for our sins, & a time to dance or rejoice, for the unspeakable treasures purchased unto us by the death & passion of jesus christ. How much this place maketh for defence of their nocturnal, diuturnal, wanton, lewd and lascivious dancings (if it be censured in the impartial balance of true judgement) all the world may see and judge. And now to draw to an end, I will come unto their ultimum refugium. 
Their ultimum refugium.  That is: Doth not David both commend, and also command dancing and playing upon instruments in diverse of his Psal. In all those places, the Prophet speaketh of a certain kind of spiritual dancing and rejoicing of the heart to the Lord for his graces & benefits in mercy bestowed upon us. This is the true kind of dancing, which the word of God doth allow of in any place, and not that we should trip like rams, 
Why our feet were given us.  skip like goats, & leap like mad men. For, to the end our feet were not given us, but rather to represent the image of God in us, to keep Company with the Angels, & to glorify our heavenly Father thorough good works.  Spud. 
Do you condemn all kind of dancing, as wicked and profane?  Ph. 
All lewd, wanton, & lascivious dancing in public assemblies & conventicles, without respect either of sex, kind, time, place, Person, or any thing else, I by the warrant of the word of God, do utterly condemn: But that kind of dancing which is used to praise and laud the name of God withal (as wear 
What dancing is condemned by the word of God.  the dances of the people of the former world) either privately or publicly is at no hand to be dysallowed, but rather to be greatly commended. Or if it be used for man's comfort, recreation, and Godly pleasure▪ privately (every sex distincted by themselves) whether with music, or otherwise, it cannot be but a very tolerable exercise, being used moderately, and in the fear of God. And thus, though, I condemn all filthy, luxurious and unclean dancing, yet I condemn not all kind of dancing generally. For certain it is, the exercise itself, in it own nature, quality & propriety, though to some it is lawful, to othersome unlawful in diverse respects, is both ancient & general, having been used ever in all ages, as well of the Godly, as of the wicked, almost from the beginning. Wherefore, when I condemn the same in some, my meaning is, in respect of the manifold abuses thereof. And in my judgement as it is used now a days, an occupation being made of it, and a continual exercise, without any difference or respect had either to time, Person, sex or place in public assemblies and frequencies of People, with such beastly slabberings, bussings & smouching and other filthy gestures & misdeameanors therein accustomed, it is as unpossible to be used without doing of infinite hurt, as it is for a naked Man to lie in the midst of a hot burning fire, and not to consume. But these abuses with other the like (as there be legions more in it) being cut of from the excercise itself, the thing remaineth very commendable in some respects. Or else, if our dances tended, as I have said, to the setting forth of GOD his glory (as the dances used in preter time did) to draw others to piety and sanctity of life, and to praise and rejoice in God, to recreate the mind oppressed with some great toil, or labour taken in true virtue and godliness, I would not (being done in the fear of GOD, men by themselves, and Women by themselves, for else it is not possible to be without sin) much gainstand it. But I see the contrary is every where used to the great dishonour of God, 
Why men ●●old dance ●y themselves and women by themselves.  and corruption of good manners, which God amend.  Spud. 
And wherefore, would you have Men to dance by themselves, and Women by themselves?  Philo. 
Because it is without all doubt▪ a provocation to lust and venery, and the fire of lust once conceived, 
Why men should dance by themselves and Women by themselves.  (by some irruption or other) bursteth forth into open action of whoredom and fornication. And therefore a certain godly Father saidwel, Omnis saltus in chorea, est saltus in profundum inferni, Every leap or skip in dance, is a leap toward hell. Yet notwithstanding in Ailgna it is counted a virtue, and an ornament to a man, yea, and the only way to attain to promotion & advancement, as experience teacheth.  Spud, 
Notwithstanding, for my further instruction, I pray you show me what Fathers and Counsels have judged of it, and what they have writ and decreed against it.  Philo. 
If I should go forth to show all the invectives of Fathers, all the decrees of counsels, and all the places of holy Scripture against the same, 
Testimonies of Father's counsels, and Writers against dancing.  I should never make an end: wherefore, of many I will select a few, hoping that they will suffice any reasonable man.  
sirach saith, frequent not the company of a woman, that is a singer or a dancer, neither hear her, 
Eccle. 131  lest thou be entrapped in her craftiness. Chrisostome, dylating upon Matthew saith: In every dance, the devil danceth by, for company, though not visible to the eye, yet palpable to the mind. 
Mat. ●●.  Theophilus, writing upon Mark the sixth Chapter saith, Mira collusio saltat per puellam Diabolus This is a wonderful deceit, for the devil danceth amongst them for company. Augustine 
Augustine.  writing upon the 32. Psalm, saith, 
Erasmus.  it is better to dig all the Sabaoth day, then to dance. Erasmus, in his Book, de contemptu Mundi, saith, Whose mind is so well disposed, so stable, or well settled, which these wanton dances, with swinging of arms, kicking of legs, playing upon instruments, and such like would not overcome and corrupt: Wherefore saith he, as thou desirest thine own credit, and welfare, 
Lodovicus vives.  eschew these scabbed and scurvy company of dancers.  
Ludovicus vives saith, amongst all pleasures, dancing and voluptuousness is the kingdom of Venus, and the empire of Cupid: wherefore, saith he, it were better for thee to stay at home, and to break either a leg, or an arm of thy body, then to break the legs and arms of thy mind & soul, as thou dost in filthy scurvy dancings. And as in all Feasts and pastimes, dancing is the last, so it is the extreme of all other vice: 
Dancers thought to be madmen.  And again, there were (saith he) from far countries, certain men brought into our parts of the world, who when they saw men dance, ran away, marvelously afraid: crying out and thinking them to have been mad. And no marvel, for who seeing them leap, skip & trip like Goats & and hinds, if he never saw them before, would not think them either mad, or else possessed with some fury? Bullinger, 
Bullinger.  paraphrasting upon Matthew, 14. saith, After feasting swilling and gulling cometh dancing, the root of all filthiness and uncleanness.  
