begynne holyly wyth y â— same wordes in effect wyth whyche he begynneth his indifferente mylde boke of dyuyâ—ion and for an enter into his mater fyrste wolde saye thus vnto them who may remember the state that ye stande in wythout great heuenesse and sorow of hert For where as in tymes passed hath reygned betwene you cherite mekenes coâ—â—orde peace there reygneth now angre and malyce deâ—ate dyuysyon and stryfe whych thynge to se so mysfortune betwene any two crysten folke is a thynge myche to be lamented then myche more to be lamented when yt myshappeth to fall betwene a maÌ„ his wyfe And many good neyghbours gretly meruayle I wysse vppon what causes this great grudâ—e is groâ—en And therfore â—o chenteâ—t that ye man râ—moue y â— causes and amende these maters therby then by the graâ—e of god agree I wyll tell you what I here men saye that the causes be And nowe after holy prologe made go forth and tell them that some folke say the wyfe hath this euyll condycyon and some other saye that she hath that euyll condicyon and yet other some saye that she hath a nother euyll condycyon and so wyth twenty dyuerse some sayes of other meÌ„ say there hym self by the pore woman all the mychyefe that any man could dyuyse to say and among those some thynges peradueÌ„ture trew which yet her husbande hadde neuer herde of byfore And some thinges false also wherof bycause y â— pacyfyer wolde be put vnto no profe he wold not saâ— them as of him felf but bryng theÌ„ forth vnder y â— fayre figure of some say And when he had all sayde then yet at the laste say thus mych of hym self As for these thynges here there I haue herd some other saye whether they say trewe or no the charge be theyrs for me But yet in good fayth good â—yster syth ye knowe that the dyspleasure and grudge that your husbande hath to you is growen vppon these causes I meruayle mych my self that you do vse the same condycions styll I wysse tyll you meke your self ameÌ„de them this anger of your husbande wyll neuer be well appeased Lo wyth suche wordes he voydeth the colour of hys fayre fygure of Some saye eyther by forgetfulnes or els by the playne fygure of foly For whan he sayth of hym self that she kepeth those euil condycyons styll and amendeth them not he sheweth y â— all hys Some sayes be of his owne sayenge though he myghte happely in some of them here some other saye so to bysyde But than yf amonge all these fawtes so myâ—dely rehersed agaynst her he wolde to shewe somwhat of hys indyfferencye tell her husband hys pars verse to and saye But yet forsothe your wyfâ— hath not geuen you so many causes of dyspleasure for nought For I wyll be playâ— wyth you and indyfferent bytwene you bothe you haue 〈◊〉 some thynges towarde her not delte very well nor lyke a good husbande your selfe For thys I knowe my selfe â–ª that ye haue vsed to make her to homely wyth you and haue suffred her to be to 〈◊〉 idle and suffred her to be to â—yche coâ—â—ersaunt amonge her gosseppys and you haue gyueÌ„ her ouer gaye gere and to mych money in her purse and surely tyll you mende all this gere for your part I can not myche meruayle though she do you dyspleasure And sometyme euyll wordes bytwene you causeth debate on bothe sydes For you call her as I here saye cursed quene shrew some saye that she byhynde your backe calleth you knaue cuckolde And I wysse suche wordes were well done to be lefte on bothe sydes for surely they do no good And therfore yf all theâ—e wordes were prohybyted on bothe sydes vppon greate paynes I thynke it wolde do great good in thys byhalfe Now gete you hense as wyfe as a calfe wolde I wene the good wyfe saye to thys good goostely pacyfyer For spake he neuer so myldely and wolde seme neuer so indyfferent though he loked therewyth ryght simply and helde vp also bothe hys handes holyly wolde therwith swere to the woman full depely y â— hys entent were good and that he nothynge mente but to brynge her husbande her at one wolde she thynke you for al that byleue hym I suppose veryly naye nor her husbande neyther yf he were wyse all though he saw some parte of hys tale trewe as none is so folysshe to saye all false that wolde wynne hym credence But byleue the husbande as he lyste I durste be bolde to swere for the wyfe that he shold neuer make her suche a fole as to byleue that he ment to mende the mater wyth rehersynge her fawtys mo then euer her husbande had herd of and some of them false to and than colour all hys tale wyth hys proper inuencioÌ„ of Some say But she wold for his some say shortly sai to hiÌ„ I pray you good maÌ„ Some saye gete you shortely hense For my husbande and I shall agre myche the soner yf no such brother Some say come wythin our dore Now of very trouth thys pacyfyer as some saye goth yet wurse to wurke iÌ„ his boke of dyuisyon then this Some say that we put for a sample bytwene the man hys wyfe For he gathereth fyrst all the causes of dyspleasurys that he can fynde out or dyuyse and dyuerse of them suche as few ley people vnlerned ye fewe of the lerned to had any thynge herd of byfore as are dyuerse of those which he gathereth out of IohnÌ„ Gerson If he saye that he ment as Gerson dyd that he maketh mencyon of them bycause he wolde haue the clergy mende them surely who so for suche good wyll telleth a man hys â—â—wtes vseth to tell hit hym secretely and so dyd IohnÌ„ Gerson hym selfe when he wrote them in latyne not in the vulgare tunge But this pacyfyer coÌ„trarywyse bycause he wolde haue the lay peple both men women loke on them doth translate them into englysh where as IohnÌ„ Gerson wolde not that a man sholde reproche rebuke y â— prelates before the people Also this pacyfyer aggreueth as mych as iÌ„ him lyeth the clergye of englande for vse of the lawes not made by them selfe but be the comon lawys of all chrystendome If he wyll say that he blameth but theyr abuses therof the trouth appereth in some place otherwyse in hys boke And yet syth he proueth that poynt but by a some saye he myght wyth the same fygure laye lyke fawtes in the temporaltye concernyng the lawes of thys realme and proue it in lyke wyse wyth a greate Some saye to And therin he sheweth hym selfe not indyfferent whan he bryngeth in the tone and leueth the tother out And on the tother syde yf he bryng in the tother to thaÌ„ shall he make two fawtes for one For if he handle them as truely as he handeleth these than shall he make two lyes for one And yet bysyde
temporall men I am contente to let his but alone and wyll not shote ther at for this ones How be yt surely his but beynge a preposycyon aduersatyue standeth more properly to shote at betwene his two nowes then yt wolde yf yt were turned into some coÌ„iunccyon copulatyue But where as he caÌ„ not fully tell by what occasyon the great multitude haue founde defaute as well at prestes as religyous a maÌ„ nedeth neuer to study for occasyons therof but yf he be so curyouse as to seke for fautes he maye sone fynd inough not onely in prestes and in relygyous but in euery sorte and kynde of temporall people to euer might yet in euery age syth crystendome beganne and may peraduenture yf he serche well fynde some in hym self to So y â— yf there be no nother cause of varyaunce then that they may both spiritualty and temporalty take eche other by the hande like good felowes and agre to gether well inough But yet happeth yt well that this good pacyfyer hath so great pytye that the noyse of this diuisyon shold spryng and go abrode For he to remedy that mater with all and to pul backe the noyse therof and to stoppe vppe clerely the sprynge bycause all shold be hushte and neuer mo wordes made therof hath as ye se put yt oute abrode in prent The .xviii. chapiter ANd some alledge dyuerse caâ—ses why yt shold be so noysed A very fewe folke may sone begynne a noyse of euyll wyll and malyce And a noyse maye sone be borne abrod what so euer y â— mater be with some of symplicite some of light geuynge credence some of a luste vnto talkyng Fyrste they saye that neyther prefâ—es nor religyouse keâ—e the perfeccyoÌ„ of theyr order to the honour of god good example of the people as they shuldâ— do Ueryly they that so saye peraduenture saye not myche vntrewe For I thynke that euery mannys dewty toward god is so great that very few folke serue hym as they shold do And therfore who so prye vpon euery mannys dede so narowly as to spy that faute and fall at variauÌ„ce of greate zele with euery man that doth not to the very poynt and perfeccyoÌ„ euyn all that he shold do shall waxe within a whyle at varyauÌ„ce wyth euery man euery man wyth hym But I suppose they kepe it now at thys day mych what after suche a good metely meane maner as they dyd many of those yeres before in which thys dyuysyon was neuer dremed on And therfore they that saye thys is the cause haue nede to go seke some other But that some of theym procure they re owne honour and call yt the honour of god and rather coueyt to haue rule ouer the people then to profyte the people were there neuer none of these tyll nowe so late as about the begynnynge of thys