discontent wyth me yf I axe you one questyon be ye a Chrysten man or no I am sure you wyl answere yes then yf I broughte you the texte of Paule whiche sayeth he that hathe not the sprate of god is non of his I praye you how wil you auoyde it NotwithstoÌ„ding yf you wolde auoyde that texte yet wyl I say an other blocke in the waye that you shall not be able to remoue and that is the sayinge of Paule 2. Corinth 13. Knowe ye not your selues that Chryste is in you excepte ye be reprobate persones now howe soeuer you wolde iudge of youre selfes I thynke verely that I am no suche therfore where as before I dyd not so wryte Now I certifye yow that I am chrystes conclude what ye wyl and the day shal come that you shal suerlye knowe that so it is albeit in meane season I be reputed a laughingstoke in this worlde for I knowe in whome I truste and he came not deceue me Then bryngeth he agaynste me that I saye we haue bene longe secluded frome the scripture also that oure fore fathers haue not had the lyghte of godes worde opened vnto them I meruayll what Rastell meanethe by bryngynge this for his purpose for I thiÌ„ke it no bostinge of my selfe but yf ye thynke that it be vntrue I thinke he is very blinde For what scripture hathe the poore coÌ„mens bene admitted vnto euen tyll this daye It hath ben and locked vp in a strange tounge and from theÌ„ that haue attayned the knowlege of that tounge hath it ben locked with a thousand salse gloses of antichrystes makynge and innumerable lawes And where I saye oure fore fatheres haue not hadde the lyght of goddes worde opened vnto theÌ„ I meane that they haue not the scrypture in theyr own mother tonge that they might haue conferred these iuggeling mistes wyth the lyght of goddes worde as the processe of my wordes can testifye whiche he hathe holy lefte out but I beseche the chrysten reader once to read the place for my discharge and his confusyon ye shall fynde it in the seconde lefe of my boke And now he allegeth agaynste me that I shulde saye this iudge Chrysten reader what reasons Rastell hathe broughte and how he hath soluted them for in my mynde bothe his reasons and solucyons are so childyshe and vnsauery so vnlerned and baren so fulle of fautes and phantasyes that I rather pitye the mannes depe ignoraunce blyndnes which hath so deceyued him self thorowe phylosophye and naturall reason then I feare that he by his vayne probacyons shulde allure any man to consent vnto him I thynke Rastell layeth not this against me because I boste my selfe in thes wordes And verely as touchinge the truthe of those wordes I wyll adde thus moche more vnto them that I neuer wys man that was couÌ„ted wyse whyche hathâ— broughte so slender reasons excepte he entended to destroye a thynge which ye seme to haue bylde And fynallye where as I exorte all meÌ„ to iudge and conferre the scriptures whych syr Thomas More and my lorde of Rochestre allege for theyr opinioÌ„s and wolde haue them to pondre theyr reasons and my solucions vnto them annexinge these wordes I am sure that my smale lernynge hathâ— condempned theyr hye eloquence that my folye hathe brought to nought theyr wisdom and that my youth hathâ— disclosed their festered ignoraunce There Rastell thynketh that I stonde well in my owne conceyte and boste my selfe aboue the mone because I touche Master More his kynsmaÌ„ but let Rastell take this for an answer yf Master More wolde kepe him within his owne bondes that is wythe medelynge of worldlye matteres onlye I wolde neuer coÌ„pare wyth him yet he muste remember that a dawler maye correcte him in his owne crafte but it is euen as Socrates saythe when a man is wyse in one thiÌ„ge then wyll he take vppon hym to defyne all thynges and be ignoraunt in nothynge and so dysdayneth The gyfte that he hathe and proueth himselfe onwyse Furthermore I se no great prayse that I here attribute vnto my selfe But confesse my smalle lernynge my folie and my youth neuerthelesse yf he recounte it a prayse because I saye it hathâ— condempned theyr hye eloquence and theyr wysdom and disclosed theyr ignoraunce then let him also annexe the wordes that I wrote sayinge and it is euen the olde practyse of God to chose the folyshe thynges of the worlde to confounde the wyse to chose the weake to confounde the myghtye and to chose the vyle thynges whyche are of no reputacion to confounde them of hye degre that no fleshe myghte boste it selfe in his syghte to whome only be prayse and thankes for euer Amen where all men maye se that I referre all prayse to hym whych onlye is worthye and so I maye conclude that you haue not loked indifferentlye on my boke ¶ An answere vnto Rastels seconde chaptre whych improueth me for raylynge and dyspraysynge other IN the seconde chaptre he rangethe the felde and sercheth out wythe all diligens what worde I haue spokeÌ„ that myght be takeÌ„ in the worste sence and