ARistotle in the fyrst boke of politykes the .x. chap. sayth , howe that diuers men esteme riches to be nothynge but onelye an heape or quantite of gold and syluer . And it is greate folye eyther to thinke or saye the same : For the phylozopher sayth that and if the course of Golde and siluer were restrayned / that then it shulde no more be proffitable to commenwelthes / neyther yet to those thinges which are nedefull to mannes lyfe . For many times it may chaunce to him which hath aboundaunce of golde and syluer , to perish for lacke of foode . Wherfore it is great foly to nominate or name those thynges to be ryches which a man possessith in great aboundaunce , and yet neuertheles perissheth for lacke of foode : As Duyde recyteth in his .xi. booke / howe that king Mydas was so stricken in couetousnes / that his desyre could not be satisfyed with golde : wher uppon he made his prayer to the Gods / that al things which he touched / might be Golde : whiche he obteyned . So that all thinges which he put in hys mouth , was Golde : and thus dyed for lacke of sustenaunce . The Phylozopher in the same booke sayth / that ryches obteyned by an vnsatiable desyre , is infinite : And howe that the desyre of suche hath no ende of theyr vnsaciable couetousnes / thorow the which they lyue after their sensuall pleasure and delyte . And therfore the scripture sayth : Quod insatiabilis Cupido oculus : and furthermore / quod auarus non implebitur pecunia . Wheruppon Beda in an homilye / and Ouide in libro faustorum / sayth : that couetousnes is lyke vnto the dropsye . Lib . i cap . xxvij . And Vincent in his mirrour historiall sayth : that couetousnes is a right cruel pestilence / and causeth all those to suffre whiche receyue hir . For she hath neuer sufficient . Ecclesiasticus sayth : There is nothing worse then a couetous man .

What aduauncest thou the / sayth he / o thou asshes ? There is not a more wicked thing thē to loue money . And why ? Such a one ( sayth he ) hath his soule to sell . Here is an harde saying : And yet we see in these dayes men so geuen to vnsatiable couetousnes / in procuringe their owne priuate welthes / that the commen welth decayeth / and no man loketh to it . We are commaunded to loue God aboue all / and our neyghbour as oure selues . But how do we loue our neyghbour as our selues when we put them out of their houses and say their goods in the stretes ? Gods lawe sayth . Thou shalt not vniustly desyre the neighbours house . Wherfore he vniustlye desireth his neyghbours house / which for lucre putteth out one and putteth in an other . For what is he / hauinge a house / be he rych or poore / that wolde be put out of his house ? Sainct Iohn sayth : 1. Iohn . 4 If a man sayt I loue God / and yet hate hys brother / he is a lyer . Peraduenture some wyll say / though he put his brother out of hys house / yet he hateth hym not : though his pore brother hath not wher with to obteyne an other . Saynct Iames in the second chapt . of his Epistle sayth : harken my dere beloued brethern : Hath not God chosen the poore of this woorlde / which are ryche in fayth , and are heyres of the kingdome whiche he promised to them that loue him ? But ye haue despised the pore . Are not the rich they which oppresse you , and they which drawe you before iudges ? Do not they speake euell of that good name / after which ye be named ? I pray you / who in these dayes are such oppressours / such grasyers / such shepheardes / such inhauncers of rentes / such takers of incommes / as are those whiche professe the Gospell ? What is this but to speake euell of that good name of Christ / after whome we be named Christians . He sayth more / yf ye fulfyll the Ryall lawe accordinge vnto the scripture which sayth . Thou shalte loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe : Ye do well . Wolde to God that in these dayes men wolde be as carefull for their pore brethern , as they are for their dogges . We see the Citie of London can of the Chambers cost prouyde a house to kepe .xx. or .xxx. dogges in / and to gyue r . pounde by yere for one to kepe them : but they wyll not allow .x. pens by yere out of the Thambre , towardes the fynding of the poore : But the the poore artificers must beare parte and parte lyke / to the moost extremitie that can be inuented / as lately apered by the commen counsell . By heare saye / there is a good some yerely comming to the chambre of London / and no man knoweth how it is spent but the gray clokes : yet can their not be a pore spring fet two flyght shorte out of the Citie / but the poore commens must heare parte therof . I trust within this .xx. yeres men will make sute to be Mayers of the Citie . To these good gospellers . S. Iames