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1    Here haue I an occasion by the way somwhat to
2saye vnto you yea, for the place that I alledged vnto
3you before oute of Hieremy the xlviii. Chapter. And
4it was spoken of a spirituall worcke of God, a worke
5that was commaunded to be done, and it was of
6sheddynge bloude and of destroying the cities of
7Moab. For (sayeth he) curssed be he yat kepeth

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8backe hys sworde frome sheddynge of bloud. As
9Saule when he kepte backe the sworde from shedding
10of bloude, at what tyme he was sent agaynst Amalech,
11was refused of God for beinge disobedient to Goddes
12commaundementes, in that he spared Agag ye kyng.
13So that, that place of ye prophet was spoken of them
14that wente to the distruction of the cityes of Moab,
15amonge the which there was one called Nebo, whyche
16was muche reproued for idolatrie, supersticion, pryde,
17auarice, crueltie, tiranny, and for hardenes of herte,
18and for these sinnes was plaged of God and destroyed.
19Nowe what shall we saye of these ryche citizens of
20London? What shall I saye of them? shal I cal them
21proude men of London, malicious men of London,
22mercylesse men of London. No, no, I may not saie
23so, they wil be offended wyth me than. Yet must I
24speake. For is there not reygning in London, as much
25pride, as much coueteousnes, as much crueltie, as much
26opprission, as much supersticion, as was in Nebo? Yes,
27I thynke and muche more to. Therfore I saye, repente
28O London. Repent, repente. Thou heareste thy
29faultes tolde the, amend them amend them. I thinke
30if Nebo had had the preachynge yat thou haste: they
31wold haue conuerted. And you rulers and officers
32be wise and circumspect, loke to your charge and see
33you do your dueties and rather be glad to amend your
34yll liuyng then to be angrye when you are warned or
35tolde of your faulte. What a do was there made in
36London at a certein man because he sayd, and in dede
37at that time on a iust cause. Burgesses quod he, nay
38butterflies. Lorde what a do there was for yat worde.
39And yet would God they were no worse then butterflies.
40Butterflyes do but theyre nature, the butterflye is not
41couetouse, is not gredye of other mens goodes, is not
42ful of enuy and hatered, is not malicious, is not cruel,
43is not mercilesse. The butterflye gloriethe not in hyr
44owne dedes, nor preferreth the tradicions of men before
45Gods worde; it committeth not idolatry nor worshyppeth

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46false goddes. But London can not abyde to
47be rebuked suche is the nature of man. If they be
48prycked, they wyll kycke. If they be rubbed on the
49gale; they wil wynce. But yet they wyll not amende
50theyr faultes, they wyl not be yl spoken of. But howe
51shal I speake well of them. If you could be contente
52to receyue and folowe the worde of god and fauoure
53good preachers, if you coulde beare to be toulde of
54youre faultes, if you coulde amende when you heare of
55them: if you woulde be gladde to reforme that is a
56misse: if I mighte se anie suche inclinacion in you,
57that leaue to be mercilesse and begynne to be charytable
58I would then hope wel of you, I woulde then
59speake well of you. But London was neuer so yll as
60it is now. In tymes past men were full of pytie and
61compassion but nowe there is no pitie, for in London
62their brother shal die in the streetes for colde, he shall
63lye sycke at theyr doore betwene stocke and stocke. I
64can not tel what to call it, and peryshe there for hunger,
65was there any more vnmercifulnes in Nebo? I thynke
66not. In tymes paste when any ryche man dyed in
67London, they were wonte to healp the pore scholers of
68the vniuersitye wyth exhibition. When any man dyed,
69they woulde bequeth greate summes of money towarde
70the releue of the pore. When I was a scholer in Cambrydge
71my selfe, I harde verye good reporte of London
72and knewe manie that had releue of the rytche men of
73London, but nowe I can heare no such good reporte,
74and yet I inquyre of it, and herken for it, but nowe
75charitie is waxed colde, none helpeth the scholer nor
76yet the pore. And in those dayes what dyd they whan
77they helped the scholers? Mary they maynteyned and
78gaue them liuynges that were verye papists and professed
79the popes doctrine and nowe that the knowledge
80of Gods word is brought to lyght, and many earnestelye
81studye and laboure to set it forth now almost no
82man healpeth to maynteyne them. Oh London
83London, repente repente, for I thynke God is more
84displeased wyth London then euer he was with the

