There came by of late a good honest Minister,
with a cloake hauing sleeues: ah (quoth a Martinist,
sitting on a bulke in Cheapside) he is a knaue I
warrant you, a claspe would become one of his coate
to claspe his cloak vnder his chinne. Where tis to
be noted, that they come in with a sleeueless
conscience, and thinke it no good doctrine which is
not preached with the cloak cast ouer each shoulder
like a rippier.
Twas a mad knaue and a Martinist that diuided
his sermon into 34 parts for memorie sake, and
would handle but foure for memorie sake, and they
were, why Christ came, wherefore Christ came, for
what cause Christ came, and to what end Christ
came; this was all for memorie sake. If that Martin
could thatch vp his Church, this mans scabship should
bee an Elder, and Elders they may bee, which being
fullest of spungie pith, proue euer the driest kixes.
For in time you shall see that it is but a bladder of
worldlie winde which swells in their hearts, being
once prickt, the humour will quicklie be remoued,
O what a braue state of the Church it would be for
all Ecclesiasticall causes to come before Weauers and
Wierdawers, to see one in a motlie Ierkin and an
apron to reade the first lesson. The poore Church
should play at vnequal game, for it should loose al by
the _Elder_ hand. Nay Mas Martin, weele make you
deale, shuffle as well as you can, we meane to cut it.
If you had the foddring of the sheep you would
make the Church like Primero, foure religions in it,
and nere one like another. I cannot out of his gaming
humour. Why? Is it not as good as Martins
dogged humour, who without reuerence, regard, or
exception, vseth such vnfitting tearmes, as were hee
the greatest subiect in England hee could not iustifie
them.
Shut the doores (sirs) or giue me my skimmer,
Martins mouth had sod vnskimde these twelue
months, and now it runnes ouer; yet let him alone,
he makes but porredge for the diuell.
His Elderberines though it be naught worth, yet
is it like an elderberrie, which being at the ripenes of
a perfect black, yet brused staines ones hands like
bloud. They pretending grauitie in the rottennes of
their zeale, bee they once wrung, you shall finde them
lighter than feathers. Thats a simile for the slaues.
Nay, Ile touch them deeper, and make them crie, O
my heart, there is a false knaue among vs.
Take away this beard, and giue me a pickede
vaunt, Martin sweares by his ten bones: nay, I will
make him mumpe, mow, and chatter, like old Iohn
of Paris garden before I leaue him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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