Of misrules contending / with gods worde by name,
And then / of ones Judgment / that heard of the same.
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I Heare saie, that some saye, ther chaunsed of late
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Betwene one madmisrule, & goddes word great hate
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The cause of there out fall (as some saye) is this
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By here saye, I harde it, now marke what it is
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This misrule, was moved, and madde in his mynde
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That goddes worde with great men, such grace shuld still finde
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Wherby as an out caste he myght be rejecte
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Thys some say, and here saye, to be the effecte.
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But douting where all things, whyche some saye were ryght
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Sith some saye, by here saye, a lye spred be myght
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I sought, and harde some saye, they did it beholde
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By whose wordes of credit, my doutes were resolved
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But now to my purpose, agayne for to come
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This misrule, through madnes, at last frynds had some
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Of whome he gat comforte, as it maye well seme
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His boldnes well wayed, who would not so deme.
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And beyng in favor, at laste well was he
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That could unto mysrule, from good order flee
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Who lost not ther labor, as some saye for that
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But were well estemed, and had, I harde what.
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That gods worde muche lothing, could it not abyde
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But stepped fourth boldly, and misrule defied
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Wyshing from misrule, all men to refrayne
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As from a thing noysome, to vile, and to vayne.
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But misrule that hearyng, beganne for to starte
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Lyke one that were vexed, and that to the harte
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As it well aperethe, by his subtil shyft
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Who so well can ponder, the truth of his dryft.
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He knew well, he could not, goddes worde well withstond
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To mete hym as men do, that fyght hand to hand
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But sought his fetch farder, by couler to crave
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And so under couler, goddes worde to deprave.
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But now if in conscience, speake frely I maye
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In mynde I digresse not, from that whyche some saye
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It mysrule mayntayned be, and seke to ascend
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In this casse I doute muche, but mark well the ende.
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What regions to Ruyn, hath there not bene brought
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Where misrule was chosen, and good rule unsought
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Weales publick full welthy, to nought brought it hath
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For mysrule to myschiefe, must nedes be the path.
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What caused gods wrath, all fleshe to distroye
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Save onely .viii. parsons, with olde father Noye
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But for that this misrule, gods worde did deface
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And moved that all men, misrule shuld imbrace.
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In Sodom and Gomor, suche lyke stryffe began
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Betwene this madde mysrule, and gods worde: but than
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Could god longe abide it? when he in his fume
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With sulphire and brimston, mysrule dyd consume.
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His owne Jewish people, as ofte as they ranne
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A maddyng with mysrule, wyth plages God beganne
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To lerne us that mysrule, he alwayes did hate
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And yet (alas) se you? how he plaith chekmate.
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By misrule the subjectes, be so far past grace
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Theyr heddes and their rulers, they know not in place
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But lyke to beastes brutall, with ungodly strife
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As rebelles resyst wyll, wyth losse of their lyfe
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What law is so strayt made, they feare not to breake
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What threat can suche tounges stoppe, they feare not to speake
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What doctrine can dryve them, to know what they be
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What myschief may move them, that onely they se.
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What nede mo examples, then this our owne realme
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To teach us that mysrule, hath bene to extreame
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In preasinge so proudly, to noble welfare
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As some saye, so boldly, as it were Jack hare
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And so, under couler, of spare, and beware
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To taunt at gods prechers, as muche as they dare
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Sayeng, such passe not, by here saye to go
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And preach in ther pulpittes, that thus some saye so.
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Of some saye, and here say, this well tell I canne
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That here say, and some say, the truth now and than
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Of such, as both some saye, and here saye, dysdayne
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Bycause that both here saye, and some saye, so playne.
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But be it, that some saye, by here say a misse
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And saye not (through here say) the truth as it is
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Doth it therfore folow, for that thinge fourth brought
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That al thinges whyche some say, therfore shuld be nought.
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If it be unlawfull, by here say to wade
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I mervell what Paull ment, to use the same trade
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Who speaking by here say, belyve did the same
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Which purgeth (as some saye) the rest from all blame.
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But gods worde of one thing, hath cause to rejoyse
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For that this sharpe taunting, is but mysrules voyce
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Who beinge accepted, to muche thus I feare
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Of ryght shuld leave courtinge, and not remayne there.
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But who shall stand douting, when our noble Kynge
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Wyth his faythfull counsaill, perceave shall the thinge
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But that they wyll shortly, mysrule to represse
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That glad shal the good be, to se suche redresse
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