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To the moste high and most vertuous ladie, and our most gracious soueraigne, Mary by the grace of God, Quene of Englande, Fraunce, and Irelande, defendour of the faieth, &c. Your hyghnesse mosse faiethfull, louing, and obedient seruaunt Myles Hogarde wissheth in GOD all honour, health, and condigne felicitee.

My dutie cōsidered most noble quene,
Syth it hath pleased your gracious goodnes
Me a poore man to place as is seen,
in office to serue your noble highnes,
I thinke it my duetie for to expresse,
The goodnes of God sent vs by your grace,
For that your highnes all errour doth deface.
And to stop the mouthes of suche as are blynd
By their wylfulnesse in errours vntrue,
Syth they the true light in no wyse wyll fynde,
So farre in errours their wyttes they subdue:
The truth offendes them as it doth a Iewe,
Therfore before them I wyll open plaine,
How God by your grace hath sent Christ again.
Lyke vnbrydled horse they runne on the raine
By beyng suffred in ouermuche libertie,
Their obedience is almost quit slaine,
They both forget God and eke their dutie,
Unto your highnes, their dedes daily trye:
But in a fewe wordes after my grosse wytte,
I wyll shewe their folye they shall not hyde it.

And because thensample dothe serue so well,
How Mary with Christ into Egypt fled,
For feare of Herode that tyrant so fell,
Whiche thinnocentes bloud most cruelly shed,
And yet of his purpose he nothing sped,
But shortly did dye the scripture is plaine,
And then did Mary bryng Christ home againe.
This ensample (I say( came to my mynde,
Seyng Christ banished out of this lande,
Touching his presence, by his worde assinde
In his sacrament, whiche hath euer stande,
Tyll his enemies his worde falsly skande,
Hauyng noble men whiche did them defende,
On whose auctoritie they euer depende.
Then were we almost out of all hope quite,
But euen in darkenes euer to remaine,
Tyll our lorde whiche in vertue doth delite,
Hearyng the ernest prayers of his people plaine,
Dyd bring your highnesse, your right to attaine,
Whiche by Gods helpe had, we see euident
Christ is brought againe in the sacrament.
Seyng this insample in my mynde so apte,
To serue this purpose in euery degree,
My busye wyt straight therwith was rapte,
That occupied therin nedes it must be:
Then furth I wrote this, as your grace doth se.
Lyke as the wytte is, so it doth compyle:
For what nature hath geuen, man can not exile.

Therfore (I say) lest it might be thought,
That I did this compile for any flattry,
I haue confest the cause whiche in my head it wrought
My cōscience doth before God testifie
That all flatterers I abhorre vtterly:
Most humbly requiring your high excellence,
If I do offende, to pardon my negligence.
Your highnesse humble seruaunt Myles Hogarde.

The preface to the reader.

If reason did rule men
As reason should of ryght,
Beleif should truely then
Shyne as a vertue bright.
If reason did take place
Obedience should reigne
But reason to deface
Obedience is slaine.
Where fayth is truly plaest
Within a constant heart
All errours are defaest
By suche in euery part.
Then syth obedience
We see among vs gone
I may of congruence
Say reason they haue none.
Yet hath reason we se
Our faith confounded clene
Can that true reason be
Where faith shuld reigne asquene.
Reason is the handmayde
Waityng on faith alway
But truth is farre decayde
If reason disobey.
Whiche it hath done so farre
That very hard it wyll be
To turne those whiche dothe erre
By infidelitee.
Thus reason against God
Hath raised suche a route
That hard with scourge and rod
It will be rooted out.
Where reason is decreast
Experience doth tel
Man is become a beast
And rudely doth rebel.
If reason fayth subuert
What monstruous thing is this
Reason to play that part
Where as no reason is.
Reason bids man alway
By charge of conscience
To God and man to pay
Fayth and obedience.
But faith to God doth faile
Where reason doth applie
Fayth to counteruaile
In any mysterie.
Whiche it hath done so much
That right well I may say
Obedience is suche
As fayth is at this day.
Howe faith is out of frame
All men may iudge and see,
Obedience the same
So euer it will bee.
Shewe thy selfe a man
And reason not reiect,
Consider therwith than
That thou art a subiect.
And now gentle reader
What soeuer thou bee,
Stretche reason no farther
Than to faith will agre.
And in reading this booke
Lay thy selfewill apart,
So shalt thou better broke
True fayth into thy heart.
And if thou thynkst I lye
In that I do here say,
Iudge not before thou trye
What I can for me lay.
Finis.

