An invective against the most wicked [and] detestable vice of swearing, newly co[m]piledAn inuectyue agenst the moost wicked [and] detestable vyce of swearing, newly co[m]piled

Again, when the common sort o• people in a parish are gathered tog• there at any time to make merry,¹ a• the custom in many places is to do chiefly on the Sundays, & other h• ly days at after noon, when the• ought rather to be occupied in fervent prayers, or else in the reading or hearing of the holy Scriptures what shameful & wicked oaths do ⟨p. xxiiii⟩they swear? Wham they are once set upon the alebench, and well whittled in their brains through the many cups that have been filled in, how fall they then to swearing? What part of Christs most blessed body is least untorn? He is taken for jolliest fellow, that can best swear. I let pass their other filthy talk, dronckenshyppe, and excess. O wickedness. Are these Christen men? Not much before, they were in the Temple, and full solemnly went up & down pattering with a pair of •eades in their hands, and when y• priest read the Gospel, although they understood not one word, yet of custom they stood up like men, and when the priest named Jesus in the Gospel, and they saw him for y• reverence of it, make courtesy, they also full mannerly bowed their knees, as devout parsons, pretending ⟨image 26⟩by that means that they have the name of Jesus among them in great honour, yet straight ways go they unto the alehouse, and by their wicked oaths, do they there the greatest dishonour to the name of Jesus that can be done in the world. These people may well be resembled to those Jews, which in despite stripped Christ, & put on him a purple robe, & platted a crown of thorns & put it upon his head, & a reed in his right hand, and bowed their knees before him & mocked him, saying, Ave rex Judeorum, hail king of the Jews. God amend these crooked customs.

Agayne, whan the comon sort o• people in a parysh are gathered tog ther at ony tyme to make mery,