Master Calvin, 
Calvin.  writing upon job, Ser. 8. Cap. 12. calleth dancing the chief mischief of all mischiefs, saying there be such unchaste gestures in it, as are nothing else, but enticements to whoredom.  
Marlorate, upon Matthew saith, whosoever hath any care either of honesty, sobriety or gravity, have long since bad adieu to all filthy dancing.  
No man (saith a certain heathen Writer) if he be sober danceth, except he be mad.  
Salustius, 
Sallust.  commending Sempronia that renowned whore, for many goodly gifts, condemneth her for her over great skill in dancing: concluding, that dancing is the Instrument of lechery.  
Cicero, saith, 
Cicero.  a good man would not dance in open assembles, though he might by it get infinite treasure.  
The Council of Laodecea decreed that it should not be lawful for any Christian to dance at marriages or at any solemn feast.  
It an other Council it was enacted, that no man should dance at any marriage, nor yet at any other time.  
The Emperor justinian decreed, that for no respect in feasts or assemblies, there should be any dancing, for fear of corrupting the Beholders, and enticing men to sin.  
Thus you may see, both Scripture, counsels and Fathers, holy and profane, 
All Writers both holy and profane against dancing.  heathen and other, even all in general, have detested and abhorred this ●ilthie dancing, as the quavemire or plash of all abomination: and therefore, it is no exercise for any Christians to follow: for it stirreth up the motions of the flesh, it induceth lust, it inferreth ●a●drie, affordeth ribaldry, maintaineth wantonness, & ministereth oil to the stinking lamp of deceitful pride: and in summa, nourisheth a world of wickedness and sin. 
Dancing a World of sin   Spud 
Now that the wickedness of it, is so manifestly showed, that no man can deny it, I pray you who invented this noble science, or from whence sprang it?  Philo. 
Hereof, 
Who invented dancing and from whom it sprang,  there be sundry and divers opinions: for some hold and opinion (and very likely) that it sprang from the heathen idolatrous Pagans ●nd Infidels, who having offered up their sacrifices victimats and holocaustes to their false Gods, in reverence of them, and for joy of their so doing, used to dance, leap, and skip before them.  
And this may be proved by the Israelits themselves, who having seen and learned the same practice in Egypt, feared not to imitate the like in the wilderness of Horeb: some again, suppose that Pyrrhus one of Sibyls Priests deuise● it in Crete. Others hold that the Priests of Mars, who in Room were had in great estimation for their dexterity in dancing, invented it: 
A Supposal who invented dancing.  Others think y● one Hiero a truculent and bloody Tyrant in Sicilia, who to set up his tyranny the more, inhibited the people to speak one to an other, for fear of insurrections and commotions in his kingdom was the occasion of the inventing thereof: for when the Sicilians, saw that they might not under pain of death one speak to another, they invented dancing to express the inward meaning and intentions of the mind by outward ●ecks and exterior gestures of the body, which use afterward grew into custom, and now into nature. But what soever men say of it, or from whence soever it sprang, S. Chrisostom saith plainly (to whom I willingly subscribe) 
Unpossible that dancing should be good.  that it sprang from the teats of the devils breast, from whence all mischief else doth flow: Therefore to conclude, if of the eggs of a Cokatrice, may be made good meat for man to eat, and if of the web of a spider, can be made good cloth for man's body, then may it be proved that dancing is good and an exercise fit for a christian man to follow, but not before:  
Wherefore God of his mercy take it away from us.  Spud, 
What say you of Music, is it not a laudable science?   

Of Music in Ailgna, and how it allureth to vanity.  Philo. 
I Say of Music, as Plato, Aristotle, Galen and many others have said of it, that it is very ill for young heads, for a certain kind of nice, smooth sweetness in alluring the auditory to niceness, effeminacy, pusilla●mitie, 
A comparison betwixt honey and dancing.  & lothsonnes of life, so as it may not improperly be compared to a sweet electuary of honey, or rather to honey itself, for as honey and such like sweet things received into the stomach, doth delight at the first, but afterward they make the stomach so quasie, nice and weak, that it is not able to admit meat of hard digesture. So sweet Music, at the first delighteth the ears, but afterward corrupteth and depraveth the mind, making it weak, and quasie, and inclined to all licentiousness of life whatsoever. 
Wits dulled by Music.   
And right as good edges are not sharpened, (but obtused) by being whetted upon soft stones, so good wits by hearing of soft music are rather dulled then sharpened, and made apt to all wantonness and sin. And therefore Writers affirm Sappho to have been expert in music, 
Authors of the bringing in of music.  and therefore whorish.  
Tyrus Maximius saith, the bringing in of music, was a cup of poison to all the world.  
Clytomachus, if he ever heard any talking of love, or playing upon musical Instruments, would run his way and bid them farewell.  
Plutarch, complaineth of Music, and saith, that it doth rather feminine the mind as pricks unto vice, then conduce to godliness as spurs unto Virtue.  
Pythagoras, condemns them for fools, and bequeathes them a cloak-bag, that measure Music by sound and ear. Thus you hear the judgement of the wise, concerning Music, now judge thereof as y●u list yourself.  Spud. 
I have heard it said, (and I thought it very true) that Music doth delight both man and beast, reviveth the spirits, comforteth the heart, and maketh it apt to the service of God.  Philo. 
I grant Music is a good gift of GOD, 
Music the good gift of God.  and that it delighteth both man and beast, reviveth the spirits, comforteth the heart, and maketh it readier to serve GOD, and therefore did David both use music himself, & also commend the use of it to his posterity (and being used to that end, for man's private recreation music is very laudable.)  
