¶ The supplication of souls Made by sir Thomas More knight councillor to our sovereign lord the King and chancellor of his Duchy of Lancaster.  
¶ Against the supplication of beggars.   

¶ To all good christian people.  
IN most piteous wise continually calleth & crieth upon your devout cherite & moste tender pity/ for help comfort & relief/ your late acquaintance/ kindred/ spouses/ companions/ play fellows/ & frendꝭ/ & now your humble & unacquainted & half forgotten supplyaunties/ poor prisoners of god the silly Souls in purgatory/ here abiding & enduring the grievous painies & hot cleansing fire/ that fretteth & burneth out the rusty & filthy spottꝭ of our sin/ till the mercy of almighty god the rather by your good & charitable means/ vowchesaufe to deliver us hence.  
¶ From whence if ye marvel why we more now molest and trouble you with our writing then ever we were wont before: it may like you to wit and understand/ that hitherto/ though we have been with many folk much forgotten of negligence/ yet hath always good folk remembered us/ and we have been recommended unto god and eased/ helped/ and relieved/ both by the private prayers of good virtuous people/ and specially by the daily masses & other ghostly suffrages of presties/ religious/ and folk of holy church. But now sith that of late there are sprung up certain seditious persons/ which not only travail and labour to destroy them by whom we be much helped/ but also to sow and set forth such a pestilent opinion against ourself/ as ones received and believed among the people/ must needs take from us the relief & comfort that ever should come to us by the charitable alms/ prayer/ and good wurkes of the world: ye may take it for no wonder though we silly souls that have long lain and cried so far from you that we seldom broke your sleep/ do now in this our great fere of our utter loss for ever of your loving remembrance and relief/ not yet importunately by●eue you of your rest with crying at your ears at unseasonable time when ye would (as we do never) repose yourself and take ease/ but only procure to be presented unto you this poor book this humble supplication of owrs/ which it may please you ꝑcell meal at your leisure to look over for all silly souls sake: that it may be as an wholesome treacle at your heart against the deadly poison of their pestilent persuasyon/ that would bring you in that error to ween there were no purgatory. Of all which cruel persons so procuring not the mynysshement of your mercy toward us/ but the utter spoil & robbery of our hole help and comfort that should come from you: the very worst and thereby the most deadly devisor of our painies and heaviness (god forgive him) is that dyspytuouse & despiteful person/ which of late under pretext of pity/ made and put forth among you/ a book that he named the supplication for the beggars/ a book indeed nothing less intending/ then the pity that it pretendeth: nothing minding the weal of any man/ but as we shall hereafter show you/ much harm and mischief to all men/ and among other great sorrow dyscunfort and hevenysse unto us your even christian and nigh kin/ your late neighbours and pleasant companions upon earth/ and now poor prisoners here.  
¶ And albe it that his unhappy book/ doth for our own part touch us very near: yet we be much more moved to give the world warning of his venomous writing/ for the dear love & charity that we bear to you/ then for the respect of our own relief. For as for us/ albeit that the gracious help of your prior/ alms deed/ and other good warkis for us/ may be the means of relyeving and releasing of our present paynis/ yet such is the merciful goodness of god/ that though the hole world would clean forget us/ yet would his mercy so remember us/ that after temporal punishment and purging here he will not finally forget to take us hence: and wiping all the teries out of our eyen/ translate us at sundry times as his high wisdom see●h convenient/ in to that eternal heavenly bless/ to which his holy blyssyd blood hath bought us. But surely to you worldly people living there upon earth/ not only for this present time/ but also for as long as this world shall endure: the wretched maker of that ungracious book (whom god give once the grace to repent & amend) if folk were so fond to follow him/ should not fail to work/ as well much worldly trouble to every kind of people/ as over that (which most loss were of all) to bring many a good simple soul/ for lack of belief of purgatory/ the very straight way to hell.  
¶ And the case so standing/ there would we think no man doubt/ but though the man that made the book were well known among you and in hold also/ whereby his heinous treason to god and the world disclosed & declared by us/ he might be in apparel of exquysyte painful punishment: yet we both might and ought/ rather to put him in the danger of his own demeanour/ then for the sparing of his just correction/ to suffer him abuse the people with his pestilent writing/ to the inestimable harm of the hole world in goods/ body/ & soul. And sith we so might of reason/ & so should of charity though the man were known and taken/ how much may we now more frankly tell you all and nothing shall need to spare him/ sith his book is nameless/ & so himself among you unknown and thereby out of the apparel of any punishment for his unhappy deed?  
¶ But for that both ye & he shall well perceive/ that we desire but your weal and ours by giving you warning of his malice/ and nothing intend to procure his punishment/ which we rather beseech our lord of his mercy to remit: ye shall understand that neither is his name nor person unknown among us/ and therefore wemight well discover him if we were so minded. For there is not only some of his acquaintance and counsel/ whom god gave at their death the grace to repent/ comen hither to purgatory/ nothing more now lamenting among us/ then their cruel unkindness toward us/ in giving counsel against us/ to the making of that ungracious book/ with infidelity and lack of belief of the pourgyng fire which they now find and feel: but he is also named and boasted among us by that evil angel of his/ hour and your ghostly enemy the devil. which as soon as he had set him a work with that pernicious book/ ceaced not to come hither and boast it among us: but with his enmyouse & enuoyuse laughter gnashing the teeth and grynning/ he told us that his peopyll had by the advise and counsel of him and of some heretyques almost as evil as he/ made such a book for beggars/ that it should make us beg long are we get aught. whereby he trusted that some of us should not so soon creep out of our pain as we had hoped.  
¶ Wit ye well these words were heavy tidings to us. But yet because the devil is wont to lie/ we took some comfort in that we could not believe him/ specially telling a thing so far incredible. For who could ever have thought that any christian man could for very pity have founden in his heart to seek and study the means/ whereby a christian man should think it labour lost to pray for all crysten souls. But alakke the while we found soon after/ that the falsehood and malice of the man/ proved the dyvyll true. For by some that died soon after the book put forth/ we have herd & perceived the wretched contenties thereof/ well and plainly declaring/ what evil spirit inspired him while it was in making. For albe it that it is so contrived/ and the words so couched/ that by the secret inward working of the devil that holp to devise it/ a simple reder might by delight in the reading be deadly corrupted and venemed: yet if a wise man well warned/ advisedly will weigh the sentence/ he shall find the hole book nothing else/ but falsehood under pretext of plainness/ cruelty under the cloak of pity/ sedition under the colour of counsel/ proud arrogance under the name of supplication/ & under the pretence of favour unto poor folk/ a devil she desire of noyance both to poor & rich/ pressed/ religious/ & say man/ prince/ lord/ & people/ as well quick as deed.  
¶ He deviseth a piteous bill of complaint and supplication/ feigned to be by the poor sykke and sore beggars put up to the king/ lamenting therein their number so sore increased/ that good folks almoyse not half suffysing to find them meet/ they be constrained heavily to die for hunger. Then layeth he the cause of all these poor beggars/ both their increase in number & their default in finding/ all this he layeth to the only fault of the clergy: naming them in his bederoll bishops/ abbotꝭ/ priors/ deacons/ archedecons/ suffragans/ prestis/ monkys/ canons/ freres/ ꝑdoners/ & sommoners. All these he calleth mighty sturdy beggars & idle holy thiefs/ which he saith hath begged so importunately/ that they have gotten in to their hands the third part of all the realm of england/ beside tythes/ privy tythes/ probaties of testamentis & offryngꝭ/ with mass pens & mortuaries/ blessing & cursing/ citing/ suspending & soiling. Then cometh he particularly to freres: to whom he maketh as he thinketh a plain & open reckoning/ that they reseyve by begging thorough the realm yearly xliii thousand iii Cxxxiii. pound. vi.s.viii.d. sterling. Then showeth he that all this cast to gyther/ amounteth yearly far above the half of the hole substance of the realm. After this presupposing as though he had proved it that the clergy hath the half/ he them to prove the two hundred part of that they have were more than sufficient for them: taketh for his ground that if the number of them be compared with the number of lay men/ the clergy be not the hundredth part: & y● if they be compared with the lay men women & children/ the clergy us not then the four hundred person of that number. And then entendyth he thereby to prove & conclude/ that sith they have as he saith more than the half of all to gether/ & be themselves not fully the four hundred part: therefore if that better half that they have were divided into two hundredth partis/ then were yet one part of those two hundredth parts as he thinketh to much for them/ specially because they labour not. After this he gathereth a great heap of evils/ wherewith he belieth the clergy/ to bring them in displeasure of the king and hatred of the people. And lest men should any thing esteem the clergy for the suffragys' of their pr●youre in relief of us silly christian souls in purgatory/ to take a way that good mind out of good christian men's hearts/ he laboureth to make the world ween that there were no purgatory at all. Wherein when he hath done what he can/ then laboureth he to the king for a licence to rail upon the clergy: saying that there is none other effectual remedy against them/ but that it might please the king to give him and such other free license and liberty/ to diffame the clergy at their pleasure among the people. For he saith that if any of them be punished any thing by the temporal laws/ than they sore trouble the labourers thereof by the spiritual law/ and then the heads of the clergy do so highly more than recompense the loss of their fellows/ that they may be bold to do the like offence again at their pleasure. And for to prove that it is always so/ he layeth that it hath been so thryfe: and as it shall after be showed he lieth in all three. The first he layeth that the bishop of London was in a great rage for endyghting of certain curates of extortion and incontynency the last year in the wardmote questis. And for the second he layeth that doctor Aleyn after that he was punished by praemunire for his contempt committed against the king's temporal law/ was therefore by the bishops highly recompensed in benefices. And for the third he layeth that Richard Hun because he had sued a praemunire against a priest for suing him in the spiritual court in a matter determynable in the king's court/ was accused of heresy and committed to bishops prison: where he saith that all the world knoweth that he was murdered by doctor Horsey with his complices then the bishops chancellor. And that the same doctor Horsey he saith upon other men's mouthis paid vi hundred pounds for him & his complices: & after obtained the king's most gracious pardon. whereupon he saith the captains of the spiritualty because he had foughten so manfully against the kings crown and dignity/ promoted him forth with benefice upon benefice to the value of four times as much. And by these ensamples he concludyth there will no such punishment serve against the spyritualte: and also who that justly punish a priest by the temporal law/ is unjustly troubled again in the spiritual law. Whereof he would include that of necessity for a special remedy/ the king must nediss grant a sicence to such lewd fellows to ●ayle upon them. Than cometh he at last unto the device of some remedy for the poor beggars. Wherein he would in no wise have none hospytals made/ because he saith that therein the profit goeth to the presties. What remedy than for the poor beggars. He devysyth nor desireth nothing to be given them/ nor none other almose or help requireth for than: but only that the king's highness would furst take from the hole clergy all their hole living/ and then set them abroad in the world to get them wives/ and to get their living with the labour of their hands and in the sweet of their faces/ as he sayeth it is the commandment of god in the furst chapter of Genesis: and finally to tay them to the car●es to be whipped naked about every market town till they fall to labour. And then if these petitions were once arauntyd and performed/ he showeth many great commodities that would as he saith ensue thereupon/ both to the king & the people/ and to the poor beggars. Which things we shall ere we leave/ in such wise repeat and ponder/ that your wysdoms may consider and perceive in yourself/ what good fruit would follow the speed of his goodly supplication/ whereof we have rehearsed you the hole some and effect.  
¶ truth it is that many things wherewith he flourisheth his matters to make them seem gay to the readers at a sudden show/ we leave out for the while/ because we would ere we come thereto/ that ye should furst have the matter self in short set forth before your eyen. And than shall we peruse his proofs/ and in such wise consider every thing apart/ that we nothing doubt but who so shall read his worshipful writing after/ shall soon perceive therein/ flourishing without fruit/ futtelte without substance/ rhetoric without reason/ bold babbling without learning/ & wylynes without wit. And finally for the foundation and ground of all his proofs: ye shall find in his book not half so many levys as lies/ but almost as many lies as lines.  
¶ And albe it we lie here in that case that about thexamynacyonexamination and answering of such a mad malicious book we have neither lust nor leisure to bestow the time/ whereof misspent in our life we give now an hard and a heavy reckoning: yet not only the necessity of our cause driveth us to declare unto you the feebleness of his reasons/ wherewith he would bring you in the case to care nothing for us/ believing that there were no purgatory/ but also most specially doth our charity toward you/ stir us to show you the mischief that he mindeth to yourself/ aswell in that point of infidelity/ as in all the remnant of his seditious book. In answering whereof we would gladly let his folly and lak of learning pass/ if it were not more than necessary/ that all folk should perceive his little learning and less wit/ lest simple folk weening him wise and well learned/ might unto their harm esteem his evil writing the better for their wrong opinion of his wit and learning. As for his malicious mind and untruth/ there can no man look that we should leave unto wchyd/ but he that would rather the man were believed than answered/ and would wish his bill sped were it never so malicious and false.  
¶ For where he to deviseth his introduction/ as all his purpose should have a great face of charity/ by that he speaketh all in the name of the poor beggars/ this is nothing else but the devils drift/ always covering his poison under some taste of sugar. As for us we trust there will no wise man doubt what favour we bear to beggars as folk of their own fellowship and faculty/ and of all whom/ there be no where in the world nether so needy nor so sore/ and so sick nor so impotent/ and so sore in pains as we. And that so farforth that if ye might see them all on the tone side/ and but one of us on the other side/ we be very sure that the world would pity one of us/ more than them all. But although we be more beggars then your beggars be/ as folk daily begging our alms of you and them both: yet envy we not them as one of them doth another/ but we pray and require you to give them for our sakes/ whereby your gift greatly cumfortyth us both. And they be also our proctors and beg in our name/ and in our name receive your money/ whereof we receive both your devotion and their prayers. So that ye may be well assured/ there could be put no bill nor supplication forth for their advantage/ which we would in any wise hinder/ but very gladly further in all that ever we might. But in good faith as our poor brethren the beggars be for many causes greatly to be pitied for their disease and sickness/ sorrow/ pain & poverty: so do we much in this case sorrow their mishap/ that they have not had at the lest wise so much fortune/ as to fall upon a wiser scrivener to make their supplication: but upon such a one as under his great wiliness showeth so little wit/ that beginning with a cloak of charity/ doth by and by no less disclose his hatred and malice/ than if be nothing else had intended/ but to cast of that cloak and set out his malice naked to the show. Whyrin like a beggar's ꝓctour he goeth forth so nakedly/ that no beggar is there so bare of cloth or money/ as he showeth himself bare of faith/ learning/ troth/ wit or charity. Which thing as it all ready well appeareth to wise men: so will we make it evident to all men/ taking our beginning at the declaration of his untruth: which one thing well perceived/ w●ll be sufficient to answer and overturn all his hole enterprise. How be it we neither shall need nor do purpose to cumber you with rehearsal and reproof of all his lies: for that were to long a work/ whereof we fear ye should be weary to abide the hearing. But of so many we shall pray you take patience while we show you some/ and such as for the matter be requisite to be known/ for as much as all his proves be specially grounded upon them.  
¶ And furst to begin where he beginneth/ when he saith that the number of such beggars as he pretendeth to speak for/ that is as himself calleth them the wretched hyduouse monsters/ on whom he saith scarcely any eye dare look/ the foul unhappy sort of lepers & other sore people/ needy/ impotent/ blind/ lame and syh/ living only of alms: have their numbere now so sore increased/ that all the almose of all the well disposed people of the realm is not half enough to sustain them/ but that for very constraint they die for hunger: unto all those words of his/ were it not that though we well wist ourself he said untrue/ yet would we be loath so to lay as a lie to his charge any thing/ whereof the untruth were not so plainly perceived/ but that he might find some favourers which might say he said true: else would we peradventure not let to tell him/ that for a beginning in these few words he had written two lies at once. If we should tell you what number there was of poor sick folk in days passed iong before your time: ye were at liberty not to believe us. How be it he cannot not yet on the t'other side for his part nether/ bring you forth a bederoll of their names: wherefore we must for both our ꝑtis be fain to remit you to your own time/ & yet not from your childhood (whereof many things men forget when they come to far greater age) but unto the days of your good remembrance. And so doing/ we suppose if the sorry syghties that men have seen/ had left as great impression still remaining in their hearts/ as the sight maketh of the present sorrow that they see: men should think & say that they have in days passed seen as many sykke beggars as they see now. For as for other sickness they rain not god be thanked but after such rate as they have done in times passed. And then of the french pokkies xxx year ago went there about sick/ five against one that beggeth with them now. Whereof who so list to say that he seeth it otherwise: we will hold no great dispicions with him thereupon/ because we lack the names of both the sides to make the trial with. But surely who so shall say the contrary: shall as we suppose either say so for his pleasure/ or else shall it far by his sight as folks far with their feeling/ which what they feel they whine at/ but what they have felt the● have more then half forgotten/ though they felt it right late. Which maketh one that hath but a poor boil upon his finger/ think the grief more great/ than was the pain of a great boch that grieved his hole hand little more than a month afore. So that in this point of the number of sick beggars so sore increased so late/ albeit we will forbear so to say to him as we might well say: yet will we be so bold to deny it him till he bring in some better thing than his bare word for the proof.  
¶ And in good faith if he be put to the proof of the other point also/ that is to wit that for very constraint those poor sick folk die for hunger: we verily trust & think he shall seek far and find very few if he find any at all: For albeit that poor householders have these d●●e years made right hard shift for corn: yet our lord be thanked men have not been so far from all pity/ as to suffer poor impotent parsons die at their doories for hunger.  
¶ Now where as he saith that the alms of all well disposed people of this ream is not half enough to sustain them/ and the well disposed people he calleth in this matter all them that giveth them almoyse/ & he speaketh not of one year nor twain but of these many yeries now passed/ for neither be the number of the clergy nor their possessions nor the freres alms in which things he layeth the cause why the alms of good people is not half sufficient to keep & sustain the poor and sick beggars fro famyshing/ any great thing increased in these x. or xii or twenty years last passed/ & therefore if that he said were true: then by all these ten years at the lest/ the almose of good people hath not been half able to sustain the poor & sick beggars from famyshing. And surely if that were so that in four or .v. yeries in which was plenty of corn/ the poor & sick beggars for lak of men's alms died so fast for hunger: though many should fall sick never so fast again/ yet had they in the last ii dear yeries died up of likelihood almost everichone. And whether this be true or not we purpose not to dispute: but to refer and report ourself to every man's eyen and ears/ whether any man here of so many deed/ or see so many the fewer.  
¶ When he hath laid these sure stonies to begin the ground & foundation of his building with/ that sore and sick beggars be so sore increased/ that the alms of all the good people of this realm is not half enough to sustain them/ and that therefore by very constraint they daily die for hunger: upon them he layeth another stone/ that the cause of all this evil is the great possessions of the spyrtualte/ and the great alms given to the freres. But herein furst he layeth that besydys' tithes and all such other profettis as rise unto the chyrh by reason of the spiritual law or of men's devotion/ that they have the third part of all the temporal lands of the realm. Which who so can tell as much of the revenues of the realm as he can tell little that made the book/ doth well know that though they have much: yet is the third part of all far an other thing/ & that he saith in this point undraw. Than goeth he to the poor freres. And there as we told you he showeth that the alms given them/ of certeynte amounteth yearly unto. x.iii. thousand. CCC. xxxiii.li. vis. s.viii.d. sterling: peradventure men would ween the man were some apostata/ and that he never could be so privy to the frere's reckoning/ but if he had been long their limitor/ and seen some general vyew of all their hole accounties. But surely sith the man is bad enough beside/ we would be loath folk should reckon him for apostata/ for surely he was never frere for aught tha. we know/ for we never wist that ever in his life he was half so well disposed. And also when ye here the ground of his reckoning: ye well yourself think that he neither knoweth much of their matters/ & of all the realm beside make as though he knew many things for true/ which many men know for false. ¶ For furst he putteth for the ground of his reckoning that there are in the realm/ two and thirty thousand parysh churches/ which is one plain lie to begin with Then he putteth that every parish one with another/ hath ten house holds in it: meaning beside such poor houses as rather ask alms than give/ for of such ye wots well the freres get no quarterag. & the point albe it the ground be not sure/ yet because it may to many men seem likely/ therefore we let it pass. But then he showeth ferther for a sure troth a thing that all men know surely for a great lie: that is to say that of every household in every parish/ every of the five ordres of freres hath every quarter a penny: for we know full well & so do many of you to/ first that the comen people speak but of four ordres/ the white/ the blakke/ the austin/ and the grey/ and which is the fift in many parts of the realm few folk can tell you. For if the questyone were asked about/ there would be peradventure founden many more the more pity it is/ that could name you the green freris then the crouched. ye know right well also that in many a parish in england/ of forty howseholders ye shall not find four pay neither .v. pennies a quarter nor four neither/ and many a parish never a penny. And as for thee. u.d. quarterly/ we dare boldly say that ye shall find it paid in very few parishes thorough the realm/ if ye find it paid in any. And yet this thing being such a stark lie as many men all ready knoweth/ & every man shortly may find it/ he putteth as a plain well known troth for a special post to bear up his reckoning. For upon these grounds now maketh he a clear reckoning in this manner ensuing/ which is good also to be known for folk that will learn to cast account. There be lii M. ꝑyshes and in each of them ten households So have ye the hole some of the households .v. hundred thousand and twenty thousand. Even just Go now to the money then. Every order of the .v. orders of freres hath of every of these households a penny a quarter Summa for every house among all the .v. orders every quarter .v. d. & here by may ye learn that five times one maketh .v. Now this is he showeth you among the .v. orders of every house for the hole year. xx.d. and so learn ye there that four times five maketh twenty Summa saith he .v. hundreth thousand and twenty thousand quarters of angels. Here we would not that because the realm hath no coin called the quarter angel/ ye should therefore so far mistake the man as to ween that he meant so many quarter sacks of angels. For in deed (as we take him) by the naming and counting of so many quarters of angels/ he meaneth nothing else but to teach you a point of reckoning and to make you perceive and know/ that. xx.d. is the fourth part of. vi.s.viii.d. For after that ra●e it seemeth that he valueth the angel noble. Then goeth he forth with his reckoning & showeth you that five hundred thousand and twenty thousand quarters of angels/ maketh ii hundred three score thousand half angels. And by this so ye may perceive clearly/ that he meant not quarter sacks of angels for then they would have holden ye wot well many moo pieces of forty pence/ then forty times this hole some cometh to. Then he showeth you ferther that. Cc.lx thousand half angels/ amount just unto. C.xxx. thousand angels. wherein every man may learn that the half of lx is xxx and that the half of twain is one. Finally then he casteth it all to gyther and bringeth it in to pounds Summa totalis xliii thousand poundꝭ iii hundred &. xxxiii.li.vi.s.viii.d But here to continue the plainness of his reckoning/ he forgot to tell you that iii nobles make. xx.s. & that. xx.s. make a pound But who can now doubt of this reckoning when it cometh so round/ that of so great a some he leaveth not out the ode noble But now sith all this reckoning is grounded upon two false grounds/ one upon lii thousand parish churches: the other that every of the five orders hath every quarter of every household a penny: this reckoning of xliii thousand CCC. xxx.ii.li.vi.s.viii.d. seemeth to come much like to pass as if he would make a reckoning with you that every ass hath viii ears And for to prove it with/ bear you furst in hand that every ass hath four heads/ and then make summa four heads. Thene might he boldly tell you ferther/ that every ass head hath two ears/ for that is commonly true except any be cut of. Summa then ii ears and so summa totalis eight ears. At this account of eight ears of one a ●e ye make a lip and think it so mad that no man would make no such. Surely it were a mad count yn deed/ and yet as mad as it were/ it were not so mad by half as is his sad and ereneste count that he maketh you now so solemnly of the frere's quarterage. For this shunned he ground but upon one lie/ where he grounddih the t'other upon twain as open lies as this & as great. Now might we and we would) say that all his reckoning were nought/ because he rekeneh. xx.d. for the quarter of the angel/ and all the remnant of his reckoning followeth forth upon the same rate. But we would be loath to put him in the fawlte that he deserve not. For surely it might he that he was not ware of the new valuation: for he ran away before the valuation changed? But now upon this great some of xliii thusand. CCC. xxxiii.li.vi.s.viii.d. upon these good ground● heaped up to gether he bringeth in his ragmamnes roll of his rude r●tory●u● against the poor freres/ beginning with such a great exclamation that we heard him hither/ & suddenly were all afraid when we herd him cry out so loud/ Oh grievous & painful exactions: thus yearly to be paid/ from the which the people of your noble progenitors ancient Brytons ever stood free. And so goeth he forth against the poor freres with Danes/ and Saxons/ and noble king A●●●ure/ and Lucius the emperor/ the Romans/ the Grekys/ & the great Turk/ showing that all these had been utterly marred & never had been able to do nothing yn the war/ if their people had given their almoyse to freres.  
