University of Virginia Library

I. [PART I.—AGAINST THE CLERGY GENERALLY, THEIR HYPOCRISY AND VICES.]

Vpon [the hipocrysye?]
of the Cruell C[ler]gy,
And the pro[u]de prelacy [?],
that now do looke so hie,
as though that by and by
they wold clymbe & fflye
vp to the Clowdy Skye:
wher all men may espye,
by fals hipocrysye
Thei Long haue Blered the Eye
of all the world well nye;
Comytting Apostacie
against that verytye
That thei can not Denye:
in which how shamlessly
They do [cavil?] and lye,
ther concyens testyfye,
The poppe[?] [OMITTED] Res
Curtezens & [?] [OMITTED]
The Rest of Balam Markes, [?]
That be heresyarkes,
Which do Comy[t?] ther warkes,
As one that in the Darke ys,
And wotes not wher the marke ys,
Do take the kites for larkes.
suche be owr primates,
Our bisshopps and prelates,
[Our par]sons and [curates,]
With other like estates
that were shaven pates;
As monkes white and blacke,
And Channons that cane chatte,
Glottons ffayre and fatte,
With ffriers of the sacke,
And brothers of the bagg,
As nymble as a nagg,
That cane bothe prate and bragg,
To make the pulpett wagge
with Twenty thousand lyes,
Do make the blind Eate flyes,
and blere our symple Eyes,
To make vs to beleve
God morowe is god eve;
for pleynly to be breve,
so nye they do vs dreve,
That we, to our great greve,
Must sey that white is blacke,
Or elles they sey we smacke,
And smell we wote not what:
But then beware the Catt;
for yf they smell a Ratt,
they grisely chide and chatt,
and, haue him by the Iack,
A fagott for his backe,
or, Take him to the Racke,
And drowne hyme in a sacke,
Or burne hyme on [a] stake!
lo, thus they vndertake
The trothe false to make!
Alas, for christ his sake!
is the sonne-light darke,
Or ignoraunc[e] a clarke,
bycawse that thei hath powre
To send men to the towre,
the Simple to devowre?
if they Lyst to Lowre,
ys Suger therfor Sowre?
dothe five and three make ffour?
As well, I durst be bolde,
To sey the ffier were colde.
But yet they worke muche worse,
when they for blissinge cowrse;
for father friska Jolly,
And pater pecke a lolly,
That be all full of folly,
Doo fayne them seem holy,
For ther monopoly,
And ther private welthe
That they haue take by stelthe
And in the churche they lurke,
As ill as any turke,
so proudely they vsurpe,
Besyde the spritt of christ,
The office of a pryste
in any wise to take,
As thoughe it were a iape,
To Runne in att the Rove;
for some of them do Prove
To clyme vpp ere they knowe
The doore from the wyndowe;
They may not stope alowe,
But backe bend as a bowe;
they make an outwarde showe,
And so forthe one a rowe,
As dapper as a Crowe,
And perte as any pye,
And lighte as any ffly.
At borde and at table
They be full servysable,
Sober and demure,
acquayntans to allure,
wher they may be Sure
by any Craft or trayne
To fyshe for any gayne,
or wayt for any wynnyng,—
A prestly begynnynge!
for many a hyerlinge,
With a wilde fyerlinge,
whan his credyte is most,
with mikell brag and bost
Shall pryck owt as a post,
Chafy[n]g lyke myne hoste,
As hott as any toste,
And Ride from cost to cost,
And then shall Rule the Rost.
And some avaunced be
for ther Auncente,
Throughe ther Antiquitye,
Be all innequitye;
yett be they called
To the Charge of the fald,
Because they be balled,
And be for bisshopps stalled.
And some kepe ther stations
In owtwarde straunge natyons,
Lernynge invocatyons,
And craftye in-Cantatyons;
And so by inchantement
Gette theyr avauncement.
And some by fayned favour
for honour or for havour,
By voyses boughte and solde,
for sylver and for golde,
for lande, for Rente or ffee,
Or by Authoritye
Of menn of hye degree,
Or for some qualitye,
As many of them bee,
for ther Actyvitee,
ther practyse and Industrye,
Sleyght, Craft, and knavery,
in matters of bawdery,
Or by helpe of kynne,
An Easy liffe to wynne.
