Mar-Martine I know not why a trueth in rime set out maie not as wel mar Martine and his mates, as shamelesse lies in prose-books cast about marpriests, & prelates, and subvert whole states. For where truth builds, and lying overthroes, one truth in rime, is worth ten lies in prose.

MAR-MARTINE , I know not why a trueth in rime set out Maie not as wel mar Martine and his mates , As shamelesse lies in prose-books cast about Marpriests , & prelates , and subvert whole states . For where truth builds , and lying overthroes , One truth in rime , is worth ten lies in prose . LORDES of our land , and makers of our Lawes , Long may yee line , Lawes many may you make , This careful , kind , and country-louing clawse , As from a faithfull friend , vouchsafe to take : Martine the merry , who now is Mar-prelate , Will proue madde Martine , and Martine mar-the-state . The wind doth first send forth a whistling sound , Then ficrce , and fearefull , hollow , thundering threates , At length it riues the earth , and rents the ground And tumbles townes and citties from their seates , So he who first did laughing libells send , Will at the last procure a wreakefullend . Women are woed to follow men precise Young boies without experience hold them Gods , Yea some for gaine , who are both olde and wise : Thus merrie Martine sets the world at ods . The frozen snake for colde that cannot creepe Restorde to strength a stinging stur will keepe . Let neighbour-nations learne vs to beware , Let harmes at home teach vs for to take heede ; When Browne and Barrowe haue done what they dare Their hellish Hidraes heades will spring with speede : Such men as Martine caused all these woes : This poison still encreaseth as it goes . Somewhat I hearde , and mickle haue I seene It were too long to tell your Lordships what : Somewhat I knowe , and somewhat haue I beene , Yet this I saie , and this is also flat . Bridle the coltish mouth of Male-part Or else his hoofe will hurte both head and hart . Anglia Martinis parce favere malis . England was wont by auncient rites , To stand and so endure : But now new faulkeners make men birds , And call vs to the lure , The painted lure the hauke deceaues Men finde no grapes on painted leanes . This catching sport will scratching make , The quarrell heere will grow , Twixt hauke and faulkener at the last Each one will make a showe , I flewe , I caught , the hauke may say , The faulkener what ? I le haue the praie . The cleargieman like sillie hauke Hath flowen at Lai-mans lore And nowe perceaues that flying still Yet flie he may the more . If ought be caught by flight of thine , The Lai-man saith all must be mine . I swoopt at fair'st bothe Church and lands To lay to Cleargie vse , But Lai-man laies , Lai-man so calde , And vowes to lay abuse . O greedie dirt thy craft I see : Be hauke and faulkener both for me . Is this thy sigh , thy hand devout , Turnd vp with white of eie ? Thy gape , thy grone ? to coosen him That sits in heauen so high ? O greedy dirt , o hellish hart Thy cunning coven wil make thee smart . Poore Iohn and Ioane are eaten vp , The country cleane forlorne , Men turnd to sheepe , let pecus fight , Men cannot long be borne . O blessed Prince looke wel to this , T wil shorten soone our countries blisse . Abbots were fat & friers frimme , The whoresons lov'de their case , Yet standing house by them was kept , Which did the poore man please . Now much of theirs to them is gone , Who having much yet spend they none . Thy fly to wood like breeding hauke , And leaue old neighbours loue , They pearch themselues in syluane lodge , And soare in th' aire aboue . There : magpy teacheth them to chat , And cookow soone doth hit them pat . When winter comes our Eues lacke heate , And cast off Adam olde , And then hote sprites must needs be had , To put in heat to colde . To townes they goe , within a while , Looke home old Adam . Marke this wile , The holy whore no fellow hath , The Pruritane is shee , That midst her praiers sends her eie , The purest man to see . The purer man , the better grace , The clearest hue the cherefulst face . Sprite moues her first to wish him wel . And discipline decaied Doth make her seeke so far from wood To haue Gods word obaied . I le tel you plaine , the matter is fresh , They gin in sprite , but end in flesh . A displing rod must needs be had . Good Martins say not so : This displing rod , will make you nod , And cause your heads to grow . Get home , keepe house , ware tounes so pure : Their zeale is hot , they le plaie you sure . When home you come , ioine faith & loue , Let priest his portion haue , Let neighbours field be as it was , Cast off your garments braue . Loue God and gospel as you ought , And let that goe , that was il sought . Must churches doune to maintaine pride And make your sailes to swel ? Few mighty subiects fit a state : A few doe verie wel . Cracke me this nut , thou gentle blood , Whose father was but Robin-hood . Shal Prince say no , and pearlesse men , Detest this wrangling broode , Who neither Prince , nor peere will knowe , In this their traiterous moode ? And do they liue , and liue they stil Their poisoned cup of gal to fil ? Martins farewel , and let s be friends , And thanke God for his word , And Prince and peers , and peace and al And skaping forraine sword . Yet no mans sword could strike so sore As Martins would I le say no more . Thou caytif kerne , vncouth thou art , vnkist thou eke sal bee . For aiming thus in coverture at Prelatis his in gree . Thy spell is borrell , spokis bin blunt , thy sconce rude , rusticall , But to the hecfor fell and feirce , short hornis done eft befall . The Sainctis in heavin & earth thou scornst , & selfe thou dost nikname . It semis thou wert in bastardie a swad begat with shame . In England Sir , tomteltroth is lowd plea at everie barre Why dar thou not then shew thy scalpe gainst clarkis proclaiming warre . For thie , thou seemis nought els bot lies , & leasings are thy leere , No pitie t were to cut the combe of sike a chauntecleere . Yclipt thou art , as people sayen , Martin the Mar-prelat , Better the mought thie selfe benempt , Mar-Queene , Mar-potentat . The Kirke of God may call that stower , & eke , that time vnblist , Sith swaines forswonke , & so forswat , moght , sayen what them list . Siker , thous bot a pruid princock thus reking of thy swinke , That with thilke irefull tauntes & lies to bleare mens eien dost thinke . Now God sheild man that wisards al , should daunce after thy pipe , Whaes wordis bin witlesse , termis bin fond , & tonge is hanging ripe . Thilke way & trood whilke thou dost swade , is sleepe & also tickle , To Kesar , King , and people too , the fall warre varie mickle . This old said sawe , this reede is rife , quha kenneth not this lore , Whilke has bin taken as a creede of sires that were of yore ? Seem'd sanctitie is trecherie , and newfangled religioun , Noucht is bot grosse knaverie , and maistres of confusioun . Quhat zeale were thilke that kingis gwerdons , whae are iclad in clay Quhilk they bequeathit to the kirke as monuments for aie , Should be so robd and ransackit , contrair to their behests , To make new vpstart Iacks Lor-Danes , with coine to cram their chests ? That they whaes fathers wer bot kernis , knauis , pesants , clownis , & booris , Moght perke as paddocks , ligg in soft , & swath their paramoris ? For thy graund zeale is nought bot that , thou soarest at thilke same : Thus han purloining slauis thee made an instrument of shame . Like as a gleede is hovering to catch her younglings praie , To gurmandize the chicke , or bring the duckling to her bay : So sootly thou can pipe to them , they deftly daunce to thee In roundelay , with stolen pelfe to maken mirth and glee . Quhile sausily quhaire no scape was thou wouldest al amendit : Tholy annointed one her selfe thy spokis they han offendit . Thy zeale's petit ( Masse Mar-prelat ) God knawes , thy purpose euill , Thy rowtis bin miscreants , & thou a chaplin for the devil . Thilke men of elde that han from God the sprite of prophecie , Quhilk thou dost reke , did not as thou , speke scoffes and ribaudrie . Weil lettred clarkis endite thair warkes ( quoth Horace ) slow & geasoun , Bot thou can wise forth buike by buike at euery spurt & seasoun . For men of litrature t' endite so fast , them doth not sitte , Enaunter in them , as in thee , thair pen outrun thair witt . The shaftis of foolis are soone shotte out , bot fro the merke they stray : So art thou glibbe to guibe and taunte , bot rouest all the way . Quhen thou hast parbrackt out thy gorge , & shot out all thy arrowes , See that thou hold thy clacke , & hang thy quiuer on the gallowes . For Soveraigne Dame Elizabeth , that Lord it lang she maie , ( O England ) now full eften must thou Pater Noster say . And for those mighty Potentatis , thou kenst what they bin hight , The tout-puissant Chevaliers that fend S. Nichols right , Els clarkis will soonall be Sir Iohns , the preistis craft will empaire . And Dickin , Iackin , Tom & Hob , mon sit in Rabbies chaire . Let Georg & Nichlas check by iol bathe still on cockehorse yode , That dignitie of pristis with thee may han a lang abode . Els litrature mon spredde her winges , & piercing welkin bright : To heaven from whence she did first wend , retire & take her flight . O England gemme of Europe , Angells land , Blest for thy gospell , people , prince , and all , Anglia . And all through peace , let Martins vnderstand The hony of thy peace , abhorre their gall . Martins ? what kind of creatures mought those bee ? Martinis . Birds , beasts , men , Angels , Feends ? Nay worse say we . The feendes spake faire sometimes and honour gaue , Curse and contempt in all that Martins haue . Disce . England if yet thou art to learne thy spell , Learne other things , such doctrine it for bell . What favor would these Martins ? Shall I say Favere . As other birds wherwith yong children play . Let them be cagd , and hempseed be their food Hempseed the only meate to feede this broode . Tuis . Disclaime these monsters , take them not for thine Hell was their wombe , and hell must be their shryne . Many would know the holy Asse , And who mought Martin been , Plucke but the footecloth from his backe , The Asse will soone be seene . My Lordes , wise wittall Martins thinke . Your Lordships flie to hie : Keepe on your flight aloft as yet , Lest Martins come too nie . For were your winges a little clipt , They soone would plucke the rest : And then the place too high for you . Would be pure Martins nest . What is the greefe that most afflictes all Martins broode ? Even