fe: (as God knoweth): with
lodginges, oft times, to small ease: and somtime to lesse securitie. And
for much more (then all this) done & suffred, for Learning and attaining
of Wisedome: Should I (I pray you) for all this, no otherwise, nor more
warily: or (by Gods mercifulnes) no more luckily, haue fished, with so
large, and costly, a Nette, so long time in drawing (and that with the
helpe and aduise of Lady Philosophie, & Queene Theologie): but at
length, to haue catched, and drawen vp, * a Frog?

[* A prouerb. Fayre fisht, and caught a Frog.]

Nay, a Deuill? For, so, doth the Common peuish Pratler Imagine and
Iangle: And, so, doth the Malicious skorner, secretly wishe, & brauely
and boldly face down, behinde my backe. Ah, what a miserable thing, is
this kinde of Men? How great is the blindnes & boldnes, of the
Multitude, in thinges aboue their Capacitie? What a Land: what a People:
what Maners: what Times are these? Are they become Deuils, them selues:
and, by false witnesse bearing against their Neighbour, would they also,
become Murderers? Doth God, so long geue them respite, to reclaime them
selues in, from this horrible slaundering of the giltlesse: contrary to
their owne Consciences: and yet will they not cease? Doth the Innocent,
forbeare the calling of them, Iuridically to aunswere him, according to
the rigour of the Lawes: and will they despise his Charitable pacience?
As they, against him, by name, do forge, fable, rage, and raise
slaunder, by Worde & Print: Will they prouoke him, by worde and Print,
likewise, to Note their Names to the World: with their particular
deuises, fables, beastly Imaginations, and vnchristen-like slaunders?
Well: Well. O (you such) my vnkinde Countrey men. O vnnaturall Countrey
men. O vnthankfull Countrey men. O Brainsicke, Rashe, Spitefull, and
Disdainfull Countrey men. Why oppresse you me, thus violently, with your
slaundering of me: Contrary to Veritie: and contrary to your owne
Consciences? And I, to this hower, neither by worde, deede, or thought,
haue bene, any way, hurtfull, damageable, or iniurious to you, or yours?
Haue I, so long, so dearly, so farre, so carefully, so painfully, so
daungerously sought & trauailed for the learning of Wisedome, &
atteyning of Vertue: And in the end (in your iudgement) am I become,
worse, then when I began? Worse, then a Mad man? A dangerous Member in
the Common Wealth: and no Member of the Church of Christ? Call you this,
to be Learned?