be whole Another exposition haue I also founde in Calapine who sayth that Cardinal is euen the selfe same that Carneuale for neither the one nor the other doth attende to any other thing than to eate drinke slepe commit whordome fall to banketting and last of al to do al those goodly valiant actes that to declare them all would wery Demosthenes Cicero Virgill Homer Horace and Pindarus All tongues are dombe to speake of them euen the thousandeth parte Better it is to be still than say little of them And although a man wrote of thâ—â—r vile naughtynesse more thaÌ„ Saint Augustine wrote yet should he haue sayde but little for the stinke of them reacheth euen to the Scytheans and to the Hiperboryans and to the furihest parts of the newe worlde Marforius They are therefore Apostates and not Apostles But tell me somewhat of Cardinall Coutarine and Cardinall Fregoso called Salernitano Pasquine I sawe them not for my good Aungell tolde me that they were not receyued into this heauen for they had fauoured the doctrine of the Gospell more than was the duety of Cardinals and that if the waight of their Cardinalship haue not pulled them downe he thought that they were ascended to the true heauen Marforius God is strong inough he might easely haue drawen theÌ„ vp thither if it were his will Pasquine I knowe that well for all things are possible with God Marforius I pray thee heartily talke no more to me of these men but follow on the rest Pasquine I will but I doubt that we shall go from euill to worsse for after these come the Euangelistes whom when I saw me thought I felt my soule to be torne as it were out of my body for very sorow Marforius Alas what is that I heare thée say Pasquine It is as I tell thée for in place of those foure Euangelistes and of their Gospels albeit the Gospel be but one onely be it eyther written by the Apostles or the Euangelistes I saw that there were foure couÌ„cels receyued that is to say that of Nice that of Constantinople that of Ephesus that of Calcedon And then foure Doctours of the Churche that is to weâ—e Ambrose Augustine Ierome and Gregorie And after these other innumerable whome we had sene in the Quéere of the Doctours And moreouer were added the bookes of the Decrées Decretalles Sectes and Clementines neyther did all this suffise but it was also graunted to euery one so that he had eyther a Cowle or a shaueÌ„ Crowne to write what him lusted and the same to set forth in steade of Euangelical and Apostolicall Doctrine In so muche that the Pope hath drawen all things to him selfe and hath placed him selfe in the steade of Christes Gospel and of God him selfe nay rather aboue God and aboue al lawes of God or men affirming that all consisteth in his owne breast Beholde therfore what maner of Euangelistes and what Gospels they be And yet I tell thée nothing of the Belles of the carued of the painted and of the molten Images of the Church of the Crosses of lightes of waxe of vesselles of garments and other ornaments all whiche things they will nedes haue to be taken for true Euangelists Wherefore I pray thée cause me not to speake any more of this so abhominable and detestable a Quéere Marforius Procéede therefore to the rest Pasquine A little of from hence was the order or Quéere of Priestes and Leuites Marforius Newe or olde Pasquine New made of the olde Marforius Howe Pasquine Remembrest thou not that we said before that I sawe in y â— Quéere of the Doctours they caryed the old Testament into the newe Marforius I remeÌ„ber me well of that but I thought that our Priesthoode had come from Christ and not from the olde Testament Pasquine What did make thée thinke so Marforius Many things first they were Priestes by nature by succession for the Trybe of Leui had this priuiledge of God wherfore Leuiticus was called y â— priesthoode Our Priesthoode consisteth not in any familie or kinred but they are Leuites and Priestes that are by the Byshop thervnto chosen and greased Beside that they sacrificed brute beastes but our Priestes do offer and sacrifice Christ to God Pasquine Thou folowest the errour of the Papistes Marforius that is to say of the Romishe Church but a remedy must be founde for this errour Marforius What remedy is that Pasquine The Philosophers sayd that Philosophie was the medicine of the minde for it tooke away errours and purged the mind But we that haue receyued y â— truth from the true God say not that Philosophie that is to saye the desire of worldely wisedome but the wisedome it selfe giuen vnto vs in the wrytings of the Apostles is the medicine of the mind and a most sure remedy against al errors which are y â— diseases of y â— mind Mar. Why theÌ„ is y â— an error of our priestes Pas. It is a fowle error a madnesse of mind very daungerous Marforius I muche desire to be healed of this infirmitie and to haue agayne y â— health of minde which is the wisedome of Christ. Pasquine Thou shalt sone be hole for thou knowest thy disease and desirest the medicine I wil therfore begin to cure thée All that thou hast spoken of Priesthode shall be ouerthrowen if thou wilt thinke that neyther the Apostles nor the Euangelists haue written so much as one tittle of such kinde of Priesthode and Sacrifice But where they haue spoken of Priesthode and of Priests they haue not meante it of those that are annointed by Byshops but of that Priesthode that maketh all Christians to be Priests consecrating them with the vnction of the holy Ghost and not wyth oyle coniured and consecrated by Byshops Peter the Apostle sayth that all Christian man are a spirituall housholde and a holy and royall Priesthode to offer spirituall offrings acceptable to God through Iesus Christ. And so saint Paule prayeth the Romanes and other the true worshippers of Christ that they offer their bodies in a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruing of him Wherfore thou séest that we are al the temple of God Priestes Offrings and Sacrifices most acceptable vnto God for our Lord Iesus Christ the high Priest and euerlasting Byshops sake I would therefore knowe of thée nowe if thou beleue that Iesus Christ the high Priest and Lambe haue taken away the sinnes of the worlde as sayth saint Iohn and all the whole scripture Marforius Yea I beleue it Pasquine I would know of thée for what occasion thou thinkest that the Priestes of the olde testament so often times renued those sacrifices and heaped so many offrings one after another Marforius Bicause God had commaunded it Pasquine That is true but yet for an other cause sayth Paul that is bycause
wherewith if they were so disposed they might shew violence and crueltie as the Papists do 77 Whether the Pope in this of all other the most pestilent tyme of warres calling his Cardinalles and â—hieflye the Frenche to Rome for a counsell as the show is made to be holden dâ—o penly mocke y â— world syth in tyme of peace he made no maner mention of a Counsell and now he doth it bycause he séeth knoweth that it is impossible to call them togyther especially syth he vsed the selfe same fyne fetche the last warres now past 78 Whether the olde and newe Testament did euery where of it beate into mennes heades or commaunde suche maner of Articles as the Sorbonistes of Parys of late yeares made and caused 〈…〉 by ParlameÌ„t whether the same diuines woâ—â—â— forbydde that the Bible shoulde not be printed in thâ—â— french tongue 79 Whether the Sorbones of Parys who as it is sayde wrote to the Pope and grieuously complayned that in restoring and vpholding their Church which was about to fall and would very shortly haue lyen in the dust they were forsaken by those that should moste chiefly haue holpen them deserue that punyshmente that in tymes past Bede the Diuine had 80 Whether y e same Diuines in despite of whom though they gayne sayd it as loude as they could cry the french king willed and commaunded the Bible to be translated printed and set abroade in the vulgare tongue may not now be affearde that their king conceyueth an euill opinion of them and thinke that they bycause they went about by a thousande sâ—eights and deuises to hinder so Godly and necessary a worke are in breding some monster and that they can not abyde the truth especially sith the saide king is not ignoraunt howe grieuously they tooke it a fewe yeares past when by his bountifull liberalitie professours of dyuers tongues were instituted and appointed that he heareth not often tymes as occasions serue what trouble busynesse these vnlearned witlesse doltes put the good the learned men vnto which Asses wheÌ„ they write or speake any thing do cause all men to scorne and make men lothe and also abhorre them Imprinted at London by William Seres Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Phil. 1. Luk. 4. Gal. 1. Heauy thinges goe downward and not vpwarde The Gods of stone and wood are the Gods of the Papistes and not of Christians No simall nuÌ„ber nor that thiâ—ke them selues no smal fooles The God Terminus Pâ—squines labor and good meaning Flatterrers alwayes about Princes Diogenes flyes Stones shall cry Luc. 19. Pasquine doubteth of Gods prouidence The high way to Epicures opinion The beholdiÌ„g of nature The earth mother of all thinges The gret wisdome of God in forming his creatures Psalme 145. Man onely kepeth not order Gods kingdome is heaâ—enly Ioan. 18. Satan Prince of this world * Ioan. 12. Math. 4. Marc. 1. Luc. 4. Phillip 2. What the world is after the Scripture 1. IoaÌ„ 2. 5. Monasteries are the world it selfe Some fruites of monasticall life Saintes are Demigods Saintes in great estimation with the worlde Truth will be truth how so euer it be called Marforius a CanoÌ„ lawier Saintes are not as they are named A very good way to try Saintes True Saintes are Goddes frendes Who be true Saintes Some be but Saintes in â—ame The deuil neuer becoÌ„meth an angell but when he meaneth most mischiefe 2. Cor. 11. The diuelles retorique Fryers the diuels scholers The diuelâ— dâ—uise Marke well All is not gold that glistereth Iohn Brokenshinne a wryter vpon the Canon law A good way to finde out the truth No more like than fire and water Comparisons odious The prayse of the Virgin Mary The price of the dog what it meaneth looke in Deut. 23. Greate oddes betwene Mary Christes mother and Mary on the Aultar Great hurt commeth of false religion once receyued Ianichers for the most part are christians borne and denying that fayth become Turkes and are the garde of the Turke Which is to cause a man to confesse by induction that which he would not and so ouerthrowe him selfe Christ the example of saintes Math. 5. 1. Cor. 15. Luc. 23. Ezech. 18. Math. 11. Christ commaunded his Saintes to be meke and huÌ„ble The Pope commauÌ„deth hâ—s to be cruel and seeke reuenge Antichrist must worke miracles Dan. 7. Apoc. 13. Math. 24. Sygnes to know Antichrist by Math. 24. Antichristes temple disscribed NothiÌ„g more against Christ than Antichrist Miracles are tokens for the vnbeleuers An old practise of the prelates Iniquity shall haue the vpper hande Superstition and Idolatry are vehement persuasions to the ignorant Hier. 44. Gods of small power that would hurt and can not Antichrist what he is 1. Io. 2. 4. Ap. 13. et 16. Apoc. 17. The great whore Babilon The beastes name discribed Ignorance breadeth deuotioÌ„ the Pâ—pistes say The doctrine of Monkes and Friers Ioan. 5. Simplicitie what it is Canonistes coÌ„mmonly are not acquainâ—ted with simplicitie Canonistes subtile but not simple Who is a simple man What he must be that wil vnderstaÌ„d the scriptures Luc. 12. 