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  • Title: Kynge Johann (Old-spelling)
  • Editor: Nicola Goshulak

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: John Bale
    Editor: Nicola Goshulak
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Kynge Johann (Old-spelling)

    Here SEDYCYON cummyth in.
    SEDYSYON. Haue in onys a geyne in spyght of all my enymyes,
    For they cannot dryve me from all mennys companyes,
    And thowgh yt were so that all men wold forsake me,
    640Yet dowght I yt not but sume good women wold take me,
    I loke for felowys that here shuld make sum sporte:
    I mervell yt is so longe ere they hether resorte.
    By the messe, I wene the knaves are in the bryers,
    Or ells they are fallen into sum order of fryers.
    645Naye, shall I gesse ryght? they are gon into the stues;
    I holde ye my necke, anon we shall here newes.
    Seyng the leteny.
    Lyst for Gods passyon: I trow her cummeth sum hoggherd
    Caliyng for his pygges. Such a noyse I neuer herd.
    650Here cum DYSSYMULACYON syngyng of the letany.
    DYSSYMULACYON. (syng.) Sancte Dominice, ora pro nobis.
    SEDYSYON. (syng.) Sancte pyld monache, I be shrow vobis.
    DYSSYMULACYON. (syng.) Sancte Francisse, ora pro nobis.
    SEDYSYON. Here ye not? cocks sowle, what meaneth this ypocrite knaue?
    655DYSSYMULACYON. Pater noster, I pray God bryng hym sone to his grave,
    Qui es in celis, with an vengeable sanctificetur,
    Or elles Holy Chyrche shall neuer thryve by saynt Peter.
    SEDYSYON. Tell me, good felowe, makyste thu this prayer for me?
    DYSSYMULACYON. Ye are as ferce as thowgh ye had broke yowr nose at the buttre.
    660I medyll not with the, but here to good sayntes I praye
    Agenst soch enmyes as wyll Holy Chyrche decaye.
    Here syng this.
    A Johanne Rege iniquo, libera nos, domine.
    SEDYSYON. Leve, I saye, or by messe I wyll make yow grone.
    665DYSSYMULACYON. Yff thow be jentyll, I pray the, leate me alone,
    For with in a whyle my devocyon wyll be gone.
    SEDYSYON. And wherfor dost thou praye here so bytterly,
    Momblyng thy pater noster and chauntyng the letany?
    DYSSYMULACYON. For that Holy Chyrch myght save hyr patrymonye,
    670And to haue of Kyng Johan a tryumphant vyctorye.
    SEDYSYON. And why of Kyng Johan? doth he vexe yow so sore?
    DYSSYMULACYON. Bothe chyrchys and abbeys he oppressyth more and more,
    And take of the clergye yt is onresonable to tell.
    SEDYSYON. Owte with the popys bulles than, and cursse hym downe to hell.
    675DYSSYMULACYON. Tushe, man, we haue done so, but all wyll not helpe.
    He regardyth no more the pope than he dothe a whelpe.
    SEDYSYON. Well lett hym alone, for that wyll I geve hym a scelpe.
    But what arte thu callyd of thyn owne munkych nacyon?
    DYSSYMULACYON. Kepe yt in counsell, dane Davy Dyssymulacyon.
    680SEDYSYON. What, Dyssymulacyon! coks sowle, myn old aquentence.
    Par me faye, mon amye, Je tote ad voutre plesaunce.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Gramercyes, good frend, with all my very hert:
    I trust we shall talke more frely or we deperte.
    SEDYSYON. Why, vylayn horson, knowyst not thi cosyn Sedycyon?
    685DYSSYMULACYON. I have ever loved both the and thy condycyon.
    SEDYSYON. Thow must nedes, I trowe, for we cum of ij bretherne:
    Yf thu remeber owr fathers were on mans chylderne.
    Thow comyst of Falsed and I of Prevy Treason.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Than Infydelyte owr granfather ys by reason.
    690SEDYSYON. Mary, that ys trewe and his begynner Antycrist,
    The great pope of Rome, or fyrst veyne popysh prist.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Now welcum, cosyn, by the waye that my sowle shall to.
