He estate of Marchandise ( for the time of thys mortall lyfe ) is so necessary , that without it we can stant ly leue , it is so alowable and profitable . Prouided that it be faythfully maynteyned .

That it is necessari , lyuely experyence sheweth it openly , for of truth it is necessary that the haboundance of one countrey healp to satisfy that whych lacketh in an other . And therby al labouryng persones by diligent industry are requisit for the mainteinyng of the commonweale the whyche without fraude or gyle ought to distribute conuey , chaunge conserue and transporte all sortes of wares from one place to an other accordinge to the exigence of the tyme , and behouf of the people . The whiche is behouffull to all faythfull marchants , as good & trusty seruants of the comen welth wyth moderate gaynes and profyte of theyr wares without dyssemlyng in maynteninge their estate , of their persone & housholde so that they occupy in all trouth without circumuention and domage of theyr neybour with out be gylynge or any deceyt . For if Thes● . i. fydelyte and enteyer veryte be not founde in them , they be not marchantes but rather wily theues , and cautelous gallants .

By similitude of this estate Iesus Christe hath taught his children . To multyply , encrese , and do profite with the talentes and gystes of God , whyche are delt to euery one according to his good wyl , saiyng thus ▪ Occupy vntyll I Luk. xi● . come , And at hys comyng agayn punished the slouthful and yll seruant that dyd not his deuour to bringe the frute of the gyft that he had receiued , doyeng vs to wite that wee shoulde not be ydle and not to receyue the gyftes of God in vayne , or els we cannot escape the punyshment of God . And it is to be thought that he spake these wordes of bodi marchandyse . For of trueth as thys estate wherof I speake is honorable botth in temporall and ciuil thynges : euen so is it cursed and detestable in spirituall thynges . And therfor saynt Paule in the vertu of God forbiddeth euery man that wyl be a minister , and seruant of spirituall thinges , whiche is the administration of the holy worde of God , and the ordinances of Iesus Christ , that he appl● hym not to temporal and seculer ii . Tim. ii . chafferinge , and netheles , God hath permitted in hys ●uror that in stead of good pasters , and veritable ministers of the saide worde , to chaunce in the church I say not alone li grosse chapmen but furious theues , and insaciable rauenyng wolues .

Should not he be iuged a begyler and these , whych selleth the thynge that is not hys own , or that by subtyll meanes in sted of gold and syluer selleth tyn & bras ? And should not the byer bee begylled and deceiued ? Thus certainly ( long ago ) to the greate detriment of soules , of bodyes & goodes of the poore people is chaunced to vs , that in stead of faithfull seruannts of God that should lede and teach the poore worlde to the waye of saluacion , be entred , not by the dore Iohn . x. which is Iesus Christ , but by violence haue clymed in by another waye as false impostores , and as . S. Peter sayeth , i. Pet. ii . fals masters , lyers , teachyng sectes of perdition , forsakyng the Lorde that hath bought them , blaspheming the waye of trouth , the whiche in auarice by feined wordes of our seyde marchants haue occupied , for suche workers of iniquytie , haue forgotten nor left nothing wher with by cautelus inuentions they 〈…〉 ht occupy at their pleasure ▪ ●nd will ,

And to say the trueth they haue set all thynge to sale euen to crye , Paradyse is to sel , by Paradyse by . There is no spirite that can comprise , nor tong declare all the marketes of these chapmen , and so great a swalow & prodigious multitude . Some poynts we must declare , leauyng the resydue to be thought of pepole of more subtyl vnderstandynge .

The marchants that wee speke of be maruelous wyly . And haue encreased their wares so gratly with their workmanship , that they haue not left towne nor vilage . hil nor valey but thei haue filled them with theyr shoppes .

