A14136:401
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.
By them is all thing ministered and by them are all kings ruled: ye in every kings con science sit they ere he be king and persuade every king what they lust and make them both to believe what they will & to do what they will. Nether can any king or any realm have rest for their businesses. Behold king Henry the fifth whom they sent out for such a purpose as they sent out our kink that now is. See how the Realm is inhabited. Axe where the goodly towns and their walls and the people that was wont to be in them are become & where the blood royal of the realm is become also. Turn thine eyes whither thou wilt & thou shalt see no thing prosperous but their subtle polling. With that it is flowing water: ye & I trust it will be shortly a full see.
By thē is all thynge ministerd and by thē are all kynges ruled: yee in every kynges cō science sit they yer he be kynge and persuade every kynge what they lust and make thē both to beleve what they will & to doo what they will. Nether can any kynge or any realme have rest for their busynesses. Beholde kynge Henry the fyft whom they sente out for soch a purpose as they sente out oure kynke that now is. Se how the Realme is inhabited. Axe where the goodly townes and their walles and the people that was wonte to be in thē are become & where the bloud ryall of the realme is become also. Turne thyne eyes whither thow wilte & thou shalt se no thinge prosperous but their sotle pollynge. With that it is flowinge water: yee & I trust it wilbe shortly a full see.
In all their doings though they pretend outwardly the honour of God or a common wealth / their entente and secret counsel is only to bring all under their power and to take out of the way whosoever letteth them ⟨p. clvij⟩or is to mighty for them. As when they send the princes to Jerusalem to conquer the holy land and to fight against the Turks. What so ever they pretend outwardly their secret entente is / while the princes there conquer them more bishoprics / to conquer their lands in the mean season with their false hypocrisy and to bring all under them / which thou mayest easily perceive by that they will not let us know the saith of Christ. And when they are ones on high / then are they tyrants above all tyrants / whether they be turks or saracens. How minister they proving of testaments? How causes of wedlock? or if any man dye intestate? If a pore man dye and leave his wife and half a dozen young children and but one cow to find them / that will they have for a mortuary merciless: let come of wife and children what will. Ye let any thing be done against their pleasure and they wll interdict the whole Realm sparing no person.