    SEDYSYON. Gramercy, cosyn, by the holy bysshope Benno.
    Thow kepyst thi old wont, thow art styll an abbe man.
    695DYSSYMULACYON. To hold all thynges vp I play my part now and than.
    SEDYSYON. Why what manere of offyce hast thu with in the abbey?
    DYSSYMULACYON. Of all relygyons I kepe the chyrch-dore keye.
    SEDYSYON. Than of a lykelyhod thow art ther generall porter?
    DYSSYMULACYON. Nay, of munks and chanons I am the suttyl] sorter.
    700Whyle sum talke with Besse, the resydewe kepe sylence:
    Thowgh we playe the knavys we must shew a good pretence.
    Where so ever sum eate, a serten kepe the froyter;
    Where so ever sum slepe, sum must nedes kepe the dorter.
    Dedyst thu never know the maner of owr senyes?
    705SEDYSYON. I was never with them aqueynted, by seynt Denyes.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Than never knewyst thu the knavery of owr menyes.
    Yf I shuld tell all, I cowd saye more than that.
    SEDYSYON. Now of good felowshyppe, I beseche the, shew me what.
    DYSSYMULACYON. The profytable lucre cummyth ever in by me.
    710SEDYSYON. But by what meane? tell me I hartely pray the.
    DYSSYMULACYON. To wynne the peple I appoynt yche man his place,
    Sum to syng latyn, and sum to ducke at grace;
    Sum to go mummyng, and sum to beare the crosse;
    Sum to stowpe downeward as the heades ware stopt with mosse;
    715Sum rede the epystle and gospell at hygh masse,
    Sum syng at the lectorne with long eares lyke an asse;
    The pawment of the chyrche the aunchent faders tredes,
    Sum tyme with a portas, sumtyme with a payre of bedes;
    And this exedyngly drawt peple to devoycyone,
    720Specyally whan they do se so good relygeone.
    Than have we imagys of seynt Spryte and seynt Savyer:
    Moche is the sekynge of them to gett ther faver.
    Yong whomen berfote, and olde men seke them brecheles.
    The myracles wrought there I can in no wyse expresse.
    725We lacke neyther golde nor sylwer, gyrdles nor rynges,
    Candelles nor taperes, nor other customyd offerynges.
    Thowgh I seme a shepe I can play the suttle foxe:
    I can make latten to bryng this gere to the boxe.
    Tushe, latten is alone to bryng soche mater to passe:
    730There ys no Englyche that can soche slyghtes compasse,
    And therfor we wyll no servyce to be songe,
    Gospell nor pystell, but all in latten tonge.
    Of owr suttell dryftes many more poyntes are behynde;
    Yf I tolde you all we shuld never have an ende.
    735SEDYSYON. In nomine patris, of all that ever I hard
    Thow art alone yet of soche a dremyng bussard.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Nay, dowst thu not se how I in my colours jette?
    To blynd the peple I have yet a farther fette.
    This is for Bernard, and this is for Benet,
    740This is for Gylbard, and this is for Jhenet:
    For Frauncys this is, and this is for Domynyke,
    For Awsten and Elen, and this is for seynt Partryk.
    We haue many rewlles, but never one we kepe:
    Whan we syng full lowde our harts be fast aslepe.
    745We resemble sayntes in gray, whyte, blacke, and blewe,
    Yet vnto prynces not one of owr nomber trewe,
    And that shall kyng Johan prove shortly by the rode.
    SEDYSYON. But in the meane tyme yowr selves gett lytyll good.
    Yowr abbeys go downe, I heresaye, every where.
    750DYSSYMULACYON. Yea, frynd Sedysyon, but thow must se to that gere.
    SEDYSYON. Than must I have helpe, by swete saynt Benetts cuppe.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Thow shalt have a chylde of myn owne bryngyng uppe.
    SEDYSYON. Of thy bryngyng uppe? coks sowle, what knave is that?
    DYSSYMULACYON. Mary, Pryvat Welth; now hayve I tolde the what.
