Brief Apology or Answer to a Certain Crafty Cloyner, A

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A brefe apologye or answere to a certen craftye cloynar, or popyshe parasyte, called Thomas_smythe.

¶Beholde the disceytfull penne of the scrybe, hath set forthe lyes. Hieremie .8.

SEr, though ye be a smythe Esaie. 9.

And beate vppon the stythe

Ye cum nat to the pythe

Nor haue not yet wherwythe

Your spyryt is verye drye

The scripturs to applye Ezec. 13.

Ye rather them denye

Than ther trewthe fortyfye

W[h]at measur ye obserue What] Wbat Crom 1540

In poesye proterue Eccl. 19.

Axe of ladye mynerue And she wyll saye ye swerue

Full flatterynglye ye foyne

Ye clatter and ye cloyne prou. 10

Ye mangye matters ioyne

And all to catche the coyne

Ye cobble and ye clowght

To vpholde the romyshe rowght Hie. 50.

But ye maye haue the gowght

Ere ye brynge that abowght

Ye maynteyne sodomytes

With other hypocrytes Abac. 2

And playe the parasytes

To slee trewe israelytes

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Agaynst a strawe ye stumble

And at a blocke ye fumble Math. 7

Ye fare lyke hym that tumble

For nought ye do but bumble.

Soche one ye are ywys

As popyshe prestes maye blys Esai. 56.

For wher all treason ys

Ye fynde nothynge amys.

Your hate ye can not hyde

Nor yet your popyshe pryde Luc. 21.

God wyll for hys prouyde

Whan ye shall stande asyde

Whyls you suppresse the ryght

Here wanderynge in the nyght Ioh. 12.

Ye thynke God hath no syght

Which is the very lyght

The lorde wyll once out spewe

Soche hypocrytes vntrewe Apoc. 3

As byddeth hys worde adewe

Pylde poperye to renewe.

For cursed is that hart

And worthye to haue smart Hie. 48.

Whych wyl with them take part

That scripture doth peruart

Thomas_smythe.

To trolle awaye or trolle in / let not trolle spare

Yf trolle trewlye trolle / trolle nedeth not to care

An answere.

Trolle_in hath trolled trewlye, wher trolle_awaye trolled amys

Yf ye wyll trolle with trollars, trolle trewlyar after thys Osee. 9.

Full lyke a troblous trollar, ye trolle a tryfelynge trace

Trolle no more with the scripturs, except ye haue better grace

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Thomas_smythe.

A lyttle treatyse agaynst sedicio[u]s persones.

Of late I perused / two purposes seuerall

In the[r] kyndes craftlye handled / the treuthe for to tell ther] thee Crom 1540, their Lant 1540

Trolle_awaye / and trolle_in, menne do them call

Treatynge vpon matter / concernynge the late Cromwell

The one vtterlye myndynge / the other to repell

Trolle_awaye (the treuthe is) moche touched the quycke

And trolle_in (somwhat galled) beganne for to kycke

¶An answere to the bolsterar of sedicion.

In your perusinge, ye seme very parciall Gene. 8.

Trolle_awaye iugynge, of treuth to haue the trycke

Concernynge Cromwell, trolle_in nothyng at all

But for hys trollynge, to be an heretycke Rom. 7.

Trollynge betwixt them, ye are a iuge to quycke

The worse to allowe, the better to condempne

Soche vntrewe trollars, all veryte contempne.

Whan Crist was alyue, soche tryfelinge trollars trolled Iohan . 5.

Callynge hym traytour, and heretycke also

Whome for ther trollynge, the pharysees extolled

As yet to thys daye, ther trewe successours do Act. 4.

Dyd not soche trollars, agaynst the apostles go?

What ther rewarde is, we nede not for to tell

Trollynges trouthe troblynge, trolleth euermore to hell.

Thomas_smythe.

Yet trolle_awaye tolde trouthe / yt can not be denyed

Declarynge the offences / wherin Cromwell offended

Trolle_in beynge trobled / whan he yt espyed

With trollynges to couer it, subtyllye contended

Some trollars ther be / I wolde were amended

For who that craftelye coloureth / any others offence

Of lykelyhode in hys owne hart / hath the same pretence.

An answere.

Trolle_awaye ded lye, in manye thynges he tolde Pro. 12.

Though the lorde Cromwell, hath dyed for hys offence

So sone as trolle_in, soche trollynges ded beholde

He shewed hym of it, with moche more grace and scyence Gala. 6.