¶ After his railing re●oryque ended against the freres/ then this some of xliii thousand. CCC. xxxiii.li.vi.s.viii.d. he addeth unto all the t'other that he said before that all the clergy hath beside which he summeth not but saith that this and that to gyther amount unto more between them then half of the hole substance of the realm. And this he affirmeth as boldylylas though he could reckon the hole revenues and substance of all england/ as readily as make the reckoning of this beggars purse.  
¶ Then showeth he that this better half of the hole substance is shifted among fewer than the four hundred part of the people. Which he proveth by that he saith that all the clergy compared unto the remannaunte of the men only/ be not the hundredth person. And if they be compared unto the remanaunte of men/ women/ and children/ so are they not he saith the four hundredth person. But now some folk that have not very long ago upon greatoccasyons taken the reckoning of prestis and religious places yn every diocise/ & on the other side the reckoning and the number of the temporal men yn every county: know well that this man's mad reckoning goeth very far wide/ and seemeth that he hath herd these wise rekenyngis a● some congregation of beggars. And yet as though because he hath said it he had therefore proved it/ he runneth forth in his railing rei●ryque against the hole clergy/ and that yn such a sort and fashion that very hard it were to discern whither it be more false or more foolish. For first all the fawtes that any lewd priest or frere doth/ all that layeth he to the hole clergy/ as well and as wisely as though he would lay the fawtes of some lewd lay people to that default and blame of all the hole temporalty. But this way liketh him so well that thus laying to the hole clergy the fawtes of such as be simple & fawty therein/ and yet not only laying to their charge that breach of chastity & abuse in fleshly living of such as be nought/ but also madly like a fond fellow laying much more to their charge & much more earnestly reproving the good & honest living of those that be good whom he rebukethe and abhorreth because they keep their views & persever yn chastity (for he sayeth that they be the marrars and dysstroyers of the realm/ bryngeng the land in to wilderness for lack of generation by their abstayning from wedding) then aggrevyth he his great crimes with heinous words/ gay repetitions/ & grievous exclamations/ calling them blood suppers & drunken in the blood of holy martyrs & saints/ which he meaneth for the condemning of holy heretics. greedy gosophers he calleth them and ynsacyable whyrlpoolies/ because the temporalty hath given them possessions/ & give to the freres their almose. And all virtuous good priests & religious folk he calleth idle holy thieves/ because they spend their time yn preaching and prayer. And than saith he/ these be they that make so many sick & sore beggars. These be they that make these hories & baudies. These be they that make these thiefs. These be they that make so many idle parsons: These be they that corrupt the generations. And these be they that with the abstaining from wedding hinder so the generation of the people/ that the realm shall at length fall yn wilderness but if they wed the sooner. And now upon these high nous crimes laid unto the hole clergy/ & laid as every wise man seeth some very falsely and some very foolishly: after his goodly repetitions be falleth to his great and grievous exclamations/ crying out upon the great broad bottomless ocean see of evils/ and upon the grievous shipwreck of the comen wealth/ the translating of the king's kingdom/ and the ruin of the kings crown. And therewith rolling in his retoryke from figure to figure/ he falleth to a vehement invocation of the king/ & giveth him warning of his great loss/ asking him fervently: where is/ your sword/ power/ crown/ and dignity bycome● as though the kings grace had clean lost his realm specially for lack of people to reign upon/ because that priests have no wifes. And surely the man cannot fail of such eloquence: for he hath gathered these goodly flowers out of Luther's garden almost word for word without any more labour but only the translacing out of the latin into the english tongue.  
¶ But to inflame the king's highness against the church/ he saith that the clergy laboureth nothing else/ but to make the kings subg●●●es fall in to disobedience and rebellion against his grace.  
¶ This tale is a very likely thing/ as though the clergy knew not that there is nothing earthly that so moche keepeth themself in quiet rest and surety/ as doth the due obedience of the people to the virtuous mind of the prince. Whose high goodness must needs have much more difficulty to defend the clergy and keep the church in peace/ if the people fell to disobedience & rebellion against their prince. And therefore every child may see that the clergy would never be so mad as to be glad to bring the people to disobedience & rebellion against the prince/ by whose goodness they be preserved in peace/ and were in such rebellion of the people likely to be the first that should fall in apparel. But neither is there desired by the clergy nor never shall by god's grace happen/ any such rebellion as the beggars ꝓctoure & his fellows what so ever they say long full sore to see.  
¶ But this man against the clergy fetcheth forth old fern years & ●●neth up to king Ihanns days/ spending much labour about the praise & commendacyon of that good gracious king & crying out upon the pope that then was and the clergy of England/ and all the lords and all the commons of the realm/ because king Ihamn as he saith made the realm trybu●ary to the pope/ wherein he meaneth peradventure the peter pennies But surely therein is all his hot accusation a very cold tale when the troth is known. For so is it in deed that albe it there be writers y● say that peter pē●e were granted by king Ihamn for the release of the incerdyccyon: yet were they paid in deed ere ever king Ihanns great grandfather was borne/ & thereof is there proof enough. Now if he say as in deed some writers say/ that king Ihamn made England & Irland trybutary to the pope & the see apostolic by the grant of a thousand marks: we dare surely say again that it is untrue/ & that all Rome neither can show such a grant nor never could/ and if they could it were right nought worth. For never could any king of England give away the realm to the pope/ or make the land tributary though he would/ nor no such money is there paid nor never was And as for the peter pennies if he mean them/ neither was the realm tributary by them/ nor king Ihamn never granted them. For they were paid before the conquest to the apostolyk see toward the maintenance thereof but only by way of gratytude & alms. Now as for the archbishop Stephen/ whom he saith being a traitor to the king/ the pope made archbishop of Canturbury against the king's will/ therein be there as we suppose ii lies at once. For neither was that Stephen ever traitor against the king as far as ever we have herd/ nor the pope none otherwise made him archbishop then he made all other at that time: but the same Stephen was well & canonycally choose archbishop of Canturbury by the covent of the monkis at Cristis church in Canturbury to whom as the king well knew & denied it not/ the election of the archbishop at the time belonged. Nor the king resisted not his election because of any treason that was laid against him: but was discontented therewith/ & after that his election was passed & confirmed by the pope: he would not of long season suffer him to enjoy the byshoprich/ because himself had recommended another unto the monkys/ whom they rejected & preferred Stephen. And that this is as we tell you/ & not as the beggars precious writeth for a false foundation of his railing: ye shall mow perceive not only by divers chronicles/ but also by divers monuments yet remaining as well of the election and confyrmacyon of the said arch bishop/ as of the long suit and process that after followed thereupon.  
¶ Now showeth he himself very wroth with the spiritual jurisdiction/ which he would in any wise were clean taken away/ saying that it must needs destroy the jurisdiction temporal: where as the good princes passed have granted/ and the nobles in their times/ and the people to/ have by plain parleamentes confirmed them/ and yet hitherto blessed be god they agree better to gyther/ then to fall at variance for the wild words of such a malicious make bate: which for to bring the spirituality in to hatred/ saith that they call their jurisdiction a kingdom. In which word he may say his pleasure/ but of truth he seldom seeth any spiritual man at this day that so calleth any spiritual jurisdiction that he useth.  
¶ Now where this man useth as a proof thereof/ that the spyrytualte nameth themself alway before the temporalty: this manner of naming cometh not of them/ but of the good mind and devotion of the temporalty: so far forth that at the parliament when that any ac●es be conceived/ the words be commonly so couched/ that the bill saith it is enacted first by our sovereign lord the king and by the lords spiritual & temporal & the comens in that present parliament assembled. And these bills be often drawn put forth & passed first in the comen house/ where there is not one spiritual man present.  
¶ But such truth as the man useth in this point/ such useth he where he calleth the poor freres almose an exaction: surmising that it is exacted by force and the people compelled to pay it/ where every man well wotteth that they have poor men no way to compel no man to give them aught not though they should die for defawt. But this good honest true man saith that who so will not pay the freres their quarterage they will make him be taken as an heretic.  
We be will content that ye take this for no lie/ as many as ever have known it true. But who herd ever yet that any man taken for an here●yque/ did so much as ones say that he thought it conveyed by the malice of any frere for refusing to pay the freres quarterage. This lie lo is a little to loud/ for any man that were not waxen shameless.  
¶ Like truth is there in this that he sayeth/ if any man trouble a priest for any temporal suit: the clergy forth with will make him an heretic and burn him/ but if he be content to bear a faggot for their pleasure. The falsehood of this can not be unknown. For men know well in many a shire how often that many folk endyght prestis of rape at the sessynos. And as there is sometime a rape committed in deed/ so is there ever a rape surmised were the women never so willing/ and oftentime where there was nothing done at all.  
And yet of any such that so procured priests to be indyghted: how many have men herd taken and accused for heretyques? ye see not very many sessions pass/ but in one shire or other this page an● is played/ where as thorough the realm such as be put to penance for heresy/ be not so many in many years as there be presties indited in few yeries. And yet of all such so taken for heresy/ he shall not find four this four score year/ peradventure not this four hundredth year/ that ever precended themself so troubled for endyghting of a pressed. So that his lie is herein to large to get any cloak to cover it  
¶ Now where he saith that the captains of doctors Aleyns' kingdom/ have heaped him up benefice upon benefice/ & have rewarded him ten times as much as the .v. C. poundis which he paid for a fine by the praemunire/ and that thus hath the spirituality rewarded ●ym because he fought so manfully against the king's crown & his dignity: all that know the matter do well perceive that the man doth in his matter as he doth in other/ either lieth for his pleasure/ or else little wotteth how that the matter stood. For it is well known that doctor Aleyn was in the praemunire pursued only by spiritual men and had much less favour & much more rigour showed him therein by the greatest of the clergy/ then by any temporal men.  
¶ He saith also to the kings highness/ your grace may see what a work there is in London/ how the bishop rageth for endyghting of certain curates of extortion and incontynencye the last year in the warmoll quest/ would not upon these words every stranger ween that there had been in London many curates endyghted of extortion and rape/ and that the bishop would labour sore to defend their fautis and that there were about that matter a great commotion in all the city? How shameless is he that can tell this tale in writing to the king highness for a troth/ whereof neither bishop/ nor curate/ nor mayre/ nor alderman/ nor any man else/ ever hard word spoken? Hyt were hard to say whether we should take it for wiliness or lack of wit that he saith all this work was in the city the last year: & then his book neither was put up to the king/ nor beareth any date. So that a man would ween he were a fool that so writeth of the last year/ that the reader cannot wit which year it was. But yet ween we he doth it for a wiliness. For sith he knoweth his tale false: it is wisdom to leave the time unknown/ that his lie may be uncontrolled. For he would that men should ween alway that it was in one year or other.  
¶ But finally for a special point he bringeth in Richard Hunne and saith that if he had not commanded an action of praemunire against a pressed/ he had been yet alive and none heretic at all. Now is it of truth well known/ that he was detected of heresy before the premunyre sued or thought upon.  
And he began that suit to help to stop the t'other withal/ as in deed it did for the while. For all be it that he that was sued in the praemunire was nothing belonging to the bishop of London before whom richard Hun was detected of herysy: yet left such as would be glad synysterly to mysseconster every thing toward the clergy/ might have occasion to say that the matter were hotly handled against him to force him to forbear his suit of the praemunire/ the bishop therefore did the more forbear/ till it appeared clearly to the temporal judges and all that were any thing learned in the temporal law/ that his suit of the praemunire was nothing worth in the kings law/ for as much as by plain statute the matter was out of question that the plea to be holden upon mortuaries/ belong unto the spiritual court. After which thing well appearing/ the matter went forth afore the bishop/ & he there well proved nought/ and his books after brought forth/ such and so noted with his own hand in the margentes/ as every wise man well saw what he was/ and was full sore to see that he was such as they their saw him proved.  
¶ Now goeth he ferther and asketh the king/ did not doctor Horsay and his complices most heinously as all the world knoweth/ murder in prison that honest merchant Richard Hun/ for that he sued your writ of praemunire against a priest that wrongfully held him in plea in a spiritual court/ for a matter whereof the knowledge bylonged unto your high courts? And what punysment hath he for yt● After that he had paid as it is said vi hundredth poundꝭ for him and his complices/ as soon as he had obtained your most gracious pardon: he was immediately promoted by the captains of his kingdom with benefice upon benefice to the value of four times as much. Who is he of their kingdom that will not rather take courage to commit like offence/ seeing the promotions that fell to such men for their so offending/ so week & blunt is your sword to strike a● one of the offenders of this crooked and paruerse generation.  
We have here somewhat cumbered you with a piece of his own wordis/ because ye should have a show of his vehement eloquence: with which the bold beagers proctors so arrogantly presumethe in his bill to as●● the king a question/ and to bind his highness to answer as his mastership appoyntted him. For if his grace say nay: then he telleth him before/ that all the world woteth yes. But surely if he call all the world all that ever god made: then is there iii parts that knoweth the contrary. For we dare be bold to waraunt you/ that in heaven/ hell/ and here among us in purgatory/ of all that this man so boldly affirmeth/ the contrary is well and clearly known. And if be call the world but only men among you their living upon middle earth: yet so shall be peradventure find in some part of the world if he seek it well/ more than four or .v. good honest men that never hard speak of the matter. And of such as have hard of the matter & known it well●he shall find mow and specially we think the kings grace himself/ whose highness he is so homely to ask the question and appoint him his answer himself that of all five things which he hath here in so few lines affirmed/ there is not one true but lies every one. For first to begin where he leaveth/ when he saith that the clergy have sins the death of Richard Hunne/ ꝓmoted doctor Horsay with benefice upon benefice four times as much as vi C. poundꝭ he plain untruth of this point may every man soon know that will soon inquire. For he liveth yet at exester/ and their liveth upon such as he had before/ without that new heap of benefice given him by the captains of his kingdom for killing of Richard Hunne/ or thank either save only of god for his long patience in his undeserved trouble. But to th'end that ye may see how little this man forceth how loud he lie: consider that he saith that the clergy gave unto doctor Horsay after he came out of prison benefice upon benefice to the value of four times as much as vi C. poundꝭ. Now if this be true/ them hath doccoure Horsay had in benefices besides all such as he had before his trouble/ the value of ii thousand four C. pound. we trust that the man his substance and his livelihood is so well known/ that we need not to tell that the beggars proctor in this point hath made one loud lie. Another is that he saith that Hun was kept in plea in the spiritual law for a matter determynable in the kings court: for the matter was for a mortuary/ which by plain statute is declared to plain to the spiritual law. The third is that Hun was honest/ except heresy be honest. The fourth is that doctor Horsey and his complices murdered him in prison: for thereof is the contrary well known/ and that the man hanged himself for despair/ despite/ and forsak of grace. we might an we would lay for the fift/ the payment which he speaketh of the vi C. pounds/ with which money he would men should ween that he bought his pardon. wherein he layeth a good great some/ to th'end that folk well witting that doctor Horsay was not like to have so much money of his own/ should ween therewith that the clergy laid out the money among them/ & then gave him benefices whereof he might pay them again. But this lay he from himself/ and showeth not to whom/ for he saith it is said so. And yet were it no wrong that it were accounted his own/ till he put it better from him/ and prove of whom he heard it. How be it sith there is other store enough: we shall leave this lie in question between him and we wot near whom else/ and we shall for the fift lay you that lie that he layeth forth himself/ that is to wit/ where he sayeth that the chancellor purchased the kings most gracious pardon for the murdering of Hunne. For this is the trouhe that he never sued any pardon therefore. But after that the matter had been by long time & great diligence so far forth examined/ that the kings highness at length (as time alway trieth out the truth well perceived his innocency & theirs also that were accused and endyghted with hymn his noble grace when they were arraigned upon that endyghment and thereto pleaded that they were not guilty/ commanded his attornay general to confess their plea to be true/ which is the thing that his highness as a most virtuous prince useth for to do/ when the matter is not only just/ but also known for just upon the part of the party defendant. Because that like as where the matter appeareth doubtful he doth as reason is/ suffer it to go forth and 〈◊〉 the troth be tried/ so where he seeth and perceiveth the right to be on that other side/ his highness will in no wise have the wrong set forth or maintained in his name. Now when it was then thus in deed/ that neither the chancellor nor any man else ever sued any charter of pardon for the matter: this is then y● fifthly that this man hath made in so few lines. Which things who so well consider/ can not but marvel of the sore pyththy point where with he knitteth up all his heavy matter/ saying to the king: who is there of their kingdom that will not take courage to commit like offence saying the promotions that fall to such men for their offending: so week and so blunt is your sword to siryke at one of the offenders of this crooked and perverse generation. Loo how this great zelator of the comen wealth crieth out upon the king/ that his sword is not strong a sharp to strike of innocencies heddis. He hath of likelihood ransacked up all dame retoryques rolls to find out this goodly figure/ to call upon the king and ask his highness where is your sword/ and tell him his sword is to dull: as though he would bid him bear it to the cutlers to grind/ that he might strike of doctor Horsayes' head whom his grace had found fawtelesse/ and testified him himself for an innocence. If this man were here matched with some such as he is himself/ that hath the eloquence that he hath that could find out such comely figures of retoryque as he findeth set forth and furnished with such vehement words as he thundereth out like thunder blasts/ that hath no less matters in his mouth than the great broad bottomless ocean see full of evils/ the weakness and dullness of the kings sword/ the translation of the king's kingdom/ the ruin of the kings crown/ with great exclamations/ Oh grievous and painful exactions/ oh cause most horrible oh grievous ship wrack of the comen wealth: what might one that had such like eloquence say here to him? surely so much and in such wise as we silly poor puling souls neither can devise nor utter. But verily two or three things we see and may well say that neither be these great matters meet for the mouth of the beggars proctor/ nor such preaching of reformation and amendment of the world meet matters for him to meddle with/ which with open heresies and plain pestilent errors/ busily goeth about to poison and infect the world: nor very convenient for him to take upon him to give counsel to a king/ when he showeth himself to have so moche presumption and so little wit/ as to ask the king a question and appoint him his answer: and therein to tell him that all the world knoweth that thing to be true/ which the king hath himself all ready by his attorney and his judges in open judgement/ and in his high court of record testified & confessed for false. If that man were not for malice as mad not as march hare/ but as a mad dog that runneth forth and snatcheth he seeth not at whom: the fellow could never else with such open folly so suddenly over see him self. But it were wrong with the world if malice had as much wit/ circumspection and providence in the pursuit of an ungracious purpose/ as it hath haste/ evil will and wiliness in the first in terprysing. For as an ape hath some similitude of a man/ and as a fox hath a certain wiliness somewhat resembling an unperfayte wit: so fareth this fellow/ that beginneth as one would ween at good zeal and charity borne toward the poor beggars. But forth with he showeth himself that he nothing else intendeth: but openly to destroy the clergy first/ & after that covertly as many as have aught above the state of beggars. And where as he would in the beginning by the touching of great matters/ fain seem very wise: with in a while in the progress he proveth himself a very stark fool. And where he would seem to show many notable things which no man had marked but he/ he provideth wisely that no man may believe him he maketh so many lies/ and all that ever he doth ferther/ he buildeth upon the same.  
¶ He layeth that the living which the clergy hath is the only cause that there be so many beggars that be sick and sore. Very well and wisely/ as though the clergy by their substance made men blind and lame. The clergy also is the cause he saith why they die for hunger/ as though every lay man gave to beggars all that ever he could/ and the clergy give them never a groat: & as though there would not more beggars walk a broad if the clergy left of such lay men as they find.  
¶ But he proveth you that the clergy must needs be the cause why there be so many poor men and beggars. For he saith that before the clergy came in their were but few poor people: and yet they begged not neither/ but men he saith gave them enough unasked. But now where sa●●he when he saw the people give poor folk so fast their allmes unasked that no man needed to beg before the clergy began. This man of likelihood is of great age/ & or ere the clergy began was wont to sit at saint Savours with a sore leg: but he begged not men gave him so much unasked. For where as he alledgyth the bible for him in the acts of the apostles/ verily we marvel much what the man meaneth. For there he may see that the apostles and the deacons which were then the clergy/ had all to gyther in there own hands/ & distributed to every man as themself thought good. And therefore we wonder what he meaneth to speak of that book. For we think that he meaneth not to hurt the clergy so now/ as to put all in to their hands. And surely but if he mean so/ else is this place nothing for his purpose. ¶ Now herein he showeth also an high point of his wit/ where he saith that the great living that the clergy hath/ which he layeth & lieth to be more than half of the hole revenues and substance of the realm: is shifted among fewer than the four hundredth part of the people. As though that of the clergyes part there had no lay people their living/ no servant any wages/ none artificer any money for working/ no carpenter no masyn any money for building: but all the money that ever cometh in their hands/ they put it by & by in their own belies/ and no lay man hath any relief thereof. And therefore this point was wisely written ye see as well as we. Now for the truth thereof/ if it were true that he saith/ that the clergy compared to the residue of the men only/ be not one to an. C. then shall ye not need to fere the great Turk and he came to morrow/ except ye suffer among you to grow in great number these Lutherans that favour him. For we dare make you the warantyse that if his lie be true/ there be more men a great meany in London and within four shires next adjoining/ than the great Turk bringeth in to Hungary. But in this ye must hold him excused/ for he meddleth not much with angry in to see to what sum the number of men ariseth that is multiplied by an. C. All his practise in multiplication meddleth with nothing but lies: & therein manche him with whom ye will/ he will give you a. C. for one. whereof if ye lack let this be the sample that he saith/ if th'abbot of westminster should sing every day as many masses for his founders as he is bound to do by his foundation. M. mōk● were to few/ ye doubt not we think but he can tell you who hath bound them to how many/ & so can make ye the plain rekeninge that th'abbot is bound in the year to no fewer masses than iii C.lxv. M. He knoweth what is every man's duty save his own. He is meet to be a beggars proctor/ that can so proll about and can tell all thing.  
¶ But now were all his painted ꝓces ye wots well nothing worth/ but if he devised against all these mischiefs some good and wholesome help. It is therefore a world to see what politic devices he findeth against the great broad bottomless ocean see of evils: what remedies to repair the ruin of the king's crown: to restore and uphold his honour and dignity: to make his sword sharp and strong: & finally to save all the ship wreck of the comen wealth. ye would peradventure ween that the man would now devise some good wholesome laws for help of all these matters. Nay he will none thereof. For he saith he doubteth that the king is not able to make any law against them. For he saith that the clergy is stronger in the parliament than the king himself. For in the higher house/ he rekenyth that the spiritualty is more in number and stronger than the temporalty. And in the comen house he saith that all the learned men of the realm except the kings learned council/ be feed with the church to speak against the kings crown and dignity in the parliament for them: and therefore he thinketh the king unable to make any law against the faults of the clergy.  
