The voyce of the laste trumpet blowen bi the seue[n]th Angel (as is me[n]tioned in the eleuenth of the Apocalips) callynge al the estates of menne to the right path of their vocation, wherin are contayned xii lessons to twelue seueral estates of menne, whych if they learne and folowe, al shal be well and nothynge amise [by Robert Crowley] |
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The Maiestrates lesson |
 | The voyce of the laste trumpet blowen bi the seue[n]th Angel |  |
The Maiestrates lesson
Who
so thou be that God doth call
To beare the swerde of punishemente.
Marke well my woordes, & take thē all
Accordyngly as they be ment.
To beare the swerde of punishemente.
Accordyngly as they be ment.
When thou art in Authoritie
And hast the bridle raine in hand
Thē be well ware that Tyranny
Do not get the within hir band.
And hast the bridle raine in hand
Thē be well ware that Tyranny
Do not get the within hir band.
Loke not vpon thy sword alwaye
But loke some tyme on thy balaunce
And se that neither do decaye
In the tyme of thy gouernaunce.
But loke some tyme on thy balaunce
And se that neither do decaye
In the tyme of thy gouernaunce.
For, to punishe wyth equitie
Is and aye shall be bysemynge
Where as to shewe extremitie
Is founde rather a bloud suckeynge.
Is and aye shall be bysemynge
Where as to shewe extremitie
Is founde rather a bloud suckeynge.
If any man be accused
Se thou heare him indifferently
And let him not be punished
Tyl thou know his cause thorowli
Se thou heare him indifferently
And let him not be punished
Tyl thou know his cause thorowli
If he haue wrought againste ye lawes
So that iustice wolde haue him dye
Then in thy balaunce laye his cause
And iudge him after equitie
So that iustice wolde haue him dye
Then in thy balaunce laye his cause
And iudge him after equitie
If he did it of ignoraunce,
Of nede or by compulsion
Or else by fortune and by chaunce
Then muste thou vse discretion
Of nede or by compulsion
Or else by fortune and by chaunce
Then muste thou vse discretion
Consyder what extreme nede is
And howe force may the weake compell
And howe fortune doeth hyt and mysse
When the intent was to do well
And howe force may the weake compell
And howe fortune doeth hyt and mysse
When the intent was to do well
And though the euidence be playne
And the accusates credible
Yet calle to mynde the elders twayne
That Daniell founde reproueable
And the accusates credible
Yet calle to mynde the elders twayne
That Daniell founde reproueable
And if thou fynde them false or vayne
Forged to worcke theyr brother yll
Then let them suffer the same paine
That he shoulde haue had by their wil
Forged to worcke theyr brother yll
Then let them suffer the same paine
That he shoulde haue had by their wil
Much myght be sayd in this matter
Out of the workes of writtersolde
And for to proue it the better
Many late stories myght be tolde
Out of the workes of writtersolde
And for to proue it the better
Many late stories myght be tolde
But I leaue this to the studie
Of them that haue had exercise
In iudgment, in whose memorie
It is as styll before their eies.
Of them that haue had exercise
In iudgment, in whose memorie
It is as styll before their eies.
I thought mete to touch it only
That thou mightest haue occasion
To call to mynde the chiefe duite
Of thy state and vocation.
That thou mightest haue occasion
To call to mynde the chiefe duite
Of thy state and vocation.
Which is to scanne the euidence
And eke to trye the accusars all
Though thei be men of good credence
Leste haply the iuste be made thral.
And eke to trye the accusars all
Though thei be men of good credence
Leste haply the iuste be made thral.
Moreouer, it behoueth the
If thou wylt walke in thy callynge
To se that all good statutes be
Executed before all thynge
If thou wylt walke in thy callynge
To se that all good statutes be
Executed before all thynge
For to what ende do statutes serue
Or whye should we holde parliamente
If men shall not such lawes obserue
As in that course we shall inuent?
Or whye should we holde parliamente
As in that course we shall inuent?
And what thynge shal a realme decay
So sone as when men do neglecte
The wholsome lawes, as who should say
They were in dede to none effect?
So sone as when men do neglecte
The wholsome lawes, as who should say
They were in dede to none effect?
For in that realme the myghtie shal
Worcke after theyr fancie and wyll
For there the pore may crye and call
For helpe and be oppressed styll.
Worcke after theyr fancie and wyll
For there the pore may crye and call
For helpe and be oppressed styll.
