OFfering thys Breife declaration vnto your lordship of the reasonable cause whi alfermours or owners of Abbey lands being disolued ought & shold be contributours & helpers to the liuing of their person or vicar within whose parish thei be ( as the case hereof hath hapened betwene me & one of those fermers ) Some woulde iudge perchaunce that I were a man gyuen to a certen couetousnes of liuinge , and thyncke ( I suppose ) al wer to litle for prestes , many woulde bolte oute their grudge saienge : this felowe smelleth of papistrie , and goeth about to set vp the kingedome of Prestes . But what soeuer any man doth conceaue at the fyrst hearing of the title of my declaracion . This wil I protest before god & the whol world , that I speake nothig but moued with the zeale of the auauncement of the gospel & gods true lerninge , which of very necessity must go to the ground ( if god of his wonderfull goodnes staie it not vp ) except the studentes and preachers thereof maye be maynteyned wyth honest & sufficyent liuing in the Seruice therof . For by Liuynges all men are enkindled to the studies of good lerning . No man will ronne for nought , and if there be no Reward when he commeth to the markes ende he thincketh his labour loste in ronninge thither . Wherfore in that that youre lordeshippes ernest & pure zeale towardes goddes trueth , and the painfull Laborers therin ( at my humble suet made vnto you , for the redresse of the same matter , willed me to put you in remembraunce therof at the time of the parliament : I thought it my bounden deuty so to do & some thinge to trauayle herein , in settinge furth the matter more plainly with my penne . Trusting therby the at youre lorde shippes handes my suet shoulde haue the better successe , & most especially for that you haue ben alwaies a synguler fauorer and preferrer of lerned men , that nowe you would be a patrone to their studies , & to the knowledge and leruinge that shall sprynge after your daies , & to helpe no lesse to preserue and continew good lerning emongest vs , then you haue heretofore holpen to bryng it in . And although there bee Rewardes suffycyente and plentyfull inough before god for all mens paines and studyes in vertue if men wold loke thytherwarde and waite there for Rewarde ( as it becometh them to do ) yet the nature of man is such , that if he see the maintenaunce of hys Liuinge in studie faile ( as it were hys breath in hys Rase to waxe shorte ) by and by he beginneth to fainte and setteth him selfe downe idellie , resting otherwise then els he would do . Wherfore an honest exhibycion of Liuinge is a greate prouocatyon and staie vnto al industryous labour and diligence . As longe as a man hathe his due rewarde , his paines is thought the lesse how many and great soeuer they bee . The rewarde of studye failynge , and the liuinge of ministres and preachers not nourysshed , is th occasion at thys daye vnto many of shrinckynge from their estate and vocation and applieng them selues to some other facultie to no litle decaie of Christe hys faithe and Religion . In so much the where as ministres ought accordynge to Paule hys lesson , Timot. iiii . giue them selues cheifelie and before al thinges to exhortacion and doctrine , do cleane contrarie applieng the in selues to the world and forsakinge the studie of the word . The whiche thinge to be true , we maie perceiue and se partly by comon experience manye that haue sometime labored in the gospel ( not alltogether vnfrutefullie ) being not able to purchase great benefices as it is now a dayes a comon practise to do ) nor to liue otherwise of their stipendes & cures , are driuen to kepe all houses , exercyse the craft of Carpenters , tailors , & other occupations , whych thynge cometh to passe thorough the faulte of vncharitable hartes muche choked with couetousnes , hauing nether zeale towardes the Gospel , nor the setters fourth therof being not wylling to yelde to theyr minystres , which dayle & hourely haue labored to bryng them from darcknes to lyghte , that whiche is dewe to them by Scripture , whereby they myght be able to bie bookes , apparel , with other meanes towardes the maintenaunce of their studie , and Kepe hospitalitie for the reliefe of the poore , accordinge to the wyll and commaundement of god . i. Timo. iii Like as a man goinge on warfare muste nedes liue of the comon coost , & so beinge prouided for doeth his deutie a great deale the better : Euen so ministres to th entent they may be able , & more willing to do their dueties , ought to haue all thinges necessary and sufficient without care , grudge , or suet for the same . The maners of men much is to be lamented in these