ystem of his time seem often to
us to be extravagant; because, by the good providence of GOD, we are
hardly capable of realizing the widespread and scientific villany of the
delusions and enormities against which he protested.

** A Supplicacyon for the Beggers.

TO THE KING OVRE
souereygne lorde.

Most lamentably compleyneth theyre wofull mysery vnto youre highnes youre
poore daily bedemen the wretched hidous monstres (on whome scarcely for
horror any yie dare loke) the foule vnhappy sorte of lepres, and other
sore people, nedy, impotent, blinde, lame, and sike, that live onely by
almesse, howe that theyre nombre is daily so sore encreased that all the
almesse of all the weldisposed people of this youre realme is not halfe
ynough for to susteine theim, but that for verey constreint they die for
hunger. And this most pestilent mischief is comen vppon youre saide poore
beedmen by the reason that there is yn the tymes of youre noble
predecessours passed craftily crept ynto this your realme an other sort
(not of impotent but) of strong puissaunt and counterfeit holy, and ydell
beggers and vacabundes whiche syns the tyme of theyre first entre by all
the craft and wilinesse of Satan are nowe encreased vnder your sight not
onely into a great nombre, but also ynto a kingdome. These are (not the
herdes, but the rauinous wolues going in herdes clothing deuouring the
flocke) the Bisshoppes, Abbottes, Priours, Deacons, Archedeacons,
Suffraganes, Prestes, Monkes Chanons, Freres, Pardoners and Somners. And
who is abill to nombre this idell rauinous sort whiche (setting all
laboure a side) haue begged so importunatly that they haue gotten ynto
theyre hondes more then the therd part of all youre Realme. The goodliest
lordshippes, maners, londes, and territories, are theyrs. Besides this
they haue the tenth part of all the corne, medowe, pasture, grasse, wolle,
coltes, calues, lambes, pigges, gese, and chikens. Ouer and bisides the
tenth part of euery seruauntes wages the tenth part of the wolle, milke,
hony, waxe, chese, and butter. Ye[a] and they loke so narowly vppon theyre
proufittes that the poore wyues must be countable to theym of euery tenth
eg or elles she gettith not her ryghtes at ester shalbe taken as an
heretike. hereto haue they theire foure offering daies. whate money pull
they yn by probates of testamentes, priuy tithes, and by mennes offeringes
to theyre pilgremages, and at theyre first masses? Euer