A treatise declaring howe Christ by peruerse, preachyng was banished out of this realme: And howe it hath pleased God to bryng Christ home againe by Mary our moost gracious Quene.

Reioyce we may syth we se plaine,
Mary hath brought home Christ againe.
Herode by his great crueltie,
Compelde Mary wt Christ her sonne
Into Egypt full fast to flye,
Tyll God his wyll for her had done,
Whiche wyll so wrought, her wyll she wonne
This tyrant soone, himselfe had slaine,
Then Mary brought home Christ againe.
Herode the deuil by his malyce,
Founde seruauntes mete for his intent
To banishe Christ, as seen it is,
In darkenes to be parmanent:
But God his light to vs hath sent,
Truth is not hyd, syth we se plaine
Mary hath brought home Christ againe.
Who durst his fayth plainely confesse,
Touching Christ in the sacrament,
But that he was thought in darkenes,
Holding an errour pestilent,
Suffring therfore great punishement,
Whiche we sawe diuers men sustaine,
Tyll Mary brought home Christ againe.
Christ in his worde to vs doth tell,
That we his fleshe should eate truely,

Ioan. vi.
Whiche his plaine wordes doth proue right well,

Matth. xxvii. Luc. xxii. Marc. xiiii.
Spoken by him at his maundye:
But this no truth this tyme could trye,

To heare the trueth men did disdayne,
Tyll Mary brought home Christ againe.

Ioan. xiiii.

Christ taught himselfe to be the way,
And eke the trueth whiche can not lye,
The life whiche neuer shall decay,

Ioan. x.

The doore for vs to entre by,
The light Christ calde him selfe truely:
But all these foure our lyues did staine,
Tyll Mary brought home Christ againe.
Christ beyng as him selfe doth say,
The way for christen men to trace,
Hath been shut vp many a day,
By carnal men lacking Gods grace:
Yet they profest to runne the race,
In perfite lyfe laymen to traine,
Yet Mary did bring Christ againe.

Matth. vii.

For where our Lord doth plainly teache,
The way to heauen to be right strate,
Those whiche should be here our soules leache,
Hath been we se so feminate,
That if we should them imitate,
The worlde our lyues could not sustaine,
But yet Mary brynges Christ againe.
Where they we heard did beastly teache,
That in this lyfe none could lyue chast,
But fleshe to fleshe must nedes be leache,
Suche beastes Mary hath cleane defast,

Grace and vertue sith she inbrast,
Who can deny but her grace plaine,
By vertue doth bryng Christ againe.
Christ nameth him selfe the truth to be,
In worde and dede, we must confesse,
Yet those that did teache vs we se,
Our lord in that did most transgresse,
Their doctrines to vs did expresse:
But God whiche doth the truth maintaine
Sent Mary with the truth againe.
Christ being trueth these wordes did say:
The bread that I wyll geue saith he

Ioan. vi.
Is myne owne fleshe, without delay,
Whiche I wyll geue vpon a tree,
For all mens liues of eche degree.
These promisses Christ did make plaine,
Whiche Mary nowe dothe proue againe.
Two geuynges nowe, note, here must we,
Of Christ his fleshe as he hath wylde:
The first to vs eaten to be,
The seconde for vs to be kilde,
Both these hath he truely fulfilde,
As is proued by wordes certaine,
Whiche Mary nowe hath brought againe,
The first geuing, thus do we proue:

Matth. xxvi. Luc. xxii. Marc. xiiii.
When Christ bread in his hand did take,
Blest it, brake it, and for our loue,

Upon the same these wordes he spake:
Take ye and eate ye for my sake,
This is my body whiche certaine,
For all your sakes shall soone be slaine.
Note these wordes with his wordes before:

Ioan. vi.

The breade (saith he) whiche giue I wyll,
Is my fleshe, could he nowe saie more,
To proue that he, did then fulfyll,
His promise, sith his body styll,
Was his owne fleshe, this profe is plaine,
That Mary dothe bringe Christ againe.
But nowe to this Christes enemies saie,
These wordes Christ spake but in figure:
By that speache wisely proue they may,
That Christ did dye in fygure pure:
For Christ his wordes this am I sure,
Dothe proue both these errours certaine,
Yf Mary bringe not Christ againe.
For when Christ did his owne bodie,
At his last supper consecrate:
Take ye (saieth he) and eate truely,
This is my bodie, and in lyke rate,
Whiche for you shall be cruciate.

