Furthermore, they carie out so much English wooll,Lincolne a great enimi [...] to stranger [...] tinne, and lead, that Englishmen who aduenture outward can haue no liuing: which things (said Lin|colne) hath béene shewed to the councell, and cannot be heard. And further (said he) the strangers com|passe the citie round about, in Southwarke, in Westminster, Temple barre, Holborne, saint Mar|tins, saint Iohns street, Algate, Tower hill, and saint Katharins, and forestall the market, so that no good thing for them commeth to the market: which is the cause that Englishmen want and starue, & they liue aboundantlie in great pleasure. Wherfore (said Lin|colne) maister doctor, sith you were borne in London, and see the oppression of the strangers, and the great miserie of your owne natiue countrie, exhort all the citizens to ioine in one against these strangers, ra|ueners, and destroiers of your countrie. Maister doctor hearing this, said he much lamented the case, if it were as Lincolne had declared.
Yes said Lincolne, that it is, and much more. For the Dutchmen bring ouer iron, timber, leather,Lincolne p [...]|secuteth his information [...] gréeuances by specialties. and weinscot readie wrought; also nailes, locks, baskets, cupboords, stooles, tables, chests, girdles, with points, saddles & painted clothes, so that if it were wrought héere, Englishmen might haue some worke and li|uing by it. And besides this, they grow into such a multitude, that it is to be looked vpon: for I saw on a EEBO page image 841 sundaie this Lent, six hundred strangers shooting at the popingaie with crosbowes, and they keepe such as|semblies and fraternities togither, and make such a gathering to their common box, that euerie votcher will hold plée with the citie of London. Well said the doctor, I will doo for a reformation of this matter as much as a préest maie do, and so receiued Lincolns [...]ill, and studied for his purpose. Then Lincolne verie ioious of his enterprise, went from man to man, saieng that shortlie they should heare news, and dai|lie excited yoong people and artificers to beare ma|lice to the strangers. When Easter came, and doctor Bele should preach the tuesdaie in Easter wéeke, he came into the pulpit, and there declared, that to him was brought a pitifull bill, and read it in this wise.
20.1. The tenor of the bill of complaint which doctor Bele read in open audi|ence at the Spitle.
The tenor of the bill of complaint which doctor Bele read in open audi|ence at the Spitle.
_TO all you the worshipfull lords & maisters of this citie, [...] Hall in Hen. 8. fol. 60. that will take compassion ouer the poore people your neighbours, and also of the great importable hurts, losses, and hinderances, whereof proceedeth the ex|treame pouertie to all the kings subiects, that inhabit within this citie and suburbs of the same. For so it is, that the aliens & strangers eat the bread from the father|lesse children, and take the liuing from all the artificers, and the intercourse from all merchants, whereby pouertie is so much increased, that euerie man bewaileth the miserie of other; for craftsmen be brought to beggerie, and merchants to needinesse. Wherfore the premisses considered, the re|dresse must be of the commons, knit and v|nited to one part. And as the hurt and da|mage greeueth all men, so must all men set to their willing power for remedie, & not to suffer the said aliens so highlie in their wealth; & the naturall borne men of this region to come to confusion. ¶ Of this letter was more, but the doctor read no further.