12 There are two sorts of pride, the one of opinion, the other of action: the one is mother of heresies, the other is the worm of riches. Of the first sort are they, who say not1 with Moses, Lord what am I? but they say in their own pride, Lord what am not I? They do not make dainty with Jeremiah to groan, and to say, Oh I am but young, &c. but they are bold as the brier, when all others, and their betters refuse; they cry, I will rule ⟨p. 714⟩over all: of the other sort are they, who once being conceited, lash out all their riches in excess of diet, in vanity of apparel, and such like, and then they will be proud as the Italian, newfangled as the Spaniard, drunken with the Grecian, gluttons with the Muscovite, cruel as the Tartarian. Our Fathers by Gods appointment are said to wear skins, and are commanded to go in garments of Camels hair, we, as though we would correct the Lord2 for some insufficiency in his work, devise strange attire. Of one beast we have the skin, of the other we have the fur: of one bird we have one feather, of another another feather. We carry a pearl to shine on our finger, and a burden of silk to glister on our backs, yea, we were the very excrements of some beasts, and then we think all this is of our selves. And that which is more, we give not rest to the dead, but we borrow of them to set on living bodies; as though the Lord had not perfected his work in it, unless we our selves make the work more beautiful. And yet more monstrous is that, which maketh me marvel what our proud dames mean to set up signs in their foreheads Taverners3 indeed have signs to call in all that go by, freely to come in, and there to have entertainment; and what can be thought of our signs on women's heads, but that they mean to make taverns of their bodies, to entertain whosoever will come to them? Well, if neither the Prophets can prevail, nor Preachers can profit to the taking away of this pride, I will say, that as the Lord will not let his spirit always to strive with man, so will he not let his word always strive with man; but they shall die in their sins, in which now they lie in peace, and without all reclaim they shall go to the Hells, with which they have made a covenant.
12 There are two sorts of pride, the one of opinion, the other of action: the one is mother of heresies, the other is the worme of riches. Of the first sort are they, who say not1 with Moses, Lord what am I? but they say in their owne pride, Lord what am not I? They doe not make daintie with Ieremiah to groane, and to say, Oh I am but young, &c. but they are bolde as the brier, when all others, and their betters refuse; they crie, I will rule ⟨p. 714⟩ouer all: of the other sort are they, who once being conceited, lash out all their riches in excesse of diet, in vanitie of apparell, and such like, and then they will be proud as the Italian, newfangled as the Spaniard, drunken with the Grecian, gluttons with the Muscouite, cruell as the Tartarian. Our Fathers by Gods appointment are said to weare skins, and are commanded to go in garments of Camels haire, we, as though we would correct the Lord2 for some insufficiency in his worke, deuise strange attire. Of one beast we haue the skin, of the other we haue the furre: of one bird we haue one feather, of another another feather. We carrie a pearle to shine on our finger, and a burthen of silke to glister on our backes, yea, wee were the very excrements of some beasts, and then we thinke all this is of our selues. And that which is more, we giue not rest to the dead, but we borrow of them to set on liuing bodies; as though the Lord had not perfected his worke in it, vnlesse we our selues make the worke more beautifull. And yet more monstrous is that, which maketh me maruell what our proude dames meane to set vp signes in their forheads Tauerners3 indeed haue signes to call in all that goe by, freely to come in, and there to haue entertainment; and what can be thought of our signes on womens heads, but that they meane to make tauernes of their bodies, to entertaine whosoeuer will come to them? Well, if neither the Prophets can preuaile, nor Preachers can profit to the taking away of this pride, I will say, that as the Lord will not let his spirit alwaies to striue with man, so will he not let his word alwaies striue with man; but they shall die in their sinnes, in which now they lie in peace, and without all reclaime they shall goe to the Hels, with which they haue made a couenant.
- 1Matter heraeseôn, Vermis divitiarum.Mater heraeseôn, Vermis diuitiarum.
- 2Pride in apparel and strange attirePride in apparell and strange attire
- 3Pride of women which set up signs in their foreheads.Pride of women which set vp signes in their foreheads.
