IT behoueth vs ernestly to pray vnto God / that lykewyse as he hath geuen vnto the king of this realme / a feruent zele to set furth his truth / & strengthened him with a right worthy protectour & moost prudent counsellours for the setting furth of the same / euen so that he will vouchsafe to sende our sayde kyng lyke zeale and strength to make / set furth / and cause to be kepte such good polytike lawes and statutes as this Realme may be therby replenyshed wyth iustice requitie and wealth , that in all regions wher as it shal be reported how that we of thys realme haue expelled all vayne tradicions of men / and receyued the true religion of Christ / that there also it may be sayd howe that we haue therto receyued the fruteful blessing of God , promysed vnto the followers of his woorde . But except many inconueniences in this realme be redressed / it is rather to be feared least that the Gospell be slaundred through vs . Neuertheles euen as in the time of oure greatest errour & ignoraunce , the fatte priestes wo 〈…〉 neuer confesse that any thing concernin● our religion was amis , worthy to be reformed / euen so now at this daye there be many fatte marchauntes which wold haue no reformation in the comon wealth affirming that therin al thinges be wel / but he that wyll be conuersaunt with the comen sorte of the poore comens , shal ( if he stop not his eares , nor hyde not his eyes ) both heare se & perceyue the case to be farre other wise . He shal heare tel that afewe riche men haue ingrossed vp so many fermes & shepe pastures / & haue decayed so many whole townes / that thousandes of the poore comens can not get so muche as one ferme / nor scant any litell house to put their head in . It is not agreable with the gospel that a fewe parsons shall lyue in so great aboundaunce of wealth / and suffer so many their christen brothers to lyue in extreme pouertie . It is contrary to the humanitie vsed euen amongest the heythen infidels , one man to holde so great a quantitie of grounde / that by meanes therof hys other neyghboures shall not haue whervppon to get their liuing . It is not vsed amongest the worst kinde of rauening beastes , that one shall snatche from an other that thing whiche he standeth no nede of , and whiche he neuer shal be able to spend . But what may I lyken it vnto / when a fewe men for the onelye greadines of gathering superfluous thinges / shall kepe in their handes so muche ground / & so many whole townes & feldes / that therby al theyr owne natiue countrey shal come vnto vtter ruine & decay ? I wold not that those ydell membres of this realme , which for the mayntenaunce of their ydelnes wold haue al thinges in commen / shuld think that I do now harpe of that string : farre be such madnes fro me / for that confusion wold vtterly extinguish all industry vnto all maner of good artes and qualities / and reduce vs vnto a bestly trade of life . But I wolde rather wish that they wich now in this realme be the auctours of that opinion / shuld be sharpely punished by the maiestrates / as detestable enemies vnto the comon wealth / for he which bringeth into a Realme sedicion or discorde / bryngeth in the moost pernicious thinge that can be possible . And what thing can soner moue sedicion , than to go about to take from all good menne / all those their possessions and goodes / which they and their auncetours haue by their prowes / vertue and industry obtayned and gotten / and to participate the sayd landes and goodes / vnto the slouthfull , vicious and ydell parsons ? But admit that ( which is impossible / ) all men wolde willinglye consent vnto the taking awaye of the proprietye of goodes / yet is ther no lykelyhod that thys realme coulde be so gouerned & defended from enemies : for it any realme could be so maynteined / it shuld haue bene in experience before thys tyme in some countries . But Aristotle in his politica , writing of all the sundry kindes of gouernmentes of commēwealthes in the vniuersall worlde , could not finde so much as one lytell Citie gouerned in such sorte : it is much more impossible that such a realme as this / being so populous , & much of the people being so naturally geuen to slouth / vyce & ydelnes / shulde be well ordered by suche meanes . But these menne wolde fayne perswade their opinion by scripture / saying that two or thre places in the scripture make euidently for their purpose / yet wil they not confer therwith all those other places which be innumerable / that make directly to the contrary . Wold you not thinke him to be a mad taylour which wold go about to perswade you to take a coate of his makyng / because one sleue of the coate is fyt inough for you / all the reside we of the coate / being so scante & vnfyt that it can by no meanes be put vppon your backe . And are not they muche madder / with finding one or two textes in the scripture which semen to take awaye propriety of goodes / and do not regarde how their opinion agreeth with the eight commaundement / which sayth : thou shalt not steale / and with the tenth / which inhibiteth vs to couetour neyghbours house / or our neighbours wife / his seruaunt / his mayd , his oxe / his asse or any thing that is our neighbours . And if their shulde be no proprietie / I pray you to what purpose shall these wordes sound which shal be spoken by Christ at the daye of iugement . Whan I was hungry ye gaue me meate / and whan I was athrust ye gaue me drinke &c. Or wherfore doth Christ in ye. . vi . chap. of mat . wil vs / when we giue our almes to giue it secretly ? If I shuld here reken vp al the places in scripture which make directly against this fond opinion / I might be accompted more than halfe mad to bestowe so much time in a matter so manifest : therfore wisshing that the manteynours of this franricke opinion may be well kept in a close house vntill their wittes be better comen vnto than I wil returne to my purpose & declar / vnto you one other inconuenience / whych onely if it be not remedied / is able to bring this whole Realme vnto vtter ruine : for by the meanes of it / the moost parte of all those poore comons of thys realme / whych haue no landes of theyr owne / are lyke by all lykelyhod of reason , wythin proces of fewe yeres to be brought vnto extreme pouertie . And for the profe herof , let the naked trueth set furth it selfe . Whan all the great numbre of Abbays did stand here in Ingland , a great parte of the men of thys Realme / were Monkes / Chanons / Fryers , Chauntrypriestes / Pardonners / Heremites & such as had Idle liuings / by those monkes / chanons / fryers & chaūtripriests . And to th intent that my meaning herin may be the better perceyued : admit that these Idle parsons which the tyme which the residue of the inhabitauntes of this realme did bestow in going of pilgrimages / in caruing painting & gylding of Images , in making of torches and waxcādels / in keping of so many supersticious holy days : admit all these to counteruayle as thogh the thyrd part of the men of this realme had then continuallye lyued in Idelnes as touching any necessary busines , and that the other two partes had then done all the necessary worke which was to be done in the whole realme / that is to say / manured the ground to bryng furth corne / and victuall / and done all the labour for the taking of fysh / for the making of cloth making of garments and all other thinges necessary / both for them selues & for all those other Idell parsons and for the whole realme . And it is not to be supposed the contrary / but that there shal be as many people in the realme , when all those parsons which were monkes / chanons / fryers & chaūtripriests shal be dead / as there were at such time when all the sayd Abbeys dyd stand : but the. ij . partes of the men of this realm keping no supersticious holydays / & spending no tyme in pilgrimages nor such vanities / wil be still able to do all the necessary worke in the realme / then the other iij. part must lyue in Idelnes except some other worke be deuised for them But this gret nombre of people shall then nether haue landes nor pencions to mainteyne them lyuing in Idelnes . Therfore if more woorke be not prouided for theym / what can ensue but extreame pouertie / beggery and miserie ? For when the forsayd Abbays did stand / that Husbandman whych had two or thre Sonnes , wold for the mooste parte / finde one of them at Scoole for a yere or two vntill he might read the masse boke / and then make him eyther a monke hanōtrier or chauntripriest , which many times also shuld helpe his other brethern to some parte or their liuinge , but nowe there is no such refuge : all must be put to labour . And lyke as thre score men can not be all sufficientlye armed for the warres with fourtye harneysses / ne thre score women can not all be spinning at home vppon fourty wheles , no more can all those parsons in this realme which must nowe hereafter haue their liuinges vppon labour be continuallye set to work / except they may haue more ground totylle or