dayes , which declareth greatelye theyr vnworthynes of the gospell thorough the dissimulacion and vnthanckefull hartes whiche they shewe towardes them that haue th ouersyght of them , in that a great nomber is readier contrarye to the doctryne of the holie Apostle , to take , to snatche , to catche , hebr. xiii . and to spoile them of that lytle whyche they haue , then to giue that , which in consciens , they are bounden to giue . This vnthanckefulnes appereth to them which vnfainedlie fauoreth goddes true lerninge , a great euel , seyng they spoile Christ in that they depriue his ministres of their liuing . For as woo shal be to the whych so largely doth feede the Balaanites the ministres of Sathan that they should abounde in al plenteousnes . Euen so they feede Christ , Mat. x. that nourisheth his and the setters out of his doctrine , & shall receue their ful reward at his hand . What plentifull handes hath ben opened to the familie and houshold of Baal ? What gorgious houses what sumptuous monasteries hath ben builded for suche a couente of Oules , and a herd of swyne , being euermore obscurers of the lighte of the truth ? What abundaunce of riches did thei heape vp what prince or what degre was he of , that was not benefycyall to them ? But in thys world , wherin the brightnes of gods true light doth most manifestlye appere thorough gods prechers ( by the hande of our most gracious & noble king Edwarde the sixte , deliueringe hys people from Babilon that is fro the heuy tradicions of the byshop of Rome , to the excedinge consolation and confort of al people that faithfully coueteth the veryties furtheraunce to the great discomfort of them that desireth the hinderance of the same . What scarsite find they ? what simple liuinge do they possesse ? what smal rewardes haue they for their good labours ? in min opinion trulye the ernest settyng oute of thys doctryne is of suche a pryce and value , the Englyshmen had neuer greater cause to thancke God and to pray for the gracious prosperitie of theyr moost worthye Kynge and his honorable and lerned councell , then for this matter , and also to be the more encoraged to declare themselues louing to the faithful ouerseers and setters out of this doctryne , yea and that much more then they were to the idle lubbers and domme dogges of that monstreous Religion in times paste .

Many at this daie wil fayne to be verie glad to heare the gospel , but when it cometh to passe , that eyther they may do a displesure to the setter out of it , or by any pryuy meanes hindre him of that whiche is his very deutie , then they shew contrary to goddes doctryne , wyth al ernestnes , theyr hypocrisye , which they haue longe norished in their dissembling hartes both towardes the worde and the preachers thereof . Thess. v. No small garde also of suche brethren there is that litle passe either of god or of good ordre , thinckyng themselues to be parfect maisters , when in dede they were neuer good scollers , whych wil say : why sholde they be chargeable vnto vs ? let them labour with their handes as Paule did . Wherin their errour & blindnes doth appeare , in that they thyncke the offyce of preachinge the word , were an idle thinge & not labour : Al though sainct paule as we read , actes . xx . dyd get his liuinge wyth his handes , and lefte that whych was dewe , wyth them to whome he had preched , whiche thinge he dyd by libertie and not by necessity : Yet he lost not his ryght of axing hys deutie , which lawfully he might haue had . ii . Cor. ii . This Apostle as he witnesseth Robbed other congregations , and toke wages of them , that he myght preache the Gospell frelye to the Corinthians , ii . Cor. ii and to do them seruice . Sainct Augustine therefore in his booke of workes sayeth , If they be euangelistes , yf they be ministers , they muste lyue of the goodes of the faythfull .

Christe promysed vnto his Apostles the same , & commaunded them to reserue of the people thynges necessary . Temporalties ought to serue as instrumentes to spirytual thinges , and so that benefyte to be giuen , to the preachers offyce & ayde of his liuynge . The worcke man is worthy his wages , that is : yf they receiuing of the temporall reward be spent in the administracion of spiritual thinges and not laied vp in coffres but bestowed in necessities and kepynge houses of hospitalitie not in purchasynge of great possessions , or in mainteining pompe , pryde , delicate feare , fedinge of houndes , hawkes , carding and disinge , and suche lyke euelles , for of suche heate what is said in scripture : Iob. xxi . They haue ledde their dayes in vanitie and welth ? but sodenly they go downe to hel .

