The greaues and Queshes .

FIrste put on your greaues and queshes , that your legges maye bee so armed that ye may boldly walke in the right wayes that is directid vnto vs by our captain and sauiour , Ephe. iiii . and wander not in the wrong wayes whiche of long tyme hath been taught vs , by the false gydes of Rome and ther tradicions , but ye shal only folow our own captain to whom is geuen al power in heauen and in earth , Mat. xviii . for he is an euerlasting king , and we his famile and souldiers which are baptised in our captain , Roma . Vi. by faith are baptysed with hym to the death , and by his prouision shal be partakers of his euerlastyng campe and kingdome , Roma . Vi. for when ye were dead through sinne we wer quickened with him in spirite . &c. Wherefore let vs take that same waye that we haue in commandement by our captayn Iesu Christ , which is our sauiour , and captayne after the ordre of Melchisedech .

The Coller

ANd ye shall Arme your self with a Coller , of good and perfite metall so well tempored that there shall not passe through the same anye wepons of our enemy Satan , which goeth about with many proud assayes to pearse our armure and to hurt both our body and soule but like good and true soldiers kepe the ordres that is geuen to you in our graunde captaynes boke , and your enemy Satan nor all his disciples shal not pearse your armure , neither hurt your body nor soule . Math. V First ye shall not sweare by youre captayne Iesu christes name nor by any thing that is of his makynge , not by one heare of youre heade whyte nor blacke , Zacary . 5. for the curse of God our captain shall rest in the house of him that sweareth falsely , ye shall not let passe thorough the same any woordes of vntrewth other to the dispraise of our captain , or to the hurt of our neighbour : but let your communicacion be agreable with your liuynge , so that ye loue your captayn aboue al , Math. xii . and your neighbour as your self : & beware of excessious drinkynge whiche oftentymes maketh an vnable souldier , and causeth his captain to put hym out of his boke , Exodi . xxxii . and then he becommeth a venturer which when he is taken , is not sure of his raunsome withoute the greate mercy of his captain , also your captain wyll aske accompt of euery idle worde that shall passe thorough your coller , Ephe. iii wherfore be not outragious in any thyng but let your wordes and liuing be agreable with your captains commaundement , so that your accompt , maye be the better at the last day .

The Corsolate other wyse called Curates .

THen put on your Corsolat , with a reste basses & tasses to defende youre body in al places made of pure and gostly metall so edified with a good & cleare conscience voyd of al vnchast liuinge , as horekepynge , dronkennes , extorcion , couetous and malicious mindes &c which be cleane contrary to the commaundementes written in the newe testament of our captain Iohn . xiii which saith if ye do loue me kepe my comaundementes , … m. viii . and put your only trust in the death and passion of our captaine and sauiour Iesu Christ , that thorough the sheadyng of his precious blud , and his merites , we his souldiers were onelye saued from the house of thraldome , … me . iiii . and are made partakers of his campe and kingdome , through our fayth in his only bloud .

The vanbrasses and gauntlets

Then put on your vanbrasses and gantlets that your armes and handes may be defended from al vngodlinesse from stelyng , 〈◊〉 . x. 8. defraudyng , from fighting and killyng , and from vniust dealing , & be of suche liuing as ye haue in commandement and to thy power geue to hym that 〈◊〉 Vi. asketh in our captayns name & from hym that woulde borowe , Marc. x●… tourne not away thy face , but to thy power assiste hym , yf thou lacke worldly substance deliuer such talant as thou haste receyued of our captayn , as one christian souldier ought to do to an other wherwith he may be comforted and bee thy selfe ware of the proud assaultes of the world , the deuill and the fleshe , Iohan. ii● & take the weapon of our captayne in your hand , and therwith ye shal strike the vngodly til thei be conuerted to the faith of Iesu Christ .