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85citie of Nebo. Repente therfore repent London and
86remembre that same God lieth nowe yat punyshed
87Nebo, euen the same god and none other, and he wyl
88punyshe synne as well nowe as he dyd then, and he will
89punishe the iniquitie of London as well as he did then
90of Nebo. Amende therfore and ye that be prelates loke
91well to your office, for right prelatynge is busye labourynge
92and not lordyng. Therfore preache and teach and
93let your ploughe be doynge, ye lordes I saye that liue lyke
94loyterers, loke well to your office, the ploughe is your
95office and charge. If you lyue idle and loyter, you do not
96your duetie, you folowe not youre vocation, let your
97plough therfore be going and not cease, that the ground
98maye brynge foorth fruite. But nowe me thynketh I
99heare one saye vnto me, wotte you what you say? Is
100it a worcke? Is it a labour? how then hath it happened
101yat we haue had so manye hundred yeares so
102many vnpreaching prelates, lording loyterers and idle
103ministers? Ye woulde haue me here to make answere
104and to showe the cause thereof. Nay thys land is not
105for me to ploughe, it is to stonye, to thorni, to harde for
106me to plough. They haue so many thynges yat make
107for them, so many things to laye for them selues that it
108is not for my weake teame to plough them. They
109haue to lay for them selues longe customes Cerimonyes,
110and authoritie, placyng in parliamente and many
111thynges more. And I feare me thys lande is not yet
112rype to be ploughed. For as the saying is, it lacketh
113wethering this greare lacketh wetheringe at leaste way
114it is not for me to ploughe. For what shall I loke for
115amonge thornes but prickyng and scrachinge? what
116among stones but stumblyng? What (I had almost
117sayed) among serpenttes but stingyng? But thys muche
118I dare say, that sence lording and loytrying hath come
119vp, preaching hath come downe contrarie to the Apostells
120times. For they preached and lorded not. And
121nowe they lorde and preache not.
122    For they that be lordes wyll yll go to plough. It is
123no mete office for them. It is not semyng for their state.

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124Thus came vp lordyng loyterers. Thus crept in vnprechinge
125prelates, and so haue they longe continued.
126    For howe many vnlearned prelates haue we now at
127this day? And no meruel. For if ye plough men
128yat now be, were made lordes they woulde cleane gyue
129ouer ploughinge, they woulde leaue of theyr labour and
130fall to lordyng outright, and let the plough stand. And
131then bothe ploughes not walkyng nothyng shoulde be in
132the common weale but honger. For euer sence the
133Prelates were made Loordes and nobles, the ploughe
134standeth, there is no worke done, the people sterue.
135    Thei hauke, thei hunt, thei card, they dyce, they
136pastyme in theyr prelacies with galaunte gentlemen,
137with theyr daunsinge minyons, and with theyr freshe
138companions, so that ploughinge is set a syde. And by
139the lordinge and loytryng, preachynge and ploughinge
140is cleane gone. And thus if the ploughemen of the
141countrey, were as negligente in theyr office, as prelates
142be, we shoulde not longe lyue for lacke of sustinaunce.
143And as it is necessarie for to haue thys ploughinge for
144the sustentacion of the bodye: so muste we haue also
145the other for the satisfaction of the soule, or elles we
146canne not lyue longe gostly. For as the bodie wasteth
147and consumeth awaye for lacke of bodily meate: so
148doeth the soule pyne a way for default of gostly meate.
149But there be two kyndes of inclosynge to lette or
150hinder boeth these kyndes of plougheinge. The one is
151an inclosinge to let or hinder ye bodily ploughynge,
152and the other to lette or hynder the holiday ploughyng,
153the church ploughinge. The bodylye plougheyng, is
154taken in and enclosed thorowe singulare commoditie.
155For what man wyll lette goe or deminishe hys priuate
156commoditie for a commune welth? and who wyll susteyne
157any damage for the respecte of a publique commoditie?
158The other plough also no man is diligent
159to sette forward, nor no man wyll herken to it, but to
160hinder and let it, al mennes eares are open, yea and a
161greate meany of this kynde of ploughmen which are very
162busie and woulde seme to be verie good worckmen. I

