Of Misrules Contending/With Gods Worde By Name Poem by William Kethe

Of Misrules Contending/With Gods Worde By Name



Of misrules contending/with gods worde by name,
And then/of ones Iudgment/that heard of the same.
I heare saie, that some saye, ther chaunsed of late
Betwene one mad misrule, & goddes word great hate
The cause of there out fall (as some saye) is this
By here saye, I harde it, now marke what it is
This misrule, was moued, and madde in his mynde
That goddes worde with great men, such grace shuld still finde
Wherby as an out caste he myght be reiecte
Thys some say, and here saye, to be the effecte.
But douting where all things, whyche some saye were ryght
Sith some saye, by here saye, a lye spred be myght
I sought, and harde some saye, they did it beholde
By whose wordes of credit, my doutes were resolued
But now to my purpose, agayne for to come
This misrule, through madnes, at last frynds had some
Of whome he gat comforte, as it maye well seme
His boldnes well wayed, who would not so deme.
And beyng in fauor, at laste well was he
That could vnto mysrule, from good order flee
Who lost not ther labor, as some saye for that
But were well estemed, and had, I harde what.
That gods worde muche lothing, could it not abyde
But stepped fourth boldly, and misrule defied
Wyshing from misrule, all men to refrayne
As from a thing noysome, to vile, and to vayne.
But misrule that hearyng, beganne for to starte
Lyke one that were vexed, and that to the harte
As it well aperethe, by his subtil shyft
Who so well can ponder, the truth of his dryft.
He knew well, he could not, goddes worde well withstond
To mete hym as men do, that fyght hand to hand
But sought his fetch farder, by couler to craue
And so vnder couler, goddes worde to depraue.
But now if in conscience, speake frely I maye
In mynde I digresse not, from that whyche some saye
If mysrule mayntayned be, and seke to ascend
In this casse I doute muche, but mark well the ende.
What regions to Ruyn, hath there not bene brought
Where misrule was chosen, and good rule vnsought
Weales publick full welthy, to nought brought it hath
For mysrule to myschiefe, must nedes be the path.
What caused gods wrath, all fleshe to distroye
Saue onely .viii. parsons, with olde father Noye
But for that this misrule, gods worde did deface
And moued that all men, misrule shuld imbrace.
In Sodom and Gomor, suche lyke stryffe began
Betwene this madde mysrule, and gods worde but than
Could god longe abide it? when he in his fume
With sulphire and brimston, mysrule dyd consume.
His owne Iewish people, as ofte as they ranne
A maddyng with mysrule, wyth plages God beganne
To lerne vs that mysrule, he alwayes did hate
And yet (alas) se you? how he plaith chek mate.
By misrule the subiectes, be so far past grace
Theyr heddes and their rulers, they know not in place
But lyke to beastes brutall, with vngodly strife
As rebelles resyst wyll, wyth losse of their lyfe
What law is so strayt made, they feare not to breake
What threat can suche tounges stoppe, they feare not to speake
What doctrine can dryue them to know what they be
What myschief may moue them, that onely they se.
What nede mo examples, then this our owne realme
To teach vs that mysrule, hath bene to extreame
In preasinge so proudly, to noble welfare
As some saye, so boldly, as it were Iack hare
And so, vnder couler, of spare, and beware
To taunt at gods prechers, as muche as they dare
Sayeng, such passe not, by here saye to go
And preach in ther pulpittes, that thus some saye so.
Of some saye, and here say, this well tell I canne
That here say, and some say, the truth now and than
Of such, as both some saye, and here saye, dysdayne
Bycause that both here saye, and some saye, so playne.
But be it, that some saye, by here say a misse
And saye not (through here say) the truth as it is
Doth it therfore folow, for that thinge fourth brought
That al thinges whyche some say, therfore shuld be nought.
If it be vnlawfull, by here say to wade
I meruell what Paull ment, to vse the same trade
Who speaking by here say, belyue did the same
Which purgeth (as some saye) the rest from all blame.
But gods worde of one thing, hath cause to reioyse
For that this sharpe taunting, is but mysrules voyce
Who beinge accepted, to muche thus I feare
Of ryght shuld leaue courtinge, and not remayne there.
But who shall stand douting, when our noble Kynge
Wyth his faythfull counsaill, perceaue shall the thinge
But that they wyll shortly, mysrule so represse
That glad shal the good be, to se suche redresse

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