folke may se those wordes of y â— solempne sermon by whyche they boste that myne answere vnto that chapyter of Tyndales chapiter is so goodly confuted The very formall wordes lo good reders of that sermoÌ„ for as farre as ê‘tayne to this mater after y â— copy that was delyuered me whyche copy I reserue and kepe for my declaracyoÌ„ therin be these wordes that here after folow Now yt foloweth in the epystle Voâ—â—â—â—arie enim genuit nos verbo veritatis This text may be expowned after thys maner He made vs by the â—routh of hys worde he made vs 〈◊〉 ye knowe of nothynge and he made vs as the chyefe and pryncypall of all his creatures For he gaue vnto vs wyt and reason the whyche he gaue vnto no creature â—ynynge in the erth but onely to vs. But to come more nere the mater we may say that god wyllyngly begate vs by the worde of his trouth and hath putte vs here in to thys worlde and here to be as the lord and ruler of al his creatures the which he made for our comforte and socoâ—re But yet we may go more nere you and say how that he hath begoten vs by the worde of hys trouthe Marke I pray you here howe that saint Iames sayth that god hath begoten vs thorough his worde of trouth â–ª Here yt appereâ—h that we be not trew of â—ure selfe for we are made trew by god â—â—orough his word And where as of our selfe we were no nother but â—yerâ— god of his 〈◊〉 goâ—dnes hath made vs â—y his worâ—e the chyâ—dâ—en â—f trouth and of 〈…〉 as befâ—re we were but 〈…〉 as worketh none otheâ— thyng 〈◊〉 euen the very dyspleasure of god Now god oâ— his mercyâ—ul goodnes by his hâ—ly worâ—e of trouth hath made vs hys chylâ—ren that is to saye the chyâ—dren of his trâ—â—uth euen as yt pâ—eased hym sayth â—ayâ—te Iames he hath begoten vs by the word of his trouth Marke how that he sayth euâ—n as it pleased him he begate vâ— If we were begoten and made as yt pâ—eased hym then was yt not done as yt pleased vs. And agayne and yâ— we were begoten by hym then could not we gyue hym none occaâ—yon to loâ—e vs. Fâ—r why we cam of hym not we of vs. â—eâ—e may yoâ— perceyâ—e alâ—o that this texte maketh agaynst theym that wyll saye the chyrche was before the gospell It is playne ynâ—uâ—h that thâ— chyrche 〈◊〉 not before the worde for saynt Iames sayth that god begate vs thorough thâ— word of his trouth If we were begoteÌ„ by the worde then nedes must the worde â—e beâ—ore we were goteâ—â— or elles howe 〈◊〉 we be begoten by the word and by 〈◊〉 â—â—rde he sayth we were begoten If god begaâ—e vs thorow the word we must nedes graunte that he that begate vs was before that we were begoten and he that begate vs begate vs by the worde then nedes muâ—â—e the worde be before that we were begoten Nowe then yf this worde were before we were begoten howe can we say that the chyrche was before thys worde If we meane by the chyrch the chyrch of â—yme stone then yt is playne ynough that the word was before any such chyrch was made For we fynde that yt was many a daye aâ—ter man was made or eueâ— there were any suche chyrches made If ye meane by the chyrche the vnyuersall chyrche of god the whych is the congregacyon of all chrysten peple If you mean this chyrche and saye howe this chyrche was before the worde then saint Iames maketh you an answere to that sayenge how that by the worde this chyrche was begoten Then nedes musâ—e we graunte that the worde of god was before any chyrche was ye but some wyll not be content wyth this answere but they wyll saye that the chyrche was before that this worde was wryten of any man and yt was admytted and alowed by the chyrch and so was the chyrche before his wordâ— ye but yet I wyll say to you agayne how that this word was writen before the chyrch was â—e and yt was not wryten by men but yt was wryten by god our sauyour afore the begynnynge of the worlde as wytnesse saynt Poule where he sayth to the Hebrewes Dâ—bo leges meas c. I wyl gene my laws â—ayth god into theyr hertes in theyr myndes shall I wryte yt Beholde how god gaue yt them at the begynnyng in theyr hertes and wryt yt in theyr myndes and they exercyses his lawe wryten in theyr heâ—tes in deâ—e and 〈◊〉 effecte Thus may ye â—e that at the begynnynge god wrote his lawes in theyr hertes and therfore muâ—â—e we nedes graunte that the wâ—rde of god was taught to them longe or euer the congregacyâ—n taught yt For you se that by the word we were begote therfore the worde must nedes be before we were begoten or elles how coulde the worde begete vs. Some peraduenture wyll say that the chyrche was before this worde was wryten in bokes of paper and paâ—chement and suche other thynges and that the chyrch dyd admit them to be rede of them which they thought necessary to loke on theym They wyll saye that the chyrche was before this was done ye but what thyng is this to the purpose or what shall we nede to stand arguynge of this mater It is playne ynough to all men that hath eyes to se â—ares to heare how the word of god was before any chyrâ—h was how the word of god was writen afore yt was wryten in any bokes or tabuls and therfore what shall we nede to dyspute thys mater But good lorde yf yt had not ben wryten by the euaÌ„gelyfies in those days how shold we do in these dayes the whiche brynge forth the scrypture for theym in dede and yet they wyll bere theym in hand that yt is no scrypture and yf yt had not ben wryten in bokes then Not wythstandyng ye may perceyue how the word was or euer the chyrche was the worde begate vs and not we the worde and also yt was wryten or euer the chyrche alowed yt to be wryten Now good readers to the entent ye maye the better perceyue for what purpose the bretherhed bosteth these wordes ye shall vnderstande that where as Luther fyrste and Tyndale after hym tell vs for a fundacyon of all they re abomynable heresyes that there is nothynge that ought to be taken for a sure and vndowted trouth of the chrysten bylyefe but yf it maye be proued by playne and euydent scrypture the kynges hyghnes in his most famouse boke of assercyon of the sacramentes layed agaynste Luther I out oâ— the same boke of my sayd souerayne lord â–ª toke and layed agaynste Tyndale and all such that the word of god is parte wryten in the scrypture and part vnwryten that appereth not proued therein as for ensample y â— perpetuall virgynyte of our lady other dyuerse poyntes whych were onely taught by Cryste to his apostles and by
worde then â—aint Iames maketh you an answere to that sayâ—nge how that by the worde this chyrche was begoten Then nedes muste we graunte that the worde of god wâ—s before any chyrche was Al this chyldesh reason ye wote well whyche Tyndale hath begoten hym and whyche he bryngeth out of Tyndales chapyter and fathereth yt vppon saynt Iames be yt neuer so quicke iÌ„ another mater is yet in this as touchyng them agaynst whome he preacheth yt clene quayled in the trauayle and vtterly borne dede whyle they agaynste whome he preacheth saye not precysely that the chyrch was before the gospell nor byfore goddes worde but onely saye that the chyrche was byfore the gospell and goddes word was put in wrytynge And that his reason is dede as I say yt is hym selfe that preached yt perceyueth and therfore he goth farther and draweth nerer to the mater and sayth ye but some wyll not be content wyth this answere but they wyll saye that the chyrche was before that this worde was wryten of any man and yt was admytred and alowed by the chyrch and so was the chyrche before his worde ye but yet I wyll say to you agayne how that this word was writen before the chyrch was yâ— and yt waâ— not wryten by men but yt was wryten by god our sauyour afore the begynnynge of the worlde aâ— wytnesse saynt Ponâ—e â–ª where he sayth to the Hebrewes Dabo leges meaâ— c. I wyl geuâ— my lawâ— sayth god into theyr hertes in theyr myndeâ—â—â—all I wryte yt Beholdâ— how god gaue yt them at the begynnyng in theyr herteâ— and wryt yt in theyr myndes and they exercyses his lawe wryten in theyr hertes in dede and in effecte Thus may ye se that at the begynnyngâ— god wrote his lawes in theyr hertes and therfore mâ—ste we nedes graunte that the worde of god was taught to them longe or euer the congregacyon taught yt For you se that by the word we were begoteÌ„ therfore the worde must nedes be before we were begoten or elles how coulde the worde begetâ— vâ— By these wordes good readers ye se that hym selfe perceyueth that all his other wordes were not wurth a ryshe bycause they came not nere y â— purpose nor any thyng towcheth them agaynst whom he precheth them And therfore seynge that Tyndale is by myne answere therin proued a fole he goth as ye se ferther than Tindale went But ther in the nerer he cometh to the poynte the more he proueth hym selfe to go the ferther froÌ„ reasoÌ„ For what reasoÌ„ hath he y â— in arguyng agaynst other sayth but the same y â— they say Now all that euer he sayth in these wordes saye we against whom he precheth theÌ„ And we not onely saye the thynges that he sayth nowe that is to wytte that goddys worde was ere euer it was wryten and that it was wryten in hartes ere euer it was wryten in bokes but these be also the thynges that we specially lay agaynst him whose sayd chapyter thys preacher wolde wyth these wordes defende For syth the gospell oâ— Cryste and the wordes of god that are now wryteÌ„ in bokes were all wryten in hartes byfore they were wryten in bokes and yet were at that time of the same strength and authoryte that they be now we saye to Luther and Tyndale all such oher heretikes that they say false in that they preche teche that meÌ„ are bouÌ„deÌ„ to byleue nothyng but if it be wryteÌ„ in bokes syth god is at his liberty to geue his word in to hys chyrch euen yet at thys daye by hys owne mouthe thorow thinspyracyon of hys holy spyryte sent therunto by hym selfe abydynge euer therin at y â— prechyng of the chyrch wryte it iÌ„ y â— hertes of y â— herers as well as surely as euer he gaue hys word to his chyrche by hys apostles and wrote it in the peoples hartes at theyr prechynge at suche tyme as it was yet vnwryten in any of thapostles bokes And ouer this we tell them that the same chyrch by onely which chyrch they now know whyche bookes be those thaâ— haue the word of god in them that the apostles and euange tystes haue wryten the same chyrche I say doth tell them that the wordes of god which god wyll haue vs byleue be not all wryten in those bokes but some parte styll remayne onely writen in hartes as before the bookes wryten they dyd all to gyther And we tell them that Tyndale muste as well byleue the chyrche in tellynge hym whyche be those wordes of god y â— yet remayne vnwryten as he doth must byleue it in tellyng hym whyche be those bokes in whyche the wordes of god are wryteÌ„ And therfore good reders what thynges in thys worlde coulde thys precher haue deuysed worse to brynge forth agaynst me for Tyndals defence than those wyth whych as ye se Tyndale is most cleâ—ely confounded But nowe shall ye se that this precher perceyueth it wel inough hym selfe And therfore after that he hathe sette forth Tyndals reason dyssymuled myne answere that I haue made to it and so before hys audyence wrestled a whyle in the darke where for lacke of syghte of the mater they myghte se how he fell he waxed yet halfe wery therof at last and somwhat ashamed to leste he were peraduenture spyed fayne wolde he therfore haue shakeÌ„ of the mater rydde him self out honestly and therfore in conclusyon he cometh downe to thys Some peraduenture wyll say that the chyrche was before this worde was wryten in bokes of paper and parchement and suche other thynges and that the chyrch dyd admit them to be rede of them which they thought necessary to loke on theym They wyll saye that the chyrche waâ— before this was done â–ª ye but what thyng 〈◊〉 this to the purpose or what shall we nede â—o stand arguynge of this mater It is playne ynough to all men that hath eyes to se eares to heare how the word of god was before any chyrch was how the word of god was writen afore yt was wryten in any bokes or tabuls and therfore what shall we nede to dyspute thys mater But good forde yf yt had not ben wryten by the euaÌ„gelysles in those days how shold we do in these dayes the whiche brynge forth the scrypture for theym in dede and yet they wyll bere theym in hand that yt is no scrypture and yf yt had not ben wryten in bokes then Not wyth standyng ye may perceyue how the word was or euer the chyrche was the worde begate vs and not we the worde and also yt was wryten or euer the chyrche alowed yt to be wryten Here haue ye sene good readers after longe wrestelynge wyth me what shyft this precher maketh to shake y â— mater of For seynge that he can in no wyse defende Tyndalys reason he wold at laste fayne shake of the questyon And in dede the questyoÌ„ as Tyndale frameth
false complaynyng to haue coÌ„ceyâ—â—â—d thys opynyon that hys 〈◊〉 of dyuysyon sheweth y â— is to wit â–ª that y â— clergy thynke that 〈◊〉 man that speketh agaynst theyr mysseorder and abusyons loueth no prestes and that therfore they haue punyshed many men whyche god forbede were trew For yf yt were surely they that so punysshed any one man for that cause that is to wyt bycause theym selfe conceyue a false suspicyon agaynst hym yt were pytye that they lyued But I thynke in good fayth that the prelates wyll neuer desyre to lyue lenger then tyl this pacyfyer proue that same false tale trew The .xxxix. chapyter I Sayed before that I wolde towche of thys boke and so haue I towched hys fyrste chapyter hole bycause it hath for the fyrste settyng forth the chyefe countenaunce of myldenes and charyte And yet what charyte there is therin whan it is considered I suppose you se. For no parte is there of the clergy that can please hym neyther prelates nor meane seculare prestes nor relygyouse persons not so mych as any one man as you may playnely perceyue by other wordes of hys in other places of hys louing boke And yet among al these fautes I se hym fynde none with them y â— ruÌ„ne out in apostasye but all the fautes be assygned in them y â— abyde in theyr professyon styll Nor I 〈◊〉 not in hys boke any cause of hys dyuysyon to be founden in the sowynge and settynge forthe of these newe sprogen heresyes And yet do they make and nedys muste make wher so euer they come the greatest dyuysyon that can be fyrst in opynyons and contraryouse myndes and afterwarde in feruour of language and contencyouse wordes and fynally yf it go forth long in playne sedycioÌ„ manslaughter and open warre And this faute of these heresies he myght as well haue layed vnto y â— clergye as some of the tother that he so sore speketh of yf he take heresyes for any For lyke as noughty prestes and noughty relygyouse persons haue all waye bene they that do those other fautes whyche vnder the â—ygure of Some say thys 〈◊〉 layeth to yâ—â— charge of the spyrytualty so haue noughty prestes and noughty relygyouse folke beynge amonge the clergye as Iudas was amonge Crystes apostles bytrayed the fayth of Cryâ—te bygonne and sette forth these vngraciouse heresyes as tast as feruently for theyr part as nowghty laye â—olke â—or theyrs and both twayne fyrst corrupte some of theyr company at home and after ruÌ„ne 〈◊〉 in apostasye and putâ—e abrode theyr heresyes in wrytynge And some men saye 〈◊〉 some preâ—ates haue not done all theyr partes in the repressynge and dewe punysshement of them And yet as great fautes as these be and suche as all the tempoaâ—tye sholde be most greued wyth grudge at and therfore shold be moste cause of thys dyuysyon yf there be suche a dyuysyon and that euery defaute that is in any noughtye persons of the spyrytualty be a cause of all moste an vniuersall dyuysyon and grudge of the whole corps of the temporaltye agaynste the whole body of the spyrytualtye yet I saye for all thys the booke of thys pacyfyer layeth no pyece of thys faute vnto the spyrytualtye but rather fyndeth faute cause of grudge dyuysyoÌ„ in the spyrytualty for ouer sore handelynge of them that are heretykes in dede and laboreth to abasshe the ordinaries with obloquy and put them in drede wyth fere of infamy and falsely bereth them in hande that they haue punysshed many persoÌ„s for a wronge suspicyoÌ„ falsely coÌ„ceyued in theyr owne myndes agaynste those whome they punysshed And thus farre hath he gone in his fyrst chapyter In whiche maner all be it I truste in god the man ment hym selfe but well yet I fere me some wyly shrew hath somwhat set hym a wry in the temperyng oâ— hys wordes The .xl. chapyter ANd veryly all be it as I sayd before I purpose not to medle wyth euery parte of hys boke y â— I thynke were well done for hym to amende yet in hys seuenth chapyter hys eyghte which twayne create all of these maters of heresyes for the great weyghte of the mater I shall not forbere to shew you some dyfference and dyuersyte bytwene hys mynde and myne An other occasyon of the sayde dyuysyon hath ben by â—eason of dyuers futes that haue ben taken in the spyrituall courtes of offyce that is called in latyn ex officio so that the partyes haue not knoweÌ„ who hath accused theym and theruppon they haue somtyme ben caused to abiure in causes of beresyes somtyme to do penaunce or to pay great sommes of money for redemynge theâ—of whyche vexacyâ—â— changes the partes haue thought haue come to them by the â—udges and the offycers of the spirituall courte for they haue knowen â—oâ—e other accuâ—ers and that hath caused myche pâ—ople in 〈◊〉 parties of thys realme to thynke great malyce and parcyalyte in the spyrytuall iudges And yf a man be ex officio broughte before the ordynarye for hâ—resye yf he be notably suspected of heresye he muâ—â—e purge hym selfe after the will of the ordynarye or be accursed and that is by the lawe extrade heretiâ—is cap. Ad abâ—sendam And that is thought by many to be a very harde lawe for a man may be susspected and not gylâ—ye and so be dryuen to a purgacyon wythout profe or wythout offence in hym â—r be accursed I wyll in thys poynt of coÌ„uentynge ex officio no ferther speke at thys tyme than concernynge the cryme of heresy For I am in good fayth loth to medle wyth thys boke of hys at all For loth am I any thynge to medle agaynst any other mannys wrytynge that is a catholyke man sauynge that it semeth me veryly that be thys man neuer so good yet if his minde were folowed in thys mater it wold wurke thys realme great harme and no good For surely yf the conuentynge of heretyques ex officio were lefte and chauÌ„ged into an other order by whyche no man sholde be called be he neuer so sore suspected nor by neuer so many men detected but yf some man make hym selfe partye agaynste hym as hys accuser the stretys were lykely to swarme full of heretykes before that ryght fewe were accused or peradeÌ„â—ture any one eyther For what so euer the cause be it is not vnknowen I am sure that many wyll geue vnto a iudge secrete enformacioÌ„ of suche thynges as though they be trewe yet gladly he wyll not or ê‘aduenture dare not be openly a knowen that the mater came out by hym And yet shall he sometyme geue the namys of dyuerse other whyche beynge called by the iudge and examyned as wytnessys agaynste theyr wyllys bothe knowe wyll also depose the trouth and he that fyrste gaue enformacyon also and yet wyll neuer one of them wyllingly make hym selfe an open accuser of the party nor dare peraduenture for hys earys And thys fynde we not onely