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163feare me some be rather mocke gospellers then faythful
164ploughmen. I knowe many my selfe that professe
165the gospel, and lyue nothyng there after. I knowe
166them, and haue bene conuersaunt wyth some of them.
167I knowe them, and I speake it wyth an heauy herte,
168there is as litle charitye and good liuinge in them as in
169any other, accordyng to that which Christe sayed in the
170Gospel to the greate numbre of people that folowed hym,
171as thoughe they had had an earneste zeale to his doctrine,
172wher as in deede they had it not. Non qui vidistis
173signa, sed quia comedistis de panibus. Ye folowe me
174(sayth he) not because ye haue seene the sygnes and
175myracles that I haue done, but because ye haue
176eaten the breade and refreshed your bodyes. Therefore
177you folowe me, so that I thynke manye one
178nowe a dayes professeth the gospel for the lyuynge
179sake, not for the loue they beare to gods word. But
180they that wil be true ploughmen muste worke faythfullye
181for Goddes sake, for the edifiynge of theyr bretherne.
182And as diligentelye as the husband man
183plougheth for the sustentacion of the bodye: so diligently
184muste the prelates and ministers labour for the
185fedinge of the soule: boeth the ploughes muste styll
186be doynge, as mooste necessarye for man. And wherefore
187are magistrates ordayned, but that the tranquillitie
188of the commune weale maye be confirmed limiting
189both ploughes.
190    But nowe for the defaulte of vnpreaching prelates
191me thinke I coulde gesse what myghte be sayed for excusynge
192of them: They are so troubeled wyth
193Lordelye lyuynge, they be so placed in palacies, couched
194in courtes, ruffelynge in theyr rentes, daunceynge in
195theyr dominions, burdened with ambassages, pamperynge
196of theyr panches lyke a monke that maketh his
197Jubilie, mounchynge in their maungers, and moylynge
198in their gaye manoures and mansions, and so troubeled
199wyth loyterynge in theyr Lordeshyppes: that they canne

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200not attende it. They are otherwyse occupyed, somme
201in the Kynges matters, some are ambassadoures, some
202of the pryuie counsell, some to furnyshe the courte,
203some are Lordes of the Parliamente, some are presidentes,
204and some comptroleres of myntes. Well, well.
205    Is thys theyr duetye? Is thys theyr offyce? Is
206thys theyr callyng? should we haue ministers of the
207church to be comptrollers of the myntes? Is thys a
208meete office for a prieste that hath cure of soules? Is
209thys hys charge? I woulde here aske one question:
210I would fayne knowe who comptrolleth the deuyll at
211home at his parishe, whyle he comptrolleth the mynte?
212If the Apostles mighte not leaue the office of preaching
213to be deacons, shall one leaue it for myntyng?
214    I can not tell you, but the sayinge is, that since
215priests haue bene minters, money hath bene wourse
216then it was before. And they saye that euylnes of
217money hath made all thinges dearer. And in thys behalfe
218I must speake to England.
219    Heare my contrey England, as Paule sayed in his
220firste epistle to the Cor.vi.Chap. for Paule was no sittynge
221bishoppe, but a walkinge and a preachynge
222byshop. But when he wente from them, he lefte there
223behind hym the ploughe goynge styll, for he wrotte
224vnto them and rebuked them for goynge to lawe and
225pleadynge theyr causes before heathen Judges, is there,
226(sayeth he) vtterlye amonge you no wyse manne, to be
227an arbitratoure in matters of iudgement? What? not
228one all that canne iudge betwene brother and brother?
229But one brother go to lawe wyth an other, and that
230vnder heathen Judges? Constituite contemptos qui
231sunt in ecclesia: et cete. Appoynte them Judges that
232are moost abiecte, and vyle in the congregation,
233whyche he speaketh in rebukynge them for (sayth he)
234Ad erubescenciam vestram dico. I speake it to youre
235shame. So England I speake it to thy shame. Is
236there neuer a noble man to be a Lorde president, but