¶ This beggar's ꝓctour would fain show himself a man of great experience/ and one that had great knowledge of the manner & order used in the king's parlyamenties. But than he speaketh so savourly hereof: that it well appeareth of his wise wordis he neither canneth any skill thereof/ nor never can in the house. For as for the higher house furst the kings own rial parson alone more than counterpaysyth all the lords spiritual present with him and the temporyll to. And over this the spiritual lords can never in number exceed the lords temporal/ but must needs be far underneath them if it please the king. For his highness may call thither by his wryt many more temporal lords at his own pleasure. And being as they be/ there was never yet seen that the spiritual lords bended themself there as a party against the temporal lords. But it hath been seen that the thing which the spiritual lords have moved and thought reasonable/ the temporal lords have denied & refused: as appeareth upon the motion made for legytymacyon of the children borne before the marriage of their parents. Wherein albe it that the reformation which the lord spiritual moved/ was a thing that nothing partayned to their own commodity/ and albe it that they laid also for their part the constitution and ordinance of the church and the laws of other christian countries: yet could they not obtain against the lords temporal that nothing alleged to the contrary but their own wills.  
And therefore in the higher house the spiritual part never appeared yet so strong/ that they might over match the temporal lords. And then how much are they to feeble for them and the king to/ whose highness alone is over strong for them both/ & may by his wryt call to his parliament more temporal lords when he will. Now where he saith that in the comen house all the learned men of the realm are feed to speak for the clergy except the kings learned counsel: there be ii follies at ones. For neither be all the learned men of the realm knights or burgesses in the comen house/ and the king's learned council is not there at all. And therefore it seemeth that he hath hard somewhat of some men that had seen as little as himself. And surely if he had been in the comen house as some of us have been: he should have seen the spiritualty nat gladly spoken for. And we little doubt but that ye remember acts and statutes passed at sundry parlyamentes/ such and in such wise & some of them so late/ as yourself may see that either the clergy is not the strenger part in the kings ꝑlyement/ or else have no mind to strive. And for the ferther proof that the kings highness is not so week & unable in his own parliament as this beggars proctor so presumptuously telleth him/ his grace well knoweth and all his people to/ that in their own convocations his grace never devised nor desired any thing in his life/ that ever was denied him. And therefore this gay invention of this beggars proctor/ that he feigneth the kings highness to be in his high court of parliament more week and feeble than the clergy/ is a feeble device.  
¶ But now sith he will have no law devised for the remedy of his great complaints/ what help hath he devised else. The help of all this gear is he saith none other thing/ but to let him & such rial railers rail & gest upon the church/ and tell the people the prestis fawtes: and for the lewdness of part/ bring the hole clergy in contempt and hatred among all the temporal folk. Which thing he saith the king must needs suffer/ if he will eschew the ruin of his crown ● dygnyce/ And this thing he saith shallbe more speedful & effectual in the matter/ than all the laws that ever can be made be they never to strong. Lo good lords & masters then shall ye need no more parliament is. For here is god be thanked an easy way wisely founden to remedy with railing the great broad bottomless ocean see of evils and to save the comen weal from ship wrack/ & the kings crown from ruin.  
¶ But now to the poor beggars. what remedy findeth their proctor for thereto make hospitals? Nay ware of that/ thereof he will none in no wise. For thereof he saith the more the worse/ because they be profitable to prestis what remedy than? give them any money? Nay nay not a grot●. what other thing than? Nothing in the world will serve but this that if the kings grace will build a sure hospital that never shall fail to relieve all the sick beggars for ever/ let him give nothing to them but look what the clergy hath & take all that from them. Is not here a goodly mischief for a remedy? Is not this a rial fest to leave these beggars meteles/ and than send more to dinner to them? Oh the wise. Here want we voice and eloquence to set out an exclamation in the praise and commendation of this special high provision.  
This bill putteth he forth in the poor beggars name. But we verily think if themself have as much wit as their proctor lacketh/ they had liefer see their bill maker burned/ then their supplication sped. For they may soon perceive that he mindeth nor their almose/ but only the spoil of the clergy. For so that the clergy lose it: he neither deviseth ferther/ nor ferther forcyth who have it.  
¶ But it is ethe to see whereof springeth all his displeasure. He is angry & fretyth at the spiritual jurisdiction for the punishment of heretics and burning of their erroneous books: for ever upon that string he harpeth: very angry with the burning of Tyndals' testament. For these matters he calleth them blood suppers drunken in the blood of holy saints and martyrs. ye marvel peradventure which holy saints & martyrs he meaneth. Surely by his holy saints and martyrs he meaneth their holy schismatics and heretics/ for whose just punishment these folk that are of the same sect/ fume/ frete/ frote and foam/ as fierce and as angrily as a new hunted sow. And for the rancour conceived upon this displeasure/ cometh up all his complaint of the possessions of the clergy. Wheryn he spareth & forbeareth the nunnys yet/ because they have no jurisdiction upon heretics: for else he would have cried out upon their possessions to. But this is now no new thing nor that first time that heretics have been in hand with the matter. For first was there in the xi year of king Henry the fourth/ one Ihamn Badby burned for heresy. And forth with thereupon was there at the next parlyment holden the same year/ a bill put in/ declaring how much temporal land was in the church/ which reckoning the maker thereof gessyd at by the number of knygh●s fees/ of which he had went he had made a very just account. And in this bill was it devised to take their possessions out again. How be it by the bill it appeared well unto them which well vnders●●de the matter/ that the maker of the bill neither wist what land there 〈◊〉/ nor how many knights fees there was in the church/ nor well what thing a knights fee is: but the bill devised of rancour & evil will by some such as favoured Badby that was burned/ and would have his heresies fain go forward.  
¶ And so that bill such as it was/ such was it esteemed and set a side for nought. So happened it then soon after that in the first yereof the kings most noble progenytour king Henry the fift those heresies secretly creeping on still among the people: a great number of them had first covertly conspired and after openly gathered and assembled themself/ purposing by open war and battle to destroy the king and his nobles and subvert the realm. Whose traitorous maryce that good catholic king prevented/ withstood/ overthrew/ and punished: by many of them taken in the field/ and after for their traitorous heresies both hanged and burned. whereupon forthwith at the parlyment held the same year/ like wise as that rial prince 〈◊〉 virtuous nobles & his good christian communes/ devised good laws against heretyques: so did some of such as favoured them/ eft sons put in the bill against the spyrytualltye. Which eft sons considered for such as it was and coming of such malicious purpose as it came: was again rejected and set a side for nought. Then was there long after that/ one richard howndon burned for heresy. And then forth with were there a rabble of heretyques gathered themself to gyther at Abyndon: which not enriched to lose any more labour by putting up of bills in the parlementꝭ/ but to make an open insurrection and subvert all the realm/ and then to kill up the clergy and sell priests heads as good cheap as shepys heddis threfor a penny buy who would. But god saved the church & the realm both & turned their malice upon their own heddis. And yet after their punishment then were there some that renewed the bill again. And 〈…〉 after this was there one Ihamn Goose roasted at the tower hill. And 〈◊〉 forth with some other. Ihamn goose bygan to bear that bell a br●de again/ & made some gagging a while but it availed him not. And now because some heretyques have been of 〈◊〉 abjured/ this 〈◊〉 therefore hath made this beggars bill/ and gageleth a 〈◊〉 upon the same matter/ and that as he thinketh by a proper 〈◊〉 likely to speed now/ because he maketh his bill in the name of the 〈◊〉 and his bill cowhed as full of lies as any beggar swarmeth full of lice.  
¶ We neither will nor shall need to make much business about this 〈…〉 much better in the goodness of good men/ them 〈…〉 need for this thing to reason against an unreasonable 〈◊〉. We be sure enough that good men were they that gave this 〈…〉 and therefore nought should they be of likelihood that 〈…〉 thence again. To which ravin and sacrilege our lord● 〈…〉 shall never suffer this realm to fall.  
¶ 〈…〉 Austeyn in his days when he perceived that some 〈…〉 at the possessions that then were given in to 〈…〉 in an open sermon among all the people ●ffer them 〈…〉 again and that his church and he would forsake them/ 〈…〉 them take them who would. And yet was there not ●found● in all the town aloe it that the people were as these Affrycanis 〈…〉 barbarous/ fierce & boystuouse/ yet was there none as we say fowden any one so bad/ that his 〈◊〉 word serve him to en●●e in to one fo●e.  
¶ When Phargo the king of Egypte bought up in the dear years all the lands that were in every man's hand/ so that all the people were fain to sell their inheritance for hunger: yet idolater as he was he would never suffer for any need the possessions of the prestis to be 〈◊〉/ but made provision for them beside/ and suffered them to keep their lands still/ as the bible beareth witness/ And we verily trust that the good christian princes of the christian realm of England shall never fail of more favour toward the clergy of christ/ then had that prince Idolatre to the priests of his ydollꝭ. ye● is it not enough to the cruel mind of this man to take from the hole clergy all that ever they have/ but that he would ferther have them bounden unto carts and whipped to drive them to labour. ¶ Of all thieves is this one of the worst and most cruel kind. For of all thieves men most abhor them that when they have taken a man's money from him/ them take and bind him and beat him to. But ye● is this wretch much worse. For he fareth as a cruel thief that would without respect of his own commodity/ take a mannꝭ money from him and cast it he care not where/ and than bind the man to a tree and beat him for his pleasure. Oh the charity.  
¶ But he sayeth he would have them whipped to compel them to labour and get their living in the sweet of their faces. And this would he not good man but for fulfulling of God's commandment. For he sayeth that it is commanded them in the first chapter of genesis. And therefore is he therein so indifferent th●t he excepteth none/ but calleth the best but idle holy thieves/ and so would have th● all rob and spoiled/ bounden and beaten to compel them to w●●k with their hands/ to get their living in the sweet of their faces for the fulfulling of God's commandment. Among this company that he would suddenly send forth new rob with right nought left them: is there many a good man that hath lived full godly many a fair day/ and duly served god & prayed for us/ which we have well founden: many an old man: many a sore sick man: and many blind and many same to. All which as soon as they be driven out of their own doors/ this charitable man would be very well content to see them bounden and beaten to/ because they be of the clergy For exception maketh he none/ in this world.  
¶ He layeth unto the charge of the clergy that they live idle 〈…〉 that they be all bound to labour and get their living in the swe●e of their faces/ by the precept that god gave to Adam in the first chapter of genesis. Here this man showeth his cunning. For if 〈◊〉 be so: then were the priests in the old law bounden thereto as well as is the clergy now. And then how happened it that of this poy●●e there was no mention made by Moses? how happened it that god in that law provided them much larger living than he did the lay people? & that such kind of living as declared that his pleasure was that they should live out of labour and upon the labour of other man's hands? The holy apostle saint paul/ all though himself in some places forbore to take his living freely/ but rather chose to live of his own labour then to be in their danger which would happily have said that he preached because he would live at ●ase thereby/ and this did he specially to put such false apostles to 〈◊〉/ as for such desire of idle living fell some where to false preaching: yet neither did he so in every place/ and also confessed and said that he might well and lawfully have done the contrary/ affirming it for good reason that he that serveth the altar should live of the 〈◊〉 & saying also: if we sow unto you spiritual things/ is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things? Now christ his own mouth said unto the people/ that they should not leave their duties unpaid unto the priests. And this good christen man would have them all clean taken from them and yet the priests well beaten to.  
¶ He reckoneth all the clergy idle/ because they labour not with their hands till their faces sweet. But our saviour christ reckoned far other wise in blessed Mary Magdalene/ 〈…〉 sitting at her case and harkening/ he accounted and declared 〈…〉 business than the busy stirring & walking about of his good 〈…〉 Martha which was yet of all worldly business occupied about the best: for she was busy about almose and hospetalyte/ and the jesting of the best poor man and most gracious geste that ever was gested in this world.  
¶ Now if this can not yet content this good man because of god commandment given unto Adam that he should eat his breed in the sweet of his face: them wo●d we fain wit whycher h●m self never go to me●e till he have wrought so sore with his hands if at his face sweteth Surely we believe he laboureth not so sore before every meal. 〈…〉 w●renor good to trust his answer/ for he will happily say yes/ and not le●e for one lie among so many. How be it he thinketh it peradventure enough for him/ y● 〈…〉 sweet in seeking out old heresies/ & devising n●we And verily if he look that such business should serve him for a discharge of hard labour moche be●er may we think 〈…〉 of many good men whom he would have beaten 〈…〉 lives in fasting/ prayer & preaching/ and studying abow● the troth. ¶ But it is good to look bytyme what this beggars 〈◊〉 meaneth by this commandment of ●and labour that he speaketh of whe● if he confess that it bindeth not every man: then is it laid ●o no purpose against the clergy. For 〈◊〉 was a small clergy 〈◊〉 that word was said to our first fodder Adam. But now if he call as be 〈◊〉/ and than will that it 〈◊〉 unto all the hol● kind of man/ as a thing by god commanded unto Adam and all his of spring them though he say little now/ he meaneth to go 〈…〉 then he speaketh of yet. For if he might first have the clergy put out of their living/ and all that they have clean taken from them/ a might have them joined to these beggars if a● be now/ and over that added unto them and send a begging to/ all ●hose that the clergy find now full honestly: this pageaunt once played/ and his beggars bill so well sped/ then when the beggars should have so much 〈◊〉 living and be so many moo in multitude: surely like wise as for the beggars he now maketh his bill to the king's highness against bishops/ abbo●tys/ priors/ prela●ys/ and priests: so would he then wychyn a while after make another bill to the people against merchaunties/ gentlemen/ king's/ lords/ and princes/ and complain that they have all/ and say that they do nothing for it but live idle/ and that they be commanded in genesis to live by the labour of their hands in the sweet of their faces/ as he saith by the clergy now. Wherein if they ween that they shall stand in other case than the clergy doth now: they may peradventure sore deceive themself. For if they will think that their case shall not be called all one because they have lands and goods to live upon/ they must consider so hath the clergy to. But that is the thing that this beggars ꝓctor complaineth upon/ and would have them taken away. Now if the landed men suppose that their case shall not seem one with the case of the clergy/ because they shall happily think that the church hath their possessions given them for causes which they fulfil not/ and that if their possessions happen to be taken from them it shallbe done upon that ground/ and so the lay landed men out of that fere because they think that such like occasion and ground and consideration faileth and can not be founden in them a their inheritance: surely if any man clerk or lay have landis in the gift whereof hath been any condition adjoined which he fulfilleth not/ the giver may well with reason use therein such advantage as that law giveth him. But on the t'other side who so will advise princes or lay people to take from the clergy their possessions/ alleging matters at large/ as laying to their charge that they live not as they should/ nor use not well their possessions/ and that therefore it were well done to take them from them by force and dispose them better: we dare boldly say who so giveth this device as now doth this beggar's proctor/ we word give you counsel to look well what will follow. For he shall not fail as we said before if this bill of his were sped/ to find you soon after in a new supplication new bald reasons enough that should please the people's cares/ wherewych he would labour to have lords landis and all honest men's goods to be pulled from them by force a dysiry bu●ed among beggars. Of which there should in this wise that he deviseth increase and grow so many/ that they should be able for a sudden shift to make a strong parley. And surely as the fire ever ●●epeth forward and laboureth to turn all into fire: so will such bold beggars as this is/ never cease to solycyte and precure all that they can/ the spoil and robbery of all that ought have/ and to make all beggars as they be themself.  
¶ We be con●ent that ye believe us not/ but if it have so provided all ready by those uplandish Lutherans that rose up in almain. Which being once raised by such sedycyose bokis as is this beggar's supplication/ & such seditious heretics as is he that made it: set first upon spiritual prelates. But shortly thereupon they so sirechyd unto the temporal princes/ that they were fain to join in aid of themself with those whom they laughed at furst to see them put in the paryll/ hoping to have had the profit of their loss/ till they saw that they were likely to lose their own with them. And for all the punishment that they pursued upon those rebellious parson's/ of whom there were in one summer slain above lx M. yet is that fire rather covored than quenchyd● because they suffered it creep forth so far at furst/ that 〈◊〉 ar●ow thereby among the lords themself/ as there can never 〈◊〉 some needy ravenous sanded men/ that shallbe ready to be captains in all such rebellions: as was the lord Cobham called Old castle sometime a captain of heretics in England in the days of king 〈◊〉 the fift. And surely there would soon follow some sore change in the temporalie/ if this beggars proctor have his malicious supplication sped against the spiritualty.  
¶ ●ut yet lest folk should abhor his hard heart and cruelty: the man temperyth his matter with a goodly visage of the sore inward sorrow that he taketh for the 〈◊〉 of mankind/ and with the great zeal that he heareth to generation for the good increase of christian people in the sand. For he would for that cause in any wise that all the clergy should have wives. For he asketh the kings highness as the man ha●h caught a great pleasure to appose the king/ wherein he useth a figure of rhetoric that men call sauce malaper●e what an infinite number of people might have been increased to have peopled your realm/ if this sort of folk had been ma●●ed like other men. This matter that priests must needs have ●wyues he bring lhe dyuers●y in iii or four placies. And among other he hath one/ wherein he showeth in raising against the clergy a principal par●e of his excellence eloquence. For there he useth his rial figure of rhetoric called repetition/ repeating often by the hole clergy: these be they in the beginning of his clause▪ These be they that have made. C.M. idle whores in your realm. These be they that corrupt the generation of mankind in your realm. These be they that draw men's wives in to incontynency in your realm. And after divers of such these be these/ he concludeth & knitteth up the ma●er with his accustomed vehemence ●et out of Luther's volumies asking who is able to number the great broad bottomless ocean see full of evils/ that this mischievous and sinful generation bringeth up upon us? As though all the hole clergy were of this condition and no man else but they. But among all his these be thays/ this is one which as the sorest and the most vehement/ he secteth in the fore front of them all: These be they that by their abstaining fro maryage● do let the generation of the people/ whereby all the realm at length if it should be continued shallbe made desert and inhabitable.  
● Lo the deep insight that this beggar's proctor hath in the broad bottomless ocean see full of evils to save the grievous shipwreck of the comen wealth. He seeth far farther than ever Cryst was ware of/ or any of his blessed apostles/ or any of the old holy fathers of crysties faith and resigyon sins his holy assention hitherto/ till now that Luther came of late and Tyndale after him/ & spied out this great secret mystery that neither god nor good man could espy. If their abstaining fro marriage should make all the land desort and inhabitable/ how happeth it that habitation endureth therein so long: for the land hath lasted sith the beginning of their abstaining from marriage ye wots well many a fair day. And now if their abstaining from marriage not withstanding/ the land hath been upholden with the generation of you that are the temporalie so long: ye shall likewise hereafter be god grace and the help of good prayers for keeping the land from wilderness/ be able to get children still yourself/ and shall not need to call neither monks nor freres to help you.  
¶ Now if it be so that the clergy be as he saith but the hundred p●rt of the men/ and yet not so much nether: there is not then so great apparel of the land to fall to wilderness/ but that the. lxxxxix. parts may maintain it populous/ though the hundred part abstain. 〈◊〉 for to show that he hath not left his anxyouse favour toward his native country though he be run away from it for heresy feareth sore lest the hundred par●e forbearing marriage/ all the. lxxxxix. 〈◊〉 shall not be able so to preserve it with generation/ but that it shall wa● not only desert/ but also/ whereof we most wonder inhabitable/ that is to say such as of it self shall not be able for many ● habitation: But he peradventure taketh inhabitable for desert/ desolate and not inhabited/ because men should see that he can so roll in his rhetoric/ that he wotteth not what his own words mean.  
¶ And somewhat yet is it to be considered/ that in such part of his book that he would have it appear that their living is to much: there he would make it seem that they were very few. And where he would have them take wifes: he would have them seem so many/ that their abstaining from marriage were able to bring all the land into desolation and wilderness. And thus he handleth either part so wisely: that there lacketh him nothing earthly therein/ but even a penny weight of wit. For faw● whereof/ his wily folly foreseeth not that one par●e of his process ever impugneth another. For they that were right now so small a part of people that a little would suffice for their living: be now suddenly so many that if they were married infinite number of people he saith to the king would increase to people his 〈◊〉 in with Now if that be true that of them alone if they were married/ so infinite number of people would increase/ that it would make the realm populous: then either are they contrary to his count more than the hundredth part (for one out of a. C. is no very parceyvable miss/ nor one added to an. C. no very parcevable increase) or else if they be but the hundred part as he made his reckoning right now/ yet if it be then true that he saith sins/ that of the hundred part married so infinite number of people might yncrease to people the realm: then can he not deny but that of the. lxxxxix. parties there may grow. lxxxxix. times infinite number of people. And then they being so/ though the clergy being as he saith but the hundred part never marry: yet shall y● po●● fool not need to wake & wax lean for fere of the realm falling to wilderness. In which he seeth that there may of thee. lxxxxix. partis re●●ew/ grow and increase. lxxxxix. times infinite number of people to make that land populous. ¶ Yet marvel we much of one thing the in all his fere that generation should fail because the clergy marrieth not: he seeth no man unmarried in all the realm but then How many servants? How many tall serving men are there in the realm that might if men saw such a sudden necessity/ rather marry than the clergy that have vowed to god the contrary? But he forceth not so much for the matter that he maketh his pretext/ as he doth in deed to have all vows void/ that he might get Luther sum lewd companions in England.  
¶ But now what if this good man had the rule of this matter/ and would put out all the clergy and bid them go wed? He should paradu●ture find some that would not much stick thereat: but they should be of the worst sort/ and such as now be slander of their order/ & whom it were most need to keep fro generation/ lest evil crows bring you forth yver birds. But as for the good presties & good religious whose children were like to be best and to be best brought up: they would not marry for breach of their vows. And thus should ye have the naughty generations increase whereof there be to many all ready: and of the better never the more.  
¶ What would this good man do now with good folk of the clergy that would not marry? He would of likelihood bind them to cartis and beat them and make them wed in the wanyand. But now what if women will not wed them/ namely sith he sendeth them out with right nought/ saving slander/ shame and villainy? what remedy will he find therefore? He will of likelihood compel the women to wed them: & if the wench be nice and play the wanton and make the matter strange then will he beat her to bed to.  
¶ Surely we can not but here confess the troth/ these nice and wanton words do not very well with us: but we must pray god and you to pardon us. For in good faith his matter of monks maryagys' is so mere and so mad/ that it were able to make one laugh that seethe in the fire: & so much the more/ in how much he more earnestly preacyth upon the king in this point/ to have in any wise the clergy rob spoiled/ bound/ beaten and wedded. Whereby what opinion he hath of wedding/ ye may soon perceive: for ye see well that if he thought it good/ he would not wyssh it them. ¶ Many that read his words/ ween that he were some merry mad geste: but he seemeth us far otherwise. For except he were a wondrous sad man of himself/ he could never speak so earnestly in so mad a matter.  
¶ Yet one thing would we very fain wit of him. When he had rob spoiled/ bound/ beaten and wedded all the clergy/ what would he then▪ Should any of them be curates of men's souls and preach and minister the sacraments to the people or not?  
¶ If they should: it were a very strange fashion to rob him/ bind him/ and beat him on the tone day: and then kneel to him/ and confess to him/ and receive the sacrament of his hand on the t'other day/ reverently here him preach in the pulpytte/ and than bid him go get him home and clout shone. Either he must mean to have it thus/ which none honest man could endure to see: or else of which twain we wot near well whither is the worse/ he intendeth to have all holy orders accounted as nothing/ and to have no more sacraments ministered at all: but where as soon after crystes ascension his church buried the ceremonies of the jews synagogue with honour and reverence/ so would he now that christian people should kill & cast out on a dung hill the blessed sacraments of christ with v●lany rebuke and shame. And surely to tell you the troth/ this is his very final intent and purpose/ and the very mark that he shooteth at/ as a special point and foundation of all Luther's heresies whereof this man is one of the banner bearers. And therefore here would his own high sore words have good place against himself. For this mischievous devise of his/ is in deed a great broad bottomless ocean see full of evils/ wherein would not fail the grievous shipwreck of the comen wealth which god would soon forsake if the people ones forsake his faith/ and contemned his holy sacraments/ as this beggars proctor laboureth to bring about. Which thing his device and conveyance well declareth/ all though he forbear expressly to say so far/ because of the good● & gracious catholic mind that he well knoweth and by his graces excellent writing perceiveth to be borne by the kings highness/ to the catholic faith. For which he covereth his malicious intent and purpose toward the faith/ under the cloak of many temporal benefits/ that he saith should succeed and follow to the king's highness and his realm/ if these his high politic devices were once by his grace agreed.  
