he poor. When I was a scholar in Cambridge myself; I heard very good
report of London, and knew many that had relief of the rich men of
London: but now I can hear no such good report, and yet I inquire of it,
and hearken for it; but now charity is waxen cold, none helpeth the
scholar, nor yet the poor. And in those days, what did they when they
helped the scholars? Marry, they maintained and gave them livings that
were very papists, and professed the pope's doctrine: and now that the
knowledge of God's word is brought to light, and many earnestly study and
labour to set it forth, now almost no man helpeth to maintain them.

Oh London, London! repent, repent; for I think God is more displeased
with London than ever he was with the city of Nebo. Repent therefore,
repent, London, and remember that the same God liveth now that punished
Nebo, even the same God, and none other; and he will punish sin as well
now as he did then: and he will punish the iniquity of London, as well as
he did then of Nebo. Amend therefore. And ye that be prelates, look
well to your office, for right prelating is busy labouring, and not
lording. Therefore preach and teach, and let your plough be doing. Ye
lords, I say, that live like loiterers, look well to your office; the
plough is your office and charge. If you live idle and loiter, you do
not your duty, you follow not your vocation: let your plough therefore be
going, and not cease, that the ground may bring forth fruit.

But now methinketh I hear one say unto me: Wot ye what you say? Is it a
work? Is it a labour? How then hath it happened that we have had so
many hundred years so many unpreaching prelates, lording loiterers, and
idle ministers? Ye would have me here to make answer, and to show cause
thereof. Nay, this land is not for me to plough; it is too stony, too
thorny, too hard for me to plough. They have so many things that make
for them, so many things to lay for themselves, that it is not for my
weak team to plough them. They have to lay for themselves long customs,
ceremonies and authority, placing in parliament, and many things more.
And I fear me this land is not yet ripe to be ploughed: for, as the
saying is, it lacketh weathering: this gear lacketh weathering; at least
way it is not for me to plough. For what shall I look for among thorns,
but pricking and scratching? What among stones, but stumbling? What (I
had almost said) among serpents, but stinging? But