but wythout arreste in coÌ„tempt of the censuris of holy chirch spred theyr heresies about fro shyre to shyre fro dyocise to dyocise wherof the realme fered as y â— statute expresseth that therof wold at length grow some great coÌ„mocyoÌ„ perell And therfore it was than prouided that at the request of thordinary y â— chauÌ„cellour shold fro tyme to tyme award out commyssyons to attache such heretykes and kepe them in strong pryson tyll they were iustyfyed ordered accordynge to the lawes of the chyrche And yet was it afterwarde well perceyued that this prouisyon could not suffyce For the heretykes wold comenly be gone before the coÌ„missyoÌ„ could come and do as mych hurt in an other place And therfore the parleameÌ„t in the second yere of kyng Henry the .iiii both beyng enformed by the clergy also by them selfe perceyuynge that those hereâ—â—kes encreaced styll wolde at leÌ„gth do some gret myschiefe but yâ— they were better repressed dyd among other good thynges prouyde that thordynaryes myghte arrest the heretykes imprysone them them selfe And yet was all that to lytell to For in some places y â— heretykes waxed to strong wolde not be arrested for them And therfore at last it cam to that poynt that men longe hadde loked for For those heresyes bygonne by wycleffe in the tyme of the noble prynce kynge Rychard the .ii beyng then by some folke mayntened by many men wynked at and almost by al folke for slouthed the parell was so longe neglected that y â— heretykes were growen vnto such nuÌ„ber corage and boldenes that afterwarde in the tyme of y â— said famouse prince kyng Henry the fyfth they coÌ„spyred amonge them not onely the abolycyoÌ„ of the fayth spoylyng of the spyrytualtye but also the destruccyon of the kyng all hys nobylyte wyth a playne subuersyon ouerturnyng of y â— state of hys hole realme Uppon whyche theyr false conspyracy dysclosed when they were by the policy of y â— noble prynce hys counsayle dysappoynted secretely preueÌ„ted the felde takeÌ„ vp before iÌ„ which they had enteÌ„ded to gather to gether by night froÌ„ thens to haue made theyr â—nuasyon than after dew punyshemeÌ„t done vpoÌ„ many of theÌ„ it was well ê‘ceyued what grete nede it was euer after to represse subdue suche sedycyouse heresies forthwith at y â— fyrst springyng And therfore was there by by therupon by the full perlyament not onely that law confermed whiche lawe this pacyfyer here speketh of in this chapyter â–ª but also mo made therunto as y â— they that were delyuered to y â— secular handes shold forfayt both goodes landes that the great officers of the realme shold be solempnely sworen to represse heretykes assyst y â— ordynaryes And therfore vndoutedly y â— good christen zele of the prynce the nobles the comons toward the mayntenauÌ„ce of the fayth theyr hygh wysedome in prouydynge for the conseruacyon of the peace rest suerty of the realme were the authours very doers in y â— making and passynge of that very vertuouse very prudent acte whyche acte that euer thys pacyfyer or a great many suche shall be able to â—nduce thys prudent parlyament to chaunge that wyll I se ere I byleue whyche I truste I neuer shal in this tyme namely in whiche though there be not the .xv. parte of so many heretykes as these y â— be wolde very fayne there were and whyle there be not yet wold haue theÌ„ seme to be yet are there of trouth many mo then there were within these few yeres past therby the cause for which the statute was made not onely staÌ„deth styll but is ouer y â— of late very gretely encreased so more nede to lette those lawes stande make mo such to theÌ„ besyde then by the asswagyng mytygacyon of any part of theÌ„ to brynge these heretykes into suche corage and surety as the goodly dyuyses of thys pacyfyer coulde not fayle yf they were folowed to bring them The .xlviii. chapyter WHich where as he vseth to y â— settyng forth of his purpose a surmised suspicyoÌ„ agaynst the spyrytualty makyng men byleue vnder his fygure of Some saye that the spyrytuall iudges mysse handle those maters vse them selfe therin cruelly I dare be bounde to warraunt that ryght good wytnesse worshypfull shal recorde and testyfye that they haue ben present and sene the iudges haÌ„dle them with very great fauour alway and somtyme to say the trouth to tenderly wherof for the meane whyle me thynke I may take to recorde for all hys Some sayes this pacyfyer hym selfe and hys awne wordes whyche in this pyteouse booke of dyuysyon hym selfe sayth For in hys fyrste chapyter he sayth as I shewed you that some men to pull rychesse from the chyrch haue not onely spoken and by playne wordes affermed heresye but haue also dyspysed pylgrymages purgatory playne inueyed agaynst them of polycy Now seeth euery man that any eyen hath that yf the ordynaryes and the spyrytuall iudges were so fyerse and so cruell as thys pacyfyer speketh of then wolde not those other men thinke that openly to speke and afferme false heresyes were for any maner purpose any proper polycy And therfore as for such crueltye and mysse handelynge of innocentes that thys pacyfyers â—ale is vntrewe bothe other good folke can testyfye and hys owne wordes also beare wytnesse And therfore nede we no suche chaunge of the lawes for that purpose But on the tother syde what harme wold come of hys mytygacyons what increace of heretykes the hole summe and sequele of hys deuyses do more than many festely shewe For suppose me now that a tynker or a tylar whyche could as some there can rede englysshe and beynge instructed and taught by some olde cunnyng weuar in wyclyffes wyckette Tindals bookes and Frythes frere Barons were now become hym selfe an vsshar or after hys maysters deceace a doctour that were suche a one as Fryth wryteth resorted to hym whâ—che though he was but Frythes dyscyple and scolar was yet he sayth more meately to be bysshoppe than many that weare the myter now yf this tynker or tylar lurking about and teachynge hys gospell in corners were secretely detected to his ordynary and thervpon sent for came he shold by the deuyse of this pacyfyeâ— for the fyrste shyfte say bryng me forth myne accuser thaÌ„ syth the callynge ex officio were gone home goeth the tynkar agayne merely for that tyme and taketh forth hys scolars a newe lesson Then yf the court will appoynt an offycer of theyr own for an accuser as an officer of a temporall courte may geue informacyon for the kynge the tynkar yet when he were called agayne wold crye oute vppon that And who so holdeth agaynst the processe ex officio wolde take the tynkars parte therin to and call those twayne but bothe one and so home goth the tynkar agayn
some tyme a longe procesle to very lytle purpose And syth that of all they re whole purpose they proue in coÌ„clusyon neuer a pyece at al were theyr wrytynge neuer so shorte yet were they re 〈◊〉 worke at 〈◊〉 to longe by all to gether But greatly can I not meruayle though these euangelicall brethern thinke my workes to long For euery thyng thynke they to longe that ought is Our ladyes psalter thinke they to longe by all the Aue Maryes some good pyece of the Crede to Then the masse thynk they to longe by the secretes and the canon and all the colectis wherin mencyon is made eyther of saintes or soules In stede of a longe portuouse a shorte prymer shall serue them And yet the prymer they thynke to longe by all our lady matens And the seuen Psalmes thinke they long inough with out the lateny And as for Dyryge or coÌ„mendacyon for theyr frendes soules all that seruyce they thynke to longe by all to gether But now good readers I haue vnto these delycat daynty folke that can awaye wyth no longe redynge prouyded wyth myne own payne and labour as myche ease as my poore wyt coulde deuyse Fyrsâ—e when they were byfore faste in the catholyque fayth â–ª they neuer neded to haue redde any of these here tiques bokes y â— haue brought them in to these new fangled fantasyes But now syth they be by theyr owne foly fallen fyrste into doutynge of the trouth and afterwarde into the lenyng to warde a false by lyefe they be very neglygent vnreasonable yf they wyll not at the leste wyse for theyr owne suerty serche se somwhat wherby they maye per ceyue whyther these newe tea chers of theyres be suche as they take them for Now haue I then coÌ„sydered y â— they wold peradueÌ„ture ware wery to rede ouer a loÌ„g boke and therfore haue I taken the more payne vppon euery chapyter to th entent that they shal not nede to rede ouer any chapyter but one that yt shall not force greatly whych one thorow out all the boke For I dare be hold to say and am redy to make yt good with the beste euaÌ„gelyst of all this euangely call bretherhed that wyll set his penne to the coÌ„trary y â— there is not one chapyter of Tyndales or Barns eyther that I haue touched thorowe myne whole worke but that I haue so clere and so fully confuted hym that who so rede yt indyfferently maye well and clerely se that they haÌ„dle theyr mater so falsly and yet so folyshely therwyth that no man whyche regardeth eyther trouth or wit sholde ones vouchesaufe to rede any farther of them Now he that wyll therfore rede any one chapyter eyther at aduenture or ellys some chosen pyece in whyche hym selfe had went that hys euangelycall father Tyndale had sayed wonderfull well or els frere Barns eyther when he shall in that one chapyter as I am sure he shall fynde his holy prophete playnely proued a fole he maye be soone eased of any ferther laboure For than hath he good cause to caste hym quyte of and neuer medle more wyth hym thaÌ„ shall he neuer nede to rede more of my booke neyther and so shall he make it shorte inough How be it yf he lyste for all that to perdon hys prophete in that one place aud thynke that he wrote that pyece peraduenture whyle the spyryte was not vpon hym and that he sayth mych better in some other place and so wyll rede on ferther to fynde it than shal hym self make my worke longe For he shall I truste rede it ouer and yet shall he neuer come to it And thus as for the tedyouse length of my wryâ—ynge I haue I truste without greate length geuen the good bretherhed a suffycyent answere The .iiii. chapyter BUt now wyll the bretherne peraduenture saye that I may be bolde to say very largely of myn own bycause men may not be bold in these maters to defend Tindals parte It were in dede somwhat better then it is yf they sayed trewe But neyther are suche thynges so dylygentely controlled nor such folke so â—erd of suche heretycall fauour as they shold be yf euery man dyd hys parte nor they lacke no wyly dryftes in such wyse also to defend those thynges as they may saue for theÌ„ selfe some colour to saye that they ment none harme And to proue that they be neyther so sore aferde in such thynges nor lacke suche inuencions of vtterynge theyr forbodeÌ„ ware bysyde the bold erronyous talkynge that is now all moste in euery lewde laddys mouth the bretherne bost that they here diuers partes of my boke well playnly in sundry of theyr sermons confuted than they can not saye ye se well that they leue me vnanswered for fere Howe be it though they be bolde vpon some partes euen nowe some partes happely there are wherupon they dare not be so bolde yet but lytle lytle wyll peraduenture hereafter How be yt some partes that they be all redy bolde vppon be metely well for a begynnyâ—ge whereof for ensample I shall remember you one or twayne Tyndales false translacion of the new testament was as ye woâ—e well and as hym selfe confesseth trranslated wyth suche chaunges as he hath made therin purposely to the entent that by those wordes chauÌ„ged the people shold be noseled in those opinioÌ„s whiche hym selfe calleth trew catholyque fayth and whyche thynges all trew catholyque people call very false pestyleÌ„t heresyes This translacion therfore beynge by the clergy coÌ„dempned at Poules crosse openly burned and by the kynges graciouse proclamacyoÌ„ opeÌ„ly forbodeÌ„ I wrote in a place of my dyaloge in y â— C. lefe amoÌ„g other thynges these wordes The fautes be so many in Tyndalâ— translacyon of the new testament and so spred thorough the hose boke that lyke wrse as it were as sone done to weue a new webbe of cloth as to so we vppe euery hole in a net so were it almost as lytell labour and lesse to translate the hole booke all new as to make in hys translacyon so many chaunges as nede must be ere it were made good besâ—des thys that there wolde no wyse man I trow take the brede whych he well wyste was of hys enemyes hand onys poysoned though he saw his frend after scrape it neuer so clene These wordes of myne were rehersed in a sermon and answered in this wyse y â— though there were brede that were poysoned in dede yet were poysened brede better then no brede at all Now was this word takeÌ„ vppe walked about abrode among the bretherne and systerne so hyghly well lyked amonge them that some of theÌ„ sayd that all my reasons were auoyded clene wyth that one worde Now be it in dede one of theyr owne wyues yet told her own husbande at home when she harde hym boste yt how iolyly yt was preached better poysened brede then no brede by our laken brother husbande quod she
but as properly as that was preched yet wold I rather abyde the perell of bredynge wormes in my bely by eating of flesh without brede then to eate wyth my meate the brede y â— I wyste well were poysoned And of trouth good reader this worde of his was one of the moste proude and presumptuouse and therewyth the most vnwyse to that euer I harde passe the mouth of any man reputed and taken for wyse For when the thynge had ben examyned consydered condempned by suche as the iudgement and the orderyng of the thynge dyd apperteyne vnto that false poysened traÌ„slacyon was forboden the people it was an heyghnouse presumpcyon of one man vppon the truste of his owne wyt to geue the people corage and boldenesse to resyste they re prynce and disobey theyr prelates and geue theÌ„ no better staffe to stande by then suche a bald poysoned reason that poysened brede is better theâ—â— no brede For â—yrste I pray you how prâ—ueth â—e that poysened bred were better then no brede I wolde wene yt were as good to forbere meate starue for hunger as to eate ratâ—is bane and dye by poyson but yf the precher proâ—e me that it were better for a man to kyll hym selfe then dye But now falleth he in double foly for fyrst hys proper wyse worde can haue no wyt therin but yf he proue that y â— people must nedes perishe for lacke of spyrytuall foode eâ—cepte the scrypture be translated into theyr owne tonge Now if he say and afferme that then euery fole almoste may fele the mannys foly For the people may haue euery necessary trewth of scrypture and euery thynge necessary for them to know concer nynge the saluacyon of theyr soules trewly taught and preched vnto theym though the corps and bodye of the scrypture be not translated vnto them in theyr mother tonge For ellys hadde it ben wrong wyth englyshe peple from the fayth fyrste brought into this realme vnto our own dayes in all whyche tyme byfore I am sure that euery englyshe man and woman that coulde rede yt hadde not a boke by theym of the scrypture in englyshe And yet is there I dout not of those folke many a good saued soule And secundly also yf the hauynge of the scryputure in englyshe be a thyng so requysyte of precise necessyte that the peoples soules sholde nedes perysh but yf they haue it translated into they re owne tonge then muste there the most part perishe for all that except the preacher make farther prouysyon besyde that all the people shall be able to rede yt when they haue yt of which people farre more then four partes of all the whole dyuyded into tenne could neuer rede englyshe yet and many now to olde to begynne to go to scole shall wyth goddes grace though they neuer rede worde of scrypture come as well to heuen as sone to as hym seit peradueÌ„ture that preched y â— wyse word Many haue thought yt a thing very good profitable that y â— scrypture well and trewly translated sholde be in the englyshe tong And all be yt that many ryghte wyse and well lerned bothe very vertuouse folke also bothe haue bene and yet be in a farre other mynde yeâ— for myne owne parte I both haue bene and yet am also of the same opynyon styll as I haue in my dyaâ—oge declared yf the men were ameÌ„ded and the tyme mete therfore But that it were a thynge of suche precyse necessite that the peoples soulys muste nedes perysshe but yf that be had and that therfore we sholde suâ—er rather such a poysoned translacyoÌ„ then none and wylfully kyll our selfe wyth poysen rather thenne we wolde take holesome mete iÌ„ at our mouth but yâ— we maye fyrste haue it in our own haÌ„des thys herd I neuer any wise man say no nor fole neyther â–ª tyll Tindale came forth wyth his new traÌ„slated scrypture translatynge the truth of Cryste into false Luthers heresyes And yet whan the bretherne haue herde such a wyse word in a sermone that worde vse they to take solempnely for a sure authoryte and saye that all the longe reasons of syr Thomas More is here answered shortely wyth one worde But now haue I with mo wordes than one made you playne and open the foly of that wyse worde And whan so euer he that preched it can herafter again wyth many mo wordes than I haue here wryteÌ„ proue his worde wysely spoken let hym kepe one copye therof wyth hym selfe for lesynge sende an other to me and than that copye that I receyue I wyll be bounden to eate it though the booke be bounden in bordes The .v. chapyter ANother saÌ„ple of such kynde of answerynge haue I sene made vnto the fyrste chapyter of my thyrde boke of Tyndals coÌ„futacyoÌ„ of whyche answere the bretherne boste greately and say that I am answered euyn to the poynt For thys worde was sayd vnto a frend of myne in great boste by a specyall sure secret brother of thys newe broched brotherhed wherupon when I had herde it I longed sore to se that answere For iÌ„ good fayth I had my self thought that I had so fully answered that chapyter of Tyndalys whyche is whyther the chyrche were before the worde or the worde before the chyrche that he sholde neuer wythout hys shame be able to reply whyle he lyued And therfore loÌ„gyng sore to se how I was answered now therin I requyred my frend to fynde the meanes yf he myghte that I myghte se the boke wenynge that some newe worke of Tindals hadde bene of late come ouer But afterwarde he brought me word that it was answered not beyond the see but here wythin the realme not by any booke specyally made agaynste it but in a sermon onys or â—wyes openly preched How be it not of a sodayn brayed but fore studyed and penned wherof the boke as a spyryte in close gooâ—h aboute secretely velut negotium per ambulans in tenebris amonge thys blessed bretherhed but I trust to turne it into demonium meridianum that euery man maye se hym somwhat more playne appere and shewe hym self in hys owne lykenesse Now is it so in dede that in that chapyter of Tyndals there be certayne lyuys lefte out in myne answere How be it they were of trouth left out by ouerfyght in the pryntyng whyche maye well appere by thys For in myne answere I so touche those wordes that the leuynge out of them maketh myne owne more darke and lesse perceyued And therfore are they content to fynde â—o fawte at the leuyng out of them but make as though all were in also bycause that myne answere is as they bost by that sermon so well substancyally confuted But now bycause I wold be lothe to be iudged by the onely bretherne and sisters of the false fraternite and to the entente they shall all well se that I fere not the iudgement of indyfferent folke I shall put abrode that all
