An Almond for a Parrot: Being a reply to Martin Mar-Prelate.
Religion
An Almond for a Parrot: Being a reply to Martin Mar-Prelate.
Marprelate controversy
followers vndermined her Graces Throane, as much as traytours might: call
to minde the badde practise of your brother the Booke-binder and his
accomplishes at Burie, who beeing as hotte spirited as your worshippes,
in the schismaticall subiect of reformation, and seeing it woulde not
come of halfe kindlie to theyr contentment, made no more a doe, but added
this newe Posie to her Maiesties armes. Those that bee neither hotte nor
colde, Ile spue them out of my mouth, sayth the Lorde. Denie this, and
Ile bring a whole Assizes, as _Obsignatos testes_ of your trecherie. To
come neerer to thee Brother _Martin_. Hast not thou in thy firste booke
agaynst Doctour _Bridges_, as also in Hay anie worke for Cooper, excluded
her Highnesse from all Ecclesiasticall gouernement, saying she hath
neyther skill nor commission, as shee is a Magistrate, to substitute anie
member or minister in the Church. And in an other place, that there is
neither vse nor place in the Church for members, ministers or officers
of the magistrates making. If this wyll not come in compasse of treason,
then farewell the title of Supremacie, and welcome agayne vnto Poperie.
By this time I thinke, good-man Puritan, that thou art perswaded, that I
knowe as well as thy owne conscience thee, namely _Martin Makebate_ of
Englande, to bee a moste scuruie and beggerlie benefactor to obedience,
and _per consequens_, to feare neyther men, nor that God who can cast
both bodie and soule into vnquenchable fire. In which respect I neyther
account you of the Churche, nor esteeme of your bloude, otherwise then
the bloude of Infidelles. Talke as long as you will of the ioyes of
heauen, or paines of hell, and turne from your selues the terrour of
that iudgement howe you will, which shall bereaue blushing iniquitie
of the figge leaues of hypocrisie, yet will the eie of immortalitie
discerne of your painted pollutions, as the euer-liuing foode of
perdition. The humours of my eies are the habitations of fountaines, and
the circumference of my heart the enclosure of fearefull contrition,
when I thinke howe many soules at that moment, shall carrie the name
of _Martine_ on their foreheads to the vale of confusion, in whose
innocent bloude thou swimming to hell, shalt haue the tormentes of tenne
thousande thousande sinners at once, inflicted vppon thee. There will
enuie, mallice and dissimulation bee euer calling for vengeance agaynst
thee, and incite whole legions of deuilles to thy deathlesse lamentation.
Mercie will saie vnto thee, I knowe thee not, and Repentaunce, what
have I to doe with thee. All hopes shall shake the head at thee, and
saie, there goes the poyson of puritie, the perfection of impietie, the
serpentine seducer of simplicitie. Zeale her selfe will crie out vppon
thee, and curse the time that euer shee was maskte by thy mallice,
who lyke a blinde leader of the blinde, sufferedst her to stumble at
euerie steppe in Religion, and madest her seeke in the dimnesse of her
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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