There wer neuer slyer foxes , for they haue ramped all vnder theyr pawes . And the better to lede their trade thei cause the people to beleue that it is a greate welth , and yet is it neither mornor lesse than as the fals Iesabell paynted iiii . Re. ix . her eies ye & all her face with ruddy colours & other hewes Ier. iiii . for to seme fayre and esthew the fury of Iehu . Thus likewise these coueytous of glori ●uaricians marchants paint their workes , attrybuting it to them ●el●s that belongeth to God . As rightuousnes vertu , sapience , pardane , mercy , remission of syne , haucuing euer in their month . Lord God thankes to God , in the named . God , of the authory of God , of . S. Peter of saint Paule . &c. beholde here the trompe the paynted glosse of theyr malycyousnes , for they knowe well that other wyse they should not be set by , and theyr trade soone be distroed . In bieynge and selling must be good faceyng & disguisyng among them , hauing their heades al most al plucked , shorne or clipped , therfore it is wrytten , that none may do as they , and sellynge , but he haue the name or marke of the beast .

They chepen , they chop , changeand sell , they bye and sell agayne , they barginge to gyther on the best fas you , for parsonages curats , and do hoke benyfyces , and the better to do they teache eche other theyr vacation and craft . Theyr tyme of barganing is euer redi , & haue sōtim great fayres as tyme and season requireth , and always on high feast dayes , clene contrary to the other Marchants . When Ester , witsontyde , halowmas , Christemas and such other come , whiche they them selfes haue ordeined , all Marchants cease saue these .

For there is nonne handy-craft but when they lust they cause it teaue of , bycause they alone make sale and works , and all the other do homage vnto them because it serueth greatly to theyr gaynes .

Of this in or tyme we haue sene an example meruelously to purpose , that was of a crosey generally made and publissed almost ouer al the erth . And God knoweth by what meanes . God knoweth by what supposts by what work men by what croseidiers , such a worke was handled . They constreyned all them whome the woulde , to obey to theyr desires . They threatned al th● that in any wyse gaynsayed theyr lyes and abuses .

There was neuer sene agreatter market , hel and heauen were openned , for to take in , put out , or kepe styll all that came at theyr pleasur , so that thei brought any present , for wythout that a man could not spede of these galantes . We dyd make holidayes , assembles , feastes and processions , altogether at they myndes & ordynaunce , and not so hardy to say , nay

They griped , they plucked , rauyssed , slax , woul , yarne , thred , butter , chese , oxen , caulue● shepe , gold and siluer , al thynges were saleable . And than thei ruff●ed , thei dranke , 〈…〉 led and plaied , I dare not ●●ye whored , for eury thynge went forwarde wyth them .

And to say the trueth , these marchants be different from the other , for it is not lyghtly sene but they be content with some one trade , some with cloth , other with cataile , some with sylke or metall , other with corne or wine . &c. but these woluish grossers , grosse vp all at once and rauysh euery where , to set all thynges on sale , it is a worlde to se theyr trade , nothynge scapeth them , but at their plasures thei occupi it , yea men , women , childern , now borne and vnborne , bodyes , soules of the quicke and dead of goodes visible and inuisible , heauen , earth , and h●lle bread , meat , tyme and dayes . Mariage , vestimentes , rasures , shauing , anointinges , clo thinges , bulles , pardons , indulgences , remissions , bones other relykes and rogacions , expectyues , dispences , exemptions , sacramentes , and holi workes of god . Of bread , wine , oyle , towe , mylke , water , salt , fyer , fumigations , encensynges , ceremonies , songes , melodies , wod and stone , of brotherhodes , inuentions tradicions , deceptions , lawes and wythout nombre of such tryfetrafe , wherby they ca●● meruelously well drawe money to them , wherby the por● people are so vndertrod , gnawen , deuoured , and so strau●ged for the knowledge of God that it is not possyble to beleue it .

And who euer woulde haue thought the whyche they haue deuysed , that by ouer greate subtyltie they haue so abeastad the people that thei makthē kisse a trenchor or a small platter of gold , siluer , or lead : which thei name the platine , somtyme their fyngers endes that is to witte theyr nayles , or some dead bones of dead folke , whiche they call relikes whereby they haue goten so many gyftes and presents . Luk xxi● .

The Byshopes of Ierusalem gaue money to Iudas for to kisse a precious and worthi thynge , a thynge a lyue and fayre , whyche was the precious and worthy face of our sauyour & redemptor . Iesu Christe .