the worde of god but by the tradycyon of the chyrche whyche chyrche as all crysten mâ—n byleue the scrypture shewâ—th and saynt Austayne declarâ—th and Luther hym selfe confesseth the deuyll hym selfe sayth not naye the bleâ—sed spyryte of god hath inwardly taâ—ght teaâ—heth and â—uer shall teache to knowe iudge and dyscerne the worde of god from the word of man and shall kepe the chyrch froÌ„ errour ledynge it into euery trouth as Crysâ—e sayth hym selfe in the .xvi. chapytâ—r of saynt Iohans gospell which he dyd not yf he suffered the chyrche to bâ— dampnably deceyued in takynge the worde of man for the worde of god wherby it sholde in stede of seruyce to be done to god fall in vnfaythfulnesse and wyth idolatry do seruyce to the deuyll And therfore I shewed in my sayed dyaloge and yet the kynges hyghnes myche more playnely shewed in hys most erudyte famouse booke agaynst Luther out of whych I toke it that the worde of god vnwryten is of as greate authoryte as certayn and as sure as ys hys worde wryteÌ„ in the scrypâ—ure which poynt is so faste and sure pytched vpon the rockeâ— our sauyour Cryst hym selfe that neyther Luther Tindale nor â—uskyn nor all the hell houndes that the deuyll hath in his kenell neuer hytherto could nor whyle god lyueth in heuâ—n the deuyll lyeth in hell neuer hereafter shall barke they bawâ—e they neuer so fast be able to wreste it out And that they be all as I tell you so feble in this poynt wherupoÌ„ theffect of all theyr hole heresyes hangeth for but yf they veynquyshe this one poynt all theyr heresyes fully be burned vp and fall as flatte to asshen as it were allmoyse all obstynate heretykes dyd ye maye se a clere proue by these wordes of Tyndale whych he hath set so gloriously forth in the fore fronte of hys batayle as thoughe they were able to wynne the hole felde For where as I sayed that the gospell and the worde of god vnwrytten was before the chyrch by it was the chirch begon gathered and toughte and that the chyrche was byfore that the gospell that now is wryten wâ—â— wryten that is to wyâ—â—e byfore any parte of the gospell was wryten for as for all the hole gospell that is to wyt all the wordes of god that he wolde haue knowen byleued and kepte was yet neuer wryten thys beynge the thyng that I sayd Tyndale wâ—th all the helpe he hath had of all the heretykes in Aâ—mayne thys two or thre yere to gyther is yet in suche dâ—spaâ—re to be able to matche therewyth that he ys wyth shame inough fayne to forgette that I sayd the chyrche was before the gospell wryten whyche thynge hym selfe can not denye is fayne to frame the doute and make the obieccyon as thoughe I had sayd that the chyrche had ben before the gospel and the word of god vnwriten wherof hym selfe knoweth well that I sayd clene the coÌ„trary And therfore good reders hauynge thys thynge in your remembraunce take nowe the â—ayne to rede Tyndalâ— wordes agayne and ye shall haue a pleasure to se how fondely â—e 〈◊〉 afore you For now hys crafte openâ—d and declaâ—ed vnto youâ— ye shall perâ—â—â—ue that he playeth nothing â—â—ene but faâ—eth 〈…〉 that conuayeth hys galles so craftely that al the table spyâ—th them Lo good readers here haue I nowe rehersed you but a pyece of myne answere vnto that chapyter of Tyndale yet by this one pyece alone may ye clerely perceyue that all those wordes of that sermon go so farre wyde fro the â—oynt that they not onely do nothynge helpe Tyndale for all the labour that they take aboute yt but also the preacher of them taketh a fowler faller than Tyndale in that the preacher stumbleth at the same stocke and falleth into the same puddell that Tyndale dyd and that after that he was warned by myne answere made to Tindale afore For this here ye se that this preacher in the fyrst part of his wordes toucheth not the mater but lytle and lytle he desceÌ„deth therto by the expownynge of these wordes of saynt Iames voluntarie enim geâ—uit nos verbo verâ—â—atis that ys in englyshe He hath wyllyngly begoten vs by the worde of trewth â—ow be yt the peacher englysheth it thus 〈…〉 whyche wordes after that he hath expowned after dyuerse maners he cometh at laste to that exposycyon by whych he expowneth those wordes in this wyse that god hath wyllyngly by his worde made vs the 〈◊〉 of â—rewth and of 〈◊〉 And after a thynge or two noted marked therin whyche I shall happely make you to marke well sâ— somwhat more therin hereafter then the preacher sheweth you there he cometh to y â— poynt wyth whych we be now in hand and therin thus he begynneth 〈…〉 But now do you good readers clerely perceyue and se that this precher sayth wroÌ„g For while they against whom he preacheth that is to wytte they that say the chyrche was byfore y â— gospel writeÌ„ do both mâ—ane and playnely wryte that the chyrche was not byâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 that the he 〈…〉 wolde make men 〈◊〉 that goddes word were of none authorite nor worthy to be byleued but yf yt were wryten in the bokes nowe I 〈◊〉 that syth ye knowe good â—â—aders that they agaynste whom this preacher thus precheth do meane and say and wryte as ye nowe se they do ye caÌ„ not but clerely perceyue and se that this precher doth in this poynte but laboure to blynde his audience meteth nothynge wyth the mater â–ª For now this thyng hadde in mynde and coÌ„sydered all his reason after whych he taketh oute of Tyndales chapyter waâ—eth euyn dede for colde For what heâ—e or what one sparke of life after this thyng consydered haue all his wordes y â— folow wherin he sayth It is playne ynough that the chyrche was not before the worde for faynt Iames sayth that god begate vs thorough the word of his trouth If we were begoteÌ„ by the worde then nedes must the worde be before we were goten or elles howe 〈◊〉 we be begoten by the word and by the worde he sayth we were begoten If god be gaâ—e vs thorow the word we muâ—t nedes graunte that he that begate vs was before that we were begoten and he that begate vs â–ª begate vs by the worde then nedes muste the worde be before that we weâ—◠〈◊〉 Nowe then yf this worde were befâ—â—e we were begoten howe can we say that the chyrche was before thys worde If we meane by the chyrch the chyrch of â—yme stone â–ª then yt is playne ynough that the word 〈◊〉 before any such chyrch was made For we fynde that yt was many a daye after man was made or euer there were any suche chyrches made If ye meane by the chyrche the vnyuersall chyrche of god the whych is the congregacyon of all chrysten peple If you mean this chyrche and saye howe this chyrche was before the
it of hys own fasshyoÌ„ for hys owne aduauntage is very fryuolouse and folysshe And therfore thys preacher goth as I say somwhat ferther and cometh nerer to the poynt in whyche the mater of the questyon lyeth But than bycause he can not defende Tyndale and auoyde myne answere after y â— tyme dreuyn forth in forneshynge of Tyndals reason whan he cometh to the poynte he leueth myne answere vntouched wolde shake of y â— questioÌ„ for nought But that thyng now good readers wyll not well be for hym For the necessyte of this questyoÌ„ you se now your self For syth Luther and Tyndale and other suche heretykes do teache that no worde of god is now to be byleued nor to be taken for goddes worde by the teachyng of the catholyke chyrche but yf it be wryteÌ„ in scripture they droue vs of necessyte to tell theym agayne that the chyrche was before the scrypture before that any of goddes wordes were wryten therin and that all hys wordes that he wyll haue byleued were neuer writen and that he is not so tong tayed but that he is at lybertye to speke yet mo wordes whan he wyl and may bynde vs as well to byleue them as euer he bounde vs to byleue any worde that euer he spake before be it vnwryten or wryten And that in all such thinges Luther Tyndale both and frere Barns to all the heretykes of them muste as I sayd of reason byleue the chyrch as well whan it telleth theym these thynges Cryste hath by hys owne spyryte or by the mouth of hys apostles taught vs as whan it telleth them these thinges hath Crist by the penne of hys apostles wryten vs. Now is thys knot so sure that it can neuer be losed but yf these heretykes or thys precher for them can by playne scrypture proue vs y â— god hath caused al such thinges to be wryten in scrypture all redy and ouer that made a promyse eyther that he wyl neuer speke any suche worde more or that yf he do he wyll at the leste wyse take no dyspleasure wyth vs though we tell hym playnely that syth it is not in scrypture all redy he shall wryte it in yf he wyll or els wyll we not byleue hym The .vi. chapyter ANd thys precher hym selfe so well ê‘ceyueth that thys poynt is trewe that I tell you that he wold fayne yf he coulde proue it say that all suche thynges are wryten all redy in scrypture And therfore though bycause he seeth that I haue in the laste chapyter of my fyrste parte of Tyndals confutacyon ouerthrowen Tyndale therin he forbare to afferme it forth out in playne and open wordes yet he gyueth hys audyence a proper insinuacyon therof maketh a prety glauÌ„ce therat in those wordes where he sayth in the laâ—te ende But good lorde yf yt had not ben writen by the euaÌ„gelyâ—tes in those dayes hâ—we sholde we do in these dayes the whych bryng forth the scrypture for theym in dede and yet they wyll bere theym in hande that yt is no scrypture and yf yt haâ—de not ben wryten in bokes then Not wythstandyng ye may perceyue how the word was or euer the chyrche was and the worde begate vs and not we the word and also yt was wryten or euer the chyrche alowed yt to be wryten By these wordes wolde he lo though he say it not playn oute that folke sholde wene that of any thynge whych we be bounden to byleue the euaÌ„gelystes and apostles lefte in theyr dayes nought vnwryteÌ„ â–ª whyche poynt yf yt coulde be proued wolde helpe some heresyes well forth but yet not so many as heretyques wold make men wene For many thynges that they saye be not in scrypture are yet in scrypture iÌ„ dede As is for the sacrament of coÌ„fyrmacion and anelyng holy orders and matrymony and the very blessed body and bloud of Chryste in the holy sacrament of the aulter And for good workes agaynste fayth alone and for holy vowes of chastyte agaynst thabominable bychery of freres that wedde nonnes and many suche other thynges And in all suche maters the questyoÌ„ is not of the word wryten or vnwryten but vppon the interpretacyoÌ„ and the ryght vnderstaÌ„dynge of goddes worde all redy wryten And therin is in effect the questyon also no more but whether that in the construccion exposycyon of holy scrypture we sholde of reason better byleue holy saynte Austayne holy saynt Ambrose holy saynt Hierom holy sayn Cypriane holy saynt Chrysostome holy saynt Basyle holy saynte Cyryll and the thre Gregoryes of Greke holy saintes all thre and holy saynte Gregory the pope wyth all the other olde holy doctours and fathers of the faythfull doctryne on the tone syde or els on the tother syde lewde Luther and Lambert Barns Huyskyn and Swynglius Swartherth Tyndale George Ioy and Denkâ—hius Baynam Bayfelde Hytton â–ª and Teuxbery wyth brother Byrt and yong father Fryth There wolde be nowe bytwene these two sortes no greâ—douâ— in the choyce as me thynketh yf he that sholde chose haue wyt And in suche maters thys is the great questyon in dede whyche thyng yf any of theyr fauorers dare denye and wyl afferme that in the coÌ„struccioÌ„ of the scrypture they haue the olde holy doctours on they re syde let all these heretyques and al that bere them fauour fynde out amonge theym all so myche as one of all the oldâ— holy sayntes that so dyd construe the scrypture as nowe these newe heretyques do for weddynge of monkes freres and nonnes which the whole catholyke chyrch all thys fyften hundred yere byfore these late lewde heresyes beganne haue euer more abhorred and holdeÌ„ for abominable let these new bretherne I say nowe fynd out among them all any one of the olde holy sayntes that sayde the breche of theyr vowes was no synne then am I content they say that all the remanauÌ„t be whole vpon theyr part in all the remanauÌ„â— of al theyr poysoned heresies But on the tother syde yâ— they can not among them all fynde out so myche as one old holy man for they re parte in this poynte in whych we can brynge many agaynst them then must they nedes coÌ„fesse that in the construccion of the scrypture for as mych at the leste wyse as apperteyneth to this poynte sauynge for the vndouted fayth of the whole catholique chyrche full fyften huÌ„dred yere to gether agaynst these vowbrekynge brethern which thyng alone suffyseth for theyr full condeÌ„pnacyon ellis standeth all the question but in this whyther of the twayne shold in thexposycion of holy scripture be by reason amonge the vnlerned people better byleued the olde holy gracyouse doctours and sayntes or these new wedded moÌ„kes and freres gracelesse apostatas and heretyques And then syth no good crysten man can doute whyther parte ys the better of these twayn no good maÌ„ can there dout ye se well but that these new doctours Luther Lambert Tyndale Huyskyn â–ª and Swynglius wyth all
they re adhereÌ„tes be playn abomynable heretikes in this one point at the lest which poynt while yt is so shamefull and full of fylthy bestelynes I dare be bold to say that neyther hath that man nor that womeÌ„ any respect or regarde of any clennesse or honeste that can with fauoure vouchsaufe to rede theyr bokes or here them tyll they fyrste forswere abiure the defence and mayntenauÌ„ce of that incestuouse sacrylege and very bestely bychery The .vii. chapyter BUt nowe to retorne to the poynt whych thys precher wold couertly colour in hys sayde wordes wolde make it seme that thapostles and euangelystes had wryten all thynges that god byndeth vs to bylyefe where he sayth But good lorde yf yt hadde not ben wryten by theuangelistes in those dayes how sholde we do in these dayes the whyche brynge forthe the scrypture for theym in dede and yet they wylt bere them in hand yt is no scrypture and yf yt hadde not ben wryten in bokes then â–ª These wordes seme to be myswriten eyther in the pryncypall booke or in the copye For I thynke it wold be yf it hadde not bene wryten by the euangelystes in those dayes how sholde we do in these dayes in whyche we brynge forth the scrypture for vs in dede and yet they beare vs in haâ—de that it is no scrypture How be it how so euer hys wordes were in dede he meneth by them as ye se to shew y â— there was a necessyte wherfore god caused all necessary thinges to be put in writyng But vnto that poynte as I haue all redy made answere vnto Tyndale in the confutacyon all the thynges that the chyrche techeth for necessare and saye they were goddes wordes all those I mene whyche these heretykes saye be not specyfyed in scrypture and that therfore they be not goddes wordes nor any necessary treuthes but false inuencyoÌ„s of Sathan as Tindale sayth daÌ„pnable dremys of men as Barns sayeth this precher yet can not denye but kepte haue such thynges ben in remeÌ„braunce and obserued this thousand yere ye twelue or thyrtene hundred amonge chrysten people ye as longe as the gospels of Cryste hath bene wryten happely somewhat before to as may be gathered of olde auncyent wrytynges How be it though it were somwhat lesse shall lytle force for the mater For if they may abyde by any meane in remeÌ„braunce a thousande yere by the selfe same meanes maye they abyde in remembraunce another thousande to Than sych these folkes saye that these thynges beyng so longe preserued and kepte in remeÌ„braunce be out of the scrypture now wolde I wytte of thys preacher whyther they haue bene so â—onge kepte and preserued by god or by man or by the deuyll If he saye by god than be they of likelyhed good thynges not falsedes but treuthes And yf he saye that they be false and that yet god hath kepte them than foloweth it at the leste that he could haue kept them as well all thys longe whyle though they had bene â—rewe and that wythout the scrypture as he hath kepte theym hytherto And thereof foloweth it also that he hadde no necessyte to cause â—uery necessary trouth that he wolde haue kepte in remembraunce to be putte in y â— scrypture as thys precher wolâ—e haue it seme But now yf thys preacher wyll saye on the tother syde that these thynges haue not ben preserued by god among chrysten people but be false thynges and haue all thys longe whyle bene kept eyther by man or deuyll yet syth god is as strong as mighty as man and deuyll bothe it foloweth ye se well that the thyng whych they haue done in kepynge of false thynges god coulde as well do in the kepynge of trewe thynges neded to the kepyng no more scrypture then they And thus good readers euery way ye se that this reason of thys precher â–ª whyche Tyndale layed agaynste me before hym y â— god dyd cause all necessary thynges to be wryten in scrypture bycause that els they coulde not haue contynued in remembrauÌ„ce thys reason I saye ye se can not holde For those thynges haue contynued as longe in remembraunce whych thynges theym selfe saye be not in the scrypture For where this precher protesteth the necessyte of y â— puttynge of all thynge in scrypture wyth a fygure of apostrophe and turnynge his tale to god cryenge oute O good lorde yf yt had not ben writen by the euaÌ„gelystes in those dayes howe sholde we do in these dayes the whych bryng forth the scripture for theÌ„ in dede yet they wil bere them in hand that yt is no scrypture These wordes lo proue playnely for my parte that there is as great suerty in the worde of god vnwryten and taught vnto the chyrch by the spyryt without the scrypture as in his word wryten in the scrypture For who so byleue the chyrch wyll graunt both who so byleue not y â— chirch wyll deny both as this preacher here sayth hym selfe For he knoweth not whych is the scrypture but by the chyrche And therfore where he saith y â— men now a days yf we lay theÌ„ forth y â— scrypture in dede they wyll bere them in hande yt is no scripâ—ure veryly yf yt hap as yt happeth often that the preachers of these new sectes do lay forth for them very scripture in dede whyche scrypture maketh not for theym in dede but som fals gloses that they geue the scrypture in dede there wyll the trewe catholyque preachers say that they abuse the scrypture in dede But they wyl neuer say that the scrypture whych they brought forth is no scripture in dede For y â— way doth none vse but these heretikes onely nor they can not all saye that there is any lefe or lyne thaâ— euer them self haue taken for scrypture hytherto but the catholyque chyrche of whome they lerned yt dothe afferme the same But on the tother syde there are some partes of scrypture whyche the whole catholyque chyrche affermeth for scrypture whyche partes yet these heretyques afferme for none As for ensample the selfe same pystle of saynt Iames which this precher made that sermon vppon whyche pystle frere Luther and frere Barns both lette not boldely to deny for scrypture bycause in many places yt destroyeth theyr heresyes And yet is there neuer an heretyque of them for all that but where yt may serue to seme to proue hys purpose there wyll he brynge yt forth for saynt Iames owne and fynd no faute therwyth And thus good crysten readers here haue I somewhat shewed you howe lytle cause the brethern haue to bost that pyece of that sermon and say that it hath well defeÌ„ded Tindales sayde chapiter and clerely coÌ„foded meuÌ„ in that part of my conâ—utacyon And thys haue I shewed you somwhat the more at length because yt toucheth a poynte that is eyther for the maynteynynge or coÌ„fouÌ„dyng of many great he resyes a very specyall kay The .viii.
