Britanniæ," where inueieng against the rulers of the Britains in his
time, he writeth thus: "Britaine hath kings, but the same be tyrants;
iudges it hath, but they be wicked, oftentimes péeling and harming the
innocent people, reuenging and defending, but whom? such as be guiltie
persons and robbers; hauing manie wiues, but yet breaking wedlocke;
oftentimes swearing, and yet forswearing themselues; vowing, and for
the more part lieng; warring, but mainteining ciuill & vniust warres;
pursuing indéed théeues that are abroad in the countrie, and yet not
onelie cherishing those that sit euen at table with them, but also
highlie rewarding them: giuing almesse largelie, but on the other part
heaping vp a mightie mount of sinnes; sitting in the seat of sentence,
but seldome séeking the rule of righteous iudgement; despising the
innocent and humble persons, and exalting so farre as in them lieth,
euen vp to the heauens, most bloudie and proud murtherers, théeues and
adulterers, yea the verie professed enimies of God; if he would so
permit: kéeping manie in prison, whome they oppresse, in loding them
with irons, through craft rather to serue their owne purpose, than for
anie gilt of the persons so imprisoned: taking solemne oths before
the altars, and shortlie after, despising the same altars as vile and
filthie stones.

"Of this hainous and wicked offense Constantine the tyrannicall whelpe
of the lionesse of Deuonshire is not ignorant, who this yeare, after
the receiuing of his dreadfull oth, whereby he bound himselfe that in
no wise he should hurt his subjects (God first, and then his oth,
with the companie of saints, and his mother being there present)
did notwithstanding in the reuerent laps of the two mothers, as the
church, and their carnall mother, vnder the coule of the holie abbat,
deuoure with sword and speare in stead of téeth, the tender sides,
yea and the entrailes of two children of noble and kinglie race, and