William Roye's Dialogue between a cliiistian Father and Ins stubborn Sou. 40'i 



niercy aud love, and after liis owne folysshe fantasy to cloase 

 hym sylf'e in a corner, wheare as he can hiit seke hym sylfe, 

 and unfriitfully, serve a feawe slowe bellyes^ for the love that 

 he hath vnto ydelnes, and that with a vowe of commen dissi- 

 mulacion. Son. May nott a man vowe powerte? Fa. It is not 

 in oure power, other tobe ryche or povre, but it fortuneth 

 vnto every man after the will and blessynge of God almyghty. 

 But it is commaunded vnto all men to laboure with their hon- 

 des, that they might therbi have wherwithall to releve Kphe. v. 

 them that lacke, yett oure [fol. 11.'.] beliy bestes nowe ij. tess. üj. 

 adayes (whom men call, Monkes, frires, Chanons, Nonnes etc.) 

 promes that they never wyll have thynge in proper, and yet 

 in the meane whyle they devowre vp the bloud, and swett of 

 the wother povre people, manifestly ag-aynst thys commaundment 

 of Paul, from the whiche no man can be exempt, ij. tes. üj. 

 sainge, He that laboreth not, shall not eate. So. lawdest thou 

 these mennes vowes? and soche as take apon^ theim to lyve 

 chast, and never to mary. Fa. God forbidde that ij. tim. üij. 

 ever I shulde prayse that thynge whiche is founde and brought 

 vp by the devyll. So. why virginite no doute is an excellent 

 thinge, ye insomoche that Christ and also his glorious mother 

 saynct Mary kepte it vndefiled. Fa. It is with oute fayle a 

 thinge angelicall to live chaste, and after soche a maner to leade 

 a mannis lyfe, whearby he may more commodiusly withouten 

 lett geve attendaunce vnto the honour of God. As Paule for a 

 season did, no dout. But yf thou refrayne thy silfe from 

 wedlocke, as though thus doynge, thou shuldst suppose to 

 deserve somwhat therfore, as of duety, truely thou arte farre 

 out of the waye. ye thou temptest God, as though he hade not 

 taught US goode workes ynowe. For through oute the whole 

 bibill we fynde no [fol. 12*.] commaundment of virginite that 

 ever God gave. Contrary wyse as sone as he hadd made the 

 worlde, he ordened matrimony sayinge, It is nott goode that 

 man shulde be alone. Agayne let nott the woman be Genn.ij. 

 seperated from her husband etc. So. Aman lyveth moche more 

 (piyetly out of matrimony, then he cando there in. Fa. ye but 

 no man ought to seke his particular well und proffyt, but that 



* upon. 