But these are more wyly , and by their fraude do other wyse , for by their fals babelynges and cautelous waies , they haue so punished almost al people , in makyng them to kisse bones and other vnleful dead thinges . And receyue therfore plenty of money euery where not passyng where , so they maye haue it ▪

I leaue the kyssyng of the capmerchants shoo or slipper for the kisse of baudy Thais was neuer so dearly solde as that is , or the kissinger of his minions . But for bicaus that here aboue wee haue spoken of bones and other trashe of dead thinges vnlafull : it shal be behouefull to se and reade a lyttel treaty ingeniously & profitablye compiled but late by a ryght docte and learned man named M. Iohn , Caluyne , of the abuse of relykes intituled the vtile aduertisment , of the greate proffyte that should come to Christendome , if an inuentory were made of all the holy corpses , and relykes in al regions the begynnyng wherof is thys .

Saynt Austyn in a boke that he intiled , of the labour of Monkes lamentynge certayne bearers of rogations , which alredy in his tyme exercysed vilayne and dyshonest fayres and markets , bearyng hyther and thether the relikes of martirs . Adde yea , if they bee mertyrs .

By the whyche worde it singnifieth that as than begon the abuse of tropery , berynge about bones gathered here and there . Makyng the symple people beleue that they were saynts bones .

Syth the begynnyg herof is so auncient , it is no doubt but they haue greatly encreased all this long while also seyng that the world is so merueillousli corrupt sith that tyme , that is declyning styll in appayringe tyll that it camè to the extremitie that we see it in now .

For certaynely by suche mayster liers , workers of wickednes , people effeminate , the worde of verite is hyd , letted : corrupt and blasphemed , to exalt , a●aunee , and publysh and vtter their most fals and aduou●erous wares not wyth out dere sale of them . For neuer the wordes of an aduo cacite , at torney , orator or phisition were so dere , as the wordes of such patriarkes .

Nede it were that the great pastor i. P●● . 1. our sauiour & redemptor Iesu Christ that bought vs not wyth golde and syluer , or any corruptible thing : but with his precious bloud , should come wyth power and dryue away these great mastyfhrigant Marchants , wyly changers , and abusers , whych occupy the temple of God the whyche by figure was sometyme made in the cite of Ierusalem , and whan hys good Iohn . ii . pleasure is in the vertue of his holy name , by the wepon of hys holy worde , and spirit of his mouth : make an end of such a miserable worke .

Alas , whan shall we se the tyme accomplished that oure Lorde hath promised by hys ●a●h . xiiii . prophete zacharye sayeyng . There shall nomore be marchants in the hous of our Lord God in these dayes .

Oh howe these good marchants will grene and frown whan they may nomore sell theyr wares and works ? as it is writen . The marchants of Apo. xviii . the erth shal wepe and wayle bycause that none shall bye theyr wares any more . And after the letter , thys is spoken of those marchantes of whome we speake . Ryght happy they are & shal be that maye se the tyme and day so desirable . And truly it is greate wonder that the worlde can suffre and susteyne so horryble and outragious fardelles . For there is no desolation vpon the erth , but that it is come by these moste fearfull and fallatious marchants .

And althoughe the doinges be so merueylous that it is impossible to know it , or writ it fully , yet muste wee somwhat touch their nimblenisse and gentylcastes of their wiles . In their practyke they be sowple and sleight , wythout doubt more than I wene .

I sit not a greate actiuite , to sell well , and in sellynge to be well payde : and at the lenth the byer hath but the syght therof ? Scantly any It alian or Lomberd can do it , but these can do it welmough Euery man seeth that it is so , but euery man doeth not perceyue it they haue so s●ombred , blinded , & abeasted the probatum . poore worlde .

Amonge good and true marchants it hath not ben seen that euer they sold the onely sight of their wares . For thei say cominly the sight shal cost you nothynge but all these iackes lyke i●gelers , momers or tomblers haue well lerned to play theyr pageants for wyth out cease they can sell and resele derely y● onely sight of theyr baggadge . This y● . I saye is beste knowen in good townes . For if any be called of god by death sodainly these marchants do enquire of the frendes or executers if they wyl haue the beste cloth the next or the least , the best crost , or the next for to bringe the corps to the church , and therto accordynge for to paye , wher in the pore people be sore abused for all wel consydered , it uayleth asmoche to the dead persone as to the byer and all a lyke . Of the corps it is certain couer it neuer so wel , yet wyl it not sweate , nor saugh nor stier at the beautie of the cloth nor at the riches of the crosse . As to the folysh byer , it is wel sene that he may pay wel for he hath nothyng but the sight ther of . And on the morow it shal be solde lykwise to another . Thus can these maisters pollers uymbly vnfold and showe theyr wares , and properly fold it and bere away theyr tooles .