21. Mar. 13. Simplicitie and constancie are companions cie are companions Math. 10. What is meant by the simplicitiâ— of Doues Friers be foxes and 〈◊〉 Doues for all they seeme so simple The ChristiaÌ„ ought not to be ignorant Psala Ignorance cause of many eâ—rours The colour of religion hath deceyued manye Math. 22. Mar. 12. Why the Iewes Turâ— become not Christians i. Cor. 1. Meaning he should expouÌ„d to him the scripture as they do the law to other A drianns for Atrianus Pasquine wissheth the ouer throw of the Pope and his kingdome Pasquine euil spoken of by Card. Chietti bycause he called him by his right name The cause why Pasquin went to heaueÌ„ The Image of Mary compared for hir gay attire to the heathen Goddesses A couetous and cruell mother that suffâ—reth hir sonne to beg and she hath so much The poore repâ—esent christ * Math. 25. Loretto is with them as Walsingham was with vs a place to which much gayne was brought and and no goodnesse caryed thence The true saintes sâ—ke nâ—yther goodâ—s nor gloâ—ious Churches The treasures of the papistes are a pray for the Turkes Math. 6. The treasures of true sâ—intes layd up in heauen Deady sinne to speake euill of these false Saintes Couetousnesse and cruelâ—y a hinderance to the truth Pasquines way to heaueÌ„ Hilarius an aduocate at the generall Iudgement Pasquine found that which he sought not then for The old Frier meaneth some mystery therby A busteling among the Friers in the Cloyster Fryers together by the eares How Pasquiâ—â— learned the practise of these visions The Cannons of the apostles farre differeÌ„t from the Popes Canons The beginniÌ„g of the votage The way to clymbe vp to the Popes heauen A priuy nip Monkish astrologye A Coniuration Ignorant spirites that vnderstand but one tongue Meaning thoâ— a man might haue made a
the hearing of it Marforius That I can for I am redy to dye for very lust to heare it Pasquine Antichrist is so called by this effect bycause he is against Christ. But the name of this kingdome with the which as happy and fatherly he couereth the vnhappy name of Antichrist that he may the more safely deuour and slea Christes shepe this name I say is called the number of man by the Prophet in the newe Testament Marforius I vnderstand thée now lesse than I did before Pasquine â—ast thou not read in the Apocalips of the marke and of the name of the beast and of the number of man Marforius I haue some time heard men striue vpon that place and vpoÌ„ that whore clothed in Scarlet and droncke with the bloude of Sainctes whome they called the great whore and they sayd she had in hir hande a Cuppe of golde full of abhominations and hir filthy lustes and if I remember me well they called hir also Babilon the mother of the fornications of the earth But by cause I heard not the beginning of the disputation I could not vnderstand what that whore was Pasquin All this that thou hast sayd belongeth to Antichrist and to his kingdome which thinges thou shalt clearlie vnderstande by that time I shal haue declared vnto thée the name with the which that wicked person doth nothing else but sel him selfe to the worlde But hearken to this Marforius I am here al redy thereto Pasquine The letter of his name is P A the nuÌ„ber is P P A A. and the name is made by putting ech of those letters amids his two felowes For as Pythagoras Disciples say the number of man is double or two fould the which doth clearely appeare sith there are in the name contayned but two letters onely as thou haste séene in the number And albeit euery of those letters is twice formed they are not for all that any more than two figures of letters two sillables UnderstaÌ„dest thou it yet or no Marforius I vnderstande it very well for this name these letters come often in my way in the Canon lawe But beware Pasquine that thou seeke not to knowe to much thou shouldest doe better to beleue simply as I doe hauing bene so taught by a cunning Frier Pasquine What callest thou to beleue simply Marforius This not to labour to much in holy scripture and to leaue those thinges to the Diuines Pasquine That is to beleue ignorantly and not simply knowest thou not that place of the Gospell which sayth Search the Scriptures if thou beleue so Marforius thou deceiuest thy selfe fowlly for this is not simplicitie but rather a folishe and carelesse credulitie Marforius I will tell thée true I did beleue that simplicitie and ignorance were both one thing Pasquine Thou deceyuest thy selfe I say for there is a greater difference betwene them Simplieitie is not ignoraunce but a certaine clearenesse and singlenesse of minde whose contrary is doublenesse if thou know therfore what it is to be of a double minde thou shalt also vnderstande what it is to be of a single minde Marforius I knowe well what it is to be of a double minde for this often times happeneth vnto me but suche maner of simplicitie as thou speakest of I know not Pasquine I beleue iâ— well for you Canonistes can not be both subtile and simple together but would to God that your craftinesse might be turned into simplicitie for then should there not be among you so many disceytes wayes to entangle men in and suche deuises and delayes and there should be no maner disputing De Iure stricto largo but onely that which is iust and good shoulde raigne in you Marforius What is simplicitie then Pasquine Simplicitie is a vertue the which who so euer hath sheweth with the effectes what he is he is no hipocrite but in euery thing and in euery act is séene a great clearnesse and singlenesse and he is such that in him thou mayst trust any thing that thou hast for being sincere he doth sincerelie behaue him selfe Moreouer concerning the knowledge of thinges and their experience he wil haue a sincere and sure iudgement without any colour or disguising of Hipocrisie Marforius If the matter be so it must nedes be that the simple man be replenished not onely with great goodnesse but also with great learning iudgement together for these things are requisite to him that will diligently search and vnderstande the Scriptures Pasquine Thou sayest truth Marforius Then are there in these dayes many simple without simplicitie Pasquine It is true in these dayes and there is little godlinesse amongst Christen men they were in olde time simple those true Sainctes who * lacked not what to aunswere to the Iudges bycause they beleued simply and this beleuing simplye can not be without a very great stedfastnesse for this simplicitie hath alwayes wayes in company a certaine most firme constnancie of minde and about it a wall of brasse such as these be put on no visours nor strange garmentes but wil be knowen of euery man for y â— they be But this masking and disguising is neuer without some suspicien of deceite And what thinkest thou this saying meaneth be ye simple as Doues but that ye haue that singlenesse of mind that belongeth to a Christian and shewe the same in your couÌ„tenaunce in your maners in your apparell and in your workes as Doues doe the which faine not one thing and do an other as doe the Foxes but openlye shewe their naturall whitenesse and mildenesse in all their life Marforius Is there not then one Frier that is simple Pasquine As thou thinkest of theÌ„ they are al so but as I thinke there is not one so Marforius In very déede I did euer beleue till nowâ— that we must be simple that is to say ignorant doltish very Asses Pasquine Such opinion haue they had whome the shéepish foolishnesse of our time hath nouseled vp but I say to thée that the Christian should be very well learned wel exercised in his owne lawe for so shall he not be able to be moued by any maner argument being wel grounded vpon that sure stone whereas he that shall be ignorant shall be redy to fall into alherâ—sies and to al disceites for ignorance agreing with all thinges and lacking of iudgement at one instant taketh holde of truth of falshoode without making at any time any distinction at all And hereof are risen so may heresies and sectes among the christians For being ignorant they haue bene deceyued by crafty créepers most of all vnder the colour of Religion And therefore some folowing the rule of that man some of this man those other of an other man and not one there is that foloweth the rule of Christ the which
Thou meanest therefore that they vse this feate that they may be both feared worshipped in the worlde Pasquine Who doubteth of that Marforius And who hath giuen them so great power against men Pasquine The most high God who sendeth his plagues by these saintes that are â—uil Angelles that is to say Diuels Marforius And after what sort Pasquine If men forsaking the true God do runne to false saintes wilt thou not that God doth leaue them in the power of those whom they haue chosen to be their defendours Marforius And me thinketh it good reason Pasquine If I therfore choose to my selfe Saint Rocke or Saint Bastian or Saint Anthony to whom I beare my deuotion and in my missehaps aduersities runne to them and stande in feare of them am not I as a slaue vnto them Marforius No Pasquine we pray them that they will sue vnto God for vs and there obtayne for vs. Then we pray vnto them that they wil not vse against vs that power that they haue of God to do vs hurte but that they will delyuer vs from the same Pasquine Tell me thinkst thou that God is become so olde that he can nowe no more gouerne the whole worlde alone and that he must deuide his kingdom and his power among his Saints Beside that when thou prayest to Saint Roâ—ke â–ª doest not thou euidently shew y â— thou beleuest y â— he is more merciful than christ that herein he can do more than christ for else thou wouldst go to christ Marforius Albeit I sayd no the effect sayd yea Pas. Doing therfore this séest thou not that y â— doest iniury to Christ. Mar. And wherein Pasquine In preferring man before God in beleuing that a maÌ„ hath more mercy can do more than Christ to whome the scripture sayth that God hath giuen al power in heauen and in earth and that he is altogether mercy In that thou wilt haue an other aduocate than Christ who as the scripture saith in many places is our only Aduocate only mediator betvvene God man What vnexcusable foolishnesse is that therfore of them y â— forsaking so mercyful a Lorde so gentle and liberall a defendour so mighty an Aduocate in whom only God the father is pleased they run backe from God and his sonne to certaine Saintes whom they knowe not whether they be in heauen or no nay rather is it to be thought that they be in the Diuels Codware and thus leaue they that onely Mediatour that onely Aduocate that God hath prepared for vs in vvhom onely God is pleased Oh how many are vpon the Aultars and worke miracles whose soules are tormented in Hell Marforius Oh my Pasquine how much am I bound to thée that makest me to vnderstande the greatnesse of my grosse ignoraunce Nowe am I sory for the time that I haue lost about Iohannes Andreas and Speculator But tel me are Anthony Rocke Martyrs Pasquine Thou askeste me euen in time for I my selfe maruelled much at it when I sawe them in that Quéere But séeking more curiouslye to be out of doubt thereof it was tolde me that they were not Martyred but they earnestly sought to haue bene and that they roamed throughe many Cities to be offered to the Lord