hym selfe he that is regendred happe to be more than a chylde and haue the fredome of his own wyll and hath the choyce therby put in hys owne hande whyther he wyll at goddys callyng to fayth by redyng prechynge myracle and suche other occasyons wyth good inwarde mocyons added also therto folow the spyryte and walke and wurke wyth god by captyuynge of hys owne vnderstaÌ„dyng subdewynge of hys owne reason into the assent and bylyef of the thynges that he shall be moued vnto and by callynge vppon the contynuaunce of goddes gracyouse helpe therunto therby come into the seruyce of fayth or whyther he wyll ellys reiecte goddes good gracyouse mocyon and resyst it and so fle from the gettyng of the gyfte of fayth yf the man I saye be at the tyme of hys spyrytuall bygetynge in thys case as euery man that hath at the tyme age and vse of reason is thaÌ„ is thys sample that Tyndale doth there put that this preacher doth here repete of the chylde at the carnal byrth of his father mych lesse lyke the man at the spyrytuall byrth of hym selfe then is an apple lyke vnto an oyster Howe be yt good readers bycause the bretherne blame my bokes for the length I wyll make no lenger argumeÌ„t of this mater here for in these few wordes yt appereth metely well But yf any maÌ„ thynke hym selfe with this not yet fully satysfyed then hath he nede for his contentacyon to se the mater handled somwhat more at length And who so therfore lysteth so to do let him rede in my fourth boke of Tyndales coÌ„futacion which is in y â— fyrst boke of the second part in the chapiter of y â— maner and order of our eleccyon begynnynge If he lyst in y â— lefe that is marked wyth the nomber of .c.xii. and then wyll his owne reason serue hym to se how farre the mather goth whych yf he rede out I dare boldely promyse that he shall there fynde suche thynges as agaynste Tyndale and thys preacher both shall as for this poynte in all reason be suffycyent to satysfye hym But now yf thys preacher wyll peraduenture saye that of his wordâ— in both these maters I haue mysse rehersed hym I am redy to brynge forth my copye and the man of whome I hadde yt to Or elles I shal make him a mych fayrer offer bycause he maye peraduenture say that he neuer wrote that sermon hym selfe but that some of his audyence whyche of deuocyon wrote as myche as they bare away vppon the heryng dyd wryte yt dimynute and maÌ„glâ—â— for lacke of good remembâ—â—unce let hym vppon thys answere of myne sene yf yt â—â—ppen to come into his hanâ—es wryte his owne wordes hym selfe not onely as well as he theÌ„ sodaynly spake theÌ„ but as well also as he caÌ„ with longe laysoure make theym And when he hath done in theÌ„ the beste that euer he can and take whose helpe he wyll to if he make it so as he may therwyth auoyde and refell my coÌ„futyng of Tyndale in those two poyntes that those wordes of his sernon touche then dare I be bouÌ„den to forswere this lande and lyue in Antwarpe and be Tyndals man How be it yf in the mater of maÌ„nys endeuoure toward the attaynynge of fayth by walkynge on wyth god wyllingly after that god hath preuented hym wyth hys grace by callynge on hym and gyuynge hym occasyon to come forward yf any brother thinke to scape and auoyde my profe in the place afore remeÌ„bred by the dystynccyon that Tyndale hath lerned of Philyppe Swarâ—â—â—the and bryngeth forth agaynste me of hystorycall fayth and felynge fayth whyche dystynccyoÌ„ dyuerse of the bretherne and systerne haue in theyr mouthes now and therwyth sodaynly caste a myste before vnlerned meÌ„nys eyen and make them adased for y â— tyme that neuer harde of it before he y â— wolde wynde awaye wyth thys dystyncyon shall nothynge auoyde my confutynge of Tindale in that place For yf hys dystynccyon be trewe yet vppon goddes gracyouse preueÌ„cyon and fyrst callyng vpon I saye and there proue that the wyllynge endeuoure of man in folowynge helpeth to the attaynynge of euery maner kynde of fayth and procuâ—eth the progresse encreace of grace to the perfytynge of that vertue in man and wyth man whyche god fyrst began in man by goddes owne preuencyon without man but in them that haue age and dyscrecyon vseth not to fynysshe and fulfyll it wythout man but whaÌ„ man refuseth except he mende and turne els god leueth fynally hys own good bygone wurke vnfynysshed And therfore sayth saynt Austayn to euery man that hath vse of reason He that hath created the wythout the doth not iustyfye the wythout the. And yet for â—erther conclusyon bycause I here say that the same dystinccyon of hystorycall fayth and felyng fayth glytereth nowe so gayly in the bretherns eyen lette them rede my confutacyoÌ„ thorow Or bycause they call that to longe lette them rede but the seuenth boke whyche is entytled the defence of the secuÌ„d reason agaynst Tyndale Or yf they thynke y â— boke alone to longe let them leue a grete parte of the boke and begyn in that lefe and that syde of the lefe that is marked wyth the nomber of .cccxl. And then yf they can for hart burnyng abyde and endure to rede it vp to the ende I dare be bold to warraunt that they shall fynde the same gaye golden dystynccyon of hystorycall fayth felynge fayth fouÌ„den fâ—â—st by Phylyp Swarterthe whych lyke as frere Huskyn â—â—th naâ—en hym selfe â—colampaâ—ius hath made hys name nâ—w MelaÌ„cthon This 〈◊〉 I saye so made by Melancthon shall they se so brouâ—â—t in there by Tyndale and so seâ— forth and furnâ—â—heâ— by the lernynge and labour of them bothe that it cometh to suche passe in conclusyon that no parte of all Tyndaâ—s tale is brought to more shamefull confusyon But nowe the bretherne wyll when any good catholyque man prouoketh theym to rede the place in my boke answere as dyueâ—se of theym haue done ere â—â—is to suche good catholyque folke as prouoked them therto offered to rede yt with them and ther uppon to trye betwene theym whyther Tyndale or I hadde better reason on oure parte the bretherne haue vpon this offer shronken at last therfro after great crakes made of Tyndales parte wyth great contempte of myne answere byfore and haue answered y â— they wyll not myssespende theyr tyme in redyng of myne answer they se TiÌ„dales tale so sure Now of trouth this had ben a good answere and a reasonable yf when they were fast in the trew catholyque fayth they wolde thus haue answered any such as wold haue aduysed theym to rede in Tyndale and serche whether the fayth of all the holy sayntes of all the whole corps of crystendome thys .xv. hundred yere to gether were trewe or false For that were a thynge wherof yt were a very fransey to doute But now they that are fled
not angry wyth my peple but haue pacyence I am sory that they re maner ys no better But I wysse ye know them well ynough theyr nature is so playne and theyr vtterauÌ„ce so rude that they can not call an horse but an horse they And in good fayth lyke those good folke am I. For though Tyndale and Fryth in theyr wrytynge call me a poâ—te yt is but of theyr owne courtesye vndeserued on my parte For I can neyther so myche poetry nor so myche rethoryque neyther as to fynde good names for â—uyll thynges but euyn as the Macedonyes could not call a trayâ—our but a traytoure so can I not cal a fole but a fole nor an heretyque but an heretyque Some of y â— bretherne sayd that I sholde at the lest wyse call frere Baâ—ns by the name of doctour bycause he was authorysed and made a doctour of dyuynyte by the vnyuersyte But one answered for me to y â— sayd that name was geueÌ„ to serue for y â— tyme in which he was mete to tech and not nowe when he is not mete to teache but is by the chyrche for false teachyng for boden to teache But then vnto that one of them answered agayne and asked why shold I then call hym frere styll â–ª whyle he is nowe no lenger a frere no more then a doctour But vnto this I coulde betwene theym tell some reason of dyfference How be yt raâ—her then to make this boke ouer longe by holdyng a probleme vppon euery tryfle I shal be content like as in stede of doctour men call hym heretyke so in stede of frere to call hym the tother name that euery man calleth all those that be runne out of relygyoÌ„ â—o there haue I fallen on a fayre fygure vnware that ys I trowe called periphrasys to voyde the fowle name of apostata But nowe these good bretherne that fynde the faute wyth me that I speke no fayrer vnto these holy prophetes of theyrs be so egall and indyfferent that in theym they fynde no faute at all for theyr abominable raylyng agaynst so many other honest honorable good and vertuouse folke nor for condeÌ„pnynge for damned heretyques the whole catholyque chyrch of all crysten people except heretykes both spyrytuall and temporall seculare and relygyouse to But then y â— good brethern excuse them and say that they wryte agaynst none but onely theym that are noughte and write but against theyr vâ—ces But this wyl euyll defend them when Barons wryteth against y â— who le clergy Tindale saith expressely y â— of them all there is neuer one good And also they wryte not so mych agaynst pompe pryde and glotony as agaynst watchynge and prayeng fastyng and wylfull pouerty and all these thynges in good religyouse people the heretyques abhorre and call yt but ypocrysye Then rayle they not so sore in wordes agaynste the layâ— people but as fayre as they flater theym to make theym enmyes to the clergy yet they damne them all to the deuyll both them selues and theyr fathers theyr graundfathers and theyr grauÌ„d fathers great graundfathers to For they say that thys .viii. hundred yere all the corps of crystendome hath ben led oute of the ryght waye fro god and haue lyued al in idolatry and dyed in seruyce of y â— deuyll because they haue done honour to Cristes crosse and prayed â—â—to sayntes and reuerenced theyr relyques and honored theyr ymages and ben baptysed in latyne and taken matrymony for a sacrament and vsed confessyon and done penauÌ„ce for synnys and prayed for all crysten soules and ben aneyled in theyr deth bedde haue taken they re housell after the ryte and vsage of the chyrche and haue set more by y â— masse then they sholde do and byleued that it was a sacryfyce an hoste and an oblacyon that yt sholde do theym good and haue byleued that there was neither brede nor wyne in the blessed sacrament of the aulter but in stede of brede and wyne y â— very bodye and blood of Cryste All these thynges say Tyndale and Barns both be very false â—ylyefe and gret damnable synne in y â— doyng and so dampne they to the deuyll the whole catholyqâ—e chyrche bothe temporall and spyritual excepte heretikes leue not one man for goddes parte this .viii. hundred yere paste by theyr owne lymytacy on and of trouth yf theyr fals heresyes were trew not in the tother .vii. hundred byfore y â— neyther Now whan that agaynste all the whole catholyke chyrche bothe that now is that euer before hath ben from the apostles dayes hytherto both temporall and spyrytuall ley men and relygyouse and agaynst all that good is sayntes ceremonyes seruyce of god the very sacramentes all and most agaynst the best that is to wytte the precyouse body and bloud of our sauyour hym selfe in the holy sacrament of the aulter these blasphemouse heretykes in theyr vngracyouse bokes so vilanously ieste and rayle were not a maÌ„ wene you very farre ouersene and wurthy to be compted vncourtayse that wolde in wrytynge agaynste theyr heresyes presume wythout great reuereÌ„ce to reherse theyr wurshypfull namys If any of theym vse theyr wordes at theyr pleasure as euyll and as vyllanouse as they lyâ—te agaynste my selfe I am content to forbere any requyâ—ynge therof and geue them no wors wordes agayn then yf they speke me fayre nor â—â—â—nge them selfe toward all other folke as they do fairer wordes wyl I not geue theym then yf they spake me â—owle For all shall be one to me or rather the wurse the better For the pleasaunt oyle of heretykes caste vpon myne hede canne do my mynde no pleasure but contrary wyse the wurse y â— suche folke wryte of me for hatered y â— they bere to the catholyke chyrche and fayth y â— greater pleasure as for myne owne parte they do me But surely theyr raylyng agaynst all other I purpose not to bere so pacyentely as to forbere to lette theym here some parte of lyke language as they speke How be it vtterly to matche them therin I neyther caÌ„ though I wold nor wyll neyther though I coulde but am content as I nedes muste to geue theym therin the maystry wherin to matche theym were more rebuke then honestye Now yf they excuse them selfe and say they speke euyll but of euyll thynges for so call they good wurkes of penaunce and so call they the ceremonies and sacramentes of Crystes chyrch I answere them playnely that they lye wherin euery trewe chrysten man wyll testyfye that I say treuth for those thynges be good and holy whyche they rebuke and call nought And I saye ferther also that by y â— excuse of theyrs they make myne excuse to in the thynge wherwyth they be wurst content that is to witte where â— sumewhat sharpely rebuke wedding of frerys nonnys whyche thynge is as all the worlde woteth bestely and abomynable in dede And also yf they wyll excuse them selfe and
saye that as â—owchynge men they rayle agaynste none but suche as be â—ewde and nought to this I answere fyâ—ste that in thys thyng they lye For they rayle agaynste all And some they call noughte by name whose specyall goodnes shall haue recoâ—de and wytnesse of all good folke that know them Secundly I say ferther â–ª that by thys excuse of theyrs they must nedes excuse me to whaÌ„ I rebuke them selfe For they be welâ— and openly knowen coÌ„uycted for heretykes whiche is ye wore well the woâ—st â—ryme that can be that for â—eretykes of suche a maner sorte as is the wurste kynde of that cryme that euer came out of chrystendome How be it I am yet conteÌ„t for all thys to fall at some reasonable composycyoÌ„ with them Let vs take thys waye bytwene vs from hense forth yf they lyst Lyke as I do not allow but abhorre incontynence in sacred professed persons y â— haue vowed chastyte so let them confesse that them selfe abhorre also the bestely bycherly mariages of moÌ„kes freres and nonnes and of all suche as haue vnto god promysed vowed the contrary And than syth all our mater is onely of the fayth let them forbere in stede of reasonyng to fall to raylynge vppon other mennys lyuynge For therby fleynge fro the mater of fayth they furnysshe oute theyr processe wâ—th lyenge whâ—le the fawtes of some they lewdely laye to all If they wyll not whyche were the beste reuoke they re false heresyes nor wyll not whyche were the next be heretykes alone them selfe and holde theyr tunges be styll but wyll nedes be babelynge and corrupte whom they can lette them yet at the lest wyse be reasonable heretykes and honeste and wryte reason leue raylynge and than lette the bretherne fynde the fawte wyth me yf I vse theym not after that in wordes as fayre and as mylde as the mater maye suffre and bere But thys waye wyll they neuer take I wene For tâ—an they se well that theyr dyscâ—ples wyll neuer haue half the luste to loke vpoÌ„ they bokes wherin they shold than fynde but a poore feste and an euyll dressed dâ—â—er For in they re onely raylynge standeth all theyr reuell wyth onely raylâ—nge is all theyr roste meâ—e basâ—ed and all ther pot seasoâ—ed and all theyr pye meâ—e spâ—â—ed all theyr mauÌ„cheâ—es 〈◊〉 all â—heyr wafers and all 〈◊〉 ypocrace made The .x. chapyter NOw passing ouer this poynt I come to this 〈…〉 good brothern say that they lyste not to rede my bokes for I am suspecte in these maters and parcyall â—o warde the spyrytualty As for suspecte yf I be now suspecte the world waxeth all of a new kynde For men were wont to call those folke suspecte y â— were suspect of heresy And thys is now a new kind of suspectâ—â— if meÌ„ be now suspected of y â— catholyke fayth How be it iÌ„ that suspycyon am I glad to be fallen purpose neuer to purge it Now as towchynge parcyalyte vpoÌ„ my parte toward the spyryâ—ualtye I meruayle wherof they gather it My self am perde a teÌ„porall man and by twyse weddynge am come in the case that I can neuer be preste And for as all y â— landes fees that I haue in all England bysyde suche landes and fees as I haue of the gyfte of the kynges most noble grace is not at this day nor shal be whyle my mother in lawe lyueth whose lyfe good helth I praye god long kepe and continue wurth yerely to my lyuyng the somme of full fyfty pouÌ„de And therof haue I some by my wyfe some by my father whose soule our lorde assoyle and some haue I also purchaced my selfe and some fees haue I of some teÌ„porall men And then maye euery man well gesse y â— I haue no very great parte of my lyuynge by the clergy to make me very parcyall to them And ouer that this shall I trewly saye that of all the yerely lyuynge that I haue of the kynges gracyouse gyfte I haue not one grote by the menes of any spyritual man but far aboue my deseruynge haue hadde yt onely by hys owne syngulare bountye and goodnes and specyal fauour towarde me And veryly of any such yerely fees as I haue to my lyuiÌ„g at this of any other I haue not had one grote graunted me syth I fyrst wrote or went about to write my dialoge and that was ye wote wel the fyrst worke that I wrote in these maters But then say the brethern as theyr holy father writeth and telleth also dyuerse whom he talketh wyth that I haue taken great rewardes in redy money of dyuers of theclergy for makynge of my bokes In good fayth I wyll not saye nay but that some good and honorable men of theym wolde in rewarde of my good wyâ—l and my labour agaynste these heretyques haue geuen me myche more then euer I dyd or could deserue But I dare take god and theym also to recorde that all they coulde neuer feffe me wyth one peny thereof but as I playnly tolde them I wolde rather haue caste they re money into the Temys thenne take yt For al be it they were as in dede there were bothe good men and honorable yet loke I for my thanke of god that is theyr better and for whose sake I take the labour and not for theyrs And yf any of the brethern byleuyng theyr holy fathers thynke as some of them saye that I haue more auauntage or these maters then I make for and that I sette not so lytle by money as to refuse yt when yt were offered I wyll not myche dispute wyth them lenger vppon the mater But let theym byleue as they lyst yet this wyll I be bold to say for my selfe all though they shold call me pharysye for the boste and pelagiane for my labour to that how bad so euer they reken me I am not yet fully so vertulesse but that of myne owne naturall dysposycyon wythout any specyall peculyare helpe of grace therto I am â—othe ouer prowde and ouer slouthfull also to be hyred for money to take half the labour and besynesse in wrytynge that I haue taken in thys gere synnys I began And therfore cause of parcyal fauour to the prestes persons haue I none more then hath euery good crysten man and woman whych is of dewty bounden to geue honour reuerence vnto that holy sacrament of order wyth whyche the clergye is specyally coÌ„secrate dedycate vnto god But where as the brethern say that I am not indyfferent in the mater therin do they the thynge that they seldome do that is to wit say y â— trewth For yf they call the mater eyther the vyce or vertue of the persones whyche I take not for y â— mater yet therin am I not indiffereÌ„t in dede bytwene a temporall man and a spyrytuall For as for vyce I hold yt myche more dampnable in a spyrytuall person then in a temporall man And as for