I swere by saincte mary,
He that thus dothe cary
is a mercenary,
Yea, a sangunary,
A pastore for to pull
Of bothe skynne and wolle.
Thoughe christ be the doer,
They force not of his looer,
They sett therby no stoore;
Ther stody is for moore:
And I tell youe therfore
That they ther tyme temper
with a provisoo semper
An other wey to enter,
for love of wordely good,
Not forcinge of the fflode
Of hyme that bledd the Roode;
It is not for ther moode.
they make Deambulacyons
With great ostentations,
And loke for salutations
On every mannes face,
As in the merkett place
To saye, god saue your grace!
Thus in churche and chepinge,
Wher they may haue metinge
With lordes and with ladyes,
To be called Rabyes:
Nowe god saue these dadyes,
And all ther yonge babyes!
The holy worde of god
Is by these men forbod;
Pater noster and Creede
They vtterly forbeede
To be said or songe
In our vulgar tonge.
Ohe lorde! thou hast great wronge
Of these that shoulde be trustye,
Whiche sey the breade is musty,
And with ther lawe vnlusty
Make it Rusty and dusty!
But I do thinke it Rustye
for lacke of exercyse:
Wherfore they be vnwise
That will the lawe despise,
And daylye newe devyse,
So Dyvers and so straunge,
Which chaunge and rechaunge
Of fastinges and of feestes,
Of bowes and behestes,
With many of ther iestes,
As thoughe lay men wer bestes;
As many of vs bee,
That may and will not see,
Nor ones cast vpp an Eye,
These Iugglinges to espye;
for this that nowe is vsed
Is efte ageyne refused,
Chaunged or mysvsed,
That we be still abused:
The lawe that servethe nowe,
Ageyne they disalowe.
Thus forthe and backe,
With bryve and with bull
They dayly plucke and pull,
And yett be never ffull;
for wher one bull makes,
An other bull forsakes;
The thyrde yett vndertakes
To alter all of newe:
Thus none will other sue.
Wherfore, by swete Iesu,
I thinke they be vntrewe
That iuggle tyme and tyme
To gett thyne and myne;
Yea, thoughe the worlde pynne,
No man wyll they spare,
So they ther pelfe prefarre,
The lawes to make and marre,
To bynde vs nere and farre;
Wherto may be no barre
In peace tyme nor in warre;
for none ther is that darre
Replye ageyne or speake,
This Daunce of thers to breake;
The trouthe it is so weeke:
They make all men cry creake,
Or fry them to a steake,—
Adieu, Sir huddy-peake!
lo, peters barge is leake,
And redy for to synke;
Beware yett least youe drinke;
God dothe not slepe nor wynke,
But sethe lande and brynke;
And yf ye take the chynke,
I feare me ye will stynke,
And Corrupt your vnctyon
With An iniunctyon;
Your pride and presumption,
In abvsing your functyon,
Will breade a consumtion,
And make a resumption,
To bringe youe to compunction;
Youre lawes falsely grounded,
that hath the world Surounded,
By trouthe shalbe Confounded.
Thoughe ye be lordes digne,
Ye shoulde no man maligne,
But ever be benyngne;
And namely in suche Case
Wher god his gyfte or grace
lyst to plante or place:
The poore man, or the Riche,
Is To his pleasure lyche;
for christ, our derest lorde,
That made the full accorde,
As Scripture dothe Recorde,
Betwyxt god and man,
Suppressynge Sattan
and all his kingdom, whan
Vpon the holy Roode
he shadd his blissed bloode,
As muche for one as other,
Exceptinge not his mother,
made every man his brother,
As many as ther bee
In faythe and charitee.
But nowe by fals abvsyon,
The Clergy by Collution,
Without good Conclution,
haue broughte vs to Confution,
And made An illution:
By great inyquytie,
Avaunt them selfes to be
No lesse then godes, yee,
of equall authorytye;
Whiche, by Ipocrysye,
to exalt ther dignytye,
Call vs the leude lay ffee,
men of temporalitee;
But they pretend to bee
A people Eternall,
of powr Supernall:
I fere me, infernall;
for they that be carnall,
Idolaters to Baall,
And nothinge gostely at all,
Be named spirituall;
for so we must them Calle,
As we Aye do and shall,
What happe so ever falle.