This conciquence is infallable true.

If they eate then but in figure plaine,
Then but in figure was he slaine.
Fyr as he promist to vs all,
To giue his fleshe, for vs to dye,

So promist he his fleshe reall,
To be eaten of vs truely:
Then if in figure we onely,
Do eate his fleshe, it folowes plaine,
In figure for vs he was slaine.
Againe their doctrine dothe importe,
An vtter inconuenience,
Yf Christ should giue as they reporte,
But only breade, what euidence
Is Christ against his owne sentence,
He saied: This is my body plaine,
Whiche being but breade, his speach was vaine.
To voide all this they vse like shiftes,
As did the Arrians of olde,
At Christes Godhead they gaue suche liftes,
That faieth in many did waxe colde,
And no meruaile, for like beastes bolde,
They builded on reason most vaine,
Whiche God soone confounde againe.
The first ground of their errour vnpure,
Was this, because they coulde not finde,

Howe blinde reason faightes against fayth.
Of one substance, in all scripture,
The trueth coulde not enter their minde,
Therfore in trueth still they were blinde,
They were so wise in their owne braine,
The churche to trueth coulde them not traine.
Then reason did them so farre leede,

That faith with them could take no place,
They lokte on Christes manhode in dede,
And sawe him man in euery case,
His Godhead they would not imbrace,
Because he was subiect to paine,
Whiche in his fleshe he did sustaine.
Then reason they: howe can this be,
That God and man should be both one?
God neuer yet no man did se,
And God by paines can neuer grone:
Then syth in Christ these were eche one,
That one substaunce they do remaine
We take that for an errour plaine.
Thus did the Arrians abuse
Our sauiour Christ by reason blinde:
Muche craft herein yet they did vse,
For many scriptures did they finde
Whiche from the truth they so vntwinde,
Their errour therby to maintaine
That many soules therby was slaine.
And where these men could not define
Howe Christ and God are one substaunce,
Though they did rede scripture deuine
They could make no true concordaunce,
To them did sound suche repugnaunce,
Therfore reason so helde the raine,
That faith in them was fully slaine.

The churche scripture against them layed,
But that with them would take no place,
They stode to that them selues had saied,
Glosyng falsely without al grace,
Those scriptures whiche did them deface,
Yet did preuaile stories are plaine,
But God sent forth the truth againe.
Nowe lyke as these Arrians did grounde,
Their heresies vpon this sande,
That in the scripture was not founde,
Neither expresse nor vnderstande
Consubstantialem they bare the churche in hande
That they onely trueth did maintaine,
And therfore blinde they did remaine.
In lyke maner our men of late,

Our sacramentaries are deceiued as the Arrians were.
Grounded their errour pestilent,
By wylfull mindes contaminate,
Against the blessed sacrament,
Because they found not euident
Transubstantiacio in scripture plaine,
That truth they woulde not intertaine.
Upon what ground, they bylde therfore
This ensample doth well expresse
Who wyll fall from their faith the more,
For suche reasons of men faithlesse,
Syth the lyke reasons doth suppresse
Pointes of our faith whiche wyll proue plaine,
If Mary bryng not Christ againe.

Farther as the Arrians blynde,
Woulde to Christ gyue no more credence,
But as reason to them definde,
Iudging only by outwarde sense,
Faith with them had no residence:
No more shoulde faieth with vs remaine,
But that Mary bringes Christ againe.
For though Christ as I before showe,
Doth saie plaine, this is my body:
So faiethlesse now our men do growe,
That they tell vs it is a lye,
Because their senses can not trye,
Howe Christes body can there remaine,
But yet Mary bringes Christe againe.
Many thinges more myght here be saied,
In this, to proue Christ trueth to be,
The whiche so many hath denaid,
By frantike infidelitie:
But now o lorde we do prayse the,
That by thy grace trueth to maintaine,
Mary hath brought home Christ againe:
Lyke as Christ is the trueth most true,
The lyfe he is truely as well,
Where death to sinne did vs subdue,
By death Christ did that death repell,
Redeminge vs by death from hell,
Yf we worke as Christ dothe ordaine,
Whiche worke Mary dothe bringe againe.

