The B. of Sarisburie.
Your Tinkers, and Tapsters, M. Hardinge, are ashamed in your behalfe, to sée your folie. A poore seely iester, to winne his dinner, woulde be lothe to scoffe so coldely. Certaine of our Cleregie wante the knowlege of Rhetorique, Logique, Philosophie, the Hebrevve, the Greeke, and the Latine tongues: Therefore yée calle them Tinkers, and Tapsters. Sutche is the Sobrietie, and Modestie of your talke. Of what Schoole, or tongue then are your Priestes, M. Hardinge, that, for the more parte, can neither Speake Latine, nor Reade Englishe, nor vn∣derstande the Articles of their Faithe, nor any portion of the Scriptures: Clovvdes without Raine: Lanternes without Lighte: Salte without sauoure: Blinde guides: Dombe Dogges: that, as one saithe, séeme to haue their soules geuen them in stéede of salte, to kéepe them from stinkinge? Of what Arte, or Oc∣cupation was he,* 1.1 that Baptized a childe in Latine, in this sorte, In nomine Pa∣tria, & Filia, & Spirita Sancta? What a skilful Clerke was your Pope Iulius. 2. that assigninge a warrante, in stéede of Fiat, wrote, Fiatur? Your owne Doctour, Alphonsus de Castro, saith, Constat plures Papas adeo' illiteratos esse, vt Gram∣maticam penit ùs ignorent: It is moste certaine, that many Popes be so vnlearned, that they be vtterly ignorante of their Grammar. And, beinge vtterly ignorant of their Grammare Rules, I beseche you, for what other profounde science of Logique, or Philosophi••,* 1.2 can yée praise them? An other of your Doctoures saithe, Papa propter defectum literaturae non potest deponi: The Pope maie not be deposed for lacke of Learninge. That is to saie, the Pope, though he be neuer so ignorante, or voide of knowledge, yet is as good a Pope, as the beste.
An other of your Doctours saith,* 1.3 Venalitate Curiae Romanae, inaniter praeficiun∣tur Lenones, Coqui, Stabularij equorum, & Pueri: Through the bribene of the Courte of Rome, Baudes, Cookes, Hostlers, and Children be placed in Offices to gouerne the Churche. Shal wee therefore saie, as you saie, that al your Priestes be Fidlers, and Pipers, Tinkers, and Tapsters?
Somme certaine of oure Cleregie be ignorante in the tongues, as yours be: but not ignorante in knowledge,* 1.4 as yours be. The woorste of them seeth, & lamen∣teth