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237it muste be a prelate? Is there neuer a wyse man in
238the realme to be a comptroller of the minte? I
239speake it to your shame, I speake it to youre shame.
240Yf there be neuer a wyse man, make a water bearer,
241a tinker, a cobler, a slaue, a page, comptroller of the
242mynte. Make a meane gentylman, a groome, a yeoman,
243make a poore begger Lorde president: Thus I
244speake not that I would haue it so, but to your shame.
245Yf there be neuer a gentleman meete nor able to be
246Lorde presidente. For whye are not the noble men
247and yong gentlemen of England so brought vp in
248knoweledge of God and in learnynge that they maye
249be able to execute offices in the commune weale?
250The Kynge hath a greate meanye of wardes and I
251trowe there is a courte of wardes, why is there not
252a schole for the wardes as well as there is a courte for
253their landes? Whye are they not set in scholes, where
254they maye learne? Or why are they not sent to the
255vniuersities that they maye be able to serue the kyng
256when they come to age? Yf the wardes and yonge
257gentlemen were well brought vp in learnyng and in the
258knowledge of God, they woulde not when they come
259to age, so much geue them selues to other vanities.
260    And if the nobilitie be wel trayned in godly learnynge,
261the people would folowe ye same traine. For truly
262such as the noble men be, suche wyll the people be.
263And nowe the onely cause, why noble men be not
264made Lord presidentes, is because they haue not bene
265brought vp in learninge: Therefore for the loue of
266God, appoynte teachers and scholemaisters, you that
267haue charge of youth, and giue the teachers stipendes
268worthy their paynes, that they maye brynge them vp
269in grammer, in Logike, in rethorike, in Philosophe, in
270in the ciuile lawe, and in that whiche I can not leaue
271vnspoken of, the word of God. Thankes be vnto God
272the nobilitie, other wyse is verie well broughte vp in
273learninge and godlines, to the great ioye and comfort
274of England, so that there is nowe good hope in the
275youth, that we shal an other day haue a flourishinge

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276common welth, considering theyr godly education. Yea,
277and there be al ready noble men ynough (though not
278so many as I woulde wishe) able to be Lorde presidentes,
279and wyse men ynough, for the mynte. And as
280vnmeete a thynge it is for byshoppes to be Lorde presidentes
281or priestes to be mynters, as it was for the
282Corrhinthians to pleade matters of variaunce before
283heathen Judges. It is also a sclaunder to the noble
284men, as thoughe they lacked wysedome, and learninge to
285be able for suche offices, or elles were no men of consciences,
286or elles were not meete to be trusted,and, and
287able for suche offices: And a prelate hath a charge
288and cure other wyse, and therfore he can not discharge
289his dutie, and be a Lorde president to. For a
290presidentshippe requireth a whole man, and a byshoppe
291can not be two menne. A bishoppe hath his
292office, a flocke to teache, to loke vnto, and therfore
293he can not meddle wyth an other office, which
294alone requireth a whole man. He should therfore
295gyue it ouer to whome it is meete, and laboure
296in his owne busines, as Paule writeth to the
297Thessalonians. Lette euerie man do his owne busines,
298and folow his callying. Let the priest preache, and
299the noble men handle the temporal matters. Moyses
300was a meruelous man, a good man. Moyses was a
301wonderful felowe, and dyd his dutie being a maried
302man. We lacke suche as Moyses was. Well, I woulde
303al men woulde loke to their dutie, as God hath called
304them, and then we shoulde haue a florishyng christian
305commune weale. And nowe I would aske a straung
306question. Who is the most diligent bishoppe and prelate
307in al England, that passeth al the reste in doinge
308his office I can tel, for I knowe him, who it is I knowe
309hym well. But nowe I thynke I se you lysting and
310hearkening, that I shoulde name him. There is one
311that passeth al the other, and is the most diligent prelate
312and preacher in al England. And wyl ye knowe
313who it is? I wyl tel you. It is the Deuyl.
314