    755I made hym a monke and a perfytt cloysterer,
    And in the abbeye he began fyrst celerer,
    Than pryor, than abbote of a thowsand pownd land no wors,
    Now he is a bysshoppe and rydeth with an hondryd hors,
    And, as I here say, he is lyke to be a Cardynall.
    760SEDYSYON. Ys he so in dede, by the masse than have att all.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Nay, fyrst Pryvat Welth shall bryng in Usurpyd Power
    With hys autoryte, and than the gam ys ower.
    SEDYSYON. Tush, Usurpyd Power dothe faver me of all men,
    For in his trobles I ease his hart now and then.
    765Whan prynces rebell agenste hys autoryte,
    I make ther commons agenst them for to be.
    Twenty Md men are but a mornyng breckefast
    To be slayne for hym, he takyng his repast.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Thow hast I persayve a very suttyll cast.
    770SEDYSYON. I am for the pope, as for the shyppe the mast.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Than helpe, Sedycyon, I may styll in Englond be:
    Kyng John hath thretned that I shall ouer see.
    SEDYSYON. Well, yf thow wylte of me have remedy this ower,
    Go seche Pryvat Welth and also Usurpyd Power.
    775DYSSYMULACYON. I can bryng but one, be Mary Jesus mother.
    SEDYSYON. Bryng thow in the one, and let hym bryng in the other.
    Here cum in USURPYD POWER and PRIVATE WELTH, syngyng on after another.
    USURPYD POWERsyng this.
    Super flumina Babilonis suspendimus organa nostra.
    780PRIVATE WELTHsyng this.
    Quomodo cantabimus canticum bonum in terra aliena?
    SEDYSYON. By the mas, me thynke they are syngyng of placebo.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Peace, for with my spectables vadam et videbo.
    Coks sowll, yt is they: at the last I have smellyd them owt.
    785Her go and bryng them.
    SEDYSYON. Thow mayst be a sowe, yf thow hast so good a snowt.
    Surs, marke well this gere, for now yt begynnyth to worke.
    False Dyssymulacion doth bryng in Privat Welth,
    And Usurpyd Power, which is more ferce than a Turke,
    790Cummeth in by hym to decaye all spyrytuall helth;
    Than I by them bothe as clere experyence telth.
    We iiij by owr crafts Kyng Johan wyll so subdwe,
    That for iij C yers all Englond shall yt rewe.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Of the clergy, frynds, report lyke as ye se,
    795That ther Privat Welth cummyth ever in by me.
    SEDYSYON. But by whom commyst thu? by the messe, evyn by the devyll,
    For the grownd thow art of the cristen peplys evyll.
    DYSSYMULACYON. And what are yow, ser? I pray yow say good by me.
    SEDYSYON. By my trowth I cum by the and thy affynyte.
    800DYSSYMULACYON. Feche thow in thy felow so fast as ever thow can.
    PRIVATE WELTH. I trow, thow shalt se me now playe the praty man.
    Of me, Privat Welth, cam fyrst Usurpyd Power:
    Ye may perseyve yt in pagent here this hower.
    SEDYSYON. Now welcum, felowys, by all thes bonys and naylys.
    805USURPYD POWER. Among companyons good felyshyp never faylys.
    SEDYSYON. Nay, Usurpid Power, thu must go backe ageyne,
    For I must also put the to a lytyll payne.
    USURPYD POWER. Why, fellaue Sedysyon, what wylt thu have me do?
    SEDYSYON. To bare me on thi backe and bryng me in also,
    810That yt may be sayde that fyrst Dyssymulacion
    Browght in Privat Welth to every cristen nacion;
    And that Privat Welth browght in Usurpid Power,
    And he Sedycyon in cytye, towne, and tower,
    That sum man may know the feche of all owr sorte.
    815USURPYD POWER. Cum on thy wayes than, that thow mayst make the fort.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Nay, Usurped Power, we shall bare hym all thre,
    Thy selfe, he, and I, yf ye wyll be rewlyd by me,
    For ther is non of us but in hym hath a stroke.
    PRIVATE WELTH. The horson knave wayeth and yt were a croked oke.
