And here note good children, that this word, theft, doeth not only signify open robberies, extortions and manifest polling but also all manner of crafts, and subtle ways by the which we convey our neighbours goods from him, contrary to his knowledge or will although the guile have never so fair a colour of ⟨p. lxxv⟩virtue and honesty. And to the intent you may the better understand this thing, I shall declare it unto you by certain examples. And first I will begin with Magistrates or common officers. God hath commanded us to pay to princes and governors of the common wealth, rents, services, tributes, customs, toll, subsidies, pensions and other yearly revenues, whereby they may be the more able to sustain and bear the charges of the common administration, and also to punish them that be ill, and to defend those that be good. But when the magistrates do overcharge their subjects, and exact more of them then is needful to the maintenance of the common charges, and so impoverish and oppress them, whom they ought from all ⟨image 97⟩injury and wrong to save and defend, then this sore exaction is a notable and heinous kind of theft, in the sight of God. Likewise it is wham they do wring money out of their subjects hands unjustly and against their wills. And tributes or subsidies if they take none but such only as of right are due unto them, yet if they bestow not the same as they ought to do, but wastefully spend that money which was gathered for the maintenance of the common charges, and consume it in riot and unlawful pleasures than they commit theft before God. Also God shall judge them thieves, when for covetousness they leave such things undone, which be necessary to be done for the common profit. As when they appoint not good and mete men ⟨p. lxxvi⟩to be rulers under them, bishops, persons, curates, and schoolmasters, because they grudge to give them an honest and sufficient living, but will take out of the common sort to minister such high offices, those that will serve for lest money. And rulers of cities be thieves when they suffer the necessary buildings of the city, as churches, yield halls, the town walls, common bridges, conducts or such like to decay or fall to ruin. For so through their negligence or covetousness the common money is not employed to such uses, for the which it was gathered.
And here note good children, that this worde, thefte, doeth not onely signifie open robberies, extorcions and manyfest poollyng but also all maner of craftes, and subtile wayes by the whyche we conuey our neyghbours goodes from him, contrarye to his knowledge or wyll althoughe the gyle haue neuer so fayre a coloure of ⟨p. lxxv⟩vertue and honesty. And to thentente you maye the better vnderstande this thinge, I shall declare it vnto you by certen examples. And fyrste I wyll begynne wyth Magistrates or commen officers. God hathe commaunded vs to paye to prynces and gouernours of the commen wealth, rentes, seruices, tributes, customes, toll, subsidies, pensions and other yerelye reuenewes, wherby they maye be the more able to susteine and beare the charges of the commen admynistration, and also to punyshe theim that be yll, and to defende those that be good. But when the magistrates do ouercharge theyr subiectes, and exacte more of them then is nedefull to the mayntenaunce of the commen charges, and so empouerishe and oppresse them, whome they ought from all ⟨image 97⟩iniury and wronge to saue and defende, then thys sore exaction is a notable and haynouse kynde of thefte, in the sight of God. Lykewise it is whā they do wring monye out of theyr subiectes handes vniustly and agaynste theyr wylles. And tributes or subsidyes yf they take none but suche onely as of ryght are due vnto them, yet yf they bestowe not the same as they ought to do, but wastfullye spende that monye whiche was gathered for the maintenaunce of the commē charges, and consume it in riot and vnlawful pleasures than they committe thefte before God. Also God shall iudge them theues, when for couetuousnesse they leaue suche thinges vndone, whiche be necessarie to be done for the commen profite. As when thei appoynt not good and mete men ⟨p. lxxvi⟩to be rulers vnder them, byshoppes, persons, curates, and scholemaysters, because they grudge to gyue theym an honest and sufficient lyuyng, but wyll take out of the commen sort to minister suche hygh offices, those that will serue for lest monie. And rulers of cities be theues when they suffer the necessarie buildinges of the citie, as churches, yelde halles, the towne walles, commen brydges, comductes or suche lyke to decaye or fall to ruyne. For so thorow their neglygence or couetousnesse the commen money is not employed to such vses, for the whiche it was gathered.