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315    In any wyse, let no suche a wone prepare
316vnto him self manye horsses. etc. In
317speakynge these wordes, ye shal vnderstand,
318that I do not entend to speake agaynste the
319strengthe, polysye, and prouision of a kyng, but agaynst
320excesse, and vayne truste that kynges haue in them
321selues, more then in the liuing god the authour of al
322goodnes, and geuer of all victory. Many horses are
323requisite for a king, but he maye not excede in them,
324nor triumphe in them, more then is nedeful, for the
325necessary affayres and defence of the realme: what
326meaneth it, that god hath to do wyth the kynges
327stable? But only he would be mayster of his horsses,
328the Scripture sayeth, In altis habitat . He dwelleth on
329hye, it foloweth. Humilia respicit. He
330loketh on lowe thynges, yea, vpon the
331Kynges stables. and vpon al the offyces in
332hys house. God is great grand mayster of
333the Kynges house, and wil take accoumpt of euery one
334that beareth rule therin, for the executing of their offices,
335Whether they haue iustly and truely serued the kyng in
336their offices or no. Yea god loketh vpon the kynge hym
337selfe, if he worketh well or not. Euery kyng is subiecte
338vnto God, and all other men are subiectes vnto ye
339king. In a king god requireth faith, not exces of
340horsses. Horsses for a kynge be good and necessarye,
341if thei be wel vsed. But horsses are not to be preferred
342aboue pore men. I was ones offendid with the
343kynges horses, and therfore toke occasion to speake
344in the presens of the kynges maiestye that dead is,

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345whan Abbeis stode. Abbeis were ordeyned for the
346comforte of the pore, Wherfore I sayde it was not
347decent that the kings horsses shuld be kept in them
348(as manye were at that tyme) the lyuynge of poore
349men therby minished and taken a way: But after
350ward a certayne noble man sayd to me, what hast thou
351to do with ye kinges horsses? I answered, and sayd, I
352speake my conscience as goddes word directeth me.
353He said horsses be ye mayntenaunces and parte of a
354kynges honoure, and also of hys realme, wherefore in
355speakyng againste them ye are against the kynges
356honoure. I answered. God teacheth what honoure is
357decente for the kynge and for al other
358men accordynge vnto their vocations. God
359apoynteth euery king a sufficient lyuinge
360for hys state and degre boeth by landes and other
361customes. And it is lawfull for euery kyng to enioye
362the same goodes and possessyons. But to extorte and
363take awaye the ryghte of the poore, is agaynste the
364honoure of the kinge. And you do moue the kinge
365to do after that manner, then you speake agaynste the
366honoure of the kynge. For I ful certifye
367you, extorcioners, violent opressers, in
368grossers of tenamentes and landes,
369throughe whose couetousnes, villages
370decaye and fall downe, the kinges leige people for
371lacke of sustinaunce are famished and decayed. They
372be those whyche speke a gainst the honour of the
373kynge. God requireth in the king and al magistrates
374a good herte, to walke directlye in hys
375wayes. And in all subiectes, an obedience
376dewe vnto a kynge. Therefore I pray god
377both the king and also we his people maye endeuer
378diligently to walke in his wayes, to hys greate honoure
379and our profite. Let hym not prepare
380vnto him selfe to manye wyues. etc. Al
381thoughe we reade heare that the kinges amongest the
382Iewes, had libertye to take more wyues then one, we
383maye not therefore atempte to walke in ordinatly

