motes in the eyes of the clergy take heed to the great beams that be in your own eyes. But, alas! I fear lest you have no eyes at all. For as hypocrisy and superstitions do blear the eyes: so covetousness and ambition do put the eyes clean out. For if ye were not stark blind ye would see and be ashamed that where fifty tun-bellied monks given to gluttony filled their paunches, kept up their house, and relieved the whole country round about them, there one of your greedy guts devouring the whole house and making great pillage throughout the country, cannot be satisfied. The King is disappointed that both the poor be despoiled, all maintenance of learning decayed, and you only enriched."
He then charges them with direct robbery of the University of Cambridge. There used to be 200 students of divinity in houses belonging to the university—"now all clean gone, house and man, young toward scholars, and old fatherly doctors, not one of them left." Then the many grammar schools in the country, "founded of a godly intent to bring up poor men's sons in learning and virtue, now taken away by the greedy covetousness of you that were put in trust by God and the King. Look into the Acts of Parliament—there ye shall find that the Nobles and Commons give, and the King takes the Abbeys, Colleges, and Chantries for erecting of Grammar Schools. But what is found in your practice ? Surely the pulling down of Grammar Schools, the devilish drowning of youth in ignorance, the utter decay of the Universities, and most uncharitable spoil of provision that was made for the poor." Moreover, the laity take the best lands, and leave only "evil impropriations" to the clergy.
Then, perhaps remembering the many risings, he seems to fear he has gone too far, so he tells them "that be of the commonalty" that when they feel that those in authority are plaguing them, they are to know that they do it not of themselves, " but be moved and stirred of God, to work his wrath upon them." For their sins, God has ordained "that England should be spoiled with greedy covetous officers." What spoiled England? This covetousness. What made them covetous? The indignation of God. What kindled God's indignation? The sins of the people. And what was the sin of the people? Blaspheming God's