But a lacke, well we may lament,
To heare howe men of wickednesse,
Contemned Christ his sacrament,
Cheife meanes, whiche he of his goodnes,
Ordained to be a witnes,
That we in Christ are planted plaine,
Whiche Mary wyll well proue againe.
Where Baptisme hath been euer taught,
To be a sacrament, wherby
The holy Ghost hath euer wraught,
Taking our sinnes away clearly,
Yet men hath taught vs contrary,

Hoper & Knokes the Scote with other, did preache that after baptisme ther remaineth in vs original synne.
That grace therby we none attaine,
But in our sinne do still remaine.
Those men truely that thus doth teache,
The lyfe of grace in vs they kyll,
As muche as they therin may reache,
But God hath let them of their wyll,
Their wickednes not to fulfyll,
But sent his spirite wherby certaine
Mary hath brought home Christ againe.
The grounde of all, the whiche is faieth,
That in Baptisme we do professe,
Without the whiche as S. Paule saieth,
Our lorde we can not please doutlesse,
Two waies they haue made that liuelesse,
Whiche their doctrines doth showe vs plaine,
But Mary bringes true faieth againe.

Athanasius in quicunque vult.

Fyrst as Athanasius doth say,
The true faith whiche is catholike
We must kepe hole without delay,
And in all pointes thereunto stycke,
But at this faith they do so kycke,
That in mennes hartes this faith is slaine,
Whiche God by grace quicken againe.

Iacobi. ii. Tyndal in his prologue of S. Iames epistle. And in the English homelies of fayth and workes.

Secondly where S. Iames doth wryte
That without workes faith is but dead,
With tongue and penne they did indite,
That our workes stande vs in no stead
But faith alone was foote and head,
And nedes no workes heauen to attaine,
Wherby faith was but dead and vaine.

They preached fayth alone tyll they fell from fayth hope & charitie and all good workes, experience doth shewe.

Thus faith haue they distroyed also
And charitie put out of place,
Hoope his office is cleane put fro,
Presumption doth him deface,
Of their doctrine this is the case
As it hath folowed ouer plaine,
But Mary brynges true faith againe.

Thei preached repentance in place of penance, because penance includeth paynes takyng, and that may we not do, lest we make our workes our sauior.

Also where we are baptised,
To penaunce for remission of sinne,
That haue they so farre abused
As Christ had it neuer brought in,
Yet with penaunce Christ did beginne,
Preaching that waye heauen to attaine,
Whiche sacrament they do disdaine.

Againe the partes the whiche are thre,
Wherin penaunce doth hole consist,
Banished were as we did se,
Olde and younge liued as they list,
Penaunce of them was neuer mist,
Gladde were they to be ridde of paine,
But Mary bringes penaunce againe.
Contricion, they do admit,
Without confession of mouthe and harte,

This is manifest bothe by their prechinge and writing in the boke of homelies.
Satisfaction, whiche foloweth it,
They do abhorre in euery parte,
Now how they teache men to conuerte,
Here you may se their doctrine plaine,
Penaunce they make a thinge but vaine.
Thus penaunce, that hye sacrament,
By whiche God doth take vs to grace
They teache penaunce impenitent,
Putting these partes quite out of place,
And absolucion they not inbrace,
These Godly meanes they do disdaine,
But Mary bringes penaunce againe.
Also holy matrimonye,
They teache to be no sacrament,

In the boke of common praies.
Whiche to sainte Paule is contrary,
In his Epistell euident,
But there they glose S. Paules entent,
Against his wordes whiche are most plaine,
Because their errour they wyll maintaine,

One proffe on their owne partes proueth wel
Matrimony to be no way,

A sacrament is a signe of a holy thing, but in priestes it is a signe of fylthynes.

A sacrament, as they vs tell,
By their owne weddinges seene eche day,
From godlynes so farre they stray,
No holy signe their weddinges containe,
Whiche Mary dothe perceiue ryght plaine.
Orders a sacrament hath bene,
In Christ his churche whereby God gaue,

Tyndal in his booke of obedience, and in his answere to maister More dyalogue.

A speciall grace, to vs not seene,
To minister, as God wyll haue,
His sacramentes whiche they depraue,
Saying priesthoode is but vaine,
Nor grace of God, dothe none attaine.
But saint Paule saieth to Tymothie,

i. Timo. iiii.

Stere vp the grace of God saieth he,
Whiche receaued thou hast trulye,
By layieng on my handes on the,
Through true priesthoodes authoritee,
A sacrament this showeth it plaine,
Whiche Mary nowe bringes home againe.
Yet priestes they made as we did se,
Of what order I can not tell,
Of Melchezedeches they woulde not be,
And Aarons Christ did expell,
They were I thynke, the priestes of Bell,
In dede their faith and liues showed plaine,
That Christes priesthoode they did disdaine.