felowes foly myght appere called good worshippefull witnesses vnto theÌ„ And then bycause his lord shyppe perceyued Fryth loth to haue it knowen abrode out of the bretherhed as yet at that tyâ—e that he went about to poysene the realme wyth y â— pestilent heresy agaynst the sacrament my lorde I say sayd vnto hym that yt was nowe to late for hym to thynke that he couâ—â—e kepe close reuoke it Frytâ— qâ—od his lordshyppe ye may and repent yt and so were yt well done ye dyd but kepe it fro knowledge you can not ye be gone nowe so farre For your bokes of this mater haue ben sene abrode in many mennes handes and that so longe that lo here is an answere all redy made vnto yt and shewed hym my boke in prent but of trouth he delyuered yt not vnto hym How be yt sone after he gate myne answere I can not tell of whom and syns haue I herd of late that he sweteth aboute y â— mater a freshe and hathe I here saye the deuylyshe bokes of wyclefe Swynglius frere Huyskyn secretly coÌ„ueyed vnto hym into the toure hath begonne and gone on a great way in a newe boke agaynste the sacrament But the thynge that I tell you this tale for is this I am well enformed y â— he knoweth very wel that I made that answere and yt is not very lykely but that by one or other he hath the boke in prent and of lykelyhed he neuer had yt otherwyse For that was as easy a waye ye wote well as one to wryte it out that hadde it in prent all redy and before yt was prented I know very wel he could neuer get it And at the lest wise I know it well that he knoweth wel ynough that the answere was made by me and yet he dyssymuleth that and faynynge hym selfe not to know who made it but to thynke yt rather that my sayd lord of wynchester made yt then any maÌ„ elles maketh his newe boke as I am very certaynly enfourmed not agaynste me by name but all agaynste my sayde lorde of a solempne pryde that he wolde haue his boke seme a dysputacyon betwene the boy and the byshoppe But there shall not greatly nede suche a byshoppe so lerned as my sayde lorde is to dyspute wyth any suche as Fryth is for fyue suche bokes as that is yf yt be no wyser then was his other or theÌ„ this his new is eyther yf it be no wyser then one telleth me that both can good skyll and hath herd a great part redde nor how so euer he haue handeled it wyse wyll it neuer be while y â— mater therof is so false And therfore wheÌ„ y â— boke shal hereafter be finyshed and happeth to come to myne handes I trust to make almost euery boy able to perceyue the false foly thereof though he couer hys roten frute as close and as comely as euer any costerdmonger couered hys basket But this as I sayde ye may good reders se that as Fryth taketh myne answere fro me whyche hym selfe and euery man elles knoweth well for myne and imputeth yt to the byshop of wynchester it were not myche vnlykely that he wolde when he had herde of a thyng that I had sayd wheÌ„ hym selfe had made yt worse then chaunge yt fro me and impute it vnto maister chauncellour of London The .xxxviii. chapyter WHyche if he do he doth yt not alone For this poynt played also Thomas Philippis of LoÌ„don letherseller nowe prysoner in y â— towre â–ª whom when I was chauncellour vpon certayn thynges y â— I found out by him by thexamynacyon of dyuerse heretyques whome I hadde spoken wyth vppon the occasyon of the heretyques forboden bokes I sent for and when I hadde spoken wyth hym and honestely intreated hym one day or twayn in myne house and laboured about his ameÌ„dement in as harty louynge maner as I coulde when I perceyued fynally the person suche that I coulde fynde no trouth neyther in his worde nor his othe and saw the lykelyhed that he was in the settynge forth of suche heresyes closely a man mete and lykely to do many folke myche harme I by endenture delyuered hym to his ordynary And yet for bycause I perceyued in hym a great vayne gloryouse lykynge of hym selfe and a great spyce of the same spyryt of pryde that I perceyued byfore in Rycharde HuÌ„ne when I talked with him and fered that yf he were in y â— bysshoppes prysone his gostely enymy y â— deuyll myghte make hym there destroy hym selfe and then myght suche a new besynes aryse agaynste mayster chauncellour that now is as at that tyme arose vppon the chauncelloure that was then whyche thynge I fered in Thomas Philyppys somwhat also the more bycause a cosyn of his a â—arbour in Pater noster row called 〈◊〉 IohnÌ„ after that he was â—uâ—spected of heresye and spoken to therof 〈◊〉 the shame of the worlde drowned hym self in a well â— for these 〈◊〉 aduysed by my meanes holpe that Thomas Philips whychâ— all be yt that he saâ—d that y â— clergy â—oued hym not sâ—med noâ— yet very loth 〈…〉 to the byshoppes prâ—â—on was receyued prysoâ—â—r into 〈◊〉 towre of London â—nd yet 〈◊〉 that he 〈…〉 to know how the mater stode whyche knowen and reported to y â— kynges grace his hyghnes as a most vertuouse catholyque prynce gaue vnto Thomas Philippis such answere as yf he had ben eyther halfe so good as I wolde he were or halfe so wyse as hym selfe weneth he were he wold forth wyth haue folowed and not stande styll in his obstynacye so longe as he hath now put hym selfe therby in a nother deper parell Other haue besydes thys complayned that they haue ben vntrewly and vniustely handeled and thys haue they not letted to do after that they haue ben conuycted and abâ—â—red and theyr iuste condemnacyons after theyr open examynacyons and playn and clere proues so well and openly knowen y â— they haue by theyr shamelesse clamoure nothyng goten but rebuke and shame And yet were some of theym yf theyr ordynaryes had ben so sore so cruell as this boke of this pacifyer maketh them fallen agayne in the daunger and parell of relapse And some hath ben herd vppon importune clamour and the cause and handelyng examyned by the greatest lordes temporall of the kynges most honorable couÌ„sayle and that synnes that I left the offyce and the complaynour fouÌ„den in his complaynynge so very shamelesse false that he hath ben answered that he was to easely delt wyth and hadde wronge that he was no worse serued And suche haue these folke euer be fouÌ„den and euer shall For when they fall to a false fayth in herte theyr wordes can not be trew And therfore if this pacifier well thorowly knewe them I bare say he wolde lesse byleue theyr lameÌ„table â—ales theÌ„ I fere me that he hath byleued some in complaynyng vpon theyr ordynaâ—â—es agaynst whome he seâ—â—â—th vppon such folkes
contrary But now as touchyng any new order concernynge heresyes wyth the chaunge of lawes before dyuysed for the repressyoÌ„ of them I haue nâ— more to say therin but aduysâ— euery good man endeuourâ— hym self to kepe well y â— lawes all redy made of olde excepte he se the cause of the makyng chauÌ„ged or some other great necessyte and that he se that poynt by more ordinary meanes proued than eyther by some say or they say or many say or ellys that he perceyue well at y â— leste that those folke which wold labour to chauÌ„ge them be better wyser bothe than euer were those y â— made them And thus fynysshe I thys mater concernynge heresyes besechynge our lorde and sauyour for hys bytter passyon that as hys holy sacramentes therof toke they re strength so by the prayour of all those holy sayntes y â— haue bothe by theyr holy doctryne and ensample of lyuynge some of them planted y â— fayth and some of theym in sundry tymes well watered the plantes so hym selfe wyll of hys goodnes specially now vouchsaufe as the warme sonne the â—ery eternall onely begotten sonne of hys eternall father to â—prede hys beames vppon vs and aspyre hys breth into vs and iÌ„ our hartes as saynt Poule sayth geue hys fayth strength and encreace The .l. chapyter NOw come I to the last â—â—wt that the brethern fynde in my bokes For as for one more that was shewed me wythâ—n thys seuen nyght I not so myche esteme as to vouchesauâ—e to answere that is to wyt where they reproue that I brynge in amonge the moste ernest maters fansyes and sportes and mery tales For as Horace sayeth a man maye somtyme saye full soth in game And one that is but a lay man as I am it maye better happely become hym meryly to tell hys mynde thaÌ„ seryously and solempnely to preache And ouer thys I can scant byleue that the brethern fynde any myrth iÌ„ my bokes For I haue not myche herde y â— they very merely rede them But as to the laste faute that they fynde which I was about now to speke of where as they saye that as concernynge the chyrch I haue not fulfylled my promyse I shall here fyrste put you in remembrauÌ„ce what my ê“myse was In the ende of my preface byfore Tyndals confutacyon these are my very wordes Nowe shall I god wyllynge at my nexte â—eysoâ— go farther in his boke and come to the very breste of all this batayle that is to wytte the question whych is the chyrch For that is the poynte that all these heretykâ— by all the meanes they may labour to make so darke that by theyr willes no man sholde wyt what they meanâ— But I trust to drawe the serpent out of his darke dâ—nne and as the poetes â—aâ—n that â—ercules drew vp Câ—â—â—erus the mastrffe of hell in to the lyghte where hys eyen dased so shal as I wiâ—h y â— grace of that lyght whyche illumyneth euery man that cometh into this worâ—de make you that maâ—er so lyght some so clere to euery man y â— I shall leue Tyndale neuer a darke corner to 〈◊〉 into able to hyde his hedde Then after that I laue so clerely confuâ—ed Tyndaâ—e coÌ„cernyng that poynt shall haue playnly proued you the sure and stedfasâ—e authoryte of Cristes catholike knowen châ—rche agaynste all Tyndales tryflyng sophysâ—ycacyons whyche he wolde sholde seme so solempne subtile insâ—â—ubâ—es whych ye shall se prouâ—d very â—rantyke folyes after this done I say before I go farther wyth Tyndale I purpose to answere good yonâ—e fathâ—r Fryth Now god readers who so lyst to saye that I haue not fulfylled thys promyse yf he rede not my boke I can not make hym se the thynge that he lyste not to loke on If he haue red it thynke hym selfe not satisfyed I can not make hym perceyue more then hys wyt wyll serue hym If he vnderstande it well and yet wyll say my promyse is not fulfylled I can not let hym for hys pleasure to lye But lette hym what so euer he be put in wrytynge what moueth hym so to saye and I shall than I dowte not make other folke perceyue that all my promyse in that poynt I haue fully pertormed more that is to wyâ—â— by as myche more at the â—este as all myne eyght booke amounteth For lyke as in the tother I haue fully coÌ„futed Tyndals chyrche so haue I in that booke confuted as for thys worlde the chyrche that frere Barns had falsely framed here also wherof I promised nothyng So that as towchynge the certentye of the chyrche and of y â— infallible doctryn therof who so rede and aduyse well thys worke of myne made for the confutacyon of Tyndale and therwyth rede and consyder y â— .vii. fyrst chapyters and the laste of my seconde booke of my dyaloge wheruppon Tindale made all his wurke I dowt not but he that thus wyll do shall fynde hym selfe fully satysfyed And therfore good crysten readers as for suche farther thinges as I haue in my sayd preface promysed I purpose to pursew at some other farther leysour But fyrste I thynke yt better to besâ—owe some tyme vppon an nother thynge and leuynge for a whyle bothe defence of myne owne fautes and fyndynge of other mennys in wrytynge thynke better to bestow some tyme about the mendynge of myne owne in lyuyng which is a thyng now for many men more necessarye then is wrytynge For of new boke makers there are nowe mo then ynough wherfore that all suche as wyll wryte may haue y â— grace to wryte well or at the leste wyse none other purpose then to meane well and as well wryters as other to amende our owne fautes lyue well I beseche almyghtye god to graunt vs and that all folke spyrytuall and temporall in this world lyuyng all good crysteÌ„ soules departed hence and yet not out of payne may for grace euery parte pray for other all y â— blessed holy sayntes in heuen bothe here for grace there for glory praye to god for vs all Amen ¶ Prynted by w. Rabell in Fletestrete in saynte Brydys chyrch yarde 153â— Cum priuilegio The fautes escaped in the prentyng of this Apology Fo. â—a â—inea The fautes The amendements 23 i xi lyuys lynys 25 ii i wordeÌ„ worde 34 ii xvii faller fall 35 ii xxii wryte wryte 39 i xiii oher other 40 ii viii myght se myght not se 44 ii xvi Gâ—eke Grece 51 ii xi conâ—oded meâ— confounded me 56 i xx hys this 58 i vi eâ—eccyon begynnynge If eleccion begynnynge yf 66 i xxi vntouâ—hed vntouched 66 ii xi the temporalty the teÌ„poralty 75 ii i for as as for 76 i vii spyrituall man but spyrytuall man to my knowelege but 76 i xv thiâ— of this daye of 77 i i there they 93 i xx she he 94 ii viii enter entre 95 i xiii after holy after this holy 1â—4 i xii euyll an euyll 162 i xviii
¶ The apologye of syr Thomas More knyght Syr Thomas More knyght to the crysten reders The fyrst chapyter SO well staÌ„d I not I thanke god good reader in myne own conceyte thereby so myche in myne owne lyghte but that I can somwhat with egall iudgement and an euyn yie byholde and coÌ„syder both my selfe and myne owne Nor I vse not to folowe the condycion of Isopes ape y â— thought her own babes so bâ—utuouse so farre passyng in all goodly feature and fauour nor the crow that accompted her own byrdes the fayrest of all the fowles that flew But like as some I se well there are that can somwhat lesse theÌ„ I that yet for all that put oute theyr workes in wrytynge so am I not so blynde vppon the tother syde but that I very well perceyue very many so farre in wyt and erudicyon aboue me that in such mater as I haue any thyng wryten yf other men as many wolde haue take yt in hand as could haue done yt better yt myght myche better haue becomeÌ„ me to let the mater alone then by wrytyng to pÌ„sume any thing to medle therwyth And therfore good reader syth I so well know so many meÌ„ so farre excell passe me in all such thynges as are requyred in hym that myght aduenture to put his workes abrode to stand and abyde the iudgemeÌ„t of all other men I was neuer so farre ouerâ—â—ne as eyther to loke or hope that â—â—ch fautes as in my writyng sholde by myne ouersyght escape me coulde 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of all other men 〈◊〉 forth vnspyed but 〈…〉 both by 〈…〉 perceyâ—â—d 〈◊〉 amoâ—â— so many â—adde breâ—â—erne as I wyâ—â— well wold be â—â—â—oth wyth thâ—Ì„ shold be both sought out and syfted to the vtteâ—most flake of branne and largely theruppon controlled and reproued But yet agaynste all thys â—eare this one thynge recomforted me that syth I was of one poynte very faste and sure that such thynges as I wâ—yte are consonaunt vnto the comen catholyque fayth determynacyons of Chrystes catholyque chyrch are clere confutacions of false blasphemouse heresyes by Tyndale and Barons puâ— forthe vnto the coÌ„trarye any great faute and intollâ—rabâ—e sholde they none finde of such maner sort and kynde as y â— reâ—ders shold in theyr soules peryshe and be destroyed by of whyche poysened fautes myne aduersaâ—yes bokes be full Now then as for other fautes of lesse wâ—yght and tolerable I nothynge douted nor do but that euery good chrysten reader wyll be so reasonable and indyfferent as to pardon in me the thyng that happeth in all other meÌ„ and that no suche man wyll ouer me be so sore an audytour ouer my bokes suche a sore controller as to charge me with any great losse by gatherynge to gether of many such thynges as are wyth very fewe men aughte regarded and to loke for suche exaâ—te cyrcumspeccy on and sure syght to be by me vsed in my wrytynge as except the prophetis of god and Cryste and his apostles hath neuer I wene be founden in any mannes elles byfore that is to wit to be perfyte in euery poynte clene from all maner of fautes but hath alway â—en holden for a thyng excusable though the reader in a longe worke perceyue that the wryâ—er haue as Horace sayth of Homere here and there some tyme fâ—llen in a litle slomber in whyche places as the reader seeth that the writer slept so vseth he of courtesy yf he can not slepe yet for coÌ„pany at the leste wyse to nappe and wynke with him and leue his dreme vnchekked whyche kynde of courtesy yf I sholde shew how often I haue vsed wyth Tyndale and Barons both wynkynge at theyr tolerable fautes and suche as I rather thought neglygently escaped them of ouersyght or foly then dylygently deuysed of wyly falsed or malyce yâ— I wolde adde all those fautes to theyr other then sholde I double in leÌ„gth all my bokes in whyche the bretherne fynd for the speciall faute that they be to longe all redy But all be it that whan I wrote I was as I haue tolde you bolded and encoraged by the comon custume of all indyffereÌ„t readers which wold I wyst well perdoÌ„ and holde excused suche tolerable ouersyght in my wrytyng as men may fynde some in any mannys all moste that euer wrote before yet am I now myche more glad and bolde whan I se y â— those folke whiche wolde faynest fynde my fawtes can not yet happen on them but after longe sekynge and serchynge for them for all theyr bysynesse taken there aboute are fayne to put for fawtes in my wrytynge suche thynges as well consydered shall appere theyr owne fawtes for the fyndynge For they fynde fyrste for a great fawte that my writyng is ouer longe and therfore to tedyouse to rede For whyche cause they say they will neuer onsvouchsaufe to loke theroÌ„ But than say they ferther that suche places of theym as are loked on by those that are lerned and can skyll be soone perceyued for nought my reasons of lytell force For they bost mych that they here somtyme diuers partes of my bokes answered and coÌ„futedfully in sundry of some mennes sermons though my name be forborne than they wysshe me there they saye for that it wolde do theyr hartes good to se my chekes redde for shame And ouer thys they fynde a greate fawte that I handle Tyndale and Barons theyr two newe gospellers with no fayrer wordes nor in no more courteyse maner And ouer thys I wryte they say in such wyse that I shew my selfe suspecte in the mater parciall toward the clergy And than they saye that my wurkes were wurthy myche more credence yf I had wryten more indyfferentely and had declared and made open to the peple the fawtes of the clergy And in this poynt they laye for a sample the goodly and godly mylde gâ—ntle fashyon vsed by hym who so euer he was that now lately wrote y â— boke of the deuisyon bytwene the temporaltye and the spyâ—ytualty whyche charytable mylde maner they say that yâ— I had vsed my wurkes wold haue ben redde both of many mo wyth mych better wyll And yet they saye bysydes â—ll thys that I do but pyke oute pyeces at my pleasure suche as I maye moâ—te easely â—eme to soyle leue out what me lyste and suche as wolde playnely proue the mater agaynste me And so they saye that I vse but crafte fraude agaynst Tyndale For as for â—rere Barons I perceyue by sundry wayes that the bretherhed â—peke myche lesse of hym eyther for that they find hym in theyr owne myndes well and fully answered or ellys y â— they take him in respecâ— of Tindale but for a man of a secunde sorâ—e And that mayâ— peraduenture be bycause he leueth out â—omwhat that Tindale taketh in that is to wyâ— the makynge of mockes and mowys agaynste the masse the blessed sacrament of the aulter But fynally