    820Here they shall bare hym in, and SEDYCYON saythe
    SEDYSYON. Yea, thus it shuld be, mary, now thu art alofte;
    I wyll be shyte yow all yf ye sett me not downe softe.
    In my opynyon, by swete saynt Antony,
    Here is now gatheryd a full honest company.
    825Here is nowther Awsten, Ambrose, Hierom nor Gregory,
    But here is a sorte of companyons moch more mery.
    They of the chirch than were fower holy doctors,
    We of the chirch now are the iiij generall proctors.
    Here ys fyrst of all good father Dyssymulacion,
    830The fyrst begynner of this same congregacion;
    Here is Privat Welthe, which hath the chyrch infecte
    With all abusyons, and brought yt to a synfull secte:
    Here ys Usurpid Power that all kyngs doth subdwe
    With such autoryte as is neyther good ner trewe,
    835And I last of all am evyn sance pere Sedycyon.
    USURPYD POWER. Under hevyn ys not a more knave in condycyon.
    Wher as thu dost cum that commonwelth cannot thryve:
    By owr lord I marvell that thow art yet alyve.
    PRIVATE WELTH. Wher herbes are pluckte upp the wedes many tymes remayne.
    840DYSSYMULACYON. No man can utter an evydence more playn.
    SEDYSYON. Yea, ye thynke so yow, now Gods blyssyng breke yowr heade,
    I can do but lawgh to here yow, by thys breade.
    I am so mery that we are mett, by saynt John
    I fele not the ground that I do go uppon.
    845For the love of God lett us have sum mery songe.
    USURPYD POWER. Begyne thy self than, and we shall lepe in amonge.
    Here syng.
    SEDYSYON. I wold ever dwell here to have such mery sporte.
    PRIVATE WELTH. Thow mayst have yt, man, yf thow wylt hether resorte,
    850For the holy father ys as good a felowe as we.
    DYSSYMULACYON. The holy father, why, pray the whych is he?
    PRIVATE WELTH. Usurped Power here, which, thowgh he apparaunt be
    In this apparell, yet hathe he autoryte
    Bothe in hevyn and erth, in purgatory and in hell.
    855USURPYD POWER. Marke well his saynges, for a trew tale he doth tell.
    SEDYSYON. What, Usurpid Power? cocks sowle, ye are owr pope.
    Where is yowr thre crounnys, yowr crosse keys, and yowr cope?
    What meanyth this mater? me thynke ye walke astraye.
    USURPYD POWER. Thow knowest I must have sum dalyaunce and playe,
    860For I am a man lyke as an other ys;
    Sumtyme I must hunt, sumtyme I must Alyson kys.
    I am bold of yow, I take ye for no straungers,
    We are as spirituall, I dowght in yow no daungers.
    DYSSYMULACYON. I owght to conseder yowr holy father hode:
    865From my fyrst infancy ye have ben to me so good.
    For Godes sake wytsave to geve me yowr blyssing here
    A pena et culpa, that I may stand this day clere.
    Knele.
    SEDYSYON. From makyng cuckoldes? mary, that were no mery chere.
    870DYSSYMULACYON. A pena et culpa: I trow thow canst not here.
    SEDYSYON. Yea, with a cuckoldes wyff ye have dronke dobyll bere.
    DYSSYMULACYON. I pray the, Sedycyon, my pacyens no more stere.
    A pena et culpa I desire to be clere,
    And than all the devylles of hell I wold not fere.
    875USURPYD POWER. But tell me one thyng: dost thu not preche the gospell?
    DYSSYMULACYON. No, I promyse yow, I defye yt to the devyll of hell.
    USURPYD POWER. Yf I knewe thow dydest, thu shuldest have non absolucyon.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Yf I do abjure me, or put me to execucyon.
    PRIVATE WELTH. I dare say he brekyth no popyshe constytucyon.
    880USURPYD POWER. Soche men are worthy to have owr contrybucyon.
    I assoyle the here behynde and also beforne:
    Now art thu as clere as that daye thow wert borne.
    Ryse, Dyssymulacion, and stond uppe lyke a bold knyght:
    Dowght not of my power, thowgh my aparell be lyght.
