Neither could the Danes or Saxons haue conquered this land, if they had left such a sort [_company_] of idle gluttons behind them; nor noble King ARTHUR have resisted the Emperor LUCIUS, if such yearly exactions had been taken of his people; nor the Greeks so long continued the siege of Troy, if they had had to find for such an idle sort of cormorants at home; nor the Romans conquered the world, if their people had been thus yearly oppressed; nor the Turk haue now so gained on Christendom, if he had in his empire such locusts to devour his substance 5 2. _What do they with these exactions?_ 6 Nothing but to translate all rule, power &c. from your Grace to themselves, and to incite to disobedience and rebellion 6 3. _Yea, and what do they more?_ 7 Truly nothing but to have to do with every man's wife, every man's daughter &c. 7 4. _Yea, who is able to number the great and broad bottomless ocean sea full of evils, that this mischievous and sinful generation is able to bring upon us? unpunished!_ 7 5. _What remedy? Make laws against them?_ I am in doubt whether ye are able. Are they not stronger in your own parliament house than yourself 8 So captive are your laws unto them, that no man that they list to excommunicate may be admitted to sue any action in any of your Courts 9 Neither have they any coulour [_pretence_] to gather these yearly exactions but they say they pray to GOD to deliver our souls from purgatory. If that were true we should give a hundred times as much. But many men of great literature say there is no purgatory: and that if there were and that the Pope may deliver one soul for money, he may deliver him as well without money; if one, a thousand; if a thousand, all; and so destroy purgatory. 10 6. _But what remedy? To make many hospitals for the relief of the poor people?_ Nay, truly! The more the worse. For ever the fat of the whole foundation hangeth on the priests' beards 12 7. Set these sturdy loobies abroad in the world to get themselves wives, to get their living with their labour in the sweat of their faces, according to the commandment of GOD 13 _BIBLIOGRAPHY OF SIMON FISH'S WORKS._ A Supplication for the Beggers. ISSUES IN HIS LIFETIME. A. _As a separate publication._ 1. [1529. Printed abroad.] 8vo. See title at _p._ 1. Wholly printed in a clear italic type.