calleth them raylynge gestynge and scoldiÌ„ge and because he wolde haue me to be abhorred of the reader he allegeth not onlye these wordes that are spoken agaynste himselfe but also that are spoken agaynste my lorde of Rochestre and Sir Thomas More not that he entendeth to answer for them or to defende theyr partyes ye maye be sure but only to leue nothinge behynde which shulde seme to make for him lyke a noble oratour the wordes that he reproueth are these There Rastell taketh his fondacion vp poÌ„ a starke lye and there he maketh .ii. lyes and there he maketh .iii. lyes Here I wolde desyre my brother Rastel to pardon me of a lytâ—ell ignoraunce for surely I thought it had bene no more offence to call a lye a lye them to cal a Jew a shepe notwithstondinge sith he recountethe it to be raylinge gesâ—ynge and scoldinge I wyll here after tempre my selfe and change my wordes and wyll saye that whan he lyethe that by hys leue he maketh a fytten It angreth him when I saye that Rastell hathe lost his wytte in purgatory and therfore I wyll saye so no more But this I wyl affyrme be Rastel neuer so furyous that who so euer maketh such reasons and solucions and countethâ— them good in erneste that he hathe no wytte in his hede where so euer he loste it but yf you wolde reade Rastels fyrste argumente whyche I haue sette in my boke in the twelfe lefe then you shall perceyue whether I saye truethe or not Also he allegeth that I shulde say that sayinge of Rastell is agaynst scrypture but yf he counte that raylynge and wolde not haue me saye so much vnto hym I wyll counte the man somwhat statlye and this I ensure hym that yf God suffre me to leue I
he tossed me myne owne ball agayne but when I beholde hit I perceaue it to be non of myn for he hathe cut out all that shulde make for me so that he hath geuen it cleane an other shape then euer I entended that it shulde haue as it appereth by his wryting which reherseth my wordes in this maner I am sure there are many that merueyll that I being so yonge dare atempte to dyspute this matter against these .iii. persones But my wordes are this I am sure that there are manye that wyll moche meruayll that I beynge so ionge and of so small lerning dare dispute this matter c. Here Rastell leueth out the wordes and of so smake lernynge for yf he had put that in he had be wrayed him selfe For I thynke no man so madde as to saye that he which sayeth him selfe to be both yonge of small lerninge shulde prayse boste him selfe Also immediatly after the wordes of his fyrste allegacion I say on this maner And as touchinge my lerninge I muste nedes aknowlege as the trueth is that it is verye smal which I thynke is but a base bostiÌ„ge and anon after I say I wolde not that any man shulde admitte my wordes or lerninge excepte they wyll stonde with the scripture be approued therby lay them to the touchstone and trye them with goddes worde yf they be founde false and coÌ„trary then daÌ„pne them and I shall also reuoke them wyth al myn harte c. Hynallye I exhorted them to reade my boke not aduertysynge whoo speaketh the wordes but rather what is spoken by why the wordes you myght well se that I entended not to boste my selfe and all this haue I wryten and he lefte it out eueÌ„ in the fyrste page as he calleth it wherin he reporteth that I boste my selfe Notwithstondinge one thinge doth sore vexe him that I shulde recyte the pystell of S. Paule wherbye he sayeth I wolde haue meÌ„ beleue that I had the sprete of god and thynke that though I be yonge that I se visyons and espye the truethe and that my elders haue dremed dremes and wandered in phantasyes This he recounteth to be a great boste that this one place shulde wynne hym the felde where vnto I answer that in dead my wordes do not proue that thinge which you seme â—o suerly to gather of theÌ„ but my wordes doo argue on this maner that no man ought to condeÌ„pne a thinge before he reade it 〈◊〉 then to geue senteÌ„ce and because you seme ignorant in the matter I shall declare it vnto you and howe it stondithe it is a coloure of rethoryke and is called auantopodosis that is to saye an answer to an obieccioÌ„ that a maÌ„ myghte haue here made on this maner thou grauntest thy selfe yonge and so smale lernynge doste thou theÌ„ thinke that we shall once reade or regarde thy boke speciallye sythe it is wryten agaynste auncyent men bothe of great wytte and dignyte to this twoo poyntes I answere preuentinge theyr obieccion that they shuld not dispyse it because of my youthe for as the sprete of god is bounde to no place euen so is he not addicte to anye age or person but enspyreth where he wyll and when he wyll brenge in for an ensample that he espyred yonge Tymothe prouinge ther by that the youth of it selfe is not to be dispised but accordinge to the lernynge whiche it bryngeth and that therfore they maye not dispise my youth but fyrst