These bee they that executeth theyr offyce not as Peter & Paule did , but as Iudas amongest the apostles , & as Simon Magus amongest the dysciples . These ( I saye ) are blinde guides to the people , euen as smoke the blindeth mens eyes in stead of a clere light . Therfore this sentence is worthy to runne vpon them . That they be cast ouer the borde , be put out of their Romes , & other to be placed . It is a sentence also moste pithie to admonishe them , where as the apostle sayth : Timo. iiii . take hede vnto your selues , see that you ronne in this world that you may receiue a ful reward as the Philippians did , i. Cor. ix . which plentifully distributed that manyfold grace giuen by paule his preching , which walked in their vocation not in the pompe of the world , whiche distributed , not studied to lay vp and hyde . In like maner the couetousnes that in these dayes generally reigneth ( I knowe not whyther it be more worthy to be lamented then spoken vnto ) the practises be shamefull that they vse for the brynging in of money , their mouthes are as wide as hel neuer being content but groping for occupieng not of fermes but of townes not of Townes but of hole contreis , in the desier of encroching they be so roted that they cast in their hertes how they may defraude euery man of his liuing , or at the least of some parte thereof . And also wyth what spytefull rebukes , tauntings , and sclaūdringes , those couetous men deface and put to sylence the earnest setters out of the doctrine of Christ it is wonderfull , and to muche shame to speake of . They would make the ministres their seruauntes , the preachers coloters & berers with their wickednes , of whom the prophetes speketh . This is an obstinat people dissemblynge Chyldren , Esai . xxx . that refuseth to heare the law of the Lord . For they say vnto the seers : se not , & to them that be clere of iudgement , loke not out right thinges for vs , but speke faire wordes vnto vs . The worke of robery is in their handes , Esai . lix . in the waye of crafte and falsehode they go , but the waye of the Lorde they wyl not knowe . But no meruayle it is in dede that the worlde at this day is thus bent towardes the stewards and disposers of the secretes of God for it hath bene so sence the beginning . Take Abel for example , what small fauour had Moses and Aaron amonge the cruell Iues , Gene. iiii . Num. xvi . when they brought them out of Egipt with many others mo , as Iacob , Ioseph , Dauid , & Elias . Yea when the wyse men shewed kynge Herode , that the Kynge of the Iewes was borne ? he was sore vexed and al Ierusalem with him . Mat. ii . It is no smal vexation and disturbaunce that riseth at the true sounde of goddes worde amongest a nombre of couetous men and pharesies , But verely as when the Kingdome of the papistes religion florished it brought forth riches , and then riches as it were her daughter springing vp so fast deuoured the mother . Euen so ( I feare me ) we shall fall nowe into a worse extremitie then that was , thorough neade and necessitye , and be compelled to do as when a mans scyence fayleth him . Act. iiii . v. And therefore I can not a little alowe the fathers of the primitiue church , which sold al that euer they had for the maintenaunce of Christes gospel , nether was there any amongest them that lacked . Yea & then also which founded Colledges giuing great yerely rentes for the staiyng and vpholding of learning from time to time , with mani & diuerse wel affected men vnto vertue & knowledge whiche were wont to giue exhibicion to scolers in vniuersities , and bringe vp pore mennes sonnes in learninge . And now what streames of teares maye seme sufficiente vnto vs in speakinge of the wonderful decay thereof , which wil be the very bringing in againe of ignoraunce , barbarousnes , & cruelty . And wher as the lawes of this Realme bindeth Clerkes of . C.li. liuinges to finde certen scollers in the vniuersityes , Yet they be so slouthfull them selues , & haue so lytle minde to that that they do not studye , that it were as good no lawe to be made and better , for then were it no offence to theyr conscience not to do that they knew they were not bound to do . But what is further to be sayed , see you not that euen whereas the late kyng of most noble memorye Kinge Henry the eyght hath builded colledges , and giuen great yerelye stipendes for the maintenaunce of pore mens children to learning , whiche were not able of them selues so to set them forwarde . Howe shamefullye euen straight wayes thys thynge is abused , emongeste men of knowledge , and of a hygh profession of godes worde , that euerye gentleman as he can best make hys frende bringeth in hys Sonne thyther , and kepeth hym there , with the liuing ordeined for the pore mans sonne , wher he must be daintelye brought vp , with as lytle applyeng of lerninge as may be , sauing for his breking a while to se the maner of the vniuersitye , and so prolong a time there almost in idlenes . Where the pore scholler is driuen to his studye , & would wyth all his harte refuse no paynes to come to knowledge ( howe hard so euer they were ) if he had that to put in hys bealye and laye on hys backe to kepe him there , that the gentlemans sonne agaynste all reason and consciens in myne opynyon kepethe from hym , Yea & many of them minding to departe from the vniuersitie , a lytle before procureth a lyke chapman to labour for hys rome . So that the worlde is so farre runne in blindnes at thys day by couetousnes in catchyng all and departyng from nothyng that onelesse other prouysyon be founde or thys that is alredy made be better loked vnto , it wyll come to passe that the way whyche is thought to expel papystrye longe rooted amongeste the people , wil be the redrest and most strongest meane to brynge it in agayne , in that the mayntenaunce of studentes doth wante , whereby it is impossyble that good learninge shulde sprynge . What is he that hath traueled in study these many yeres that at this present can receiue the rewarde of hys studye . That is , other a benefyce or lyke Lyuyng at a nombre of handes , but it shal be other sold , or equally deuided betwene the taker and the giuer , or els it passeth ouer to simple sir Iohn , which can scase read an homelie , and in dede loketh for no further , if that he can brynge the well to passe . And so the Benefyce beinge worth . xl.li . by yere , he shal haue .xx. nobles being a personne in name , and a verye seruaunte in dede . Yea , and some pretende ( if they myght be suffred to bryng it to passe ) to vnite their patronages shortli to their inheritaunce . Wold not thys brynge in a great pouertye thinke you ? Woulde not pouerty seke agayne after olde romysh marchandise thyncke you ? I feare it muche . O case moste lamentable , & men moste vnworthy such patronages . With what face shall suche loke at the latter daye before the iudgemente seate of the greate iudge Christe Iesus ? Or such of whom the scripture sayth : Th enemie hath put hys hande to al thyngs to him desierable , Lamen . i. for the he hath a certaine people Lawles entrynge into his sanctuarie , that neither them selues kepe the lawe of God , nor suffer them to come in that can teache other .