and coulde finde no man that would kil them Marforius This did suche at all tymes finde as neuer sought for it in dede thinke thou nowe whether he might lacke it that sought for it most chiefly then among those Diocletanes and Maxentij that were waxed fat therwith as do in these dayes the Popes and their mitred Mahoundes who if they knew these our communications I can assure thee that they would easely graunt vs to be martyrs But thou sawest not there Saint Peter and Saint Paule Pasquine I sawe them and I sawe them not For they were behinde a certayne Courtine the which was by and by let downe so lowe that a man might sée to their breastes and anone it was drawen vppe againe in the turning of a hande Marforius But Saint Christopher was he there If he were thou didst take much payne to sée him and to knowe him among the rest Pasquine I sawe him beholding so monstrous a Giant I asked mine Aungell if this Giant were euer in earth much maruelling that none that hath written hystories nor none of those that with so great diligence haue written the doings of the Greekes and Romaines and of others of olde time hath made any mention of so huge a giant Marforius What did the Angell answere thée Pasquine He laughed at it and desiring him to answere me thus he beganne Beleue not Pasquine quoth he that there hath bene at any time so great a Giant in the world but this is a deuise ef those wise men of the first christian common wealth who meaning to sette forth the life of a christian man coÌ„prehended the whole vnder this Image the which they after warde called Christophorus for Christophorus is no more to saye but Bearing Christ. They faine therefore that he is a Giant for that he must be strong that beareth Christ and his truth in the presence of men They fayne also that he carieth men ouer a water for our life is as a water ouer the which we can not passe vnlesse we be caried that is to say we can not passe to heauen except he that is of Christ doe carry vs with the truth of his Gospell They faine also that he hath in his hande a trée to stay himselfe by this signifieth fayth y â— which if it did not holde vs vp full ofte should we fall to the ground they fayne that after he had vsed this work of charitie the trée waxed gréene agayne for fayth without good workes is as it were drie and withered And thus is he paynted at the entrie into the church to the ende eche christian man should remember whether he be as he ought to be There were also other Saintes mine Angell tolde me that were likewise fayned to set forth vnto vs vnder that representatioÌ„ some truth As Saint George that killeth the Dragon to deliuer the Kings daughter from that terrible beaste that destroyed aâ—l Cappadocia This Cappadocia is as much to meane as the world the Dragon is the Diuel that deuoureth al that come to his hands the kings daughter is the Church of God saint George is Christ who seing his church in peril sâ—ayeth that Dragon and deliuereth his most faire daughter And so he tolde me many other like Marforius This doe I beleue right well for I remember that the Decretal holdeth these two hystories of no authoritie and not allowed by the Churche albeit the Friers haue sithens drawen all things to their owne gayne partly through false dealing and partely through ignoraunce If this be true as I well beleue it hâ—w do lyes swarme in Frier Iames of the Synkehole and
Anthonie of Florence and many other such like who haue deuised not hystories which ought to be the lightes of truth but fables of Lucian not liues of men but lies of Diuels with a barbarous yrkesome style haue intreated therof And he that taketh them not to be true woe be to him he is an Heretique let him go nay rather kyll him And so say I also of those doltishe deuises lately written of saint Katherine and of saint Thomas Aquine at the instance of that Ipocrite the Marques of Vasto Pasquine Thou séest therefore that we must not folishly beleue euery thing I coulde recken vnto thée a number of Gods of the aunciente heathen transfourmed into our Gods with the same errour and falsehode without changing any other thing than the name only and often times without changing the name at al. Beholde the Rotunda which in the olde time was called Pantheon bicause it was the dwelling house of al the Gods nowe haue they made it the dwelling house of all Saintes and in place of Cibele mother of al the Gods haue they set the virgin Marie for heade of alâ— the Saintes And here harde by thou knowest is the Minerua whiche was in the olde tyme the temple of Minerua and nowe haue they dedicated it to Saint Minerua the Uirgin euen as Pallas Minerua was a Uirgin The Temple whiche in the olde tyme was of Romulus and Remus they haue made nowe the Church of Saint Cosmus and Damian The temple that was of olde time of Castor and Pollux haue they nowe made the Church of Saint Geruays Prothays Those of old tyme that had Lucina to heale their eies these of our time haue Saint Lucie Those of old time had Ceres to be the Goddesse of Corne these of oure time haue Pancras Those of old time had Mars and Pallas to be Gods ouer the warres these of our time haue Saint George and Saint Barbara The Scafaring men in the olde time sawe Castor and Pollux in the ende of a tempest these of our time sée Saint Eremus Among those of olde tyme it was not lawfull for the Uirgins of Vesta to marry with these of our time it is not lawfâ—ll for Nunnes to mary Among those of old time the Church of Diana departed from Zante and together with the builders miraculouslye went into Spaine as a man may reade in Plinie with those of our tyme the Church of our Lady at Loretto came out of Sclauonie and is maruellously come into Italy as is to be read in the lying Legendes of these pickpurse priestes deuising Those of old time washed selues with fayre cleare water to clense them selues froÌ„ sinnes these of our tyme fillip with their finger a little holy water on their forehead They of old time had Iuno Feronia Iuno Lucina Iuno Saturnia Iuno Curites these of our time haue our Lady of grace our Lady of the myracles our Lady our Lordes mother our Lady of the people They of olde time filled their Churches with little Tables conteyning the vowes they made these of our time fill their Churches full of little Tables conteyning their vowes Those of old time said that in beanes dwelled the soules of y â— dead these of our tyme giue Beanes for the soules of the deade And euen so he that will go and search pointe by pointe the Popishe Religion eyther shall he find it altogether like to that of the olde Paganes or if there be any difference it differeth but in the names onely So that if wee will worshippe these oure Saintes bycause we will not be accoumpted Heretiques we fall to worshyppyng of Iuno Minerua Mars Hercules Polyphemus Briarius and an infinite nuÌ„ber of Diuelles vnder the name of Saint Anthony Saint Nichodeme Saint Christian Saint Nafissa Marforius Oh Pasquine thou haste well opened my vnderstanding nowe certainly thou sayest the truth these things are very clere I thought euer till nowe that I had done wel following y â— worshipping of those diuels Pasquine I haue other things without nuÌ„bre to say when I shal vtter theÌ„ I wil make al y â— world woÌ„der Marforius Oh happy day wheÌ„ y â— trueth shalbe sene to shine abrode Pasquin Happy therfore is this day for y â— seest how it is sproÌ„g vp how it goeth shewing it selfe abrode to the worlde in despite of the shauen Crownes Marforius Now proceede on a while to the other Quéeres Pasquine I wil so but first I must tell thée a fewe things that here I sawe heard Marforius Tel me them therefore Pasquine I sawe one of these martirs y â— warned the rest of his fellowes that they shuld do nothing against the Heretiques excepte they would beare the paynes therof theÌ„selues that they should take example by him who had felte the vengeaunce of God for that he had accused of heresie suche as he knew not and of suche thinges as he vnderstoode not if there be any they should rather be wonne by admonishing them to leaue it than with fire and tormentes to make them awaye For they be not al Heretiques that be so called but such as iudge contrary to the holy Scripture and that leaue the coÌ„maundementes of God and follow those of men and defende the same as heauenly commaundements and also preferre them before Gods commaundements these bâ— Heretiques And heaueÌ„ly things are the same onely that are contayned in the olde and newe Testament which if they wil not beleue the day of the Lord shall come that shall discouer all things shal make them repent it and their repentaunce shall not then helpe them Marforius Who was that that was so honest Pasquine It was Rochester about whome were two Martyrs the one was Peter Martir of the order of Fryers Bréechers Marforius Thou wouldest say Preachers Pasquine I alwayes misse in dede The other was Thomas of Canterbury eche of them confirmed Rochesters talke Marforius But had Rochester his redde Hat Pasquine He had in dede his heade red and his shoulders but it was with bloude not with a Hatte Marforius And I heard say that the Pope sent him a Hatte Pasquine Yea but when the King of England vnderstoode it he caused his head to be cut of before he shoulde haue to doe with that Romish harlotte whervpon the Papistes for that they thought he dyed for their defence and bycause he had written against the Lutheranes they put him in the number of these holy Martyrs Marforius It is very well And for one selfe cause as farre as I can perceyue both Peter Martyr a Dominicane Frier in Italy and Thomas of Canterbury in England dyed the one for persecuting after their Frierish fashion certaine poore Countrey men as Heretiques betwene Milaine and Como was slayne The other stryuing with the King for certaine iurisdictions was condemned to haue done against the estate Pasquine Thou sayest truth Marforius