selfe-conceite supported with a melancholy moode . What are the cheefest points whereon they raise debate ? No lesse then chaunging Princes lawes , and altring present state . And of what sorte are those that to this point are come ? Of rascals more then others , but of euery sort are some . What age or learning hath the number of their traine ? Children for age , for learning fooles : but fooles & boyes would raigne . What paines dooth lawe appoint to put the rest in feare ? For treason death , but that her grace is loth to be severe . Long may she liue , and those long may her grace defend : That they and other like had thought , ere this t' haue brought to ende . Men aske whie Martins do almesdeedes , and house-keeping defie : Their answer is , that house-keeping and almes are poperie . If any wonder that not onlie men are pure , But women like hipocrisie do also put in vre , They vse the helpe of some , that never did them wed : And learne to prooue such holy dames of Martins in their bed . New-fangled boies I thought to terme the birdes of Martins nest , But that I see in getting boies , like men they doe their best . Wel maist thou marke but neuer canst thou marre , This present state whereat thou so doost storme : Nor they that thee vphold to make this iarre , And would forsooth our English lawes deforme . Then be thou but Marke-prelate as thou art : Thou canst not marre though thou wouldst swelt thy hart . In Ammons land pretended Rephaims dwelt , That termd them-selues Reformers of the state , These like Zanzummins , and Deformers dealte , Among the people stirring vp debate . But when their vilenes , was espied and knowen : From Ammons land this Gyants broode , was throwen . Our England , that for vnitie hath beene , A glasse for Europe , hath such monsters bread , That raile at Prelats , and oppugne their Queene , Whole common wealthes , each beareth in his head . These Rephaims , for so the would be deemd : Are nothing lesse , then that they most haue seemd , Then if we loue the gouernement of peace , Which true Reformers from aboue maintaine , And forraine force could never make it cease , Nor these Deformers , can with vices staine : First let vs finde pretended Rephaims rowte , And like Zanzummins , let vs cast them out . Martin had much a farther reach , then euery man can gesse , Hee might haue cald himselfe Mar-preest , that hath bene somewhat lesse , But seeking all to overthrowe , what ever high might be : Mar-prelate he did call himselfe , a foe to high degree . The veriest knaves cheefe Pruritans , and Martinists are found : And why ? they saie where sin was great , there grace will most abound . Now where the father loues the Pope , for private wealth , or gaine : The sonne is of an other minde , and followes Martins traine . So that in chaunge of churches rites , what ever may be donne : They will be sure it shall advance , the father , or the sonne . If any mervaile at the man , and doe desire to see The stile and phrase of Martins booke : come learne it here of mee . Holde my cloke boy , I hill haue a vling at Martin , O the boore ; And if his horseplay like him well , of such he shall haue store . He thus bumfeges his bousing mates , and who is Martins mate ? . O that the steale-counters were knoune , chood catch them by the pate : Th' vnsauorie snuffes first iesting booke , though clownish , knauish was : But keeping still one stile , he prooues a sodden headed asse . Beare with his ingramnesse a while , his seasoned wainscot face : That brought that godly Cobler Cliffe , for to disproue his grace . But ( O ) that Godly cobler Cliffe , as honest an olde lad , As Martin ( O the libeller ) of hangbyes ever had . If I berime thy worshipnes , as thou beliest thy betters : For railing , see which of vs two shall be the greatest getters . But if in flinging at such states , thy noddle be no slower : Thy brother hangman will thee make , be pulde three asses lower . Then mend these manners Martin , or in spite of Martins nose : My rithme shall be as dogrell , as vnlearned is thy prose . These tinkers termes , and barbers iestes first Tarleton on the stage , Then Martin in his bookes of lies , hath put in euery page : The common sort of simple swads , I can there state but pitie : That will vouchsafe , ordeygne to laugh , at libelles so vnwittie . Let Martin thinke some pen as badde , some head to be as knavish : Soome tongue to be as glibbe as his , some rayling all as lavish , And be content : if not , because we know not where to finde thee : We hope to se thee where deserts of treason haue assignd thee . Cast of thy cloake and shrine thy selfe , in cloake-bagge , as is meete : And leaue thy flinging at the preest , as Iades doe with their feete . The Preest must liue , the Bishop guide : To teach thee how to leaue thy pride .

If Martin dy by hangmans hands , as he deserues no lesse , This Epitah must be engravde , his maners to expresse . HERE hangs knaue Martine a traitrous Libeler he was Enemie pretended but in hart a friend to the * * This bodg is known to be his own . Papa , Now made meat to the birdes that about his carkas are hagling . Learne by his example yee route of Pruritan Asses , Not to resist the doings of our most gratious Hester , Martin is hangd , o the Master of al Hypocritical hangbies .