¶ For in the end of all his bill: he gathereth his high commodities together/ saying that if the king take all from the clergy/ set them abroad at the wide world with right nought to wed & take wives/ and make them labour for their living till they sweet/ bind them to carts and beat them well/ he saith to the king in the beggars names: then shall as well the number of our foresaid mons●ruouse sort/ as of the bawds/ whores/ thiefs/ and idle people decrease. Then shall these great yearly exactions cease/ Then shall not your sword/ power/ crown/ dignity and obedience of your people be translated from you. Then shall you have full obedience of your people. Then shall the idle people be set a-work. Then shall matrimony be much better kept. Then shall the generation of your people be increased. Then shall your commons increase in riches. Then shall none take hour almose from us. Then shall the gospel be preached. Then shall we have enough and more. Then shallbe the best hospital that ever was founded for us. Then shall we pray to god for your noble estate long to endure.  
¶ Lo here here ye heped up many great commodities/ if they were all true. But we showed you before and have also proved you/ that his bill is much grounded upon many great lies/ whereof he by and by began with some and after went forth with more. And now to th'intent that th'end should be somewhat surely to the remanaunte as he began with lies and went forth with lies/ so will he with lies likewise make an end: saving that in the beginning he gave them out by tale/ and in the end he bringeth them in by heaps. For first he saith that then shall the number of sore and like beggars decrease. How so? shall there by the robbing/ wedding/ binding and beating of the clergye● blind beggars get their sight again or same beggars their legs? is there no man in all the clergy sick and sore that shallbe by this way sent unto them? should there not many that now be in good health wax shortly sick and sore/ and sit and beg with them? were this a mynyshement of sick and sore beggars to make more and send to them?  
¶ Then shall/ he say bawdꝭ/ ●hores/ thieves/ & idle people decrece. This man weeneth he were cousin to god/ & could do as he did: Dixit & facta sunt. For as soon as he hath devised it/ now weeneth he that if they were all put out & so served by & by/ then were all forthwith in good order. As soon as he saith let them wed/ now he weeneth that forthwith every priest monk & frere hath a wife. As soon as he hath said bind them & beat them to work/ forthwith he weeneth every man is at his work. And all this he reckoneth sure ere ever he provide work for them/ or where they shall dwell/ or who shall take so many to work at once that never were wont to work before/ and this where he seeth many walk idle all ready/ that either no beating can drive to work/ or else no man will take to work. first we trust that among the clergy there be many men of that goodness and virtue/ that scant a devil could find in his heart to handle them in such dyspytuouse and dyspyghtfull manner. But go to set their honest living and virtue lie still in question/ yet at the lest wise he will grant they be good or nought. Now than if they be good: he is to very a villain that would serve good men so. And on y● to their side if they be all as he would have them all seem/ unthrifty/ sewde/ and nought: how can it be that by that reason of so many so naughty/ so suddenly set out at large/ ye should have bawds/ harlots/ thiefs/ & idle people decrease? except he think that those whom he calleth nought all ready being as they now be kept in/ and in honest fashion refrained/ & many kept up in cloisters/ willbe better ruled abroad running at the wild world as bukkies broken out of a park. Over this how can there by the maryagys' of priests/ monkys/ & fryres/ be fewer whores and bawdies/ when by the very marriage it self being as it were incestuous & abominable/ all were stark harlots that married them/ and all stark bawdies that should help to bring them to gether.  
¶ Then shall he saith/ these great yearly exactions cease. How can such things cease as never yet began. Ye remember what things he calied exactions/ the freres quarterage/ which he said that they exact of every household/ and compel them to pay it upon pain of heresy/ bearing of a faggot or burning. Can he among so many as payeth it not/ lay you one sample that ever any said he was so served this seven year/ this vii score year/ this vii C. year? Can he say that ever it was exacted of himself? We know where he dwelled/ and that if he had had none other cause to run away/ surely for any fere of freres that ever exacted of him quarterage/ he would not have been afraid to dwell by the best of their beards.  
¶ Then shall idle folk he sayeth be set a work. By what meanys? whom hath he devised more to set idle men a work? but if he look that idle men shallbe set a work by them whom he sendeth out of their own houses without money or wax/ neither he nor they wot whither.  
¶ Then shall matrimony by much better kept. Why so? because there be more men unmarried sent out abroad to break it? Who (if they be such as he calleth them) were (if they went all abroad) well likely to break many another man's marriage ere they made all their own.  
¶ Then shall the generation of your people be increased. Is that the greatest fault he findeth the lak of generation? If he saw as far as he would seem to see/ then should be spire that it were first more need to provide houses to dwell in/ with land laid thereto for tillage: or else experience teacheth that there is generation enough for the corn that the ground beareth. And that thing ones well provided for/ there will enough be founden to multiply more generation of such as may lawfully wed and would wed/ if they wist where after wedding their wife and their children should dwell.  
¶ Then shall not your sword/ power/ crown/ and dignity/ and obedience of your people/ be taken from you. Who hath taken it away now? who hath his sword borne but his highness himself or such his deputies as he appointeth it unto? his crown no man weareth but himself/ as far as ever any of us herd. And yet if his highness have any crowned kings under him/ his sword/ power crown & dignity/ is nothing defaced nor minished: but honowred & enhanced by that. But all the mischief is that the spiritual court hath examination of heretyques/ this is all the grief. For as for obedience of the king's people/ his highness findeth none taken from him. Was there ever king in this realm better obeyed than he? Hath his highness of any part of his realm been better obeyed or more humbly served than of his clergy? Was there ever any king in the realm that had his crown translated from him/ because the clergy had lands given them/ or because men gave almose to the poor freres? in good faith ye may trust us we never knew none such. When the beggars proctor proveth any such ye may then believe him: and in the mean time ye may well believe he lieth.  
¶ Then shall ye have obedience of your people. yet again? Till he find in the king's realm some that dare dysobay him/ it were not much against reason that harping so much upon that string/ that every man's care perceiveth so false and so far out of tune: he should confess himself a fool.  
¶ Then shall your people increase in richesse. Wherefore the rather? Not one halfpenny for aught that he hath spoken yet/ except he mean when he taketh the land from the clergy/ then to divide it among the people and make a dole of the freres almose to. And if he mean so: when he sayeth it out plainly then will we tell you what he meaneth more. But in the mean season to prove him both false and foolish/ it is enough to tell him/ that the people can not wax rich by their coming to them that are sent out naked and bring nought with them.  
¶ Then shall none beg our almose from us. No pard/ none but all they that ye will have sent out naked to you/ which would be more than ye would be glad to see sit and beg with you/ and see them ask your almose from you that were wont to give almose to you.  
¶ Then shall the gospel be preached. ye marry that that. There is the great matter that all this gaping is for. For undoubtedly all the gaping is for a new gospel. Men have been wont this many years to preach the gospel of christ in such wise as saint Matthew/ saint Mark/ saint Luke/ and saint Ihamn hath written it/ and in such wise as the old holy doctors saint Hyero●●/ saint Austyn/ saint Ambrose saint Gregory/ saint chrysostom/ saint basil/ saint Cyrpian/ saint Barnerd/ saint Thomas/ and all the old holy faders sins crysties days until your own days have understand it. This gospel hath been as we say always thus preached. Why sayeth he now that if the clergy were cast out for nought/ that then the gospel should be preached. Who should then be these prechours? He meaneth not that the clergy shall/ ye may see that well. Who than? Who but some lay Lutherans? And what gospel shall they preach? Not your old gospel of christ: for that is it which was wont to be preached unto you. And he would ye should now think that the gospel shall begin to be preached: and yet not begin to be preached among you/ till the clergy be cast out. What gospel shall that be than that shall then be preached? What gospel but Luther's gospel and Tyndals' gospel? telling you that only faith sufficeth you for saluacayn: and that there needeth no good works/ but that it were sacrilege and abomination to go about to please god with any good works: and that there is no purgatory/ nor that the sacraments be nothing worth/ nor that no law can be made by man to bind you: but that by your only faith ye may do what ye will: & that if ye obey any law or governor/ all is of your own courtesy & not of any duty at all: faith hath set you in such a lewd liberty.  
¶ This & many a mad frantyke folly shallbe the gospel that then shall be preached/ whereof he boasteth now as of one of the most special commodities/ that shall succeed upon his goodly and godly devices.  
¶ Will ye plainly perceive that he meaneth thus: After all his mischievous rehearsed against the church: he hath an other matter in his mind/ which he dare not yet speak of/ but he maketh thereof a secret overture leaving it in such wise at large/ as he would that men should guess what he men/ & yet he reseruyth himself some refuge to flit therefro when he list. For if he should see that men should mislike it/ he would in such case say that he meant some other thing. And therefore he purposeth it under these words: Here leave we out the greatyst matter of all/ lest we declaring such an horrible carrayn of evil against the ministers of iniquity/ should seem to declare the one only fault or rather the ignorance of our best beloved minister of righteousness. which is to be hid till he may be learned by these small enormities that we have spoken of/ to know it plainly himself.  
¶ This thing put forth like a riddle/ hard to read what it should signify: we have had synnies/ by such as we before showed you that died and came hither/ plainly declared unto us. And surely who so well adviseth his wordis/ and well pondereth his hole purpose/ and the summary effect of his book: shall mow son perceive what he meaneth in that place. For what should that thing be that he leaveth out that should be the greatest of all/ and that should be laid against the ministers of iniquity which he meaneth and calleth the hole clergy and that should be such an horrible carrion of evil/ that it should pass & exceed any mischievous matter that he had all ready spoken against before? what manner of mychevouse matter should this be?  
This horrible carrayn of evil that he leaveth out/ sith it is as he saith the greatest matter of all● must needs ye wots well be greater against the clergy/ than all that great broad bottomless ocean see of evils: more than all his These be they: more than the making of such great number of beggars/ of idle men/ bawdy/ hoories and thiefs: more than the hyndring of matrimony/ corrupting of generation: more than translating the king's kingdom: more than bringing the king's crown to ruin: more than bringing the comen weal to shipwreck/ and all the realm to wilderness. What thing can this horrible carrayn be that the clergy doth/ that he leaveth out for a while/ that so far excedyth these mychevouse matters before remembered/ that in comparison of it he calleth them all small enormities/ & as a man would say little pretty peccadulyans? Verily by this thing meaneth he none other/ but the preaching of the very hole corpse and body of the blessed faith of christ/ & the ministering of the blessed sacraments of our saviour christ/ and of all those in especial the consecrating of the sacred body the flesh and blood of our saviour christ. For the techynh & preaching of all which things/ this beggars ꝓctour or rather the devils proctor with other beggars that lak grace and nether beg nor look for none: bear all this their malice & wrath to the church of christ. And saying there is no way for attaining their intent but one of the twain/ that is to wit either plainly to write against the faith and the sacraments (wheryn if they got them credence and obtained/ they then see well the church must needs fall therwyth● or else to labour against the church alone/ & get the clergy destroyed/ whereupon they perceive well that the saith and sacramentis would not fail to decay: they perceiving/ have therefore first assayed the furst way all ready/ sending forth Tyndals' translation of the new testament in such wise handled as it should have been the fountain and well spring of all their hole heresies. For he had corrupted and purposely changed in many placies the text/ with such words as he might make it seem to the unlearned people/ that the scryputre affirmed their heresies itself. Then came soon after out in print the dialogue of frere Roy & frere Hyerome/ between the father & the son against the sacrament of the altar: & the blasphemous book entitled the burying of the mas●e. Then came forth after tyndal's wicked book of Mammona/ & after that his more wicked book of obydyence. In which bokys afore specyfyed they go forth plainly against the faith and holy sacraments of Crysties church/ and most especially against the blessed sacrament of the altar/ with as villainous wordis as the wretches could devise. But when they have perceived by exꝑyence that good people abhorred their abominable bokis: them they being thereby learned that the furst way was not the best for the furtherance of their purpose/ have now determined themself to assay the second way/ that is to wit the forbearing to write so openly and directly against all the faith & the sacraments as good christian men could not abide the reading/ they would/ with little touching of their other heresies/ make one book specially against the church & look how that would prove. Which if it succeed after their appetyties that they might with false crimes said unto some/ or with the very fawtis of some bring the hole church in hatred and have the clergy destroyed: then should they more easily win their purpose that way. For when the prechours of the faith and very gospel were destroyed or far out of credence with the people/ then should they have their own false gospels preached/ as ye may perceive that this man meaneth where he saith that them shall the gospel be preached. And therefore this is the thing which this man as yet leaveth out against them/ that is to wit the preaching of the right faith and the sacraments/ which thing he reckoneth in the clergy a more horrible carrion/ than all the crimes wherein he hath bylyed them before: And therefore saith he that he leaveth it out/ lest he should seem to declare the one and only fault of the kings highness. Which one only fault he meaneth his graces moste famous and most gracious book/ that his highness as a prince of excellent erudition/ virtue/ and devotion toward the catholic faith of christ/ made of thassertion of the sacraments against the furious book of Marthin Luther. This godly deed done by his highness/ with thacceptacyon of his godly well deserved title of defensoure of the faith given his grace by the see apostolic/ this calleth this beggars proctor the king's one and only fault and ignorance of their false faith in estimation of these heretyques/ which this beggars proctor saith that he will for the while hide and cover under his cloak of silence/ till the king may by these enormities where with he belieth the church in his beggars bill (which enormities he calleth small enormities in comparison of the preaching of the catholic faith and the sacraments) be learned. What lesson trow ye? None other surely/ but that they hope that as well his highness as his people/ may by such beggars bills be first allured and brought in/ to contemn/ hate and destroy the church: and then thereby learn the other lesson which he now leaveth out for the while/ that is to wit to set at nought the catholic faith and all the blessed sacraments/ after the teaching of Luther's and Tyndallies gospel. And therefore saith he as we told you byfar/ that then shall the gospel be preached.  
¶ And in the mean time y● man useth as he weeneth himself to ward the king's grace a very wise fashion of flattery/ calling him their best beloved minister of righteousness: yet be they not only run away for fere of the righteousness of their best beloved minister of righteousness/ but also would it should seem that his highness were such a minister of righteousness/ as either set so little by righteousness that he would wittingly suffer/ or else had so little insyght in righteousness that he could not perceive/ so great a matter and such an horrible carrayn of evil committed by the church/ as were so heinous/ so huge and so great: that in comparison thereof/ the translating of his kingdom/ the ruin of his crown/ the shipwreck of his comen w●ale/ the dyspepling of his realm/ and bringing all his land in to desolation and wilderness: were but sleight matters and small enormities. And that his higness should toward this great horrible a intolerable mischievous demeanour of the church/ be aiding and assistant either of evil mind or of ignorance/ till that by their beggarly bill being turned into the hatred & the destruction of the church he might thereby be illumined to learn and perceive that the faith which his grace had before both learned & taught/ and whereof himself is the deffensor/ is false and feigned: and if at the sacramentis be but mennies inventions/ and that thereupon he should be content to learn the gospel of Luther and the testament of Tyndale. And thus ye may see what the beggar's ꝓctour meant by his proper invented riddle/ by which as ye see under a fond face of flattery he useth toward his prince and sovereign lord●●whose majesty both by the law of god & the duty of his allegiance he were highly bounden to reverence) an open plain despite and contumely.  
¶ Now to th'intent that ye may yet farther perceive and see that they by the destruction of the clergy/ mean the clear abolition of Crysties faith: it may like you to confer and compare to gether ii placis of his beggar's bill. In one place after that he hath heaped up to gether all his lies against the hole clergy/ & thereto adjoined his grievous exclamation: Oh the grievous shipwreck of the comen weal: he saith that in ancient time before the coming of the clergy/ there were but few poor people & yet they did not beg/ but there was given them ynogh unasked/ because at that time he saith there was no clergy (whom he calleth always ravenous wolfs) to ask it fro them: and this saith he appeareth in the book of the acts of the apostles. In this place we let pass his threefold folly. One that he would by that there were no beggars in one place/ prove thereby that there were none in all the world beside. For as he for lack of wit and understanding mystaketh the book/ he weeneth that there were none that begged in Hyerusalem. which if it were true/ yet might there be enough in other placies.  
Another of his follies is in that he allegeth a book for him that no thing proveth his purpose. For in all that hole book shall he neither find that there was at that time few poor people/ nor that poor people at that time begged not. Far of truth there were poor people and beggars/ idle people/ and thieves to/ good plenty both then and all way before/ sins almost as long as noah's flood/ and yet peradventure seven year afore that to. And so were there in deed in Heyrusalem also among them all/ till christendom came in/ and yet remained then among such people there as turned not to the faith of Cryst. The third folly is/ he layeth that book for him which in deed proveth plain against him. For where he sayeth it appeareth there that the clergy was not then come/ we can not in the world devise of what people he speaketh paynims/ Jews/ or christian men. If he mean among paynims/ his folly and his falsehood both is to evident. For who knoweth not that among the paynims they had all way their priests/ whose living was well and plenteously provided for/ as ye may perceive not only by many other stories/ but also by many places in the bible/ and specially in the xlvii chapter of genesies. If he speak of the jews/ every man woteth well that they had a clergy thousands of years bifore the book that he allegeth/ & their living far more largely provided for/ then any part of the people bysyde/ and that by goddies own ordinance. Now if he speak of the christian people that was at that time in Jerusalem where that faith began/ his book maketh sore against him. For there was a clergy as soon as there was any christian people. For the clergy began them. And that clergy had not a part of the christian peoples substance/ but had it all to gether/ and did distribute it as they saw need/ which no man doubteth but that the parties showed them/ or else in some needs they must needs have laked. So that here were many poor men if they be poor that have nought left/ & all they beggars/ if they be beggars that be fain to show their need and ask/ and the clergy had all to gyther. And yet layeth this wise man this book for him/ being such as if he should have sitten and studied therefore/ he could not have founden a book that made more against him.  
¶ But as we said before/ we shall let his false folly pass/ and pray you to consider what he would have you believe. He sayeth and would ye should ween that there were few poor folk/ and no beggars no where before the clergy of crystendom can in/ but that all the poverty & beggary can in to the world with the christen clergy. Now knoweth every man that the christian clergy & the christian faith/ came in to the christian people to gether/ so that in effect his words way to this that all poverty and beggary came in to the world with the christian faith.  
¶ Set now to this place the other place of his in the end and conclusion of his book/ where he saith that after the clergy spoiled once and cast out/ then shall the gospel be preached/ and then shall we beggars have enough & more: lo like as in the tone place he showeth that all begary came in with the clergy that brought in the faith/ so showeth be in the t'other that there should with the clergy all beggary go forth again/ if they were so clean cast out that christs gospel being cast out with them/ and the faith which came in with them/ they might have that gospel preached as they say they should and as in deed they should which they call the gospel/ that is to wit Luther's gospel and Tyndallies testament/ preaching the destruction of Crysties very faith & his holy sacramentis/ advancing & setting forth all boldness of sin & wretchedness/ and under the false name of crysten freedom/ spurring forward the dyvylysh unbridled appetite of lewd seditious and rebellious liberty/ that slew in one summer as we showed you before above lx M. of the poor uplandysh Lutheranis in almain. And this is all that these heretics look for as the fruit of their seditious books and beggars bills/ trusting by some such ways to be eased of their beggary/ which they now sustain being run out of the realm for heresy. For if they might as they fain wold● have the clergy cast out/ and Crysties gospel cast of/ and their own gospel preached: them hope they to find that word true where he saith: then shall we have enough and more.  
¶ For of all that ever he hath said/ he hath not almost said one true word save this. And surely this word would after their gospel once preached & received be founden over true. For then should the beggars/ nat such beggars as he seemeth to speak for that be sick sore and lame/ but such bold presumptuous beggars as he is in deed/ hole & strong in body but week & sick in soul/ that have their bodies clean fro skabbies and their souls foul infect with ugly great pokkies & lepry: these beggars would hope to have & except good men take good heed would not fail to have enough and a great deal more. For after that they might the clergy furst destroyed bring in once after that the preaching of Luther's gospel and Tyndals' testament/ and might with their herysyes and false faith infect and corrupt the people/ causing them to set the blessed sacramentis aside/ to set holy days and fasting days at youth/ to contemn all good works/ to guessed & rail against holy vowed castyte/ to blaspheme the old holy fathers and doctors of christs church/ to mok and scorn the blessed saints and martyrs that died for Crysties faith/ to reject and refuse the faith that those holy martyries lived and died for/ and in the stead of the true faith of christ continued this xu C. years/ to take now the false faith of a fond frere/ of old condemned and of new reforged wythyn so few days with contempt of god and all good men/ and obstinate rebellious mind against all laws rule and governance/ with arrogant presumption to meddle with every man's substance/ with every man's land/ and every man's matter nothing pertaining to them: it is we say no doubt/ but that such bold presumptuous beggars will/ if ye look not well to their handis/ not fail to have as he writeth enough and more to. For they shall gather to guider at last/ and assemble themselves in plumpes and in great rowtes/ and from asking fall to the taking of their almoyse themself/ and under pretext of reformation (bearing every man that aught hath/ in hand that he hath to much) shall assay to make new division of every man's land and substance: never ceacing if ye suffer them/ till they make all beggars as they be themself/ and at last bring all the realm to ruin/ and this not without bochery and fowl bloody hands.  
¶ And therefore this beggars proctor or rather the proctor of hell should have concluded his supplication not under the manner that he hath done/ that after the clergy cast out/ than shall the gospel be preached: then shall beggars and bawdies decrease: them shall idle folk and thiefs be fewer: then shall the realm increase in richesse and so forth. But he should have said: After that the clergy is thus destroyed and cast out/ then shall Luther's gospel come in/ then shall Tyndallies testament be taken up: Then shall false heresies be preached: Then shall the sacramentis be set ate enough: Then shall fasting & prayer be neglected: Then shall holy saints be blasphemed: Then shall almighty god be disposed: Then shall he wythdrade his grace and let all run to ruin: Then shall all virtue be had in derysy●n: Then shall all vice reign and run forth unbridled: Then shall youth leave labour and all occupation: Then shall folk wax idle and fall to unthryftynesse: Then shall hories and thiefs beggars and bawdys' increase: Then shall unthryfties flock together and swarm about and each bear him bold of other: Then shall all laws be laughed to scorn: Then shall the servants set nought by their masters/ and unruly people rebel against their rulers: Then will rise up rifling and robbery/ murder and mischief/ & plain insurrection/ whereof what would be th'end or when you should see it/ only god knoweth. All which mischief may yet be wythstanden easily and with god grace so shall it/ if ye suffer no such bold beggars to seduce you with seditious bills. But well perceiving that their malicious purpose is to bring you to destruction/ ye like good crysten people avoiding their false trains and grynnꝭ/ give none ear to their heynowse heresies/ nor walk their seditious ways. But persevering in your old faith of Christ/ and observing his laws with good and godly warkis and obedience of your most gracious king and governor/ go forth in goodness and virtue/ whereby ye can not fail to flower and prosper in riches and worldly substance: which well employed with help of God's grace about charitable deeds to the needy/ and the rather in remembrance and relief of us/ whose need is relieved by you charity showed for our sake to your neighbour/ be able to purchase you much pardon of the bitter pain of this painful place/ and bring you to that joyful bless/ to which god hath with his blessed blood bought you and with his holy sacraments ensigned you. And thus will we leave the man's malicious folly/ tending to the destruction first of the clergy and after of yourself/ wherein his mad reckoning hath constrained us to trouble you with many trifles god wot full unmeet for us: and now will we turn us to the treating of that one point/ which though it specially pertaineth to ourself/ yet much more specially pertaineth it unto you: that is to wit the impugnation of that uncharitable heresy wherwhyth he would make you to hour great harm and much more your own/ believe that we need none ●elpe and that there were no purgatory.  
¶ The end of the first boke⸫   

¶ The second book.  