more of som other thing to worke vppon . And besides all thys they whiche were professed in these supersticious / relygions did abstayne from matrimonye / so that now when mariage shall be fre for all men ther is lyke to be a greater increase of chyldren then was in those dayes . But to this some menne wyll saye / that although they had no wyues of their owne / yet they lyued not chaste . I graunte that fewe of them lyued chaste . And yet I deny that the Roylme was anye thynge so muche replenyshed wyth Chyldren by their vnchastnes , as it wold haue bene if they shuld haue had wifes of their owne / for it is to be considered that the moost parte of them are but comen aduouterers . And those women which lygh with more men then one / do not therfore bring furth the more children . All these thinges considered it is no small numbre of people that must now hereafter liue by labour / ouer that there was whan th abbeys did stande / so that if some other prouision be not made / it is like to come to passe , that shortly after the warres ( for the warres haue hitherto found a great sorte occupied / and cleane ryd vs of a great nombre of them which shulde els haue bene eyther beggers or theues ) but when the warres be done / & they which be now chyldren comen vnto mens estate / by the reason before declared , there shal be so many without fermes and disirous to haue fermes / that they them selues by their high proffers shall cause them to be yet agayne hygher inhaunced / so that he onelye shal be able to lyue vppon the sayde fermes / whyche hath no charge of chyldren / and he whyche shal haue any charge of chyldren / shal not be able ( bryngyng vp his children ) to lyue vppon any of them / but shall euery day be poorer and poorer vntyll he and all hys chyldren / be at playne beggery . And lykewyse then the labouringe man , beinge then so many of them / they shal be retayned for so litel wages ( hauing now respect vnto the high price of victuall and cloth / and to the high rent of their houses ) that he which shal be in health & hauing no childer , shal barely get by his labour to finde him selfe his necessary sustenaunce , so that he which shall haue any children / shall not by his labour be able to finde him selfe and his chyldren . And thus shall the moost parte of the Realme be in pouertie / one not able to helpe an other . Is it lyke than that those fewe parsons which shal haue the aboundaunce of riches / wil euery yere continually departe from so great sommes of money as will serue for the releafe of so great a nomber ? no surely , for when they haue had a farre smaller nombre / they suffred them to dye for hunger in the stretes . And for the moost parte , the wicked & the couetous parsons shal be the greatest possessours of goods , whose propertye is alwayes to gather , and neuer to distribute / redy in taking / but slacke in geuing . When so many shal be thus fallen into such extreame pouerte / what may then follow / it greueth me to declare . But what nede I to declare it / when euery man may so easely perceyue it whych thing if it shulde come to passe ( as God forbyd ) then wold our great enmy the bisshop of rome & all his adherentes , insulte and triumph ouer vs / imputing our distruction / as a punishment / for the suppressing of abbayes and chauntries . And so might it well be accompted / if we shuld / when they were suppressed / being satisfied and stayed with their worldly goodes , procede no further in redressing other abuses / nor in the prouiding of liuinges for them which were commonly wont to go into abbeys / or other wise to haue their lyuinges by them and by such other like kinde of ydelnes . Adde vnto this also that there is now at this day fewer seuerall fermes for the husbandeman to lyue vppon / and lesse worke for the labouringe man / than was in those dayes when the foresade abbeyes did stande . For a greate parte of the sayde abbeylandes be eyther geuen , solde or leased vnto suche lordes and Gentelmen / as had landes before of their owne . And for as much as it is wel nygh impossyble for them to ouersee so manye seruauntes as might kepe so great quantitie of grounde in tyllage / and desiringe to haue the whole profight of their grounde them selues / they are driuen ( by their infaciable couetousnes ) to conuert al their groundes vnto the pasturing of shepe & such kynde of beastes as they maye receyue the whole proffyght with very litell charge of seruauntes / so that one man hauing in his occupying so much ground