Phillip Stubbes's Anatomy of the abuses in England in Shakspere's youth, A.D. 1583 / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

  • Stubbs, Philip, active 1581-1593.
Date:
1877-1882
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Phillip Stubbes's Anatomy of the abuses in England in Shakspere's youth, A.D. 1583 / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    How can he be a good Shepherd who should give his l.ife for his Sheep, when he’ll leave cm for trifles like Garments? t' Sig. P 5, back] If these Garments are orderd by a Christian Prince, no good Christian should be offended by cm. * Sig. P 6] The Papists say that White signifies Holiness; 114 II. 2. Surplices may be worn if the Prince bids. their flieepe, if neede required, than to runne from them, leaning them to the bloodie teeth of the mercilefle wolues. Is hee a good fhep- heard that watcheth dailie vppon his flocke, or hee that runnes from them for euerie light trifle? I thinke we would count him a verie negligent fliepheard. And fhall wee thinke him a diligent, or a good paftor, and one that would giue his life for his flieepe, as a good paftor fliould doe, that for fuch trifles wil eftrang himfelfe from his flocke for euer? Therefore I befeech God to giue them grace to looke to their charges, and to let other trifles alone, being no part of our faluation or damnation. Theod. But they faie they refufe the wea^ring of thefe garments, becaufe they are offenfiue to the godlie, a fcandall to the weake brethren, a hinderaunce to manie in comming to the Gofpel, & an induration to the papifts hardning their hearts, in hope that their trum- perie will once come in again, to their Angular comfort. Amphil. It is an old faying. Better a bad excufe, than none at all. And truly it feemeth they are driuen to the wall, and fore graueled, that will flie to thefe Ample fliifts. But whatfoeuer they fay or aftirme, certain it is, that oflenAue to the godly they cannot be, who haue already learned to diftinguifh betwixt the things abufed, and the abufes themfelues. And who know alfo how to vie things mere indifferent, to good ends and purpofes. And therfore this queftion thus I fhut vp in few words, that the wearing of thefe garmentes beeing commaunded by a Chriftian Prince, is not offenAue, or fcan- dalous to anie good Chriftians j and to the other, it matteretli not what it be. For they are fuch as the Lorde hath caft off into a reprobate fence, and preiudicate opinion, abuAng all things, euen the truth it felfe, to their owne deftruftion for euer, excepte they repent, which I praye God they maye doe, if it bee his blefled will. 2 Theod. I pray you why doe they weare white in their furpleffes, rather than any other colour ? and why a forked cappe rather than a rounde one ? for the Papiftes (if they were the authors of thefe gar- mentes) haue their mifteries, their figures, & their reprefentations in all things. Wherfore I defire to know your iudgment herein. Amphil. You fay the truth, for the Papiftes haue their mifteries in all thinges after their maner. Therfore thus they fay, that white doth fignify holines, innocency, & al kind of integrity, putting them in