s' of ejectment for
the ensuing Whitsunday, and is called

THE BEGGARS' WARNING.

The Blind, Crooked, Bedrels [bedfast], Widows, Orphans, and all
other Poor, so visited by the hand of God as they may not work,

TO

The Flocks of all Friars within this realm, we wish restitution
of wrongs bypast, and reformation in time coming, for
salutation.

* * * * *

Ye yourselves are not ignorant, and though ye would be it is
now, thanks to God, known to the whole world, by His infallible
word, that the benignity or alms of all Christian people
pertains to us allanerly [exclusively]; which ye, being hale of
body, stark, sturdy, and able to work, what [partly] under
pretence of poverty (and nevertheless possessing most easily all
abundance) what [partly] through cloaked and hooded simplicity,
though your proudness is known, and what [partly] by feigned
holiness, which now is declared superstition and idolatry, have
these many years, express against God's word and the practice of
His Holy Apostles, to our great torment alas! most falsely
stolen from us. And as ye have, by your false doctrine and
wresting of God's word (learned of your father Satan), induced
the whole people high and low, into sure hope and belief, that
to clothe, feed, and nourish you is the only acceptable alms
allowed before God, and to give one penny or one piece of bread
once in the week, is enough for us; Even so ye have persuaded
them to build to you great hospitals, and maintain you therein
by their purse, which only pertains now to us by all law, as
builded and doted [given] to the poor--of whose number ye are
not, nor can be repute, neither by the law of God, nor yet by no
other law proceeding of nature, reason, or civil policy.... We
have thought good, therefore, before we enter with you in
conflict, to warn you, in the name of the great God, by this
public writing, affixed on your gates, where ye now dwell, that
ye remove forth of our said hospitals betwixt this and the feast
of Whitsunday next, so that we the only lawful proprietors
thereof may enter thereto, and afterward enjoy these
_commodities of the Kirk_, which ye have hereunto wrongously
holden from us: Certifying you, if ye fail, we will at the said
term, in whole number (with the help of God and t