read what doctrine I briÌ„ge and therafter do iudge it no more in this I proued not that I am enspyred and haue the sprete of god as Tymothe had but only proue that God maye enspyre youthe as he dyd Tymothe and that therfor ye ought fyrste to reade before you condempne for you know not who is enspired who not vntyl you haue read their workes or sene their factes Thus you may se that my wordes define not that al yough is enspyred although som may be but I exhorte that no man despyse prophesies but proue all and approue that is good and to make the matter more playne I shall brynge you an example outâ— of Paule to the Hebreus whyche exhorteth theÌ„ to hospytalyte for by that som men onwares haue receaued angeles to herber be not therfore vnmyndful of it here Paule exhorteth yow to hospitalyte shewyng yow that by those meanes some men haue receaued angels into their house wolde not haue yow thynke that al the gestes which he shal receaue shalbe angels but some shal be â—ewde loselles And lykewise I inexorâ—inge yow to reade my boke and not dyspysynge my yowgth because that sumtyme godde enspyreth the yoÌ„ge worde not haue yow thiÌ„ke that the bokes made of yonge men whyche ye shal receaue shalbe holsome doctrine but some men be lewde vnfrutefull neuerthelesse euen as yf they receiued not those gestes they shulde also put awaye angels yf anye came So if yow despice to reade such bokes as be wryten by yonge men yow maye also fortune to dispyce theÌ„ which are wryten by the inspyracyen of Chrystes sprete and therfore ye ought to reade them But be it in cause I had in dead praysed my selfe as I haue not and that I had sayed that I had the sprete of god what inconuenience shulde folowe therof wolde yowe 〈◊〉 argue that my doctrine were false yf that were a good argument then were thrystes doctrine false then were Paule a false prophete and oure sayth nothynge for christ sayd to the Iewes that he was the lyght oâ— the worlde And agayne he sayd it is my father that glorifyed me whom you call youre god Nowe yf it had bene a sufficient argument to condempne his doctrine because the worlde callethe it bostynge than shulde we haue beleued no truth at all Besydes that Paull semeth not a lyttel to boste him selfe yf men loke on it with a carnall yie for he sayeth that he thinketh not him selfe inferior vnto the hyest apostels sayeth agayne that yf they glorye to be the mynisters of Chryste thoughe he speake vnwyslye he is more copyous in laboures in strypes aboue measure in preson more often often at the poynte of dethe c. Shulde we for this wordes thynke that his doctrine were not ryght Naye verelye that doth not inproue the doctrine but that it may be good and holsome for a man may boste himselfe and doo well so he referre the prayse to God from whom all goodnes cometh but be it in case that I shulde say that god of his mere mercy for the loue that he oweth me in Chryste and his bloude had geueÌ„ me his sprete that I might be to his laude prayse to whom be thankes for euer AmeÌ„ wolde you thyncke that this were so greate abostinge that the doctrine shulde be impayred therbye Ah blynde gydes I praye God geue you the lyght of vnderstondinge I beseche you brother Rastell be not
wyll saye so agayne take it as he wyll Also he recyteth as a great reproche that I shulde saye I meruayle howe oure scolemen maye abyde this felowe And surelye the same I say againe for he prouethe bothe Saynte Thomas and them also foles and double foles whyche yf I shulde so doo wolde be counted haynous heresye Then he reherseth what I say of Master more and my lorde of Rochestre and all to helpe his mater that wheÌ„ I say the smal probacions and slender reasons that those .ii. wytted men syr Thomas More and my lorde of Rochestre had brought to confyrme purgatory made my harte to yerne what raylynge or yestynge this is let other meÌ„ iudge but this I dare auow that I sayd the truthe for what shulde a maÌ„ do or say to se theÌ„ so coÌ„trary in their tales Master More saith that their is fyer no water iÌ„ purgatory my lord of Rochester saith that their is both fier water .m. more saith that the mynister of punyshment are deuels And my lorde of Rochester sayeth that the minister of punyshment are angels Master More sayeth that bothe the grace and charyte of them that lye in paynes of purgatory are increased my lord of Rochestre saith the soules of purgatorye obtayne there nother more fayth nor grace nor charyte then they brought in with theÌ„ Now iudge good reader whether I haue rayled or sayed the truethe but all this dothâ— Rastell leue oute full craftely he recyteth ful diligently bothe the hede tayle but the middle which expouÌ„deth the matter wyll he not let you se He allegeth also agaynst me that I say Master More is sore disceyued and set on the sand euen at the fyrste brunte and in the begynnynge of his viage and that I