Specimens of English literature from the 'Ploughmans crede' to the ...

XXI. SERMON ON ' THE PLOUGHERS.' 239was there any more vnmercifulnes in Nebo ? I thinke not. 60In tymes paste when any ryche man dyed in London, theywere v/onte to healp the pore scholers of the vniuersityewyth exhibition.When any man dyed, they woulde bequethgreate smnmes of money towarde the releue of the pore.When I was a scholer in Cambrydge my selfe, I harde verye 65good reporte of London, & knewe manie that had releueof the rytche men of London, but nowe Ican heare no suchgood reporte, and yet I inquyre of it, & herken for it, butnowe charitie is waxed colde, none helpeth the scholer noryet the pore. And in those dayes what dyd they whan 70they helped the scholers ? Mary, they maynteyned & gauethem liuynges that were verye papists and professed thepopes doctrine ; & nowe that the knowledge of Gods wordis brought to lyght, and many earnestelye studye and laboureto set it forth, now almost no man healpeth to mayn- 75London ! London ! repente, repente, forteyne them. Oh !I thynke God is more displeased wyth London then euer hewas with the citie of Nebo. Repente, therfore, repent, London,and remembre that the same God liueth nowe /hatpunyshed Nebo, eue/z the same god & none other, and 80he wyl punyshe synne as well nowe as he dyd then, andhe will punishe the iniquitie of London as well as he didthen of Nebo. Amende therfore ; and ye that be prelatesloke well to your office, for right prelatynge is busye labourynge& not lordyng. Therfore preache and teach and 85let your ploughe be doynge ;ye lordes, I saye, that Huelyke loyterers, loke well to your office ; the ploughe is youroffice & charge.If you lyue idle & loyter, you do not yourduetie, you folowe not youre vocation ;let your plough therforebe going & not cease, that the ground maye brynge 90foorth fruite.But nowe, me thynketh I heare one saye vntome, wotte you what you say ? Is it a worcke ? Is it a