sayth : What auayleth it my brethern / though a man saye he hath fayth / when he hath no dedes ? Can such a fayth saue him ( sayth he ) ? If a brother or syster be naked or destitute of dayly foode , and one of you saye vnto them / departe in peace / God sende you warmenes and foode / not with standing ye geue them not those things whiche are nedefull to the body / what helpeth it ? Euen so / fayth / if it haue no dedes is deade in it selfe . There is a faute : and by the Emperour Marcus Aurelius sayinge / I coniecture it to be in the hygher powers . For he sayth : If the hygher powers daunce / all daunce : And if they hunte / all hunte . If they be couetous all are couetous with more : but this suffiseth . By lyke in these dayes the hygher Powers studye priuate welthes / for all men study the same / & no man passeth vpon the commenwelth . Aristotle geueth counsell / that vnsaciable couetous men shulde not beare rule in commenwelthes / and declareth furcher how such are knowen by their workes . For they ( sayth he ) are geuen to enryche them and theyrs , and howe that such nether loue the commen welth ney ther yet good pollicie . The philozopher in the thirde boke the .vij. chapter of pollitiques sayth : All pollicies eyther counsels whiche preferre and set furth thinges proffitable to the commenwelth / are ryght taythfull and iust : But those ( sayth he ) which preferre and set furth thynges proffitable to the gouernours and rulers / are wicked corrupt / and the breaking of good pollicie . In the compendyall history of politikes is written / howe that such as couet dominion / not regarding worldly fame and prayse , passe euen the brute beastes in vyces / and specially in two poyntes / to witte / in lechery and crueltie : and that dyuers Romaynes were of this sorte , which passed not on the Fame of the woorlde / for those dedes which they did , neyther yet cared what was surmised on them / in committing those euels which they did although they did many / thorow their vnsaciable couetousnes to reygne and beare rule . We haue now no samuels / which wyll aske the commens / saying : haue I taken any mans oxe or asse / if I haue done any man vyolence or wronge / if I haue oppressed anye man ? yf I haue receaued a gyft of any mans hande and kept it secret / I wyll restore it you agayne . And the people sayd / no . We haue none of these / neyther yet Danyels , nor Eleseusses to deny giftes . But we haue plentie of Gehasis in all places to receaue : god defende them from the leprosye . For as uem as they are blynded in pride thorow couetousnes : euen so are they blynded from all godly knowledge . Quene Hester / after she was promoted / was noe lyke vnto these : for as apeareth in the seconde boke of Hester in the .xv. chapt . She sayde helpe me desolate woman which haue no defence nor helpe but onelye thou lorde / thou knowest all thinges / thou wottest that I loue not the glorye and worshyp of the vnrighteous , and that I hate and abhorre the bedde of the vncircumcised / and of all heathen . Thou knowest and wottest my necessitie that I hate the token of my pre●●miencie & worshp / which I beare vpon my heade / what time as I must shewe my selfe & be sene : and that I abhorre it as an vncleane cloth . And that I were it not whan I am quiet alone by my selfe . O weaker vessell . Where may one in these dayes finde a man that hateth his preemiencie . No scant shal a man fynde a bys shop which wylleaue the preemience of his shauen crowne / which as sainct Ierome vpon the .xliiij. of Ezechiell sayth : They receaued from Isys and Serapies . Salomon sayth . Prouer xx . that a mouth of vnderstanding is more worth thē golde / many precious stones & costsy iewels . Hester had a much of vndstanding / & our bisshops haue costly mytets / crosse staues & gloues , set after the letter with costly pearles & stones . The spirite killeth ( say they ) but the letter quickeneth as apeareth by their playing garmentes . As sayth . S. Bernard vppon the Canticles . He that readeth the scriptures & the auncient wryters / shall perceaue our bisshops both in workes & apparell as lyke vnto Christ & his apostles / as is the wolfe & the lambe . It is tolde that a monke of great fame in Italy , being named Robert of licio : many yeres sence / shulde haue preched before the pope & his cardy nallen . Who / being in the pulpit and seyng the pope and his cardinalles comming to heare hys sermon in pompe & pryde more then Royall / sayde : Fye vppon . S. Peter & fye vppon . S. Paule . And with these wordes went out of the pulpyt . And when he was demaunded why he dyd say so ? He answered , saying : Haue I not good occasion ? Were they not very fooles and vnlyke to you ? for they