they â—aye ferther yet that I haue not fulfylled my promyse For I promysed they saye in my preface of my confutacyon y â— I wold proue the chyrche and that they saye I haue not done The second chapiter Now wyll I begyn with that poynt that I most esteme For of al the remanauÌ„t make I litle couÌ„te But surely loth wold I be to misse reherse any mannys reason agaynst whome I wryte or to reherse hym slenderly And in that poynt vndoutedly they se full well them selfe that they saye not trew For there is no reason that I reherse of Tyndales or of frere Barns eyther but that I vse the contrarye maner therin that Tyndale vseth with myne For he reherseth myne in euery place faintly and falsely to and leueth out the pyth and the strength and the profe that moste maketh for the purpose And he fareth therin as yf â—here were one that hauynge day of chalenge appoynted in whyche he sholde wrestle with his aduersary wold fynde the mean by craft to gete his aduersary byfore the day into his owne handes and there kepe hym dyet hym with such a thynne diete that at the day he bryâ—geth hym forth feble faynte and famyshed and all moste hunger storuen and so lene that he can scant stand on his legges and then is yt etheye wote well to geue the sely soule a fall And yet when Tyndale hath done all this he taketh the fall hym selfe But eâ—ery man maye well se that I neuer vse that way wyth Tyndale nor wyth any of these folke but I reherse theyr reason to the beste that they can make yt theym selfe and â— rather enforce yt and stâ—ength it of myne own thâ—n take any parte of theyrs there from And this vse I not onely in suche places as I do not reherse all theyr owne wordes for that is not requyâ—yâ—e in euery place but I vse yt also in suche places â—esyde as of â—ll theâ—r owne wordes I leue not one syllable out For such darkenes vse they purposely Tyndale in especyall that â—xcepte I toke some paynâ— to set out theyr agumeÌ„tê plainly many that rede theym sholde lyâ—le wyt what they meane And to th enteÌ„t euery man may se y â— these good bretherne lytle care how lowde they lye let any man loke who so wyl and he shal fynd that of frere Barons I haue left out lytle except a lefe or two coÌ„cerning the generall counsayles and I shew the cause why as for Tindale of dyuerse whole chapyters of his I haue not wyttyngly left oute one lyne very few I am sure of ouer syght eyther but haue put in all his chapiters whole wheruppon any weyght of his mater hangeth excepte onely in the defeÌ„ce of such englysh wordes as he hath chaunged in his translacion of the new testament And yet therin they caÌ„ neuer say but that I haue put in all the streÌ„gth and pith of his profe But all the remanaunt of hys chapyters as farre as I haue goone haue I putte in whole leuynge out noughte but raylynge and preachyng wythoute profe and that but in one place or twayne and where I so do I geue the reader warnynge Now that his chapyters be whole rehersed in my boke I suppose yt maye metely well appere by the mater coÌ„sequeÌ„tly pursuyng if the reader leue my wordes out bytwene and â—ede but Tyndales alone Or yf any one worde or some few left out of chaunce putte that profe in doute yet haue the brethern among them I warrauÌ„t you of Tyndales bokes inough by whyche they may trye this trew And well ye wote yf this were vntrew that I say some of theÌ„ could assigne at the lest wyse some one suche place for a sample But that thyng neyther do they nor neuer can whyle they lyue The thyrd chapyter NOwe where â—s these good blessed bretherne say y â— my wrytyng is so long and so tedyouse that they wil not ones vouchsaufe to loke theron they shew theÌ„ self that my wrytynge is not so longe as they re wyttes be shorte and the yien of theyr soules very poore blynde whyle they can not se so farre as to perceyue that in fyndynge so many fautes in that boke whych they confesse theÌ„ selfe they neyther rede nor canne fynd in theyr hert to loke vppon they shew theym selfe eyther of lyghtnes redy to geue hasty credence to other folke or of malyce to make many lyes them selfe It is lytle meruayle that yt seme long and tedyouse vnto them to rede yt ouer wyth in whome yt irketh to do so myche as loke yt ouer wythout euery way semeth long to hym that is wery ere he begynne But I fynde some men agayne to whome the redynge is so farre fro â—edyouse that they haue redde the hole bokâ— ouer thryes and some that make tables therof for theyr owne remembraunce that suche men as haue as myche wytte and lernynge both as the best of all thys blessed bretherhed that euer I herd of Now be it gladde wolde I haue bene yf it myghte hauâ— ben mych more shorte for thaÌ„ sholde my labour haue ben so mych the lesse But they wyll yf they be resonable men coÌ„syder in them selfe that it is a shorter thyng â—nd soner done to wryte heresâ—â—s than to answere them For the most foly she heretyke in a town may write mo fals heresyes in one lefe than the wysest man in the hole world can well and coÌ„uenyently by reason and authoryte soyle confute in fourtye Now whan that Tyndale not onely techeth false heresyes but furnysheth hys erâ—ours also wyth pretence of reasone and scrypture and in stede of reason somtyme with blont subtyltyes and rude ridyls to the makynge open lyghtesome to the reader the darke wrytynge of hym that wold not by his wyll be well perceyued hath putte me to more laboure and lengthe in enswerynge than some man wold peraduenture haue ben contente to take And I somtyme take the payne to reherse some one thynge in dyuerse fasshyons in mo places thaÌ„ one bycause I woâ—de that the reder sholde in euery place where he fortuneth to fall in redynge haue at hys hand wythout remyttynge ouer ellys where or labour of ferther sekyng for it as mych as shall seme requysyte for y â— mater that he there hath in hande And therin the labour of all that lengthe ys myne owne for ease shortenynge of the readers payne Now on the other syde as for Tyndale and Barns I wote nere well whether I may call them longe or short For somtyme they be short in dede bycause they wolde be darke and haue theyr false fo lyes passe and repasse all vnperceyued Some tyme they can vse such a compendyouse kynde of cloqueÌ„ce that they conuay and couche vp to gether with a wonderfull breuyte four fo lyes and fiue lyes in lesse then as many lynes But yet for all this I se not in effecâ— any meÌ„ more long then they For they preache
not thys a goodly way Surely for my parte I am not so ambycyouse of suche folkes prayse as to be called indyfferent wyll in wrytyng agaynst theyr heresyes helpe them forth in theyr raylynge The .xi. chapyter BUt nowe where as the bretherne lay a blame in me that I hadde not vsed suche a goodly mylde maner and suche an indyfferent fasshyon as they fynde vsed by him that made the boke of the dyuysyon betwene the spyrytualty and the temporalty I am not greatly blame worthy therin For his boke was put out synnes therfore coulde I when I wrote take none ensample therof euery man is not lyke inueÌ„tyue of his own wyt For surely he hath founden some certayne proper inuented fygures in that boke in whych I am so farre from fyndynge the lyke of my self that beynge as they nowe be founden to myne hande all redy harde were it for me in the lyke mater to folow them And yet though my bokes be very farre vnder his they may be for all that ye wote well metely good yf hys be so farre excellent as the brethern boste yt In which boke yet as mych as they boste yt he declareth and expressely testyfyeth lyke a trewe crysten man how so euer the maters go betwene the temporaltye and the spyrytualty that yet theyr opynyons are heresyes But they take as it semeth all those wordes of his wel in worth bycause they reken theÌ„ selfe recompensed in a nother parte in that they falsely persuade vnto them selfe eyther that he dyssymuleth for the whyle and byleueth as they do or elles that byleue he neuer so well him self yet eyther of pytye or some other affeccyon he could be coÌ„tent to helpe that they sholde theym selfe with theyr euyll bylyefe be let alone and lyue in reste and be sufferd to byleue as they lyste But I trust in god that in that poynte they lene to mych to the letter of his wordes of theyr owne fauour to them selfe mysse constre the good mannys mynde For god forbede that any crysteÌ„ maÌ„ shold meane so Howe be yt as touchynge y â— mater wherwyth we be now in hande that is to wytte the maner of mylde and indyfferent writyng by me or by him concernynge the spyrytualty and the teÌ„poralty therin am I very sure that his myld indyfferent boke of the dyuysyon neyther is more myld nor more indyffereÌ„t then any boke of myne For fyrst as for myne own parte loke my dyaloge my supplycacyon of soules and both the partes of the confutacyon and ye shall clerely se y â— I neyther haue vsed towarde the clergy nor toward the temporalty any warme dyspleasaunt word but haue forborn to touch in specyall eyther the fautes of the tone or of the tother But yet haue I coÌ„fessed the thyng y â— trouth is neither part to be fautlesse But then whyche is the thynge that offeÌ„deth these blessed bretherne I haue not letted forthermore to say the thynge whyche I take also for very trewe that as thys realme of englande hath had hytherto god be thaÌ„ked as good and as laudable a temporalty noÌ„ber for nomber as hath hadde any other crysten region of the quaÌ„tyte so hath it had also nomber for nomber compared wyth any realme cristened of no gretter quantyte as good and as coÌ„mendable a clergye though there haue neuer lacked in any of both the partes plentye of suche as haue alwaye be noughte whose fautes haue euer ben theyr owne and not to be imputed to the whole body neyther of spyrytualty nor teÌ„poralty sauyng that there haue ben peraduenture on eyther parte in some suche as by theyr offices ought to loke therto some lacke of the labour and dylygeÌ„ce that in the reformynge of yt sholde haue belonged vnto them whyche I declare alway that I wold wyshe amended euery man specyally labour to meÌ„de him selfe and rather accustome hym selfe to loke vppon hys owne fautes then vpon other mennes and agaynste suche as are in eyther sorte founden â—pen euyll and nought and noyouse vnto the comenwell as theuys murderers and heretyques such other wreches the whole corps of the spyrytualty and temporaltye bothe eche wyth other louyngly to accorde and agre and accordynge to the good auncyent lawes and commendable vsages long contynued in this noble realme eyther parte endeuour them selfe dylygently to represse and kepe vnder those euyll and vngracyous folke that lyke sores scabbes and cankers trouble and vexe the body and of all them to cure suche as may be cured for helth of the whole body cutte and caste of the incurable cancred partes there fro obserued in the doynge euermore such order and fasshyon as may stand and agre wyth reason and iustyce the kynges lawes of the realme the scrypture of god and the lawes of Crystes chyrch euer kepyng loue and concord betwene the two pryncypall partes the spyritualty and temporalty lest the dregges of both sortes conspyryng to gether encreasyng may litle and litle grow to strong for both wherto they myghte haue a fayre gappe and a brode gate to entre yf they myghte fynde the meane by crafte to seuer and sette a sunder the temporalty against y â— clergy to stryue and so let as yt were the soule and the body brable and stryue to gether and whyle they study nothyng elles but the tone to greue the tother the noughty then conspyre and agre to gether and set vppon the good people of both Thys hath bene hytherto the whole somme of my wrytynge wythout any dyspleasaunt worde vsed eyther towarde temporaltye or spyrytualtye And more mylde maner then this toward al good folke hath not thys other boke of dyuysyon nor yet a more indyfferent as farre as I can se but yf he be rekened more myld bycause he setteth hys wordes mych more myld and colde when he speketh awght of heretikes sheweth hym selfe therin more temperate therby more dyscrete then I and but yf he be â—ekened for more indyfferent bycause hys wordes iÌ„ rehersyng the fawtes of the spyritualty be not in the wurste thynges parcyally poynted towarde suche as be nought but indyâ—fereÌ„tly dyrected and poynted towarde the whole body The .xii. chapyter HOw be it as towching the maner of hys handelynge to tell you the very trouth it semeth to me some what straunge for one that wolde go about the purpose that he pretendeth that is to wytte to pacyfye and appease two partyes beyng at so sore a dyssensyon and dyuysyon as he sayth that y â— temporalty is in grudge agaynst the spyrytualty not here and there but euery where noted as he sayth in a maner vnyuersally thorow thys whole realme How be it I trust in god very farre fro so And yet not fully so farre but that it maye by mysfortune for aboundaunce of synne and lake of grace in tyme grow and come to it For trouth it is that murmur dyssensyon god knoweth how it begonne agaynste the clergye is a greate waye gone
all the fawtes that he bryngeth in vnder some saye and they say some that him selfe sayeth without any some say be such as some saye that he can neuer proue and some they say be playne and open false By all whyche maner of handelynge it appereth that yf the man meane well hym selfe as by goddes grace he doth than hath some other sotle shrew that is of his couÌ„sayle deceyued him not onely in the mysse framynge of hys mater more towarde diuysyoÌ„ then vnyte but also by causynge hym to plante in here there some suche worde as myghte make hys beste frendes to fere that he greately forced not for the furtherauÌ„ce of the catholyke fayth The .xiiii. chapyter BUt for as mych as the touchynge of y â— boke is here not my priÌ„cipal purpose I wil therfore not peruse it ouer touch euery poiÌ„t therof whyche yf I wolde I coulde I thynke well made men se y â— very fewe partes therof had eyther such cherite or such indiffereÌ„cye â—herin as not onely the new naughty bretherhed bosteth but some good folke also take yt at a superfycyall redynge And yet bycause y â— bretherns boste hath made yt an incydeÌ„t vnto my mater and that some thynges therin are suche as yt is more then necessary that men be well aduysed of them and well fore se what they do in them and leste a better opypynyon of the boke then the mater may bere yf yt be pondered ryght may be occasyon to moue meÌ„ in some great thynges to do no lytle wroÌ„ge to thenâ—â—nt also that ye may se y â— in all that I haue sayde I bylye hym not I shall for a sample of handlynge touch by the waye one or two places of hys And leâ—te folke shold thynke that I pyke oute here there two or thre lynes of y â— wurst I wyll take his fyrst chapiter whole In whyche though all be not noughte nor all false For a very fole were he that wold putforth a boke make all nought and all false euyn in y â— very fore fronte that shall come fyrste to hande yet yf yt be consydered aduysed wel there will I wene euyn in the very fyrste chapyter appere lesse good and lesse treuth to then men at a sodayne shyft in the fyrst redyng ouer do thorowly perceyue Lo thus yt begynneth Who maye remember the â—tate of thyâ— realme now in these dayes wythout gret heuyneâ— and sorow of herte For there as in tymes pasâ—e hath â—eygned charyte mekeneâ— concord and peace reygneth nâ—w enuye pryde â—yuysyon and â—â—ryâ—e and that not onely betwene lay men and laye men but also betwene râ—lygyons and relygyons and alsâ—â—etwene preâ—â—es and religyonâ— that is yet more to be lameÌ„ted also betwene prefiâ—â— and preâ—â—es Some say y â— a man myght here a lytle lament this mannys wyt that weneth yt lesse to be lamented that debate strife shold be bytwene prestes and religyouse persons or bytwene those that are both the partyes relygyouse folke theÌ„ bytwene those y â— are both the partyes prestes For some say that many relygyouse folke be prestes And they y â— so