Moreouer is it not an actyuite to sel wares more dere after the rate of the graments wher wyth the marchante is arayed yea though the ware be neuer the better . Suche thynges were neuer sene in other marchants but these , yet with out cease they do it & yet no body doeth perceyus it nor thynke theron .

I would wytte of you , if the masse ( as they do saye ) of a Chanon be not dearer than of a vicar , of an abbot than of a monke of a byshop than of a dean and so of the other , And yet they saye them selfe that the masse of a naughty priest is as much worth as another which we beleue wel inough

Wherfore I woulde wite of them wher of cometh such diuersyte of price of one maner of marchandyse as for answer they haue none , but by the diuersite of the vestiments , wher in they be lyke to a harlo● , that seketh her fylthynes more or lesse after the sorte of her rayments .

In this passage these great harlo● 〈…〉 gers wyll loue me better and be more pleased to compare them onely but to an harlot , and that in this I woulde not compare them to the traitour Iudas , as one of their bokes doeth , named , Stella clericorum . Stella clericorum , where the faire boke saieth thus .

Qui missam celebrat pro pecunia , videtur mihi dicere cum proditore Iuda . Quid vul●is mihi dare , et ego e● vobis tradam ?

That is to saye . Whoso celebrateth masse for money , he sayeth with iudas the traitor . What wyll ye gyue me , and I shall delyuer hym to you ? Here be terrybel marchants that this do sel their God . They sell God and deuil nothyng scapeth them .

They conger , they charme the wether , the hayle , the tempest . They make salte watres and vintage . To be brief thei playe wunders in al thynges and ar a great dele more fyue than musterd .

Is it not a great sleyght to sel one piece of ware al hole to mani folkes at once in one selfe houre and instant , with out knowledg ether of other , and of eche of them to take and receiue the hole payment and money . They name them selfe angeles bycause of theyr offices but angeles make not the people blinde for all their brightnes , as these darke angels do . If they were but angels only them were this great meruel , but by their own sainge ▪ thei be gods & half gods , great gods , and litel gods doinge all at theyr wille in heauen in erth , and in hel . And therfore they may ( as it is sayde ) as it pleaseth them sell theyr wares easyly al at one chop to sondri people , but the wilyste is oftimes taken .

That it is so the practyse shewth , as it is openli sen whan there is great prease , as whan the kynges court is nygh to them , or any other great assemblyng of noble men .

The mother is , the better the practise is handled , and namely whan the Marchante is estemed and that he can stoupe and nod , or hange hys head ●n y● one syde , and make a sad countenaunce . The case may be thus .

Some greate Lorde cometh to a conuente of fryres , bee they greay or blake , the one is as good as the other , sayeng to one of them shal we haue a masse ? yea mi lorde , another cometh to the same fryre , and asketh for a masse also , yeshal haue my Lorde . Yet an other cometh for asmoche , yee my Lorde , and so come as many as will , he refusteth none .

Than cometh the goodly Domine , & dispatcheth them all at ones , and the gentylm● go their waie wel pleased , the marchante is payed and paied agayne , both go theyr way laughynge , aswell the byer as the seller . Is not thys a great habilite ? is it not wel wrought ? Of suche wares their store houses are ful , and these be called , store hous masses , or salted masses . That god of hys gracious goodnes ryght soone vnsalte and water it .

Truly they be so apte and prompte , that fewe or none can do their beanes . Amonge other thynges they be almoste all marchants of war but in all the worlde is no appoticary nor chāldeler that can worke in theyr maner .

Some poore , foole cometh to the tempel , deuoutly ( as they say ) & stycketh vp a candell vpon a pyller , and oure marchaunt anone snatcheth and puffeth it out , and for the pryce sellethe it to an othere , that setteth it vp in the same plase . And oure marchant that watcheth for it , is styll redye to snatche & to blowe , and sell it to an other that anone wyl sette it vp agayne , so that by snatchyng and by pouffeyng oure marchantes ceas not to gatherin al day , wherby they are ryche anone for as ye se al retorneth to them both ware and money .

