¶ An answer to a Papistical Bill/ cast in the streets of Northampton, and brought before the judges at the last Syses, 1570.  

The Papists bill.  
HOw now my masters married Priests,  
How like you of these news?  
You must forsake your wicked lives,  
Your wives must to the stews.   

The Answer.  
How now my masters popish Priests,  
How like you of these news?  
You must forsake your Sodomites lives,  
For down is gone your stews.   

2. The papistical bill.  
What need our women now take care,  
What life they now do lead?  
Since every preaching knave must have  
A whore in house to tread.   

2. The Protestant.  
What need our men now to take care,  
What way they go or tread,  
For those Priests which were whormongers  
Must now marry wife or maid.   

3. The Papist.  
There is not now a strumpet whore,  
In all the land to have:  
They are suddenly snatched up,  
With some Geneva knave.   

3. The Protestant.  
sith there is now no strumpet whore,  
In England for to have:  
Speak well then of the Gospel good,  
And do no more so rave.   

4. The Papist.  
Master Wiborne, alias tiborne tick,  
There dwelleth in this town:  
Which sought by all the means he could,  
The Easter to pluck down.   

4. The Protestant.  
And where that godly Preacher sought,  
There dwelling in that town:  
Your knavery and hypocrisy,  
At Easter to pluck down.   

5. The papist.  
But I of him dare well pronounce,  
And time the truth shall try:  
That he shall trust unto his heels,  
Or else in Smithfield frie.   

5. The protestant.  
For this of him you dare pronounce,  
And thousands of his side:  
Not like to CHRIST, but to the Pope,  
Who loves to see Christ fried.   

6. The papist.  
Not he, but thousands of his sect,  
Must to Geneva seek:  
The wrestling of the Gospel wrong,  
Prevails them not a leek.   

6. The Protestant.  
If that in Rome and Geneva  
The whores were all well seen:  
The wrestling of the Gospel pure,  
By that men might well deem.   

7. The Papist.  
The Devil when he would Christ attempt,  
In Scripture seemed wise:  
And for him they the Scriptures take,  
To maintain all their lies.   

7. The Protestant.  
CHRIST, when the devil did him tempt,  
By Scripture did confute:  
But Papists pass on that no less,  
Then Fawkners on Hawks mute.   

8. The Papist.  
Therefore be packing prating knaves,  
Your railing is to plain:  
Commit your Bastards to the bag,  
And high you hence again.   

8. The Protestant.  
Saint Frances preaching to the Birds,  
All countries hath well spied:  
So as if Fools should be hanged up,  
The Papists sure should ride.   

9 The Papist.  
And where I told you of your wives,  
Take you for them no care:  
Shifted for yourselves, and trudge with speed  
Lest halter be your share.   

9 The Protestant.  
Idolatry and adultery,  
For them you take no care,  
But every godly common wealth,  
May wish such tyburn far.   
10. The Papist. ꝙ Non est inventus. FINIS.  
10. The protestant. Coronat opus, Exitus acta probat. FINIS.   

¶ Three helps devised by the Pope for his Maiden Priests.  
FIrst that Priests might examine in confessions, wives, & Maids of their whoredom, & by that they knew to make their bargains, and the people looking on, must think it confession, and committing the like with them, they had power to give them a knavish absolution.  
2 The second help appeareth Glos. in Caus. 11. q 3. cap. Absit: That if any of his Clergy should be found embracing a woman, it must be expounded and presupposed he doth it to bless her.  
3 The third help, that in every City (like as it is now in Rome) one stews at the lest to be permitted.  

Experientia docet.  
Doctor Weston in England, who was burnt, but not with coals, billets, faggots, straw, nor reeds.  
Also, the two Maiden Bishops at the last counsel of Trent 1562. being taken blessing men's wives, the one was thrust through with a Boar's spear, the other hanged out of a window, in the sight of all the people.  
Et cetera.    

Imprinted at London by john Awdely dwelling in little Britain's street without Aldersgate. 1570.