As touching Confirmation,
No sacrament that is they say:
Yet as we se probacion,
They do not put it cleane away,
But from the churche yet varie they:
They teache the ministracion but vaine,
Onlesse the childe can his faith plaine.
If I might be a iudge in this,
For defarring of this sacrament,
Me thinke that the example is,
But euen a homely president,
To be made so expedient,
That the childe shoulde our faith say plaine,
Or els vnconfirmed remaine.
In my iudgement this doth agree,
With the Anabaptistes errour,
They iudge baptisme but vaine to be,
To yonge infantes whiche hath no power,
To answere them selues at the houre,
Of their baptisme, so our men plaine,
Thought Confirmation but vaine.
As in dede some of them dothe saye,
It is a supersticious thinge:
The annoynting they mocke alwaye,
Callinge it but a childe smeringe,

Tindal in his boke of obedience.
This haue I rede in their writing:
Thus did they it clearely disdaine,
But Mary brynges trueth home againe.

Then last of all the Anoyling,
No sacrament that is at all,
Neither with some a holy thinge,
But vaine and hypocriticall,
Yet dothe S. Iames giue them a fall,

Mart. vi.

And eke saint Marke with wordes most plaine,
Whiche Mary doth bringe home againe.
Thus all the meanes whiche Christ ordained
The lyfe of grace in vs to plante,
With their doctrine so foule is stained,
That faith and grace they haue made scante:
But God (I trust) seing this wante,
By grace this grace so will maintaine,
That Mary shall bringe Christ againe.

Ioan. x.

Thus where Christ is the perfite doore,
For men to heauen to enter by,
They haue shut from both ryche and poore,
By their dampnable heresie,
Opening the gate of hell therby,
Hauing all vertue in disdaine,
As before vs we did se plaine.

Roma. xi.

Where errours raigne, there faith doth faile,
Where faith doth faile, God is not pleasde,
Where Goddes pleasure doth not preuaile,
The way to heauen can not be ceasde,
For the straite way they haue so easde,
The doore of heauen they do shut plaine,
Sith no false faith doth heauen attaine.

Then may I thus, for this conclude,
Sith Christ the doore to heauen is strate,
That those whiche did that way delude,

ii. Peter. ii.
Were men whiche were of grace frustrate,
Goinge fast in at the large gate,
But nowe by grace whiche we attaine,
Mary leades the straite way againe.
As Christ doth call him selfe the light,
So doth he those that him succeed,

Matth. v.
Whose insample shoulde be so right,
That their liuinge shoulde no vice breed,
But now Sathan hath sowne suche seed,
That where vertue shoulde bere the raine,

Ezech. xxii.
Most vice in them we se remaine.
What man hath so small honestie,
That to his frende an othe doth make,
But that he will kepe it trulye,
So muche as on him he doth take,
But these men do our lorde forsake,
Breakinge their vowes aduisedly taine,

i. Timo. iiii.
Whiche dothe the lyght wickedly staine.
But to this they answere and saye,
That they did make no vowe at all,
Affirminge that iustly they maye,
Without offence to weddinge fall,
And for witnes scripture they call,
Whiche tholde lawe and the new containe,
Makinge they saie, for their parte plaine.

First in tholde lawe the priestes say they,

Leuiti. xxi.

Were wedded all as we do rede,
Wherby it folowes that we may,
Wedde as they did why shoulde we drede,
And because man shoulde loose no seede,

Gene. xxviii.

Encrease and multiply God bade plaine,
The worlde therby for to maintaine.
This may be answerde, after this rate,

Exo. xl.

God wilde that of one tribe only,
His priestes shoulde then be consecrate,
Whiche was of the trybe of Leui,
Wherefore of mere necessitie,
Marry they must, sith it is plaine,
To priesthoode base borne might not attaine:
An other thinge in this I note,
That only Uirgins wedde they must,
And if the priest did dye ye wote,
It was then by that lawe vniust,
That their wedowes, for loue or lust,

Ezechi. xliiii.

Shoulde any man to them retaine,
Onlesse they toke a priest againe.

As the lawe of Christ was more perfite then Moyses lawe, so of cōgruence ought the priestes of Christe to bee more perfite then Moyses priestes.