A lytel war doeth them great case , be the marchants great or litel for comenly they vse it all . The lytell ones sell it wrought in candells , and the greate marchauntes selle by lumpes tacked vpon paper , or at the tayle of parchement . This that I say is well knowen , at the least way to offycyals , scribes notaries , secretaries of abbayes , proctours chancelers of Byshops , archbyshops , cardinalles &c.

The great Gargantua . I say the hygh prouost of these marchants that is the moste feared and dred the wylest of them al kepeth his bank vnder exchang to all people conuertynge leade into golde . In thys worlde was there neuer seen suche an alcumyste , that vnder lead ( by hym and hys ) could fynde suche a vayne of golde . The whyche the good marchant Pauorme hath not hid in his writinges . Whan by elegant ceremony , or at least : Pauorm super pri ▪ prin●● ▪ de electione , in glossa prima in fine . wai barbariem , he wrate thus .

Di●●nt aliqui quod nuncii pape non sunt deaurati sed plumbati : sed dic ni●ilominus quod possunt di●i deaurati : quia dant plumbum et reportant autum .

That is to saye . Some say that the popes messagers be not gylded but leaded , but neuertheles , saye thou , they maye bee called golden , for they gyue leade and receyue gold . This may be called an easy bodyly worke . To such a worke man all thynges are proper to cheapen and steale . And the better to close hys mater , the name of Sanetissimu● receyueth it .

Albeit that he is but a hat maker yet he is a hatseller to , The hat maker of Rome . and there was neuer hat maker that solde hats so deare , and acordyng to the color he maketh the pryce for if thei be read they be the derer , and also the byers mater is the better , wytnes of Christofer of Forlinio , of thetytle of Aracclie the spaniard of Angloys , wyth hys greate corde . Also T. Wolsay of the tytel of . S. Cicelie & other whome I leaue for al the worlde doeth know them . And whan these gentyl byers be thus coyffed and wrapped with their read hattes of this great capper , they go fro town to town , fro place to place , specyally to the courtes of Princes and Kinges to make their mustres , and stall theyr marchandise , or els it maye be to practise some buttin for this read hat is full of great vertue , to them that knowe it fyrste fro the tyme that he is couered wyth all , he is at leyser to do all what he wyl , to kepe as many benifyces as he can catche , whither they be ( as they saye ) compatyble or vncompatyble , lesse or more , al serueth the kechin .

Secondly he is affraūchesed and fre fro the vnanites , that is , for any benefice that he catcheth , he oweth no vacation , whiche is a ioly practise . Thirdly he is alredy in the way and nygh to be hymself the great hatmaker , or souerayn haberdasher .

●ee not these goodly priuileges . Thys is it that maketh the derth of such hate .

Than at the example of them there be cappers that lykewyse are sellers of bonets . The sellers dyne veray well at the exspences of the byers , the which folyshe byers be so mad and folyshe that they brybe and stryue in many places for cappes and hooddes with tayles styckinge on them , who shall haue the fyrste , the second or thirde . &c. Not with standing that they be al alyke of ordre . Other ther be that seke for such byggynnes ( I woulde saye bo●etts ) wherin thei haue nether more nor lesse knoledge , thowgh that they wil not for get theyr liripypies , I mene their peltry capperons .

Now I am in thought of a mater new inought , that hath comen in times past .

And I pray al you that shall rede thys present treatyse to pardone me if ye know it . ●t is of a chapman that kepeth in Rome , the rowme of the great ●la 〈…〉 a. marchant . For as Platina writeth in the boke of the lyfe of the byshope Ione the .viii. of that name the . Cvi . byshop was a woman which held and possessed the pontifical syedge two yeres , a moneth and .iiii. dayes .

At the end of whyche tyme ( and she beynge pope , or that Questio pregnans I do not lye popesse ) she childed a yong popy . I would wit than if shee were chosen . Via Spiritus sanc●● . And if her marchantdyse were sale worthy , and as good as of a man ? And when she gaue absolutyon , or that she gaue or solde any Croyse , Miter , or Hatte .