WHen we consider in ourself dear brothern & systern in our saviour christ/ the present painful pangꝭ that we feel/ & therewith ponder upon the other part/ the parylouse estate of you that are our friends there living in that wretched world: wit you very surely that this pestilent opinion begun against purgatory/ not so much grieveth us for the lak that we should find thereby in the relief of our own intolerable tormentꝭ/ as doth for the love that we bear you/ the fere & heaviness that we take for that apparel & jeopardy that should everlystyngly fall to your own souls thereby. Nor of all the heavy tidings that ever we hard here/ was there never none so sore smote us to the heart/ as to here the world wax so faint in the faith of Criste/ that any man should need now to prove purgatory to christian men/ or that any man could be founden/ which would in so great a thing so fully and fastly believed for an undoubted article this xu C. year/ begin now to staggar and stand in doubt/ for the unwise words of any such malicious parson/ as is he that made the beggar's supplication. For whose answer & full confutation it seemeth us sufficient/ that ye may clear perceive his words to be of little weight/ while ye see that the man hath neither learning/ wisdom nor good intent: but all his bill utterly grounded upon error/ evil will & untruth. And surely this were to us great wonder if christian men shulden need any other ꝓfe in this world to reprove such seditious folk withal/ them the only token of the devils badge which themself bear ever about them: the badge we mean of malice and of a very deadly devilish hate.  
¶ For where as our saviour christ hath so left love & charity for the badge of his christian people/ that he commandeth every man so largely to love other/ that his love should extend and stretch unto his enemy/ nor there is no natural man nether paynim/ jew/ Turk nor Saracene/ but he will rather spare his foo than hurt his friend: this kind of folk is so far fallen not only from all christian charity but also from all humanity and feeling of any good effection natural/ and so chaungede into a wild fierce cruel appetite more than brutish and bestial/ that they first without ground or cause take their friends for their foes/ hating the church deadly because it willeth their weal and laboureth to amend them: and after to do the church hurt whom they take for their emmyes'/ they labour to do us much more hurt whom they call still for their friends. For they to get pulled from the clergy the frail commodities of a little worldy living/ labour to have us their father's/ their mother's/ their frendis and all their kin left lying in thy fire here helpless & forgotten/ they little force how long. And in this they show their affection much more unnatural & abominable/ than he that would with his sword thrust his friend thorough the hole body to the hard haft/ to give his enemy behind him a little prick with the point. This ways of theirs were very nought & detestable/ although they truly meant in deed/ as much good as they falsely pretend. For where as they cloak their cruel purpose & intent/ under colour of a great zeal toward the comen wealth/ which they lay to before impaired by great pomp & inordynate lining used in the church: we be so far fro the mind of defending any such spiritual vice/ carnal uncleanness/ or worldly pomp & vanity used in the clergy/ that we would to god it were much less than it is/ not in them only but also in the temporalte. And there is none of nether sort but if he were here with us but one half hour/ he would set little by all such worldly vanities all his life after/ & little would he force or rek whether he ware silk or sak cloth.  
¶ But surely this man if he meant well: the faulies of evil folk he would lay to themself/ & not unto the hole clergy. He would also labour for amendment & bettering/ not for destruction & undoing finally. He would hold himself within his boundꝭ/ only devising against men's vies/ & not start out therewith in to plain & open heresies. But surely so hath it ever hitherto provided/ that never was there any that showed himself an enemy to the church/ but though he covered it never so close for the while/ yet at the last always he proved himself in some part of his work● so very an enemy to the catholic faith of christ/ that men might well perceive that his malice toward the clergy grew furst & sprang of infidelity & lak of right belief. And of this point was there never a clearer ensample than this beggar's proctor: which was so far forth farsed/ stuffed & swollen w●th such venamouse heresys/ that albe it he longed sore to keep them in for the season/ and only to rail against the clergy & hide his enmyouse intent toward the faith: yet was he not able to contain and hold/ but was fain for brasting to puff out one blast of his poyson●d se●t against us silly souls: the goodness of god driving him to the disclosing and discovering of his malicious heresy/ to th'intent ye should thereby perceive out of what ungracious ground his enmity sprang that he bore against the church. Which things ones parceyu●d and considered: must needs minish and bereave him his credence am●ng all such as are not affectionate toward his errors and infect and venomed with his mortal heresies/ and of such folk we trust he shall find very few.  
¶ For surely not only among christian people and jews/ of whom the tone hath/ the t'other hath had/ the perceiving and light of faith/ but also among the very miscreant and idolaters turks/ saracens/ and paynims/ except only such as have so far fallen from the nature of man in to a brutish bestely persuasyon as to believe the soul & body die both at once: else hath allway the remanaurt commonly thought & believed/ that after the bodies deed and deceased/ the Souls of such as were neither deadly dampened wretches for ever/ nor on the other side/ so good but that their offences done in this world hath deserved more punishment than they had suffered and sustained there/ were punished and purged by pain after the death ere ever they were admitted unto their wealth and rest.  
¶ This faith hath always not only faithful people had: but also as we say very myscreauntꝭ and idolaters have ever had a certain opinion and persuasion of the same: whither that of the first light and revelation given of such things to our former father's/ there hath alway remained a glymering that hath gone forth fro man to man/ fro one generation to another/ and so continued and kept among all people: or else that nature and reason have taught men every where to perceive it. For surely that they have such belief not only by such as have been travailed in many countries among sendry sects/ but also by the old and ancient writers that have been among them: we may well & evidently perceive. And in good faith if never had there been revelation given thereof/ nor other light than reason: yet presupposed the immortality of man's soul which no reasonable man dystrusted/ and thereto agreed the righteousness of god & his goodness which scant the devil himself denieth/ purgatory must nedis appear: For sith that god of his righteousness will not leave sin unpunished/ nor his goodness will perpetually punish the fault after the man's conversion: it followeth that the punishment shall be temporal. And now sith the man often dieth before such punishment had/ either at God's hand by some affliction sent him or at his own by due penance done/ which the most part of people wantonely doth forslouth: a very child almost may see the consequent that the punishment at the death remaining due & undone/ is to be endured a sustained after. which/ sith his majesty is so excellent whom we have offended/ can not of right & justice be but heavy and sore.  
¶ Now if they would peradventure as in magnifying of God's high goodness say/ that after a man's conversion once to god again/ not only all his sin is forgiven but all the hole pain also/ or that they will under colour of enhancing the merit and goodness of Crystis passion tell us that his pain suffered for us/ standeth in stead of all our pain & penance/ so that neither purgatory can have place nor any penance need to be done by ourself for our own sin: these folk that so shall say/ shall under pretext of magnyfyeng his mercy/ not only sore minish his virtue of justice/ but also much hinder the opinion and parsuasyon that men have of his goodness. For albeit that god of his great mercy may forthwith forgive some folk freely their sin and pain both without prejudice of his righteousness/ either of his liberal bounty or for some respect had unto the fervent sorrowful heart that fere and love with help of special grace have brought into the penitent at the time of his return to god/ and also that the bitter passion of our saviour beside the remission of the ꝑpetuyte of our pain do also lessen our purgatory and stand us here in marvelous high stead: yet if he should use this point for a general r●le/ that at every conversion fro sin with purpose of amendment and recourse to confession/ he shall forthwith fully forgive without the parties pain or any other recompense for the synnies committed save only Crysties passion paid for them all: then should he give great occasion of lightness and bold courage to sin.  
¶ For when men were once parsuaded that be their sins never so sore/ never so many/ never so mischievous/ never long so continued/ yet they shall never bear pain therefore: but by their only faith and their baptysm with a short return again to god/ shall have all their sin & pain also clean forgiven and forgotten/ nothing else but only to cry him mercy as one woman would that tredyth on a nother's train: this way would as we said give the world great occasion & courage not only to fall boldly to sin and wretchedness/ but also careless to continue therein/ presuming upon that thing that such heretics have parsuaded unto some men all ready/ that iii or four words ere they die shall sufficiently serve them to bring them straight to heaven. where as besides the fere that they should have lest they shall lak at last the grace to turn at all/ and so for fault of those iii or four words fall to the fire of hell: if they believe there with the thing the truth is bysyde/ that is to wit that though they hap to have the grace to repent & be forgiven the sin & so to be delivered of the endless pain of hell/ yet they shall not so freely be delivered of purgatory/ but that beside the general relief of Crysties hole passion extended unto every man not after the valour thereof but after the stint and rate appointed by God's wisdom/ great and long pain abydyth them here among us/ whereof their willingly taken penance in the world/ & affliction there put unto them by god/ & there patiently borne and suffered with other good deeds there in their life done by them/ & finally the merytis and preyours of other good folks for than/ may minish and abbredge the pain/ which will else hold them here with us in fire and torments intolerable only god knoweth how long: this thing we say as it is true indeed/ so if the world well & firmly for a sure truth believe it/ can not fail to be to many folk a good bridle and a sharp bit to refrain them from sin. And on the t'other side the contrary belief would send many folk forward to sin/ & thereby in stead of purgatory in to everlasting pain.  
¶ And therefore is this place of our temporal pain of purgatory not only consonant unto his righteous justice/ but also the thing that highly declareth his great mercy and goodness/ not only for that the pain thereof hough and sore is it/ is yet less than our sin deserveth: but also most especially in that by the fere of pain to be suffered and sustained here/ his goodness refraineth men from the boldness of sin and negligence of penance/ & thereby keepeth and preserveth them from pain everlasting: where as the light forgiveness of all to gether/ would give occasion by boldness of sin and presumpsyon of easy remission/ much people to run down headlong thither. And therefore were as we said that way very far contrary not only to God's justice & righteousness/ but also to his goodness & mercy. whereupon as we said before it must nedis follow that sith the pain is alway due to sin/ and is not allway clean forgiven without convenient penance done or other recompense made/ nor pain is not always done/ nor any recompense made in the mamnꝭ life/ and yet the man discharged of hell by his conversion: all the pain that remaineth must needs be sustained here with us in purgatory.  
¶ But now if these heretyques as they be very self willed and wilful/ will set at nought the comen opinion and beleyfe and persuasion of almost all the world: and as they be very unreasonable make little force of reason and ever ask for scripture/ as though they believed holy scripture/ and yet when it maketh against them/ they then with false and fond glosses of their own making/ do but mok and shift over in such a trifling manner that it may well appear they believe not scripture neither: yet sith they make as they believed scripture & nothing else/ let us therefore see whether that purgatory do not appear opened and revealed unto christian people in holy scripture self.  
¶ And first it seemeth very probable and likely/ that the good king Ezechias for none other cause wept at the warning of his death given him by the prophet/ but only for the fere of purgatory. For albe it that divers doctors allege divers causes of his heaviness and lothenes at that time to deꝑt and die: yet seemeth there none so likely as the cause that ancient doctors allege/ that is to wit that he was loath to die for the fere of his estate after his death/ for as much as he had offended god by overmych liking of himself: wherewith he wist that god was displeased with him & gave him warning by the prophet/ that he should live no longer. Now considered he so the weight of his offence/ that he thought and esteemed the only loss of this present life far under the just & condign punishment thereof/ and therefore fell in great dread of far sorer punishment after. But being as he was a good faithful king/ he could not lak sure hope thorough his repentance of such forgyneves/ as should preserve him from hell. But sith his time should be so short that he should have no leisure to do penance for his fault: he therefore feared that the remaunte of his righteous punishment should be performed in purgatory. And therefore wept he tenderly & longed to live longer/ that his satisfaction done there in the world in prayer & other good virtuous dedis/ might abolish & were out all the pain y● else were toward him here among us. To which his fervent boon & desire at the contemplation of his penitent heart/ our lord of his high pity condescended & granted him the lengthing of his life for xu yeris/ making him for his farther comfort sure thereof by the show of a manifest miracle. But whereto granted our lord the longer life/ to be bestowed upon worldy delight and pleasure? Nay nay verily. But to th'intent it might appear that it was of God's great marer granted for the redeeming of his purgatory by good works for his satisfaction: he was promised by the prophet not only that he should within iii days be recovered and hole/ but also that he should go in to the temple to pray. So that it may thereby appear for what end and intent he longed so sore for a longer life.  
¶ Now if the beggar's proctor or Tyndale or Luther either/ list to say that in this point we do but guess at that good kings mind/ and therefore purgatory thereby rather somewhat reasoned than well & surely proved: thereto may we well answer and say/ that the circumstance of the matter considered/ with the virtuous holiness and cunning of such as so long ago have taken the scripture thus: the place alone is a far better proof for purgatory/ than ever any of them could hitherto lay against it yet. For albeit this beggar's proctor saith the right wise & cunning men will say that there is no purgatory at all/ by which wise men he meaneth Luther and Tyndall & himself: yet was there never any of them all that yet laid any substantial thing either reason or authority for them/ but only geste and rail/ and say that purgatory is a thing of the popꝭ own making/ and that souls do nothing till domis day but lie still and sleep. And thus telling such wise tallies for their own part/ and making mokkies and mows at every thing that maketh against their folly for our part: they go forth in their evil will and obstinacy/ and with murmur & grudge of their own conscience/ content themself with y● only feeding of their malicious minds by the increase of their faction/ of such as fall in to their felyshype rather of a light mind and lewd pleasure to taire a part/ then of any great credence that they give unto them or greatly force which way they believe. For surely if these folk were reasonable and indifferent as it is not well possible for them to be/ after that they refuse once to believe the catholic church & in the understanding of scripture lean only to their own wits/ but else as we say if they could with an equal & indifferent mind consider and way what they here: they should soon see their heresy reproved and purgatory surely confirmed/ not only by probable reason taken of the scripture as in the place that we rehearsed you of Ezechyas/ but also by plain and evident texts.  
¶ For have ye not the words of scripture written in the book of the king's: Dominus deducit ad inferos et reducit: our lord bringeth folk down in to hell and bringeth them thence again? But they that be in that hell where the dampened sowlꝭ be: they be never delivered thence again. Wherefore it appeareth well that they whom god delivereth and bringeth thence again/ be in that part of hell that is called purgatory.  
¶ What say they to the words of the prophet zachary: Tu quoque in saguine testamenti tui eduxisti vinctos tuos de lacu in quo non erat aqua: Thou hast in the blood of thy testament brought out thy bounden prisoners out of the pit or lake in which there was no water. In that they whom the prophet there speaketh of were bounden/ we may well perceive that they were in ● prison of punishment. And in that he calleth them the prisoners of god: it is eth to perceive that he meaneth not any that were taken and imprisoned by any other than the dampened spirits the very gaolers of god. And in that he saith that there is in that lake no water: we may well perceive that he spoke it in description of that dry pit of fire/ where in there is no refreshing: For as hot are we here as they are in hell. And what ●ete is in the pit where there lacketh water: our saviour himself declareth by the words of the rich glutton lying in such a lake from whence at sight of poor Lazarus in Abraham's bosom/ he desired heavily to have him sent unto him with one drop of water to refresh his tongue/ that after all the delicates that it had tasted in his life/ lay there then sore burning/ & never set half so much by twenty ton of wine/ as he set by one poor drop of water. So that as we show you/ these words of the prophet zachary. Thou haste brought out thy bound presoners out of the lake where in is no water: do right well appear to be spoken of these poor empresoned souls whom christ after his bitter passion by his precious blood wherewith he consecrated his church in his new testament/ delivered out of the lake of fire wherein they lay bound for their synnies. But now is there no man that doubteth whither christ delivered the dampened souls out of hell or not. For in the hell is there no redemption/ & in limbo patrum the souls were in rest. Wherefore it appeareth clearly that those ●soners whom he brought out of their pain/ he brought only out of purgatory: And so see these heretics purgatory clearly proved by the plain words of this holy prophet.  
¶ Another place is there also in the old testament that putteh purgatory quite out of question. For what is playnner then the places which in the book of the Maccabees make mention/ of the devout remembrance/ prayoure/ almose/ & sacrifice/ to be done for souls when the good and holy man judas Machabeus gathered money among the people to by sacrifice withal to be offered up for the Souls of them that were deed in the battle. Doth not this place of scripture so openly declare the need that we sowlys have in purgatory/ & the relief that we find by the prayer and suffragys' of good people upon earth/ that all the heretyques that bark so fast against us/ can find neither gloze nor colour to the contrary?  
¶ What shift find they here? surely a very shameless shift/ and are fain to take them to that take ling that is their shot anchor alway/ when they find the storm so great that they see their ship goth all to wrekk. For first they use to set some false gloze to the text that is laid against them/ and deny the right sense.  
¶ But now if the text be so plain that they can have no such colour: then when they can have no more hold but see that their part goth all to nought/ they fall to a shameless boldness & let no to deny the scripture and all/ & say the hole scripture which is laid against them is none holy scripture at all/ as Luther playeth with the godly epistle of Crysties blessed apostle saint jamys. And even the same do those heretykis with the authority of this holy book of Maccabees: they be not ashamed to say that it is not scripture. But upon what ground do they deny it for scripture/ because it is not found and accounted for holy scripture among the jews? They neither do nor can deny but that it is taken for holy scripture by the church of christ. For if they would deny/ that both the hole church beareth witness against them at this day/ & it also appeareth plainly by saint Hyerome/ saint austin/ & other old holy doctors/ that the church so took it also in their days & before: then would we gladly wit of these new men these enemies we mean of ours/ whither the church of christ be not of as great authority and as much to be believed in the choice & election of holy scripture as the jews. If they will say yes: them answer they themself: for than is the book of the Maccabees by the choice of the church proved holy scripture though the jews never accounted it so. Now if they will say no/ and will contend that it cannot be accounted holy scripture though the church of christ so take take it/ but if the jews so took it too: then go they near to put out saint Ihanns gospel out of scripture too/ for the jews never took it for none. And surely if they admit for scripture that book that the jews admitted/ & deny that book to be scripture which the church of christ receiveth for scripture: them do they say that the spirit of god was more effectually present and assystent unto the synagogue of the jews in the law of his prophet Moses'/ then unto the church of his own only bygoten son in the law of crysties gospel.  
¶ If they consider well the bokis of the Machabeys/ they shall find such thing therein as may give them good occasion to put little doubt but that it should be of great and undeniable authority. For they shall find there that the great good and godly valiant capitain of God's people did institute and ordain the great feste of the dedication of the temple of Jerusalem called festum encemorun of the annual institution/ of which feste we read no where else but in the book of the Machabeys. And yet find we that feste ever after continued and had in honour until crystis own days/ and our saviour himself went to the celebration of that same feste/ as appeareth in the gospel of saint Ihamn. So that it may well appear that the books of that noble history whereof remeaneth so noble a monument and remembrance/ continually kept and reserved so long after/ and honowred by crystes own precious person and testified by his holy evangelist in the book of his holy gospel: can not be but undoubted truth and of divine authority.  
¶ And surely if they deny the book of the Machabeys for holy scripture because the jews account it not for such: then shall they by the same reason refuse the authority of the book of sapience/ and prove themself insypyenties. And like wise if they take all scripture beside the new testament to be of none other force and authority than it is accounted in the rule and canon of the jews: then shall the hole psalter of david the very sum of clear and light some prophesies/ lose among them great part of his authority/ sith it is not taken in like force and strength among the jews as it is in Crysties church.  
¶ Final for the book of the Maccabees/ sith the church of christ accounteth it for holy scripture: there can no man doubt thereof but he that will take away all credence and authority from the hole scripture of god the very gospels and all. For if these heretics deny for holy scripture eny book that the church of christ accounteh for holy scripture: then deny they one of the grettyst foundations of all crysten faith/ and the thing which their master Marten Luther himself hath all ready confessed for true. For he affirm himself that god hath given unto the church of christ that gift/ that the church cannot fail surely and certainly to discern between the words of god and the words of men: & that it cannot be deceived in the choice of holy scripture and rejecting of the contrary: so farforth that he confessyth as he needs must of necessity/ that the noble doctor and glorious confessor saint Austeyne saith very well/ when he said that he should not have believed the gospel but for the authority of the church. For he had not known which had been the very book of the gospels and which not among so many as were written/ but by the authority of the church/ whom the spirit of god assisted as it ever doth and ever shall/ in the choice and receiving of holy scripture and rejection of the counterfete and false. Whereby it appeareth clearly not only by that holy doctor saint Austeyn/ but also by the confession of the arch heretic Luther himself/ that the church cannot be deceived in the choice of holy scripture and rejection of the contrary: so farforth that it neither can receive as holy scripture any book that is none/ nor reject for other then holy scripture any book that is holy scripture in deed. And surely if the church might so be deceived in the choice of holy scripture/ that they might take & approve for holy scripture any book that were none: then stood all christendom in doubt and unsurety/ whether saint Ihanns gospel were holy scripture or not/ and so forth of all the new testament.  
¶ And therefore sith as we have showed you by the heretics own confessions/ the church of christ cannot be deceived in the choice & election of holy scripture/ by which their confession they must needs abide and not flit therefro/ as they daily do change and vary from their own wordis in many other thyngiss/ except that they will in the falling from that point refuse the strength and authority of the new testament of christ: and sith as yourself well perceiveth also the church of christ receiveth and taketh and (as ye see by saint Hyerome and other old holy doctors this thousand year) hath approved and firmly believed the holy book of the Machabeys to be one of the volumes of holy scripture: and then in that book ye see so manifestly purgatory proved/ that none heretic as shameless as they be can yet for shame say the contrary/ but are by the plain and open words of that holy book so driven up to the hard wall/ that they can no ferther but are fain to say that the book is no part of scripture/ which shift they must needs forsake again or else revoke their own words and therewith also th'authority of all crystis gospel: there shall if either reason or shame can hold/ never need any ferther thing for the proof of purgatory to stop the mowthies of all the heretyques that are or shallbe to the worldys' end.  
¶ But yet sith they be so hamelesse and unreasonable that the thing which they can in no wise defend/ they can not yet find in their proud heart to give over/ but when it is proved by divers plain textis of the old testament/ then having no probable reason for their part they never the more give place to truth/ but stykke to their obstinate nay: let us see whither our purpose be not proved by good and substantial authority in the new testament also.  
¶ And first let us consider the words of the blessed apostle and evangelist saint Ihamn/ where he saith: Est peccatum usque ad mortem non dico ut pro to roget quis. There is saith he some sin that is unto the death/ I bid not that any man shall pray for that. This sin as the interpreters agre/ is understanden of desperation and impenytens: as though saint Ihamn would say/ that who so depart out of this world impenitent or in despair/ any prayer after made can never stand him in stead. Then appeareth it clearly that saint Ihamn meaneth that there be other which die not in such case for whom he would men should pray/ because the prayer to such souls may be profitable. But that profit can no man take neither being in heaven where it needeth not/ nor being in hell where it booteth not. Wherefore it appeareth plain that such prayer helpeth only for purgatory: which they must therefore needs grant/ except they deny saint Ihamn.  
¶ What say they to the words of saint Ihamn in the fift chapter of the Apocalypse: I have hard saith he every creature that is in heaven and upon the earth and under the earth and that be in the see and all things that be in them/ all these have I hard say: benediction and honour and glory and power for ever/ be to him that is sitting in the throne/ and unto the lamb.  
¶ Now wotteth every man well/ that in hell among damned souls is there none that giveth glory to Criste for the redemption of man. For they for anger that by their own default they have lost their part thereof/ and cannot for proud heart take their fault to themself/ fall to blasphemy as the devil doth himself/ and impute their sin to the fault of goods grace/ and their damnation to the blame of his creation. So that the praise and glory that is given by creatures in hell unto the lamb for man's redemption/ is only by the souls in purgatory/ that be and shallbe partners of that redemption: as the creatures walking upon earth sailing in the se/ that give the honour to christ for man's redemption/ be only the christian people which look and hope to be partners thereof/ and not infidels that believe it not. But the blessed creaturis in heaven give honour to Criste for man's redemption/ for that joy and pleasure that their charity taketh in the society and fellowship of saved souls. And in this place it is a world to see the folly of some heretykys/ what evasion they seek to void from this place of scripture. They say that it is no more to be understanden by souls here in purgatory nor christian men living upon earth/ then by fishes in the see and the devil and damned souls in hell: because the text saith that every creature in these and in hell spoke that laud and honour to the lamb. But by this wise way might they prove/ that when ye pray for all christian sowlys/ ye mean to pray for our Ladies souly and for judas too: and that our saviour when he sent his apostles and bade them preach his gospel to every creature/ they may bear you in hand that he bade them preach to oxen and keen and their caluys to/ because all they be creaturis. But as they were sent to none other creature/ then such as he meant of though he spoke of all/ nor ye mean to pray for no souls but such as have need and may have help though ye speak of all: so though saint Ihamn spoke of every creature in hell giving honour to christ for man's redemption/ yet meant he but such as be in the hell in which they rejoice therein and shallbe partners thereof/ which be only we in purgatory/ and not the devils and damned souls that blaspheme him though their just punishment redound against their will to the glory of God's righteousness.  