    885SEDYSYON. A man, be the masse, can not know yow from a knave;
    Ye loke so lyke hym, as I wold God shuld me save.
    PRIVATE WELTH. Thow art very lewde owr father so to deprave.
    Thowgh he for his plesure soche lyght apparell have,
    Yt is now sommer and the heate ys withowt mesure,
    890And among us he may go lyght at his owne plesure.
    Felow Sedycyon, thowgh thu dost mocke and scoffe,
    We have other materes than this to be commyned of.
    Frynd Dyssymulacion, why dost thu not thy massage,
    And show owt of Englond the causse of thi farre passage.
    895Tush, blemysh not, whoreson, for I shall ever assyst the.
    SEDYSYON. The knave ys whyght leveryd, by the holy trynyte.
    USURPYD POWER. Why so, Privat Welth, what ys the mater, tell me?
    PRIVATE WELTH. Dyssymulacion ys a massanger for the clargy:
    I must speke for hym, there ys no remedy.
    900The clargy of Ynglond which ys yowr specyall frynde,
    And of a long tyme hath borne yow very good mynde,
    Fyllyng yowr coffers with many a thowsande pownde,
    Yf ye sett not to hand, he ys lyke to fall to the grownde.
    I do promyse yow truly his hart ys in his hose:
    905Kyng Johan so usyth hym that he reconnyth all to lose.
    USURPYD POWER. Tell, Dyssymulacion, why art thow so asshamed
    To shewe thy massage? thow art moche to be blamed.
    Late me se those wrytyngs: tush, man, I pray the cum nere.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Yowr horryble holynes putth me in wonderfull fere.
    910USURPYD POWER. Tush, lett me se them, I pray the hartely.
    Here DISSIMULACYON shall delever the wrytynges to USURPYD POWER.
    I perseyve yt well, thow wylt lose no ceremony.
    SEDYSYON. Yet is he no lesse than a false knave veryly.
    I wold thow haddyst kyst hys ars, for that is holy.
    915PRIVATE WELTH. How dost thow prove me that his arse ys holy now?
    SEDYSYON. For yt hath an hole, evyn fytt for the nose of yow.
    PRIVATE WELTH. Yowr parte ys not elles but for to playe the knave,
    And so ye must styll contynew to yowr grave.
    USURPYD POWER. I saye leve yowr gawdes, and attend to me this hower.
    920The bysshoppes writeth here to me, Usurped Power,
    Desyryng assystence of myne auctoryte
    To save and support the Chyrches lyberte.
    They report Kyng Johan to them to be very harde,
    And to have the Church in no pryce nor regarde.
    925In his parliament he demaundeth of the clargy
    For his warres the tent of the Chyrches patrymony.
    PRIVATE WELTH. Ye wyll not consent to that, I trow, by saynt Mary.
    SEDYSYON. No, drawe to yow styll, but lett none from yow cary.
    USURPYD POWER. Ye know yt is cleane agenst owr holy decrees
    930That princes shuld thus contempne owr lybertees.
    He taketh uppon hym to reforme the tythes and offrynges,
    And intermedleth with other spyrytuall thynges.
    PRIVATE WELTH. Ye must sequester hym, or elles that wyll mare all.
    USURPYD POWER. Naye, besydes all this, before Juges temporall
    935He conventeth clarkes of cawses crymynall.
    PRIVATE WELTH. Yf ye se not to that the Churche wyll haue a fall.
    SEDYSYON. By the masse than pristes are lyke to have a pange;
    For treson, murder, and thefte they are lyke to hange.
    By cocks sowle, than I am lyke to walke for treasone,
    940Yf I be taken: loke to yt therfore in seasone.
    PRIVATE WELTH. Mary, God forbyd that ever yowr holy anoynted
    For tresone or thefte shuld be hanged, racked, or joynted,
    Lyke the rascall sorte of the prophane layete.
    USURPYD POWER. Naye, I shall otherwyse loke to yt, ye may trust me.
    945Before hym selfe also the bysshopps he doth convent,
    To the derogacyon of ther dygnyte excelent,
    And wyll suffer non to the court of Rome to appele.
