A14136:189
The Obedience of a Christian Man
The obedie[n]ce of a Christen man and how Christ[n] rulers ought to govern, where in also (if thou mark diligently) thou shalt find eyes to perceive the crafty conveyance of all jugglers.The obedie[n]ce of a Christen man and how Christe[n] rulers ought to governe, where in also (if thou marke diligently) thou shalt fynde eyes to perceave the crafty conveyance of all iugglers.
At Marlborow in the lande of Hesse i.e. Antwerp : the second day of October. Anno. M.CCCCC.xxviii, by me Hans luft i.e. J. Hoochstraten, 1528At Marlborow in the lande of Hesse i.e. Antwerp : the seconde daye of October. Anno. M.CCCCC.xxviii, by me Hans luft i.e. J. Hoochstraten, 1528
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Mark well how many personages or vicariages are there in the Realm which at the lest have a plough land a piece. Then note the lands of Bishops / Abbots / Priors / Nuns / knights of saint Johns / Cathedral churches / Colleges / Chantries and Frechapels.1 For though the house fall in decay and the ordinance of the founder be lost / yet will not they loose the lands. What cometh once in / may never more out. They make a frechapell of it / so that he which enjoyeth it shall do nought therefore. Besides all this / how many chaplains do gentlemen find at their own cost in their houses. How many sing for souls by testaments. Then the proving of 2testaments / the pressing of goods the Bishop of Canterburies prerogative. Is that not much through the Realm in a year? Four 3offering days and privy tithes. There is no servant / but that he shall pay some what of his wages. None shall receive the body of Christ at Ester / be he never so pore ⟨image 77⟩a beggar or never so young a lad or maid / but they must pay some what for it. Then 4mortuaries for forgotten tithes (as they say) And yet what parson or vicar is there that will forget to have a pigeon house to peck up somewhat both at sowing time and at harvest when corn is ripe. They will forget no thing. No man shall dye in their debt / or if any man do / he shall pay it when he is deed. They will loose no thing. Why? It is Gods / it is not theirs. It is sent Cuthbert's rents / sent Albans lands / sent Edmonds right / sent Peters patrimony say they / and none of ours.5 Item if a man dye in another mans parish / besides that he must pay at home a mortuary for forgotten tithes / he must there 6pay also the best that he there hath. Whether it be an horse of twenty pound or how good so ever he be / ether a chain of gold of an hundred mark or five hundred pound / if it so chance. It is much verily for so little pain taking in confession and in ministering the sacraments. Then