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Betwyne them ye trolle, without indifference Gala. 6.

Your verdyt is nought, your iugement is wurse

Soche vntrewe trollars, are vnderneth goddes curse

No wreche so wycked, but some wyll take hys part Ro. 10.

None so vnlerned, but some shal hym vpholde

As menne se profyght, so trolle they in ther hart

Some that hath knowlege, are neyther hote nor colde

And verye asse-heades, auctoryte maketh bolde Apoc. 3

He that with the fote, so cruell partes wyll playe

The head wyll not spare, he once out of the waye.

Thomas_smythe.

Trewlye to trolle, it is no maner of shame

And trollynge vntrewe / is nat to be mayntayned Ve qui dicitis bonum malum et malum bonum Esa. v.

As euerye-thynge is / so to geue it proppre name

Amonges all trewe honest men / shuld nat be dysdayned

The scripture so teacheth vs / it can not be fayned

Agaynst scripture who stryueth / he is non other lyke

Than a traytour to hys prynce / and to God an heretyke

An answere.

If trewlye to trolle, stande with moche honeste Eph. 4.

And trollynge vntrewe, requyreth rebuke and shame

I gretlye maruele, whyls you a trollar be

That in your trollynge, ye wyll trewe trollars blame

And for your purpose, trolle scripturs out of frame Eccl. 3.

Soche trecherous trollars, I thynke to be no lesse

Than those lewde persons, whome ye do here expresse

Your scripture ye trolle, from Esaye the fyft Esai. 5.

Ther spoken for them, that doth goddes worde blaspheme

But ye can make it, to serue an-other dryft

Than God that tyme shewed, or Esaye coude esteme

Soche trollynge of trouthe, cause yet some men to deme Mat. 16.

The bysshop of Rome, the chefe head of the churche

Scripturs so trolled, lyke mysteryes canne wurche.

Thomas_smythe.

I intende not to trolle, to [t]ake anye part take] rake Crom 1540, take Lant 1540

Diuision to increace, it nedeth nothynge

But sorowfullye syghynge / I trolle in my hart

With my-self in mynde / manye tymes reuoluynge

How God to vs hath ordayned / the most noble kynge

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Who vnyformelye to knyt vs / hath trauayled full sore

Yet manye tryfelynge trollars / care lyttele therfore.

An answere.

A blacke-more wyll change, the colour of hys skynne Hier. 13.

As sone as hys craft, an hypocryte shall hyde

Ye trolle with no part, dyuysion to begynne

And yet the people, from Crist ye wolde dyuyde

Some trollars lament, the fallynge of ther pryde Ioan. 11.

Christen kynges hauynge, soche trollars at ther hande

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Are in worse takynge, than they do vnderstande

Who maketh dyuision? who is the peace-breakar? Ioan. 7.

Nat Iudas but Christ, yet Iudas doth betraye

Paule worketh sedicion, and is no treason-speakar

Ye do the myschefe, and yet ye make no fraye Act. 14.

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The same foxe that lurketh, the same foxe take the praye

Oh trollynge gnato, ye thynke ye be not sea[n]e Pro. 11.gnato: 'parasite, sycophant'; see OED s.v. Gnatho

Yet by your trollynges, perceyue men what ye meane.

Thomas_smythe.

But as trollars troblous / and full of enuye

At the lawes of God, and of our good kynge

In ther trollynges do trust, that ther olde heresye

All good orders set a_part / shall floryshe and sprynge

Ther prechars no lesse comfort / in ther sermons do brynge

Euen latelye exhortinge them, auoydinge all drede

And, persecucion not regardynge / throughlye to procede.

An answere.

Here is a pretence, to turne stones into breade Math. 4

And a suggestion, to cast our-selues downe bacwarde

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Vpon the mountayne, for golde ye trolle vs leade

Lawes with good order, ye wolde vs to regarde

And yet trewe prechars, ye mynde nat to be harde Nu. 14.

False fables ye forge, to darken with ther name

Trollynge in soche trashe, as wyll be to your shame

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The scrybe on hys skyrtes, doth goddes commaundementes set Mat. 23

The deuyll resembleth, the massenger of lyght

Who destroyeth lawes? who doth good order let?

But those pharysees, that chrysten peple spyght

Sendynge soche prophetes, as the daye change to the nyght Hie. 23.

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All them that abhorre, ther olde pylde popetrye

For the worde of God, they accuse of heresye.

Thomas_smythe.