dyuysyon or be they all such now Amonge Crystes own apostoles was some desyre of prelacye and that wyth some contencyon to There are of oure prelates some suche at thys day now as I pray god that when there shal any new come they maye proue no wurse For of these whaÌ„ they dye yf they waxe not wurse byfore who so shal lyue after theÌ„ may in my mynde be bold to say that englande had not theyr better any day thys .xl. yere and I durste go a good waye aboue to But thys is more by twenty yere and ten sette therto then this diuysioÌ„ hath any thyng be spoken of And that some couet theyr bodyly ease and worldly welth in meate and drynke and suche other more then commenly any temporall man doth This is a very colde cause of thys new dyuysyon to say that there be not now comeÌ„ly so badde men in the temporaltye as there be some in the spirytualtye For whan was it otherwyse not euyn in Crystes owne dayes For Iudas that was one of hys owne apostles was not onely wurse then the comon sorte of all those that loued theyr belyes and theyr ease amonge Crystes dyscyples were they men or women but wurse also thaÌ„ the very wurste in all y â— world bysyde But what cause were thys that the teÌ„poraltye shold nor though thys man saye thus I thynke theym not so vnreasonable that they wold be at debate dyuisyon wyth the hole body of the clergye bycause that some of theÌ„ were wurse then those are that are in a meane comon sorte of noughtynesse amonge them selfe And that some seâ—ue god for a wordely lande and to be magniâ—yed therfore more they for thâ— pure 〈◊〉 of god That same some that so do be some of the most folysh apys that the deuyll hath to tuÌ„ble afore hym and to make hym lawghe when he seeth them take so mych laboure payne for the rewarde of the blast of a fewe mennes mowthes How be it there maye be some suche for all that yet nothynge to the purpose of thys mater For as for the speche of folys is not to be compted for a profe of dyuysyon And amonge wyse men the gesse and contecture that in the clergy there be secretly some very noughte before god whom yet in the syghte of the worlde men take for very good can by no reason be the cause of any grudge toward the spyrytualty wherin maye be bysyde them that are such and so there are in dede many very vertuouse holy men in dede whose holynesse and prayour hath bene I veryly thynke one great special cause that god hath so longe holden his hande froÌ„ geuyng of some sorer stroke vpon the neckes of them y â— are nought care not in the spyrytualty and the temporaltye bothe And yet thys fawte that thys pacyfyer assygneth of seruynge god for lawde is I suppose somewhat amended of late wyll within a whyle if some gere go forward were a way quyte by the helpe and meanys of an other fawte For yf these heresyes that rayle vppon relygyons and call all theyr prayour parerynge and all theyr fastynge foly all theyr holy vowys of chastyte worse then frere Lutherslechery yf these heresyes I saye may grow and go forward as they begynne to grow now and prosper ful pretily in some places then yf those that be of the same secte and of polycy dyssymule it for a season maye in the meane tyme sprede abrode an opynyon in the myndes of menne that of them self mene none harme that the relygyouse people do faste and pray but for lawde they shall wel perceyue wythin a whyle y â— they shall haue so lytell lawd therof that yf there wolde remayne none other cause of thys dyuysyon but bycause they serue god for lawde ye shall haue it soone chaunged of lykelyhâ—d and then shall we shortely agre togyther very well But now good reders consyder I beseche you that yf these causes whyche thys pacyfyer alledgeth vnder the coloure of Some say be causes that myghte moue the temporaltye to be in dyuysyon and
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.
onward in his vnhappy iourney and maye by suche maner and meane of pacyfyenge within short processe be conuayed rounde aboute the realme and leue no place in peace Not y â— I wolde thynke the man that made that boke to be of suche malycyouse mynde as wyllyngly to sowe dyssensyon but that as me semeth he taketh at the lest wise vnware a wronge waye towarde the contrary and that the maner of his handelynge is farre froÌ„ such indyffereÌ„cye as he sholde vse that wolde make a loue day and appease any murmur and grudge of the laye people agaynste the prestes For he sheweth in the progresse of all hys processe that the grudge is borne by the teÌ„poraltye and the causes and occasions therof growen and gyuen in effecte all by the spyrytualtye â–ª whyche handelyng is not as me thynketh very myche indyfferent I lette passe that he which veryly wolde entende to pacyfye swage and appease a grudge wolde as myche as he conuenyentely myght extenuate the causes and occasions of the grudge But yf he wold nedes walke playnly forthe and take no such bye wayes he wold not yet at the leste wyse not accumulate exaggerate the greuys and by all the meanes he myghte make y â— greues appere many great and mooste odyouse Or fynally yf for hatered of theyr fawtes no fauour of theyr persons coulde cause hym to forbere that yet wold he forbere at the leste wyse to seke vppe and reherse causes of grudge before vnknowen vnto the partye whose dyspleasure he wolde asswage pacyfye But now thys appeasoure contrary wyse not onely dothe in all these thynges the coÌ„trary but bryngeth forthe also bysyde all thys some suche fautes mo as yf they were trewe were of the greatest weyghte and telleth theym as though they were trâ—we where they be very playne false in dede But now the good bretherne that boste it laye forthe for a greate token of temperaunce and good mynde towarde the spyrytualty that he forbereth to speke any thyng of y â— great open fawtes that many prestes be openly taken in as thefte robbery sacrilege and murder whereof in soundry shyres of the realme there are at euery sessyons openly fouÌ„den some And yet the moste parte of such fawtes as he speketh of he saith theÌ„ not as of him self nor affermeth theym not for trew â–ª nor as thynges neyther spokeÌ„ by the mouthes of very many but to mytygate the mater wyth he sayth no more but that thus by the clergye some say and some finde this fawte wyth theym and some fynde that and though that many smale sommes make a great what can he do therto can he lette men to speke or is he bounde to stoppe hys earys and here theym not or maye he not tell what he heareth some other saye And yet saye they ferther that he telleth indyfferentely the fawtes as well of the temporalty as of the spyritualty and wolde there shold not be bytwene the temporaltye and the spyrytualtye so myche as any one angry worde And therfore they saye that it can not be possyble that he wrote of any euyll entente syth no man can vse hym self neyther more myldely nor wyth more indyfference nor fynally with more tender cheryte But now to these excuses some other men answere agayne that the leuyng out of felonye sacrylege murder is rather a token of wylynes theÌ„ any forbering or fauour For syth he saw well y â— euery wyse man wolde answere in hym selfe that those greate horryble open euyls of suche desperate noughty wreches were not to be layed agaynst the clergy as the lyke in temporall wreches are not to be layed agaynste the teÌ„poralty he wolde therfore rather seke oute and hepe vppe a sorte of those thynges that myght by hys maner of handelynge sowne in the readers eares to be suche as the temporaltye myghte ascrybe and impute vnto therfore bere a gruge vnto the mayne multitude of the whole clergy and extende in substauÌ„ce vnto euery part And as touchyâ—ge that â–ª he sayth not the thynges as of hym selfe but bryngeth them in wyth a fygure of Some say to that poynt some other say that for that curtesy no man hath any cause to can hym any thanke For vnder hys fayre fygure of some say he maye ye wote well some saye that he so doth deuyse to brynge in all the myschyefe that any man can saye And yet ouer thys wythout hys masker of Some say he saith open faced some of the wurste hym selfe and that in some thynges y â— are as some trewe men saye not trewe Then as touchyng his indyfferency in tellynge the fautes of y â— teÌ„poralty to of trouth among a grete hepe of shrewd fautes rehersed agaynste the clergy for whyche the temporalty myghte yf the thynges were all trewe seme to haue great cause of grudge he reherseth also some fautes of y â— temporalty to as that they be to blame bycause they vse the prestes ouer familyarely and geue them ouer gay gownes or lyght coloured lyuereys one or two such thynges 〈◊〉 as though they might 〈◊〉 mended yet were of no such kynd as the prestes that so be â—elte wyth all haue ben wonte to fynd any cause 〈…〉 How be yt yet in one place to shewe his farther indyffeâ—ency he layeth against them both that the prestes agaynst laye people and laye people agaynste prestes haue vsed to haue euyll language and eyther agaynst other to speke vnsyttynge wordes And ther uppon she sheweth his tender charyte and sayth If all these wordes were prohybyted on bothe sydes â—ppon great payneâ— I thynke yâ— wolde do great good in this behalfe The .xiii. chapyter BUt now good readers yf that yt so were that one â—ounde two men staÌ„dyng to gether wold come steppe in betwene theym and berâ— them in hand they were about to fyght and wold wyth that worde putte the tone preteâ—â— backe with his hande and all to buffer the tother about the face and then go forth and say that he had parted a fray pacyfyed the partyes some men wolde say agayne as I suppose that he had as lyuâ— hys enmy were let alone with hym and therof abyde the aduenture as haue such a frend steppe in betwene to parte theym How be it yf this pacyfyer of this dyuysyon wyl say that this is nothyng lyke the present mater bycause he stryketh neyther parte but onely telleth the tone y â— tother 's fautes or ellys as he wyll saye telleth theÌ„ theyr fautes both yf yt so happeth good readers he found a man that were angry with his wife and happely not all wythoute cause yf this maker of the boke of dyuysâ—on wolde take vpon hym to go reconcyle them agayn to gether and helpe to make them at one and therin wold vse this waye that when he hadde theym both before hym and before all they re neyghbours to then sauynge for some chaung to make yt metâ— for they re persones â—lles he wolde