If God had then of priestes suche care,
Whiche ministred but the figure,
Doth not the same to vs declare,
That Christ would haue his priestes more pure,
This must they graunt or els indure,
In suche blindnes that we see plaine,
The worlde their foly wyll disdaine.

For sith God did geue this precepte,
That priestes shoulde wed in suche degree,
How that lawe nowe our priestes haue kept,
Experience the iudge shall be,
But they to this wyll answere me:
Shall we obserue that lawe againe,
Then Christ his lawe we make but vaine.
To that I say I may ryght well,
The seconde precept against them lay,
Sith by the first they do vs tell,
That by that lawe nowe wed they may,
If that be true againe I say,
Only virgyns they must retaine,
If by that lawe they wyll wed plaine.
But as that lawe dothe not compell,
Our priestes to wed, nomore truely
That lawe byndes them, as they proue well,
Uyrgins to wed, but contrary,
Their priesthoode for to dignifie,
A chast lyfe they ought to retaine,
As hereafter I wyll proue plaine.
By tholde lawe well appeare it maye,
That if God had not commaunded,
That his priestes than shoulde be alway,
Of one trybe, wheron folowed,
That nedes they must be maried:
If that were not me thinke it plaine,
God woulde from it haue had them refraine.

For why, when that their course did fall,

Luc. i.

To execute the priestes office,
They lay not with their wyues at all,
As by scripture well knowen it is:
Therfore I do gather of this,
If of one trybe they were not plaine,
From mariage they shoulde refraine.
Nowe then if as saint Paule doth say,

i. Cor. x.

All thinges to them was in figure,
Let vs the trueth therunto lay,
And see if that by the scripture,
Our priestes weddinges wyll be so pure,
As they pretende to be certaine,
Or rather are proued but vaine.
Those priestes were of one trybe carnall,

John. xvi.

And none other might sacrifice,
But that Gods plague on them did fall,
If they did that ones enterpryse,
As ensamples this plainely tryse,
God did all other trybes disdaine,
In that respect scripture is plaine.
So Christ the highest priest of all,

Ephe. iiii.

Whiche these priestes did prefigurate,
Ordained his priestes spirituall,
His sacrifice to consecrate,

Ioan. xxi.

Geuing them power in suche estate,
That none but they doth grace attaine,
To minister the lyke againe.

Then where the preistes of Moyses lawe,
Did then not minister daylye,
But when they to their wyues did drawe,
The preistes office they came not nye,
What this figure to vs doth trye,
Anone ye shall perceiue most plaine,
That it was not a figure vaine.
When Christ his preistes did ordinate,
To sacrifice, preache, and eke pray,
And his body to consecrate,
To these our preistes are bounde alway,
Tyme haue they none from these to stay,
Namely to pray they must take paine
That God his people may maintaine.
Therfore sith nowe our preistes are bounde,
Dayly to God to sacrifice,
From women cleane they must be founde,
Sith Gods pleasure muche therin lyes,
Whiche tholde law well vnto vs tryes,
Those preistes God wyld for to abstaine,
From women whyle they offred plaine.
And this saint Paule confirmeth well,
Wylling man and wyfe by consent,
To make their prayers more to excell,

i. Cor. vii.
That they should be both continent:
If than for prayer God is content,
Man for a tyme shall so abstaine,
What he wylth preistes this dothe shewe plaine.

i. Regū. xxi.

When Dauid the prophet did come,
To Abemelech the priest hye,
Of breade desiringe to haue some,
For him and eke his company,
He had none but shew breade onlye,
Whiche to the priestes did appertaine,
No lay man myght therto attaine.
Yet the hye priest notwithstanding:
Saied, if thy yong men be cleane all,
From women not them late touching,
Haue of the shew breade here ye shall:
Then Dauid sayd it hath so fall,
Our wyues hath been lockt vp certaine,
For these thre dayes we tell you plaine.
Then if God would haue men so cleane,
From their owne wyues or they shoulde eate,
Of the shew bread it is well sene,
The reuerence therof was great,
Yet but a figure of our meate,
Whiche Christ hath lefte vnto vs plaine,
To offer tyll he come againe.
As the body fro the shadowe,
Dothe diffre muche, euen so truely,
Our sacrament whiche as we knowe,
Fro the shew bread excelleth hye,

Ioan. vi.

So ought our priestes scripture doth trye,
To excell them in vertue plaine,
And from women cleane to abstaine.