Wyth manye wordes more troblous / than now I wyl reherce

Not doubtynge at all / but at length they shall be knowne

Soche trollynge trecherous, my hart doth sore perce

Consyderynge how sedycyouslye / amonge vs they be sowne

Of late I well trusted, they hath bene ouerblowne

But now I w[e]ll perceyue / that neyther fauer nor smart well] wyll Crom 1540, well Lant 1540

From the bodye can expell / that is roted in the hart

An answere.

More wolde ye trolle out, yf ye coude more reherce Ioan. 7.

Ye shall do no more, than God shall you permyt

Whych trolleth forth tyrauntes, both terryble and ferce

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Hys flocke to correct, whan they trolle out of wyt Iob. 23.

Amonge soche trollars, ye are a trollar fyt

And I can ye thanke, ye do full well your kynde

Trollynge now soche hate, as laye longe in your mynde.

All ys sedicyon, that please not popyshe hartes Ioan. 11.

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All insurreccyon, whan menne from you declyne

Of your sort manye, hath trolled trayterous partes

And yet agaynst them, no trollynges ye dyffyne

One relygyous zele, doth you and them combyne Act. 23.

All heretyckes frelye, ye maye touche in your spyght

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But none soche as dyed, for holye churches rycht.

Thomas_smythe.

A trewe trollynge hart / wold be lothe to pretende Esai. 23

Anye purpose to mayntayne / agaynst God or hys kynge

The confessyon of an heretyck / that latelye ded offende

And amonges others / suffred for hys deseruynge

[Se]crettelye they embrace / as most precyous thynge Secrettelye] Sesecrettelye Crom 1540, Secretly Lant 1540

And yet playnelye wyll I proue / by good lawe and reason

Contayned therin / bothe heresye and treason.

An answere.

A trewe trollynge hart, dwelleth not wythin your bosome

For all the colours, that you shewe outwardelye

In the confessyon, whych came an heretycke frome

Ys moche lesse treason, and moche lesse heresye 2. Tim. 4

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Than in the trollynges, of your hypocresye

Whyls you shall contende, wyth reason and with lawe

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Your trolled scripturs, proue you a dottynge dawe.

The heretycke that dyed, as all the peple harde

In the fayth of Christ, mekelye departed hence Sapi. 5.

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Praynge for our kynge, and our worthye prince Edwarde

Longe dayes to endure, in ther prehemynence

In hys confession, I fynde none other offence. 1. Tim. 2

But as Christ doth saye, soch slayghtes are in the sectes

As wolde in maner, deceyue the verye electes.

Thomas_smythe.

In anye wyse imprynted / they wyll nat yt shall be

The dau[n]gers therof / in themselues mystrustynge Nihil opertum quod non reueletur. Mat. 10

Wherfor euerye manne / maye well perceyue and se

What hartes they do beare / to God and our good kynge

Euerye of them secretlye / must haue yt in wrytynge

But Christ sayth verelye / ther is nothynge conceled

But at length shall be knowen / and openlye reueled.

An answere.

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It is imprynted, wherfore by lawe and reason

Proue I can ryght well, that ye a lyar be Eccl. 7.

Verye hote ye are, in iugynge menne of treason

The hydden secretes, of all mennes hartes ye se

As ye iuge ye are, by holy saint Paules decre

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Soche tauntynge trollars, are tetrici thrasones Rom. 2.

And in ther trollynges, full noughtye nebulones

A scripture ye trolle, as dyd the deuyll in desert Math. 4

To serue your purpose, trollynge the pythe asyde

Hydde secretes sayth Crist, shall now be clere and apert

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Meanynge soche scripturs, as the pharysees ded hyde Luc. 12.

With ther tradicions, hypocresye and pryde

Thus Christ declareth it, in the .xij. chapter of Luke

False trollynge of textes, wyll turne ye to rebuke.

Thomas_smythe.

Who agaynst them trolleth / a papyst they hym name

They haue none other thynge, them-selues for to defende defende] defrende Crom 1540, defende Lant 1540 Ecce quam bonum et quam iocundum. Psa. 132

I wolde that all papystes, had an open shame

And that all heretyckes / themselues wolde a_mende

Than shuld we haue no cause / further to contende

But vniformelye to lyue / t[he] one with the other the] to Crom 1540, the Lant 1540

And ioyfullye to in_habite / as brother wyth brother.

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An answere.

