1Ye consider not the matter to the bottom. Their offices be bought for great sums, now how shall they receive their money again, but by bribing ⟨image 130⟩⟨image 131⟩⟨image 131⟩ye would have them undone. Some of them gave .CC. pounds some .v.C. pound, some .ii.M pound. And how shall they gather up this money again, but by helping them selves in their office. And is it so trow ye?2 Are civil offices bought for money? Lord God. Who would have thought that? Let us not be to hasty to credit it. For then we have the old proverbe, Omnia •e••lpa Roma. Allthings are sold for money at Rome, & Rome is come home to our own doors. If they by, they must needs sell, for it is wittily spoken. Vendere jure potest emerat ille prius. He may lawfully sell it, he bought it before. God forfend that ever any such enormity should be in England, that civil offices should be bought ⟨image 132⟩and sold, where as men should have them given them for their worthiness, I would the kings majesty should seek through his real me for mete men,3 and able men, worthy to be in office, yea and give them liberally for their pains, and rather give them money to take the office in hand, then they to give money for it. This buying of offices is a making of bribery, it is an inducing, and enforcing,4 and compelling of men to bribery. Holy scripture qualifieth the officers and showeth what manner of men they should be and of what qualities, Vi•os fortes. 5Some Translations have Viros sapientes. The English translation hath it very well. Men of activity that have stomachs to do their ⟨image 132⟩office, they must not be milk sops,6 nor white levered knights. they must be wise, hearty, hardy men of a good stomach. Secondarily, he qualifieth them with the fear of god. He sayeth they must be Timentes deum. fearyng God. For if he fear God he shall be no briber, no perverter of judgement, faithful. Thirdly they must be chosen offycers. In quibus est veritatis. In whom is truth. If he say it, it shall be done. Fourthly. Qui oderunt avaritiam. Hating covetousness, far from it, he will not come •ere it, that hateth it.7 It is not he that will give .v C pound for an office. With these qualities God's wisdom would have magistrates to be qualified. This cometh from the ⟨image 133⟩devils consistory to pay .v.C. pounds for one office. If they pay so much, it must needs follow that they take bribes,8 that they be bribe takers.
1Ye consyder not the matter to the bottome. Their offices be bought for great sommes, now howe shall they receyue theyr money agayne, but by brybyng ⟨image 130⟩⟨image 131⟩⟨image 131⟩ye woulde haue them vndone. Some of thē gaue .CC. poūdes some .v.C. pounde, some .ii.M poūd. And how shal thei gather vp thys monye agayne, but by healpyng them selues in theyre offyce. And is it so trow ye?2 Are ciuile offices bought for monei? Lorde God. Who would haue thought that? Let vs not be to hasty to credit it. For then we haue the old prouerbe, Omnia •e••lpa Roma. Althinges ar sold for mony at Rome, & Rome is come home to our own dores. If thei by, they must nedes sell, for it is wittely spoken. Vendere iure potest emerat ille prius. He may lawefully sel it, he bought it before. God forfend that euer any such enormitie shuld be in England, that ciuile offyces should be bought ⟨image 132⟩and soulde, wher as men shulde haue thē geuē thē for theyr worthines, I would the kinges maiestie shuld seke thorow his real me for mete men,3 and able men, worthye to be in offyce, yea and giue thē liberally for theyr paines, and rather geue thē monye to take the office in hande, then they to geue money for it. This byinge of offyces is a makynge of bryberye, it is an enducinge, and enforsyng,4 and compelling of men to briberye. Holye scripture qualyfieth the officers and sheweth what maner of mē they shuld be and of what qualites, Vi•os fortes. 5Some Translacyons haue Viros sapientes. The Englishe translaciō hath it verye welll. Menne of actyuitye that haue stomakes to do theyr ⟨image 132⟩office, thei must not be milke soppes,6
- 1He that byeth dear must needs sell there after.He that byeth dere must nedes sel ther after.
- 2Ye must understand, yea, as well as civil oil to make the sentence perfect.Ye must vnderstande, yea, as well as cyuyl oyle to make the sentence perfect.
- 3Mete men able, are worthy to be put in office.Mete men able, are worthy to be put in offyce.
- 4It is a bribery to bye offices.It is a brybery to bye offyces.
- 5What m•nner of men officers should be.What m•nner of men offycers shulde be.
- 6They must have .iiii. properties.They muste haue .iiii. properties.
- 7Five .C. pound, given for an office.Fyue .C. pounde, geuen for an offyce.
- 8They that are mete to bear office would be sought out & liberally feed. Selling of offices and selling of binefyces are both one. that is to say Simony otherwise called SimonyThey that are mete to beare offyce wold be sought out & lyberally feed. Sellyng of offyces and sellynge of binefyces are both one. that is to say Symony otherwyse called Symonye
