LAW OF NATURE

We consider that, for as concerning Man, Four several times, are Much to be respected. Of Innocency first, of his transgressyon than, Than the long season, wherein he was afflicted, Finally the time, wherein he was redeemed. Of pleasure is the first, the second of exile. The third does ponnysh, the fort does reconcile, For time of exile, than I must be his teacher. Where must I remain, for the time I shall be here? My office you know, is to instruct Mankind. The law in effect. is a teacher general, What is to be done. & what to be laid aside But as touching me the first law natural A knowledge I am whom God in Man does hide, In his whole working, to be to him a guide, To honour his God and seek his neybers health, A great occasion, of peace and public wealth, A soar charge I have, Mankind to over see. And to instruct him, his lord God to obey. That lord of heaven grant, I may so do my duty That he be pleased, and Man brought to a stay. His bryttle nature, his slyppernesse to way, Much does provoke me. But if God set to hand, He shall do full well. For non may him withstand, That might have done you smart. Why dost thu call me knave? Thu art disposed to mock, Soon mayest thu have a knock, If thu with me so game. I am the law of Nature. If thu use soch vyllanye. I shall displease the truly. Why dost thu me blaspheme, And so ungodly deem? You are disposed to dally, To leap and ouersallye, The compass of your wit? I counsel you yet in season, Somewhat to follow reason, And gnaw upon the byrte, God sent me unto Man, To do the best I can, To cause him to amend. Such creatures as want reason. My rules obye yche season, And that in every bondre. The sun and moan does moan, With the other bodies above, And never break their order. The trees and herbs does grow, The see does ebb and flow, And varieth not a nail. The floods and wholesome Springs, With other natural things, Their course do never fail The beasts and birds engender, So do the fishes tender, According to their kind Alonely man does fallen, From good laws natural, By a forward wicked mind. It is the will of God, To use them as a rod, Of his joust ponnyshment. When Man does not regard, The lord nor his reward, Nor to his laws consent. They never are so ronnysh, But when God does Man ponnysh. For his unhappiness. From God they never fallen, Nor from laws natural, Doing his business. God hath appointed me, Mankind to ouerse, And in his heart to fit. To teach him, for to know, In the creatures high and low, His glorious mageste, And on his name to call, Or power celestial, In his necessity, To think him everlasting, And wonderful in working, And that he createth all, Both govern and conserve. From them he never swerve, That to soch faith will fallen. Man always to exhort, To seek all health and Comfort, Of the only God of grace. First in the hearts rejoice, And than with open voice, To worship him alone. Knowledging his deyte, His power and eternyte. When he shall make his moan What Wilt thu keep me from? Tell me ere thu farther go, Me think thu art in a dream. What is thy name? tell me. Thu cannyst not keep me from man. I defy the wicked find, With thy whole venemouse find, God putteth now in my mind, To fle thy company. Avoid thu cruel enemy, I will non of the truly, But shurne thy company, As I would the devil of hell. I think you marvel, to see soch alteration, At this time in me, whom God left here so pure Of me it comes not, but of mannys operation, Whom daily the devil, to great sin does allure, and his nature is, full bryttle and unsure. By him have I goat this fowl disease of body. And as you see here, am now thrown in a lepry. I wrought in his heart, as God bade earnestly, Him oft provoking, to love God over all. With the inner powers, But that false Idolatry. Hath him perverted, by slayghtes dyabolycall. And so hath Sodomy, through his abuses carnal. That he is now lost, offending without measure. And I corrupted, to my most high displeasure. I abhor to tell, the abusions bestial. That they daily use, which boast their chastity. Some at the alter, to incontynency fallen, In confession some, full beastly ocupied be. Among the close nuns, reigneth this enormyte. Soch children slee they, as they chance for to have. And in their preuyes, provide them of their graven. You Christian rulers, so you for this a way, Be not illuded, by false hypocrisy. By the stroke of God, the world will else decay Permit priests rather, Gods lawful remedy Than they should incur, most bestial Sodomy. Regard not the pope, nor yet his whorish kingdom For he is the master, of Gomor and of Sodom. With Man have I be, which hath me thus de filed With Idolatry, and unclean Sodomy. And worthy I am, from God to be exiled, Pity me yet lord, of thy most bownteouse mercy. I will fourth & mourn, till thu send remedy Promise hast thu made, to a glorious liberty, To bring heave ̄ & earth, than ̄ Wilt thu (I trust) re store me. Everlasting praise, to thy glorious majesty. Now leavest thy servants, in thy perpetual peace. To do the service, from hens will we not Cease. In rejoice of this, make we some melody. From this your precept, shall I not vary I trow. The effect of me, is for to know the lord. Everlasting, strong, most gracious and godly. And as touching Man, to have fraternal concord. Favour to norrysh, and to do non injury. To keep couenau ̄ tes made, and love true matrimony. These noble effects so temper you in Man. That them to fulfil, he do the best he can. Who liveth without law, shall perish without law And therefore we have, three laws to you described, That after their live, you should in your living draw We have also showed, how they have be corrupted, By fowl Idolatress, and sodomites polluted, By covetous priests, and by ambycyouse prelates, Hypocryticall fryres, false doctors & false curates Of duty we ought, always to be obeisant, To your continued ̄ maundement, for joust it is and Pleasant,