were but miserable & power wretches / and went naked / barefoote / dying for hunger / into heauen : and could not fynde the meanes to ryde on horses nether yet on moyles / richly apparelled with so great tryumph as ye doo ? Wherfore the pope nor hys cardynalles / neyther yet his shauelinges in this Realme / no nor yet vnsaciable couetous men which seke priuate welthes to the decay of the commen weale / vnles they repent / may not entre into heauen , although they beare the name of Christians , neyther yet may they be compared to the famous gentyles which sought fame in this woorlde / in spending their goods and aduenturing their parsones for the comen weale / of which sorte Marcus Aurelius was one : who of custume in the Cytie or towne where he was resident wolde in the euening go with .xij. pages thorowe the streates , harkening and inquering if any of hys officers or retynue had done any man wrong : And in case yea : furth with redressed the same / punisshing the offenders . Here was a noble acte of an Emperour parteyning to a comen welth . Lorde / if in this Reame the kinges maiestie wold appoynt but a faythfull counseller to go thorow this Realme / thinke ye there wolde be no complayntes ? yes , yes / to many / God amend it . I dare not wryte for offendinge : But this dare I wryte / that , if dyuers officers within this realme shulde shewe their accountes from yere to yere how they haue gotten their goods , as marchauntes maye do , it shulde be founde that it were no maruayle though the Kinges maiestie lacked money , and his pore comons complayne . Salomon Prouer .xiiij. sayth . The increase and prosperite of the commens , is the kinges honour : But the decaye of the people / is the confusion of the prince . Thys counsell founde Rehobohā true . Also next vnto Marcus Aurelius / I fynde worthy of fame / Marcus Curius to whome the Ambassadours of the Samuytes / at this present calles Bonynent / brought a weyght of golde for a present or gift / desyring him to receaue it & to do his will therwith : But he / whome they founde syttinge by the tyre on a rusticall benche sething rapes for hys supper / which he dyd eate in trene diss●es , beganne to laughe , saying to thē : ye are the min●sters of a folish and vayne Ambassadourship . Returne agayn and tell the Samuites that Marcus Curius had rather to be lorde and master ouer rychesse / thē to be made rych . Therfore beare agayne youre giftes / the which as they are precious , euen so were inuented for the euell of men : and thinke not that I may be vanquisshed in batayleneyther also corrupted by golde nor sylner . This Marcus / after that he had chaced king Marcus out of Italy / wold take nothing of the spoyle / but enriched his Armye and citie of Rome with the same . And reputed that Citezen lytle worth to the comenwelth , that was not content with those thinges that suffysed other . Also Cneus Marcus , who was of the royall bloude and kinred of king Ancus / vnto whome / after that he had done the Actes of a valyaunt and worthy knight / were offced such presentes and gyftes / as of custume were geuen to valyaunt and worthy knightes . To wytte .c. Iourneys .x. Valerius maximus li . 4. ● . c . 3. prisoners at his choyse .x. horse well apparelled for the warres . C. oxen and as much sylv{er}as he coulde beare yet wolde he take nothinge / but one prisoner / whiche had been his hoste / and a horse to beare him in the warres From these mennes scole camme fabricius / whom his time was in great auctoritie and in high estimacion among the Romaynes : but in substaunce / was lyke vnto the porest . And for this cause the Samuytes / ouer whome he was made gouernour and ruler , thought his estate very simple and his trayne verye small . Wheruppon they sent him great gyftes and sommes of syluer , Agelius . li . 1. cap . 4 which they presented him : but when Fabricius had hearde them he paused a litle , and after layde his handes to his eares / then to his eyes / after to his nose and so to his mouth / and last on his belly / and therwith answered and sayde vnto them : So longe as I maye belorde and haue power ouer these membres whiche I haue touched . I shall haue lacke of nothing : wherefore beare agayn your moneye and geue it vnto such as ye knowe to haue nede thereof . Also / Quintus Tubero being Consull of Rome / they of Erolle sent him by their Ambassadours / lyluer vessell being of a greate weyght and of agoodlye and curyous workemanship / and of highe estimacion . Forcerteyne men of Erolle whiche alytle to fore had bene to see him and to do him homage , reported that they had found him at his table / eating in earthen vessell : But when Quintus Tubero sawe the vessell / he commaunded them to returne and