But being used in public assemblies and private conventicles 
Of music in public assemblies, and conventicles.  as directories to filthy dancing, thorough the sweet harmony & smooth melody thereof, it estraungeth the mind stireth up filthy lust, womannisheth the mind ravisheth the heart, inflameth concupiscence, and bringeth in uncleanness. But if music openly were used (as I have said) to the prasie and glory of God as our Fathers used it, 
How music were tolerable & good.  and as was intended by it at the first, or privately in a man's secret Chamber or house for his own solace or comfort to drive away the fantasies of idle thoughts, solicitude, care, sorrow and such other perturbations and molestations of the mind, the only ends whereto true Music tends, it were very commendable and tolerable. If Music were thus used it would comfort man wonderfully, and move his heart to serve God the better, but being used as it is, it corrupteth good minds, maketh them womanish and inclined to all kind of whoredom and mischief.  Spud, 
What say you then of Musicians, & Minstrels who live only upon the same art?  Philo. 
I think that all good minstrels, 
The scarcity of good musicians and minstrels.  sober and chaste musicians (speaking of such drunken sockets, and bawdy parasites as range the Countries, rhyming and singing of unclean, corrupt, and filthy songs in Taverns, Alehouses, Inns, and other public assemblies) may dance the wild Moris thorough a needles eye. For how should they bear chaste minds, seeing that their exercise is the pathway to all uncleanness. Their is no ship, 
The merchandise of minstrels, and musi●ions.  so balanced with massy matter, as their heads ●re fraught with all kind of bawdy songs, filthy ballads, and scurvy rhymes, serving for every purpose, and for every company.  
Who be more bawdy than they? who uncleaner than they, who more licentious, and lose minded? who more incontinent than they? and briefly, who more inclined to all kind of insolency and lewdness than they? 
The wickedness of musicians and minstrels.  wherefore, if you would have your son, soft, womanish, unclean, smooth mouthed, affected to bawdry, scurrility, filthy rhymes, and unseemly talking: brifly, if you would have him, as it wear transnatured into a woman, or worse, and inclined to all kind of whoredom and abomination, set him to dancing school, and to learn music, and than shall you not fail of your purpose. 
How to have Children leaned in all wickedness.  And if you would have your daughter whorish, bawdy, and unclean, and a filthy speaker, and such like, bring her up in music and dancing, and my life for yours, you have won the goal.  
And yet notwithstanding it wear better (in respect of acceptation) to be a Pyper, 
The scarcytie of divines.  or bawdy minstrel, than a divine, for the one is loved for his ribaldry, the other hated for his gravity, wisdom, and sobriety.  
Every town, City and Country is full of these minstrels to pipe up a dance to the Devil, but of divines, so few there be as they may hardly be seen.  
But some of them will reply and say, what Sir? we have lycenses from justices of peace to pipe, & use our minstrelsy to our best commodity? Cursed be those licences, which license any man to get his living, with the destruction of many thousands.  
But have you a licence from the Arch-iustice of peace Christ jesus? If you have so, you may be glad, 
Licences granted to musicians & minstrels to exercise their mystery or faculty of mischief.  if you have not (for the word of GOD is against your ungodly exercises, and condemneth them to Hell) than may you as rogues, extravagantes, and stragglers from the heavenly Country be arrested of the high justice of peace Christ jesus, and be punished with eternal death, notwithstanding your presented licences of earthly men. Who shall stand betwixt you, and the justice of GOD at the day of judgement? Who shall excuse you, for drawing so many thousands to Hell? shall the justices of peace? shall their licenses? Oh no: For neither aught they to grant any licencens to any to do hurt withal, 
No licences to do hurt withal are to be granted.  neither (if they would) ought any to take them.  
Give over therefore your Occupations, you pipers, you Fiddlers, you minstrels, and you musicians, you Drummers, you Tabretters, you Fluters, and all other of that wicked brood, for the blood of all those, whom you draw to destruction thorough your provocations, 
A Cavet to musicians, minstrels & all others of twat stamp.  and enticing allurements shallbe powered upon your heads, at the day of judgement, but hereof enough, and perchance more than will like their humour.  Spud. 
Is it not lawful upon the Sabaoth day to play at Dice, Cards, Tables, Bowls, Tennisse, and such other pleasant exercises, wherein Man taketh pleasure and delight?   

Cards, Dice, Tables, Tennisse, bowls, and other exercises, used unlawfully in Ailgna.  Philoponus. 
THese be no Sabaothlike exercises for any Christian man to follow any day at all, 
Exercises unlawful upon the Sabaoth day.  much less upon the Sabaoth day, which the Lord would have to be consecrat to himself, and to be spent in holy and Godly exercises according to his will. As for cards, dice, tables, bowls, tennisse, and such like, they are furta officiosa, a certain kind of smooth deceitful, 
Furta officiosa.  and slighty theft, whereby many a one is spoiled of all that ever he hath, sometimes of his life withal, yea of body and soul for ever: And yet (more is the pity) these be the only exercises used in every man's house, all the year thorough. But specially in Christimas time there is nothing else used but cards, dice tables masking, mumming, bowling▪ & such like fooleries: And the reason is, they think they have a commission and prerogative that time, 
All wicked games used in Christmas tym●.  to do what they lust, and to follow what vanity they will. But (alas) do they think that they are privileged at that time, to do evil? the holier the time is (if one time were holier than another, as it is not) the holier ought their works to be. Can any time dispense with them or give them liberty to sin. No, no: 
No time privileged a man to sin.  the soul which sinneth shall die, at what time so ever it offendeth. But what will they say? Is it not Christmas? must we not be merry? truth it is: we ought both than, and at all times beside to be merry in the Lord, but not otherwise, not to swil and gull more that time than at any other time, not to lavish forth more at that time, than at another times.  
But the true celebration of the Feast of christmas is, 
The true keeping of Christmas.  to meditat (and as it were to ruminat) upon the incarnation and birth of jesus Christ, not only that time, but all the times and days of our life, and to show ourselves thankful to his Majesty for the same: Notwithstanding, who is ignorant, that more mischief is that time comm●●ted than in all the year beside? what masking and ●umming, whereby robbery, whoredom, murder, and what no, 'tis committed: what dicing & carding, what eating and drinking, what banqueting and feasting is than used more than in all the year besides? 
Wickedness in Christmas.  to the great dishonour of GOD, and impoverishing of the realm.  Spud. 