¶ If all this will not satisfy them/ will ye see yet another clear place and such as none heretic can avoid? Doth not the blessed apostle saint Peter as appeareth in the second chapter of the apostles actis/ say of our saviour christ in this wise: Quem deus suscitavit solutis doloribus inferm: In these wordis he showeth that painies of hell were loosed. But these painies were neither painies of that hell in which the dampened souls be pained/ which neither were loosed then nor never be loosed/ but be and shallbe as our saviour saith himself everlasting: nor these paynys that were than loosed were not the painies in limbo patrum/ for there were none to be loosed/ for the good souls were there as our saviour showeth himself in quiet comfort and rest. And so appeareth it evidently/ that the painies of hell that were loosed/ were only the painies of purgatory which is also called hell by occasion of the latin word and the greek word both. For in these tongues for as much as before the resurrection of our saviour christ there was never none that ascended up in to heaven) there was no people that any otherwise spoke of souls/ then that they were gone down beneath in to the low place. And therefore in the words of the comen creed is it said of our saviour christ after his passion: descendit ad inferna: that is to say he descended down beneath in to the low placies. In stead of which low placies the english tongue hath ever used this word hell. And certain is it and very sure/ that christ descended not in to all these low placies/ nor in to every place of hell/ but only in to lymbus patrum and purgatory. Which two placies because they be parties of habitations of souls beneath (all which habitations beneath have in english been alway called hell) therefore are these two placies among other taken and comprehended under the name of hell. Which word hell nothing else signifieth unto us in his general signification/ but the habitations of souls beneath or under us in the low placies under the ground. Albe it because limbus patrum and purgatory be called in english also by their special names beside: therefore is most commonly this word hell restayned to the special signification of that low place beneath in which the dampened soulis be punished. This much have we showed you of this word hell/ because we would not that the comen taking thereof might bring you in to any error. So that by this place ye see proved by the plain words of saint Peter/ that christ at his resurrection did lose and unbynd painies in hell/ which as we have showed you could be no where there but in purgatory. For in the special hell of damned souls y● paynꝭ were not loosed. And in lymbus patrum was no paynꝭ to be losed. And therefore except they deny saint Peter/ they cannot deny purgatory.  
¶ And yet if they deny saint Peter: we shall then allege them saint Poule/ whom they be best content to here of/ because that of the difficulty of his writing/ they cach sometime some matter of contention for the defence of their false exposition. This blessed apostle in his furst epistle to the Corynthyes the third chapter speaking of our saviour christ the very foundation and the only foundation of all our faith & salvation: saith: If any man build upon this foundation gold/ silver/ ●cyouse stonies/ would/ hay/ or straw: every man's work shallbe made open/ for the day of our lord shall declare it/ for in the fire it shallbe showed/ & the fire shall prove what manner of thing every man's work is. If any man's work that he hath builded thereon do abide: he shall have a reward. If any man's work burn: he shall suffer harm/ but he shallbe safe/ but yet as by fire. In these wordis the apostle showeth that likewise as sum men abiding upon christ & his very lively faith/ build up thereupon such good workis as are so good & so pure that they be like fine gold/ fine silver/ or such fine ●cyous stonies/ as when they be cast in the fire it can find no fifth to fech out of them/ and therefore they remain in the fire safe and unmynyshed: so are there sum on the other side/ which though they do not as many other do/ with mortal synnies & lak of good works/ wound their faith unto the death & fall fro christ the foundation that they must build upon: yet do they abiding upon that foundation/ build up thereupon many such simple & frail and corruptible works as can never enter heaven. And such be venial synnies/ as idle words/ vain & wanton mirth/ & such other things like: which be but like wood/ hay/ or straw. Which work● when the soul after his departing out of the world bringeth hither into purgatory: he cannot so get thorough it as doth the soul whose wurkꝭ were wrought clean or fully purged by penance ere he died. For that soul in the fire can feel no harm/ like as fine gold can in the fire nothing lose of his weight. But this soul that bringeth with him such frail works either wrought by themself or inserted peradventure & mixed a mids of sum good & virtuous work/ as for ensample sum lak peradventure suffyciente attention & heed taken by sum sudden wavering of the mind in time of prayouce/ or some surreption & keeping in of vain glory & liking of their own praise in their alms given or other good deed done/ not forthwith resisted & cast out/ but kept and fed upon to long/ and yet neither so long peradventure nor so great as our lord will for that thought deprive him the merit and reward of his work: lo in such cases as the apostle saith the day of our lord which is to the hole world the day of the general judgement and to every man particular/ the day of his own judgement after his death/ shall show his work what manner thing it is: the fire shall prove and declare. For here in purgatory like as the fire can in the clean souls take none hold/ but they shallbe therein without any manner pain or grief: so shall it in the souls that are uncleansed and have their wurk● imperfect unclean and spotted: hastily catch/ hold and keep them fast & burn them with incessant pain: till the filthiness of their sin be clean purged & gone/ & that shallbe in sum sener in sum later/ as their synnies or the spott● remaining thereof be more easy or more hard to get out. And that is the thing that Poule signifieth by the wood/ hay/ & straw of which the tone is a light flame soon ended, that tether smowdreth 〈…〉 and the third is hoteste and endureth longest. But yet hath 〈◊〉 an end/ and so shall have at length all the painies of them that shallbe purged here. But what so ever soul misshappe to die in deadly 〈◊〉 and impenytent: sith he is thereby fallen of for ever from our saviour christ/ that was his funda●yō & hath builded up wretched 〈…〉 upon your 〈◊〉 enemy the devyllwherwhyth he hath so 〈…〉 poysend himself that he can never be purged: the fire shall therefore lie burming upon him for ever/ and his pain never lessed nor his filthy spots never the more minished.  
¶ And for as much as ye never can conceive a very right imagination of these things which ye never felt/ nor it is not possible to find you any example in the world very like unto the painies that silly sowers feel when they be departed thence: we shall therefore put you in remembrance of one kind of pain/ which though it be nothing like for the quantity of the matter yet may it somewhat be resembled be reason of the fashion and manner. If there were embarked many people at once to be by ship conveyed a long journey by se of such as never came thereon before and should hap all the way to have the aggrise high & sore wrought and sometime soon upon a storm to 〈◊〉 long after wallowing at an anchor: there should ye find diverse f●●syons of folk. Some peradventure but of them very few/ so clean from all evil humours and so well attempered of themself/ that they shallbe all that long viage by see as lusty and as jocund as if they were on land. But far the most part shall ye see sore sick/ 〈◊〉 in many sundry manner some more/ some less/ some longer time diseased and some much sooner amended. And divers that a while had went they should have died for pain/ yet after onhis vomit or twain so clean rid of their grief/ that they never feel displeasure of it after. And this happeth after as the body is more or less disposed in it self thereto. But then shall ye sometime see there some other whose body is so incurably corrupted/ that they shall walter & tolte● and wring their hands/ and gnash the teeth/ and their eyen water/ their head ake● their body frete/ their stomach wamble/ and all their body shiver for pain/ and yet shall never vomit at all: or if they vomit/ yet shall they vomit still and never find ease thereof. Lo thus fareth it as a small thing may be resembled to a great by the souls deceased and departed the world: that such as be clean and unspotted can in the fire feel no disease at all/ and on the other side such as come thence so deadly poisoned with sin/ that their spots been indelyble and their filthiness unpourgeable/ lie f●etynge and frying in the fire for ever. And only such as neither be fully cleansed nor yet sore defiled but that the fire may frete out the spots of their sin: of this sort only be we that here lie in purgatory/ which these cruel heretyques would make you believe that we feel none harm at all: whereof the blee●syd apostle as we have showed you wryteh unto the Corynthyes the contrary.  
¶ Now if they would bear you in hand that because some doctors do construe those words of th'apostle in diverse other senses/ as they do construe in diverse senses almost every text in scripture/ sometime after the letter/ sometime moral and sometime other wise/ and all to the profit & edyfyeng of the hearers: if these heretyques would therefore pretend that saint Poule in that placement nothing of purgatory/ but the fire that shallbe sent before the doom/ or worldly tribulation/ or some such other thing: ye shall well understand that though his words may be verified and well and ꝓfytably applied unto such things also/ yet letteth that nothing these words to be properly by saint Poule spoken of purgatory/ no more than it letteth these wordis to be properly spoken by christ: Ego in flagella paratus sum: & many an other verse in the psalter also/ though the same words may be well applied & verified of many an other man offering himself patiently to the sufferance of unjust punishment. And therefore lest these heretyques should with any such inventions bygyle you & make you believe/ that we for the furtherance of our own cause expone the apostles wordis wrong & so make them seem to say for our part: ye shall understand that those words have been exponed and understanden of purgatory this thousand year and more by the ancient holy doctors of crysties church as well grekys as latyns. And among other the great clerk Orygene in more placies of his wurkies then one/ declareth plainly that the afore remembered wordis of the apostle/ are spoken by the paynis of purgatory. The holy confessor and great pillar of christs church saint austin/ in diverse of his godly and erudite bokys/ exponeth that place of saint Poule to be clearly spoken of purgatory. And over this the blessed Pope saint Gregory in the fourth book of his godly dyalogys'/ beareth witness that the apostle in the place aforesaid wrote those words of purgatory. So that ye may plainly perceive that this exposition is neither our device no any new founden fantasy/ but a very truth well perceived and witnessed by great cunning men & holy blessed saints more than a thousand year ago.  
¶ Now if these heretyques will be so mad to flit in this case from saint Poule/ and say they be bounden to believe nothing but only the gospel: let. us then yet see ferther whither we may not plainly prove you purgatory by the very words of the gospel self. Doth not our blessed saviour himself say that there is a certain sin which a man may so commit against the holy ghost/ that it shall never be remitted nor forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to 〈◊〉 Now as for to dispute what manner sin that should be/ both the matter were very hard/ and also we shall here nothing need to touch it. But of one thing both ye & we may make us very sure/ that there is nor can be any sin committed in the world so sore/ so grievous/ nor so abominable/ but that if a man work with God's ●●race by contrition and heaviness of heart/ with humble confession of mouth & good endeavour of penance and satisfaction in deed/ against his thought word and deed by which god was offended/ he shall obtain of god goodness remyssyen/ forgiveness/ and pardon.  
¶ But it may peradventure so befall that by sum kind of unkindness ●syd toward god extending to the blasphemy of his holy spirit/ the commytter of that sin may so far offend/ that he shall for his desert & demeryte have the grace of almighty god so clearly wythdrawn from him/ that our lord shall never offer his grace after/ nor never more call upon him. And then his grace once clearly withdrawn from a man: he can never be able to repent and return again to god. For grace is the light where with men see the way to walk out of sin: and grace is the staff without help whereof no man is able to rise out of sin: according to the words of holy writ spoken to man in the parson of our lord god: Exte perditio tua/ e●me saluatio tua: Thy perdition cometh of thyself/ but thy salvation cometh of me by the aid and help of my grace. Which grace as we tell you being fro sum man utterly wythdrawn for sum ma●●● unkind behaviour toward god and blasphemy against the holy ghost/ that sin for lak of repentance which can never come where grace is clean gone/ shall never be forgiven in this world nor in the world to come. And in such a manner kind of unkindness toward god and blasphemy toward the holy ghost/ fall also all such wretches as have the grace of god ever calling & knokking upon them for repentance all the days of their life: and yet all that notwyhstanding will not use ye nor work there with nor turn to god: but willingly will die desperate and impenytente wretches.  
¶ This kind of blasphemees of God's goodness & his holy spirit/ have in the miserable passing of their sinful soul out of their sensual bodies the grace of god so fully and so finally wytdrawen from them for ever: that they be thereby fixed and confirmed in an unchangeable malice/ which eternally dwelling with them/ is the very special cause of their everlasting tourment. But in this matter as we said we wade out of our purpose/ saving that it seemed us yet necessary/ sith our saviour in the place that we speak of doth himself show that there is a certain sin so to wching the holy ghost that it shall never by forgiven neither in this world nor in the world to come: it seemed as we say some what necessary to say sum what therein/ lest sum that read it might conceive a wrong opinion and a false fere drawing them toward despair/ that if they mishappened (which our lord forbid) to fall in to blasphemy against the holy ghost/ they could never after be forgiven how sore so ever they repented/ or how heartily and how bysely so ever they should pray therefore. In which thing sith we have showed you what we take for troth: we shall leave that matter and show you how those words of christ prove you our principal purpose/ that is to say that there is a purgatory. How be it we shall scantly need to show you that: for the very words be plain and evident of themself. For when our lord saith that the blaphemy against the holy ghost shall not by forgiven nether in this world nor in the world to come/ he giveth us clear knowledge that of other sins sum shallbe forgiven in this world and sum in the world to come.  
¶ Now are there in this world every sin forgiven in such as shall be saved souls/ except such venial sins and such temporal pain as yet due to the deadly synnies/ rest and remain to be purged here in purgatory. For none other place is there then this in the world to come after man's life/ in which either sin or pain dew to any sin shallbe remitted. For in to heaven shall neither sin nor pain enter: and in hell shall never none be released. And therefore when christ by showing that sum kind of sin shall not be remitted in the world to come: doth give men knowledge that on the other side sum sins shall in the world to come be remitted and forgiven. And then sith no man doubteth but that neither in hell shall any sins by forgiven nor in heaven: very reason teacheth that the place in which some sins shallbe forgiven after this life/ can be none other but purgatory.  
¶ There is as we suppose no crysten man living/ but he will think that any one place of holy scripture is enough to the proof of any truth. Now have we proved you purgatory by the plain textis of more places than one two or three. And yet shall we give you another so plain as we suppose & so evident for the proof of purgatory/ as none heretic shall find any good colour of escape. For our saviour christ sayeth as it is rehearsed in the xii chapter of Matthew/ that men shall yield a reckoning of every idle word/ and that shallbe after this present life. Then woteth every man that by that reckoning is understanden a punishment therefore: which shall not be in hell/ 〈◊〉 much less in heaven. And therefore can it be no where else but in purgatory.  
¶ ●o thus may ye see purgatory clearly proved by the very scripture self by the book of the kings/ by the prophet zachary/ by the holy book of the Maccabees, by the wordis of saint Ihamn/ by th'apostle saint Peter ●by the writing of our saviour christ himself: so that we not a little marvel either of the ignorance or shameless boldness of all such as having any learning/ dare call themself christian men and yet deny pargatory. For if they have learning & perceive not these clear 〈…〉 we marvel of their ignorance. With which white they join a proud pretence of learning/ they fall in to the repose that saint Poule spoke of the paynim philosophers: dicentes se esse sapien●es stulti facti sunt: while they called themself wise they proved sturke fools. Now if they perceive well these texts of holy scripture so plainly proving purgatory/ and yet themself stykke 〈◊〉 in the denying: we then marvel much more that they door for shame call themself christian men/ and then deny the thing which the blessed apostles of christ/ the sacred majesty of our saviour christ himself/ in the holy scripture/ in his holy gospels/ so manefestely and so playnele affirmeth.  
¶ And yet many an other plain text is there in holy scripture/ y● as the old holy doctors bear witness well proveth our purpose for purgatory/ which we speak here nothing of/ sith fewer texts than we have all ready showed you/ both might and ought to suffice you. For any one plain text of scripture sufficeth for the porfe of any troth/ except any man be of the mind/ that he will have god tell his 〈◊〉 wise ere●he believe him.  
¶ Now if th●se heretyques fall to their accustomed frowardness and as they be wont to do will rather deny that the swan is white and the crow blakke/ then agre that any text in holy scripture hath any other sense then themself list to say/ and will in this point for the meyntenaunce of their heresy set at nought saint austin/ saint Hyerome/ saint Ambrose/ saint Gregory/ saint Chrysosteme/ saint basil/ saint Cypryane/ and finally all the old holy fathers and blessed saints that any thing say against them: yet can they neither deny that the catholic church of christ hath allway believed purgatory/ condemning for heretyques all such as would hold the contrary. Nor if they grant that: can they then by any manner mean avoid it/ but that the thing is true that all the church so full and hold so long hath in such wise believed/ all though there were not founden in all holy scripture one text that so plainly proved it: as they might find many that seemed to say the contrary/ except they will not only say that our blessed lady lost her virginity after the birth of christ/ but over that be driven ferther to minish the strength and authority of the very gospel self: which if the church may err in the right faith/ had clearly lost his credence.  
¶ And therefore as we say/ where as we by plain scripture have proved you purgatory: yet if there were therein not one text that any thing seemed to say for it/ but diverse and many texts which as far seemed unto the miss understanders to speak against purgatory/ as many diverse texts of the gospel appeared unto the great heretic Eluidius to speak against the perpetual virginity of crysties blessed mother: yet sith the catholic church of christ hath alway so firmly believed it for a plain trowthe/ that they have alway taken the obstinate affermers of the contrary for plain erroneous heretics/ it is a proof full and sufficient for purgatory to any man that will be taken for a member of crysties church/ and is alone a thing sufficient in any good christian and yence to stop the mowthies of all the proud high hearted malicious heretykis/ that any thing would bark against us.  
¶ But when they be so confuted and concluded/ that they have nothing to say: yet can they not hold their peace/ but fall to blasphemy and ask why there cometh none of us out of purgatory and speak with them. By which blasphemous question they may as well deny hell and heaven to/ as they deny purgatory. For there cometh as many to them out of purgatory/ as out of either of the other ●wayn. And surely if there came one out of any of them all three/ unto folk of such incredulity as those heretic ●e: yet would they be never the better. For if they believe not now them whom they 〈◊〉 believe/ no more would they believe him neither that should come out of purgatory to tell it them: as Abraam answered the rich man that required the same in hell/ and as it well appeared also by the myscreaunte jews which were so little amended by the coming again of lazare out of lymbus patrum/ that lest other should believe him they devised to destroy him. And yet if the thing that they require would content them: it hath not lakked. For there hath in every country and in every age apparitions been had and well known and testified/ by which men have had sufficient revelation and proof of purgatory/ except such as list not to believe them: & they be such as would be never the better if they saw them.  
¶ For who so listeth to believe that all to gether is lies that he heareth so much people speak of & seeth so many good men write of: for no country is there in cristendom in which he shall not here credibly reported of such apparitions divers times there seen & appearing/ and in the books of many an holy saints writing/ shall he find such apparitions in such wise told and testified/ as no good man could in any wise mistrust them: and over this when the apostles at Crystis appearing to the xi in the house/ took him at the furst for a spirit/ it well appeareth that apparitions of spyrytꝭ was no new thing among the jews: which ye may well perceive also by y● the better sort of them said in excusing of saint Poule/ what if some angel or some spirit have spoken to him as is mentioned in the apostles acts: so that as we say who so list to take all this for lies/ & is so faithless and so proudly curious that he looketh ere he believe them to have such apparitions specially showed unto himself & miracles wrought in his presence: would war the worse and he saw them/ and would ascribe it either to some fantasy or to the devils works/ as did those jews that ascribed Crysties miracles to Beelzebub.  
¶ For surely if such people were in the case of saint Thomas of Ind/ that they were otherwise very virtuous and good/ having in that only point some hardness of belief as he had in Cristis resurrection: our lord we doubt not would of his special goodness provide sum specyell way for their satisfaction to recover them with. But now sith they be plain carnal high hearted and malicious/ longing for miracles as did these crooked hearted jews/ which said unto christ that they longed to see him show sum miracle. he doth therefore with these folk as Cryst did with them. For as he answered them by the sample of jonas the prophet/ that he would none show before that punese & faithless people till he were deed: so answereth he these ꝑuers & crooked malicious people/ that he will show them no such apparytions till they be deed. And then shall he send them where they shall sent so surely/ & to their pain see such a grisly sight as shall so grieve their hearts to look thereon/ that they shall say as Criste said to saint Thomas of Ind: Beatiqui non viderunt et crediderunt: blessed & happy be they that believed this gear and never saw it. For surely in this world the goodness of god so temperyth such apparitions/ as his high wisdom seeth it most profitable for help & relief of the deed and instruction and amendment of the quick: keeping such apparitions of his great mercy most commonly from the sight of such as would turn his goodness in to their own harm. And surely of his tender favour toward you/ doth his great goodness provide: that such apparitions/ revelations/ and miracles/ should not be to copyouse and common: whereby good men seeing the thing at eye/ should lose the great part of that they now merit by faith: aid evil folk when they were once famelyer with it/ would then as little regard it as they now little believe it.  
¶ Now it is a world to see with what folly they fortify their false belief/ and in to what fond fantesyes they fall/ while they decline from the troth. For while they deny purgatory/ they now afferm/ & specially Luther himself) that souls unto doomys day do nothing else but sleep. Woe would they be if they fell in such a sleep as many a soul sleepeth here/ & as judas hath all ready slept xu C. year in hell.  
¶ Then say they that if there were any purgatory/ out of which the pope might deliver any soul by his pardon: them were he very cruel in that he delivereth them not without money: a also that he ryddyth them not hence all to gether at once. The furst is a great folly that sith our lord sendeth them thither for satisfaction to be made in sum manner for their sin: the pope should rather against God's purpose deliver them free/ then change the manner of their satisfaction from pain into prayer/ alms deed/ or other good works to be done by their frend● for them in some point profitable & necessary for the hole corpse of christendom or some good member of the same.  
¶ Now is there in the second not only much more folly/ but it importeth also plain and open blasphemy. For presupposed that the pope may deliver all souls out of purgatory: yet if he were therefore cruel as oft as he leaveth any there/ th●s unreasonable reason layeth cruelty to the blame of god/ which may undoubtedly deliver all souls this and yet he leaveth them there. This blasphemy should also to which his high majesty for keeping any soul in hell/ from whence no man doubteth but that he might if he list deliver them all for ever. But as he will not deliver any thence: so will he not without good order deliver any soul hence. For as of his justice they be worthy to lie there for ever: so be we worthy to lie here for the while/ and in god no cruelty though he suffer his mercy to be commonly suspended and tempered with the balance of his justice. And though he take us not hence all at once orderless & at adventure: his high wisdom is praise worthy & not worthy blame. Our lord forbid that ever we so should & such is his grace that we never shall for any pain possible that we can suffer here/ hold ourself content to here such foolish words as imply so plain blasphemy against God's high merciful majesty. For surely these folk in putting forth of this their unwise argument/ make a countetenaunce to throw it against the pope/ but in very deed they cast ye at God's head.  
¶ For as for the pope who so consider it well/ goeth further from the sample of god that is set for crystes vicar in his church by giving over liberal pardon: than by being therein to scarce & straight. For god remitteth not here at adventure though he may do his pleasure/ but observeth right good and great respect/ as the prayers & intercessions made for us or other satisfaction done for us by some other men. And this order useth and of reason ought to use his vicar also in the dyspensing toward our relief/ the precious treasure of our comfort that christ hath put in his keeping. For else if other the pope or god should always forthwith deliver every man here/ or rather keep every man hence as these heretyques would make men believe that god doth in deed/ and would that the world should so take it: then should god or the pope as we somewhat have said before/ give a great occasion to men bordely to fall in sin/ and little to care or force how slowly they rise again. Which thing neither were meet for the pope's office/ nor agreeable to the great wisdom of god/ and much less meet for his mercy. For by that mean should he give innumerable folk great occasion of damnation/ which presuming upon such easy short remission/ would lustily draw to lewdness with little care of amendment.  