as fiue hundreth parsons haue heretofore with their labour gayned their lyuinge vppon / shall kept perchaunce ten or twelue shepehardes and fower or fyue netherdes . So that although there be all ready and shal be hereafter manye more parsons which must get their liuinges vppon labour then there was when th abbeys did stand : yet that not with standing / their is at this psent much lesse grounde put in tillage / than was when they stode . And by this meanes shall this realme come much the soner vnto decaye / if remedye be not had . For as the number of menne encrease , which muste lyue by Laboure / so onght it to be forsene that they may haue whervppon to labour . For that shepemaster which suffereth one flocke of hys shepe to encrease muche in numbre / and doth not regarde to prouide suffyciente of Pastoure for them accoraccording to the nombre of his encrease / he shall not onely haue no profight by thyncreasinge of his shepe / but shal also put al the reside we of that flocke in daunger of the hūgerrotte . This flocke of labourers , are like dayly to encrease / but the pastour they shulde liue vppon / which is worke / doth dayly deminish . And is lyke hereafter vppon other occasion which I haue not here rehersed / euer more & more to be deminished . Hitherto I haue declared certeyne causes why it is requisite that more work shuld be deuised : desiringe you my lordes with the knightes & burgoisses of the parlyamenthouse that ye will accepte this my rude boldnes in good parte , & not to impute it to arrogancy for that I enterprise amongest men of so high wisdome / to reason in matters of so great importaunce . For lyke as the moost expert mariners / in a great tempestuous wether / wil not disdayne somtime to be admonisshed by an inferioure Parson / by cause that some thinges may then come to ther emembraunce of some one man , which at that time an other thynketh not vppon / euen so the moost wyse Councellours & Maiestrates / in the commen affayres of the Realme , wyl somtime vouchesafe to heare the deuise of a simple Subiect .

Therfore / after pardon obteyned for my bold enterpryse and for my rude language . I intende ( vnder the correction of other better experienced ) to shewe my simple opinion by what meanes all the for sayd nombre of people maye haue plentie of woorke And then what proffit maye therby ensue vnto the Royalme / and vnto the Kynges Maiestie . For these inconueniences and this imminent mischeafe maye bee so met wyth / and in suche sorte remedyed & redressed / that besydes the proffit / whych is taken by the Landes and goodes of the the sayde Abbayes Priories / Chauntries and Pilgrimages , the suppressing of them and of suche lyke Idelnes and Idell workes , maye be turned moreouer vnto an other the greatest Commoditie that euer came vnto this Royalme . That is onelye / if all that multitude of People / which was wonte to lyue so in Idelnes , maye alwayes haue woorke . And by two sundrye meannes maye it be broughte to passe that there may be more plentie of work throghout this realme : one is , by the conuerting into pastour or Arable waiste and desolate groundes , nowe beinge ouerflowen wyth water or ouergrowen wyth Brome / Ferrne whinnes or Fyrres / & by the restrayninge of the forsayde Shepemasters and ingrossers of Fermes , that they doo not hereafter conuert so muche grounde vnto Shepepastours / & then to suffer all maner of corne to be yerelye transported ouer the seas as well as anye other kynde of marchaundise . And for these purposes I haue drawen furth certeyne rude Bylles to be exhibited to you of the Parliamenthouse / trustinge that by your wysdomes / learninge & knowledge / sayd of the same rude bylles may be reduced into the due forme of good statutes . An other waye to cause the forsaid great numbre of people to haue more woorke , is by the causing of all such maner of thynges being comonlye worne / occupyed & spent within this realme / nowe vsed to be brought from the parties of beyonde the seas / & being possible to be made wrought or had wythin thys realme . As linen cloth / flax / and all thyng made of flaxe or hempe : all things ready made of Ironsope / rapeoyle / saye / stamin / worsteds / caps hattes & all such other thinges to be made and wrought within thys royalme / which thing may be brought to passe / by the setting of a great subsidy / as a subsidy of fower or fiue shillinges of euery pounde valure / of all such kinde of wares coming into this realme from the parties of beyonde the seas .