say do say also that as many prestes be relygyouse folke And some say therfore that except this man meane here by relygyouse folke eyther womeÌ„ or chyldren wyth whose varyaunce the temporalty is not very greatly cuÌ„bred or ellys the laye bretherne that are in some places of religyoÌ„ which are neyther so many nor so myche estemed that euer the temporalty was myche troubled wyth they re stryfe ellys bysyde these there falleth no variauÌ„ce lyghtly betwene religyouse relygyouse wherwith the temporalty haue ben offended but yt falleth of necessyte betwene prestes and prestes and theÌ„ the varyauÌ„ce namely suche a varyaunce as thys boke speketh of that is so notable that the temporalty so mych marketh it and hath so great cause to lament yt when yt falleth betwene relygyouse and relygyouse ys a thynge no lesse lamentable then yf yt fell betwene as many prestes when them selfe be both prestes And then yf he meane here by prestes those that are seculare prestes as by his other wordes he semeth to do and so taketh yt for a thyng more to be lamented yf varyaunce fall betwene seculare prestes then betwene those prestes y â— are in relygyoÌ„ then say some men that he sayth somwhat worse And then they y â— so say seme to me to say trew For al be it gret pitye yt is to se stryfe and variauÌ„ce fal betwene any seculare prestes yet is it more pitye to se it fal betwene those prestes that haue also vowed and professed farther somwhat a more strayght renouncyng of all such maner thyng as mater of debate and stryfe do comenly sprynge vppon And therfore this maner of encreace and growing of this mannys oracyon is but a couÌ„terfeted fygure of rethoryque as some men say And in good fayth as for my selfe I se not the reason that moued hym For it were â— very colde skuse to a man lerned that wyll way the hole periodus togyther if he wold hereafter say that he ment by these wordes bytwene prestes and prestes the prestes that are in relygyon For bysyde that a man maye by dyuersâ— thynges well perceyue the coÌ„trary he had yf he so hadde mente lefte than no lamentacyon for any stryfe that happeth bytwene seculare prestes amonge them selfe I can not therfore iÌ„ good fayth diuyne what he sholde mene by that increase endynge in prestes after all the relygyouse but yf he mente to sygnyfye that the state of prestes pofessyng relygyon were a state of lesse perfeccyon by reason of the professyon then is the state of those seculare prestes y â— haue temporall landes of theyr own purchace or enheritauÌ„ce or that ellys serue some chauÌ„tery or lyue vppon trâ—ntallys abrode And surely yf the man thus ment in dede bysydes that he sholde haue sette out hys sentence more playnely his menynge wylâ— but yf he declare it the better mysselyke better men and better lerned to thaÌ„ I he be bothe And sauynge for that poynte whyche is no small mater ellys as for his rules of rethoryke or grammatycall congruyte eyther or ouersight in reasonyng as thynges of no gret weyght wolde not myche vouchsaue to towche For they be suche offences as a man maye fall in and yet be a saued soule as well as though he neuer wrote any wurke at all The .xv. chapyter WHyche dyuysyon hath ben so vnyuersall that it hath ben a great vnquyetnes and a great breche of charyte through all the realme and paâ—te of yâ— hath rysen by reason of a great syngularyte that relygyous personâ— and preâ—â—es haue 〈◊〉 to theyr siate of lyuyng wherby many of theÌ„ haue thought theyr state moâ—â—e perfyte before all other â—nd some of them haue therby eâ—alted theym selfe in they re owne syghte so hyghe that they haue rysen into suche a 〈◊〉 pryde that they haue in maner disdayned
wyly inuented fygure of some say vnder a pyty preteÌ„ded toward those herytikes that are in theyr obstynacy peryshed set his wordes in such wyse as though his mynde were to aggreue and brynge in hatered amonge the people the name and bodye of the clergye by makynge the people wene that theyr ordynaryes hadde wyth euyll and vncharytable handelyng ben the occasyon that those heretyques are bothe in soule and bodye destroyed syth they myght as is here sayde vnder y â— fygure of some say by good and charytable handelyng of the clergy haue ben better reformed and peraduenture in soule and body saued wold god these same some folke that so haue sayde vnto thys pacyfyer hadde named hym at the lest wise some one that was so euyll and so vncharytably handeled that the lacke of better and more charytable handelynge hath ben the losse of his bodye soule For then myght the clergy declare their demeanure toward that man and then shold they perceyue by this pacyfyer in whych parte of theyr delynge good charytable maner â—acked But veryly whome so euer they sholde haue named I â—oute not but those y â— were the â—rdynaâ—yes in the cause couâ—de easely proue that they 〈◊〉 vsed no rygour to hym 〈◊〉 the lawe nor omyttâ—â— no charitable meane vnto hym that came to theyr myndes whyle the man lyued and the mater in theyr handes nor in prouydyng for good exhortacyon towarde his conuersy on agayn and his saluacyon euyn tyll the lyfe lefte hys bodye But nowe for as myche as some so say by theÌ„ concernyng some of theym that are gone the clergye wolde I wene be yet gladde to here in what wyse maner of charytable fasshyon this pytuouse pacyfyer wold haue them handle other heretyques hereafter such as shall be denounced and ex officio broughte byfore theym For all be it y â— this pacifyer in a nother place somwhat semeth to mysse like that order yet I fere me there wolde as I shall after shew you many a place in the realme swarme very full ere euer they were brought byfore the ordynary by the meane of accusacyon How be yt let vs putte the sample by some one that is lykely to be broughte and delyuered vnto the ordynarye by the meane of the kinges grace and his counsayle I mean IohnÌ„ Fryth For he is in pryson in y â— towre all redy taken by the bishoppes seruauntes by the ayde of the kynges offycers at commauÌ„dement of his grace and his counsayle and so by the kynges offycers brought into the towre where he remayneth yet and therfore he shall I doute not be brought as I sayd and delyuered vnto the ordynary Now then yf the ordynary knew this good pytuouse pacyfyer and wolde bycause he seeth his good and charitable mynde desyre hym of hys good aduyse and couÌ„sayle in what wise he myght beste and moste charitably handle hym for the sauynge of hys soule and body the lawes of Chrystes chyrch obserued that the sauynge of hym yf he wolde stycke styâ—â—e in his obstynacy shold not be y â— occasion of corruptynge and destroynge the soules of other men what couÌ„sayle wolde this man geue hym Fyrste yf no man wolde professe him self for his accusare and yet there wold twenty be redy when they were by commaundemeÌ„t of the court compelled not to lette but depose y â— trewth that he hath synnes he came in the towre wryten a fresshe agaynste purgatory and a boke that he calleth the Mirrour agaynst relâ—gyouse aduysyng euery man to geue none of them nothing though they be of that relygyon that nothing haue of theyr own and twyse hath he there in lyke wyse wryten agaynste the catholyque fayth of Cryst concernynge the blessed sacrament of the aulter whyther wolde now this pacifyer that the ordynarye hauynge good prouys and yet none accuser sholde procede agaynste hym ex officio or ellys for lacke of an accuser lette him fayre go If he wolde he sholde procede ex officio as I thinke he wolde thynke yt reason what shold he then do syth all can not be done in a day whether shold he let hym walke abrode vpoÌ„ his promise to appere agayn whyche Fryth were lykely to breke and gete hym ouer see or ellys take suertyes bouÌ„den for hys apparence as IohnÌ„ Purser and some such other were bouÌ„den for IohnÌ„ Byrt and force not to forfayt theyr bonde for bretherhed but let hym slyppe a syde and neuer brynge hym forthe and kepe hym close amoÌ„g the brethern as the tother was kept tyll y â— postle maye make some bysshoppes amonge the new brethern after his new Titus Timothe stablyshed eche in his owne see then the newe Poule thys apostle Fryth take shippyng at Sandwych and sayle into Freselande wold this pacifyer aduyse the ordynarye thus or ellys to kepe hym in pryson where he sholde do no hurte and lette the walles and the lokkes be hys suertyes for hys forthe commynge Thus farre yet as I suppose thys pacyfyer wolde aduyse the ordynary to kepe Fryth faste But now when hys heresyes were layed vnto hys charge as for to gyue counsayle to the ordynary to exhorte Fryth to leue theym this pacyfyer I dare say shall not nede nor to take hym to grace neyther nor to shewe hym great fauour vpon good tokens of hys repentaunce amendement But now yf he were one of thys pacyfyers polytykes and wold say that he beleued euer the right way in hys owne harte contrarye to the wordes that hys owne hande wrote but after the maner that this pacifyer speketh he wrote all these heresyes of polycye bycause that by the bylyefe of purgatory and of the sacrament of the aulter of myracles iÌ„ so many places so playnely shewed theron he saw that offerynge rychesse came into the clergye and therfore wolde saye that he muste not be taken for an hereâ—yke but for a man wyse polytyke what aduyse wold here thys pacyfyer geue hys ordinary what counsayle wolde he geue the ordinary yf Fryth wolde make none excuse by policy but saye that he wâ—ote agaynste purgatory and all relygyouse orders and the sacrament of the aulter to for loue y â— he bereth to the trouth that those heresyes be very fayth by which he wyll abyde vnto the deth what aduyse wyll thys pacyfyer geue the bysshoppe than what good and cherytable handelynde wyll he deuyse to saue hys body soule specyally whan he shall se certayne letters whyche some of the bretherne lette fall of late and loâ—t them of lykelyhed as some good kytte leseth her kayes by whiche letters both Tyndale and George Iay wryte vnto Fryth and counsayle hym to stycke faste and Tyndale sheweth hym that all the brethern loke what shall become of hym and that vppon hys spede hangeth all theyr hope I can not tell what good and cherytable handelynge thys pacyfyer can deuyse but I dare say that there is neyther ordynary nor other honeste man spyrytuall nor teÌ„porall but
he shall not saye â–ª that I bydde hym tâ—otte about for nought thys shall I profer hym that I wyll bynd my selfe for suerty and fynde hym other twayne bysyde of better substaunce then my selfe that for euery one of these whom he proueth wroÌ„ged hys ordynary or his other offycer by whome the wronge was done shall gyue thys pacyfyer all hys costes done aboute the profe and a reasonable rewarde bysyde And yet now though no man wolde gyue hym nothynge it were hys part perde to proue it for hys owne honestye syth he hath sayde so farre And thys dare I be bolde to offre to se the trouth openly proued After whych well proued onys to be as he sayeth men may be bolde to saye the thynge that they se proued trew therupon yf they lyft to cast suspecte some ferther fere of the lyke ye or of wurse yf they wyl I wyl not let theÌ„ But without any such thyng proued before there wyll no reason nor good conscyence bere it that we shuld suspecte that our prelates and ordynaryes in theyr iudgementes agaynste heretykes vse to do them wrong syth all y â— lawes bothe spyrytuall of the whole chyrch and temporall of this realme haue ordayned full fayth and credence to be gyuen to them therin whyche lawes to contrary now there appereth lytle cause consyderynge that the kynge our souerayne lorde that now is longe mote be hathe in hys tyme as prudentely as vertuousely prouyded for thys realme that it sholde haue suche prelates and ordynaryes as sholde in lernynge wysdome iustyce lyuynge be mete and conuenient therfore as any prynce hath noÌ„ber for noÌ„ber that hath reygned ouer thys realme I dare boldely say thys huÌ„dred yere and sholde in my mynde kepe my selfe a great waye within my boundes all though I wolde sette an other hundred to it But now lettynge thys pyece passe wherin I myght yet saye many thynges mo then I do wolde saue that the bretherne wolde than call me longe and wyll yet peraduenture say that I am scant shorte inough lett vs go ferther and spede vppe thys one chapyter of hys The .xxvi. chapyter ANd many other murâ—â—urs grudges besyde these that be before rehersed be amonge the people mo then I can reherse now but yet aboue all other me thynketh that it is most to be lamented and sorowed that spyrytuall men knowynge these grâ—dges and murmuracyons amonge the people and knowynge also that many lay men haue opynyon that a great occasyon therof ryseth by spyrytuall men and that they do no more to appease theÌ„ ne to order them selfe in no other maner for the appeasyng of them then they do For all that they do therin moâ—â—e commenly is this they take yt that they that fynde defaâ—te at suche abusyons and dysorder loue no prefies therfore they esteme that they do of malyce all that they do to destroye the chyrch and to haue theyr goodes and possessyons theym selfe and therfore they thynke it a good dede to se them punished so that they shall not be able to brynge theyr malyce to effect And therfore haue they punyshed many peâ—sons wihch mych people haue iudged them to do vpon wyl of no loue vnto the people And though spyrytuall men are bounde in thys case for appeasynge of these opynyons in the people whyche be so daungerous as well to syrytuall men as to temporall men that many soules stande in great peryll therby not onely to reforme theym selfe and to leue and auoyde all thynges that gyue occasyon to the people so to offende that may be charyte be omytted and lefte but also to fasâ—e pray weare the heare geue almoyse and to do other good dedes for them selfe and for the people cryenge contynually to our lorde that these dyuysyons may cease and that peace and concorde may come agayne into the worlde yet yt appereth not that they do so but that they rather contynue styll after the olde course pretendyng by confederacyes and worldely polycyes and strayte correcâ—yons to rule the people and that ys greatly to be lamented and yt wyll be harde for theym to brynge yt so aboute But yf they wolde a lytell meken theym selfe and wythdrawe suche thynges aâ— haue broughte the people into thys murmur and grudge they shold anone bryng a new lyght of grace into the worlde and brynge the people to perfecte loue and obedyence to they re superyours And here me thynketh I myght say farther in one thynge and that is this that as longe as spyrytuall rulers wyll eyther pretende that theyr authorite is so hygh and so immedyatly deryued of god that the people are bounde to obaye them and to accepte all that they do and teache without argumentes resystence or grudgynge agaynste them or that they wyll pretende that no defaute is in them but in the people and wyll yet contynue styll in the same maner after the same worldly contenaunce as they do now and haue done late tyme paste the lyght of grace that is spoken of before wyll not appere but that bothe partyes shall walke in this darkenes of malyce and diuysyon as they haue done in tyme paste Hys other murmours grudges that he sayth he cannot now reherse he reherseth after many of theym in hys other chapyters whyche I wyll passe ouer vntowched bothe for that the more parte of them be such as euery wyse man wyll I suppose answere them hym selfe in the redyng and satysfye hys owne mynd wythout any nede of myne helpe therin for that some thinges are there also therin that are very well sayed and some also that be they good or badde I purpose not to medyll mych wythall as are the thynges that towche any lawes or statutes all redy-made be they of the chyrch or of the realme defende theym I am coÌ„tent to do yf I thinke them good But on the tother syde yf I thynke theÌ„ nought albe it that in place and tyme conuenyent I wolde gyue myne aduyce and counsayle to the chauÌ„ge yet to put out bookes in wrytynge abrode amonge the people agaynste them that wold I neyther do my selfe nor in the so doynge commeÌ„de any man that doth For yf the lawe were suche as were so farre agaynst the law of god that it were not possyble to stande wyth maÌ„nys saluacyon than in that case the secrete aduyse and counsayle maye bycome euery man but the open reprofe and redargucyon therof may not in my mynd well bycome those that are no more spyrytuall than I. And surely yf the lawes maye be kepte and obserued without perel of soule though the chaunge might be to y â— better yet out of tyme and place conuenient to put the defawtes of y â— lawes abrode among the people in wrytynge and wythoute any surety of the chauÌ„ge geue the people occasyon to haue the lawes in derysyon vnder whyche they lyue namely syth he y â— so shal vse to do may somtyme myssetake the mater