that he is as sory as thys pacyfyer hym selfe to se that yonge man or any other so stobernly set in such heresies that no man can shewe hym the fauour that euery man â—ayne wolde wythout the dys pleasure of god and perell of theyr owne sowlys and many other mennys to The .xxv. chapyter ANd vpon all these maters there 〈◊〉 rysen a great opynyon in the people in maner vnyuersally that in puny shyng correccions all these persons before rehersed sholde haue lyke punishemeÌ„t yf spyritual men might haue free lyberty in that behalfe And that spyrytuall men wold yf they coulde as well put them to sylence that speke agaynste the abusyon or dysorder of suche thingeâ— as be byfore rehersed as them that spekâ— agaynst the thynge selfe Those wordes be not very well spoken of thys pacyfyer by the people For yf he haue spoken wyth many mo then the tone halfe and felt they re opynyons hym selfe ellys is yt not onely agaynst the spyritualty spokeÌ„ very shamfully but also to the false contryued rebuke of the whole peple in maner vniuersally For syth that neyther this pacyfyer nor any man ellys can brynge forth any one of these heretyques that haue ben by theyr ordynaryes delyuered for theyr obstinacy in the seculare handes and burned that haue hadde any wrong done them or ben therin otherwyse haÌ„deled then charyte wyth iustyce accordyng to the comen lawes of all Chrystes catholyke chyrch and the lawes of thys realme haue requyred there is no good man nor reasonable that hath any cause therby to conceyue by the clergye such a malycyouse folysh suspycyon as thys pacyfyer here vntrewly layth vnto the whole people of thys realme in maner vniuersally whan he maketh as though y â— hole people in maner vniuersally were so malycyouse and so folyshe as bycause the clergy whyche hath towarde many heretykes bene ouer myche fauorable haue of necessyte be dreuen to delyuer theÌ„ to the seculare handes therin haue done them ryghte he maketh as though the whole people were in maner vniuersally so madde and malycyouse as theruppon to take an opynyoÌ„ that to those whych are none heretykes the clergy wold do wronge Surely in thys one poynt is thys boke of hys the moste indyfferent that it is in any parte that I se therin For there is no poynte in all the booke wherin it more dyffameth the spyrytualtye then in thys one it dyffameth in maner all the whole people vnyuersally But now yf he say the people in maner vnyuersally thynke that those whyche are as he saith for lacke of good cherytable handelynge loste and peryshed in body soule had wronge and oughte not haue bene by the clergy delyuered to the seculare haÌ„des and that therfore the whole people in maner vnyuersally do and well maye thynke in theyr myndes that the clergy wolde in lykewyse do wrong to other and brynge to lyke punysshemeÌ„t all those persoÌ„s that any thing speke agaynst onely the abusyons of suche thynge as brynge rychesse in to the chyrche now can not thys pacifyer thus excuse his wordes For he confesseth in hys owne wordes that they whyche thus haue bene loste and perysshed that myght as he sayth wyth good and cherytable handelynge haue ben saued be of those that haue mysse taken them self in those artycles of purgatory trentallys obitys pilgrimages and haue as hym selfe sayth before spoken agaynste them and dyspysed them and then hadde they no wronge For I am sure there was none of them but that he was eyther relapsed or ellys dyd of obstynacy stand styll in them And then appereth it yet agayne that in goynge aboute to dyffame the clergye he dothe in dede greatly diffame the people whan he sayth that bycause the clergy hath punysshed thâ—m that haue so farre myssetaken them self in those articles that they haue spokeÌ„ agaynst those holy thynges dyspysed the thynges selfe the people wolde be so farre vnreasonable as therfore to thynke y â— they wolde punyshe in lykewyse all those y â— wolde onely speke agaynst the abuses and not agaynst the thynges For all the people seeth perde that the clergye punyssheth those that speke against the sacrameÌ„t of matrymony yet they punysshe not those that speke against the abuses ther of as aduowtry or agaynste those that vnder the name of matrymony lyue in sacrylege and incestuouse lechery as frere Luther doth frere LaÌ„bert frere Huyskyn and Otho the monke suche other And yet yf he wyll go from his owne wordes agayn and saye now that some of theym that be for lacke of good and charytable haÌ„delyng in body and soule so peryshed dyd not mysse take themselfe at al nor dyd not speke agaynst any of y â— thiÌ„ges but dyd onely speke against the abuses that therfore he may without reproche of y â— peple well say y â— the peple haue an opinion that the â—â—ergy wolde yf they myght haue fre lybertye in lyke maner to punyshe all other that wolde in lyke maner speke that is to wytte not agaynste the good holy thynges but agaynste the abuses of them to this I say yet ones agayne that he styll dyffameth the people of a great intolerable faute that is to wyt an vniuste and vnreasonable iudgement whyle he sayth that they thynke and byleue that the clergye hathe done to those men in so great a mater so great wronge and hytherto not one such wrong proued But I shall in this poynt go yet a litle nerer hym Sith he speketh of those that might wyth charytable handelynge haue ben in body and soule saved yt appereth well as I haue sayde that in thys pyece of his tale he speketh of those that haue not be saued but in erthe here condemned and burned and in hell dampned and there burning styll Now as for any tyme so late byfore this brablynge or speche of any dyuysyon betwene the spyrytualty and the temporalty that this pacifyer might seme to meane of I remeÌ„ber none delyuered to the seculare handes but syr Thomas Hytton at Maydestone and syr Thomas Bylney at Norwyche and one of late at Excester one of late in LincolnÌ„ diocese and in London here Bayfeld the monke and Teuxbery the powchmaker and Baynam Now this wyll I say let thâ—s pacyfyer come forthe or yf he be any religyouse recluse that can not come abrode let hym appere by attourney How be yt yt appereth that he can be none suche but muste nedes be of lykelyhed some suche as gooth myche abrode for eliâ—s he coulde not surely tell vs of so many some sayes nor what opynyon the whole people of the realme hath in maner vniuersally and therfore let hym come forth and appere in hys own proper person byfore the kynges graâ—e and his counsayle or in what place he lyst and there proue callynge me thereto that any one of all thâ—se hadde wronge but yf it were for y â— they were burned no soner and bycause
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