Followe on then Pasquine Suche maner of Martyrs are these of the Popes Marforius Say on the rest Pasquine From this Order we went vppe to that of the Apostles and Euangelists Marforius I like well to heare of this Thou wilte anone put me out of doubt whether there be .xij. Apostles or more For if Paule of Tharsus were a true Apostle then are there â—iâ—j Apostles leauing also the other that are by him in his Epistles called Apostles Pasquine This question might well haue bene put among thâ—se whiche Paule called vnprofitable and superfluous but to satisfie my frende Marforius I will aunswere in two sortes First therefore thou must remember that we are in the Popes heauen where al things are contrary and preposterous therfore is there not y â— nuÌ„ber of Apostles egall with that number y â— Christ had as thou shalt vnderstaÌ„d afterward There was neither y â— true Peter nor Iames nor Iohn nor Paule nor none of y â— rest but other of an other maner of sort Marforius Who were they Pasquine Those y â— are called Cardinals y â— which in this heaueÌ„ are in the place of y â— Apostles Marforius So it is also in Rome but I thought y â— there had bene some other thing different one froÌ„ another Pasquin Nay one milke is not so like another as this heauen is like the court of Rome in y â— which eche man knoweth that the Apostles and disciples are made for money not twelue but ther may be made of them without number But concerning the true number of the Apostles know thou that they are taken in two sortes Apostle is as much to say as a messanger Ambassadour or one that carieth glad tidings And so Paule doth call Epaphroditus an Apostle whome the Philippians haue sent vnto him But proprely those twelue are accompted Apostles whome Christ our king and God sent in the beginning to beare his gospel through the whole worlde But speaking of Paule it is not to be doubted that he is not a true and faythfull Apostle of Christ for euen as those twelue of which number Iudas failed and in whose place was by the Apostles appoynted Matthie by diuine inspiration were chosen by Christ being then mortall euen so by the same Christ being since immortal and glorious was Paul called to the office of the Apostleship Wherefore the Apostles were verely .xiij. and not .xij. except they wyll take those twelue onely that were chosen by Christ all after one maner and Matthie as chosen by the Apostles but yet as I haue sayde by the spirite of God Marforius I sée in déede that it is no greate matter whether a man knowe these things or not yet is it right pleasaunt to me that I haue vnderstode them But tell me was saint Ierome in this number for I sée that they painte him like a Cardinall and so they say he was Pasquine Saint Ierome was not there neyther coulde he be there for it is an euidente thing that in his time there were no Cardinals but as that Poet sayth Painters Poets haue alwayes had authoritie to deuise what they liste themselues And notwithstanding in these dayes men builde vpon y â— dreames of Painters the chiefe matters of our religion and they accompte that which is paintedlie as an Article of Faith and him that speaketh against it for an Heretique But I say that Ierome would neuer haue suffred no such maner of titles deuised by men thorow the prouocation of the Diuell For he was religious and learned and farre from all ambition and a most mortall enimie to the Romishe Church of Antichrist that then began to grow as in all his writings may well be séene Marforius Why then haue they fayned him to be a Cardinall Pasquine I wyll tell thée When the Church of Rome began to make Cardinals séeing that y â— order nor title could not be fouÌ„ded vpon any place of the Scripture bycause it excelled neyther in any great learning or holinesse to the ende it might yet haue the greater authority and reuerence they began to paint saint Ierome that was long before dead with a red Hat and set him forth as a Cardinal Marforius That was well done but then it behoued the rest to follow him in learning and holinesse Pasquine Is it not inough that they haue followed him in speaking against matrimony Marforius But bycause there hath not bene one honest man at any time sithens is not that order therefore more shamefull and abbominable than honourable Pasquine Howe wilt thou that they should be honest if in their cursed othe they rebel from Christ and do deny him and ioyne them selues to Antichrist and worshippe him Marforius By my truth thou sayest true who readeth that othe shall finde that it is so I neuer toke héede of it before Pasquine But sith they could not giue dignity and authoritie to that degrée with holinesse of liuing and with sincere goodnesse they haue giuen it to the same with their superfluous rychesse and like very Tyrannes by force not by loue haue they gotten to them selues authority and reuerence or as we may say sauing your reuerence also Marforius Thou must nedes sée also Bonauenture that made the comeÌ„tary vpoÌ„ the Master of the Sentences and Vincent y â— Dominicane Frier that left certaine Sermones behinde him for they are both Saintes Pasquine I saw them and they were wrangling together as they had bene mad Marforius And whervpon Pasquine Of that foolishe question that hath alredy bred so great discordes and tragidies betwene the Friers of Saint Fraunces and Saint Dominicke Marforius Of the conception of our Lady thou meanest Pasquine Yea. Marforius Is not that fonde foolishnesse yet layde to soake Pasquine It will be layde to soake when all sectes of Friers shall be layd to soake or to say better ouerthrowen and brought to nought the which is already begon and with the help of Christ shal shortly be ended Marforius God grauÌ„t it be quickly But knowest thou whence this name Cardinall was taken for Barbazza will nedes that Cardinall shoulde be deriued from this worde Cardo Cardinis which in our tongue is the hooke or hendge of a doore And Hostiences will nedes that they be fouÌ„ded vpoÌ„ that place in the booke of kings The pillers of the earth are the Lordes and he hath set the world thereon Pasquine But I founde in an excellent Gramarian that Cardinall is so called by the figure called Epenthesis in stead of Cardinall as they say Induperator for Imperator for to alleage thée two Authors to set against thy two I found in Ruzzante that this worde Cardinall commeth from the Canker for the Cardinals are the very canker of y â— church the which disease if it be not altogether taken away with some edge toole or with fire it will neuer
a payre of Beads the which Saint Dominicks Friers haue put rounde about it so y â— it can not spread forth his light for this cause the place remaineth darâ—e and néedeth candels and lampes Marforius What payre of Beades is that Pasquine It is that which they call our Lady Psalter that which the hoggish herde of Friers do also cal the Bosarie that with the which the Paternosters or rather the Anemaries are giuen by tale to God nay rather to the Deuill that which euery foolishe woman caryeth in her hande when she goeth out of her dores in the morning that which is sayde more with the hands then with the heart that which is paynted alwayes in the hande of Ipocrisie that which souldiers make more conscience to leaue of than they do to kill a man that is it Marforius I vnderstand thée well I haue béene also of this opinion hitherto my selfe that he coulde not be saued which had not mumbled ouer his Beades at the least once euery daye But I maruell yet of an other thing howe is it possible that the sonne which is so great as they y â— write of the Mathematicall sciences affirme can be comprehended in so little a space and about a Quéene it muste néedes be that that Pallace shoulde be an other worlde and that that Quéene should be moÌ„strously great without measure if this could be Pasquine Thou must vnderstande that there is a great difference betwéene that Sonne and the Moone which we sée in this world and them that clothe this Quéene Marforius If there be that difference which is betwéene a thing that is true and a thing that is fayned it is very great Pasquine Thou hast hit the truth Marforius Followe on the rest sith I vnderstand this so wel In this great Hall al full of benches as that is of the great counsel at Venice was assembled a counsell of all sortes of Saintes a number infinite Marforius Came they therefore in this heauen callâ— Counsell without anye businesse and in earth neither by somoning nor no other way can it assemble Pasquine Yea but the cause is that these Saintes doubt lest if there shoulde be a counsell called in earth there shoulde somewhat be done in it that might not wel please them but in their counsell there is no daunger at all for them for all with one will and careful studie séeke to maintaine and increase their Kingdome and if it were possible to ouerthrowe the Kingdome of Christ. It is true in déede that in the olde tyme counselles were easely called togither in earth and for this cause for that there was not one that tooke Christes part or if he toke his part durst discouer himself for then would they haue burned him quicke as they did Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prage and manye other bicause they defended the truth of the Gospell against the falsehode of Poperie But now that they sée a good parte of the people of Christendome and of other nations haue a good opinion of Christ and an euill of the Pope and his followers they are so Slowe to the counsell that thoughe the Emperour desire it and all the worlde looke for it yet can it not be had in so great hatred haue they y â— truth for feare that it be not knowen abroade I speake not this as if the good and Godlye men had néede of counsels nor of the helpe of men but bicause their doctrine should be knowne for true holye and godly as it is and bicause it shoulde not seeme that they fly or auoyde the remedies of strife and contention vsed by those of old tyme and bicause the consciences of the weake shoulde be satisfied and last of all that hauing Campofranco That is to saye frée ground they may enter into the listes to combate with their aduersaries armed not with yron nor stéele but with the sacred Scriptures and the holye ghost â–ª and there staying al deceyte and falsehoode make the truth open and manifest But as for the godly they haue had the counsell of Iesus Christ with the ioynt assent of all the holy Apostles inspired by the holy Ghost the which counsell shall endure for euer But in this Popishe counsell are gathered together the Kings of the earth the chiefe Priestes and al sorts of these Saintes against the Lorde and Christ his Sonne Marforius A man may sée in effect that the Pope will néedes haue the counsell kept at Trent to the which for all that the Dutchmen neuer resorted Pasquine Howe can it be Marforius that y â— shouldest not vnderstand the subtiltie and falshood of the Pope knowest thou not that when two will fight the combatte togither it is first requisite that they haue frée grounde and that then they be in Armour Horsses and in euerye other things equall that the one haue not one iote of aduauntage of the other Tell me wouldest thou goe to fight with thine enimy at home in his owne house with disaduauntage nay rather when thou couldest not occupie thine owne weapons nay with one who beside that he is thy mortall enimie were both the one party that shoulde fight and also Lorde of the soyle wherein the listes are The Pope kepeth his counsell at Trent and to whome belongeth Trent to a member of the Popes and beside that it is subiect to Ferdinando a most bitter persecutour of the Gospell Beholde for the first parte there is no frée grounde then afterwarde that this counsell is kept where the Pope beareth so great a swaye and maintayneth his tirannicall authoritie the which while it endureth there is no speaking against him and he that speaketh against him is but a deade man And thoughe they graunted saufeconductes they breake them as faithlesse people couering themselues with their curssed lawes which saye that promise must not be kept with Heretiques and they call Heretiques not such as speake against the Gospel as they doe but such as speake against their curssed constitutions And I wil tel thée further that the Dutchmen haue discouered all this geare and if they had gone to the councell they had bene dispatched out of the waye thou wouldest néedes haue them go home to there Enemies which is Lorde of the listes but to hold a councel in a frée place and with equall match they will not heare of Marforius In déede thou sayest the truth But in this councell of Saints that thou speakest of didst thou come in Pasquin I came in I sawe and heard all the whole Marforius But how did they suffer thée so to doe Pasquine They coulde not sée me for my good Angel as long as pleased him had made me inuisible Marforius What heardest thou in the beginning Pasquine All cryed with one voyce Let vs breake their bondes and cast awaye their yoke from vs. Marforius What bonds what yoke ment they Pasquin The bonds of