We call them papistes, that maintayne papistrye Iud . 1

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Both hauynge ther frutes, and scripture for vs to laye

If all soche papystes, schuld haue shame openlye

I thynke ye coude not, be farre out of the waye

As Iudas wyth Christ, with heretyckes here ye playe Ps. 17.

No brother is he, that goddes wurde doth nat furder

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Except he be Cain, whych doth pore Abel murder.

Styll ye trolle scripturs, but nothynge in ther kynde 2. cor. 6

Couetinge full sore, to haue a fleshelye concorde

Beliall and Christ, wer neuer of one mynde

Dauid commended, a vnite in the Lorde Ps. 132.

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Which with your peltrye wylleth vs not to accorde

For lyght with darkenes, schall neuer well agre

Nor popyshe falsehede, with Christis veryte.

Thomas_smythe.

Soche schuld be our trollynges / Christ vs so t[e]acheth teacheth] tracheth Crom 1540, teacheth Lant 1540 Deus charitas est qui manet in charitate. 1. Ioan . 4.

Commandinge euer peace / amonge vs for to be

Vntrewlye he trolleth / that otherwyse preacheth

Sturrynge to anye sedicyon, malyce or enmyte

Where bannyshed ys dyscorde / and raygneth all charyte

That realme in God resteth / and God ys in yt

Beinge charyte him-self / as sayth the holye wryt

An answere.

Christ neuer trolled, soche peace as ye wolde haue Esa. 57.

Neyther in Mathew, in Luke, nor yet in Iohan

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Thowgh in your trollynges, ye falselye them depraue

Of olde cankred scribes, the armoure ye do on

Nat Barrabas but Christ, accusynge of sedicyon Ioan . 18,

To the worlde sayth Christ, I sende no peace but the sworde

By the which ys ment, the rygour of goddes worde.

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Ye trolle forth your textes, commixtynge perles with draffe Mat. 7.

For Christ sayd in-dede, they shuld be troden of swyne

Non est pax impijs, your charyte ys but chaffe

Though ye crye pax pax, as Esaye doth dyffyne Ioan. 16.

Ye speke of charyte, and drawe by an-other lyne

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Christ sayd, that with you, we shuld haue trybulacyon

And in him alone, our peace and consolacyon.

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Thomas_smythe.

Than towardes that charyte / trolle we on apace Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis et. Math. 15

Auauncynge our-selues / with all conuenyent spede

A more acceptable pilgrymage / surelye neuer was

For whych God gaue to man, anye meryte or mede

Our labour or great burden / let vs nothynge drede

Nor regarde the wylfulnes / of our bodye or fleshe

For at the iournayes ende / Christ wyll vs refreshe

An answere.

If ye trolle to Christ, as ye mynde nothynge lesse

With the pharise, ye maye not your-self auaunce Luc. 18

For mede or meryte, as ye do here expresse

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For non can deserue, the heuyns in_herytaunce Rom. 11

But here men maye se, your trollynge ignoraunce

The frutes of our flesche, ye wyll vs not to regarde

So trollynge vs Christ, full lyke a wanton stewarde.

Than trolle ye scripture, that Christ wyll you refreshe Math. 11

200

At your iournayes ende, for your gret labour, and peyne

Christ ther taketh the lawe, for the burden of our fleshe

Easynge our conscyence, of mennys tradicyons pleyne

But in your trollynge, ye haue an-other veyne Deu. 13.

In your cottacyon, for the aleuynt of Mathewe

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Ye trolle the fystent, to be knowne a trollar trewe. fystent: meaning uncertain

Thomas_smythe.

[A]nd leaf torn omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus sub. Ro. 13. than as trewe trollars / togyther let vs remayne omnis anima potestatibus sublimioribus sub. Ro. 13.

Perfyghtlye fast knyt / in one peace / vnyte and loue

Wyth glorie vnto God / euermore gladde and fayne

Our noble prynce trewlye / to serue as doth vs behoue

And all others to tendre / as dewtye doth vs moue

Vsynge styll amonge vs the self-same loue and concorde

Whych ys to vs commaunded / by Christ the eternall Lorde

An answere.

Thys trollynge wer good, yf ye coude folowe yt 1. Pe. 2.

And no more couete, to haue them ouerblowne

That fauer goddes trewthe, as they suppose most fyt

Of Christen peple, in thys lyfe to be knowne

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Reportynge by soche, sedycyon to be sowne Hier. 9.

Ye neyther trolle peace, nor a christen amyte

But declare yourself, an ympe of inyquyte.

