eighbours, if wee haue more cloth than
they, to make our garment somewhat larger. What was the foundation or
groundworke of this dismall declining of Munster, but the banishing of
their Bishop, their confiscating and casting lots for Church liuings,
as the souldiers cast lots for Christes garments, and in short tearmes,
theyr making the house of God a den of theeues. The house of God a number
of hungry church robbers in these dayes haue made a den of theeues.
Theeues spend loosely what they haue got lightly, sacriledge is no sure
inheritance, _Dionisius_ was nere the richer for robbing _Iupiter_ of
his golden coate, he was driuen in the end to play the schoolmaster at
Corinth. The name of religion, be it good or bad that is ruinated, God
neuer suffers vnreuenged, He say of it as _Ouid_ sayd of Eunuchs:

_Qui primus pueris genitalia membra recidit Vulnera qua fecit deduit
ipse pati._

Who first depriude yong boies of their best part,
With selfe same wounds he gaue he ought to smart.

So would he that first gelt religion or Churchliuings had bin first gelt
himselfe or neuer liued, Cardinall _Wolsey_ is the man I aime at, _Qui
in suas ponas ingeniosus erat_, first gaue others a light to his owne
ouerthrow. How it prospered with him and his instruments that after
wrought for themselues, Chronicles largely report, though not apply, and
some parcel of their punishment yet vnpaid, I doe not doubt but will bee
required of their posteritie.

To go forward with my storie of the ouerthrowe of that vsurper _Iohn
Leiden_, he and all his armie (as I saide before) falling prostrate on
their faces, and ferquently giuen ouer to praier, determined neuer to
cease, or leaue soliciting of God, till he had shewed them from heauen
some manifest miracle of successe. Note that it was a general receiued
tradition both with _I. Leiden_ and all the crue of Cnipper-dolings and
Muncers, if God at anie time at their vehement outcries and clamors did
not condiscend to their requests, to raile on him and curse him to his
face, to dispute with him, and argue him of iniustice, for not being
so good as his word with them, and to vrge his many promises in the
scripture against him: so that they did not serue God simply, but that
hee shoulde serue their turnes, and after that tenure are many content
to serue as bondmen to saue the danger of hanging: but he that serues
God aright, whose vpright conscience hath for his mot, _Amor est miki
causa