27. When Rogers ruefully was brent; To what does this refer? Who were Rogers, Saunders, Farrer and Hooper ? 28. Your sheep that were wont to be so meek and tame, and so small eaters, now, as I hear say, be become so great devourers and so wild, that they eat up, and swallow down the very men themselves. They consume, destroy and devour whole fields, houses and cities. For look, in what parts of the realm doth grow the finest and therefore dearest wool, there noblemen and gentlemen, yea and certain abbots, holy men no doubt, not contenting themselves with the yearly revenues and profits, that were wont to grow to their forefathers and predecessors of their lands, nor being content that they live in rest in pleasure nothing profiting, yea much noying the weal public: leave no ground for tillage; they enclose all into pastures; they throw down houses; they pluck down towns and leave nothing standing but only the church, to be made a sheephouse. And as though you lost no small quantity of ground by forests, chases, lawns, and parks, these good holy men turn all dwelling-places and all glebe land into desolation and wilderness. Therefore that one covetous and insatiable cormorant and very plague of his native country may compass about and enclose many thousands of acres of ground together, with one pale or hedge; the husbandmen be thrust out of their own; or else either by coveyn and fraud, or by violent oppression they be put besides it, or by wrongs and injuries they be so wearied that they be compelled to sell all; by one means therefore or by other, either by hook or crook they must needs. depart away, poor, silly, wretched souls, men, women, husbands, wives, fatherless children, widows, woeful mothers with their young babes, and their whole household small in substance and much in number, as husbandry requireth many hands. Away they trudge, I say, out of their known and accustomed houses, finding no place to rest in; all their accustomed stuff, which is very little worth-though it might well abide the saleyet being suddenly thrust out, they be constrained to sell it for a thing of nought. And when they have wandered about till that be spent, what can they then else do but steal, and then justly, pardy, be hanged or else go about a-begging. And yet then also they be cast in prison as vagabonds, not because they go about and work not; whom no man will set a-work, though they never so willingly proffer themselves thereto. For one shepherd or herdman is enough to eat up that ground with cattle, to the occupying whereof about husbandry many hands were requisite. And this is also the cause why victuals be now in many places dearer. Yea, besides this the price of wool is so risen that poor folks, which were wont to work it and make cloth thereof, be now able to buy none at all. Examine carefully this extract from More's Utopia and give a short summary of the results of the increase of sheep runs. Why did the sheep runs increase? 29. A. There never was anything pleased me better, than seeing the enemy flying with a southerly wind to the northwards. With the grace of God, if we live, I doubt not, ere it be long, so to handle the matter with the Duke of Sidonia as he shall wish himself amongst his orange trees. B. Sir, I will not trouble you with any long letter; we are at this present otherwise occupied than with writing. Upon Friday at Plymouth, I received intelligence that there were a great number of ships descried off the Lizard; whereupon, although the wind was very scant, we first warped out of the harbour that night, and upon Saturday turned out very hardly, the wind being at South-west; and about three of the clock in the afternoon, descried the Spanish fleet, and did what we could to work for the wind, which by this morning we had recovered, descrying their fleet to consist of 120 sail, whereof there are four galleasses and many ships of great burden. At nine of the clock we gave them fight, which continued until one. In this fight we made some of them bear room to stop their leaks; notwithstanding we durst not adventure to put in among them, their fleet being so strong. But there shall be nothing either neglected or unhazarded, that may work their overthrow. C. Sir, for the love of God and our country, let us have with some speed some great shot sent us of all bigness; and some powder with it. D. God has given us so good a day in forcing the enemy so far to the leeward as I hope in God the Prince of Parma and the duke of Sidonia shall not shake hands this few days; and whensoever they shall meet, I believe neither of them will greatly rejoice of this day's service. There must be great care taken to send us munition and victual whithersoever the enemy goeth. (1) Give as accurately as possible, the dates of these extracts from letters, suggest writers and places of writing. (2) What interesting facts do these extracts bring out concerning the events under discussion? 30. And in the meantime all endeavours possible were used to hinder the work of God in Ireland, and the progress of the work of God in Scotland; by continual intelligences and correspondences, both at home and abroad, from hence into Ireland, and from hence into Scotland. Persons were stirred up from our divisions and discomposure of affairs, to do all they could to ferment the war in both these places. To add yet to our misery, whilst we were in this condition, we were in a foreign war. Deeply engaged in war with the Portuguese; whereby our trade ceased. And not only this, but we had a war with Holland; consuming our treasure, occasioning a vast burden upon the people. And at the same time also we were in a war with France. The advantages that were taken of the discontents and divisions among ourselves did also ferment that war, and at least hinder us of an honourable peace; every man being confident we could not hold out long. (1) Concerning what period was this spoken? (2) Can you account for England being at war with so many nations at once? (3) What can you learn about the speaker? 31. A. Please it your lordship to be advertised, that we have been at St Edmund's Bury, where we found a rich shrine which was very cumbersome to deface. We have taken in the said monastery in gold and silver 5,000 marks and above, over and besides a well and rich cross with emeralds, as also divers and sundry stones of great value; and yet we have left the church, abbot and convent very well furnished with plate of silver necessary for the same. And forasmuch as we be credibly informed that there died of late two monks at Ely-whether they died of the sickness or no, we know not as yet-and there hath been great death in the town, notwithstanding we intend to make further search therein, so that if we find not the matter too much dangerous, we will proceed, and else not until your pleasure be known therein. And this present day we depart from Bury towards Ely and we assure your lordship the abbot and convent be very well contented with everything we have done there, as knoweth God, who preserve your lordship. B. Right honourable Sir, I humbly recommend me to your mastership with my daily prayer for your goodness showed to me, beseeching you in the way of charity of your good |