For where it was conuenient,
That they shoulde serue the priestes office,
By course as it is euident,
The priestes of Christe as sene it is,

Luc. i.
Serueth not by course, but may not misse,
Daily to serue they must take paine,
Therfore fro wyues they must refraine.
Besydes all this it doth appeare,
Those priestes weddinges were in suche rate,
That if their wyues ones wydowes were,
God had them to him consecrate,
No man out of a priestes estate,
Mought their wydowes as wyues retaine,
But poluted they were certaine.
What doth this to vs signifie,
But that those whom these did figure,
Must all their lyues lede so chastly,
That from women they must be pure,
Sith their wydowes myght not assure,
Them selues to no lay man certaine,
But that God did them both disdaine.
Againe, where they allege and say,
God bad increase and multiplye,
Therby they say that wed they may,
Gods precepte wylles them so truely:
Then this question aske them wyll I?
Doth that bynde men wyues to retaine,
The worlde therby for to maintaine.

What did then holy Samuell,
What did then holy Ieremye,
And Iohn Baptist whiche did excell,
In the straite lyfe of chastitie,
With many mo in vertue hye,
Did they offende so to abstaine,
This reason ye se is but vaine.
Thus by tholde lawe plaine heare ye may,
Our priestes to wedde can litle proue,
But rather that they must alwaye,
As these figures must them needes moue,
If they to God haue any loue,
To lyue chaste and from wyues refraine,
Whiche God doth wyll them this is playne.
Yet though this proufe be euident,
To proue that our priestes shoulde liue chaste,
They aledge the newe testament,
To proue their weddinges truely plaste,
But that they haue their studies waste,
By the new lawe I wyll proue plaine,
If they woulde it credit certaine.
The cheife reason they make is this:
The Apostels had wyues say they,
In that they do not say amise,

Math. viii.

For by Peter that proue they may,
But here on nowe the point doth stay,
Whether their wyues they do refraine,
Or after their call did them retaine.

Peter to Christ these wordes did say,
Beholde we haue forsaken all,

Math. xix.
And folowed the, here proue: I may,
That to their wyues, they did not fall,
For this worde (all) includeth small,
Thinges for to kepe that myght restraine,
Their hartes from Christ, this is most plaine.
Againe where as S. Paule doth wryt,
Let euery man his owne wyfe haue,

i. Cor. vii.
A priest is a man, thus they resite,
Ergo we can not them depraue,
But that they must their soules to saue,
Take wiues, sith this precept is plaine,
Euery man must wyues retaine.
This can not so be vnderstande,
That euery priest a wyfe may take,
For yonge wedowes as Paule hath scande,

i. Timo. v.
Are dampned if they their vowes forsake,
This Paule doth plaine vnto vs make,
That euery woman can not wed plaine,
Nor men that the lyke state hath taine.
Againe (say they) S. Paule doth writ,

i. Timo. iii.
A bishop must be the husbande,
Of one wyfe, in this they delite,
And say this must be vnderstande,
That a byshop is in this bande,
One wyfe alwaye for to retaine,
By Paules precept they tell vs plaine.

That this can not be S. Paules minde,
That a byshop must haue a wyfe,
Let Paule him selfe be here assinde,

i. Cor. vii.

In this mater to breake the strife,
When he commendes the single lyfe,
I woulde (saith he) all men were plaine,
As I my selfe, whiche did containe.
The single man (saith he) doth care,
For thinges of God, and him to please,
The wedded man doth neuer spare,
Worldly thinges with care to cease,
To please his wyfe, for his owne ease,
Woulde Paule that priestes should this retaine,
In wordly cares their lyues to traine.
But nowe me thynke I here one say:
Syr doth not Paule by wordes expresse,

i. Cor. ix.

Say howe that he, lawfully may,
Lede about in his besinesse,
A syster to wyfe as doutlesse,
Cephase and other, this showeth plaine,
Thapostels did their wyues retaine.
To this againe I do answere,

The Byble of the greatest volume and the first trāslaciō.

The Englishe ought not so to be,
As some texte dothe me witnes bere,
A women a syster, thus saith he
Whiche were not wyues as we do se,
But women whiche left their substaunce plaine
With thapostels for to take paine.