to beare agayne their present / saying vnto them : Do not thinke the trayne which I kepe to be of pouertie eyther of necessicie , but of vertue and abstinencie . These thinges remembred king Agathocles / when he was come vnto the crowne , who / although he was Kynge wolde daylye be serued at hys table in earthen vessell / to declare that he was not ashamed to be knowen to be the sonne of a potter : And therby reduced to his memory / his first estate and felicitie with he was comen vnto , shuld not abuse him , nether yet cause him to forget his first estate . I coulde bringe in plentie of like gouernours and rulers which abhorred priuate welthes / but it wold be tedious to the reader . And therfore I trust this to be sufficient wherby vnsaciable couetous men may know in what state they stande in . Forneyther may such loke with out repentaunce , to be of Christes flocke : nor yet to obteyne any worldly fame with the famous Gentiles . Now / what shal become of such is written in the compē dyall historye of polytikes in the .xxvi. chapt . as followeth . Tell me / sayth he / I pray the : where are those becom now / which haue so loued the worlde , and taken paynes day and night / leauing their contreyes / wiues and chyldren / trauay linge by sea and by lande / and in innumerable perylles to obteyne woorldlye fame and to prayse their prince and sorde in obteyning honour and riches ? where are they nowe ? Yea or what haue they wonne in seruing the worlde / and in taking so great paynes for the same ? In the ende , the worlde hath played them the part of a fayned companion , as he hath done / and doth to all his louers and seruauntes : yea , and left thē in their nede . And as touching honoure / ryches and auctoritie which he gaue them / doth he not / when the ende commeth / take all agayne from them ? Yea in so much that sometime as touching carnall frendes hath he promised them a winding shete to beare their caron carcas in : And they ones dead / the seruice done and the belles ronge , what remayneth of thē more then doth in the iugglers boxe ? Blowe / and ye shall fynde nothinge . Perijt memoria eorum cum sonitu . Thus sayth Dauid : Ther remayneth nothing of thē but wormes and asshes : yet were they men as we are . They haue eaten and dronken as we do . There haue bene kinges / Dukes and Earles and great Rulers peraduenture greater then any be now : yea , and they haue taken their delyte and pleasure in thys woorlde / tyll they haue forgotten God / and transgressed his commaundementes / paraduenture euen in the poynt of death / and are so fallen in the depe of hell / where their soules remayne and their carcas to the wormes / their abiding the resurrection of their bodye : So that at the daye of Iudgement , both bodye and soule shall euer after be tormented together . So that , as they were companions together in welth and delyciousnes / they maye also remayne in paynes and tormentes . Remembre I pray you what their vayne glorye hath profited them / their shorte Ioy and worldly fame . Their power / their pompe / honour and greate estate . Their multitude of housholde and familye . Their voluptuousnes and delyte of their bodies . Their lycorish morsels and fleshly carnaltie . Their goodlye houses and sumptuous palayces . Their Chambres hanged / their beds apparelled . Their vnsaciable couetousnes and rjches / paraduenture euell gotten . Where is their pride , their will and arrogancy ? where is now their smiling playing and daunsing ? where is their singing their minstrels with their clarisons and trumpets wherin they so much delyded and reioyced ? Yea , and where are their greate traynes ? Heare what the scripture sayth . Factum est vt moriretur & diues , et sepultus est in inferno Which is to saye : The time came that the glotton dyed and he was buried in the depest of hell / where his mirth is turned into greate calamitie & sorrow he is fallen from a lofte to lesse then no thing / and from great ease / into great tormentes . And therfore let vs call these thinges to mynde / and feare GOD / and withdraw our mindes from the folysh loue of this worlde . And this doing it may come otherwise to vs , then did to him . Yf not / the paynes which he endureth / shal be our rewarde . For we are m●n and made of the flyme of the earth as he was . We came from the earth / and to earth we shall returne . And knowe not howe soone , neyther in what estate death shall take vs. Neyther do we know whether we shall go after death . Therfore if we remembre these thinges we may by the helpe and grace of God , despyse this worlde and obteyne the euerlastinge kingdome / with God . To the which he bring vs / that bought vs on the crosse / thorrowe his precious bloude .