    DYSSYMULACYON. No, he contemnyth yowr autoryte and seale,
    And sayth in his lond he wyll be lord and kyng,
    950No prist so hardy to enterpryse any thyng.
    For the whych of late with hym ware at veryaunce
    Fower of the bysshopps, and in maner at defyaunce,
    Wyllyam of London, and Eustace bysshope of Hely,
    Water of Wynchester, and Gylys of Hartford trewly.
    955Be yowr autoryte they have hym excommunycate.
    USURPYD POWER. Than have they done well, for he is a reprobate:
    To that I admytt he ys alwayes contrary.
    I made this fellow here the arche bysshope of Canterbery,
    And he wyll agree therto in no condycion.
    960PRIVATE WELTH. Than hath he knowlege that his name ys Sedycyon.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Dowtles he hath so, and that drownnyth his opynyon.
    USURPYD POWER. Why do ye not saye his name ys Stevyn Langton?
    DYSSYMULACYON. Tush, we haue done so, but that helpyth not the mater:
    The bysshope of Norwych for that cawse doth hym flater.
    965USURPYD POWER. Styke thow to yt fast, we have onys admytted the.
    SEDYSYON. I wyll not one jote from my admyssyon fle:
    The best of them all shall know that I am he.
    Naye, in suche maters lett men be ware of me.
    USURPYD POWER. The monkes of Canterbery ded more at my request
    970Than they wold at his concernyng that eleccyon.
    They chase Sedycyon, as yt is now manyfest,
    In spytt of his harte: than he for ther rebellyon
    Exyled them all, and toke ther hole possessyon
    In to his owne hands, them sendyng over see
    975Ther lyvyngs to seke in extreme poverte.
    This custum also he hath, as it is tolde me:
    Whan prelates depart, yea bysshope, abbott, or curate,
    He entreth theyr lands with owt my lyberte,
    Takyng the profyghts tyll the nexte be consecrate,
    980Instytute, stallyd, inducte, or intronyzate,
    And of the pyed monkes he entendeth to take a dyme.
    All wyll be marryd yf I loke not to yt in tyme.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Yt is takyn, ser: the some ys unresonnable,
    A nynne thowsand marke; to lyve they are not able.
    985His suggesteon was to subdew the Yrysh men.
    PRIVATE WELTH. Yea that same peple doth ease the Church, now and then.
    For that enterpryse they wold be lokyd uppon.
    USURPYD POWER. They gett no mony, but they shall have clene remyssion,
    For those Yrysh men are ever good to the Church:
    990Whan kynges dysobeye yt, than they begynne to worch.
    PRIVATE WELTH. And all that they do ys for indulgence and pardon.
    SEDYSYON. By the messe, and that is not worth a rottyn warden.
    USURPYD POWER. What care we for that? to them yt is venyson.
    PRIVATE WELTH. Than lett them haue yt, a Gods dere benyson.
    995USURPYD POWER. Now, how shall we do for this same wycked kyng?
    SEDYSYON. Suspend hym and curse hym, both with yowr word and wrytyng.
    Yf that wyll not holpe, than interdyght his lond
    With extreme cruellnes; and yf that wyll not stond,
    Cawse other prynces to revenge the Churchys wronge,
    1000Yt wyll profytte yow to sett them aworke amonge.
    For clene remyssyon one kyng wyll subdew a nother,
    Yea, the chyld sumtyme wyll sle both father and mother.
    USURPYD POWER. This cownsell ys good: I wyll now folow yt playne.
    Tary thow styll here tyll we returne agayne.
    1005Here go owt USURPID POWER and PRIVAT WELTH and SEDYCYON: USURPYD
    POWER shall drese for the POPE: PRIVAT WELTH for a CARDYNALL; and SEDYCYON for a MONKE. The CARDYNALL shall bryng in the crose, and STEVYN LAUNTON [the Monke] the booke, bell, and candell.
    DYSSYMULACYON. This Usurpid Power, whych now is gon from hence,
    For the Holy Church wyll make such ordynance,
    That all men shall be under his obedyens,
    1010Yea, kyngs wyll be glad to geve hym their alegyance,
    And than shall we pristes lyve here withowt dysturbans.