This maye be best done when a subsidye shulde be els graunted vnto the kinges maiesty for the mayntenaunce of his warres , which thing shuld be also some parte of punishment vnto our enemies , if we shall chaunce to haue any beyond the seas , for asmuch as they shal therby haue the lesse vent of their wares / thorow which their reames shal be the more enfebled . And surelye this kynde of subsidy for the mayntenaunce of the kinges maiestyes warres / shulde not onely be more for the common wealth , but also much easelyer borne then suche taxes & subsidies as were heretofore wont to be leuyed / for no man shall pay any thing in this kinde of subsidy but they onely which of their owne voluntary will , shall bye such wares comming from beyonde the seas : but if we shall not haue occasion to haue any subsidye graunted for the mayntenaunce of warres / yet for this forsayde consideracion the Subsidye may be inhaunced vpon all such wares comming inwarde . And the subsidye which is is now payd vpon leade / tinne corne & cloth going outwarde / maye be in consyderacion therof remitted / which shal be also a greate cause that the more leade linne / cloth and corne shal be wrought / made and laboured for within this realme , but if it so be that the kinges maiesty hauing no warres will not set any higher subsidy vpon such wares , yet at the least way for asmuch as the price of all maner of wares is highlye risen syth the time of the makinge of the laste rate : it is reason that the wares coming inwarde be rated agayn at the value that they nowe be solde for , or els the custume which shall be hereafter payde vppon lynen cloth and such kinde of wares coming into this realme shal be so lytell in respect of the price they be here solde for , that men shall not haue so good cause to be driuen vnto the making of lynen cloth and such other thinges within this realme as they had when the sayde rate was firste made . It is no maruayle though this my saying concerning the setting of a greater subsidy vppon wares inwarde and also some of the forsayde bylles shal be vnto some men at the first very harde to digest , but like as vnto those men euery thing is pleasaunt that sauoureth of lucre , so can they not abyde the taste of ought that smelleth any thinge agaynst their singuler profight . And yet if they pondred the matter throughly well / and wolde make a true definicion of vtilyte / they shulde finde that it were not against their profight . But they be so farre blynded in couetousnes that they can not or els will not forsee the true ende of thinges . Therfore you of the parliament house must do vnto them as the louing parentes do vnto their chyldren when they constrayne them to drinke wormesedes or such other bitter medecines for the preseruation of their lyues / although the chylderen / for the bitternes of the medycyne / be neuer so lothe to receyue it . Nor I maruayle not though some of you the lordes knightes & burgoyses of the parlyamenthouse be not at the first syght parswaded vnto all these my sayinges . For I being altogether ignoraunt of the arte of rethorycke / haue not conningly let furth this matter but onely layde before you the naked trueth in rude wordes , which onely bare truth if you substancially wyll ponder / I dout not but you shall then easely perceyue that by these meanes the sayde great number of people whiche before were wont to liue in Idelnes / shall not onely gayne their owne liuynges but also they shall both cause great summes of money to be yerely brought into this realme for such corne as shal encrease by their labour vppon tyllage . And furthermore cause greate summes of money to be kept within this realme / which was wont here to fore to be exchaunged into other Royalmes for suche lynen cloth and suche other thinges . And for as much as I doubt least that my meaning herein be not so easy of all men to be perceyued : to make the matter more playne / admit that when the foresayde Abbays did stande , we sent ouer the seas yerely into other Realmes in woll , leade tinne corne cloth and all other kinde of marchaundise , the value of fower hundreth thowsande pounde , and that we did then receyue agayne into the realme from the sayde parties of beyond the seas yerely the value of other fower hundreth thowsande pounde in other kynde of Marchaundise / admit also that for as much as all those people which before were wont to liue Idelly in Abbays / Priories and chauntries / adding thervnto the time which was accustumed heretofore to be Idelly bestowed in going of pylgrimages / in keping of