A14136:390
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.
I proved also that no king hath power to grant them such liberty: but are as well damned for their giving / as they for their false purchasing. For as God giveth the father power over his children: even so giveth he him a commandment to execute it / and not to suffer them to do wickedly unpunished but unto his damnation / as thou mayest see by Hely the high priest &c. And as the master hath authority over his servants: even so hath he a commandment to govern them. And as the husband is heed over his wife: even so hath he commandment to rule her appetites and is damned if he suffer her to be an whore and a miss liver / or submit himself to her and make her his heed. And even in like manner as god maketh the king heed over his realm even so giveth he him commandment to execute the laws upon all men indifferently. For the law is Gods and not the kings. The king is but a servant to execute the law of god and ⟨image 154⟩not to rule after his own imagination.
I proved also that no kynge hath power to graunte them soch libertie: but are as well dāned for their gevinge / as they for their false purchasinge. For as God geveth the father power over his childern: even so geveth he hym a commaundmente to execute it / and not to sofre them to doo wekedly vnpunished but vnto his damnacion / as thou maist se by Hely the hye prest &c. And as the master hath auctorite over his servauntes: even so hath he a commaundmente to governe them. And as the husbande ys heed over his wife: even so hath he commaundmente to rule hyr appetites and is damned yf he sofre hyr to be an whore ād a misse lyver / or submit hymselfe to hyr and make hir his heed. And evē in lyke maner as god maketh ye kīge heed over his realme evē so geveth he hym cōmaūdment to execute the lawes apon all men indifferently. For the law is Gods and not the kinges. The kynge is but a servaunte to execute the law of god ād ⟨image 154⟩not to rule after his awne imaginacion.
I showed also that the law and the king are to be feared / as things that were given in fire and in thunder and lightening and terrible signs. I showed the cause why rulers are evil and by what means we might obtain better. I showed also how wholesome those bitter medicines evil princes are to right Christen men.