dispensed to the pore impotent for the mariage of honest maydens to the godly ministers of y â— true Churches and not to lying Fryers and idle priests enimies to the Gospel as thou mayest sée In Codice Iurisconsultorum And saint Paule sayeth He that laboreth not let him not eate The same do I say also of the treasures of the Church as vessels vestements Images of Golde and Syluer Iewels baÌ„ners crosses and such lyke which eyther idle priests and Fryers enimies of the pure gospell of Christ do enioy and eyther do vnprofitably reserue for ambition consume in letcherie or else for superstition doe worship Marforius I surely thinke that these possessions were left to the Churche to the ende they should be disposed in such sorte as thou haste sayde and to say y â— truth what doth Gold in the Churches as that Poet sayde But was there any other thing in doing Pasquine It was decréed to encrease the number of the Cardinals to cause that of al the chief houses of Italie and else where abroade there shoulde alwayes one or other of them be a Cardinall by this mecanes to kéepe them alwayes in the deuotion of the Church of Rome the which they nowe through the reading of holye Scriptures beginne to knowe and forsake that they may enioye the libertie of the Gospel But aboue all other things that their shoulde be alwayes vj. or .iiij. at the least of the Venetians Cardinals and this they ment bycause they knowe what a number of those Senatours are wyttie men and of profound iudgement doubting least they should slip their heads out of the coller and most of all seing that sacred Senate when it hath bene often tymes by the Popes Legates pricked forward to the destruction slaughter of their vessels bicause they withdraw themselues from the Popes tyrannie hath shewed euidently that they take more care of their true and faithfull subiects than to haue giuen eare to the presumption of him that taketh vpon him to commaund them Marforius Thou hast told thy tale but I haue heard say that they bury men quicke Pasquine How doe they burie them quick Marforius Thrusting them into prisons as into graues Pasquine The Legate condemâ—neth them and not they Marforius Truely I muche maruell sith there hath bene at no tyme any power so great that hath bene able by force to sâ—bdue them they wil for al that so wilfully submit themselues to the seruice of the Pope and suffer for his sake that within their Territorie Iustice shoulde be defaced or blemished which being driuen from all men is come to séeke succours at them Pasquine I would vnderstande thée better and then I will aunswere thée Marforius They are great Lordes and neuer knewe what bondagâ— meant and yet they suffer that a vyle scuruy priest shall in their owne dominion giue sentence against their subiectes and they muste execute other mens sentences Thinkest thou that this is not great bondage I speake not of the Tenthes of their Dominion the which they giue the Pope and many things else And furthermore there is not a man condempned in that iuste Citie that is not iudged by fortie Iudges neither is there any one so euill or heynous an offendor but maye alleage for himselfe the best he can and yet they suffer that a legate onely shall condempne whome he lyste and the person accused shall not come to his purgacion for this false Iudge refuseth the Testimonies of theÌ„ that speake in the defence of him that is accused and alloweth such as for hatred or any other dampnable occasion speake euill against him And they perceiue not y â— if I beare displeasure to one I may go and accuse him to the Legate of heresie and cause him to be banyshed or committed to some place to abyde during his lyfe and forfeyte his goodes and yet shall not he haue once so much fauour as to say for himselfe what he can peraduenture he is an honest man faithfull to his estate Doest thou not thinke that it were a thing very requisite for them to prouide better for this case Pasquin Thou knowest Marorius y â— there haue euer bene and shall euer be membres of Antichrist And they be the cause of these and such like disorders But be thou fast and sure of it they can not long continue thus for there are among theÌ„ that are very wyse meÌ„ and many more than I speak of who haue depely considered the great tumults and the great seditions and flaughters y â— in times past haue bene in Germanie for persecuting such as were faithfull subiects men that in all points were honest and therefore are very lothe that the like should come to passe in their countries for they sée aforehand the scourge that God hath prepared for the Emperor and his brother for these causes Marforius God knoweth that I wishe their well doing as much as any of themselues do therfore wishe they did as thou sayest and I woulde haue them thus to consider that when any of them is made a Cardinall he should be forthwith banished for these be they that cause all their secrets to be knowen to y â— Pope and are the very occasion that they are kept in such vile bondage Pasquine Doubt not thereof they will haue greater regard to the publique weale than to their priuate commoditie and when néede shall be will leaue all these considerations and open the waye to all Italie And the saints of whome we speake are much in doubt hereof and do therefore séeke by making many of them Cardinalles to kepe them styll in bondage for if they had not had so great respecte to y â— Tyranne the Pope they shoulde long sithens haue bene Lords of all Italie The which thing might easily come to passe if they would embrace the Gospell of Iesus Christ the giuer of all power dominion all other good things as I hope they will Marforius folowe on I pray thée the other determinacioÌ„s of this counsell Pasquine CoÌ„cerning Spaine it was decreed that the Inquisitors shoulde not henceforth be seuere with the Marranes who denye the Diuinitie of Christ but should be most cruell againste the Lutheranâ—s who deny the Diuinitie of the Pope and most constantly confesse the Diuinitie of Christ. Marforius That is euen as much as to desire that Barrabas be deliuered and Innocent Christ crucified but what was else decréed there Pasquin One thing horrible fearefull and to make all Christendome quake Marforius Alas what may that be Pasquine First they decréed to make league with the Turke to make therby all their enemies affearde and that done to sende all their Angels through all the parts and Cities of Christendome and most chiefly such Angels as sowe wilfull warres dissentions deceits mischieues offences and calling therefore one of them that had the
therfore it is that certaine foolishe grosse Fryers which vnderstand not the working and heauenly cunning of God in al his things but attende rather to féede their belly than their mynde can not loue or haue God in any admiration For by the things created in this worlde do men come to the knowledge of God euen as Christ teacheth vs. And Dauid also sayth That the heauens declare the glory of God the firmament shevveth forth his handy vvorkes And wherby canst thou better knowe God whether by a stone set vpon an altare that caÌ„ neither speake nor moue nor be profitable for any purpose or else by y e ordre of al things created Behold therefore among the Elementes first doth y e earth shew forth hir selfe with hir hearbs floures frutes swéete sauours beastes of so many sorts so many sundry regioÌ„s the natures custoÌ„es of men so diuers then the mayne Sea spred about the earth and within the lande also for our great coÌ„moditie with so great diuersitie of Fishes then if thou consider the nature of the ayre of the fyre and also of the mouinges of the planets and most especially of the Sunne and of the Moone so well ordayned for the commodities nedefull seruice of man If thou waye all things diligently thou shalt féele a meruellous delectation singuler pleasure For the coÌ„sideration and beholding of nature is a féeding to y â— mind Marforius I beleue in déede that through the consideration hereof maÌ„ may approche nerer to God but yet for al that say they that the stone nor the Image is not to be coÌ„sidered but that thing which the stone or Image signifieth Pasquine If thou be of that opinion wherefore doest thou not when thou wilte haue the Image of Peter set before thée some holy Pastor that maye in conditions lyfe and doctrine be like vnto him rather than a stone which can not instructe thée in anye heauenly knowledge nor can not so much as speake And euen so when thou wilte haue the Image of the Uirgin Mary why doest thou not rather behold some holy yong virgin that moste maye be like hir rather than a stone wrought by some whoremonger or adulterer made ofte tymes to the lykenesse of his harlot Marforius Thou sayest truth knowest thou that picture of our Lady which standeth ouer the dore of Cardynall Farnese his chamber where as sometyme Pope Alexander Borgias dwelled Pasquine Yea. Marforius That same is the natural liuely couÌ„terfaited picture of y c sister of Alexander Farnese which late was Pope Paule the thirde for she was Pope Alexanders coÌ„cubine she by her honorable meanes caused Alexanders Farnese hir brother to be made a Cardinall who sithens was Pope for the greater plague to the worlde Pasquin What thinkest thou by this therefore Marforius Mary starke nought But where shall a man finde eyther such a Bishop or such a Uirgin as thou speakest of Pasquin Where euen where the gospel flourisheth where Christ doth bestow his heauenly treasures in these our dayes as in Svvycherland in Sauoy in Germany albeit there wante none in Italie and in Fraunce for al that they be oppressed by the Popes tirannie And I say vnto tâ—ée that there are in these dayes through the great goodnesse of God both women and men full of holynesse and of the knoweledge of the truth Marforius God for his great mercy be praysed for it that giueth so great giftes and so great light to this our tyme. But if thou thinke good follow on thy voyage Pasquine When we had passed the firmament we came to the skye of Ise called the Cristall skie not bicause that there is any Ise there but bicause the purenesse of it is like vnto moste pure Ise or of moste antique Cristall and much more also from thence we went vp to the highest heauen and there for the brightnesse of the great light we were fayne to stay a whyle that our eyes might begin a little to be enured to abide it as he doeth that is brought forth vpon a sodaine out of the darkenesse into the sunne shyne and so hauing a little whyle acquaynted our eyes with that brightnesse we began to approche the Citie of the Lorde I call it a Citie Marforius for that I knowe not by what other name to call it for it was rather a whole country shyning with so great maiestie that I my selfe am not able with thought much lesse with tong to expresse it vnto thée Marforius Tell me yet as muche as thou canst expresse of it Pasquine Haste thou euer read the Apocalipse Marforius â–ª Yea but I vnderstand it not Pasquine Whereas Iohn speaketh of the City of God he sayth That in the middes of the throne sitteth God and the Lamb hauing seauen seales that is to say all povver and dominion ouer all things that are in heauen and in earth for in the number of seauen is contayned the infinite and perfect number About the throne are infinite numbers of Saintes of all nations and