We have right honourable in many places the tables and tennis in stead of the Testament, the cards in stead of the Catechism, the bowls in stead of the Bible: yea and that more is, men think they have made a very good change. We see some men bestow their time in writing, some in printing, and mo men in ⟨image 3⟩reading of vile & blasphemous, or at lest of profane & frivolous books, such as are that infamous legend of K. Arthur (which with shame enough I hear to be newly imprinted) with the horrible acts of those whoremasters, Lancelot du Lake, Tristram de Liones, Gareth of Orkney, Merlin, the lady of the Lake, with the vile and stinking story of the Sangreal, of king Peleus, &c. some again study the lives of Huon of Bordeaux, and king Oberon, the king of the Fairies, of Valentine and Orson, and the lady Cleremond, with the Juggler Paccolet and king Trumpert, and the giant Ferragus: and the lives of the four sons of Aymon, with the worthy acts of Oliver and Rouland, Guichard and Richard: some are expert in Bevis of Hampton that notable man, with the death of Boniface, Arundel and Trunchifice: some in the court of Venus, some in the Jests of Skoggen the kings dizzard: some in the subtleties of Howleglas, and Gargantua: some again (and to many) in the pestilent policies of that Mahound Machiavelli: in the puddle of pleasure, and Folist of histories, and such like, which do manifestly show that gods word is either shamefully neglected, or despitefully condemned. For if any good book be written, it lieth in the printers hands, smally regarded, seldom enquired after: so that the printer is scarce payed for the paper that goeth to the book. And this maketh many printers which seeketh after gains, to take in hand rather those things that are profitable to the purse (though they be ridiculous) & so satisfy mens humours, then to print without profit those books that ⟨image 4⟩be godly: which being once printed, serve for nothing else but for waste paper, acceptable to very few. It could not therefore but grieve me, to see those enemies of mankind, the World, Death, and Hell, so prevail by their flattering illusions, that they have drawn after them the most part of the people at this day, yea and sought in time past, even in my youngest years, to have taken me in those their nets together for company.
We haue right honorable in many places the tables and tennis in steede of the Testament, the cardes in steede of the Catechisme, the boules in steede of the Bible: yea and that more is, men think they haue made a very good change. We see some men bestowe their time in writing, some in printing, and mo men in ⟨image 3⟩reading of vile & blasphemous, or at lest of prophan & friuolous bokes, such as are that infamous legēd of K. Arthur (which with shame inough I heare to be newly imprinted) with the horrible actes of those whoremasters, Launcelot du Lake, Tristram de Liones, Gareth of Orkney, Merlin, the lady of the Lake, with the vile and stinking story of the Sangreal, of king Peleus, &c. some agayn study the liues of Huon of Burdeaux, and king Oberon, the king of the Fairies, of Valentine and Orson, and the lady Cleremond, with the Iuggler Paccolet and king Trumpert, and the giant Ferragus: and the liues of the foure sonnes of Aymon, with the worthy actes of Oliuer and Rouland, Guichard and Richard: some are expert in Beuis of Hampton that notable man, with the death of Boniface, Arundel and Trunchifice: some in the court of Venus, some in the Iestes of Skoggen the kinges dizzard: some in the subtleties of Howleglas, and Garagantua: some agayne (and to many) in the pestilent pollicies of that Mahound Matchiauile: in the puddle of pleasure, and Folist of histories, and such like, which doe manifestly shew that gods word is either shamefully neglected, or despitefully condemned. For if any good booke be writen, it lieth in the printers handes, smally regarded, seldome enquired after: so that the printer is scarce paied for the paper that goeth to the booke. And this maketh many printers which seeketh after gaynes, to take in hande rather those thinges that are profitable to the purse (though thei be ridiculous) & so satisfie mens humors, then to printe without profite those bookes that ⟨image 4⟩be godly: which being once printed, serue for nothing els but for waste paper, acceptable to very few. It could not therefore but grieue me, to see those enemies of mankinde, the World, Death, and Hell, so preuaile by their flattering illusions, that they haue drawen after them the most parte of the people at this day, yea and sought in time past, euen in my yongest yeres, to haue taken me in those their nettes together for company.
