Master Bezaes sermons upon the three chapters of the canticle of canticlesMaster Bezaes sermons vpon the three chapters of the canticle of canticles

2 True it is that the chiefest of them, of whose case I speak, allege the contrary, and say that they are the men who keep the strait and narrow way, who bear the brunt of the ill weather: whereas we seek after nothing else but the liberty of the flesh. For they abstain from marriage, but we have wives. Chaste men good Lord & continent: if you believe not me, let their courtesans, their concubines, their stews & brothel-houses, their Sodom and Gomorrah which infect the heaven and the earth, be witnesses. And to the end they allege not that they approve not these things, but condemn them as deeply as we do: let them show me what they endeavour to the contrary, they I say, who have both the spiritual & the temporal sword, & should take order against such shameful filthiness, either by ecclesiastical censures, according unto the holy Ghost speaking by the mouth of Saint ⟨p. 377⟩Paul, which ought to serve for an inviolable rule, or at the least according unto the canons, how ever they dispense with gods Law, which is a thing utterly intolerable, either by such punishments at the least as the civil laws of the Paynims themselves have appointed, seeing they occupy the places of temporal estates & seignories. And seeing their head hath power, as he pretendeth he hath, over Emperors and Kings themselves, why doth he not execute it against those who govern their people and subjects so il? Because, his subjects would tell him, you must first begin with your selves, with your clergy, & your Sodom. They fast & abstain from eating of flesh a great part of the year. And what do we? We have taken away the Lent, & eat every day indifferently fish or flesh, or both. We call to witness of their fastings, & great pains they take for the Church, their faces and their bellies, their Caterers, Butlers & Cooks, & how many millions of flagons & bottles? They sing Matins, many Masses, little and great: they have their hours, first, third, sixth, ninth, their Vespers, Complins & Salutations. And what do we? We do nothing but preach. It is true, & I confess it, that all their business consisteth in chanting & thrush-warbling.

2 True it is that the chiefest of thē, of whose case I speake, alleadge the contrarie, and say that they are the men who keepe the straite and narrowe way, who beare the brunt of the ill weather: whereas we seeke after nothing else but the liberty of the flesh. For they abstaine from marriage, but we haue wiues. Chast men good Lord & continent: if you beleeue not mee, let their courtisanes, their concubines, their stewes & brothel-houses, their Sodome and Gomorrha which infect the heauen and the earth, be witnesses. And to the end they alleage not that they approue not these thinges, but condemne them as deepely as wee doe: let them shewe mee what they indeuour to the contrarie, they I say, who haue both the spiritual & the temporall sworde, & should take order against such shameful filthinesse, either by ecclesiasticall censures, according vnto the holy Ghost speaking by the mouth of Saint