¶ And so appeareth it that the thing which these wise men would have ye take for cruel/ is of truth most merciful: and the thing which they would have to seem very benign and pytyouse is in very deed most rigorous and most cruel: like wise as a sharp master that chastiseth his servant/ is in that point more favourable than is an easy one that for lack of punishment letteth them run on the bridle and giveth them occasion of hanging/ Which thing hath place also between the father and the child/ And therefore in holy scripture that father is not accounted for unloving and cruel/ that beateth his child/ but rather he that leaveth it undone. For he that spareth the rod saith holy writ hateth the child./ And god therefore that is of all fathers the most tyder/ loving/ and most benign and merciful/ leaveth no child of his uncorrected: but scourgeth every child that he taketh to him. And therefore neither god remitteth at adventure the painies of purgatory: nor no more must the pope neither/ but if that he will while he laboureth to do good and be piteous to us that are deed/ be cruel & do much more harm to them that be quick: and while he will draw us out of purgatory/ drive many of them in to hell. from desire of which kind of help/ we so far abhor/ that we would all rather chose to dwell here long in most bitter pain/ than by such way to get hence as might give occasion of any mamnꝭ damnation.  
¶ Now where they likewise object in countenance against the clergy/ but yet in very deed they strike the stroke at us whom they would bereave the suffragys' of good people/ objecting that no man may satisfy for another/ nor that the prayer nor almose nor other good deed done by one man may stand another in stead/ but that every man must needs all thing that he will have help of/ do it every whit himself/ and so that no man's good deed done among you for us in relief of our pain could in any manner serve us: this opinion as it is toward us very pestilent and pernicious/ so is it of it self very false and foolish. For first if all that ever must avail any man/ must needs be done by himself/ and no man's merit may be applied to the help of another/ then were wiped a way from all men all the merits of crysties bitter passion/ in which though it be true that god died on the cross because of the unite of god and man in person/ yet had his tender manhood all the pain for us/ and his impassable godhead felt no pain at all/ Whereof serveth also the prayers that every man prayeth for other? Wherefore did saint paul pray for all other christen men/ and desire them all to pray for him also and each of them for other/ that they might be saved?  
¶ And why is there so special a mention made in the acts of the apostles/ that at the delivery of saint Peter out of prison/ the church made continual prayer and intercession for him? but for to show that god the rather delivered him for other men's prayers. And think ye that if god have pity upon one man for an others sake/ & delivereth him at another man's petition from a little pain or prisonment in the world there upon earth: he hath not at other men's humble and hearty prayer much more pity upon such as lie in much more heavy pain and tourment here in the hot fire of purgatory?  
¶ Then find these folk another knot hard as they think to undo. For they say that if another mamnys merits may serve me/ whereto should I need to do any good myself. This objection is much like as if they would say if other men may take me out of the fire: whereto should I labour to rise myself. Very truth it is that sometime the good wurkꝭ of one man wrought with good affection/ may purchase an other man grace for to mend and work for himself. But surely of comen course he that will not himself work with them/ getteth little good of other men's good deeds. For if thyself do still draw backward while other good men with their prayer labour to pull the forward: it will be long ere thou make any good days journey. And therefore the holy doctor saint austin/ in the blessed book that he made of the cure and care that men should have of us silly parted souls: toucheth quickly the very point that there can none take profit of other men's good deeds/ but only such as have deserved by some good thing in their own deeds/ that other men's deeds should help them: and that hath every men done at the lest wise by his final repentance and purpose of amendment/ that departeth the world in the state of grace.  
¶ For he that is out of that state/ can not take the profit of other men's merits done for him. And therefore damned souls can not by other men's merits be delivered of damnation: nor in likewise he that intendeth to persever in sin and do no good for himself. But sith that we be not in the case/ but have with help of gedd● grace deserved to be partners of such good deeds as ye that are our frend● will of your goodness do for us: ye may by your meryt● highly relieve us here and help to get us hence. And surely great wonder were it if we should not be able to take perfect of your prayers. For there will no wise man doubt but that the prayer of any member of christendom may profit any other that it is made for/ which hath need and is a member of the same. But none is there yet living that is more very member of crysties mystical body that is his church than we be● nor no man living that hath more need of help than we. Form surety of salvation we be fellows with angels: in need of relief we be yet fellows with you. And therefore being so sure members of one body with angels holy ●aymys/ and you: and having nece●syte both of their help and yours: there is no doubt but sith every member that need both may take good by other/ we stand in the case that both angels and saints intercessions and your good prayers & almose deed done for us what so ever these heretyques' babble may do us marvelous much good.  
¶ How many have by god most aracyouse favour appeared unto their friends after the death and showed themself helped and delivered hence by pilgrimage almose deed/ and prayer/ and special by the sacred objection of that holy sacrament offered for them in the mass. If these heretyques say that all such things be lies: then be they much worse yet then their master was Luther himself as long as any spark of shame was in him. For he confesseth in his sermons that many such apparitions be true: and his heart could not nor for very shame serve him/ that so many so often told in so many placis so faithfully reported by so many honest folk/ and so sub ancya●●y written by so many blessed saymys: should be all false. Wheryn if these men list like lusty sholers to pass and over go their mad master in this point/ & deny these things all to gether: yet shall there stick in their teeth/ the scripture of the Maccabees whereof we told you that judas Machabeus gathered & sent a great offryna to Hyerusalem/ for to buy sacrifice to be offered for them that he found slain in the field/ and certain things about them taken of the Idol●ys forbidden them by the law/ which caused him to fere lest they were for their sin fallen after their death in to pain/ and therefore made that gathering/ the alms & offering as himself saith/ that they might thereby be losed and delivered of their synnies. So that there appeareth plainly by scripture/ that such suffragys' stand us silly souls in stead. Against which authority if they will with their master labour to break out & deny that book for holy scripture/ we have stopped them that gap all ready with such a bush of thorns/ as will prick their hands thorough a pair of hedging gloves ere they pull it out.  
¶ And finally for this point that the suffragys' of the church and the prayers of good christian people/ stand us here in relief and comfort/ there needeth in this world (as saint austin saith & saint Damascene) none other manner proof then that all Christendom hath ever used to do so/ & have thought themself always so bounden to do/ damning always for heretics all them that would affirm the contrary.  
¶ And in this point may they have a maruelose great thing against them in the judgement of every good man the great antiquity of the service of Crysties church/ by which the church hath so long ago customably recommended in their prayers all christian souls to god. For we trust that though these heretics find many men both glad to here and light to believe every lewd tale that cum be surmised against the church that now is: yet trust we that they shall find few or none so far out of all frame/ but that they will at the lest believe that there hath been sum good and godly men wise and well learned too among the clergy in days passed one time or other. By then to the old time and to the good men that then were/ & here what they said/ & see what they did/ and believe & follow them. There remaineth yet and bokys enough thereof/ the very mass in the very form and fashion/ as saint basil/ & saint Chrysostheme/ and other holy fathers in that virtuous time said it: in which ye shall find that in their daily masses they prayed ever for all christian souls.  
¶ Ye shall also perceive clearly by saint Chrisostheme in a sermon of his/ that in his time there were in the funeral service at the burying of the corpse/ the self same psalms sungen that ye sing now at the dirige. Whereby it well appareth that it is no new found thing: for his time was far above a. M. year ago: and yet was the thing song used afore his days. And because ye shall know that the more surely: he saith that the guise & custom to pray for souls/ was institute and by-gone in the church by the blessed apostles themself. And so while so good men so long a go began it/ and good folk hath ever sins continued it/ ye may soon guess whither they be good men or no that now provoke you to break it.  
¶ Now where they say that if the mass could do us any good/ that then the presties be very cruel that will say none for us but they be waged: this word is as true as their intent is fraudulent & false. For their purpose is in those words to make the world ween/ that the clergy were so covetous and cruel therewith/ that there will no pressed pray for us poor souls here/ without he be hired thereto: whereof our lord be thanked we find full well the contrary. For albe it that of Luther's prestis we can have none help/ sith their massies offer not up the sacrament to god neither for quick nor deed/ nor make no very prestis among them sith they take pres●hed for no sacrament: yet of good christian presties we find great relyese as well in their dyryges and much other suffragys' by old institution of the church specially said for us though no man 〈…〉 one penny thorough the year. And so may all the world wit that this word of these here tyques hath much malice and little effect therein.  
¶ But now thowghe the presties pray for us of their own 〈◊〉 yet when good people desire them thereto and give them their almoyse therefore: then are they double bounden/ and than riseth there much more good and profit upon all sides. For then take we fru●● both of the prayer of the tone and the almose of the t'other. And the taketh the pressed benefit of his own prayer made both for the giver and for us. The giver also getteth fruit both of his own 〈◊〉 full almose/ and of double prayer also/ that is to wit both the prayer of the pressed that prayeth for us/ which commonly prayeth for him to/ and also the prayer of us/ which with great fervour of heart pray for our benefactors incessauntly/ and are so 〈◊〉 forth in goddies undoubted favour/ that very few men living upon earth are so well herd as we/ bysydys' that of all kind of almose that any man can give/ the most men ●oryouse is the which is bystowed upon us as well for that it is unto the most needy and also to them that are absent and finally for that of all manner almose it is most ground upon the foundation of all christian vertuose faith. For as for to poor folk a natural man will give almose either. for pity of some pytuose sight/ or for weariness of their imporcune. 〈◊〉. But as for as poor sow●ys passed the world/ whom be that giveth almose neither seeth nor heareth: would never bestow one penny upon us but if he had a saith that we live still/ and that 〈…〉 that we lie in pain and hoped of his reward in heaven. Which kind of faith and good hope joined wy●h his gift and good wurck must needs make it one of the best kind of almoysed. de that any man can do in the world.  
¶ And sith that it so is as in deed it is: what uncharitable & what unfaithful folk at these that for hatred which they owe to pressed/ wolke make you believe that there were no purgatory/ & would rather wish by their wills that their own fathers should lie here in fire till the day of doom/ then any man should give a pressed one penny to pray for them?  
¶ And yet is there here one thing well to be considered/ that they rather hate presties for hatred of Crystis faith/ then speak against purgatory for hatred of presties. Which thing though it seem you dark at the furst hearing: ye shall yet if ye look well/ verywell perceive. For if it so were that this kind of people did speak against purgatory only for the hatred of the pope & the clergy/ then would they grant that saved souls at yet purged in the fire here for their sins unsatysfyed in the world: and it should then suffice them to say for their purpose/ that neither priest nor pope nor any man else nor any man's alms or prayer/ can in this place of punishment any thing relieve us. For this were enough ye see well to serve their purpose against the clergy. But yet because they have a far farther purpose against all good crysten faith: they be not content therefore to leave at his point but step them forth farther and deny purgatory utterly/ to th'end that men should take boldness to care the less for their sin. And if they might once be believed therein: then would they step yet farther & deny hell and all/ and after that heaven to. But as for heaven albeit y● as yet they deny it not: yet pull they many a simple soul thence/ which were it not for their mischievous doctrine were else well likely to be there a full bright and glorious saint.  
¶ And surely the more that wise men advise themself upon this matter: the more shall they marvel of the mad mind of them that deny purgatory/ or say that the prayers or good works of men living in the world can do us here no good. For every man that any wit hath: wotteth well that the surest way were in every doubt best to be taken Now suppose then that purgatory could in no wise be proved/ and that some would yet say plainly that there were one/ & some would say plainly nay●let us now see whether sort of these twain might take most harm/ if their part were the wrong. Furst he that believed there were purgatory/ & that his prayer and good wurkꝭ wrought for his 〈◊〉 dies soul might relieve them theyrn/ and because thereof used much prayer and almose for them: he could not lose the reward of his good will/ all though his opinion were untrue/ & that there were no purgatory at all/ no more than he loseth his labour new that prayeth for one whom he feareth to lie in purgatory where he is all ready in heaven. But on the other side/ he that believeth there is none/ and therefore prayeth for none: if his opinion be false/ and that there be purgatory in deed as in deed there is/ he loseth much good and getteth him also much harm/ for he both feareth much the less to sin and to lie long in purgatory/ saving that his heresy shall save him thence and send him down deep in to hell.  
¶ And it fareth between these two kind of folk as it fa●ed between a lewd galand & a poor frere. Whom when the galand saw going barefoot in a great frost and snow/ he asked him why he did take such pain. And he answered that it was very little pain if a man would remember hell. ye frere quoth the gallant but what & there be none hell than art thou a great fool. ye master quoth the frere but what & there be hell than is your master ship a much more sole.  
¶ More over there was never yet any of that sort/ that could for shame say that any man is in apparel for believing that there is purgatory. But they say only that there is none in deed/ and that they may without any sin affirm their opynron for troth. But now upon the other side many an hundred thousand/ that is to wit all the hole church of christ that is or ever hath been/ affirm that the affirming of their opinion against purgatory/ is a plain damnable heresy. Wherefore it well and plainly appeareth and every wise man well seeth that it is the far surer way to believe in such wise as hath the parties agree to be out of all apparel/ than that way which so far the greater part and much farther the better part affirm to be undoubted deadly sin. And now where as every fool may see that any wise man will take the surest way/ which is as ye see double proved to believe that there is purgatory: yet said the wise proctor of beggars the wise men will say there is none. For ●e saith that many great letterd men and right cunning men/ will not let to put themself 〈◊〉 ●eoperdye of shame & of death also/ to show their mind that there is no purgatory. He is loath to say that these be heretyques but he sayeth these be they that men call heretyques. Wherein he speaketh 〈◊〉 like as if he word point with his finger to a flock of fa● wethers and ●a● these be such beasts as men call sheep.  
¶ 〈◊〉 now would we fain see which be these wise men and well leered which shall not fail upon their own confession to agree that their adversaries take the sure way and f●rthesie out of apparel and themself the most dangerous and ferthest from all surety. But yet would we for the while fain here who they be. Surely none other but Luther and Tyndale/ and this beggar's proctor/ & a few such of that sect/ men of such virtue/ wisdom and learning/ as their lewd writing and much more their lewd living showeth.  
¶ But now at they far an other manner sort both in number/ wisdom/ learning/ truth and good living/ which affirm and say the contrary. And surely if iii or iiii. C. good and honest men would faith fully come forth & tell one the sum of his frend● were in a far country for d●t kept in prison/ & that his charity might relieve them thence: if then iii or iiii. fond fellows would come and say the contrary/ and tell him plain there is no such prison at all as he is borne in hand that his frrndies at prisoned in: if he would now be so light to believe those iii or four naughty persons/ against those iii or four C. good and honest men: he then should well decipher himself/ and well declare thereby that he would gladly cach hold of sum small handle to keep his money fast/ rather than help his friends in their necessity.  
¶ Now if ye consider how late this lewd sect began/ which among crysten men barketh against purgatory/ and how few always for very shame of their folly hath hitherto fallen in to them: and then if ye consider on the other side how full and hold the great corpse of all crysten countries so many hundred yeries/ have ever told you the contrary: ye shall we be very sure for every person speaking against purgatory/ find for the other part more than many an hundred.  
¶ Now if these men will peradventure say that they care no for such comparison/ neither of time with time/ number with number/ nor company with company/ but sith sum one man is in credence worth sum. vu. score: if they will therefore call us to sum other reckoning & will that we compare of the best choice on both sides a certain/ & match them man for man: then have we (if we might for shame match such blessed saints with a sort so far unlike) saint austin against frere Luther/ saint Hyerom against frere Lambert/ saint Ambrose against frere Husken/ saint Gregory against priest Pomeran/ saint Chrisosteme against Tindale/ saint basil against the beggars proctor.  
¶ Now if our enemies will for lak of other choice/ help forth their own part with their wifes: them have they some advantage in deed/ for the t'other holy saints had none. But yet shall we not lack blessed holy women against these frere's wy●●s. For we shall have saint Anastace against frere Luther's wife/ saint Hildegardꝭ against frere Huskyns wife/ saint Brygyte against frere Lābert● wife and saint Katheryn of senys against priest Pomeranys wife. Now if they will have in these matches the qualities of either side considered: them have we wisdom against folly/ cunning against ignorance/ charity against malice/ true faith against heresies/ humility against arrogance/ revelations against illusions/ inspiration of god against muencyons of the devil/ constance against wavering/ abstinence against gluttony/ continence against lechery/ & finally every kind of virtue against every kind of vice. And over this where as we be not yet very sure whither that all these naughy persons whom we have rehearsed you of the worse side/ be fully fall so mad as utterly to deny purgatory/ saving in that we see them in many things all of one sect: yet if there were of them far many such more/ they shall not yet find of the simple suit half so many/ as for our part remaineth holy blessed saints to match them. For like wise as many their holy works eruditely written & by the help of the holy ghost endyghted: evidently declare that not only saint austin/ saint Hierome/ saint Ambrose & the holy pope saint Gregory/ with saint Chrisosten/ & saint basil afore remembered/ & those holy women also that we have spoken of/ but over that the great solemn doctor Oregene/ all the three great doctors & holy saints of one name in grece/ Gregorius Nasianzenus/ Gregorius Nissenus/ Gregorius Emissenus/ saint Cyryllus/ saint Damascene/ the famous doctor & holy martyr saint Cipryane/ saint Hylory/ saint Bede/ & saint Thomas/ & finally all such as are of the suyt & sort either grekis or latyns/ have ever taught & restyfyed and exhorted the people to pray for all crystyn souls & preached for purgatory: so doth there no man doubt but that all good & devout crysten people from crysties days hitherto/ hath farm & fast been of the same belief/ & with thyr daily prayers and almose deed done for us have done us great relief. So that as we said both for number of many folk and goodness of chosen folk: our enemies are far under us. And yet have we for the vantage as we have before declared you the fere of Ezechyas/ the book of the king's/ the wordis of the prophet zachary the faith of Machabeus the authority of saint Ihamn/ the words of saint Peter the sentence of saint Poule/ the testimony of saint Matthew and the plain sentence of our saviour christ.  
¶ Now if these heretyques be so stiff & stoborne/ that rather than they will confess themself concluded/ they will hold on their old ways and fall from worse to worse/ and like as they have already against their former promise first rejected reason and after law/ & then all the doctors and old holy fathers of crysties church/ and finally the hole church it self: so if they will at length as we greatly fear they will reject all scripture & cast of Criste & all: now as we say if they so do yet have we left at the worst way Luther against Luther Huskyn against Huskyn/ Tyndall against Tyndall & finally every heretic against himself. And then when these folk sit in almain upon their bear bench in judgement on us & our matters: we may as the knight of king Alexander appealed from Alexander to Alexander from Alexander the drunk to Alexander the sober: so shall we appeal from Luther to Luther/ from Luther the drunken to Luther the sober/ from Luther the heretic to Luther the catholic/ & likewise in all the remnant. For this doth no man doubt but that every one of them all/ before they fell drunk of the dreggys' of old poisoned heresies/ in which they fell a quafting with the devil: they did full sadly & soberly pray for all christian souls. But synnies that they be fallen drunken in wretched & sinful heresies: they neither care for other men's souls nor for their own neither. And on the other side if ever they wurk with grace to purge themself of those poisoned heresies/ wherewith they be now so drunk/ they will than give sentence on our side as they did before. It were not evil that we showed you somewhat for example whereby ye may see what soberness they were in before/ & in what drunkenness the devils drawghte hath brought them. And in whom should we show it better than in Luther himself archeheretyke and father abbot of all that drunken felishype Furst this man was so fast of our side while he was well & sober/ that yet when he began to be well washed/ he could not find in his heart utterly to fall from us. But when his head first began to dase of that evil drink: he wrote that purgatory could not proved by scripture. And yet that not withstanding he wrote in this wise therewith. I am very sure that there is purgatory/ & it little moveth me what heretykis babble. Should I believe an heretic borne of late scant fysty yeries ago/ and say the faith were false that hath been holden so many hundred year? Lo here this man spoke well upon our side. But yet said he therewith one thing or twain/ that could not stand therewith: and thereby may ye see that he began to reel. For he both affirmed that purgatory could not be provided by scripture/ and affirmed ferther that nothing could be taken for a sure & certain truth/ but if it appeared by clear and evident scripture. Which two things presupposed: how could any man be sure of purgatory? But the help is that both those poynt● be false. For both is purgatory provided by scripture/ and the chatholyke faith of Crysties church were suffyeyent to make men sure thereof/ albe it there were not in all scripture one text for it/ and divers that seemed against it as we have showed you before.  
¶ But here as we say ye see how shamefully he staggared & began to reel: how be it soon after being so dowsy drunk that he could neither stand nor reel but fell down sow drunk in the mire: then like one that nothing remembered what he had said/ nor herd not his own voice/ he begun to be him self the babeling heretic against whom he had written before: & being not fully thirty year old/ began to gainsay the faith of almost xu hundred year afore his days in the church of Criste/ be sydys' xu C. year three tymys told among other faithful folk before. For now in his drunken sermon that he wrote upon the gospel of the rich man & Lazare/ where as he had in his other books before framed of his own fantasy/ new fond fashions of purgatory/ and told them forth for as plain matters as though he had been here and seen them: now in this mad sermon of his he saith plainly that there is none at all/ but that all soulysly still and sleep/ and so sleep shall/ un till the day of doom. O sow drunken soul drowned in such an insensible sleep that he lieth and rowghteth/ while the apostles/ the evan gelysties/ all the doctors of Crystis church/ all the hole christian people/ and among them christ himself/ stand and cry at his ere/ that we silly christian sowlys lie and burn in purgatory/ & he can not here but lieth still in the mire and snorteth and there dreameth that we lie still and sleep as he doth.  
¶ And thus where the beggar's proctor writeth that wise men say there is no purgatory: ye see now yourself how wise is he whom they take for the wisest of all that sort/ as him that is now the very well spring & archeherytyque of all their sect. Of all which wise men we leave it to your wisdom to consider: whither ye find any whom your wisdom's would in wisdom compare with any of those old holy doctors and saints whom we have rehearsed you before. But this man we wot well for another of these wise men meaneth William Tyndall. Whose wisdom well appeareth in the matter by that he layeth against it nothing but skoffing: wherein he saith that the pope may be bold in purgatory/ because it is he saith a thing of his own making: where as we have proved you by scripture that purgatory was perceived and taught and deed men's souls prayed for/ so long ere ever any pope began.  
¶ But for as much as he saith that wise men will say there is no purgatory/ among which wise men we doubt not but the wise man accounteth himself ● for he layeth for that part as himself weeneth very wise & weighty reasons/ the wisdom whereof we have all ready provided you very plain frantyke folly) we will now finish the dispicions of all this debate and question/ with the declaration of one or two points of his especial wisdom/ and with one of which himself wisely destroyeth all his holy matter.  
¶ first ye see well that albe it in deed he intendeth to go ferther if his bill were once well sped: yet he pretendyth nothing in visage but only the spoil/ wedding/ and beating of the clergy: to whom he layeth not all only such faults as ye have hard/ and hath provided his purpose with such groundies as we have proved false: but also layeth one great necessity to take all from them/ because they break the statute made of mortmayn/ & purchase more lands still against the ꝓuysyon thereof. And then saith he that any land which once cometh in their hands/ cometh never on't again. For he saith that they have such laws concerning their lands/ as they may neither give any nor sell. For which cause lest they should at length have all/ he deviseth to let them have nothing.  
