The fortress of the faithful against [the] cruel assaults of poverty and hunger newly…The fortresse of the faythfull agaynst [ye] cruel assautes of pouertie and honger newlye…

What then remaineth, but y• they which are godly rich, remember themselves to be y• stewards ⟨image 11⟩of God, endued with worldly substance, not to spend it voluptuously or after their own foolish fancy about trifles, but upon their necessaries, and that they may conveniently spare, to distribute unto the poor, which are their brothers in Christ of the same flesh and blood, & fellow inheritors with them of one and of the same glory. O blessed is the rich, which is found without blemish, and hath not gone after gold, nor hoped in money and treasures.¹ Where is there such a one, and we shall commend him, and call him blessed. For great things doth he among his people. And that the Godly rich may be the more encouraged to gratify the poor and to do good unto the needy in this wretched and beggarly time, let them ever set these and such like sentences of the holy scriptures before the eyes of² their mind. My son defraud not the poor of his alms, and turn not away thine eyes from him that hath need. Despise not an hungry soul, and despise not y• poor in his necessity. Grieve not the heart of him that is he helpless, and withdraw not the gift from the needful. Refuse not y• prayer of one y• is in trouble turn not away thy face from the needy.³ Cast not thine eyes aside from y• poor for any evil will, that thou give him none occasion to speak evil of thee. For if he complain of the in the bitterness of his soul ⟨image 11⟩his prayer shall be herd, even he that made him, shall hear him. Be courteous unto the company of the poor, humble thy soul unto the elder, and bow down thy head to a man of worship. Let it not grieve the to bow down thine ear unto the poor, but pay thy debt, and give him a friendly answer, & that with meekness. Deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressor, & be not faint hearted, when thou fightest in judgement. Be merciful unto the fatherless as a father, and be in stead of an husband unto their mother, so shalt thou be as an obedient son of the hiest, & he shall love the more then thy mother doth. Help the poor for the commandments sake, and let him not go empty from thee, because of his necessity. Lose thy money for thy brother & neighbours sake,