Therfore God by his Prophet Osee sayeth : Osias . iiii . For that thou haste put away the knowledge of gods wyll , I wyll put the away , that thou shalt vse no priesthode to me , how wilt thou answere God , O ignorant prieste , when thou shalte come to thy rekening , it is to be fered thou wilt stand dombe for lacke of answere , and for confusion of thyne owne conscience . Thou I say , and thy maister the patrone placynge the not as a heard , but as an hyrlynge , both you twayne ( I saye , ) shall fall into thys moste horrible sentence . Mat. xxii . Take them and bynde them hande and fote . &c.

And what is to be thought here in of wycked inproperatiōs of benefices , whych haue plucked from studentes lawefull liuynges , beynge ordeyned for the Preachers of the Gospell . Manye Godlye men surely haue preached and declared openly herein their learnyng and gods trueth to the vtter condemnation of the same , to whome I subscrybe wyth all my harte , wyshing of god moost hartelye a redresse to be taken in the abolishmente of the same , or at the leaste it wyll please the kynges maiestie hys moost excellent and gracious goodnes , hauing respect to the liuyng of hys prechers within hys Realme , woulde not here after graunt or suffer any such licences of improperacions to passe , and I would wyshe that the byshops would not gyue theyr good wyl & consent therunto for obscience sake , that at the least we might reserue vnto the posterity of studentes , & learned men that shal folow vs , no smaller or fewer rewardes for theyr studye then we haue found . What shal we say vnto mam of the houses of religion ( as they called them ) whyche were exempted from paienge or contrybuting any thinge to the mayntenaunce of ministres and preachers , by reason wherof , the owners and fermours at this daie claime to pay nothynge , and yet to haue the ministres as much bounde to them as to the reste of the parish , i. Tim. v. I wolde haue the owners of them note wel saint Paules saieng herein : The elders that ruleth well are worthye double honour . Moste specially they which labour in the word and techyng . And the scripture saith . Thou shalt not mosell the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne . Deu. xxv . i. Tim , v. Haue they any Auctorytie to condemme this ? Or gaue they any liberty by this to famish the Oxe , or to scant the Oxe of his meat ? No forsoth . for thou shalt not ( sayth the scripture ) caste anye Mosell vpon hys mouth . And what if those dul & fat oxen whyche were estalled in their Abbayes , grated vpon the people in this ( as in all thinges they layed importible burdens vpon them ) claymynge to fede and liue vpon theyr goodes . Were those thynke you the oxen that the scripture here speaketh of ? Or if they were , is there any succession or inheritaunce into the office of those Oxen ? No verelye , for in that sayinge of the scripture , there is a further thinge then appeareth , for it is not ment but of the spiritual Oxe , the preacher , the spirituall treader oute of the corne of the lyuyshe worde of god vnto his people . Such treaders Christ byddeth vs desire our Mat. x , heuenly father to send into his haruest . But those Abbey Oxen were scholemasters of ceremonies , mans traditions , supersticion , & finallye of all ignoraunce . Wherfore if you be not lyke them whose landes now you do posses ( as if you were , you were vnworthye of any thynge ) if you haue not the gift of preachinge ( as it is manifeste you haue not ) whych way then shold you claime to lyue vppon that portion of lyuyng whych parteyneth to the oxen that drawe in Gods ploughe ? Mary you wyl peraduenture giue place to the manifestnes of Goddes scripture in thys behalfe ( as you must nedes ) and you wyll brynge me in a reason for youre purpose on this wyse . We haue purchased these fredomes and exemptions of paymente of Tythes of the kinges maiestie , hys moste noble progenitours , and we haue them graunted vnto vs in as ample wyse as the monasteryes euer had . Whye shuld then our liberties therof be taken from vs ? Well , marke I praye you a greate sorte of you that wyth holde these duties , were not your monasteries parishes by them selues ? And neuer chargeable to ● vicars or persons of any parish ? it cannot be denied , them wyl I improue your reason on this wise . The peculiaritie of your fredomes ( is certayne ) was in respect of your paryshes . Your parishes be extinct , ergo your fredome is extinct . Whi should you then seyng your parishes be dyssolued associate youre selues to the floke of the herdman , and contrarye to sainte Paules lesson not suffer him to eate of your mylke ?