Sermons on the Card, and Other DiscoursesLatimer, Hugh
Religion
Sermons on the Card, and Other Discourses
Latimer, Hugh
Church of England -- Sermons; Sermons, English -- 16th century
Do ye see nothing in our holidays? of the which very few were made at the
first, and they to set forth goodness, virtue, and honesty: but sithens,
in some places, there is neither mean nor measure in making new holidays,
as who should say, this one thing is serving of God, to make this law,
that no man may work. But what doth the people on these holidays? Do
they give themselves to godliness, or else ungodliness? See ye nothing,
brethren? If you see not, yet God seeth. God seeth all the whole
holidays to be spent miserably in drunkenness, in glossing, in strife, in
envy, in dancing, dicing, idleness, and gluttony. He seeth all this, and
threateneth punishment for it. He seeth it, which neither is deceived in
seeing, nor deceiveth when he threateneth.
Thus men serve the devil; for God is not thus served, albeit ye say ye
serve God. No, the devil hath more service done unto him on one holiday,
than on many working days. Let all these abuses be counted as nothing,
who is he that is not sorry, to see in so many holidays rich and wealthy
persons to flow in delicates, and men that live by their travail, poor
men, to lack necessary meat and drink for their wives and their children,
and that they cannot labour upon the holidays, except they will be cited,
and brought before our Officials? Were it not the office of good
prelates to consult upon these matters, and to seek some remedy for them?
Ye shall see, my brethren, ye shall see once, what will come of this our
winking.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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