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384and to thinke that we may take also many
385wiues.
386    For Christe hath for byden thys vnto
387vs Christians. And lette vs not impute
388synne vnto the Iewes because they hadde many
389wyues. For they hadde a dispensation so to do.
390Christe limiteth on wyfe vnto vs only. And it is a
391greate thynge for a man to rule one wyfe ryghtly, and
392ordinatly. For a woman is frayll and procliue vnto
393all euels, a woman is a very weake vessel, and maye
394sone deceyue a man, and brynge hym vnto euell. Many
395examples we haue in holy scripture. Adam had but
396one wyfe, called Eue, and howe sone had
397she brought hym to consent vnto euell,
398and to come to destruction, How dyd
399wycked Iesabell preuente kynge Hachabs herte from
400god and al godlines, and finally vnto destruction. It
401is a very hard thynge for a man to rule wel one woman.
402Therfore let oure kynge, what
403tyme hys grace shalbe so mynded to take
404a wyfe to chose hym one whych is of god,
405that is, whyche is of the housholde of fayth. Yea let
406all estates be no lesse circumspect in chosynge her,
407takynge great deliberation, and then shal not need
408dyuorsementes, and such myscheues to the euel example
409and sclaunder of our realm, And that she be one
410as the kyng can fynd in hys hert to loue
411and leade hys life in pure and chaste
412esposage, and then shall he be the more
413prone and redy to aduance gods glorye,
414punishe, and extirpe, the great lecherye
415vsed in this realme. Therefore we ought to make a
416continuall prayer vnto god, for to graunt oure kynges
417grace suche a mate as maye knyt hys hert and heres,
418accordyng to goddes ordynaunce and lawe, and not
419to consider and cleaue onely to a politike matter or
420coniunction, for the enlargynge of dominions, for suertye
421and defence of contres, settyng apart the institution
422and ordinaunce of God. We haue nowe a prety

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423litle shilling, in dede a very pretye one. I haue but
424one think in my pursse, and the laste daye
425I had put it awaye almoste for an olde
426grote, and so I truste some wyll take them. The
427fynes of the siluer I can not se. But therin is
428prynted a fyne sentence: that is. Timor Domini
429fons ARBER: sons vitae vel sapientiae. The feare of
430the Lorde is the fountayne of lyfe or Wysdome. I
431wolde god this sentence were alwaies printed in
432the herte of the kyng in chosynge hys
433wyfe, and in al hys officers. For lyke as
434the feare of God is fons sapientiae or vitae , so
435the forgetting of god is fons stulticiae the fontayne of
436folishnes or of death, althoughe it be
437neuer so politike, for vpon such politike
438matters death doth ensue and folowe. All
439their deuorcementes and other lyke condiciones to
440the greate displeasure of all myghtye God, whiche
441euylles I feare me, is much vsed at these daies in the
442mariage of noble mens children, for ioining landes to
443landes, possessions, to possessions, neither the vertuous
444educacion, nor liuinge being regarded, but in the infancy
445such mariages be made, to the displeasuer of
446god and breach of espousals. Let the king therfor
447chose vnto him a godly wyfe, wherby he shal the
448better liue chast, and in so liuyng all godlines shal encrease
449and ryghtewesnes be maynteyned. Notwithstandyng,
450I knowe here after, some wyll come and
451moue your grace towardes wantonnes and to the inclinacyon
452of the fleshe and vayne affections. But I
453would your grace should beare in memorye,
454an hystorye of a good king called
455Lewes, that trauelled towardes the holye
456lande (whiche was a greate matter in those dayes) and
457by the waye syckyned, beynge longe absente from hys
458wyfe. And vpon thys matter the phisitians
459dyd agre, yat it was for lacke of a
460woman. And dyd consulte with the