Or that shee ordeyned anye Byshopes , Prestes , or Deakenes , what cometh all thys geare to ? Item whereby cam the sacerdotall Carecte , & many other thynges whyche for this tyme I let pas if ye can say any thinge to this , do all swere me , for as for me I vnderstand nothynge els , but that it was very gallyardde and pleasaunt .

Wherby I retorne to my marchants , of whome truely some be wilier than some , and al together to the wilynes of the kechin . For albeit that in France Normandi & Picardi ▪ &c. be maruaylous wyly , yet haue they not as touchynge this wrought so fineli , as thei of the contrey of Santonge , and of Towrain . That wher fro Christemas to the feast of candelmas as they call it , at euery tyme that these marchants synge euensong , whan they come to an anthem that they name . De fructu . Yf they do spie Of fruterers . hapely any fruytfull persone .

I meane fruitfull , yf the purs be well stored to whom they knele , and stowpe alowe to begyn the De fructu , and than the poore simple kneler gooth full sympelly to synge the De fructu on the best fashion , and than the marchantes chaunte , cry and howle , to the end , and afterwarde all the euenynge laugh , toye , play , God knowethe howe they fare . And as these marchant fruters fructifi for the profyte of the table al togither I say to profyte of their gaynes , and domage of theyr neyghbours that hyer and fynde them , and yet the good simple folke holde them content with their knauery .

Thys fruitefull people be in fraunce and other regions but in Englande I thinke be but a few , for thanked be god many of there il tres be plucked vp by the rotes and felled and their wicked marchants fruiterers be wel steyed , and shal be God wyllyng more .

Thus can these fyne marchants by wyls and trewan●ise fructifie at the expences of other . In singing and playeng nymbly for theyr owne welth lyke fals suters .

In dede their singuler halilite is very euydent that they hauyng nothynge haue multitiplied and encreased to so great goodes , that al most they haue vsurped and obteined all the richesse of the erth , as Realmes Dukedōes , Cōutyes Principalites , Baronies Towns , Lordships , Herita-Rentes , Housynges . Fruits , and all that is possible to say .

Truly I am ashamed to thinke on it , they haue swalowed al togyder . They haue disheryted Princes , Kynges , Lordes , Machāts , Burgeses and people of all estates and al because at theyr beginning they in hypocrisi could fayne their pope holynes .

But now they be so riche and mighty , that bi force thei do wytholde , & rather would mengyle and melt the skyes , the erth and the see , and al that is in them , than any thynge should scape their handes .

And therfore they reise and ▪ moue warres , debates stryues & troubles , they brynne , they slea , they persecute , they ●nprisone , and to their power driue away al them that gain 〈…〉 them . They haue no nede of bokes of holy scripture for to mayntene theyr feats but ●pholde them by strength , as brigants and murtherers do for to resyst verite theyr is no thyng wyth them but force and violence .

O peasant wolues , wolues insatiable , that haue spared nothing but ye haue plucked it vnder your pawes Howe Act .xx. trulye spake saynt Paule of you , whan he wrote thus . I knowe that after my departynge rauishinge wolues shal i. Timo .iiii. enter that wyll not spare the floke . Of such marchants it Ezechiel . xxxviii . ii . Pet. iii is wryten to Timothe in the fyrst , In Ezechiel and diuers Iude. ii . other passages .

Yf there were euer matter of iniquite , there was neuer the like vnto this . For good marchants , onely present their wares exposing to them that wyll bye a reasonable pryce , and constrayne no bodye to bye or take therof . But these wicked do the contrary , for boystously they constrayne the people will they or not to passe thorough theyr cruell handes , and without respite , to bye theyr fals marchandises at theyr owne pleasures , or elles pronounce them heretiks and who that hath no money muste go seeke for some , and make shifte though nothyng shoulde remayne .

The case is thus . Some poore man dyeth charged with wife and smal children . This thynge is pitefull and requireth mercy . And for to confort the pore widow , certayn almesses ought to be delt vnto her , to confort her and her houshold . But in stead of kind prouidence , these vnkind i. Tim. iii and cruell marchantes of her lytelle come to make an ende of all , & they by force or ryght wyll haue that they do demand , bread , drinke , offrynges , candelles , oxe or cowe gown , kirtell , Iaket , bed , shetes , good fare , or money , and put ▪ her from all vnder shadow of .