    As Godes owne vyker anon ye shall se hym sytt,
    His flocke to avaunse by his most polytyke wytt.
    He shall make prelates, both byshopp and cardynall,
    1015Doctours and prebendes with furdewhodes and syde gownes.
    He wyll also create the orders monastycall,
    Monkes, chanons, and fryers with graye coates and shaven crownes,
    And buylde them places to corrupt cyties and townes.
    The dead sayntes shall shewe both visyons and myracles;
    1020With ymages and rellyckes he shall wurke sterracles.
    He wyll make mattens, houres, masse and evensonge;
    To drowne the scriptures for doubte of heresye,
    He wyll sende pardons to save mennys sowles amonge,
    Latyne devocyons with the holye rosarye:
    1025He wyll apoynt fastynges, and plucke downe matrimonye;
    Holy water and bredde shall dryve awaye the devyll;
    Blessynges with blacke bedes wyll helpe in every evyll.
    Kynge Johan of Englande, bycause he hath rebelled
    Agaynst Holy Churche, usynge it wurse than a stable,
    1030To gyve up his crowne shall shortly be compelled,
    And the Albygeanes, lyke heretykes detestable,
    Shall be brent bycause agaynst our father they babble.
    Through Domynyckes preachynge an xviij thousande are slayne,
    To teache them how they shall Holye Churche disdayne.
    1035All this to performe he wyll cawse a generall cowncell
    Of all cristendom to the church of Laternense.
    His intent shall be for to supprese the gospell,
    Yet wyll he glose yt with a very good pretens
    To subdwe the Turkes by a cristen vyolens.
    1040Under this coloure he shall grownd ther many thynges,
    Whych wyll at the last be cristen mennys undoynges.
    The popys power shall be abowe the powers all,
    And care confessyon a matere nessessary;
    Ceremonys wyll be the ryghtes ecclesyastycall:
    1045He shall sett up there both pardowns and purgatory.
    The gospell prechyng wyll be an heresy.
    Be this provyssyon, and be soch other kyndes,
    We shall be full suere allwaye to have owr myndes.
    [Enter] THE POPE.
    1050THE POPE. Ah, ye are a blabbe; I perseyve ye wyll tell all:
    I lefte ye not here to be so lyberall.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Mea culpa, mea culpa, gravissima mea culpa.
    Geve me yowr blyssyng pro Deo et sancta Maria.
    Knele and knoke on the bryst.
    1055THE POPE. Thow hast my blyssyng. Aryse now, and stond a syde.
    DYSSYMULACYON. My skyn ys so thyke, yt wyll not throw glyde.
    THE POPE. Late us goo abowght owr other materes now.
    [Enter SEDWYSON, PRIVATE WELTH]
    Say this all thre. We wayte her upon the greate holynes of yow.
    1060THE POPE. For as moch as kyng Johan doth Holy Church so handle,
    Here I do curse hym wyth crosse, boke, bell and candle.
    Lyke as this same roode turneth now from me his face,
    So God I requyre to sequester hym of his grace.
    As this boke doth speare by my worke mannuall,
    1065I wyll God to close uppe from hym his benefyttes all.
    As this burnyng flame goth from this candle in syght,
    I wyll God to put hym from his eternall lyght.
    I take hym from Crist, and after the sownd of this bell,
    Both body and sowle I geve hym to the devyll of hell.
    1070I take from hym baptym, with the other sacramentes
    And sufferages of the churche, bothe amber dayes and lentes.
    Here I take from hym bothe penonce and confessyon,
    Masse of the v wondes, with sensyng and processyon.
    Here I take from hym holy water and holy brede,
    1075And never wyll them to stande hym in any sted.
    This thyng to publyshe I constytute yow thre,
    Gevyng yow my power and my full autoryte.
    Say this all thre. With the grace of God we shall performe yt than.
    THE POPE. Than gett yow foreward so fast as ever ye can
    1080Uppon a bone vyage: yet late us syng meryly.
