SO oft as I behold the wretched and to much miserable face of this needy and beggarly world, yea so oft as I consider the lamentable & pitiful, state of the poor people, which are now grown unto such a number, that they be almost innumerable, and so assailed with the cruel darts of poverty and hunger, that they in a manner despair of necessary food and convenient apparel for the sustentation of their poor wretched carcasses, and by this means for a redress of these their to manifold miseries part of them, whose brains are not perfectly settled, whose ⟨image 3⟩judgements are not thoroughly stayed in the way of perfect reason, not patiently bearing the cross of poverty, contrary to Christen order and their bounden duty attempt unto the great dolour of all good men, ungodly and unlawful enterprises, as wicked counsels, unjust assembles, abominable seditions, devilish insurrections, detestable commotions, unrighteous spoilings of other mens goods, uncharitable railings upon their superiors.1 &c. Utterly defacing, so much as in them is, the face of the common weal, not considering this plague of famine and hunger to be sent into the world for sin according to the threatenings of God expressed in y• holy scriptures: I can none otherwise than lament and heartily wish better and more prosperous things to the needy and poor creatures of god universally. For although according to the common Proverb,2
SO ofte as I behold the wretchid and to much miserable face of thys needye and beggerl• world, yea so ofte as I consyder the lamentable & pytifull, state of the poore people, whych are nowe growen vnto suche a number, that they be almoste innumerable, and so assayled wyth the cruell dartes of pouertie and honger, that they in a maner despaire of necessary foode and conuenient apparel for the sustentation of theyr poore wretched karcasses, and by thys meanes for a redresse of these their to manyfolde miseryes parte of theym, whose braynes are not perfectly setled, whose ⟨image 3⟩iudgementes are not thorowly staied in the waye of perfecte reason, not paciently bearynge the crosse of pouertye, contrary to Christen order and theyr bounden dutye attempte vnto the greate doloure of al good men, vngodlye and vnlawful enterprises, as wycked councels, vniust assembles, abhominable sediciōs, diuilyshe insurreccions, detestable conmocions, vnryghtuous spoylynges of other mennes goodes, vncharitable raylynges vpō theyr superiours.1 &c. Utterly defacynge, somuche as in theym is, the face of the common weale, not consyderyng thys plage of famyn and honger to be sent into the world for synne accordynge to the •hreatnynges of God expressed in y• holy scriptures: I can none otherwyse thē lament and hartely wysh better and more prosperous thynges to the nedy and poore creatures of god vniuersally. For although according to the common Prouerbe,2
- 1Deut. xxviii, ii. Reg. xvii. Je••m. xviii. Ezech. iiii. v. iiii. x•ix. xxxii •xxiii. •se. ii.Deut. xxviii, ii. Reg. xvii. Ie••m. xviii. Eze•h. iiii. v. iiii. x•ix. xxxii •xxiii. •se. ii.
- 2Common pro•rbes.Commō pro•rbes.
