the spiritualtie?? whate honest man dare take any man
or woman yn his seruice that hath ben at suche a scole with a spiritual
man? Oh the greuous shipwrak of the comon welth, whiche yn auncient time
bifore the coming yn of these rauinous wolues was so prosperous: that then
there were but fewe theues: ye[a] theft was at that tyme so rare that
Cesar was not compellid to make penalte of deth vppon felony as your grace
may well perceyue yn his institutes. There was also at that tyme but fewe
pore people and yet they did not begge but there was giuen theim ynough
vnaxed, for there was at that time none of these rauinous wolues to axe it
from theim as it apperith yn the actes of th[e] appostles. Is it any
merueill though there be nowe so many beggers, theues, and ydell people?
Nay truely.

** whate remedy: make lawes ageynst theim. I am yn doubt whether ye be
able: Are they not stronger in your owne parliament house then your silfe?
whate a nombre of Bisshopes, abbotes, and priours are lordes of your
parliament? are not all the lerned men in your realme in fee with theim to
speake yn your parliament house for theim ageinst your crowne, dignitie,
and comon welth of your realme a fewe of youre owne lerned counsell onely
excepted? whate lawe can be made ageinst theim that may be aduaylable? who
is he (though he be greued never so sore) for the murdre of his auncestre
rauisshement of his wyfe, of his doughter, robbery, trespas, maiheme,
dette, or eny other offence dare ley it theyre charge by any wey of
accion, and if he do then is he by and by by theyre wilynesse accused of
heresie. ye[a] they will so handle him or he passe that except he will
bere a fagot for theyre pleasure he shal be excommunicate and then be all
his accions dasshed. So captyue are your lawes vnto theym that no man that
they lyst to excommunicat may be admitted to sue any accion in any of your
courtes. If eny man yn your sessions dare be so hardy to endyte a prest of
eny suche cryme he hath or the yere [_ere he_] go out suche a yoke of
heresye leyd in his necke that it maketh him wisshe that he had not done
it. Your grace may se whate a worke there is in London, howe the bisshoppe
rageth for endyting of certayn curates of extorcion and incontinency the
last yere in the warmoll quest. Had not Richard hunne commenced accyon of
premunire ageinst a prest he had bin yet a lyue and none heretik at all
but an honest man.

** Dyd not dyuers of your noble progenitours