Page:Landholding in England.djvu/79

 Word, "calling it new learning and heretical doctrine. Therefore is the wrath of the Lord kindled. And now you cry that you are robbed and spoiled of all you have. Then quench the indignation of God, embrace His Holy Word as set forth by the King's Majesty's gracious proceedings." And if you keep "this great swelling in your heart," there is more "stiff-necked stubbornness, devilish disobedience, and greedy covetousness" in one of you, "than in ten of the worst of them that being in office and authority have many occasions to open and shew themselves what they be. They do it not of themselves, but moved and stirred by God, to work his wrath upon you." It does not seem to occur to him that the poor dispossessed people, when they rise, are perhaps "moved and stirred" by God, to work His wrath on the rich robbers. He returns to "leasemongers." He has heard of a gentleman near London who used to let his ground by lease to poor honest men, at 2s. 4d. an acre. "Then cometh a leasemonger, a thief, and extortioner, deceiving the tenants, buyeth their leases, turns them out, and makes them that have it back from him pay 9s., or as I heard, 19s., but I am ashamed to name so much."

One passage in his sermon is true for all time.

"Nothing can make a realm wealthy, if the inhabitants thereof be covetous: for if lands and goods could have made a realm happy notwithstanding men's covetousness, then should not this realm so unhappily have decayed, when as by the suppression of Abbeys, Colleges and Chantries, innumerable lands and goods were gotten."

My third witness is Bishop Latimer. He preached before Edward VI. on 8th March 1549, upon the duties of a king, with a special view to the fact that England now had a king of the reformed faith. God, he says, will not allow a king "too much." Nor will He allow a subject too much. "You landlords, you rent-raisers, I may say you steplords, you unnatural lords, you have already too much." For that which heretofore "went for £20 or £40 by the year (which is an honest portion to be had gratis in one Lordship of another man's sweat and labour), now it is let for £50 or £100 by year," so unreasonably are things enhanced. "And I think verily, that if it thus continue, we shall at length be constrained to pay for a pig