Ther Successyon may not dye,
But lyve eternallye;
for, without question,
perpetuall Succession
They haue from one to other,
As childer of ther mother;
Yea, they kepe all in store
That other hadd afore,
And daylye gather more.
lo, thus the people rore,
As on a fistred Sore
of matter most vnpure,
that thei ar dryven to indure
Tyll god him Self send Cure!
That as youe be possessors,
So be yee Successors
Vnto your predecessors:
And yet ye be questors,
and hoorders vppe of testers;
ye daylye cache and gather
Of mother and of father,
And of no man Rather
Then of your poore brother,
And of euery other;
Yea, all that Comes is gayne;
youe passe of no mans payne,
Whiche ye all wey reteyne;
who ever grudge or playne,
It may not out agayne;
Noughte may be Remitted
That to youe is Commytted;
Ye be not so lighte witted.
The people thinke it true
That ye possession sue
To haue an Easy life,
Without debate or strife,
To lyve without a wife,
lordely and at Ease,
Without payne or disease,
your belly god to please,
And worldly welth to haue:
Ye do your heeades shave,
To make youe sure and save
in every wind and wave,
That wolde as sone Rave
As ones to chippe an heare
So farre aboue your Eare,
Or suche an habite weare,
With a polled heade,
To fayne your selves deade;
But for possessions sake
That ye suche Rules take,
And bynde youe to the brake,
That ye maye not forsake
Durynge all your lyves:
So well is he that thrives.
Thus be youe spirituall;
And yett ye do vs call
But lewde and temporall;
And that is for that we
So weake and simple be,
To put oure possession
from oure Succession
And heires lyniall,
Or kynne Collaterall,
That be menn temporall,
And so from lyne to lyne;
for ech man for his tyme
Sayes, “while it is myne,
I will give while I maye,
That, when I am away,
They shall both singe and saye,
And for my Soules helthe pray,
Tyll it be domes day:”
So, after this array,—
Alake and well a way!—
We oure landes straye,
And other goodes decay;
Wherat ye laughe and play:
And natheles allwey
We dayly pay and pay,
To haue youe to go gaye
With wonderfull araye,
As Dysardes in a play.
God wolde it were imprented,
Written and indentyd,
What youe haue invented!
So great Diversyte
nowe in your garmentes be,
that wonder is to se;
Your triple cappe and crowne,
Curtle, cope, and gowne,
more worthe then halfe a towne,
With golde and perle sett,
And stones well I-ffrett;
Ther can be no bett;
And for no price ye lett,
how far of they be fett.
Oh ye kynde of vipers!
Ye beestly bellyters,
With Raynes and cipres,
That haue so many miters!
And yett ye be but mychers.
Youe weere littell hattes,
Myters, and square Capps,
Decked with flye flappes,
With many prety knackes,
like turkes of Tartary,
Moores, or Men of Moscovye,
Or lyke bugges of arraby,
With ouches and bosses,
With staves and crosses,
With pillers and posses,
With standers and banners,
Without good life or manners:
Then haue youe gay gloves,
That with your hand moves,
wroughte with true-loves,
And made well, for the nones,
with golde and precious stones:
Ye blisse vs with your bones,
And with your Riche ringes,
That Quenes and kinges,
At your offringes,
Shall kisse with knelinges;
Which your mynykyns
And mynyon babbes,
Your closse chambred drabbes,
When masse and all is done,
Shall were at after-none.
Your Curtells be of sylke,
with Rochetes white as mylke;
Your bootes of righte Sattyne,
Or velvett Crymosyne;
Your shoes wroughte with gold,
To tredd vpon the molde.
Wandring, as vandals,
In sylke and in sandals,
Ye kepe your holy rules,
As asses and mules;
for on your cloven cules
Will ye never sytt,
But on a Rich carpett;
And nowe and then a fitt,
after the Rule of Bennett,
with dythmunia vennett,
a gaye a vott gennett,
with gill or with Iennyt,
wyth Cycely or Sare;
yf thei Come wher they are,
thei Lay one, and not Spare,
And never look behind them,
wher soever they ffynd them;
ffor whan that thei be hett,
and asmodeus Grett,
they take, as thei can gett,
all fyshe that comes to Nett,
ffor Lust fyndes no lett
tyll hys poyson be spett;—
be she fyne or feat,
be she white or Iett,
Long or short sett,
do she Smyle or Skowle,
be she ffayr or fowle,
or owgly as an owle;
ffor vnderneth a Cowle,
a Surplyse or an amys,
Can no man do amys.
