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

246 XXI. HUGH LATIMER.280 dutie, as God hath called them, and then we shoulde hauea florishyng christian commune-weale. And nowe I wouldaske a straung question. Who is the most diligent bishoppeand prelate in al England, that passeth al the reste in doingehis office ? I ca« tel, for I knowe him, who it is ; I knowe285 hym well. But nowe I thynke I se you lysting and hearkening,that I shoulde name him. There is one that passeth althe other, and is the most diligent prelate & precher in alEngland. And w[y]l ye knowe who it is ? I wyl tel you.It is the Deuyl. He is the moste dyligent preacher of al290 other, he is neuer out of his dioces, he is neuer from hiscure, ye shal neuer fynde hym vnoccupyed, he is euer in hisparishe, he keepeth residence at al tymes, ye shall neuerfynde hym out of the waye ;cal for him when you wyl, he iseuer at home, the diligenteste preacher in all the Realme ; he295 is euer at his ploughe, no lordynge nor loytringe can hynderhym ; he is euer appliynge his busynes, ye shal neuer fyndehym idle, I warraunte you. And his office is, to hinder religion,to mayntayne supersticion, to set vp Ido[l]atrie, to teacheal kynde of popetrie ; he is readye as can be wished for to300 sette forthe his ploughe, to deuise as manye wayes as canbe, to deface and obscure Godes glory. Where the Deuylis residente and hath his plough goinge : there awaye wythbokes, and vp w}'th candelles ; awaye wyth Bibles and vpvryih beades ; awaye wyth the lyg[h]te of the Gospel, & vp305 wyth the lyghte of cand[e]lles, yea, at noone-dayes. Where theDeuyll isresidente, that he maye preuaile, vp wyth al superstitionand Idolatrie, sensing, peintynge of ymages, candles,palmes, asshes, holye water, & newe seruice of me[n]nesinuenting, as though man could inuent a better waye to310 honoure God wyth then God him-selfe hath apointed.Do\\Tie wz't^ Christes crosse, vp with purgatory picke-purse,vp wyth hym, the popishe pourgatorie, I meane.Awaye wyth