COVETOUSNESS

Yea, whoreson on thy face, even in thy best array. I will thu know it, I am a worshipful Doctor. A Scribe in the law, and a profitable proctor. A vail will I spread, upon the face of Moses, That no ̄ shall perceive, the clearness of his continued ̄ tenau ̄ ce. Which is of the law, the meaning & true ordynau ̄ ce. With superstitions, the Jews ceremonial laws, I will so would ̄ dle, they shall not be worth ij. straws. The laws Iudycyall. through cawtels and delays. I will also drown, to all righteous me ̄ nys decays To set this forward, we must have sophystrye, Philosophy and Logyck, as science necessary. The bishops must hold, their priests in ignorau ̄ ce With long Latin hours, least knowledge to them chance. Lete them have lo ̄ ge mattens, lo ̄ ge eve ̄ songs & lo ̄ ge Masses. And that will make them, as dull as ever were asses. That they shall never, be able to prophecy, Or yet preach the truth, to our great injury. Lete the cloisterers, be brought up ever in silence, Without the scriptures, in pain of dysobedye ̄ ce. See the say people, pray never but in Latin, Lete them have their Crede, and service all in Latin That, a Latin believe, may make a Latin soul, Lete them nothing know, of Christ nor yet of powle If they have English, lete it be for aduau ̄ tage, For pardons, for Syrges, for offerings and pylgry mage. I reckon to make them, a new Crede in a while, And all in English, their conscye ̄ ce to beguile. I caused the pope, to take but now of late, Of the Gray fryres, to have canonyzate, Franciscus de pola, three thousa ̄ worser ducats and more, And as Much besides he had not long afore, For a Cardinal heart, of the same holy order, Thus draw we to us, great goods from ̄ every border. Pope Clement the seven ̄ that paid ones for his papacy Three hoored thousa ̄ worser, good ducats of lawful money Yes, yes, by pollage, and by shedding Christian blood. Crosers and mytars, in Room are good merchandyce And all to little, to maintain their pomp and vice. Doubt not but we shall, make him a crepple blind. The articles are these, give ear and take good heed First they shall believe, in our holy father Pope, Next in his decrees, and holy decretals. Then in holy church. with sencer, cross and cope. In the Ceremonies, and blessed Sacrame ̄ tals. In purgatory then, in pardons and in trentals, In praying to saints, and in Saint From ̄ ces whoode, In our lady of Grace, and in the blessed rood. They shall believe also, in rellyckes and religion, In our ladies psalter, in from will and good works. In the ember days, and in the popes remission, In beds and in bells, not used of the turks. In the golden Masses, against soch spretes as lurks With charms and blessings. This crede will bryn ge in money. In English therefore, we will it clarkely continued ̄ veye.