Requiem , Fundis , and Libera .

And syth we are in this purpose , there was neuer suche iniquite knowen amonge ani marchants but in these . The whiche openly wythout feare or shame sell that the whiche is nothynge theyrs , and yet they sel them to the persones to whome they do belong of ryght . Yea , and that worst is a. M. tymes and mo they sell one self thing .

Answer to me . Who caused to make the belles of the church ? whose be they ? dydthese fals marchants bere them thyder ? lykewise the ground in the church or churchyard , whose is it fro whens can it ? Is it of theyr fatherly heritage ? It is not certaynely .

But belongeth to the peopel and paryshiens . I would wit of them fro whens came such a boldnes to them so for to sell the sowne of the belles , which thei caused not to bee made , & also tak not the pain to ring them , for they be to dilicate minstrels , & so for to sel & resel the ground that is not theyrs . Truely after their accustomed facion it is a veri dere ground , that so often Of buriynges . tymes is so vniustli pa●ed for . For it is euer to begyn . They wil answer me ( I knowe wel ) that it is the right of their church , Prop 〈…〉 quar to modo . whych easyly I agre to . For properly the right of their churche is to cach , flei , rauish steal & polle , which is neuer don in the church of Iesus Christe & therfore consider pore ●eople on whose syde those marchants be . Iesus Christe commandeth Math. x. to giue for nothing that whyche he hath gyuen . And these marchants engrosse it outragyously , and so become Marchauntes , sheweynge therby appertly that they haue nothinge comyn wyth Cananea●s & negotiator idem Iesus Christ . Showing them also to be wors than the other Cananeans , whan good Sara toke her rest in God , for in theyr right of theyr sepulcher they woulde take nothing of Abraham .

But he whych before the death 〈…〉 ii . of hys wyse posseded neuer in ● said grounde , would haue had some ryght therin , prefiguring that some day by the pormise of God it shoulde be his own truli , he would haue gyuen some money therfore to Ephrom the sonne of Seor , Gen. xviii . for a very possessyon , where as a sepulchre was in a dowble felde , the which possession was entierly gyuen and adiugged to hym in herytage wyth the vsufruits of the tres growing ther. And herby it is certain that this pore painime toke no money of Abraham for nothynge , but take hym a faire heritage , whiche these fals marchants do not to the pore people . For wythout ceas they take much money . Alas they do not knowe wherfore . But for a pastyme is it not a good syght to se sometyme a sorte of disgised and countrefet galants openly feyght for to haue a dead corps of some body .

The gray a gainst the gray . Frauciscans a gaynst the dominicans ? The augustines a gaynst the Carmelyts . Blacke againste white . The pyed agaynst the Crossed . Priestes a gaynst Monkes . Curates agaynst Chanons , and al such sortes of cauellers , whyche ought to be dryuen away as mastyfes , as raueus , and cormorants Thys that I say is manifest , and yet it can not be remembred of what spirite these marchants wer driuen abrode , who moeued them thus so shamefully as to renne after they pray as wolues and foxes after caryon but the desyre to norishe well their potage or soppes , their rybawdry or ( as thei saye ) their estate , that is to saye , theyr gormandyse and ouer licarous kitchin , for they thynke on none other thynge .

There of cometh if there be any mocyon of a benefyce that alwaye , they enquire of the proffytes therof by yere ferme , bi pencion , bi residence Corban . Corban . how much the church , aduantage is , that is to wyte , the Mar. vii baptysmes , maryages , offringes , kissynges , lyghtes , oblacions , pilgrimages . Yf ther be any Irefull saint that wyl be feared , and aboue all , if there be moche people because of mortuaryes , burynges legaries anniuersaries , and such fine mentions , and huge charges vpon the poore people , for as they saye in right fayre laten . Vbi oues , ibi pelles . That is Vbi oues ibi pelles . to say , where as shepe is ther is wolle , whyche truely they can well sheare and gather .

And in dede they be all of one craft & can none other so wel as thys . That is , they be al shearers , deuoures , sleyers yea & that so neare that they sucke the bloud , and the sweat .