and thynke the thynge not good wherof the chaunge wolde be worse that way wyll I not as thus aduysed neyther vse my selfe nor aduyse no frende of myne to do And therfore I wyll as I saye leue some thynges of his boke vntouched whyther he sya wel or euill And finally for y â— the towchyng of thys mater is no parte of my pryncypall entent but happeneth as an incydent to fall in my waye wherin it suffyseth by the coÌ„syderacyon of one piece or twayne to geue men an occasyon to loke well to the remanaunt and let it not ouer lightly synke depe down into the brest tyll it be well chammed chowed in the mouth not onely se what he sayth but also by the wysedome of the reder consyder what may be sayd agaynste it and who so hath wytte and redeth it in that wyse shall I warraunte you soone perceyue that mild indifferent boke to bere more shrewde store of euyll stuffe therin then the brethern that boste it wolde that such good folke sholde se as of a good mynde menyng none harme wene euery thynge were well ment that they se fayre set out to the shewe and softe and smothely spoken The .xxvii. chapyter I wil not also sticke mych vpon his hygh solemne dyuynacyon wherin he prophecyeth that as longe as the spyrytuall rulers wyl eyther preteÌ„de that theyr authoryte is so hygh and so immedyatly dyryued fro god that the peple are bound to obay theym and accepte all that they teache wythout argument reâ—ystence or grudge and that they wyll pretende that no defaute is in theym but wyll yet coÌ„tinue â—tyl in the same maner the same worldely câ—tenaunce as they do now and haue done in late tyme paste the lyght of grace that is spoken of before be with you now euer more amen This ende of this holy sermon is to lytle purpose For fyrst as for wordly coÌ„tenauÌ„ce is amonge the clergy wythin these few yeres not a lytle abated whyche thynge who so lyste wyth an euyn eye to loke vppon yt and indyfferently consyder yt shall not fayle to ê‘ceyue And so there is good hope yf that may helpe the mater that then the lyghte of the grace that this gracyouse pacyfyer spake of before is not now very farre behynd And veryly for aught that I can se a great part of y â— proud and pompose appareyll that many prestes in yeres not loÌ„g paste were by the pryde and ouer syght of some few forced in a maner against theyr own wyllys to weare was before his godly couÌ„sayle so by this pretye prented boke pryuyly geuen theym in theyr eare myche more I trowe then the tone half spent and in maner well worne oute And I wote well yt is worne out with many whyche entende herafter to bye no more suche agayn And for the resydue of the couÌ„tenaunce I dare be bolde to waraunt that I can fynde of those that moste may spende whyche were they sure that yt sholde in thys mater do any good wold be well coÌ„tente to withdraw from all theyr other couÌ„tenaunce the chyefe parte of theyr mouables of theyr yerely lyuelode to and oute of hande bestow the tone and wyth theyr owne hand yerely bestowe the tother openly among the pore And I durst agayne be bolde to warraunt that yf they so dyd euyn the selfe same folke that nowe grudge and call them proude for theyr couÌ„tenaunce wolde then fynde as great a grudge and call theym ypocrytes for they re almoyse and saye that they spende vppon noughtye beggers the good that was wonte to kepe good yomen and that therby they both enfeble and also dyshonour the realme Now as for the tother part of his prophesye concernyng that the lyghte of grace that he spake of before wyll not appere as long as spyrytuall rules wyll preteÌ„de that theyr authoryâ—e is so hyghe and so immediately deryued of god that the people are bounden to obaye them and to accepte all that they do teche wythout argumentes resistence or grudgynge agaynste theym in thys parte he muste fyrste declare whyther he meane in thys wordes theyr authoryte all theyr hole authoryte or theyr authoryte in some parte If he mene that they say thus of all theyr whole authoryte in euery thynge that they maye now at this tyme lawfully do or saye I answere that they neither â—teÌ„de nor neuer dyd all that authoryte to be gyueÌ„ theym immedyately by god but haue authorite now to do dyuerse thynges by y â— grauÌ„te of kynges prynces as haue also many teÌ„porall men by those grauÌ„tes haue such right in those as teÌ„porall men haue by the like grauÌ„tes in theyrs And therfore in that part the pacyfyer is answered And thaÌ„ yf he meane that the lyght of hys grace that he spake of byfore wyll not appere as longe as the prelates pretende y â— any parte of theyr authoryte is so hyghe that it is immedyately gyuen them of god then hath thys pacyfyer loste the lyght of treuth For the greatest and highest and most excellent authoryte that they haue eyther god hath gyuen theym hym selfe or ellys they be very presuÌ„ptuouse vsurpe many tâ—ynges farre aboue all good reason For I haue neuer redde or at the leste wyse I remember not that I haue redde y â— euer any kyng grauÌ„ted them the authoryte that now not onely prelates but other pore playne prestes also dayly do take vpon theÌ„ in mynistryng the sacramentes and consecratynge the blessed body of Cryste wyth dyuerse other authorytees besyde But it semeth to hym peraduenture that in one poynte at the leste wyse y â— spyritualty ys to prowde For he saythe they pretende to be obayed haue theyr ordynaunces and theyr teachynges obserued without resystence grudge or argumentes to the contrary Surely in suche thynges as the whole clergy of chrystendome techeth and ordereth in spyrytuall thynges as be dyuerse of those lawes whyche thys pacyfyer in some places of this boke toucheth beynge made agaynst heretikes and albeit that they be and longe haue bene thorow the whole corps of chrystendome bothe temporalty and spyrytualty by longe vsage and custome ratyfyed agreed and confyrmed yet he layeth some lacke in them callynge theym very sore in those thynges I saye that syth I no thynge dowte in my mynde but in that congregacion to goddys honour gracyousely gathered together the good assysteÌ„ce of the spyryte of god is accordynge to Crystes promyse as veryâ—y present assystente as it was with his blessed apostles meÌ„ ought wyth reuerence wyth out resystence grudge or argumentes to receyue theym And yf a prouyncyall counsayle erre there are in Cristes chyrche ordynary wayes to reforme it But in suche thynges as any spyrytuall gouernours after a lawfull order forme deuyse for the spyrytuall weale of theyr sowles that are in theyr charge and whyche thynges are suche as good folke maye soone perceyue them for good in these thynges at the lest wyse shold the
chauncellour shoide reloyce haue a cruell desyre of the mannes deth I knowe hym so well that I dare well saye they falsely by lâ—e hym therâ—n How be it some treuth they myghte happe to here wheruppon they myghte buylde theyr lye For so was it that on a tyme one came shewed me that Fryth labored so sore that he swette agayne in studyeng and wrytyng agaynst the blessed sacrament And I was of trouth very heuy to heare that the yonge folysshe felowe sholde bystowe suche labour about such a deuelysh wurke and wysâ—â—hynge that the man had some good chrysten frende to whome he wold geue eare that myghte wyth drawe hym from geuynge enclynynge all hys harte to y â— folowynge of that frantyke heresye wherwyth he were in perell to perysshe bothe body and soule sayed in the coÌ„munycacioÌ„ these wordes or other of lyke effect For yf y â— Fryth quod I swete in laboryng to quenche y â— fayth that all trew chrysten people haue in Chrystes blessed body and bloude whyche all chrysten folke veryly and all good folke frutefully receyue in the forme of brede he shall labour more tâ—an in vayne For I am sure that Fryth all his felowes wyth all the frendes that are of theyr affinite shall neyther be able to quenche and putte out that fayth And ouer â—hat yf Fryth laboure aboute the quenchynge therof tyll he swete I wolde some good frend of hys shold shew hym that I fere me sore that Cryst wyll kyndle a fyre of fagottes for hym make hym therin swete the bloude out of hys body here and strayte frome thense send hys soule for euer into the fyre of hell Now in these wordes I neyther ment nor meane that I wold it were so For so heâ—p â—e god and none otherwyse but as I wolde be gladde to take more laboure losse and bodyly payne also thenne peraduenture many a man wolde wene to wynne thâ—t yonge man to Cryste and his trewe fayth agayne therby to preserue and kepe hym froÌ„ the losse and perell of soule body bothe Now myghte it peraduenture be that I tolde mayster chauncellour this tale and so I wene I dyd and he myght theruppon happen to reporte it agayne or saye some suche lyke wordes of lyke purpose to some other man and that there vppon these bretherne buyelde vppe theyr tower of lyes Or ellys whyche were not impossyble Fryth yf he herde the tale tolde by me myghte wythdrawynge the beste and makynge it seme suche as hym selfe lyste tell it out by mayster chauncellour to brynge hym amonge the people in opynion of malyce and crueltye But hys mylde mynde and very tender dealynge in suche maters is amonge all the peple by good experyence so playnly proued and so clerely knowen that it wyll be harde to brynge any such synyster opinyon of hâ—m in any good honest mannâ—shed for the wordes of a great meâ—nye suche maner folke as Fryth is whyche not onely speketh lyes agaynst honeste men but also wryteth false lâ—es and heresyes agaynste the blessed sacrament of the aulter Some man wyll yet peraduenture saye that thys is a thynge farre vnlykely that eythâ—r Fryth or any man els wold wytâ—yngly take a bourden from one man and laye it in a nother mannys neckâ— namely to laye it to the chauÌ„cellour for me syth that all 〈◊〉 folke reken in them self that they haue more cause of grâ—efe agaynst me then hym Surely yf they were wyse and enteÌ„ded to be good they sholde neyther thynke them selfâ— to haue cause of gryefe or grudge agaynste me nor hym neyther For of my selfe 〈◊〉 wore well and of hym I bâ—leue the same that we noâ—â—ynge entende vnto theym 〈…〉 own welthe which 〈…〉 theyr amendemente of 〈…〉 of theyr heresyes 〈…〉 the â—rewe fayth agayne is impossyble to be goten But for the poynt that I spake of y â— it were not so farre vnlykely as it wolde happely sâ—me that Fryth wolde turne y â— tale fro me to mayster chauÌ„cellour ye shall perceyue partely by his own dede partely by the dealyng of some other such iÌ„ such lyke maner of mater For ye shall vnderstand tâ—at after that Fryth had wryten a false folysshe treatyce agaynste the blessed sacrament of y â— aulter I hauyng a copy therof â—ent vnto me made â—â—ortely and answere therto â—nd for bycause y â— hys boke was not put abrode in prent I wolde not therefore lette myne runne abrode in mennes handes For as I haue oâ—ten sayde I wolde wâ—sshe that the comon people sholde of suche heresyes neuer here so myche as the name But for as myche as that thynge is impossyble to prouyde but that heretikes wyll be doing therfore are other folke sometyme dreuyn of necessyte to speke of those maters also to make answere vnto them And therfore whan heretykes abiure and do theyr penauÌ„ce the prechour is fayne to reherse theyr opynyons in the pulpet and there answere those deuelyshe argumentes opeÌ„ly with whych those heretykes fyrst deceyue men womâ—n in corners secretely and after sprede theÌ„ abrode in audieÌ„ce by defence of those heresyes iÌ„ theyr examinacioÌ„ opeÌ„ly And also yf theyr bokes be â—nys putte abrode in prente it is a thynge very harde to gete theym well in agayne But as for me I vsed therin thys prouysyone for the remedy on bothe partes that though I wold not put myne answere abrode into euery mannes haÌ„des at aduenture bycause Frythes booke was not put out abrode in prente yet I caused myne answere to be preÌ„ted vnder myne own name to th entent I myghte as in dede I haue gyue oute some to suche as I perceyued had sene hys boke before Now happed it that vpon â— tyme the ryghte reuerende father my lorde bysshoppe of wynchester sent for Fryth vnto his owne place of very fatherly fauour towarde the yoâ—ge mannys amendemâ—â— whyche he fore desyred boâ—e for other causes and among other causes partely also for thys bycause he was not many yeres ago a yong â—oye waytynge vppon hym and â— scoler of hys In that commuâ—â—nicacioÌ„ what wordes were bytwene them were now to long to reherse But â—uch they were as I wolde wysshe that aâ—l suche as be wyse and wene y â— Fryth were wyse whyche be peraduenture some that here the bretherne speke of hym waye not them selfe hys wordes hadde there standen by and herde For they sholde I am sure haue taken Fryth euer after for suche as he playnely before good recorde proued hym selfe than which was not an heretyke onely but bysydes that a proude vnlerned fole But as I was aboute to tell you in that comunycacyon my sayde lorde of wynchester among other thynges coÌ„muned with Fryth agaynst his afore remembred heresye y â— he so sweteth in to impugne the trew chrysten fayth concernynge the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter And wheÌ„ Frith there stode in his heresy as styffely as he defended yt folyshely secretely betwene them twayn my lord longyng that the
sayenge or whether he had a minde to be reformed or noâ—â— and that is a very â—ore way our lorde be more mercyfull to our soules then so greuoâ—â—ely to punyshe vs for euery lyght deâ—aute Thys processe were a prety pyece and somwhat also to y â— purpose yf thys pacyfyers doctoring were a good profe that the spyrytuall iudges knew not this tale before nor wyste what appertayned vnto theyr parte in thys mater vntyll thys pacyfyer taughte them thys greate secrete 〈…〉 Sâ—mma â—osella so 〈◊〉 a boke to fynde so harde to vnderstande that very few men hadde medeled wych it byfore But the tale is not so mych tolde of any pryde to teache them as of cheryte to teache vs to take byleue for trew euery false fayned tale wyth whych any man lyste to bylye them For vppon thys lesson he bryngeth in as you se hys cherycable infamacyon of the clergyes crueltye makynge men wene it were so vnder his fayre fygure of lamentacioÌ„ great pytye that it were yf it sholde be so but yet it is he sayth reported so some saye that it is so But surely some say agayne that lyke as there is nothyng so euyll but that some maye happe to do it so is there nothynge so false but some may happe to saye it And some other saye also that lyke as there is nothyng so false but some man may happe to saye it so can no maÌ„ say any thing so false but some man vnder precexce of pacyfyenge maye happe to repete reporte it For as 〈◊〉 all that gaye reported tale that some ley men say that some spyrytuall men haue 〈◊〉 great desyre to haue men abâ—ured or to hâ—ue extreme punyshement for 〈◊〉 that yf any wyll wytnesse that a man haue spoken any thyng that is heresye though he speke yt but of ignorauÌ„ce 〈…〉 all this tale though he tell ty but as yt were by some spyrytuall men yet is yt tolde to make all laye men wene that those some spyrytuall men were so great a somme that it were some great cause of all this great grudge and dyuysyon whyche he sayth that the temporaltye now hath in this realme agaynste the spyrytualty in maner vnyuersally wherin he maketh yet as I truste in maner an vnyuer sall lye syth I can yet se no such vnyuersall cause lest cause of all in this poynt specyally whyche most specyally as y â— sorest the moste cruell â—eyghnouse poynt in sundry places of his boke this pacyfyer preacheth and preaceth vpon that is to wyt the myshandelynge of men in y â— cause of heresy makyng men wene wyth his heyghnouse handelynge that the spyrytuall iudges in thys realme handeled that thyng so cruelly that all the worlde had cause to wonder and grudge thereat But when all his holsome holy babelynge is done euery maÌ„ may se these thre thynges trew Fyrst that syth in punysshynge of heresyes there is a good while hath ben so litle besynes in all the shyres of Englande and walys bothe about examynacyon and punycyon of heretykes excepte onely London and Essex and those are both in one dyocyse his some spyrytuall men that he wolde haue seme so great â— somme are yet of trouthe so few that he semeth in maner to poynte them wyth his fynger and myght as well in maner reherse theÌ„ euyn by name Secundely of those same some so few yet is there some so lerned to whome the mater moste specyally pertayneth that yf this pacyfyer kepe no more connynge in his breste tâ—eÌ„ he putteth out in his boke as connynge as he weneth yt were he is no more able to reache some one of those the lessons that longe to the mater then he that lerned to spel is able and mete to teache a good mayster in grammer to rede Chyrdely y â— al his whole tale of theyr great desyre of mens shaâ—e or harme of their mishandelynge of men and of vncharitable dealyng is a very false fayned taâ—e and so hath ben all redy proued fouÌ„den in those y â— haue had there surmyse broughte forth vnto the tryall and so shal be prouâ—d agayne I doute yt not when so euer this pacyfyer wyll fall fro y â— babelyng of a generalty wherin he may poiâ—t spyce a false tale wyth suspycyouse wordes and come to the namynge of any one person specyall byfore any folke indyffereÌ„t offer hym self to y â— profe For lette hym come forth name any one whom he wyll and I warrauÌ„t you the dede shall shewe it selfe that the spyrytuall iudges which had the mater in hande were neyther suche as neded of thys pacyfyer to be taught what longed vnto ryght nor were so malycyouse and cruell but that they wolde be as loth as hym selfe to do them rygoure or wronge And he shall fynde whom so euer he wyll name that hath bene eyther punysshed or abiured that the maters whych haue bene layed vnto theym they haue not bene by any subtyle questyons enduced to confesse them but they haue ben both well proued agaynst them and neyther haue bene sleyghte nor lyghte nor so straunge artycles and vnknowen as they myght therin of ignoraunce or symplycyte so sore ouershote theymselfe But where thys pacyfyer speketh of passyons of wyllynge to be reformed surely yf he wyll so lyghtely perdon all passyoÌ„s that he wyll haue no man punysshed for any thynge done or sayd in a passyon than shall hys pytuouse affeccioÌ„ many tymes do mych harme by the takynge awaye of the punysshement wherof y â— fere is ordayned to refrayn the passyoÌ„ and to make other also forbere the lyke for any suche maner passyon For well ye wote men fall in aduowtry thorow such daÌ„pnable passyoÌ„s And by the passyon of 〈◊〉 and angre men fal into manslaughter And by a passyoÌ„ of pryde many a man falleth to treason And by the same passyon also men fall into heresye and sometyme ye wote well fall in a playne fraÌ„sye to And in theyr passyons of heresye they speke vngraâ—yousely contende agaynst the sacramentes and blaspheme our blessed lady and our sauyour hym selfe also horrybly dyspyse y â— holy howsell and make mockes and mowys of the masse rayle on Crystes owne blessed body and bloude in the blessed sacrament wyll thys pacyfyer that all these blasphemouse dampnable heretykes shal be spared for such desperat daÌ„pnable passyons If that way were allowed than were that 〈◊〉 most sure y â— agaynst all the fayth most could rayle and rage For than myghte it be sayd that the man was in a greate passyon Now as for wyllyng to be reformed I dare say that the spyrytuall iudges wold gladly se euery man and therin wolde gladly shewe them all the fauour they coulde but somtyme they can not shewe all the fauour that they fayne wolde For though they maye receyue hym and saue his lyfe at the fyrst tyme yet are they streyghted by the playne law that they