shamefull tale is somwhat shamelesse dare I say and somwhat is it folysh to syth he saith therwith that those whyche thus wyll do haue yet amonge many other great gyftes of god pacyeÌ„ce sobernesse temperaunce and cunnynge to For I am sure yf they haue that condycyon that they be so affeccyonat vnto euery euyll preste that they can so euyl bere y â— disprayse of his opeÌ„ knoweÌ„ vnthriftynesse that they wyll do the lesse towarde hys amendement bycause ley men mych abhorre his lewdenesse this pacyfier maye be pacyent I wyll not say nay may peraduenture haue myche connynge to but surely eyther is this pacyfyer not very sober or hath hys brayne otherwyse somewhat out of temper if he take them as he calleth them for pacieÌ„t folke or for temperate eyther The .xliiii. chapyter ANd yet to brynge the spyrytualty in y â— more hatered to make the name of the spyrytualtye the more odyouse amonge the people thys pytuouse pacyfyer in dyuerse places of hys booke to appease this dyuysyon withall alledgeth agaynst theym that they make greate confederacyes amonge theym to make maynteyne a parte agaynst the temporaltye and by suche confederacyes and worldely polycyes and strayt correccyoÌ„s to rule the people and punysshe them and kepe them vnder And thys poynte he bryngeth in here and there in dyuerse places sometyme wyth a some say and somtyme wyth a they say and sometyme he sayeth it hym selfe And I wote not well yf he hated the spyrytualtye in dede as some saye he doth and yet I truste he doth not what more odyouse thynge he myght say what any one kynde or sort of peple is there iÌ„ this realme husbande men artyfycers marchauntes men of lawe iudges knyghtes lordes or other but that euyll dysposed people myght begyn agaynst them a sedycyouse murmure castyng abrode a suspicyouse bablynge of gatheryng and assemblynge and rownynge and talkynge and fynally coÌ„federynge togyther and yet all such suspycyouse bablyng not worth a fether al togither when it were well coÌ„sydered But in sundry places mych he harpeth vppon the lawes of the chyrche as though the spyrytuall lawes whyche the spyrytualty here haue made were a grete cause of this dyuysyon And than dyuerse of the lawes that he speketh of be lawes not prouyncyall made by the clergy here but the lawes vsuall thorow the whole chyrch of Cryst wherof the makynge maye not be â—ayed to theym nor men are not therfore so vnreasonable thoughe those lawes were lesse good thanne the greate wysedome of thys pacyfyer coulde deuyse as to be angry for them with our clergy that made them not but haue be bounde to kepe them And as for dyffamyng them with the abuse of those lawes towarde cruelty as he bothe in hys boke there is no great cunnynge in the makynge of that lye For euery â—ole that lyste maye deuyse and laye y â— lyke to some other folke whaÌ„ he wyll Now as for theyr assembles and comyng to gether to the makynge of theyr lawes and constytucyons prouincyall thys pacyfyer to laye those for any confederaeyes that sholde be now a cause of this so sodayne a late grudge deuysyon were a very farre fette inuencyon For settynge a syde the dysputacyon whyther those constytucyons be so vnreasonable as thys pacyfyer wold haue them semeâ— thys thyng suffyseth agaynst hym y â— there is not I thynke veryly any one prouyâ—cyall coâ—styâ—ucyon that he speketh of that was made or to any maÌ„nys gryefe or grudge put in execucyon in the tyme of any of all y â— prelates that are now lyuyng And how could than any of them be any such 〈◊〉 or cause of thys late sprongeâ— dyuysyon But I suppose he calleth those assemblynges at theyr conuocacyons by the name of confedâ—racyes For but yf he so do I wote nere what he meanâ—th by that worde And on the tother syde yf he so do for aught that I se he geueth a good thynge and an holsome an odyouse heyghnouse name For yf they dyd assemble ofter and there dyd the thynges for whyche suche assembles of the clergy in euery prouynce thorow all crysteÌ„dome from the begynnynge were instytute and deuysed mych more good myght haue growen therof then the long dysuse can suffer vs nowe to perceyue But as for my dayes as farre as I haue herd nor as I suppose a good parte of my fathers neyther they came neuer to gether to coÌ„uocacyon but at the request of the king and at theyr suche assembles concernynge spyrytuall thynges haue very lytle done wherfore that they haue ben in that great necessary poynt of theyr dewty so neglygent whyther god suffer to growe to a secret vnperceyued cause of dyuysyon and grudge agaynste theym god whome theyr suche neglygence hath I fere me sore offeÌ„ded knoweth But surely this hath in my mynde ben somewhat a greter faute in y â— spyrytualty then dyuerse of those fautes whyche vnder his fygure of some say thys pacyfyer hath made very great in his boke But surely yf this pacyfyer 〈◊〉 those assembles confederacyes I wolde not greatly wyshe to be confederate wyth theym and theyr assocyate in any suche confederacyes For I could neuer wyt theym yet assemble for any great wynnynge but come vppe to theyr trauayl labour coste payn tary and talke cetera so gete them home agayne And therfore men nede not greatly to grudge or enuy them for any suche confederacyes The .xlv. chapyter BUt what fautis so euer this pacyfyer fynde in the spyrytualty yet of his tender pytye he hath euer a specy al eye to se that they shold not rygorousely mysse handele such good men as are suspected or dedected of heresy And therfore where as in other places he hath shewed byfore y â— they haue punyshed many men of malyce for onely spekynge agaynst theyr mysseorder and abusyons now he coÌ„meth in the viâ—i chapyter leste bysyde theyr malyce they myghte happen to punyshe them also for theyr owne ignoraunce therfore he teacheth the spyrytuall iudges one great poynt coÌ„cernyng heresye and sayth It is a comâ—n opinion among docâ—ourâ— that none is an heretyke for that onely that he erâ—eth but for that he defendeth opynatynely his errour And therfore he that erreth of sympâ—ycyte maye in no wyse be sayde an hereâ—â—que And Summa Râ—â—ella in the tytâ—e â—ereticus in principâ—â— sayth that a man may erre and meryte therby and he putteth this example If a symple vnlerned man heare the preachynge of his byshoppe that preacheth happely agaynste the fayth and he byleuâ—th yt wyth a redy mynde to obay this man 〈◊〉 and yet he erreth but that is to be vnderstande where ignorauÌ„ce any thynge that is heresy though 〈◊〉 speke yt onely of an ignorannce or of a pussyon or yf he can by interrogatorye◠〈◊〉 questyonâ— be dryuen to confesse any thyng that is prohybyted by the chyrch anon they wyll dryue hym to abiure or hold hym atteynted without examynyng the entent or cause of his
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
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
grudge agaynst the clergye that is to wytte bycause they serue not god as they sholde do but some of them loue authoryte and some loue theyr case and some serue god of vayne glory for lawde and prayse of men thanne sholde thys dyuysyoÌ„ not haue so late bygon but muste haue benâ— euer before and can neuer be remedyed hereafter but as longe as the worlde lasteth muste thys dyuysyon euer coÌ„tynue styll For how coulde thys pacyfyer fynde the meanes that in the whole clergy so many as are therin none sholde be noughtâ— when of Chrystes apostles there was yet one nought in the smale nomber of twelue And veryly in thys declynacyon of the worlde by this great fall of faith the olde feruour of cheryte so begynnynge to cole it is to be â—ered at length that yf it thus go forth and contynue bothe the spyrytualtye from thapostles and the temporaltye froÌ„ the other dysciples maye fall so farre downe downe down downe that as there was thaÌ„ one nought amonge twelue so may there in tyme comyng yf these heresyes go forward amonge twelue spyrytuall or peraduenture twenty temporall eyther be founden at last in some whole cuntre scante any one good But y â— worlde is not I thanke god in Englande yet nor neuer shall I truste come How be it y â— all may be made good that wyll be harde for thys pacyfyer to deuyse the meanes So that if the being of some noughte maye be a good cause of dyuysyon dyuysyon maye be by sometyme fewer noughte made sometyme somwhat lesse but ende can it neuer haue whyle the worlde standeth But yf this pacifyer to cease and quenche this dyuysyon coulde fynde the meanes to make al y â— who le clergy good yet for all that syth he layeth for causes of this dyuysyon that some men say this by the clergy and some men saye by them that were all the clergy neuer so good in dede and serued god neuer so well thys diuysyon by hys owne tale yet coulde not for all that cease excepte he coulde prouyde farther y â— no pytuouse pacifyer sholde in lamentyng â–ª oâ—â—â—uysion put forth a â—â—ke and say that some lay men say y â— some of the clergye be nought and loue theyr ease theyr welth and that some saye that those that seme beste and take most labour and payne be but ypocrytes for all that serue god but for vayne glorye to gete theym selfe laude and prayse amonge the people The .xix. chapyter ANd some lay men saye farther that though relygyouse men hâ—ue â—â—tyde wyâ—h relygyouse and that some prefâ—es haue 〈…〉 wiâ—h relygyous in some poyntes 〈◊〉 the premynence of theyr perfeccyon as 〈…〉 As for callyng the worldly honour of y â— chyrch of spyrytuall men the honour of god I wote nere whether I perceyue well â–ª what this maÌ„ meaneth therby But by the fyrste of those two thynges that ys to wyt by the worldly honour done to the chyrch and taken as honour done to god he someth to meane the honoure that crysten people here in the world vse to do to the chyrch as in byeldyng of y â— chyrches fayre and goodly in apparellynge the chyrches for the vse of goddes seruyce honorably And then in the secoÌ„d poynt that is to wytte the honour of spyrytuall persons he meaneth I suppose suche honour as good crysteÌ„ peple do are bouÌ„deÌ„ to do to theyr prelates and theyr curates and to prestes and relygyous persons for the respecte and regarde that