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We must loue in Christ, yf we loue christenlye Ioh. 15.

For loue out of Christ, is but a paganes loue

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In goddes worde therfore, let vs loue to hys glorye

And obeye our kynge, as christen menne behoue Rom. 13

With mekenes of hart, and no sedicion moue

And than shall we trolle, in peaceable vnyte

As God vs wylleth, by hys heuenlye veryte.

Thomas_smythe.

And now in that loue / let vs all with one voyce praye

For the preseruacyon / of Henry our moste noble kynge

And Kateryne our quene / that they togyther maye

Prosperouslye contynew / to ther hartes desyrynge

And Edwarde our prynce, that moste angelyke thynge

That they all togyther / maye longe lyue and rest

And after with hym raygne, qui in celis est. Amen.

An answere.

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Nat onely with voyce, as dyd the hypocrytes Math. 6

But whan ye shall praye, praye from the very hart

Expressynge the fayth, of christen Israelytes

And trolle with your prynce, no fyckle flatterynge part

Least after thys lyfe, ye trolle to eternall smart Pro. 27

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Better is a strype, of hym which is a frynde

Than a kysse of hym, that beareth a wycked mynde.

In fayth and in spyryt, let vs of God requyre Iohan . 4.

Our Kynge, Quene, and Prynce, to lyue here prosperouslye

Not as you do trolle, vnto ther hartes desyre

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But vnto goddes mynde, and of hys name the glorye 1. Tim. 2

Thus trolleth saynt Paule, with Abacuch and Hieremye

Lorde graunte them longe lyfe, to thy swete wyll and pleasure

Thy flocke rewlynge here, which is thy most deare treasure

AMEN.

God saue the kynge.

And hys ofsprynge,

Amen.

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Thomas_smythe.

To trolle awaye or trolle in / let not trolle spare

Yf trolle trewlye trolle / trolle nedeth not to care

An answere.

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Betwixt hys trolle and trolle, yf trolle no better trolle

Trolle maye trolle with trollars, that trolle the gossyppes bolle

Yf trolle wyll trolle with trollars, let trolle trolle veryte

Or els trolle with yll trollars, wyll trolle dyshoneste Iohan . 9.

Where trolle hath trolled vntrewly, let trolle trolle back agayn

240

For trollinge with yll trollars, trolleth many one to payne

Thomas_smythe.

Composed by Thomas_smythe / seruaunt to the kynges Royall mageste / And clarke of the Quenes graces [C]ounsellleaf torn (though most vnworthye.)

An answere.

The Pharyse in-dede

Hys phylacterye sprede.

Hys skyrtes he doth dylate

To fournyshe hys estate Mat. 23.

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The scrybe set forth hys hemme

With perle and with gemme

With many tytles proude

The pore trouthe to out-croude

He paynteth hym-selfe with penne

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[F]orleaf torn Luc. 11. to be seane of menne Luc. 11.

Here mayster smythe must be

To the kynges hygh mageste

A seruaunt scant so symple

As reynarde vnder a wymple

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A clerke, a lerned manne

Which worldlye cauteles canne Hier. 8.

Yea, clerke of the Quenes counsell

And persecuteth the Gospell

Yet is he moste vnworthye

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And that he speketh trewlye 1. Ioh. 4.

Thys worke he hath composed

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Wherin he hath not glosed

By colours of hypocresye

By falsehede nor by vayne-glorye

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No more than reynarde foxe

Or fryre with hys boxe

It is good by saint Ione

That prestes haue soche a wone Mat. 7.

As canne so clerkelye wryte

270

And poetelye indyte

Whych wyll not from them wauer

And is in so great fauer

Beynge the kynges seruaunt Hest. 3.

So wyttye and so pregnaunt

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He that shall with hym scole

Wyll fynde hym no small fole.

None heretycke now shall rowte

Nor dare put forth hys snowte

But wyll plucke in hys hornes Actu. 4.

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As doth new ale in cornes

The gospellars now wyll shrynke

And not be able to wynke

The knaues shall no more checke

Nor agaynt vs popystes becke Gen. 39

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With hym they dare not dallye

For feare of Putiphars vallye

Or els for Daniels deane Dani. 6.

But now synge in a meane.

Nowe may we tythes home trolle

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And care but for the bolle

We maye let the gospell goo Ioan. 7.

For he is our mortall foo

We are fortunate thys tyde

To haue smythe on our syde.

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Our kyngdome wolde els fall text breaks off here