An oversight, and deliberation upon the holy prophet JonahAn ouersight, and deliberacion vpon the holy prophete Ionas

The noble men that byeth their offices, and selleth again the justice and the law, that is a pointed to the office, must be admonished: in case they will not amend, into the sea with them. Put them out of their offices and put better in. These Gentlemen that liveth upon dicing, carding, idleness, or with other mens goods must be also admonished: if they will not repent, altogether caste them in to the sea. Foolish and preposterous pity hath brought both king and the Laws not only of this realm, but also of God ⟨image 74⟩into contempt, and daily will more and more if it be not fore seen. Now the laws that justly should be executed upon thieves, and murderers, is of foolish pity dispensed with all, and many judge it were better to save after his opinion, then to damn after the commandment of God. For they say: O he is a tall fellow, and can do the king good service, it were pity he should be hanged. But in case they knew or God's laws or mans laws, and knew what maintaineth best a commune wealth they would say: such a thief or murderer can never do the Kings Majesty better service then when he is hanged for his fault, that other men ⟨p. lxv⟩may fear to offend the law, by his example. Mark where unto this preposterous and sinister pity hath brought the realm, to be pestered with more thieves then half Europe beside. In so much that a man can not travel surely by the way with twenty pound in his purse, though twenty men be together in a company: as it was seen by experience of late days to y• great shame of all the justices of the country and to the slander of the hole law and the realm.

The noble men that byeth theyr offyces, and selleth agayne the iustice and the lawe, yt is a pointed to the office, must be admonyshed: in case they wyl not amende, into the sea wt theym. Put theym out of their offyces and putte better in. These Gentlemen that lyueth vpon dycynge, cardynge, ydlenes, or with other mēnes gooddes muste be also admonyshed: yf they wyll not repente, altogether caste them in to the sea. Folysh and preposterous pitye hath brought both king and the Lawes not onelye of thys realme, but also of God ⟨image 74⟩into contempte, and dayly wyl more and more if it be not fore seen. Nowe ye lawes that iustly shoulde be executed vpon theues, and murderers, is of folyshe pitye dyspensed wyth al, and manye iudge it were better to saue after hys opinion, then to damne after the commaundement of God. For thei saye: O he is a tall felowe, and can do the kynge good seruice, it were pitye he should be hanged. But in case they knewe or goddes lawes or mannes lawes, and knewe what maintaineth best a commune wealthe they would saye: suche a thiefe or murderer can neuer do the Kynges Magestye better seruyce then when he is hanged for hys faute, that other men