A Supplication for the Beggars by Simon Fish
QR code
"A Supplication for the Beggars" by Simon Fish is an early Protestant pamphlet written in the spring of 1529. This text falls into the category of political and religious commentary, reflecting the social and ecclesiastical pressures of its time. It critiques the wealth and power of the clergy in England, particularly targeting their practices of extortion and immoral behavior, while calling for reform and accountability in the church. In this bold treatise,
Fish presents a fervent appeal to King Henry VIII, lamenting the plight of the poor and the burden placed upon them by the corrupt clergy, who he describes as "strong puissaunt and counterfeit holy, and ydell beggers." He argues that the excessive wealth gained through tithes, funerary fees, and other coercive means not only impoverishes the common people but also undermines the king’s authority and the overall well-being of the realm. Fish contends that these exploitative practices lead to societal decay, advocating for a system where the clergy should earn their living through honest work instead of begging and exploiting the vulnerable. The text is a passionate call for change, reflecting the growing tensions during the Reformation era as calls for accountability against ecclesiastical authority intensified. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
Kobo, Nook etc → Transfer via USB
Phone, tablet or computer → Open in a reading app
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | Fish, Simon, -1531 |
|---|---|
| Editor | Arber, Edward, 1836-1912 |
| Title | A Supplication for the Beggars |
| Credits |
Produced by Meredith Bach and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries.) |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 65.9 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PR: Language and Literatures: English literature |
| Subject | Monasticism and religious orders -- England |
| Subject | Friars |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 32464 |
| Release Date | May 21, 2010 |
| Last Update | Jan 6, 2021 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 514 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!