M_[_aster_]. _Simon Fishe._

Before the tyme of M[aster]. Bilney, and the fall of the Cardinall, I
should haue placed the story of Symon Fish with the booke called the
_Supplication of Beggars_, declaryng how and by what meanes it came to the
kynges hand, and what effect therof followed after, in the reformation of
many thynges, especially of the Clergy. But the missyng of a few yeares in
this matter, breaketh no great square in our story, though it be now
entred here which should haue come in sixe yeares before.

FOX is writing of 1531, and therefore intends us to understand that the
present narrative begins in 1525.

The maner and circumstaunce of the matter is this:

After that the light of the Gospel workyng mightely in Germanie, began to
spread his beames here also in England, great styrre and alteration
followed in the harts of many: so that colored hypocrisie and false
doctrine, and painted holynes began to be espyed more and more by the
readyng of Gods word. The authoritie of the Bishop of Rome, and the glory
of his Cardinals was not so high, but such as had fresh wittes sparcled
with Gods grace, began to espy Christ from Antichrist, that is, true
sinceritie, from counterfait religion. In the number of whom, was the sayd
M[aster]. Symon Fish, a Gentleman of Grayes Inne.

[Sidenote: _Ex certa relatione, vivoque testimonio propriae ipsius
coniugis._]

It happened the first yeare that this Gentleman came to London to dwell,
which was about the yeare of our Lord 1525 [_i.e. between 25 Mar. 1525 and
24 Mar. 1526_] that there was a certaine play or interlude made by one
Master Roo of the same Inne Gentleman, in which play partly was matter
agaynst the Cardinal Wolsey. And where none durst take vpon them to play
that part, whiche touched the sayd Cardinall, this foresayd M. Fish tooke
upon him to do it, whereupon great displeasure ensued agaynst him, vpon
the Cardinals part: In so much as he beyng pursued by the sayd Cardinall,
the same night that this Tragedie was playd, was compelled of force to
voyde his owne house, and so fled ouer the Sea vnto Tyndall.

We will here interrupt the Martyrologist's account, with EDWARD HALLE's
description of this "goodly disguisyng." It occurs at _fol._ 155 of the
history of the eighteenth year of the reign of Henry VIII. [22 April 1526
to 21 April 1527] in his _Vnion of the two noble and illustrate families
of Lancastre and York &c._ 1548.

This Christmas [1526] was a goodl