Is it not lawful for one Christian to play with another at any kind of game, or to win his money, if he can?  Philo. 
To play at tables, cards, dice, bowls or the like (though a good Christian man will not so idly, 
Unlawful for one Christian to play with another to win his money.  and vainly spend his golden days) one Christian with another, for their private recreations, after some oppression of study, to druie away fantasies, and such like, I doubt not, but they may, using it moderately, with intermission, and in the fear of GOD? But to play for lucre of gain, and for desire only of his Brother's substance (rather than for any other cause) it is at no hand lawful, or to be suffered.  
For as it is not lawful to rob, steal and purloin by deceit, or slaight, so is it not lawful to get thy Brother's goods from him, by ●arding, dicing, tabling, bowling, or any other kind of theft, for these plays are no better, nay worser than open theft, for open theft every Man can be ware of, but this being a crafty politic theft, and commonly done under pretence of Friendship, few, or none at all can beware of it. The commandment saith, thou shalt not covet, nor desire any thing that belongeth to thy Neighbour. Now, it is manifest, that those that play for money, not only covet their Brother's money, but also use craft falsehood and deceit to wine the same.  
The Apostle, forbiddeth us to use deceit in bargaining, in buying, or selling, much less than ought we to use deceit in gaming.  
Our Saviour Christ biddeth every man, do to an other, as he would another should do unto him. 
A rule to restrain unlawful gameving.  Which rule if it wear duly observed, wear sufficient to withraw men both from all kind of gaming, and also from all kind of indyrect, and unjust dealing.  
For as thou wouldest not that another man should win thy money, so thou oughtest not to desire the winning of his, for thou must do as thou wouldst be done by.  Spud. 
If gaming for money be so unlawful, wherefore are there houses, and places appointed for maintenance of the same?  Philo. 
That excuseth not the fault, but aggravateth it rather. And truly great pity it is, that these brothel houses (for so I call all gaming houses 
Gamiug houses with their wickedness ) are suffered as they be.  
For, are they not the very seminaries, and nurseries of all kind of abomination, whatsoever heart can think, or tongue express.  
And therefore I marvel that those who keep and maintain these gaming houses, can ever have light hearts, or once to look up towards Heaven, that not only suffer this manifest theft in their houses (for gaming is no better) but also maintain and nourish the same.  
The Apostle saith, not only they that do evil, digni sunt morte, are worthy of death, but also, qui consentiunt facientibus, those who consent to them that do it.  
Call to mind, than what evils come of this wicked exercise I beseech you.  
For doth not swearing, tearing, and blaspheming of the Name of GOD, doth not stinking Whoredom, Theft, Robbery, Deceit, Fraud, Cozenage, fight quarreling, and sometimes Murder, doth not pride rapine, drunkns, beggary, and in fine, a shameful end follow it, as the shadow doth follow the body? Wherefore I will not doubt to call these gaming houses, the slaughter houses the shambles or blockhowses of the Devil, wherein he butchereth christian men's souls infinite ways, God knoweth, the Lord suppress them.  Spud. 
Wear there ever any laws made against the inordinate abuse hereof, 
Laws and sanctions di●●lgat against gaming.  or have the Godly in any age misliked it?  Philo. 
In all ages and times, both the godly sober Christians have detested it, and wholesome laws have been promulgat against it.  
Octavius Augustus, was greatly reproached of the Writers of his time, for his great delight in gaming, notwithstanding, his manifold virtues beside.  
Cicero, objected to Marcus Antonius, his often gaming, as a note of infamy unto him.  
The noble Lacedæmonians sent their Ambassadors to Corinth, 
The infamy purchased by gaming.  to conclude a peace, who coming thither, and finding the People playing at dice, and cards, and unthrifty games, returned back again (infecta pace) their peace vnconcluded, saying, it should never be reported, that they would join in league with Dice-players and gamesters.  
The same Lacedæmonians, sent to Demetrius in decision of his diceplaying, a pair of dice of gold. Sir, Thomas Eliot (that worthy Knight) in his Book of governance, asketh, who will not think him a light man of small credit, dissolute, remise and vain, that is a Dici-player, or gamester.  
Publius saith. Quantò peritior est aleator in sua arte, tanto nequior est, & vita & moribus. How much conninger a man is in gaming and diceplaying, so much corrupter he is both in life and manners. justinian made a law, that none should play at dice, 
Laws against gaming.  nor cards for no cause, neither privately, nor openly.  
Alexander Severus, banished all gamesters out of his dominions. And if any were found playing, their goods were confiscate and they counted as mad men ever after, never trusted, nor esteemed of any.  
Ludovicus, ordained that all gamesters should departed his land, for fear of corrupting of others.  
K. Richard the second, forbade all kind of gaming, and namely dice-playing. 
Punishment for gaming.   
K. Henry the fourth, ordained that every Diceplayer should be imprisoned six days for every several time he offended in gaming.  
K. Edward the fourth, ordained who so kept gaming houses, should suffer imprisonment three years, 
The penalty for those that keep gaming houses.  and forfeit. xx.li. & the Players to be imprisoned▪ two years, & forfeit x. pound.  
K. Henri that seventh, ordained that every Diceplayer should be imprisoned all a day, and the Keeper of the dicing house to forfeit for every offence vi. shil. viii. d. and to be bound by recognisance to good behaviour.  
K. Henry the eight, ordained that every one that kept di●ing houses, should forfa●t xl shil. and the Players to forfeit vi. shil. viii. d. with many good laws and sanctions set forth against this raging Abuse of gaming, which to avoid tediousness I omit, beseeching the Lord to root up, and supplant these, and all other stumbling blocks in his church what so ever.  Sp. 
As I remember in the Catalogue of abuses before, you said, the sabaoth day was profaned, by bear-baiting, cockfighting, hauling, hunting, keeping of fairs, courts, & markets upon the said day. Is it not lawful than to follow these exercises upon the Sabbath day, neither?   

Bear baiting and other exercises, used unlawfully in AILGNA.  Philoponus. 