¶ Now furst where he maketh as though there can yet for all the statute daily much land in to them/ & that there can none at all come from them: neither is the tone so much as he would make it seem/ & the t'other is very false. For truly there may come and doth cum sand fro them by escheat/ as we be sure many of you have had experience: & also what laws so ever they have of their own that ꝓhibyte them to sell their lands/ yet of this are we very sure that not withstanding all the laws they have/ they may sell in such wise if they will all the land they have/ that they can never recover foot again. And besidies all that albe it there be laws made by the church against such salies as shrewd husband's would else boldly make of y● land● of their monestaryes: yet is there not so pcyse ꝓuysyon made against all salies of their landis/ but that they may be aliened for cause reasonable apꝓuid by the advise & counsel of their chief head. And many a man is there in the realm that hath landis given or sold out of abbeys & out of byshoppriches both: so that this part is a plain lie  
¶ The other part is also neither very certain nor very much to purpose. For truly though that in the city of London to which there is granted by authority of parliament/ that men may there devise their lands in to mortemayn by their testamentis/ there is somewhat among given into the church/ and yet not all to them but the great part unto the cumpanyes & felyshyppies of the crafts: in neither placies of the realm there is now a days no great thing given/ but if it be sometime some small thing for the foundation of a chauntery. For as for abbeys or such other great foundations there be not now a days many made nor have been of good while/ except somewhat done in the universities. And yet who so consider those great foundations that have this great while been made any where/ shall well perceive that the substance of them be not all fownden upon temporal lands new token out of the temporal hands in to the church/ but of such as the church had long afore/ & now the same translated from one place unto another: And over this shall he find that many an abbey (whose hold living this man weeneth stood all by temporal lands given them in their foundation) have the great part thereof in be●efycys given in and empropred unto them. So that if he consider the substance of all the great foundations made this great while/ and all that hath in to any such these many days be given/ & then consider well therewith how cold the charity of crysten people waxeth by the means of such devils proctors as under pretext of begging for the poor/ intend and labour to quench the fervour of devotion to godward in simple and soon led souls: he shall not need to fere that all the temporal land in the realm shall come in to the spirituality. And yet if men went now so fast to give in still to the church as they did before while devotion was servant in the people and virtue plenteous in the church: yet might it be and in other countries is provided for well enough/ both that men's devotion might be be favoured/ and yet not the church have all.  
¶ But this wise man lest they should have all: would leave them right nought. For his wisdom weeneth there were no mean way between every whit and never a whit but nothing at all. And surely where that he layeth so sore unto them/ the new purchasing of more temporal lands either bought or given them: it appeareth well he would say sore to them if they pulled the land fro men by force/ which now layeth so highly to their charge because they take it when men give it them: which thing we suppose himself as holy as he is/ would not much refuse. Nor they be not much to be blamed if they receive men's devotion/ but if they bestow it not well. And yet where he saith there can no statute hold them/ but they purchase still and break the statute/ where in he would seem cunning because he had a little smattering in the law: it were good ere he be so bold to put his ignorance in writing/ that he should see the statute better. Which when he list to look upon again and let some wiser man look with him/ if he consider well what remedy the statutis provide & for whom: he shall find that the makers of the statute not so much feared the great high point that prykketh him now lest the hole temporal lands should come in to the church/ as they did the loss of their wards and their unlykelyhed of eschetꝭ & sum other commodities that they lacked when their land● were aliened in to the church: & yet not in to the church only but also in to any mortmain. And for this they provided that if any more were aliened in to the church or in to any manner of morte main/ the king or any other lord mediate or immedyate that might take loss thereby might enter therein to/ to th'intent that ere ever the purchase were made/ they should be fayn in such wise to sue to every one of them for his licence & good will/ that each of them should be arbyter of his own hurt or loss and take his amends at his own hand. And this statute is not made only for the advantage of the temporal lords against the clergy/ but it is made indifferently against all mortmayn: which is as well temporal folk as spiritual/ and for the benefit as well of spiritual men as temporal. For as well shall a bishop or an abbot have the advantage of that statute if his tenant alien his lands in to any mortemayn/ as shall an earl or a duke▪ And now when the church pulleth not away the land from the owner by force/ but hath it of his devotion and his gift given of his own offer unasked/ & yet not without licence of all such as the statute lymyteth: where is this great fault of theirs/ for which lest they should take more in the same manner/ he would they should lose all that they have all ready? What wisdom is this when he layeth against them their deed wherein they break no law? And yet sith they can not take it without the king and the lords/ his words if they weighed aught/ should run to the reproach and blame of them whom he would fain flatter/ without fault founden in them whom he so sore accuseth. But now the special high point of his wisdom for which we be driven to speak of this matter he specially declareth in this. Ye see well that he would that the temporal men should take fro the clergy/ not only all these lands purchased synnies the statute of mortemayn/ but also all that ever they had before too/ and yet over this all the hold living that ever they have by any manner mean beside: because he thinketh that they have to much by all to gether. And when he hath given his advise thereto and said that they have to much: then saith he by and by that if there were any purgatory in deed/ it were well done to give them yet more/ and that they have then a great deal to little. But now so is it that purgatory there is in deed/ nor no good christian man is there but he will and must believe & confess the same. whereof it plainly followeth that his own agreement added unto the troth/ that is to say that the church hath as he saith to little if there be a purgatory/ added unto the troth that there is a purgatory/ and that every true christian man doth & must confess it: then hath loo the wise man brought all his purpose so substantially to pass/ that by his own plain agreement added unto the undoubtable troth/ no man may do that he would have all men do/ spoil and pill the church/ but he that will first plainly profess himself a plain and undo wtyd heretic.  
¶ And therefore sith ye now see the wit of this wise man/ that laboureth to bring us out of your remembrance/ sith ye see the simple ground of his proud supplication/ and ye perceive the rancour and malice that his matter standeth on: for fulfilling whereof he would by his will bring all the world in trouble: & sith ye see that he hateth the clergy for the faith/ and us for the clergy/ and in reproving purgatory proveth himself an infidel: sith we have made it you clear that your prayer may do us good/ and have showed it you so plainly that a child may perceive it/ not only by the comen opinion of all people and the fast unfallible faith of all christian people from Crysties days until your own time/ confirmed by the doctrine of all holy doctors/ declared by good reason/ and proved by the scripture of god/ both apostles/ and evangelists/ and our saviour christ himself: we will encumber you no ferther with disputing upon the matter/ nor argue the thing as doubtful/ that is undoubted and questyonlesse. But letting pass over such heretics as are our malicious mortal enemies/ praying god of his, grace to give them better mind: we shall turn us to you that are faithful folk and our dear loving friends/ beseeching your goodness of your tender pity that we may be remembered with your charitable almose and prayer. And in this part albe it we stand in such case that it better bycummeth us to beseech and pray every man/ then to find any fault with any man: yet are we somewhat constrained not to make any matter of quarrel or complaint against any man's unkidenes/ but surely to mourn & lament our own hard fortune & chance in the lack of relief & comfort/ which we miss from our friends/ not of evil mind wythdrawn us/ or of unfaithfulness/ but of neglygens forslouthed & foded forth of forgetfulness. If ye that are such (for ye be not all such) might look upon us & behold in what heavy plight we lie: your sloth would soon be quikened & your oblivion turn to fresh remembrance.  
¶ For if your father/ your mother/ your child/ your brother/ your sister, your husband/ your wife/ or a very stranger to/ lay in your sight some where in fire/ and that your means might help him: what heart were so hard/ what stomach were so stony/ that could sit in rest at supper or sleep in rest a bed/ and let a manly and burn▪ We find therefore full true that old said saw/ out of sight out of mind. And yet surely to say the truth/ we can not therein with reason much complain upon you. For while we were with you there, for wantonness of that wretched world we forgot in like wise our good friends here. And therefore can we not marvel much though the justice of god suffer us to be forgotten of you as other have been before forgotten of us. But we beseech our lord for both our sakies to give you the grace to mend for your part that comen fault of us both/ lest when ye come hither here after/ god of like 〈◊〉 suffer you to be forgotten of them that ye leave there behind you/ as ye forget us that are come hither afore you But albe it we can not well as we say for the like fault in ourself greatly rebuke or blame this negligence and forgetfulness in you: yet would we for the better wish you that ye might without your pain/ once at the lest wise behold/ perceive/ and se/ what heaviness of heart & what a sorrowful shame the silly soul hath at his furst coming hither to look his old friends in the face here/ whom he remembryth himself to have so foul forgotten while he lived there. When albe it that in this place no man can be angry/ yet their piteous look and lamentable countenance casteth his unkind forgetfulness in to his mind: wit ye well dear frendis that among the manifold great and grievous pain which he suffereth here/ whereof god send you the grace to suffer either none or few: the grudge and grief of his cons●yence in the consideration of his unkind forgetfulness/ is not of all them the lest. Therefore dear friends let our folly learn you wisdom. Send hither your prayer: send hither your almose before you: so shall we find ea●e thereof/ and yet shall ye find it still. For as he that lyghtyth another the candle hath never the less light himself/ & he that blowyth the fire for another to warm him doth warm himself also there with: so surely good friends the good that ye send hither before you/ both greatly refresheth us/ and yet is holly reserved here for you with our prayers added thereto for your ferther advantage.  
¶ Wold god we could have done ourself as we now counsel you. And god give you the grace which many of us refused/ to make better ꝓuysyon while ye live than many of us have done. For mich have we left in our executors hand●/ which would god we had bestowed upon poor folk for our own souls & our friends with our own hands. Much have many of us bestowed upon rich men in gold rings and black gowns: much in many tapers & torches: much in worldly pomp and high solemn ceremonies about our funerallies/ whereof the brotle glory standeth us here god wots in very little stead/ but hath on the other side done us great displeasure. For albe it that the kind solicitude & loving diligence of the quick used about the burying of the deed/ is well allowed and approved afore the face of god: yet much superfluous charge used for boast and ostentation/ namely devised by the deed before his death/ is of god greatly misliked: and moste especially that kind & fashion thereof wherein some of us have fallen/ and many besides us that now lie damned in hell. for some hath there of us while we were in health/ not so much studied how we might die penitent and in good christian plight/ as how we might be solemnly borne out to burying/ have gay & goodly funerallies with herawdies at our hersies/ and ofring up our helmetties/ setting up our skouchyn and cote armours on the wall though there never came harneyse on our bakkies/ nor never ancestor of ours ever bare armis before. Then devised we some doctor to make a sermon at our mass in our months mind/ and there preach to our praise with some fond fantasy devised of our name/ and after mass/ much festing riotous and costly/ and finally like mad men made men merry at our death/ and take our burying for a brydeale. For special punishment whereof/ some of us have been by our evil 〈◊〉 brought forth full heavily in full great despite to be hold our own burying/ and so standen in great pain inaysyble among the 〈◊〉/ and made to look on our cateyn corpse carried out with great pope/ whereof our lord knoweth we have taken heavy pleasure.  
¶ Yet would ye peradventure ween that we were in one thing well eased/ in that we were for the time taken hence out of the fire of our purgatory. But in this point if ye so think/ ye be far deceived. For like wise as good angels and saved souls in heaven/ never lose nor lessen their joy by changing of their placies/ but though there be any special place appointed for heaven ferthest from the centre of the hole world or where so ever it be/ be it bodily or above all bodily space/ the blessed heavenly spirits where so ever they bycum be either still in heaven or in their heavenly joy: nor Gabryell when he com-down to our lady/ never forbore any part of his pleasure/ but he had it peradventure with some new degree increased by the comfort of his joyful message/ but minished might it never be/ not and he had an errand in to hell; right so fareth it on the t'other side/ that neither dampened wretches at any time/ nor we for the space of our cleansing time though we have for the generalty our comen place of pain appointed us here in purgatory: yet if it please our lord that at any season our gardayns convey some of us to be for some considerations any time else where/ as some percase to appear to some friend of ours & show him how we stand/ & by the sufferauns of God's sovereign goodness to tell him with what almose/ prayer/ pilgrimage/ or other good deed done for us he may help us hence/ in which thing the devil is loath to walk with us but he may not cheese and can no ferther withstand us then god will give him leave/ but whither so ever he carry us we carry our pain with us: & like as the body that hath an hot fever as fervently burneth if he ride an horseback as if he lay lapped in his bed: so carry we still about no less heat with us/ than if we lay bounden he●e. And yet the dysp yghtfull syghties that our evil angels bring us to behold abroad/ so far augmenteth ourturment: that we would wish to be drowned in the darkness that is here/ rather than see the syghties that they show us there.  
¶ For among they convey us in to our own houses/ & their double is our pain with sight sometime of the self same things which while we lived was half our heaven to behold. There show they us our substance and our baggys' stuffed with gold: which when we now see/ we set much less by them then would an old man that found a bag of cherry stonies which he laid up when he was a child. What a sorrow hath it been to some of us when the devils hath in dispyghtfull mokkage/ caste in our teeth our old love borne to our money/ & then showed us our executors as busily rifling a ransacking our houses/ as though they were men of war that had taken a town by force.  
¶ How heavily hath it think you gone unto our heart/ when our evil angels have grynned and laughed and showed us our late wifes so soon wa●en wanton/ & forgetting us their old husbands that have loved them so tenderly and left them so rich/ sit and laugh & make merry and more to sometime/ with their new woars/ while our keepers in despite keep us there in pain to stand still/ & look on. Many times would we then speak if we could be suffered/ & sore we long to say to her: Ah wife wife iwis this was not covenant wife/ when ye wept and told me that if I left you to live by/ ye would never wed again. We see there our children to/ whom we loved so well/ pipe sing and dance/ & no more think on their fathers soulys then on their old shone: saving that sometime cometh out god have mercy on all christian souls. But it cometh out so coldly and with so dull affection/ that it lieth but in the lips and never came near the heart. Yet here we sometime our wyviss pray for us more warmly. For in chyding with her second husband to spite him with all/ god have mercy sayeth she on my first husbandis soul/ for he was iwis an honest man far unlike you. And then marvel we much when we here them say so well by us. For they were ever wont to tell us otherwise.  
¶ But when we find in this wise our wivys/ or children and friends/ so soon and so clearly forget us/ and see our executors rap and rend unto themself/ catch every man what he can and hold fast that he catcheth and care nothing for us: lord god what it grieveth us that we left so much bihynd us/ and had not sent hither more of our substance before us by our own hands. For happy find we him among us/ that sendeth before all that may be forborn. And he that is so loath to part with aught/ that hordeth up his good and had as live die almost as to break his heap/ and then at last when there is none other remedy but that he must needs leave it/ repenteth himself suddenly & lacketh time to dispose it/ & therefore biddeth his friends to bestow it well for him: our lord is yet so merciful that of his goodness he accepted the good deeds that his executors do in ꝑforming his device. And sith that late is better than never: our lord somewhat alloweth the man's mind/ by which he would his goods that he hath immoderately gathered and greedily kept together as long as he might/ were yet at the lest wise well bestowed at last when he must needs go fro them. Which mind yet more pleaseth god/ than that a man cared not what were done with them. And therefore as we say the goodness of god somewhat doth accept it. But yet surely sith we might and ought to have done it ourself/ and of a filthy affection toward our goods could not find in our heart to part from any part of them/ if our executors now deceive us & do no more for us than we did for ourself: our lord did us no wrong though he never gave us thank of all our hole testament/ but imputed the frustration and not ꝑforming of our last will unto our own fault: sith the delay of our good deeds driven of to our death/ grew but of our own slewth and fleshly love to the worldward/ with fayntenesse of devotion to god ward/ and of little respect and regard unto our own soul. And over this if our executors do these good things indeed that we do thus at last devise in out testament: yet our default driving all to our death as we told you before/ though god as we said of his high goodness leaveth not all unrewarded/ yet this warning will we give you/ that ye deceive not yourself: we that have so died have thus found it/ that the goods disposed after us/ gete our executors great thank/ & be toward us ward accounted afore god much less than half our own/ nor our thank nothing like to that it would have been if we had in our health given half as much for God's sake with our own hands. Of which we give you this friendly warning not for that we would discourage you to dispose well your goods when ye die: but for that we would advise you to dispose then better while ye live.  
¶ And among all your almose/ somewhat remember us: Our wifes there remember here your husbands. Our children there remember here your parents. Our parents there remember here your children. Our husbands there remember here your wifes. Ah sweet husbands while we lived there in that wretched world with you/ while ye were glad to please us: y● bestowed much upon us & put yourself to great cost and did us great harm therewith? With gay noways and gay kyrtels & much waste in apparel rings & 〈…〉/ with 〈◊〉 & pasti● garneshed with perl●/ with which proud piking up: both ye took hurt and we to/ many more ways 〈…〉 though we told you not so than. But two things were the●e special of which yourself felt then that ●on● and we feel now the ●other. For ye had us the 〈…〉 and the more stoburn to you: and god ●ad us in less favour: and that alak we l●i●. For now that gay gear burneth upon our ●akkys: and those proud purled pests hang 〈◊〉 about our 〈◊〉▪ those par●e●ettye and those ow●●● hang heavy about our nekkes and cleave fast fire hot/ that woe be we there and wish that while we lived ye never had followed our 〈◊〉 nor never 〈…〉 us nor made us so wanton/ nor had given us other 〈…〉 than ymons or great garlic heads/ nor other ꝑles for our 〈…〉 and our pastries then far orient peason. But now for as much as that 〈…〉 and cannot be called again: we beseech you sith 〈…〉 us have them 〈◊〉 let them hurt none other woman but help to do us good: sell them for our saky● to 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 the money ●ether by mass pennies & by poor men that may 〈◊〉 for our 〈◊〉.  
¶ Our father's 〈…〉 while we lived fostered us up so tenderly 〈…〉 ●ndured to see us suffer pain: now open your hertis & 〈…〉 at the lest wise with a poor man's 〈…〉 a●mes▪ ye 〈◊〉 not when we were with you have letted to lay out much money for a great marriage. which if ye meant for our sakꝭ & not for your own worldly worship/ give us now sum part thereof & relieve us here with much less cost than one marriage/ & more pleasure than xu though every one were a prince or a princess of a realm.  
¶ Finally all our other friends & every good christian man & woman open your hearts & have sum pity upon us. If ye believe not that we need your help/ alas the lak of faith. If ye believe our need and care not for us/ alas the lak of pity. For who so pitieth not us/ whom can he pity? If ye pity the poor/ there is none so poor as we/ that have not a bratte to put on our ●akkys. If ye pity the blind/ there is none so blind as we which are here in the dark saving for syghtis unpleasant and lothesum till sum cūfort cum. If ye pity the same/ there is none so lame as we/ that neither can creep one foot out of the fire/ nor have one hand at liberty to defend our face fro the flame. Finally if ye pity any man in pain/ never knew ye pain comparable to ours: whose fire as far passeth in heat all the firies that ever burned upon earth/ as the hostest of all those passeth a ●eynyd fire painted on a wall. If ever ye lay sick and thought the night song/ & longed sore for day while every hour seemed longer than five: bethynk you then what a long night we silly souls endure/ that lie slepelesse/ restless/ burning/ and broiling in the dark fire one long might of many days/ of many weeks/ and sum of many years to gether. You walter peradventure and toster in sickness fro side to side & find little rest in any part of the bed: we lie bound to the brondies and cannot life up our heads. You have your physicians with you that sometime cure and hele you: no phisyk will help our pain/ nor no plaster coal our heat. Your keepers do you great ease and put you in good comfort: our keepers at such as god keep you from/ cruel damned spirit odious/ envious/ and hateful/ dyspytuouse emmys and despiteful tormentors/ and their company more horrible and grievous to us than is the pain it self and th'intolerable tourment that they do us wherewith from top to too they cease not continually to tear us.  
¶ But now if our other enemies these heretikies almost as cruel as they/ procuring to their power that we should be lō● left in the devils hands will as their usage is to rail in stead of reasoning/ make a game and a●esie now of our heavy pain/ and peradventure laugh at our lamentation/ because we speak of our hedd●/ our hands/ our feel/ and such our other gross bodily members as lie buried in our gravis & of our garments that we did were which come not hither with us: we bysech you for our dear ladies love to let their folly go by/ and to consider in your own wisdom that it were impossible to make any mortal man living perceive what manner pain & in what manner wise we bodylesse souls do suffer and sustain: or to make any man upon earth perfitly to conceive in his imagination and fantasy/ what manner of substance we be: much more impossible then to make a borne blind man to perceive in his mind the nature and difference of colours. And therefore except we should of our painful 〈◊〉 tell you nothing at all (and there would they have it we must of necessity use you such words as yourself understand/ and use you the symylytudꝭ of such things as yourself is in ure with. For sith neither god/ angel nor soul/ is in such wise blind/ doom/ deaf/ or lame/ as be those men that for lak of eyen/ leggis/ handis/ tongue/ or ere/ be week & impotent in the powers that precede from them: but have in themself a far more excellent sight/ hearing/ delyvernesse/ and speech/ by means uncognable to man/ then any man can have living there on earth: therefore doth holy scripture in speaking of such things/ use to ressent them to the people by the names of such powers instrumentis/ & members/ as men in such things use and occupy themself. Which manner of speaking in such cas● who so ever have in derision: declareth very well how little faith he hath in Crysties own wordis/ in whychy our saviour himself speaking of the souls of the rich glutton & poor needy Lazarus and of the Patriarch Abraam also speaketh in like manner as we do/ of finger and tongue to● whereof they had neither nother there. And therefore who so maketh a mok at our wordis in this point: ye may soon see what credence ye should give him/ wherein we be content ye give him even as much as ye see yourself that he giveth to god: for more ye ought not and surely less ye can not. For he giveth god not a whit: but taketh in his heart that story told by god for a very fantastic fable.  
¶ And therefore as we say passing over such ●estyng and railing of those uncharitable heretics mortal enymyes unto us and to then self both: consider you our painies/ and pity them in your hearts/ and help us with your prayers/ pylarymagys' and other almose dedy●: & of all thing in special procure us the suffrages and blessed obla●yon of the holy mass whereof no man living so well can tell the fruit as we that here feel it.  
¶ The comfort that we have here except our continual hope in our lord god cometh at seasons from our Lady/ with such glorious saints as either ourself with our own devotion while we lived/ or ye with yours for us sins our decease and departing have made intercessors for us. And among other right especially be we beholden to the blessed spirits our own proper good angels/ Whom when w● behold coming with comfort to us/ albe it that we take great pleasure and 〈…〉 therein: yet is it not without much confusion and 〈◊〉 to consider how little we regarded our good angels & how see▪ d● we thought upon them while we lived. They 〈◊〉 up our prayers to god & good saints for us: & they bring down fro them the comfort and consolation to us. With which when they come & comfort us: only god and we know what joy it is to our hearts & how heartily we pray for you. And therefore if god accept the prayer after his own favour born toward him that prayeth & thaffeccyon that he prayeth with: our prayer must needs be profitable/ for we sta●d sure of his grace. And our prayer is for you so fervent/ that ye can no where find any such affection upon earth. And therefore sith we 〈◊〉 so sore in painies & have in our great necessity so great need of your help & that ye may so well do it/ whereby shall also rebownd upon yourself an inestimable perfect: let never any slothful oblivion race us out of your remembrance/ or grievous enemy of ours cause you to be careless of us/ or any greedy mind upon your good withdraw your gracious alms from us. think how soon ye shall come hither to us: think what great grief and rebuke would then your unkindness be to you: what comfort on the contrary part when all we shall thank you: what help ye shall have here of your good sent hither. Remember what kin ye and we be to gether: what familiar frendsyp hath ere this been between us: what sweet words ye have spoken and what promise ye have made us. Let now your words appear and your fair promise be kept. Now dear friends remember how nature & christendom bindeth you to remember us. If any point of your old favour/ any piece of your old love/ any kindness of kindred/ any c●re of acquaintance/ any favour of old friendship/ any spark of charity/ any tender point of pity/ any regard of nature/ any respect of crystendun/ be left in your breasts: let never the malice of a few fond fellows a few pestilent persons born toward priesthood/ religion/ and your christian faith: race out of your hearts the care of your kindred/ all force of your old friends/ and all remembrance of all christian souls. Remember our thirst while ye sit & drink: out hunger while ye be feasting: our restless wach while ye be sleeping: our sore and grievous pain while ye be playing: our hot burning fire while ye be in pleasure & sporting: so mote god make yourof spring after remember you: so god keep you hens or not long here: but bring you shortly to that bliss/ to which for our lords love help you to bring us/ and we shall set hand to help you thither to us⸫  
Finis. Cum privilegio⸫   

¶ The faults escaped in the printing.  
Fol. Pagi. Linea ¶ The faults. ¶ The amendementies. two. two. xiiii. enuoyuse envious iii. i. xxxi. pryoure prayer iiii. i. xxix. to so viii. two. xliii. in his in this ix. two. xxxviii. he the xxi. two. xxxvii. at youth at nought xxii. i. xxvi. wythdrade withdraw xxii. two. xxxi. everlysting everlasting xxiiii. two. i. long so so long xxvi. two. seven. hole holy xxxvi. i. x. his this  
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