newe founden holydayes / in caruing , paynting and gilding ymages in making of copes / torches & waxs candels / all this time before spent in idelnes and in vnproffitable labours , hereafter imployed vppon the tillage o● the waste & desolate groundes , and in making & working of such thinges as we hertofore were wont yerely to receyue from the parties of beyond the seas / admit ( I say ) that by the encrease of the corne coming of this tillage we maye sende ouer into the parties of beyonde the seas yerely / the value of one hundreth thousande pounde more in corne , than we heretofore were comenly wont to do : & that by the meanes of the linen & such other thinges being wrought within this realme , we shall nede hereafter to receyue agayn in all those kynde of marchaundises coming from beyond the seas / the value of one hundreth . M. pounde lesse then we hertofore were wont yerely to receyue / then shall therebe caried ouer the seas yerely in all kinde of marchaundise the value of fiue hundreth thousande pounde / and receyued agayne yerely in all kinde of marchaundyse but the value of thre hundreth thousande pounde / so that the other two hundreth thousande pound muste yerely be brought into thys realme eyther in golde or siluer . And for asmuch as they haue nowe much gaynes beyonde the seas / and this realme not a litell therby in domaged / in that they do counterfayte our new coyned siluer beyond the seas & send it hither . It therfore good prouision and narrowe search be made that none of the sayde counterfayted money be connuayed hither / then shulde all the foresayde summes of money which shall come yerelye frome beyond the seas for the foresayd ouerplus in wares / be brought into this royalme in such gold & siluer as the kinges maiesty may take advauntage by the coynage . Thus ye may perceyue that by these forsayd meanes the realme maye be wonderfully enriched / the kinges maiesty haue great gaynes in his mintes , and euery man that listeth to laboure / may gaine him selfe an honest liuing . Yet I wolde not that any man shuld thinke it possible by any worldly policy to defend thys realme from vtter distruction / except we amend our sinfull liuing . For if God be determined to plage vs / for our offences / what can worldly policy preuayle to the contrary ? And is their any hipocrisye more like to prouoke the wrath of god : or any blasphemy more worthy of his indignacion / than busuly to pretend the most holy Gospell , and yet neuertheles to be so voyde of all charite / that it shal be taken but for a small matter / and for a common practise amongest vs / one man to encroche so much grounde in to his handes that he shal ther by expell fower or fiue hundreth parsons frome their liuinges ? How doth this trade of liuing agre with the Gospell / seing that the chefe poynte of our religion / yea and as Christ him selfe saith / all our religion consysteth in Louinge of GOD aboue all thinges / and our neyghbour as our selues ? The more knowlege that we haue of the truth , the greater is our offence / and the more aboundant that the goodnes of god hath bene towardes vs / the more detestable is our in gratitude towardes him . For these iniuries that we do vnto the poore membres of Christ / we do vnto him sayth he . Therfore after such euident knowledge of the scripturs : & after so manifest admonicion by the preachers : what can solowe but the iust bengeance of God ? if reformacion be not had . If youre Childeren hadde so muche understanding to foresee the plage and vengeaunce of God / ready to be powred doune vppon the whole realme / for this cruell oppression of the pore / which so frely is suffe-suffered here to reygne amongest vs / wolde they not altogether knele vpon their knees with the teares running downe by their chekes rufullye loking towards you of the parliament house / and holding vp their handes 〈◊〉 you altogether with one vo●ce / that you with all diligence and hast possible wolde se to the r●formaciō hereof , that the dredefull wrath of God myght be spedely turned from 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 being on 〈…〉 of other 〈…〉 Realme beinge reformed , 〈…〉 in wealth & prosperite all the realms in the world : That the fame therof with the renowne of the moste vertuous king Edwarde the sixte / shall redounde at the furdest ende of the worlde , to the great prayse of the Gospell ▪ and to the high glory of god vnto whom all honour be referred for euer .

A faute escaped in printing . In the. xvii page in the. xiij . lyne . Sayde of the same ▪ Rede some of the sayde .