The jewel of joyThe iewel of ioye

Christo. Ryche men were never so much estranged from all pity and compassion toward the poor people, as they be at this present time, they devour ¹the people as it were a morsel of bread. If any piece of ground delight their eye, they must needs have it other by hook or by crook. ⟨image 45⟩If the pore man will not satisfy ²their covetous desire, he is sure to be molested, troubled, and disquieted on such sort, that whether he will, or will not (though both he, his careful wife, and miserable children with his whole family should perish for hunger) he shall forgo it, or else it were as good for him to live among the furies of Hell, as to dwell by those rich carls & covetous churls. There is no end of enlarging their grounds, neither are they led with any fear of Gods indignation, ³expressed by the Prophet saying. Woe and everlasting damnation be unto them that join house to house, and couple land to land, so nigh together, that the pore can get no more ground. Shall ye alone dwell in the middest of the earth? These things are in ⟨image 45⟩mine ears, sayeth the Lord of hosts. Surely sayeth he, many great and fair houses shall be made so desert and wast, that no man shall dwell in them. Hereto agreeth the saying of an other Prophet. Woe and everlasting ⁴damnation be unto him, that heapeth up other mens goods. Howe long will he lade him self with thick clay unto his own damnation? O how suddenly will they stand up that shall byte thee, and awake, that shall tear the in peaces? Yea thou shalt surely be their pray, Seeing thou haste spoiled many people, therefore shall they that remain spoil thee, because of mens blood and for the wrong done in the land, in the city, and unto all them that dwell therein Woe and everlasting damnation be unto him that covetously ⟨image 46⟩gathereth evil gotten goods into his house, that he may set his nest on hie to escape the power of misfortune thou hast devised the shame of thine own house, for thou hast slain to much people & hast wilfully offended, so that the very stones of the wall shall cry out of it, and the timbre that lieth betwixt the joints of the building shall answer. & ce.