whom also all the other instruments are obedient, is always a spirituall mā which hath euer such an inordinate loue vnto his own kingdōe that he wil maintein that, though al the tēporal kingdoms & comon welth of the world should therfore vtterly be vndone. Here leaue we out the greatest matter of al, lest that we declaring such an horrible caren of euill against the ministers of iniquitie, shuld seme to declare the one only faut or rather the ignorance of our best beloued minister of rightuousnesse, which is to be hid til he may be learned by these smal enormities that we haue spoken of to know it plainly him self. But what remedy to releue vs youre poore, sicke, lame, & sore bedemen? to make many hospitals for the relief of the poore people? Nay truly. The mo the worse, for euer the fatt of the whole foundatiō hangeth on the priestes berdes. Diuers of your noble predecessors kinges of this realme, haue geuen lādes to monasteries to giue a certain somme of mony yearly to the pore pople, wherof for the aunciēt ye of the time they giue neuer one peny. They haue likewise geuen to theim to haue a certain masses said daily for theim whereof they say neuer one. If the Abbot of Westminster shuld sing euery day as many masses for his founders as he is bounde to do by his foundacion. M. monkes were to few. Wherfore if your grace will builde a sure hospitall that neuer shall faile to releue vs al your poore bedemen, so take from them al these things. Set these sturdy loubies abrode in the world to get them wiues of theyr own, to get their liuīg with their labour in the swette of their faces according to the cōmaundement of God. Gen. 1. to giue other idle people by their example occasion to go to laboure. Tie these holy idell theues to the cartes to be whypped naked about euery marke towne till they wil fal to labour, that they by their importunate begging take not away the almesse that the good christē people wold giue vnto vs sore impotent, miserable people your bedemē. Thē shal aswel the nūber of our forsaid monstruous sorte as of the baudes, hores, theues, & idel people decrease. Then shal these great yerely exactions cease. Then shal not your swerde, power crowne, dignitie, & obediēce of your people, be translated frō you. Then shal you haue full obedience of your people. Then shal the idel people be set to worke. Then shall matrimony bee much better kept. Then shall the generation of your people be encreased. Then shal your commons encrease in ryches. Then shal the gospel be preached thē shal none beg our almes frō vs, thē shal we haue inough & more, thē shal suffise vs: whiche shalbe the best hospital þ^t euer was foūded for vs. Then shal we daily pray to God for your moste noble estate long to endure.

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Now that you haue hard the whole effect & tenore of this treatise, it remaineth also to declare vnto you the certeinty touching the Autor therof and vpon what occasion it was first made, with the circumstance how it was delyuered vnto the kinges handes, and what ensued therupō. The manner wherof was this.

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Maister Symon Fyshe, borne of a Noble stock, a gētlemā of graies inne, one of a tal stature. A. xxxvi. yeare a goo the fyrst yeare after he came to London to dwell theire was a certeyne playe made by one maister Roo of the MarginaliaExsame inne gentilman, 

wherin partly ther was matter a geinst the Cardinall Wolsey. And where none durst take vpon thē to playe that part which touched the saide Cardinall, this foresaid maister fisher toke vpon him to do it wherupon great displeasure followed vpō the Cardinalls part. In somuch as he being pursued by the said Cardinall the same night this tragedy was plaid, was compelled of force to voyde his owne house, & so fled ouer sea vnto Tindall. vpon occasion wherof the next yeare following this boke was made, & so sent ouer to my Lady Anne Bulleyn, who then lay at a place not farre from the Courte. Whiche booke her brother seinge in her hande, tooke it and reade it, and gaue it her againe, willing her earnestly to giue it to the king, which thing she so did. the king afterward demaūded of her who made it, wherunto she aunswered and said. A certain subiect of his, one Fish, who was fled out of the realme for feare of the Cardinal.  After the king had kept þ^e boke in his bosome. 3. or. 4. days, as is credibly reported, such knowledge was giuen by the kinges seruants to þ^e wife of þ^e said maister Fysh that she might boldly send for her housband without all peril or daunger. Wherupon she therby being incoraged came first & made suet to the king for þ^e safe returne of her housband. who vnderstanding whose wife she was, shewed a maruelous gentle chearfull countenaunce towardes her asking where her husband was, she answered if it like your grace not farre of, then saieth he fetch him, & he shal come & go safe w^tout peril & no man shal do him harme, saing moreouer þ^t had much wrong that he was from her so long considering þ^e time which she had declared vnto him before, was. ii. yeares and an halfe, by reason wherupon she being enboldned, went immediatly to her husband being lately come ouer and lieng priuely within a mile of the court, and brought him to the king, who at his comming whan the kinge saw him, and vnderstoode he was the autor of the booke, came & imbraced him. iiii. times, who after long talke for the space of. iii. or. iiii. houirs as they wer riding together on huntinge. At length he demitted hym and did bidde him take home his wife, for she had taken great paines for him, who aunswered the king againe and said, hee durst not so do for feare of Sir Thomas more thē Chācellor, & Stoksley thē bishop of Lōdon. The kyng taking his signet of his finger, willed him to haue him recommended to my lorde chauncellor, charging him not to be so hardie to worke him any harme. Maister Fishe receiuing the kinges signet, went and declared his message to my Lorde Chaunceller, who tooke it as sufficient for his own discharge, but he asked him if he had any thing for the discharge of his wife. For she a litle before, had by chaūce displeased the friers for not suffering them

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