of all tongues who singing continually to the most highest make an harmonie of such swéetenesse as can not be told Marforius What sing they Pasquine Alleluya to God onely and euerlasting the God of Hostes great and maruellous who hath wrought mercy on the worlde by the bloude of the Lambe Christ. Marforius Did they sing all this song Pasquine Yea al Marforius and him onely did they all beholde he onely is King and the ruler of his fathers Kingdome the aduocate and defendour of all miserable wretches euen Iesus Christ. Marforius Were there here no seuerall Quéeres or orders as in the other heauen Pasquin No for here is no difference of persons for as muche as I coulde perceyue there was a certayne equalitie among them all without any enuye and most aptyly â—ente to perpetuall continuaunce of that kingdome This one thing saw I also beside the rest y â— the Lamb helde his Testament sealed with his owne bloude in the which all the Saintes were written as heires alyke neyther was there anye one among them that desired to be greatter than the rest but all with one voyce song laude and glorye to God onely and to the Lamb that was offered vp Marforius And was there none of those things here in this heauen that was in the other heauen Pasquine None at all Marforius And is not then Saint Peter porter there Pasquin This heauen hath none other gate but Christ who is the way the gate y â— truth the true lyfe there is here no maner daunger but peace sure and euerlasting There Michaell Gabriel the Cherubiâ—es and Scraphines are of an other maner of fashion than here beneath with vs they are accoÌ„pted or painted If thou sawest these things thou wouldest wonder at the folly of men and at the dreames they make of them and especially of
mightst cause all these things to be opeÌ„ly shewed to the whole world which are in déede no lesse true than necessary to be knoweÌ„ Pasquine Thou wishest me a â—ery good turne Marforius in that thou wouldest haue me become Antichrist If I were Pope I shoulde be euen as the rest were for the Papacye would make me to be as it is and I should not make it be as I say And besyde that thou knowest that they can not abide me Marforius I wonder much that in so great a scarcity of Gods worke the people doe not learne of thée the way to knowe God Pasquine Feare not for there are so many spiritual scholes both of men and womeÌ„ albeit they be not séene abroade that euen very shortly thou shalt sée so many true gospellers come abrode that the worlde shal much wonder whence they come Marforius We wil therefore call thée mayster sithe thou hast so many Christian scholes Pasquine The maister of al is christ only whose doctrine this is that I teach But to knitte vp our communication I say vnto thée brâ—eâ—â—y that Christ is the heade of all the espouse of the Church And the Churche is made of many and dyuers members ioyned together in one to the which by the espouse onely is the waye made vnto the father There is no maner of ambition nor desire of the vain 〈◊〉 things here on earth al giue theÌ„ selues wholly to prayse god through Iesus Christ for euer and euer Amen To him is their onely desire that all glory prayse and honour be attributed and giuen none séeketh there for his owne things but for the Bridegrome they séeme al to haue forgotten thys worlde to the which they are deade and lyue onelye to one God and all things there are onely gouerned by Christ who onely prayeth for vs who maketh continuall intercession for vs whose onelye Sacrifice is alwayes before his Father for vs who sendeth daylye hys holye Spirite to bys electe and by it he gouerneth his Church he onely is King and Lorde the beginning and ende the heade of all the Saintes of all godlynesse of all sincerity and of all true ReligioÌ„ he is the light of the world for he séeth all things none can make him beleue one thing for an other for he is the truth it selfe without him if thou walk thou goest out of the way for he is the way by him doe all things stande and fall for he is the life of all things for his sake only doth the father heare vs for as much as all that we aske for his sake and in his name he graunâ—â—th it vs that which we aske through him we are sure to haue for the father hath promysed for hys sake who can not lye He hath not promised ought to suche as aske in the name of anye other nay he is rather angry with them that thinke that any Saint is more mercifull then Christ or better or more careful ouer vs or more acceptable to the father For if we wil haue an aduocate who is more merciful better or more acceptable to y â— father thaÌ„ Christ. Marforius I se that al the fault procedeth hereof in that we measure heauenly things according to our owne brayne And therfore doe we thinke that the Virgin Mary is more mercifull than Christ whome we imagine to be some cruell Tâ—raunt and fierce Iudge an error growen of the diuersitie in nature betwéene man and womaÌ„ bicause we sée that Women are more pitiefull than men But what a diuellish madnesse was that to take away the gouernement from Christ and gyue it to hir as though Christ who is the wisdome of the Father doted or coulde not tell what he had to doe Pasquine It pleaseth me muche Marforius that of a craftie Popishe Lawier thou art become a good and playne Gospeller Marforius I thanke thée for it good Pasquine nay rather Christ who hath by thy meanes delyuered me out of so great Ignoraunce And nowe at this tyme hast thou tolde me manye things more than the other time thou diddest Is there anye thing behinde to be sayde of other matters Pasquine No as touching heauen but if thou haue leysure to heare me I will declare vnto thée the voyage I made into Hell Marforius What and hast thou also gone that voyage Pasquine It is but eyght dayes past since I was there Marforius I woulde leaue all other buâ—nesse to heare thée tell of that for I was not aware that thou haddest bene there and I woulde fayne vnderstande the truth of thinges done in those partes Pasquine I will shew thée of hell and of Purgatorie things no lesse maruellous than true and Godlye Marforius Beginne therefore I praye thée heartily for me séemeth eche houre a yere til I heare thée Pasquine Thou knowest that this other tyme that we talked together of the voyage into heauen I tolde thée that the Aungell at his departing promised me that if at any tyme I would make a voyage into hell he woulde beare me companie Marforius I remember it well Pasquine Being therefore desirous to vnstande what possibly might â—e knowne of heauen of the earth and of the bottomelesse places a few dayes fithens gate me vnto the caue that in the beginning I tolde thée of and there without making anye more a doe sayde my prayers and prayed the Aungel that he woulde come he came I then humblye besought him that he woulde kéepe his promise that he made me that is to say to bring me to sée the lower partes He sayde with a good wyll and bad me followe him and so tooke on his way and I after him And we were no soner departed but I knowe not howe euen in a sodaine with more spéede than I can tell thée the tale we came to a maruellous great gate and a way wonderfull large and broade and there the Aungell bid me be of good courage and feare nothing that I shoulde see or heare declaring vnto me that that was Hell gate Marforius I heare thée beginne much otherwise than that I haue sometyme reade of in dyuers Authours thou diddest not first sacrifice shéepe and blacke bullockes thou didst not offer vp a blacke Lambe to the mother of the Furies nor the baraine Cowe to the Lady Proserpina thou soughtest not for the braunche of Golde No thou gauest not thy selfe so much as a little holy water nor markedst thy selfe with the signe of the crosse and couldest thou so sone finde the gate and then thou sayest that it is so great and the way so broade and large where as it séemeth that other say the contrarie I pray thée tell me the verye truth of all things that reporting the same again to other I be not laughed to scorne for my laboure Pasquine If I haue begon farre otherwise than the olde Authours speake of I haue so done to tell
feare y â— wilt neuer come to an ende Pasquine Then began I to consider the waye the whiche for ought y â— I could perceiue was sometime much more trodden than it is at this present for a man might sée euen in some parte of it the grasse growen vp I thought at y â— first beginning that this had bene caused by y â— spring-time which then was at hand then remembring that there was neuer no spring I asked the Aungell the â—ause therof who tolde me that euen as a man might haue séene long agone the people come from al partes of the worlde into this Citie for the Iubilie with the self same throng and greater also went they to Hel sent thither by Popes and among other these Popes them selues with their Iubilies but sythens that prophecie was fulfilled whiche saith That oute of the North shall come a plague vpon all the dvvellers of the lande the grasse hath begon to growe vp in this broad hie way Marforius I am wonderous glad that y â— art come to talke of this saying for I desire múche to vnderstand it of thée These Priestes of ours vnderstande that it thus signifieth That those nations of the North parts are cause of all euill heresie Pasquine Those Préestes of yours vnderstand the scripture quite awrye and for the authority they haue they cause it to be declared after their owne fashion But I saye to thee that this worde Al euil is in the scripture as muche to saye as That which is contrarie to the Gospell or to tell thée it more plainely it signifieth Antichriste for euen as by the Gospell Christ which is al goodnes is giuen vnto vs euen so againe it must néedes be that all euill is his directe contrary In the same signification saint Paule said that couetousnesse is the roote of al euill for thou séest that Antichrist which is all euill hath his rootes so fastened in Couetousnesse and al his membres also that for this cause many of them y â— know y â— truth of y â— gospel either thei hide it or else w t stand it bicause they wil not loose their liuings For the selfe same cause also doth Antichrist with al his whole power séeke to destroy it This prophecy therfore was thus much to say as That froÌ„ y â— North should bloâ— a wynde with so great force y â— it shuld take away froÌ„ the Wolfe his shepe skin make him to be knowen as a Wolfe or to tell thée the same more plainely that from those parts the Pope should be discouered for to be Antichrist Marforius I perceyue that God hath made thée to speake for my soule healthe I sée that thou sayest the truth Pasquine Sythens therefore that he who tooke him selfe to be y â— shepeherde is discouered to be the Wolfe the shéepe being affearde of his cruell looke knowing him to be their enemie haue fled away from him and haue folowed the good and true shepeherd Iesus Christ who is the waye that leadeth to the swéete pastures And this waye therefore that leadeth to perdition begynneth to shoute out grasse for it is not any more trodden but by the members of Antichrist who albeit thei be many as I tolde thee a lyttle before yet are they fewe in respect of those that sometime did folow him Marforius I rest fully satisfied in this point Nowe woulde I know how the walles were made that compasse in that place Pasquine There are no maner of walles at all Marforius What néede is there then to haue a gate can not euery