Nay (say they) that is not so,
For doth not Paule, him recomende,

Philip. iiii.
To his beloued yoke felowe,
If she were so, vnto what ende,
Were they two yokte but for to spende,
Their lyues as man and wyfe both twaine,
This proueth your reasones all but vaine.
This yoke felowe can be no wyfe,
Sith Paule doth note a care in it,
Would he take suche a kinde of lyfe,
That heauenly care were harde to hit,
What man hath nowe so litle wit,
But he seeth Paule chaste to remaine,
Sith single lyfe he comendes plaine.
If this be so, God helpe say they,
Poore wedded men they go to hell,
For heauenly thinges they care no way,
Because they can not ye se well,
But single men they bere the bell,
Their care in heauen dothe euer raine,
Whiche wedded men can not attain.
God forbed that men shoulde thinke so,
For saint Paule doth not that witnes,
But single men such cares forgo
That wedded men must haue doutles,
Where single men with quietnes,
May praye to God with farther gayne,
Where wedded men more cares containe.

i. Cor. vii.

Yet one texte more must serue their turne,
Where sainte Paule saieth, better it is,
To marry a wyfe then for to burne,
This to aledge they neuer misse,
Yet doth it them but small seruice,
For if this burninge must be slaine,
With wedding, what must folowe plaine.

In inconuenience.

Some tyme a man or wyfe is sycke,
Some tyme a man is longe absent,
Whiche if they burne they may not sticke,
But fall to wedding continent,
Who can to this foly consent,
But must these men confesse certaine,
In great blindnes for to remaine.
But lyke as when men in this case,
Do burne, they must, that to subdewe,
Fast and praye and call for grace,

i. Cor. x.

And not lyke beastes seeke for fleshe newe,
For God, (saieth Paule) whiche is most true,
Suffers not man to be tempte plaine,
Aboue the strength he may attaine.
Lyke wyse all priestes whiche hath profest,
To leade their lyues in chastitie,
If they woulde showe them selues honest,
In keping their fidelitie,
As wedded men whiche honest be,
Wyll fast and praye grace to attaine,
So shoulde our priestes fearyng God plaine.

Thus all their places principal,
Whiche they beastly for them applye,
To breake their vowes, yet helpe they small,
But rather euen cleane contrarie,
So manifest is their folye,
That euery childe may se plaine,
Mary brynges home trueth againe.
But by this their fleshely delite,
The light whiche to vs they should showe,
Was so darkened it did excite,
To suche vilenes as all men knowe,
It was abhorde of hie and lowe,
But nowe by grace whiche we attaine,
Mary hath brought home light againe.
Thus this to ende, appeale do I,
To euery mannes conscience,
If I do them one whyt belye,
But as open experience,
Doth geue to vs intelligence,
Both by their doctrines and lyues plaine,
Wherby mennes soules they did foule staine.
I might speake of thinormities,
Whiche by euil mennes misgouernaunce,
At our Lordes handes for vengeaunce cries,
Because that iustice true balaunce,
Was broken quite, we sawe vttraunce,
Innocentes did suffre muche paine,
Tyll Mary brought iustice againe.

Also the gredye couetousnesse,
Of men in great auctoritie,
Hath brought the realme to suche distresse,
That the like neuer man did se,
Alas in what euil case were we,
Tyll God, good praiers did here so plaine,
That Mary her right did attaine.
Of these (I say) and other like,
I might speake muche, but to be short,
Syth God we see did some sore strike,
I nede no more of them report,
I trust all men of euery sorte,
Wyll consent that this is most plaine,
Mary hath brought home Christ againe.
What heart will not perswaded be,
But that our Lorde our quene hath sent,
Syth God onely plast her we see,
By miracle omnipotent,
Who can thinke that Gods sprite present,
Wyll suffre her grace as some thinke plaine,
Any false faieth for to maintaine.
The fruit Christ sayth declareth the tree,
Then let the deuil and all his flocke,
With her doynges offended be,
For all vertue they daily mocke,
Most lyke graftes of a wicked stocke:
Yet shall her grace by vertue plaine,
Her true subiectes in vertue traine.

Whiche that her grace may here long do,
Let vs by grace to God styll pray,
Whiche our conscience doth bynde vs to,
As by Gods worde plaine learne we may,
Upon the whiche let vs all stay,
And thinke her graces knowledge not vaine,
In bringyng home true Christ againe.
So shall we best our lorde here please,
And lyue in rest and quietnesse,
None enemies shall vs disease
In this life, and after doubtlesse,
The lyfe in heauen whiche is endelesse,
We shall in ioy together reigne,
Where Mary with Christ doth remaine.
Finis.
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