Ye halse them from harmes
With blessinges and charmes,
While the water warmes,
In your holy armes,
broging in ther barmes,
Devoutly to clipe it,
To Caste her with a tryppytt,
With, lusty Sir Iohn, whip it
Vnderneth your tippitt,
Pretextu pietatis,
Quam contaminatis
Sub iugo castitatis,
Your Burning heate to Cease,
and expell your disease,
Vnder pretens of pease,
The paynes to release
Of poore sely Sowles,
That hide be in holes
As hote as any Coles.
Ye cappes haue, and capes,
With many other iapes,
To cover with your pates;
As hoodes and cowles,
like horned owles,
With skapplers and Cootes,
Courtbies and Copes,
White knottyd ropes,
With other instrumentes,
Straunge habilimentes
And wanton vestementes,
and other Implementes,
As Tyrantes haue in tentes:
But what therby ment is,
Or what they signifye,
I cane not tell, not I;
nor youe vndowbtedlye
Can Shew no Reason whie.
Ye make it herisy
And treason to the kinge,
Yf we speke any thinge
That is not to your lykynge:
The truth may not be spoken,
But ye will be wroken.
Yett marke and note this token!
Yf gods worde ones open,
which wyll er long perdye,
Then shall we here and se
In cristianitye,
whether youe or we
The very traytours be.
But, by the trynite,
It wonder is to me
To se your charite
And hospitalite
So littell to the poore!
And yet vpon a hoore
Ye passe for non expence,
As thoughte it non offence
Were in the sighte of god!
Youe fray not of his rod;
Youe loue your bely Cod!
for them that haue no nede,
Ye dayly feest and fede:
I thinke it be to dreede
lest here youe haue your mede.
Ye drawe and cast lottes,
In hattes and in pottes,
for tottes and for quottes,
And blere vs with your blottes,
And with your mery poppes:
Thus youe make vs sottes,
And play with vs boopepe,
With other gambaldes like,
To pill oure lordes sheepe,
Your honour for to kepe,
Vsinge great excesse,
Which I pray god represse,
And soone to sende redresse!
for no man can expresse
The wo and wretchednesse
Youe on oure neckes do lye,
By your grett tyrannye,
Your pride and surquedrye,
That ye do openlye:
But that youe secretly
practyse pryvylye,
May not be tolde:—and why?
lest it be herysye!
and than by and by
to Make a faggott ffrye!
for we can not deny,—
and trewth doth playne dyscrye,
and all wysemen Espye—
that all the falt doth lye
Vpon oure owne foly,
That ye be so iolye;
for with oure owne goodes
We fether vppe oure hoodes.
Youe sanguinolenty,
Your mony is so plenty,
That youe make no deynty
Of Twenty pound and Twenty,
So youe may haue entry;
And then youe laughe and skorne
To se vs were the horne,
Ridinge here and hether,
Goinge ther and thether,
Lyke cokold foles to-gether,
In colde, wynde, and in wether,
for woll, for ledd, and lether;
and yet do not Consydre
we wer an Oxes fether:
This is a prety bob,
Oure hedes for to gnob
With suche a gentill Iob!
And we oure selves Rob
Of landes temporall,
And Ivelles great and smalle,
To give youe parte of all
In almes perpetuall,
To make our heyres thrall
ffor your hye promotyon,
through our blynde devotion
and Small Intellygens,
But that our Conscyens,
[Be] Laden with offens;
And youe vs so incense,
when we be going hens,
To make soch Recompens,
by gyvyng yowe our pens,
our Land, goodes, and Rentes,
ffor that holy pretens,
havyng ffull confydens
that be a Safe Defens:
So Do we styll Dyspens
with all Remorse and Sens
of harty penytens.
This cane not be denyed:
Your Iugglynge is espied,
Your mayster is vntyed,
which is the prince of pride;
for you on neyther syde
Can suffre or abyde
To here the troth tryed,
Which ye intend to hide
With vehement desyre,
As hote as any ffire.