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461bishops therein, who dyd conclude that because of the
462distance of hys wyfe (beyng in an other countrye) he
463should take a wenche. Thys good kyng hering their
464conclusion would not assent there vnto, but sayde, he
465had rather be sycke euen vnto death then he wold
466breake his espousals. Wo worth such consellers,
467bishops, nay rather bussardes. Neuertheless if the
468king shoulde haue consented to their conclusyon, and
469accomplished the same, yf he had not chansed well,
470they wolde haue executed the matter as I haue harde
471of two yat haue consulted together, and according to
472the aduyse of his friend the one of them wroght
473where the succession was not good.
474    The other imputed a pese of reproche to hym for hys
475such counsell geuen. He excused the matter sayeinge:
476that he gaue hym none other counsel, but if it had byne
477hys cause he woulde haue done likewise. So I thinke
478the bishops wolde haue excused the matter, yf the king
479should haue reproued them for their counsell. I do not
480rede that the King did rebuke them for their
481councel, but yf he had, I knowe what woulde haue
482ben their aunswere. They would haue sayde, we geue
483you no worsse councel, then we wolde haue folowed oure
484selues, yf we had ben in like case. Wel sir, thys Kyng
485dyd wel, and had the feare of god before
486hys eyes. He wold not walke in bywalkes,
487where are many balkes. Amongest
488many balkinges, is much stumbling and by stombling it
489chaunceth many tymes to fal downe to the ground.
490And therfore, let vs not take any biwalkes, but
491let gods word directe vs, let vs not walke after, nor
492leane to our owne iudgementes and procedynges of
493oure forfathers, nor seke not what they dyd, but
494what they shoulde haue done, of which thyng scrypture
495admonysheth vs saying: Ne inclinemus
496praeceptis et traditionibus patrum neque faciamus quod
497videtur rectum in oculis nostris .

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498    Let vs not inclyne our selues vnto the preceptes and
499tradycyons of oure fathers, nor let vs do that semeth
500ryght in our eyes. But suerlye, we wyll not exchange
501oure fathers doynges and tradicions, with scripture,
502but cheifely lene vnto them and to theyr prescription,
503and do that semeth good in oure owne eyes. But
504suerly that is goynge downe the ladder, Scala caeli as it
505was made by the Pope came to be a Masse, but that
506is a false ladder to bringe men to heauen. The true
507ladder to brynge a man to heauen is the knowledge
508and folowynge of scripture. Let the kyng therfore
509chose a wyfe whych feareth god, let hym not seke a
510proude, wanton and one ful of rich treasures
511and worldelye pompe. He shall not
512multyplye vnto hym selfe to muche gold and siluer.
513Is ther to muche thynke you for a kynge? God doeth
514alowe muche, vnto a kynge, and it is expediente that
515he should haue muche, for he hath great
516expenses, and many occasions to spende
517muche for the defence and suertie of hys
518realme and subiectes.
519    And necessary it is that a kyng haue a treasure all
520wayeys in a redines, for that, and such other affayres, as
521be dayly in hys handes. The which treasure, if it be
522not sufficiente, he maye lawfully and wyth a salue conscience,
523take taxis of hys subiectes. For it were not
524mete, the treasure, shoulde be in the subiectes purses
525whan the money shoulde be occupied, nor it were not
526best for themselues, for the lacke there of, it myght
527cause both it, and all the rest that they haue shold not
528long be theirs, And so for a necessarye and expedyent
529occacion, it is warranted by goddes word
530to take of the subiectes But if there be
531sufficyente treasures, and the burdenynge
532of subiectes be for a vayne thyng. So yat he wyl
533require thus much, or so much of his subiectes (whyche
534perchaunce are in great necessitie), and penurye.
535Then this couetous intent, and the request thereof, is
536to muche, whych god forbiddeth the king her in this

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537place of scripture to haue. But who shal
538se this to much, or tell ye king of this to
539much. Thinke you anye of the Kynges
540preuye chamber? No. For feare of losse
541of fauer. Shall any of his sworne chapelins? No.
542Thei bee of the clausset and kepe close such matters.
543But the Kynge him selfe must se this to
544much, and yat shal he do by no meanes
545with the corporal eyes: Wherfore, he must
546haue a paier of spectacles, whiche shall haue two cleare
547syghtes in them, yat is, ye one is fayth,
548not a seasonable fayeth, which shall laste
549but a whyle, but a fayeth, whiche is continuynge
550in God. The seconde cleare sighte is charitie,
551whych is feruente towardes hys Chrysten brother. By
552them two, must the Kynge se euer whan he hath to
553muche.