one come in and oute that wyll Pasquine Thou knowest that Venice hath no walles yet cannot euery one come in and go out that will albeit the strength of this place is coÌ„trary to others for other are made that none should come in and this is made that none should go out for as thou hast herd the entrie is frée to euery man Marforius Is y â— place compassed about with waters as Venice is Pasquin It is compassed about with waters but not as Venice is for Venice is compassed with waters of the Sea and this place is compassed with waters of fyre Marforius How can this hang togither the water the fyre are directe contraries howe is it possible that they shoulde agrée togyther Pasquine How is it possible that soules whiche can not feele nor be felte should burne in the fyre and that the bodies should abide in the fyre and not be burned and yet this happeneth in Hell Euen as we sée that Christe witnesseth in the parable of the riche man and Lazarus the begger saying That the riche man was in Hel fyre yet his body was not in Hell for mens bodies must remaine in the earth vntil the daye of Iudgement after the which the bodies shal go togither with y â— soules into euerlasting fyre As may be séene in all the whole scripture and in that place where Christ saith That thou cut away thy hande that offendeth thée for better shall it be for thée that thou lacke a membre than that all the whole body shoulde be cast into Hell fyre The thinges of Hell are of an other manner of sorte than those of this worlde he that coulde tell howe to make these things of this nature knew also how to make those of an other nature so that thou must not maruell if I tolde thée that this place is compassed with waters of fyre Marforius Are these waters so broad as those of Venice Pasquine These be not all of theÌ„ togyther but are diuided into fiue great dyches The first whereof is called Lethe which is as much to saie as The forgetting of goodnesse the seconde Phlegeton that to saye desire of euill the thirde Acheron which is to say the vtter forsaking of al gladnesse the fourth Cocytus that is to saye wéeping the fifth is Palus stigia which is to wéete Euerlasting hate and miserie Marforius How do they passe in Charons boate Pasquine As I haue told thée of the gate euen so I tel the of these waters for to go thither thei passe without any businesse but to returne againe it is not possible to passe them Euen as thou séest that it fareth by the Ryuer Danubius and of many other waters that downe the streame they sayle wonderous easily but vp against the streame it is impossible In fine I tell thée that to go thyther there is no maner of let by the way no whether they haue their peny to paye Charon for his ferye nor whether thei haue ben buried or no nor of none other thing Marforius What a foolish deuise was that of them that thoughte that Charon must be paide and therefore put a peny in the deade mannes Mouth And of these other that thought that the soule could not passe ouer on the other side in
these are some for one wordely respecte and some for an other so ioyned in league with this wicked beast that they haue more regarde to Antechrist than to Christ. In Christes cause there is not one that will once speake a worde doubting least he shoulde be called a Lutherian but for Antechristes cause ech man will discouer himselfe what he is against suche as defend Christ calling them Herctiques and persecuting thē euen to the death Maruell not therefore if they also be condempned by their head whome they haue persecuted in his members Marforius Canst thou not tell me anye one sundry sorte of torments that these great princes had different from the other Yea that I can thou knowest that they will still aboue al other things be honored magnified flattered and fedde with the smoke of clawing talke In Hel therfore they are a good parte of the tyme hanged vp in the smoke of that cursed brimstone Marforius What are not the Popes serued with the same sause Pasquine More they than the other Marforius Whom diddest thou sée particularly Talke to me a little of some one namely among the rest Pasquine Herein will I doe not after thyne but after Plato his minde who willeth that when a man commeth to particularities he ought to make a staye for if I woulde come to those particularly there shoulde be fewe alyue but they woulde banishe me Marforius Why and are men for saying the truth banished by Princes and great men Pasquine Yea and with the worst kinde of banishment that they can and most of all those that most speake the truth for they are not content to banish them out of their countreys that confesse the way of Christ which onely is true but they banishe them out of the worlde Marforius Let them therefore remayne with the Diuell sith they are there already and being such maner of men as they be But tell me how diddest thou know them being confusely scattered among other and being naked as thou hast sayde before thou couldest neyther knowe them by their apparell nor yet bicause they were not placed in order Pasquine I knewe them by their sinnes the which as I tolde thée are al playnely séene In them a man might sée the sinnes of great men as for crample neuer to forgiue iniuries receyued to worke reuenge for euery trifle to be occasion of the death of numbers of their people to fulfill their appetite to defile their Uassals wyues to punishe the good to rewarde the euill to dispise vertue to fauoure vice and suche other small pieuish faultes and beside that they were all castin the téeth by the Diuelles with these wordes among other The man that vvas in honor hath not thankfullye receyued the same but vvas as beastes vvithoute vnderstanding beholde his glorye commeth not dovvne vvith him hyther belovve Marforius This was the way to make them to be knowen to thée for great men generally but howe didst thou knowe them one from an other particulerlye Pasquine I knewe them by the selfe same token that I tolde thée for as much as their sinnes are discouered and the names of euery one of them and this is done fo their greater torment for what matter were it if sinnes were séene it were not knowen whose sinnes they were I tell thée they shewe the filthinesse of their nakednesse and euery one is knowē what he is Marforius The Fryers therefore the Nunnes the lay Sisters and all the other Ipocrites must nedes be full of sorrowe séeing so manye and so grieuous of their abhominable wickednesse discouered which in this worlde they haue had so great care to kepe close Pasquine Thou mayest be sure of that Marforius Saint Benets Monks should there find thē selues much deceyued in that they obeyed their holye Abbot in that godly saying Sion caste tamen cautè Pasquine They are them selues deceyued and all other that haue sayd that a faulte closely done is halfe pardoned Marforius Thou shouldst me thinke therfore sée many goodly things of Fryers and of their louers Pasquine Nay I sawe things that were so filthy that they were to shamefull euen in very Hell There mightest thou haue sene howe Fryers medled with Nunnes and laye sisters and with worsse thou mightest haue sene the murthering of yong babes and bycause their dishonesties should not be discoured y ◠mightest haue sene that they were cast into the Iakeses Thou mightest there haue sene also one Fryer teach one woman the way howe she shoulde not conceyue with child an other Fryer taught an other woman the way to destroy the child in hir body an other Fryer taught an other woman the way to poyson hir husbande This Fryer gaue to his woman some of hys holye Oyle to worke inchauntmentes to those of the house One Fryer gaue to hys Leman one of hys consecrate Hostes for the same purpose An other kylled a whole householde wyth gyuing them things to eate that shoulde make them sléepe bycause he would not be sene go into the house to play y ◠knaue with the good wyfe One false priest fayned that our Lady had wrought miracles bycause there might be some offerings brought to hir by the foolishe ignorant people An other persecuted the Christians and preached against the truth bycause he woulde be made a Byshop or a Cardinall An other false knaue in confession caused a simple foolishe woman to giue him hir money in keping and afterwarde denyed it to hir An other Frier sat tooting in the bosome of a simple yong Maid whom hir foolish mother had brought to be shriuen that she might begin to learne some of the friers knauery An other in confession persuaded him that was sicke peraduenture more in his soule than in hys body to leaue his goodes vnto their Monasteries depriuing therof the true and lawfull heyres This good sonne wished his owne fathers death that he mighte do after his owne minde That Nephew killed maister Parson his vncle the soner to succéede him in the benefice that afterwarde he must leaue vnto him That woman defiled hir husbandes bed and this good man his wyues That wicked and naughty seruaunt betrayed his mayster to whom he oughte by Gods commaūdement to be obedient and faithful Thou mightest there haue sene Simonies Sodomies Ipocrisies Robberies Scismes Apostasies and those more in the polleshorne Prelates than in al y ◠other Then saw I in dyuers parts dyuers signes of victorye There was to be séene grauen the glorious cognisaunce of the Chanon of Turney who after his death lefte a booke wherein he had noted the name and house of two hundreth womē of the chiefest of that City whom he had enioyed at his pleasure There was also to be sene how a false théefe a Fryer in Friseland had put into the heades of the foolish women this opinion that they must giue to the Church the tenth of all things and euen in lyke
whore wyth whom the Kings of the earth haue committed fornication and with whose cuppe of hir abhomination all nations are dronke as the Apocalipse sayth 27 Whether the Pope be that litle horne that hath eyes and a mouth speaking great things that Daniel speaketh of 28 Whether the Pope being Antechrist maye be Christes Uâ—are 29 Whether Monkes Fryers and all the rest of the polleshorne Papists be those marchants of whom the Apocalipse speaketh 30 Whether the Popes Sea and the Courte of Rome which is so defiled with al maner of filthinesse may be called Babylon 31 Whether a man maye beleue that the Pope meaneth or can call a godly and frée generall Councell in the whiche so great an ouerflowing of euilles and mischiefes as he himselfe hath brought vpon the worlde may lawfully be purged 32 Whether Pope P. who is reported to be most couetous doe at any tyme thinke of God sith Christ sayth Where your treasure is there is your hart also 33 Whether the Pope that is guilty of heresie Idolatry and blasphemie may be heade and Iudge ouer a Councell 34 Whether Peter Luis the Popes sonne whom all men say to be a moste filthy Sodomite be worthy to be chiefe Champion and capitaine of the Church 35 Whether it be expedient for the Christian common weale to take awaye from the Pope his kingdomes dominions that thereby it may be sene whether he will returne to the auncieÌ„t office of the church 36 Whether the Pope would haue Germany yea rather all the worlde destroyed by warres than that his tyranny power should be any whit diminished 37 Whether it may be doubted that the Papaâ—â—â— and y â— great beast will not shortly haue an ouerthrow as the Scripture sayth sith long sithens Boheme and almoste all Germany all Denmarke Englande and Scotlande haue fallen