THese Hethnicall exercises upon the Sabaoth day, which the Lord hath consecrate to holy uses, for the glory of his Name, and our spiritual comfort, are not in any respect tolerable, or to be suffered. For, is not the baiting of a Bear, besides that it is a ●●●thie, stinking▪ and loathsome game, a dangerous, & perilous exercise? wherein a man is in danger of his life every minute of an hour: which thing though it wear not so, yet what exercise is this meet for any Christian? what christian heart can take pleasure to see one poor beast to rent, tear, and kill another, and all for his foolish pleasure? And although they be bloody beasts to mankind, & seek his destruction, 
No Creature to be abused.  yet we are not to abuse them, for his sake who made them, & whose creatures they are. For notwithstanding that they be evil to us, & thirst after our blood, yet are they good creatures in their own nature & kind, & made to set forth the glory & magnificence of the great God, & for our use, & therefore for his sake not to be abused. It is a mon saying amongst all men, borrowed from the french: Qui aime jean, aim son chien, love me, love my dog, so love God, love his creatures.  
If any should abuse, but the dog of another man's, would not ●e who oweth the dog, think that the abuse thereof resulteth to himself? 
God is abused when his Creatures are misused.  And shall we abuse the creatures of God, yea take pleasure in abusing them, & yet think that the contumely done to them, redoundeth not to him who made them? but admit it wear granted that it wear lawful to abuse the good Creatures of God, yet is it not lawful for us to spend our golden years in such idle and vain exercises daily and hourly, as we do.  
And some who take themselves for no small fools are so far assotted, 
Keeping of mastyves & bandogs.  that they will not stick to keep a dozen, or a score of great mastiffs and bandogs, to their no small charges, for the maintenance of this goodly game (forsooth) and will not make any bones of. xx.xl. C. pound. at once to hazard at a bait: with fight dog, fight bear (say they) the devil part all. And to be plain, I think the Devil is the Master of the game, bearward and all. A goodly pastime, forsooth, worthy of commendation, and well sitting these Gentlemen of such reputation. But how much the Lord is offended for the profanation of his Sabaoth by such unsavoury exercises, his Heavenly Majesty of late hath revealed, pouring forth his heavy wrath, his fearful judgements, and dreadful vengeance upon the Beholders of these vanities.   

A Fearful Example of GOD his judgement upon the profaners of his Sabaoth.  
Upon the 13. day of januarie last, being the Sabaoth day. Anno. 1583. the People, Men, Women and Children, both young and old, an infinite number, ●●ocking to those infamous places, where these wicked exercises are usually practised (for they have their courts, gardens & yards for the same purpose:) when they were all come together, and mounted aloft upon their scaffolds, and galleries, and in midst of all their jollity & pastime, all the whole building (not one stick standing) fell down with a most wonderful and fearful confusion. So, that either two or three hundred, men, women and children (by estimation) whereof seven were killed dead, some were wounded, some lamed, and othersome bruised and crushed, almost to the death. Some had their brains dashed out, some their heads all to squashed, some their legs broken, some their arms, some their backs, some their shoulders, some one hurt, some another. 
A woeful cry.  So, that you should have hard a woeful cry, even piercing the skies, parents bewailing their children, Children their loving Parents: wives their Husbands, and Husbands their wives, marvelous to behold. This woeful spectacle and heavy judgement, pitiful to hear of, but most rueful to behold, did the Lord send down from Heaven to show unto the whole World how grievously he is offended with those that spend his Sabaoth in such wicked exercises: In the mean time leaving his temple desolate and empty. God grant all men, may take warning hereby to shun the same, for fear of like or worse judgement, to come.   

A fearful judgement of GOD, showed at the theatres.  
THE like judgement (almost) did the Lord show unto them a little before, being assembled at their theatres, to see their bawdy enterluds, and other trumperies practised. For, he caused the earth mightily to shakebag and quaver, as though all would have fallen down, 
A woeful spectacle.  whereat the People sore amazed, some leapt down (from the top of the turrets, pinnacles, and towers, where they stood) to the ground, whereof some had their legs broke, some their arms, some their backs, some hurt one where, some another, & many sore crushed and bruised: but not any, but they went away store afraid, & wounded in conscience. And yet can neither the one, nor that other, fray them from these devilish exercises, until the Lord consume them all in his wrath: which God forbidden. The Lord of his mercy, open the eyes of the maiestrats, to pluck down these places of abuse, that god may be honoured, and their consciences disburdened. 
Cockfeighting upon the Sabaoth.   
Besides these exercises, they flock thick & three fold to the cockf●ights an exercise nothing inferior to the rest, where nothing is used, but swearing, forswering, deceit fraud, collusion, co●enage, scolding, railing, convitious talking, feighting, brawling, quarrelling, drinking, whoring, & which is worst of all, robbing of one an other of their goods, & that not by direct, but indirect means & attempts: & yet to blanch & set out these mischiefs withal (as though they were virtues) they have their appointed days & set hours, 
Appointed times for exercise of dyvelries.  when these d●uelries must be exercised. They have houses erected to the purpose, flags & ensigns hanged out● to give notice of it to others, and proclamation goes out to proclaim the same, to th●end that many may come to the dedication of this solemn feast of mischief: the Lord supplant them. And as for hawking & hunting upon the Sabbath day, 
Hawking & hunting upon the Sabbath.  it is an exercise upon the day, no less unlawful than the other. For, no man ought to spend any day of his life, much less every day in his life, as many do, in such vain & idle pastimes: wherefore, let Gentlemen take ●eed, for be sure accounts must be given at the day of judgement for every minute of time, ●oth how they have spent it & in what exercises. And let them be sure no more liberty is given than, 
No more liberty given to one than another for misspending of their goods.  to misspend an hour, or one jot of the Lord his goods, than is given to the poorest, and meanest person that liveth upon the face of the earth. I never read of any in the volume of the sacred scripture that was a good man, and a Hunter.  
