24 REINHOLD PAULI, 



What wikkyd dewlish bestes are they, that may see, how Godd 

 made all thynges by bis wisdome, and if Godd hadd foresene and thought 

 it more Avisdome to have gevyn bis speciall giftes of fynes and goodness 

 of staple wolle to any moo places of tbe ertb in England, tban to tbos, 

 to whicb he at tbe first begynnyng ordenyd and made, be mygbt as well 

 have made all tbe ertb in England to yeld staple wolle as tbos certayn 

 places, whych be ordenyd. What wretchis are tbos, that for ther own 

 syngler weale werkith ageynst Goddes wille and ordinaunee to distroy tbe 

 comon weale of tbe boll reame. All trew Cristen peple may feitbfully 

 beleve by ther wisdom to stryef ageynst Goddes wisdome by ther werkes 

 to ete ther mete in distroyng Goddes werkes, tban to werke to receyve 

 any thyng in tbis world otherwise, tban Godd bath ordenyd and yerly 

 gyveth it owt of hevyn. Wbo jugith in bymself to doo that thyng, that 

 is contrary to Godd, is syne withowt faith, not worthy to receyve at tbe 

 fest of pasch tbe body of Crist. 



Many folish erronyous opynyons and arguments hathe bene and is 

 emonges wikkyd peple, Some saith: so moch wolle in England hathe 

 bene more tban nede, that for tbe comon weale is said, it hathe bene 

 buruyd. Staplers now a daies to show ther myschief to be profitable to 

 tbe reame saith: if they caried not so moche wolle owt of tbe reame, 

 elles it shuld be lost not able to drape it. They say also : that Spanysh 

 wolle is so encresid to fynes goodness and so great plenty, that withowt 

 they bolp to seil our English wolle , elles non other reame shuld have 

 nede to bye it in England. And further they say and hold an opynyon, 

 that by carieng certayn shepe owt of England into Spayn by kyng Ed- 

 wardes dayes , that by tbe bodyes of tbe shepe then robbid England of 

 our speciall gift of fynes and goodnes of our staple wolle. With such 

 vayn void resons they fiU mens wittes. But tbe trouth is to see, how 

 Godd gaff that speciall gift of fynes of goode wolle in tbe erthe, before 

 sonne moone and sters and before man was made, whicb gift comyth of 

 Godd from above man. Tbis is over mens wisdome and power of tbis 

 worlde to robbe England of that gift God tbe gever and all bis ordinary 

 mynesters of tbe gift in hevyn is evyn like now as ever bath ben in 