from hir and secretly France and Italy 38 Whether the Frenche king haue iust cause to forbidde that no more money henceforward be caried to Rome sith Popes haue in tymes past being furnished with the ryches and armure of Fraunce made warre vpon the Frenche 39 Whether the Pope dispensing all things for money may be called Pope penny Father and therefore be suspected of Couetousnesse 40 Whether there maye be any hope of goodnesse conceyued of the Popes recouerie and of his sworne shauelings sith Christ denyeth that blasphemers and suche as withstande the truth against their consciences can be healed 41 Whether the primacie of the Popes sée be lawfully come by sith it was gotten of Phocas the Emperor who was a murtherer secretely and with great treason slewe the Emperour Mauritius his Lorde 42 Whether the Pope Cardinals and Bishops be or ought to be called Christes spouse sith they kéepe at home so many whores and boyes 43 Whether if Christ were in these dayes among the Papistes he should be crucified againe as he was by the Scribes and Pharisies 44 Whether that Pope that made the decretall De duobus luminaribus magnis be to be compared with them that built the Towre of Babilon 45 Whether Pope Innoceâ—t the eyght that was vtterly ignoraunt and vnlearned might be dispensed with to say masse 46 Whether Pope Iulius the seconde who was a warriour did playnely shewe that Antechrist was already come and that it néeded not any longer to looke for him 47 Whether Pope Lyon the tenth a verye Sardanapalus might be compared with the riche glutton 48 Whether Pope Clement the seauenth who was the match to kindle the fyre of warres betwéene Princes filled vp the measure of his forefathers 49 Whether Pope Paule the thirde who wholly was giuen to Necromancie may be excommunicate 50 Whether it be to be beleued first that the Pope wisheth from his heart y e concorde of Princes sithens his foregoers were euer the beginners of warres Then if â—he wishe it whether it be for the common weale sake or for his owne priuate cause Lastly whether peace made by his request maye eyther be of any continuance or else haue any good successe For that Christ sayeth that an euyll tree can bring forthe no good fruites 51 Whether the Popes purpose when he séemeth to goe about to reconcile Princes be lyke vnto that counsell which the Diuell put into Pilates wyues minde and that was not bicause the death and torments of Christ did anye whit grieue hir but bicause she sawe that hir kingdome and tirannie suffered violence and suche hurt as coulde not be recouered 52 Whether the ende of this alteration of our tyme can be anye other than sorowfull horrible and lamentable â—ithe the filthinesse of the Antechristian and Popish kingdome is so terrible and incomprehensible and the obstinacie so outragious as can not be spoken 53 Whether the writings of Sadoletus and other that hytherto haue valiauntly defended the Popishe church be to be accompted suspect sith now they suffer honors and dignities to be giuen by the Pope whether they will or no. 54 Whether the Pope that nowe at the last hath graunted a legate to Fraunce coulde wel skill of that which was wont to be sayde that is to saye Of two euils that is to meane the Patriarch and the Legate the least is to be chosen 55 Whether the Pope if he knewe that it woulde come to passe that the Emperour and the French king woulde not ioyne their forces togither and help him against the Protestaunts that he woulde once speake of peace or of a generall counsell 56 Whether it may be confessed that God for our wickednesse and ingratitude is not highely offended with vs sithe we sée all our counsels and deuises haue so euil successe and warre to arise in an others necke one mischiefe after an other and all our purposes vpon y e sodaine to quaile so to be eftsones confounded with newe lettes that we cannot sée which ende to begin at 57 Whether that kings and Princes who albeit in this moste cleare light in these dayes can not but néedes knowe Antechrist and yet doe not onely dissemble but also séeke by all wayes meanes to pleasure him and be at the becke of so open an enimy to the truth ought to feare y â— as in time past God tooke from many Kings both their kingdome and people so he will therefore deale with them 58 Whether it be to be beleued that Monkes and Fryers doe purpose or can finde out a true and godly reformation as long as to their counsels and deliberations they admit suche as for many causes are the Popes owne dearelings and that they will rather suffer any thing than eyther to léese any iote of their riches and commodities or else to haue their wickednesse and knauerie discouered 59 Whether the Pope who by Cardinall Contarine at Ratisbona after long contention in matters of religion willed that all things shoulde be referred to a generall Counsell And when the Princes of the Empire determined to haue a Nationall Counsell if the same general
Denis the Areopagite a dâ—uisour of foolishe thinges that he neuer sawe nor knowe God who is euen the same that we call father is couered with a certayne lyght which no man may attayne vnto euen as it were with a garment From hence are the ministers of the God of Sabaoth which are spirites and powers sente forth for the saluation of his Churche nor it is not possible to make any distinction in their Orders and degrées neyther wyth place nor with name For God onely can make distinction of them when he sendeth them where it pleaseth him for they al are as the breath of Gods mouth all are of fire all are flying and winged for the great desire they haue to obey God vpon whom onely they are bent and whose wil onely they doe most feruently desire to doe And in fine here are all things one and one all things Marforius And is there neuer a Quéene there Pasquine One I saw clothed in that garment that the Psalme speaketh of My hart hath indyted a good matter Hir espouse was Christ and I tooke hir to haue béene the virgin Mary but myne Aungel tolde me that it was the Church Marforius Why then the virgin Mary beareth no rule in heaueÌ„ Pasquine No but shée for hir part and after hir maner adourneth garnisheth the body of the espouse Marforius Those things therefore that are sayde of our Lady in the Prime and houres and other seruice of hirs doe rather appertayne to the Church than to the virgin Mary Pasquine That do I well knowe for I haue sene it is so Marforius But how coÌ„meth it to passe that this Quene y â— is the espouse of Christ is so little knowen and estemed among men Pasquine Bycause the Popes haue aduaunced them selues aboue hir and haue vsurped vnto them selues hir authority and made lawes after their â—wne deuises without hauing any regarde vnto hir And bycause the things should not be applyed vnto them whiche the holye scripture speaketh of the Church therefore haue they thrust into the place of the Church the virgin Marye and haue attributed all things vnto hir and haue called hir Quéene and Empresse of heauen and our Aduocate so that y â— name of the true Quéene is vtterly abolished and lost Marforius Doest thou remember what this Quéenes apparell was Pasquine I remember it well she had the whole shewe of a most chaste Matrone and albeit she consist of dyuers meÌ„bers they are notwithstanding with so great proportion ioyned to their heade Christ that nothing can be more agreable And this Quéene from day to day was better garnished And albeit the handfasting haue bene long â—ithens made yet is the maryage day looked for to be at the last day in the whiche all men must ryse agayne Marforius Truelye it is a maruellous matter that Priestes doe so much dispise maryage seing that Christ wyll fynishe his kingdome with the mariage of his Churche Pasquine And I maruell muche at it but I feare they be no Christans albeit they haue the name for they dispyse the example of christ vnto y e which Paule also exhorteth vs saying Ye husbandes loue your vvyues as Christ loued his Church Marforius Whereof commeth it therfore that we do not content our selues with christ onelye Pasquine Bycause the worlde is at that poynt that it is alwayes contrary to Christ for euery beast setteth more by straw than by gold Marforius Oh I would it were Gods wil that our Countrey of Italy might once haue some vnderstanding and not be so without knowledge as it is then woulde it not suffer so many superstitions as it doth nor peraduenture shoulde féele so many warres Pasquine Feare thou not it is not altogether without knoweledge The Lorde hath reserued seuen thousande men that haue not bovved their knee to Baal Marforius And doth Christ then rule and gouerne al things and giueth he no authoritye or charge to his Saintes Pasquine He doth all things him selfe he onely prepareth the place for his Saints they â—e at rest wythout busying them selues in any of those things that are done here beneath And they are all of one mynde that Christ be praysed that he raigne in all things So sayth the virgin Mary so sayth Saynt Peter so doe the Martyrs and all the rest And in the base or lower part of the diuine Maiesty I sawe written I WILL NOT GIVE MY GLORY TO AN OTHER Marforius Was therein that place no diuersity of garmentes Pasquine No dyuersity at all for all had on the wedding garment the which out of fayth is chaunged into perfect Charity the whiche here beneath among vs can not be done Marforius And doth not this worldlye gouernaunce of things come from the true Saintes Pasquine No I tell thée Marforius Knowest thou whence it commneth Pasquine Yea I know it commeth from vncleane spirits that with gay glorious titles deceiue men Knowest thou not that the Lorde sayde in the Gospel that Antichrist with miracles should destroy the fayth and that by Goddes sufferance that those which beleue not the truth should be coÌ„firmed in vnbeliefe Knowest thou not that a spirite departed once from the presence of God and sware to become the spirite of lyes in the mouthes of all the Prophetes of Achab And moreouer it is a thing most certayne that Sathan can transforme him selfe into an Angell of lyght And sith there are so many Legerdemaynes and we so easely drawen to all false Religion it is no maruell if so manye fonde dreames be receyued as truth And doest thou thinke that our mayster Christ and his Disciples haue without cause so oftentymes foreseing these things cryed vnto vs Take hede bevvare looke vvell to your selues consider Try all things kepe that vvhich is good Try the spirirs vvhether they be of God or no Howe many tymes haue these shauelings tolde thée that the virgin Mary hath appeared and demaunded of foolyshe men that Churches monasteryes shoulde be builded by them for hir Thinkest thou that it is to be beleued that this most modest handmayd of the Lorde that being of such a singuler humility and hath the chiefest place in the body of the Church which is Christes espouse and that intierly loueth hir espouse hath at any tyme desired that which she knoweth doeth belong to hir only espouse Wherfore hath she not when she so appeared demauÌ„ded that the gospel should be prcached that the Lordes vineyarde should be well looked vnto that the Wolues should not be made she pheardes nor such dogs as can not â—arke nay rather these mates will nedes haue hir to fauour and nourish both wolnes and swyne Marforius The more thou talkest to me Pasquine the more is the truth opened vnto me would god y â— thou were Pope once that thou