wolde wysh master More a lyttell more wytte Euen that I say agayne and affyrme it to be true and is so euydently proued in the begynnynge of my answere agaynste Master More that I neade to saye nothynge but only referre the reader vnto the place Also he improueth me for sayinge in an other place that master More sheweth hym in one texte twyse ignoraunte and that he is to busye for he vnderstondeth not the phrase of scrypture This and suche other sayinges he allegeth which I passe ouer for I counte it folye to spende paper and laboure aboute the rehersynge of theÌ„ for yf you reade my boke you shall se all these poyntes so playnly proued that he moughte be ashamed to make mencion of them This he counteth gestinge sclanderinge and raylinge sayinge that no reasonable man wyll thynke these poyntes to be thiÌ„ges belonginge to vertue but rather spyces and branches of pryde and that I shewe not my selfe therin charitable but rather malicious nor no wysdom therin but rather folye addynge that yf I had bene halfe yere at two scoles that is to saye the scole of discrecion and the scole of cheryte I shulde more haue prospered in vertuous lernyng then I haue done in other scoles this .vii. yere And sayeth that I haue ben at the scoles of slanderynge raylinge and gestinge Dere brother yf it had bene so that I had spoken certayne wordes in deade whichâ— might haue semed in your yies to be raylinge detractinge and slanderynge as I haue not sauynge a lyttell gestyng wolde you disproue my doctrine therby what wyl you then say to S. JohnÌ„ baptist which called the pharyses then hedes of the churche as are now our doctours generacion of viperes wolde you therfore conclude that his doctrines where noughte I thynke you be not so chyldishe And it semeth this one sentence to be more raylinge and slanderlyng then all that I haue wryten what wyll you say to Chryste which called the scrybes and pharyses hypocrytes Math. 15. 16. 22. and in the .13 he semethe to rayle aboue measure where he calleth them hypocrites and blynde gydes paynted sepulchers whiche onwardlye appere ryghtwyse but wythin are full of ypocrysye serpentes and generacion of vipers Besydes that he calleth herode fox Luce .xiii. and the â—ewes he called a frowarde and aduouteres generacion Math 12. 16. and in the .17 he sayeth o vnfaythful and ouerwharte nacyon wolde you thynke it shulde excuse the iewes whyche refused his doctrine to saye that he rayled and that no reasonable man wolde thynke those thynges to be poyntes belonginge to vertu but rather spices and braunches of pryde and that he shewed not hymselfe charitable but malicious nor no wysdome therin but folye wolde it excuse them to say as you do to me that yf he had bene one halfe yere at scole of discrecioÌ„ and chartye he shulde more haue prospered in vertuous lernynge that he had ben at the scoles of sclandering raylinge iestynge Finally S. Paul in your yies might appere to raile slaÌ„der to be clene destitute of goddes sprete which as Luc. saieth replenished with the holy gost said to Elemas that resisteth hiÌ„ Act. 13. o thou full of al suttelty deceite thou sonÌ„e of the deuel enemy of all rightwisnes ceaseth not to ê‘uerte the rightwayes of the lord I caÌ„ briÌ„ge many mâ— such sainges of Peter Joh. James Judas yet I thinke you will not inproue their doctrine therby but because I studye to be shorte I shal couÌ„te it sufficieÌ„t to haue warned the reder of this NotwithstoÌ„diÌ„g ê‘adueÌ„ture Rastel wyl not yet be aÌ„swered but wil say that albeit I haue touched ynough as coÌ„cerniÌ„g those thinges that appere raâ—ling slaÌ„derig in his yies yet I brought non that iest as I do wher vnto I maye answere allege for me herâ—as the ê“phet which both mocked the false prestes gested with theÌ„ sayinge calle lowde vnto your godes for ê‘adueÌ„ture they are a slepe caÌ„ not here or els they be gone out of towne I caÌ„ not ynough meruell that my brother Rastel wolde vse such maner of reasoning with me as to imê“ue my doctrine because of my raylinge and gestynge For therwith he hathe made a foule hole in his kinsmaÌ„s beste cote for euery maÌ„ ê‘ceyueth that M. More his bokes are so full of raylinge gesting bandye tales that yf the furyous momus venus had take out their pertyes theyre shulde be verye lyttel lefte for vulcanus After this Rastell dissenteth to the purpose of his mater wolde proue that my exposicions of scripture are not good because they are an occasyon to brynge the people to boldnes of synne to moue the people to deylte in other mens fautes and to laughte therat and to put you an ensample he sayeth yf I shulde take vppon me the exposicion of this texte In principio erat verbuÌ„ et verbum erat apud deum c and expounde it after this maner In the begynnynge of this yere JohnÌ„ Frith is a noble clarke He kylled a mylstone wyth his spere Kepe wel your geese your dogs do barke I trowe