Esau, was a great hun●er, but a reprobat: Ishmael a great hunter, but a miscreant: Nemrode a great hunter, 
No good hunters, scripture.  but yet a reprobat, and a vessel of wrath. Thus I speak not to condemn hawking and hunting altogether, being used for recreation, now and than, but against the continual use thereof daily, hourly, wéekly, yéerly, yea all the time of their life, without intermission. And such a felicity have some in it, as they make it all their joy, bestowing more upon hawks and hounds, and a sort of idle lubbers to follow them in one year, than they will impart to the poor members of Christ jesus in seven. years, 
Cost bestowed in hawks and dogs.  peradventure in all the days of their life. So long as man in Paradise persisted in innocency, all beasts what so ever, we are obedient to him, and came and prostrated themselves before him. But ever since his ●all, 
When all beasts wear obedient to man & wherefore they ●ebell.  they have fled from him, & disobeyed him, because of his sin: that seeing he disobeyed the Lord, they again disobeyed him. For, so long as man obeyed God, so long they obeyed him: but so soon as man disobeyed God, they disobeyed him, & became enemies to him, as it were seeking to revenge the injury which man had done unto GOD, in disobeying his laws. Wherefore, the cause why all beasts do fly from us, and are become Enemies to us, is our disobedience to the LORD, which we are rather to sorrow for, than to hunt after their deaths by the shedding of their blood.  
●If necessity or want of other meats enforceth us to seek after their lives, it is lawful to use them in the fear of God, with thanks to his name: but for our pastimes and vain pleasures sake, we are not in any wise to spoil or hurt them. 
For pleasure sake only no man ought to abuse any of the creatures of God.  Is he a christian man or rather a pseudo-christian, that delighteth in blood? Is he a Christian that spendeth all his life in wanton pleasures and pleasant delights? Is he a Christian that buyeth up the corn of the poor, turning it into bread (as many do) to feed dogs for his pleasure? Is he a christian that liveth to the hurt of his Neighbour in treading and breaking down his hedges, in casting open his gates in trampling of his corn & otherwise, 
H●rt by hunting to poor Men.  in prejudicing him as hunters do? wherefore God give them grace to see to it, and to mend it betimes ere it be to late, for they know mora trahit periculum, delay bringeth danger. Let us not defer to leave the evil and to do good, lest the wrath of the Lord be kindled against us, and consume us from of the upper face of the Earth?  Spud, 
What say you to keeping of Markets, of Fairs, Courts and Léetes upon the Sabaoth day? 
Not lawful to keep cowls, Leets Markets and Fairs upon the Sabaoth day,  Think you it is not lawful to use the same upon any day?  Philo. 
No truly, for can you serve God & the devil together, can we carry to God and ferry to the devil, can we serve two Masters and neither offend the one nor the other? can we serve God and Mammon? can we please God and the world both at one time? The Lord will not be served by piecemeal, for either he will have the wholeman, or else none. For saith he, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul, withal thy mind, withal thy power, withal thy strength, and so forth, or else with none at all. Then seeing that we are to give over ourselves so wholly and totally to the service of God, all the days of our life, but especially upon the Sabaoth day, 
Abuse of the Sabaoth by Fairs, masker's.  being consecrate to that end, we may not intermeddle with these profane exercised upon that day. For it is more than manifest y● these fairs, markets, courts and léetes upon the Sabaoth day, are not only a hindrance unto us in the true service of God, and an abuse of the Sabaoth, but also lead us the path way to hell. 
The evil in Fairs and Markets.  For what cozenage is not there practised? what falsehood, deceit & fraud is not there exercised? what dissimulation in bargaining? what setting forth of fucate & deceivable wares, is not there frequented? what lying swearing, 
The evils in Courts and Leets practised.  forswering, drunkenness, whoredom, theft, & sometimes murder, either there or by the way thither, is not every where used? In courts & 〈◊〉 what envy malice & hatred is noo●rshed? what expostulation, railing, scolding, periuring & reperiuring is maintained? what oppression of the poor, what favouring the rich, what injustice & indirect dealing? what bribing, deceiving, what poling & pilling is there practised? it would make a christian heart to bleed in beholding it. And yet notwithstanding we must have these goodly pageants played upon the sabaoth day (in a wanion) because there are no more days in the week. And hereby the sabaoth is contaminat, God's word contemned, his commandments disannulled, his sacraments conculcate, his ordinances neglected, & in summa, his blood trod under feet and all mischief maintained. The Lord cut of these with all other sin, both from their souls and thy Sabaoth, that thy name may be glorified, & thy Church truly edified.  Spud. 
Is the playing at football, reading of merry books & such like delectations, a violation or profanation of the Sabaoth day?  Ph. 
Any exercise which withdraweth us from godliness, either upon the sabaoth, 
Playing at Football.  or any other day else, is wicked & to be forbidden. Now who is so grossly blind, that seethe not, that these aforesaid exercises not only withdraw us from godliness & virtue, but also hail & allure us to wickedness and sin: for as concerning football playing: I protest unto you, it may rather be called a friendly kind of fight, 
Football a friendly kind of fight.  than a play or recreation. A bloody and murdering practice, than a felowly sport or pastime.  
For: doth not every one lie in weight for his Adversary, seeking to overthrow him & to pick him on his nose, though it be upon hard stones, in ditch or dale, in valley or hill, or what place soever it be, he careth not so he have him down. And he that can serve the most of this fashion, he is counted the only fellow, and who but he? so that by this means, sometimes their necks are broken, sometimes their backs, sometime their legs, 
Hurt by football playing.  sometime their arms, sometime one part thirst out of joint, sometime an other, sometime the noses gush out with blood, sometime their eyes start out: and sometimes hurt in one place, sometimes in another. But whosoever scapeth away the best goeth not scotfree, but is either sore wounded, craised and bruseed, so as he dieth of it, or else scapeth very hardly: and no marvel, for they have the sleights to meet one betwixt two, to dash him against the heart with their elbows, to hit him under the short ribber with their gripped fists, and with their knees to catch him upon the hip, and to pick him on his neck, with a hundred such murdering devices: and hereof, 
Football playing a murdering Play.  groweth envy, malice, rancour, choler, hatred, displeasure, enmity and what not else? and sometimes fight, brawling, contention, quarrel picking, murder, homicide and great effusion of blood, as experience daily teacheth.  