The Helmet

THen put on youre Helmette moost Ghostly edified with the stronge woorde of God , that with the same youre heade maye be couered from all your enmies and from al vayne wordes , Ephesi . ii● woorkes and thoughtes so that ye maye only consist in our captaynes death and passione which hath payed the raunsom of all faythfull warriers , which walketh in the right warres of his vocacion , then yf ye fynd any soldiar that hath ben necligent in the true seruice of our captaine let him call faithfully and with a good intent to offend no more and he shall be suer to fynde an aduocate , withe god the father euen the same captayne that alredy hath payed the raunsomes of all his faithful soldiers with his precious bloudde who also seeth the thoughtes of al hertes and is redy to receyue all repentant offenders acordyng to his saiyng : which saith , come to me all ye that labour and are laden and I shall refreshe you , also if ye knock it shal be opened vnto you . &c. And then locke down your bauier and moffle so fast & close , Deutronon●… that it maye defende you from all flesshely syghtes and worldly temptacions and from the buffetes of all false Charmes , witchcraftes , & sosseries , and from all Hipocrysy Supersticions and Idolatrye , so that ye haue your hole trust onlye in our Captayne and sauioure , in none other but in our only captain and sauiour the liuing god and then your helmet shall defend and beare the strokes of al your enemies bodily and gostly through the helpe of oure sayde captain & sauiour , Iesu Christ .

The graund garde and polgremes

THen set one youre Graunde garde and polgremes whiche shall be edifyed with all spyrituall consolacion , that you maye be by the healpe of our capitayn defended from all the incounters of our enemies though ye be assailed , by many meanes to call you from your owne captayne , and to brynge you to the seruice of satan , the deuell , and the rather through the false guides of Rome . &c. But be you faythfull soldiers to your owne captayn , and ye maye be sure ye shall be placed with the felowshyppe of warriers in heauen which folowed theyr Captayn , on white horses , and were clothed in pure white sylke , ●poca . 17 , accordyng to the purenesse of that place , to the which campe our captain and sauiour geue vs grace so to serue that we maye be worthye to come at the last daie .

The Sworde .

THen gyrde faste aboute you the two edgedsweorde and therwithe ye shall ministre execucion to the soldiers of vnbelefe euen to their vtter confusion and ye shall extoll and only magnify the name of our captain whiche is in heauen , Ebrues . 4 and there sytteh on the ryght hand of God the father , Mat xx . 5 and frome thence he shall come to iudge the quicke & the deade .

The Lawuse or Speare

THen take the launce of faith in your hande , Ephesy . 4 whiche is prepared to incounter with the vngodly and with it ye shall stoutly stryke them to their great ouerthrowe , Math 4 and shall put them to vtter silence through the helpe of oure capitayne , but beeware that your frayle flesh cause you not to forget your Captayne & that ye pearse him not in sted of the enemy , as blind lunges did , and that you kisse him not with Iudas vnfaythfully .

The warryars Charge

THen being thus armed and weponed and throughe the healpe of our Captayn and sauiour which hath the gouernaunce of heauen and earth the sea , Mathew i. and all that is in them , for they be of his owne handes makyng , and he is a king of kinges and a lord of lordes , and of hys kyngdome there is no ende , Apoca. 17 , go forth boldly and do the message of our Captayn & sauiour and if ye fynde any enemies or theues that will robbe our captain of his honour or glorious inheritance , or wil attribute his glory vnto stocks or stones , or to any thyng of mans makyng , or wil say that they haue our captains & sauiours Iesu Christes naturall bodye naturally , euen the same that was born of Mary the virgyn , fast presoner & locked in a boxe & carye hym whether they list at their comaundement &c. ye shall take the weapons whiche our captain did at his last supper leaue in the new testament of our captain & sauiour Iesu Christ whiche is in heuen & there sitteth on the right hand of god the father almighty , which when he ascended , and before the cloude , receyued hym oute of the sight of the menne of Galilee : he said , Iohn 14. & 20. I goo to my father , and your father , and to my god , and your god , to prepare a eate for you , & wyl receyue you euen to my self , that where I am there shall you be , & when that the lorde had spoken to them he was receyued into heauen and there sytteh on the ryght hande of god euen with his whole godhed and manhed , ●arke 16 ●uke xxii . ●ctes . 7. although hys godhed be eueriwhere : also you shall fynd so many places of auctorite in the same Testament to proue the same that the infideles romysh Champyons and all other the disciples of the deuil shall be confounded by the same , although the Enemyes haue ben suffred by our graund captayn to iudge by great false tyranye , some trewe solders to the fyer for the trewth sake , & so hath persecuted them as thei dyd our Captaine and sauiour before gyltlesse &c. but he hath rausomed them home vnto hys owne Camp and kyngdom that Ioyfull soldiars be they which hath receiued such persecucions for their Captains sake . Iohn . Therfore good christen soldiers take thys armur vnto you & gouern your selfes with it so well that ye put youre hole confidence & trust in our Captayne and sauiours death and passion , Actes i●… and ye shal be suer that ye shal be placed with the feloship of the faithful which shall neuer see corupcion . &c. Dauyd 1●… O what kind of soldiers be they that haue so good a captain & yet wyll seme so vnkynde vnto hym to refuse hys saruice which hath louid them so welle that he hath writteen their names in hys boke with hys owne precious bloode so that they are sure their raunsōe is not to seke for he hath payed it all redye with hys precious bodye and bloode vpon the Crosse , Peter ●… & yet some vngodly souldiers , of a deuelyshe minde doth willynglye forsake theire owne god and trew captayne and becometh venterers & subiectes to the deuill , which when they haue serued a certayne tyme after the lustes of the flesh , they shal be rewarded accordyng to their seruice , that is , to lose the kyngdom of Ioye and to enter into the continual payne emonge the forlorn hope of lost soldiers which when thei wer once placed with their captayne of their vngodlye mynde refused the same , soo that withowte the greate mercye , of the great Captayne they haue lost their ransome & must remayne Presoners for euer from which preson our graunde Captayne and sauiour Ihesu Christ saue all soldyars and geue vs grace to amende our liuynge in tyme and to serue truly lyke faithful Soldiars .