Se thou therfore to thy duttie
In this behalfe boeth daye and nyght
And let none breake such lawes frely
But let thē knowe ye lawes haue myght
In this behalfe boeth daye and nyght
And let none breake such lawes frely
But let thē knowe ye lawes haue myght
Let them all knowe I saye that thou
Art set to minister iustyce
And that thou madest therto a vowe
At the takeynge of thyue offyce.
Art set to minister iustyce
And that thou madest therto a vowe
At the takeynge of thyue offyce.
Wincke not at thinges yt be to plaine
Leste godli knowledge fle the fro
And thou flyt into endlesse payne
At such tyme as thou must hense go.
Leste godli knowledge fle the fro
And thou flyt into endlesse payne
At such tyme as thou must hense go.
For if thou wylt not minister
Iustice to them that do oppresse
What are the people the better
For the, when they be in distresse?
Iustice to them that do oppresse
What are the people the better
For the, when they be in distresse?
The heauenli housband man therfore
Who planted the vice to suppresse
Shall drye thy rote for euer more
And geue the vp to wyckednes.
Who planted the vice to suppresse
Shall drye thy rote for euer more
And geue the vp to wyckednes.
Be ware of this vengeaunce betyme
Leste it come on the sodainly
When yu wouldest faine repēt thy crime
But shalt dispere of goddes mercie.
Leste it come on the sodainly
When yu wouldest faine repēt thy crime
But shalt dispere of goddes mercie.
For what thing causeth men dispeire
Of gods mercie at their last ende
But their cōscience that sayth thei were
Tolde of their fault & would not mende.
Of gods mercie at their last ende
But their cōscience that sayth thei were
Tolde of their fault & would not mende.
If thou therfore doest se this thinge
And wilt wincke at it willingly
I saye that when death shal the stinge
Thou shalt dispeyre of gods mercy.
And wilt wincke at it willingly
I saye that when death shal the stinge
Thou shalt dispeyre of gods mercy.
Yet haue I more to saye to the
Concerning thy vocacion
Which if it growe styl must nedes be
Double abhominacion.
Concerning thy vocacion
Which if it growe styl must nedes be
Double abhominacion.
For he that byeth, must nedes sell
Thou knowest alreadie what I meane
I nede not with plaine wordes to tell
If sinne haue not blynded the cleane.
Thou knowest alreadie what I meane
I nede not with plaine wordes to tell
If sinne haue not blynded the cleane.
Se vnto it I the aduise
And let not offices be solde
For god wyl punishe in straite wyse
Suche as with him wyl be so bolde.
And let not offices be solde
For god wyl punishe in straite wyse
Suche as with him wyl be so bolde.
He wyl not aye suffer his flocke
Of wolfes to be so deuoured
Neither shall they yt would him mocke
Escape his handes vnpunished.
Of wolfes to be so deuoured
Neither shall they yt would him mocke
Escape his handes vnpunished.
His arme is as stronge it was
When he plaged Kynge Pharao
In Egipt, and can bringe to passe
All that he listeth now also.
When he plaged Kynge Pharao
All that he listeth now also.
He spent not all his power vpon
The Kynge Nabuchodonozer
He shall neuer be founde suche one
That he should not haue might in store.
The Kynge Nabuchodonozer
He shall neuer be founde suche one
That he should not haue might in store.
Take hede, take hede, I saye therfore
That thou fall not into his hande
For if thou do thou art forlore
Thou canst not be able to stande.
That thou fall not into his hande
For if thou do thou art forlore
Thou canst not be able to stande.
Yet one thing more I must the tell
Which in no wise thou maist forget
If thou wylt professe gods Gospel
And thine affiaunce therin set.
Which in no wise thou maist forget
If thou wylt professe gods Gospel
And thine affiaunce therin set.
Thou must not couet imperie
Nor seke to rule straunge nacions
For it is charge inoughe perdie
To aunswere for thine owne cōmons.
Nor seke to rule straunge nacions
For it is charge inoughe perdie
To aunswere for thine owne cōmons.
Let thy studie therfore I saye
Be to rule thine owne subiectes well
And not to maintaine warres alwaye
And make thy contrei lyke an hell.
Be to rule thine owne subiectes well
And not to maintaine warres alwaye
And make thy contrei lyke an hell.
Let it suffise the to defende
Thy limites from inuasion
And therin se thou do entende
Thine owne peoples saluation.
Thy limites from inuasion
And therin se thou do entende
Thine owne peoples saluation.
For, marke this. If thou do inuade
And get by force commoditie
The same shall certeinly be made
A scorge to thy posteritie.
And get by force commoditie
The same shall certeinly be made
A scorge to thy posteritie.
| The voyce of the laste trumpet blowen bi the seue[n]th Angel | |