Is this murdering play now an exercise for the Sabaoth day? is this a christian dealing for one brother to maim and hurt another, and that upon prepensed malice, or set purpose? is this to do to another, as we would wish another to do to us, God make us more careful over the bodies of our brethren.  
And as for the reading of wicked Books, they are utterly unlawful, not only to be read, but once to be named, & that not (only) upon the Sabaoth day, 
Reading of wicked books  but also upon any other day: as which tend to the dishonour of God, depravation of good manners and corruption of christian souls. For as corrupt meats do annoy the stomach, and infect the body, so the reading of wicked and ungodly Books (which are to the mind, as meat is to the body) infect the soul, 
The evil coming by reading evil Books.  & corrupt the mind, hailing it to destruction: if the great mercy of God be not present.  
And yet notwithstanding, whosoever will set pen to paper now a days, how unhonest soever, or unseemly of christian ears his argument be, is permitted to go ●orward, and his work plausibly admitted and friendly licenced, and gladly imprinted without any prohibition or contradiction at all: whereby it is grown to this issue, that books & pamphlets of scurrility and bawdry, are better esteemed and more vendible than the godlyest and sagest books that be: for if it be a godly treatise, reproving vice, and teaching virtue, away with it, for no man (almost) though they make a flourish of virtue, and godliness, will buy it, nor (which is less) so much as once touch it. This maketh the Bible, the blessed Book of God, to be so little esteemed. That worthy Book of Martyrs made by that famous Father & excellent Instrument in God his Church, Master john Fox, so little to be accepted and all other good books little or nothing to be reverenced: whilst other toys, fantasies and bableries whereof the world is full, are suffered to be printed. These profane schedules, sacraligious libels, and hethnical pamphlets of toys & bableries (the Authors whereof may vindicate to themselves no small commendations, at the hands of the devil for inventing the same) corrupt men's minds, pervert good wits, allure to bawdry, induce to whoredom, suppress virtue & erect vice: which thing how should it be otherwise? for are they not invented & excogitat by Belzebub written by Lucifer, licenced by Pluto, printed by Cerberus & set abroach to sale by the infernal furies themselves to the poisoning of the whole world: But let the Inventors, the licensors, the printers & the sellers of these vain toys and more than Hethnicall impieties take heed for the blood of all those which perish or take hurt thorough these wicked books, shallbe powered upon their heads at the day of judgement, and be required at their hands.  Spud. 
I pray you how might all these enormities, and Abuses be reform? For, it is to small purpose to show the abuses, except you show withal how they might be reform.  Philo. 
By putting in practice and executing those good laws, wholesome sanctions, and Goldy statutes, which have been heretofore, and daily are set forth and established, as GOD be thanked, they are many.  
The want of the due execution whereof, is the cause of all these mischiefs, which both rage and reign amongst us.  Spud. 
What is the cause why these laws are not executed, as they ought to be?  Philo. 
Truly I cannot tell, except it be thorough the nigligence, and contempt of the inferior Magistrates. Or else, perhaps (which thing happeneth now and than) for money they are bought out, diffranchised and dispensed withal, for as the saying is, quid non pecunia potest? what is it, but money will bring to pass? And yet notwithstanding shall it be done invisibly in a cloud (under benedicite I speak it) the Prince being borne in hand, that the same are dali● executed. This fault is the corruption of those that are put in trust to see them executed, as I ha●e told you, and (notwithstanding) do not.  Spud. 
This is a great corruption & Abuse, doubtless, and worthy of great punishment.  Ph. 
It is so truly, for if they be good laws tending to the glory of GOD, the public weal of the Country, and correction of vices, it is great pity that money should buy them out. For what is that else, but to sell virtue, for lucre: Godliness, for dross, yea mens souls for corruptible money? Therefore those that sell them, are not only Traitors to GOD, to their Prince and Country: but are also the devils Merchants, and ferry the bodies, and souls of Christians, as it were in Charon's boat to the Stygian flood of Hell, burning with fire and brimstone for ever.  
And those that buy them are Traitors to GOD, their Prince and Country also.  
For if the laws were at the first good (as GOD he praised all the laws in Ailgna be) why should they be suppressed for money, and if they were evil, why were they divulged, but had rather been buried in the womb of their Mother before thy had ever seen the light.  
And why were laws instituted, but to be executed? Else it were as good to have no laws at all (the People living orderly) as to have good laws, and then not executed.  
The Prince ordaining a law, may lawfully repeal & annul the same again, v●ō special causes & considerations, but no inferior maiestrat or subject what so ever, may stop the course of any law made by the Prince with out danger of damnation to his own soul, as the Word of GOD beareth witness.  
And therefore, w●●e to those men, that will not execute the sentence of the law (being so Godly, and so Christian as they be in Ailgna) upon Malefactors and Offenders.  
verily they are as guilty of their blood before GOD, as ever was judas of the death of Christ jesus.  Spud. 
Seeing it is so, that all flesh hath corrupted his way before the face of God, and that there is such abomination amongst them, I am persuaded the day of judgement is not far of. For when iniquity shall have filled up his measure, than shall the end of all appear, as Christ witnesseth in his evangely.  Philo. 