they bere both of deuocyon and very bouÌ„den diewty to the holy sacrament of theyr sacred orders and holy professyon of theyr godly state of lyuynge Then as for the thyrd poynt that is the thynges that he sayth perteyne to the encreace of ryches in spyrytuall men hym self declareth sone after that he meneth trentals chauÌ„â—eryes obytes pardones pylgrymages Now sayth he that some laye men laye thys for a farther thynge that all the clergy do vse to agree to gether in all these thynges howe so euer they happen to varye among them selfe for some other thynges And veryly therin I thynke he sayth trewe for so muste they do or dysplease god and so doth euery good lay man agre with them therin to And I haue sene yt proued by experyence y â— in some of these thynges when the lay men haue moued some thynges some tyme wherby shold be â—estrayned some such thynges as y â— clergy myght wynne by ye and also no lytle somwhat takeÌ„ from them to that that lawfully was theyr own byfore the clergye haue not stâ—â—uen wyth the temporaltye therfore but rather then to stykke in contenâ—yon haue suffered and let yt paâ—â—e all be yt the cantelles that haue ben cut of haue ben somwhat broder then a brydecake and greter then a chrystmas lofe in a righâ— good husbandes house And yet where this pacyfyer sayth that some lay men say that in all suche thynges all the clergye both seculare 〈◊〉 agre and holde to 〈…〉 selfe can yf he 〈…〉 same some lay men 〈◊〉 so told hym so that some other lay men saye naye For they say that they se very wel that in all those thinges there are now some suche of the clergye suche as yt is pytye that euer they were therof eyther seculare prestes or relygyouse persons And yet are there some suche of bothe whyche now caste oâ— theyr fauour froÌ„ borh â—wayne and from the cristen fayth also and therfore agre not to â—hese thâ—nges as those 〈…〉 this man that the whole clâ—rgy dothe but do boâ—â—e speke wryte agaynst al these thinges euery whyt bothe honour to prelates byldynge of chyrches byenge of bellys and ornamentes agaynst pylgrymages 〈◊〉 chaunteryes obitis and perdons and fynally purgatorye to The .xx. chapyter ANd therfore they say that all spyrytuall men as to the multytude be more dylygent to enduce the people to such thinges as shall bryng ryches to the chyrche as to gyue money to trentals to founde chaunteryes and obytes and to obteyne pardons and to go vpon pylgrymages and such other then they be to enduce them to the payment of they re dettes to make restytucyons for such wronges as they haue done or to do the workes of mercy to theyr neyghboâ—â—s that be pore nedy and that somtyme be also in ryght extreme necessyte Nowe in good fayth for oughte that I se suche as so murmur agaynst chauÌ„teries trentals obytes pardoÌ„s and pylgrymages as wold haue them all for done haue an inward hatered vnto the profyt of mens soules besyde the enâ—â—e that they bere to prestes For some of these thynges be suche that they make not the prestes so very ryche that all the clergye shold for the great lucre so sore bend vnto the settynge forth therof For as for chaunteryes though ther be many no one man can haue any greate lyuynge therby that a preste sholde haue some lyuynge of suche a meane thynge as
one of the spyrytualtye take into hys placâ— by choyce and eleccyon â–ª some good temporall man they myght for this prelate or that concernynge some of theym shortely make a good chauÌ„ge For some of them thoughte they suche as for one poynte or other they could not lyghtly find a worse yet on y â— tother syde agayne at some of them they stayed and stakered and wyth myche worke broughte forth some at last with whom they myght as they â—houghte matche them and yet by theyr owne confession no more then matche theym in my mynde not so mych neyther but lyke as in some they I somwhat varyd so in dyuerse other we were agreed both that for to make the chaunge neyther coulde they fynde theyr better nor theyr matche neyther Nowe where as we went thus no farther they the prelates yf we sholde haue perused ouer y â— who le clergy bothe relygyouse and seculares though we mought haue fouÌ„d out some that bothe moughte and gladly wolde haue ben chaunged for the prelates for I haue herde many laye men that wold be byshoppes with a good wyll and though we moughte haue also founden ynough of those that wolde matche theym that are euyll naughty sâ—culare prestes and them that are runne out of relygyon to that wolde and were able to matche theym in theyr owne wayes were they neuer so bad yet of those that wolde marche y â— good as fewe as some folke wolde haue thâ— seme yt wolde not I wene as the worlde goth now be very easy to fynde oute so many But as welthy and as easy and as gloryouse as some say to this pacyfyer that religyon is yet yf some other shold say to them lo syrs these folke tâ—at are in religyon shall out come you into relygyon in theyr stedes and lyue there better then they do and you shall haue heuyn they wolde answere I fere me that they be not yet wery of this world Then yf they were inuited into relygyon on the tother fashyon aâ—d were sayde vnto them thus Syrs we will not byd you lyue so strayte in relygyon as these men shold haue done come on and enter and do but euen as they dyd and they shall you there haue a good easy lyfe and a welthy and myche worldely prayse therewyth I wene a man sholde not yet for all that gete theym to go to yt But as easy as we call it and as welthy to and now peradueÌ„ture when our wyues are angry wyshe our selfe therin yet yf yt were thus offred we wolde play as Isope telleth a fable of a pore olde man whych beryng vppe aâ— hyll a bourden of busines in his necke for helpe of his necessite paâ—tyng for werynesse in the mydde way layed downe his burden and satte him down syghed and waâ—ed so wery of his lyfe y â— he wyshed called for deth wheruppon deth came anone redyly towarde hym asked hym what wylt thou wyth me But when the pore felow saw hym y â— lene horeson there so redy I called you syr quod he to pray you do so mych for me as helpe me vppe agayne wyâ—h this bychede burdayne and laye yt in my necke So wene I that for all our wordes â–ª yf that easy lyfe and welthy that 〈◊〉 in relygyon were offered vs as wery as we be of weddynge we wold rather abyde all oure olde payne abrode theÌ„ in a cloyster take a relygyouse mannys lyfe for ease So that in conclusyon we sholde be fayne eyther to putte worse in they re stede or kepe our old styll tyll as they lytle and litle dye and depart god in lyke wyse lytle lytle as he hath euer hytherto prouyded shall inspyre his grace into the brestes of other and make theym fall in deuocyon and enter into relygyon and so â—uccede in theyr places Now as yt fared in our coÌ„munycacyon by the spyritual persons so fared yt in a maner by the spyrytuall mennys possessyons Not for that we myght not alway fynde other ynough content to entre into theyr possessions thought we coulde not alwaye fynd other men ynough content to enter in theyr relygyons but for y â— in â—yuysynge what way they shold be better bestowed such ways as at the fyrste face semed very good and for the coÌ„fort and helpe of pore folke very charyâ—able appered after vppon reasonynge more likely within aâ—while to make many beggers mo then to releue them y â— are all redy And some way y â— appered at y â— fyrst to mow stande the realme in great stede and be an increase of the kynges honour wyth a great strength for the lande a gret suerty for the prynce and a great sparynge of the peoples charge well appered after vppon farther reasonynge to be the clene contrary and of all other wayes the worste And to say the trouth mych meruayle haue I to se some folke now so myche so boldely speke of takynge awaye any possessyoÌ„s of the clergye For all be it that onys in the tyme of the famouse prynce kyng Henry y â— fourth aboute the tyme of a greate rumble that the heretykes made whaÌ„ they wolde haue destroyed not the clergye onely but the kynge also and hys nobylyte to there was a folysshe byll a false put into a parleament or twayn and spedde as they were wurthy yet had I neuer founden in all my tyme whyle I was conuersaunt in the courte of all the nobylyte of thys land aboue the nomber of seuen of whyche seuyn there are now thre dede that euer I perceyued to be of the mynde that it were eyther ryght or reasonable or could be to the realme profytable without lawful cause to take any possessyons awaye from the clergy whyche good and holy prynces other deuoute vertuouse people of whome there be now many blessed sayntes in heuen haue of deuocyon towarde god geuyn to the clergy to serue god and praye for all chrysten soulys And therfore as for such folk as thys pacyfyer calleth dyscrete for theyr dyscrete inuencyon of takyng from the clergye the abundaunce of theyr possessyons I neuer loke to se them so dyscrete as were those men bothe dyscrete and deuoute that gaue them The .xxiii. chapyter YEt putteth thys pacyfyer a thyrde kynd of thynkers suche a kynde as I neuer to my remeÌ„brauÌ„ce haue herde of before that is to wytte of suche as purposely saye euyll and opeÌ„ly speke heresye and for all that thynke well And those he sayeth are polytyke whyche to pull awaye ryches fro the chyrche speke agaynst all thynge that any thynge brynge into it as agaynste prayenge for soules in purgatory grauntyng of pardons pylgrymages makynge of lawes fouÌ„ding of chauÌ„teries makynge of brothereheddes and many mo And though they speke agaynâ—â—e all these thynges yet he sayth they knowe well inough that all these thinges be good maye be well vsed But bycause they brynge ryches into the chyrch therfore he sayth though they knowe