The souldiers charge .

NOw verely there is a faut emonge many soldiers , as well emong some English soldiars as other nacions whiche when they be once chosen to goo agaynste the kynges ennemies whether it be in Scotland or Fraunce or else where , they do vse such vngodlye vsages with in the kynges realme both owtwarde and homewardes as ys great shame to reherse for some wyll take their neyghboures Cattayle and vittayle and will paye nothinge , and some wylle procure mens wyues & seruantes to vngodlye liuinge & some vseth excessiows drynkynge & other some abhominable sweryng in such wyse that the godlye soldiars often tymes feare to be plagued for the euels sake wherfore good Christian soldiers let vs praye to our graund Captayne that he may geue vs hys grace so to imbrace hys holye worde that we may lyue accordyng to the same and that euery Christen souldier maye reioyce eche with other so that from this tyme forward no Englishe soldier shal be worthy of reproch in the offence aforesayd & that we may liue only by the kynges wages & by hys conduct money which we haue according to his graces godly custome & that we may be an ensample to al other nacions to vse the same vnto the lande and prayse of god , and to the plesure of our kyng . For verelye we are sure that he that asketh of god the father , Math xi for god the sonnes sake it shal bee granted hym , for our good captayne and sauiour is so readye an aduocate for vs that yf we bee repentant he wyll purchase grace for vs of God the father accordinge Iohn xiiii and xvii . to hys godly promes and custom , not only for my synnes , but for the synnes of all the hole worlde . Also our ennemy satan hath so manye kynde of spyes & so manye wayes to allewer soldiars to hys vnprofitable seruice that manye of them that is lede by the flesh and be louers of gold & syluer putteth themselfs so to serue for the same , as if yt wold last euer , lyke vnto the reward of our true Captayne , for some men feare not to swere an oth to their prince for to be true subiectes , & yet of an vnfaithful mynd breaketh the same , whose faltes be spied immediatly & be put out of our own captains boke and hath lost their seruyce , and raunsomes & be of the forlorne hope , which fault our Captayn and sauiour geue vs al grace to amende .

The Soldiars charge ,

ALas good Christian souldiers remembre what an harde sayinge it is when our graund Captayne shal saie to the vniust soldears of vnbelefe depart from me ye soldiars of vnbelefe , Mat. xxv . & ye shal go to euerlasting pain for your enfidelitie where there shall be waylyng & gnashing of teeth and burnyng fier without ceassyng . &c. From the which our captain & sauior Iesu christ geue vs the grace so to mortify our frail flesh and to lead our lyfe in such ciuilytie of the lawe that we may dread his centences so that we may be worthy to be partakers of the glory of his kyngdom & there to reste in the peace of GOD with Abraham Isaak and Iacob in the kingedome of Heauen . ●ohn xiii . Amen .