The day of the Lord cannot be far of, that is most certain▪ For what wonderful portents, strange miracles, fearful signs, and dreadful judgements hath he sent of late days, as Preachers & fortellers of his wrath due unto us, for our impenitence & wickedness of life. Hath he not caused the earth to tremble and quake? the same Earth to remove from place to place? the seas and waters to roar, swell & burst out, and everflow their banks to the destruction of many thousands? hath he not caused the Elements and Skies, to send forth flashing fire? to rain down wheat, a wonderful thing as ever was heard, and the like? hath he not caused wonderful Eclipses in the Sun and Moon, with most dreadful conjunctions of Stars and Planets, as the like this thousand years, have not been heard of? have not the clouds distilled down abundance of rain and showers, with all kind of unseasonable wether, to the destroying (almost) of all things upon the Earth? have we not seen Comets, blazing stars, fiery Drakes, men, fighting in the air, most fearfully to behold? Hath not dame Nature herself denied unto us her operation, in sending forth abortives, untimely births, ugglesome monsters and fearful misshapen Creatures both in man & beast. So, that it seemeth all the Creatures of God are angry with us and threaten us with destruction, and yet we are nothing at all amended (alas) that shall become of us? Remember we not there is a God that shall judge us righteously? that there is a Devil, who shall torment us after this life unspeakably, if we repent not? At that day, the wicked shall find that there is a Material Hell, a place of all kinds of tortures, wherein they shall be punished in fire and brimstone amongst the terrible Company of ugglesome devils world without end, how light so ever they make account of it in this World.  
For some such there be, that when they hear mention of Hell, or of the pains thereof in the other World, they make a mock at it, thinking they be but metaphorical speeches, only spoke to terrify us withal, not otherwise. But certain it is, as there is a God, that will reward his Children, so there is a Devil that will remunerat his Servants: And as there is a Heaven, a Material place of perfect joy prepared for the Godly, so there is a Hell, a Material place of punishment for the wicked and reprobat, prepared for the Devil & his Angels, or else the word of God is in no wise to be credited, which blasphemy, once to think, God keep all his Children from.  Spud. 
But they will easily avoid this, for they say▪ it is writ, at what time so ever a sinner doth repent him of his sin, I will put all his sin out of my remembrance saith the Lord.  
So that, if they may have three words at the last, they will wish no more. What think you of these fellows?  Philo. 
I think them no men, but Devils, no Christians, but worse than Tartarians, and more to be avoided than the poison of a serpent: for the one slayeth but the body, but the other, both body & soul for ever. Wherefore, let every good Christian Man take heed of them, and avoid them. For, it is truly said, cum bonis bonus eris, & cum perversis, perverseris: with the good, thou shall learn good, but with the wicked, thou shall be perverted.  Spud. 
Do you think than, that that cannot be a true repentance, which is deferred to the last gasp.  Ph. 
No truly: For true repentance must spring out of a lively faith▪ with an inward loathing, hating and detesting of sinn●. But this deferred repentance springeth not of faith, but rather of the fear of death which he ●éeth imminent before his eyes▪ of the grief and tediousness of pain, of the Horror of Hell, and fear of God his inevitable judgement, which he knoweth now he must needs abide: And therefore, this can be no true repentance. For there is two manner of repentances, the one a true repentance to life, the other a false repentance to death: As we may see by judas, who is said, to have repent, and which is more, to have confessed his fault, and which is most of all, to have made restitution, and yet was it a false repentance. And why? because it sprang not out of true faith, but as before.  
Peter repented, and wéept bitterly, and was saved thereby, though he neither made confession, nor satisfaction: and why? Because it sprang of a true and lively faith. So these fellows may say they repent, but except it be a true repentance springing of faith, it can serve them no more to life than the pretenced repentance of judas did serve him to salvation. Let them beware, for Cain repented, yet is he condemned.  
Esau, did repent, yet is he condemned.  
Antiochus, did repent, yet is he condemned: judas did repent, yet is he condemned, with infinite more: And why so? Because their prolonged repentance sprang not of faith, etc.  
Thus they may see, that every light affection, is no true repentance: And that it is not enough to say at the last, I repent, I repent. For, unless it be a true repentance indeed, it is worth nothing. But indeed, if it wear so, that man had, liberum arbitrium, free will of himself, to repent truly when he would, and that God promised in his word to accept of that repentance, it wear another matter. But repentance is, donum Dei, the gift of God, de sursum veniens a patre luminum, coming from above from the Father of light, & therefore it is not in our powers to repent when we will. It is the Lord that giveth the gift, when, where & to whom it pleaseth him: & of him are we to crave it incessantly by faithful prayer, & not otherwise to presume of our own repentance, when indeed we have nothing less, than a true repentance.  Spud. 
Than thus much I gather by your words, that as true repentance (which is a certain inward grief, and sorrow of the heart, conceived for our sins, with a hatred and loathing of the same) erueth to salvation thorough the mercy of GOD in Christ, so feigned repentance saveth not from perdition.  
And therefore, we must repent daily and hourly, and not to defer our repentance to the last gasp as many do, than which, nothing is more perilous.  Philo. 
True it is, for may not he be called a great Fool, that by deferring and prolonging of repentance to the last cast (as they say) will hazard his body and soul to eternal damnation for ever? Whereas by daily repentance he may assure himself both of the favour of GOD, and of life everlasting (by faith) in the mercy of GOD, thorough the most precious blood of his dear Son, jesus Christ, our alone Saviour and Redeemer, to whom be praise for ever.  Spud. 
Now must I needs say as the wise King Solomon said, all things are vain and transitory, 
All things are vain and vanity itself.  and nothing is permanent under the Son, the works of men are unperfect and lead to destruction, their exercises are vain, and wicked altogether.  
Wherefore, I setting apart all the vanities of this life, will from henceforth consecrate myself to the service of my GOD, and to follow him in his Word, which only is permanent and leadeth unto life.  
And I most heartily thank the Lord God for your good Company this day, and for your grave instructions, promising by the assistance of God his grace, to follow and obey them to my possible power all the days of my life.  Philo. 
God give you grace so to do, and every Christian man else, 
The joys of this life tread the path to death.  and to avoid all the vanities, and deceivable pleasures of this life: for certainly they tread the path to eternal destruction, both of body and soul for ever, to as many as obey them.  
For, it is unpossible to wallow in the delights and pleasures of this World, and to live in joy for ever in the Kingdom of Heaven. And thus we having spent the day, and also consummate our journey, we must now departed, beseaching GOD that we may both meet again in the Kingdom of Heaven, there to reign and live with him for ever, through jesus Christ our Lord, to whom with the Father, and the holy Spirit be all honour & glory for ever more Amen.  
FINIS.