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
some of theym dyuerse other fastes besyde and they be perdye a great parte of the spyrytualtye The xxâ—ii chapyter â—Hen preacheth this pacyfyer yet farther â—haâ— the ciergye shold were heare He is surely somwhat sore yf he bynde them all thereto but amonge theym I thynke that many do all redy and some whole relygyon doth But yet sayth this pacifyer that yt doth not appere y â— they do so â–ª Ah well sayde But now yf al the lacke stand in that poynt that suche holynes is hydde so that men may not se yt yt shall be from hens forth well done for theym and so they wyll do yf they be wyse vpon this aduertysement and preachyng of this good pacyfyer come oute of they re cloysters euery man into the market place and there knele downe in the kanell and make theyr prayours in the open stretes were they re shyrtes of heare in syght vppon theyr coulys and then shall yt appere and men shall se yt And surely for theyr shyrtes of heare in thys waye were there none ypocrysye and yet were there also good polycye for then sholde yt not pryck them The .xxxiii. chapyter BUt as for all this pacyfyers preachynge the spyrytualty may be contente to take in good worth For peradueÌ„tur if he were knoweÌ„ he were such one as to preche to all the spyrtualtye myghte well become hys personage and yet yf he be but a symple person in dede yet the spyrytualty may meken them selfe accordynge to his good counsayle and admyt his holsome admonycyons But surely this one thynge though the spyrytualtye bere yt and take yt well in worth me thynketh yâ—t that euery good temporal man may very mych misselyke that this pacyfyer in the begynnynge of this his holy preachynge preacheth vppon them to they re sore slaunder fyrst with an vntrew surmyse grounded vppon ymagynacyon after wyth a very playn open lye neyther an ydle lye nor of any good purpose of whyche two kyndes of lyeng saynt Austayn admytteth neyther nother in folke of y â— perfeccyon that thâ—s pacyfyer by his preachyng vsed with such authoryte towarde all the spyrytualtye sholde seme to be but a lye very pernycyouse â—hyche is one of the thynges y â— leste can become any good crysten man For fyrste hy sayth that all that the â—pyritâ—aâ—ty doth to the appeasyng oâ— the peopâ—e is moâ—â—e câ—menly this thâ—t they take yt that they that fynde defaute at abusyâ—nâ— and dysorder of the 〈…〉 that they do yt of maâ—yce all that they dâ— to deâ—troye the chyrche Thys is a goodly â— false surmyse grouÌ„ded as I sayed vppon a cherytable imagynacion But for all this though good temporall men be euyll content wyth suche as are in the spyrytualty nought with whome the good folke of the spyrytualtye be as euyll content as they yet I veryly truste for all thys as I saye that not the temporaltye nor any one good temporal man is for them that are nought amonge the spyrytualtye so dyspleased angry agaynste the spyrytualtye that is to wytte agaynst the corps and body therof that they sholde greately nede to be appeased nor do not laye the fawtes of noughty spyrytuall persons to the rebuke of the hole spyrytualtye no more then they wolde thynke it reason that y â— strauÌ„gers of other realmes so sholde laye the fawtes of euyll temporall folke here to the rebuke of the whole temporaltye y â— they shold grudge and saye shrewdely by vs for them Now yf this pacyfyer wyll saye that it is not lyke wyll saye that we be not sewtely y â— temporaltye and spyrytualty of this realme but that we be mych better for our part then the spyrytualty be for theyrs the temporaltye shall not be dispraysed for me For I trust that though in respecte of the goodnes that goddes benefytes vnto man requyreth of men agayne and in respecte of the constaunce and perseueraunce in vertue that men sholde holde faste and kepe there are fewe or none good in neyther nother parte yet in such kynde of goodnes as the frayltye of our nature suffreth in thys worlde now vp now downe now fallynge by synne now rysynge agayne by grace the temporaltye is good I truste and the spyrytualtye both for all that there lacketh not a sorte of some suche as are very desperate deuylysshe wreches in bothe as no man dowteth but there was a very good chyrche of Cryste in hys blessed apostles dayes yet were there 〈◊〉 many full very nought starke heretykes to therin And as for the dyfference in goodnes bytwen them and vs god knoweth the better the wuâ—se bothe But straungers of other couâ—treys that come hycther and se bothe sauynge some that haue come bothe oute of Fraunce and FlauÌ„ders and haue here be putte in trouble by the spyrytualty for bryngyng in of Luthers gospeâ— other strauÌ„gers ellys I saye whan they haue coÌ„sidered y â— spiritualty of this realme coÌ„pared theâ— in theyr myndes not onely wyth the temporaltye of the same but also wyth the spyrytualtye of theyr owne countreys haue sayed that oure spyrytualtye maye wythout any specyall reproche shewe theyr facys among other folke And therfore that the whole body of y â— spyrytualltye of thys realme is so farre falleÌ„ in the grudge and indygnacyon of the hole temporaltye as thys pacyfyer speketh I neyther se cause why it sholde so nor yet byleue that it is so nor thinke it eyther good or honorable for thys realme that other realmes shold wene it were so But where as thys pacyfyer speketh of appeasyng I pray god that some of the spyrytualtye haue not in some thynges gone aboute ouâ—r myche to appease that sort of pâ—ple by whose meanys they haue thought that all theyr â—isâ—ase hath come those folke â—â—aye of whome by good informacyon they haue had deteâ—ted vnto theym for â—ery starke hereâ—ikes in dede whoÌ„ yt for any fere of suche other folkes false suspycyon spryngynge vppon suche slaunderouse lyes as thys pacyfyer speketh of and grouÌ„deth hys conclusyons vpon the clergy begynne to spare and for any â—ucâ—e causes begyn to slakâ— and be the moâ—e remisse in the callynge â–ª attachyng and craâ—mynyâ—ge and of the ferther oâ—dâ—rynge of heretykes god wyll not fayle to make fall in theyr neckes the dowble slauÌ„der of that from whyche they fle For whan they waâ—e so faynt harted in hys greate cause of repressynge of heresyes and maynteynâ—nge of hys fayth that they forbere theyr dewty for fere of false slaunderouse wordes god wyll than make them fall into the more slaunder by the selfe same meanys by whiche they fle fro the lesse For instede of the false slaunder of euyll men and hereâ—ikes that they fere in the pursewynge god wyll sende them a trewe slaunder and make theym be dyffamed amonge good men catholykâ—s for theyr slacke and remysse handelyng And ferther yf they fall into y â— foly that the prophete reproueth and ceace to call vppon god for
streÌ„gth and then tremble for drede where there is no perell and for any drede of men whych yf they not onely wold slaunder theâ— but bete them and kyll them to can yet kyll but the body and than haue spette all theyr poysen wolde forgete the fere god whiche whan he hath slayne the body maye sende y â— soule into euerlastynge fyre yf whych oure lorde forbede any bysshoppe fall in thys fere cowardyse of faynt harte that for aâ—y worldly fere they suffer to be blowen out the lyghte of hys lantâ—rne of fayth he wyll noâ— fayle to make fall vpon them the terryble commynacyon thrette that the spyryt speketh of in the Apocalyps vnto the byshoppe of Ephesye I wyll come and remoue thy candelstycke oute of his place The .xxxiiii. chapiter NOw where this pacyfyer here surmyseth y â— the spyrytualtye dothe moste coÌ„munely nothynge ellis but malycyousely mysconstre the myndes and therfore malycyousely persecute and pursew the bodyes of all them y â— fynd defaure at theyr dysorder and abusyons y â— vntrewth of this surmyse well and playne appereth by this that euery man dayly hereth that there is not in all the clergye any man that vseth to preache the woâ—de of god but that as he toucheth the â—autes of the temporalty suche as he seeth in that audyeÌ„ce metely to be spoken of so toucheth he in lyke wâ—se the fâ—utes of the spyryâ—â—alty is for his so doynge not haâ—ed oâ— the spyrytaulty no more then of the temporaltye but well commended of both But of trouth he y â— wold eyâ—â—er vppon the spyrytualty alone or vppon the temporaltye alone or vppon any one parte of eyther the tone or the tother as of onely kynges or onely dukes or onely lordes or onely geâ—tylmen or