    SEDYSYON. Than begyne the song, and we shall folow gladly.
    Here they shall syng.
    THE POPE. To colour this thyng [To PRIVATE WELTH] thow shalte be callyd Pandulphus,
    [To SEDWSYON] Thow Stevyn Langton, [To DYSSYMULACYON] thy name shall be Raymundus.
    1085Fyrst thou Pandolphus shall opynly hym suspend
    With boke, bell, and candle: yff he wyll not so amend,
    Interdycte his lande, and the churches all up speare.
    PRIVATE WELTH. I have my massage; to do yt I wyll not feare.
    Here go owt and drese for NOBYLYTE.
    1090THE POPE. And thow, Stevyn Langton, cummand the bysshoppes all
    So many to curse as are to hym benefycyall,
    Dwkes, erles and lords, wherby they may forsake hym.
    SEDWSYON. Sur, I wyll do yt, and that I trow shall shake hym.
    THE POPE. Raymundus, go thow forth to the crysten princes all:
    1095Byd them in my name that they uppon hym fall
    Bothe with fyre and sword, that the Churche may hym conquarre.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Yowr plesur I wyll no longar tyme defarre.
    THE POPE. Saye this to them also: Pope Innocent the thred
    Remyssyon of synnes to so many men hath granted,
    1100As wyll do ther best to slee hym yf they may.
    DYSSYMULACYON. Sur, yt shall be don with owt ony lenger delay.
    THE POPE. In the meane season I shall soch gere avaunce,
    As wyll be to us a perpetuall furderaunce.
    Fyrst eare confessyon, than pardons, than purgatory,
    1105Sayntes worchyppyng than, than sekyng of ymagery,
    Than Laten servyce, with the cerymonyes many,
    Wherby owr bysshoppes and abbottes shall gett mony.
    I wyll make a law to burne all herytykes,
    And kyngs to depose whan they are sysmatykes.
    1110I wyll all so reyse up the fower beggyng orders,
    That they may preche lyes in all the cristen borders.
    For this and other I wyll call a generall cownsell
    To ratyfye them in lyke strength with the gospell.
    [Enter] THE INTERPRETOUR.
    1115THE INTERPRETOUR. In thys present acte we have to yow declared,
    As in a myrrour, the begynnynge of Kynge Johan,
    How he was of God a magistrate appoynted
    To the governaunce of thys same noble regyon,
    To see mayntayned the true faythe and relygyon;
    1120But Satan the Devyll, whych that tyme was at large,
    Had so great a swaye that he coulde it not discharge.
    Upon a good zele he attempted very farre
    For welthe of thys realme to provyde reformacyon
    1125In the Churche therof, but they ded hym debarre
    Of that good purpose; for by excommunycacyon
    The space of vij yeares they interdyct thy nacyon.
    These bloudsuppers thus of crueltie and spyght
    Subdued thys good kynge for executynge ryght.
    1130
    In the second acte thys wyll apeare more playne,
    Wherin Pandulphus shall hym excommunycate
    Within thys hys lande, and depose hym from hys reigne.
    All other princes they shall move hym to hate.
    1135And to persecute after most cruell rate.
    They wyll hym poyson in their malygnyte,
    And cause yll report of hym alwayes to be.
    This noble Kynge Johan, as a faythfull Moyses,
    1140Withstode proude Pharao for hys poore Israel,
    Myndynge to brynge yt owt of the lande of darkenesse,
    But the Egyptyanes did agaynst hym so rebell,
    That hys poore people ded styll in the desart dwell,
    Tyll that duke Josue, whych was our late Kynge Henrye,
    1145Clerely brought us in to the lande of mylke and honye.
    As a strong David, at the voyce of verytie,
    Great Golye, the pope, he strake downe with hys slynge,
    Restorynge agayne to a Christen lybertie
    1150Hys lande and people, lyke a most vyctoryouse Kynge;
    To hir first bewtye intendynge the Churche to brynge,
    From ceremonyes dead to the lyvynge wurde of the Lorde.
    Thys the seconde acte wyll plenteously recorde.
    FINIT ACTUS PRIMUS.
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