A14151:169
The practise of prelates. CompiledThe practyse of prelates. Compyled
The practise of prelates. Compiled by the faithful and godly learned man, William TyndaleThe practyse of prelates. Compyled by the faythfull and godly learned man, Wyllyam Tyndale
London: printed by Anthony Scoloker and William Seres. Dwelling without Temple bar, 1548London: printed by Anthony Scoloker and Willyam Seres. Dwellynge wythout Temple barre, 1548
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.
And thereto as the secrete communication went, which by many tokens thou mayst well conjecture and gather to be true,1 he calked the kings nativity and birth, which is a common practise among prelates, in all lands, whereby he saw whereunto the kings grace should be inclined all his life, and what should be like to chance him at all times. And as I hard it spoken of diverse, he made by craft of necromancy, graven Imagery to bear upon him, wherewith he bewitched the kings mind, and made the king to dote upon him more then ever he did on any lady or gentle woman / so that now the kings grace followed him, as he before followed the king. And then what he said, that was wisdom, what he praised, that was honourable only. Moreover in the meantime he spied out y• natures and dispositions of the kings play fellows, and of all that were great, and whom he spied mere for his purpose, him he flattered, & him he made faithful with great promises, & to him he sware, & of him he toke an oath again that the one should help the other for ⟨image 58⟩without a secret oath, he admitted no man unto any part of his privities.
And therto as the secrete communicacion wēt, which by many tokens thou mayst well coniecture and gather to be true,1 he calked the kinges natiuiti• ād birth, whiche is a comen practise amonge prelates, in all landes, wherby he sawe wherunto the kynges grace shuld be enclined all his lyfe, ād what shuld be lyke to chaunce him at all times. And as I hard it spoken of diuerse, he made by crafte of nicromancye, grauen Imagery to beare vppon hym, wherwith he bewitched the kinges mynde, ād made the kinge to dote vpon him more then euer he dyd on any lady or gentil woman / so that nowe the kinges grace followed him, as he before folowed the king. And then what he sayde, that was wysdome, what he praysed, that was honourable only. Moreouer in the meantime he spied out y• naturs and disposicyons of the kinges playe felowes, and of all that were greate, ād whō he spyed mere for his purposse, him he flattered, & hym he made faythfull wyth great promyses, & to hym he sware, & of hym he toke an oth agayne that the one shulde helpe ye other for