onely men of law or onely marchaâ—Ì„tes make hâ—s whole sermon wheÌ„ that one part onely were not his whole audyence and wolde by that parte amonge all folke saye many shrewed thynges by maner of exhortacyon to thameÌ„dynge though euylâ— folke and malycyouse wolde haue a pleasure to here yâ— â–ª yet wolde no good folke indyffereÌ„t thynke that he dyd well and specyally yf he wold vse that maner where hym selfe pretended that all the remanaunte of hys audyencâ— were in grudge and diuysyon al redy agaynst that one part whose fautes and vyces all his whole sermon holyly putteth in all the peoples earys to mytygate they re hatered wyth and wyth suche preaâ—hynge so to make the peace in lyke maner wyse as yâ— he fownde a corner of hys neyghbours house burnyng he wolde of great loue polycye lay on fagottes and gunpowder to put out the â—yre The .xxxv. chapyter NOw where thys pacyâ—yer vppon that mysse ymagyned surmyse goth on farther sayth that bycause the clergye so mysse constreweth the myndes of all those y â— fynde fâ—ute aâ— theyr mysse order and abusyons therfore they 〈◊〉 yt a good dâ—de to se theym punysâ—hed â–ª they â–ª haue therfore punyshed many persâ—ns whyche myche people haue iudged them to do vppon wyll and not of no â—â—ue to the people in these wordes how charytably this pacyfyerment I can not tell but eyther by malyce or ouersyght eyther by defauâ—e of hym selfe or crafte of some sotle shrewe these wordes are as euyll and as malycyously wryten as any one y â— wold fayne falsely dyffame the clergy could ymagyne or deuyse For here he sayth that bycause they haue as hym selfe bereth them in hande conceyued a false suspycyon agaynst all those that fynde faute at theyr mysseorder and abusyons therfore they not onely haue persecuted and punysshed many persones but also thynke theyr wronge full persecucyon and vnryghtuouse punyshement well done what can be worse done then thys and therfore as this doynge were the worst that could be yf yt were trew so is this sayenge the very worste that can be syth yt ys very false And in these wordes the figure of some say wyll not wel serue hym and yet in yt cometh here also myche augmeÌ„ted and increased in that he sayth not that some men so say but that myche people so â—udgeth How be yt as I sayd thys fygure wyll not serue hym here But he playeth like a wyly thefe that bycause he wolde not be knowen wolde were a vysour and yet forgetyng hym selfe wolde fyrste come forth bare faced when euery may had sene hym and marked hym well wold then put on his vysour a pace and couer hys vysage to walke awaâ— vnknowen Euyn thus wysely lo playeth this pacyfyer here For fyrste he sayth as of hym selfe that the clergye hath punyshed many persons therfore that is to wytte for the euyll and false susspycyon that they haue coÌ„ceyued agaynste all those y â— fynde faute in theâ—r misseorder and abusyons And when he hath thus sayde as of hym selfe therby well shewed hym selfe then to couer and coloure yt wyth he sayth that mych people iudgeth so And therfore his whole tale amounteth vnto no more but that hym selfe fyrste affermeth yt and after confermeth his affermacâ—on by the pretence that myche people iudgeth the same of whyche myche people he nameth yet neuer one nor proueth that myche people so doth nor sheweth cause wherfore eyther myche people or lytle people or any one person so sholde but bryngeth forth a bare surmyse in suche wyse ymagyned agaynste the clergy as euery man that lyst to lye may sone ymagyne in some other mater agaynste any temporall men But as for his myche people I sette not myche by For mych people maye somtyme bâ—leue some one mannys lye And agaynst his mych peple yf there were myche of theym that so iudge before the profâ— and fishe before the nette and set the carte before the horse as I wene there is not yet is there agaynst them myche other peple more wyse in that poynt and more cyrcuÌ„specte whyche tyll they se suche an euyll tale proued trewe wyll eyther of indyfferencye kepe them selfe in a stay suspend theyr sâ—nteÌ„ce for the season or ellys oâ— a good mynde rather for the whyle thynke and byleue the contrary Lettynge therfore for this tyme hys mych people passe I wolde now demaunde of hym how he proueth thys abominable fawte that he layâ—th here to the spyrytualtye hym selfe where he sayeth playnely y â— they â–ª haue punysshed many persons therfore that is to wytâ—e for the thyng that he there hath rehersed which is ye wote wel bycause they haue he sayth conceyued a false suspycyon agaynste them for fyndyng defaute at theyr mysseorder and abusyons and take it as though they loued not the clergy â–ª but of malyce wolde destroye the chyrche haue theyr goodes and possessyons them selfe Now yf the clergy haue therfore punysshed many persoÌ„s bycause the same persoÌ„s haue onely spoken agaynste theyr mysseorder and abusyons that the clergy haue therfore mysse coÌ„strued theyr myndes imagyned that they wolde destroye the clergy for theyr possessyoÌ„s whych those other folke
constanâ—yne coulde stele awaye elâ—ys had neuer any of them any strype or stroke gyueÌ„ them so mych as a â—ylyppe on the forhed And some haue sayde that whan CoÌ„stantyne was goten away I was fallen for anger in a wonderfull rage But surely though I wolde not haue suffred him go if it wold haue pleased hym to haue taryed stylle in the stockes yet whan he was neyther so feble for lacke of meate but that he was stronge inough to breke the stockes nor waxeÌ„ so lame of hys leggys wyth â—yenge but y â— he was lyâ—hte inough to lepe the wallys nor by aâ—y myssehandelyng of his hâ—d so dulled or dased in hys brayn but that he had wytte inough whaÌ„ he was onys out wysely to walke hys waye neyther was I than so heuy for the losse but that I hadde youth inough left me â—o were it out nor so angry wtih any man of myne y â— I spake theÌ„ any euyll word for the mater more then to my porter that he sholde se the stockes meÌ„ded and locked faste that the prysoner stale not in agayne And as for CoÌ„stantyne hym selfe I coulde in good fayth good thanke For neuer wyll I for my part be so vnreasonable as to be angry wyth any man that ryseth if he can whaÌ„ he fyndeth hâ—m selfe that he sytteth not at hys ease But now tell the brethern many meruaylouse lyes of myche cruell tormentynge thâ—t heretykes hadde in my house so farforth that one Segar a boke seller of CaÌ„brydge whyche was in myne house about foure or fyue days and neuer hadde eyther bodely harme done hym or fowle worde spoken hym whyle he was in myne house hath reported syns as I heare say to dyuerse that he was â—ouÌ„deâ—â—o a tree in my gardeyn and thereto to pytâ—ousely beten and yet besyde that bounden about the hed wyth a corde wrongen that he fell downe dede in a swowne And this tale of his betyng dyd Tyndale tell to an old acquaytaunce of his owne and to a good louer of myne with one pyece farther yet y â— whyle the man was in betynge I spyed a lytle purse of his hangynge at his doublette wherin the pore man hadde as he sayde fyue marke â–ª and that caught I quyckely to me and pulled yt from his doublette and put yt in my bosome and that Segar neuer sawe yt after and therin I trow he sayd trew for no more dyd I neyther nor byfore neyther nor I trowe no more dyd Segar hym selfe neyther in good fayth But now when I can come to goodes by suche goodly waâ—s it is no great meruayle though I be so sodaynly groweÌ„ to so great substauÌ„ce of rychesse as Tyndale tolde hys acquayntauÌ„ce and my frend to â—hom he sayd that he wyst wel â—hat I was no lesse worth in money and plate and other mouables then twenty thousande markes And as myche as that haue dyuerse of the good bretherne affermed here neâ—er home And surely this wyll I coÌ„fesse that yf I haue heped vp so myche good to gether then haue I not goteÌ„ the tone half by ryghte And yet by all the theuys murderers and heretyques that euer came in my handes am I not I thanke god the rycher of one grote yet haue they spent my twayn Howe be yt yf eyther any of them or of any kynde of people ellys that any cause haue had byfore me or other wyse any medelyng wyth me fynd hym selfe so sore greued wyth any thyng that I haue taken of his he hadde some tyme to speke therof And now syth no man cometh forth to aske any restytucyoÌ„ yet but hold theyr peace and slacke theyr time so longe I geue them all playn peremptory warnâ—nge now that they dreue yâ— of no lenger For yf they tarye tyll yesterday then come aske so great somes among them as shall amount to twenty thousande marke I purpose to purchace suche a proteccyon for them that I wyll leue my selâ—e lesse then the fourth parte euyn of shrewdenâ—s rather then euer I wyll pay theÌ„ And now dare I say that yf this pacyfyer hadde by experyence knowen the trouthe of y â— kynde of people he wold not haue geuen so myche credence to thâ—yre lamentable coÌ„playnynges as yt semeth 〈◊〉 by some of his Some sayes he doth How by yt what fayth my wordes wyll haue wyth hym in these myne owne causes I can not very surely saye nor yet very