ed that each bewaileth the misery of others. Presently
coming to his text, "_Caelum caeli Domini, terram autem dedit filiis
hominis_," (the Heaven of Heavens is the Lord's, the earth hath He given
to the children of men), the doctor inculcated that England was given to
Englishmen, and that as birds would defend their nests, so ought
Englishmen to defend themselves, _and to hurt and grieve aliens for the
common weal_! The corollary a good deal resembled that of "hate thine
enemy" which was foisted by "them of the old time" upon "thou shalt love
thy neighbour." And the doctor went on upon the text, "_Pugna pro
patria_," to demonstrate that fighting for one's country meant rising
upon and expelling all the strangers who dwelt and traded within it.
Many of these foreigners were from the Hanse towns which had special
commercial privileges, there were also numerous Venetians and Genoese,
French and Spaniards, the last of whom were, above all, the objects of
dislike. Their imports of silks, cloth of gold, stamped leather, wine
and oil, and their superior skill in many handicrafts, had put English
wares out of fashion; and their exports of wool, tin, and lead excited
equal jealousy, which Dr Beale, instigated as was well known by a
broker named John Lincoln, was thus stirring up into fierce passion.
His sermon was talked of all over London; blacker looks than ever were
directed at the aliens, stones and dirt were thrown at them, and even
Ambrose, as he walked along the street, was reviled as the Dutchkin's
knave. The insults became each day more daring and outrageous. George
Bates and a skinner's apprentice named Studley were caught in the act of
tripping up a portly old Flanderkin and forthwith sent to Newgate, and
there were other arrests, which did but inflame the smouldering rage of
the mob. Some of the wealthier foreigners, taking warning by the signs
of danger, left the City, for there could be no doubt that the whole of
London and the suburbs were in a combustible condition of discontent,
needing only a spark to set it alight.

It was just about this time that a disreputable clerk--a lewd priest, as
Hall calls him--a hanger-on of the house of Howard, was guilty of an
insult to a citizen's wife as she was quietly walking home through the
Cheap. Her husband and brother, who were nearer at hand than he
guessed, avenged the outrage with such good wills that this disgrace to
the priesthood was left dead on the ground.