DREI VOLKSWIRTHSCHAFTL. DENKSCHRIFTEN A. D. ZEIT HEINRICHS VIII. 25 



like force and efFect. In exemplum to see in England, wherin oon ayie 

 heyt and temperaunce, is the shepe fedyng on the erthe, wher is a fyne 

 leyre of staple woll; Avithin a myle or two is a corse leyre of heyry 

 wolle ; to shere of the wolle of the shepe of bothe leyr and chaunge the 

 shepe, puttyng either sort of the shepe on othe-rs leyre. Ther next flesh 

 of ther wolle shall grow after the gift of the leyr. So as the removyng 

 of the shepe removith no part of Goddes gift gevyn into the erthe. 

 Ko, nor if the very erbe, wherby the shepe receyve ther fedyng, shuld be 

 paryd up by the rotes and channged either to the others leyre, the erbe 

 is no mater, wherby to remove Goddes speciall gift öf fynes and good- 

 nes of Avolle in the erthe. So as all speciall gift of riche comodites, 

 that Godd first gaff into the erth in every reanie to oon reame, that 

 another hath not , to the entent , that every reame shuld be able to liff 

 of Goddes gift, oon to be help to another to be an occasion oon to live 

 by another. All such gifts Godd by his spirit in the first day of ever- 

 lastyng light gaff theym into the erthe , before makyng lights of this 

 world sonne moone and sters, in as moche as it is to see, how they are 

 but the mynesters of thos gifts. Like as Godd ordenyd all men to werke 

 the meate, that the sone of man shall gyve us , whom Godd the father 

 hath sealid, so is the sonne the greate brode seale of Goddes rightwis- 

 nes, wherby Godd by the sonne in his office contynually and dayly ledethe 

 all erthly bodyes to werke , goyng from the este to the west, and in his 

 other office from the south to all and to every reame region and coun- 

 trey , his gift every yere, which Godd in the first begynnyng gaff into 

 erthe. Which gyft is over and above mans compas by no maus power 

 nor wisdome oon reame to robbe another of all suche giftes, as Godd 

 by the office of sone of man gevyth to all men. 



In exemplum elles every reame hadd robbid another or this day: 

 England havyng the fynest woll, if it had wolle oyles, that Godd hath 

 gevyn to Spayn and other contreys, than wole England sette nought be 

 Spayn. It is to see, how every reame hath serchid to robbe oon another. 

 England hath geten owt of Spayn and other contreys the roth and fruyts 

 of olives figges almonds dates and orynges and such other thyngs and 

 Histor.-philolog. Classe. XXIII. 7. D 