greâ—tly caâ—e And yet stande I not in so myche dout of mâ— selfe but that I truste well that among many good honeste men among whych sorte of folke I truste I may â—eken hym myne own worde wold alone euen in myne own cause be somwhat better byleued then wold y â— othes of some twayn of this new bretherhed in a mater of a nother man The. xxxvii chapyter BUt nowe to come to some spyrytuall mens causes agaynst whome there are layde lyke lyes one Symondes a long well knowen heretyke walkynge about the realme way taken not longe â—go by y â— offycers oâ— the right reuerende father my lord bysshoppe of winchester beyng put in a chamber to kepe and brekynge oute at a wyndow hath tolde many of his bretherne syns that he was meruaylousely tormented by the byshoppes offycers in pryson and sholde haue ben murthered therin to and that elles he wolde neuer haue runne his way But he wold neuer syns complayne of his harmes to the kynge or hys counsayle but wyll rather of perfeccyon suffer them al pacyently then 〈◊〉 purâ—ew proue them wyth his forthe commynge agayn wolde god this pacyfyer myght haue thexamynacyon of that mater It wolde peradueÌ„ture do hym great good hereafter to fynde oute the trewth of suche a false heretyques tale And nowe not wythstandynge that the brethern boste myche of his happy scape yet yf he happed to dye or be hanged somewhere there as no man wyste where but they they wolde not let for a nede to say that he scaped not at al but was priuyly kylled in pryson and pryuyly caste away For so sayde some of them by George CoÌ„stantine not onely vppon his fyrst flyght out of my keping but also euen now of late not wythstaÌ„dyng that they well knowe that many marchauntes of our own had sene hym syns laugh make mery at Intwarpe Suche luste haue these blessed bretherne y â— euer talke of faith and sprete and trouth and veryte continually to deuyse and imagyne lyes of malyce and hatered agaynste all those that labour to make theÌ„ good And suche a pleasure hath eyther Fryth hym selfe or els some other false â—olysshe bretherne of his secte For he told one or twayn and caused the bretherne to blowe it ferther aboute that worde was sente hym into the towre that the chauÌ„cellour of London sayde it sholde coste hym the beste bloude in hys body Now whyther Fryth lyed or hys felowes let them draw cut bytwene them For surely where they tell it vnder suche maner as though mayster
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
adayes as the tyme was when they dyd For they seâ— that it begynneth almost to growe in custume that amonge good catholyke folke yet be they suffred boldely to talke vnchekked whiche thynge all be it farre from commendable yet wyth many folke it happeth vppon a good surety that good men in theyr owne mynde coÌ„ceyue of the strength and fastnes of the catholyke fayth whyche they verely thynke so strong that heretykes for all theyr bablynge shall neuer be able to vaynquyshe And therein vndoutedly theyr mynde is not onely good but also very trewe But they thynke not farre inough For as the seâ— shall neuer surunde and ouer whelme all the lande and yet hath it eaten many places in â–ª and swalowed hole cuntrees vppe and made many places nowe see that somtyme were well inhabyted landes hath lost parte of hys owne possessyon in other partes agayne so though the fayth of Cryste shall neuer be ouerfloweÌ„ with heresyes nor the gates of hell preuayle agaynste Crystes chyrche yet as in some places it wynneth in new people so maye there in some places by neglygence be lost tholde For yf that we bycause we know our cause so good bere our selfe theruppon so bolde that we make lyght sleyght of our aduersaryes it maye happen to fare bytwene the catholykes and heretykes at length as it fareth somtyme in a suyte at the lawe by some good man agaynst whome a suâ—tle wily shrew begynneth a false accyon and asketh from hym all the lande he hath Thys good man somtyme that knoweth hys mater so trew persuadeth to hym selfe that it were not possyble for hym to lese it by the law And when hys counsayle talketh wyth hym asketh hym how he can proue thys poynt or y â— for hym selfe answereth agayne feare ye not for that syr I warraunt you all the whole cuntrey knoweth it the mater is so trew and my part so playne y â— I care not what iudges what arbytrours what .xii. men go theron I wyl chalenge no man for any labour that myne aduersary can make therin And wyth suche good hope the good man goeth hym home there sytteth styll and putteth no doubte in the mater But in the meane whyle hys aduersary which for lacke of treuth of hys cause must nedes put all hys truste in crafte goeth abouth his mater busely and by all y â— false meanes he may maketh hym frendes some with good felowshyppe some wyth rewardes fyndeth a felowe to forge hym false euydence maketh meanes to the shyryffe geteth a parcyall panell laboreth the iury and when they come to the barre he hath all hys trynkettes redy where as good Tomme Treuth cometh forth vppon the tother syde bycause he weneth all y â— worlde knoweth how trewe his mater is bryngeth neuer a wytnesse wyth hym and all hys euydence vnsorted And one wyst I ones that broughte vnto the barre when the â—ury was sworne and openly delyuered his couÌ„sayle hys tender boxe wyth hys flynte and hys matches in stede of his boâ— of euydeÌ„ce for that had he lefte at home so neglygent are good folke somtyme whan the knowen â—routh of theyr mater maketh them ouer bolde And surely myche what after this fashyon in many places play these hereâ—ykes and we For lyke as a few byrdes alway chyrkynge and fleyng from bushe to bushe many tymes seme a great many so these heretyques be so besyly walkynge that in euery ale house in euery tauerne in euâ—ry barge and almoste euery bote as few as they be a man shall alwaye fynde some and there be they so besye wytâ— theyr talkynge and in better places also where they maye be herd so feruent and importune in puttynge forth of any thynge whyche may serue for the fortheraunce of theyr purpose that betwene theyr importune preasyng and the dylygence or rather the neglygence of good catholyke men appereth often tymes as gret a dyfference as bytwene frost and fyre And surely bytwene the treâ— catholyke folke and the false heretykes yt fareth also mych lyke as yt fared betwene false Iudas and Crystes faythfull apostles For whyle they for all Crystes callynge vppon them to wake and praye fell fyrst in a slumber and after in a dede slepe the traytour neyther slept nor slumbered but went about full besely to betray his mayster and bring hym selfe to myschyefe But yet wheÌ„ he came with his company they scaped not all scot fre nor Peter well a waked oute of his slepe was not so slouthfull but that he could cut of one knaues eaâ—e nor all the wreches of theym with all theyr wepens able to stande agaynste Crystes bare worde when he sayde I am 〈◊〉 whom ye seke but to grouÌ„de they fell forthwith vp ryght vpoÌ„ theyr backes wherby we be sure that neyther heretikes nor deuyls can any thyng do but by goddes specyall sufferauÌ„ce that they shall betwen them both neuer be able to destroye the catholyke fayth nor to preuayle agaynst y â— catholyke chyrch and all the myschyef shall be theyr owne at lengthe though god for our synne suffer them for a scourge to preuayle in some places here and there for a whyle whom vpon meÌ„nes amendement he wyll not fayle to serue at the last as doth y â— teÌ„der mother whyche when she hath beten her chylde for his wantoÌ„nes wypeth hys â—yâ—n kysseth hym casteth the rodde in the fyre How be it yf euer it shold as god forbede it shold I trust it neuer shall â—y such â—old slouth neglygence on the catholyke part and suche hote feruent labour of the heretykes y â— the heretykes parte shold happe to grow so strong as they shold coÌ„spyre to geue the aduenture by fete of handes I nothyng dout of good meÌ„nes good hertes nor of the present ayde helpe of god but that the presence of parell raysyng men out of this dulle slepe wold cause them than so to waxe warme dylygent in y â— mater that the heretykes sholde haue such spede as they haue before this tyme had in thys realme when they haue atteÌ„pted the like But yet though the heretykes part shold as I verely trust they shold haue euer more the worst yet very sure it is y â— neyther parte shold haue y â— better but y â— it wold then well appere that it had bene mych more wisedome for al good catholyque men to haue waren warmer afore to haue repressed those heretykes in tyme before they grew to so many And this thyng was perceyued very well both before the making of that statute of kyng Henry the iiii whiche statute this pacyfyer wolde haue now reformed also at the tyme of the makynge yet mych better sone after in y â— reygn of the prince of famous memory kyng Henry y â— .v. For before this statute made the parleameÌ„t iÌ„ the fyfth yere of kyng Richard the â–ª ii complayned of heretikes fouÌ„de grete harme grow that they were not arrested
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