The second parte of the co[n]futacion of Tyndals answere in whyche is also confuted the chyrche that Tyndale deuyseth. And the chyrche also that frere Barns deuyseth. Made by syr Thomas More knyght.

[ A] ¶The fyfth boke, of the cōfutacyon of Tyndals answere. (Book 5)

Answere vnto the chapyter of Tyndale, in whiche he wold proue that the knowen catholyke chyrche is not y^e chyrche. whyther the knowen catholyke chyrche can be the chyrche.

YE haue all redy good chrysten readers well seen and perceyued, that Tyndale hath in a longe processe labored to proue you, that the chyrch of Cryste is a nother company then the knowen catholyke cō∣pany [ B] of all chrysten regyons / that is to wytte a certayne secrete scatered congre∣gacyon vnknowen to all the worlde besyde, and to theyr owne felowes to / and euery man by hys inwarde felynge not onely knowen onely to hym selfe, but also so well and surely knowen vnto hym selfe for a vertuouse good and faythefull fynall electe of god, that he is in hym selfe very certayne and sure that he can not be but saued / and that he so hath the spyryte of god imprysoned in hys breste and so faste fetered in hys holy harte, wherof hym selfe hath loste the kayeá, that neyther the spyryte can crepe out nor hym selfe lette hym out by no maner meane / but there muste the spyryt abyde and so preserue and kepe that specyall chosen creature, that he suffer hym to do many great abomynable [ C] horryble deuelysshe dedys, but yet neuer suffer hym in no wyse to do any dedely synne.

Thys I saye ye haue all redy seen, that Tyndale hath by a longe processe labored mych to proue vs / and hath in cōclusyon not onely no thynge proued vs therof, but hath in stede of felynge faythfull folke, brought vs forth suche a sort, as neuer was there puddynge stuffed so full of far∣synge, as hys holy felynge faythfull folke are farsed full of heresyes.

wherfore seynge that for the very chyrche of Cryste here in erth, whyche god hath and euer shall instructe and pre∣serue in hys trewe fayth and out of the fayth of whyche chyrch shall neyther be trewe fayth hope nor cherite / he can when he hath all done fynde out none other, then thys co∣mon knowen catholyke chyrche of all chrysten people, ney∣ther

of malyce gone out nor for obstinacy put out / of which [ A] comon knowen catholyke chyrche, all the good and trewe penytent electes be parteners in fayth: seynge I saye that he can proue none other chyrche, he now gothe aboute to dysproue that chyrche to / wherby we maye well perceyue that he goeth not aboute to fynde out the chyrche, but ra∣ther to make men to wene that there were no chyrch at all.

About thys purpose vseth he now thys order. Fyrste in one chapyter he taketh vppon hym to proue y^t the knowen catholyke chyrche is not the chyrche of Cryste.

Afterwarde in hys other chapyters folowynge, he pre∣tendeth to answere and soyle the reasons, wyth whyche it is proued that the knowen catholyke chyrche is the chyr∣che of Cryste, and that none of these sectes of heretykes be. [ B]

And yet pretendynge as I say that he wyll soyle all the reasons of the tother syde / of so many as there are he tow∣cheth onely twayne / and yet those twayne how symple he soyleth, that shall you after se.

Let vs now go to Tyndals fyrste poynte / whych poynt in hys fyrste chapyter how falsely he handeleth and how farre fro the poynt, it is euyn a world to se. For fyrst he ma¦keth the tytle before hys chapyter in thys wyse.

Tyndale.

Whyther the pope and his secte be Crystes chyrche or no.

More.

well ye wote good chrysten readers, that I (whose dyaloge in the begynnyng of hys wurke he professeth hym selfe wyth all hys hole boke to answere) haue in places [ C] inough well and playnely declared, that I call the chyrche of Cryste the catholyke knowen chyrche of all chrysten na∣cyons, neyther gone out nor cut of. And all be it that all these nacyons now do and longe haue done, recognysed & knowleged the pope, not as the byshop of rome but as the successoure of saynt Peter, to be theyr chyefe spyrytuall go¦uernour vnder god, and Chrystes vycar in erth / and so do not onely we call hym but Tyndalys owne felowe frere Barns to: yet dyde I neuer put the pope for parte of the dyffynycyon of the chyrche, dyffynyng the chyrche to be the comon knowen congregacyon of all chrysten nacyons vn∣der one hed the pope.

Thus dyd I neuer defyne the chyrche / but purposely declyned therfro, bycause I wolde not intryke & entangle

[ A] the mater wyth two questyons at onys. For I wyste very well that the chyrche beynge proued thys comon knowen catholyke congregacyon of all chrysten nacyons, abydyng to gyther in one fayth, neyther fallen of nor cut of: there myghte be peraduenture made a secunde questyon after y^•, whyther ouer all that catholyke chyrche the pope muste nedes be hed and chyefe gouernour or chyefe spyrytuall shepherde / or ellys that y^e vnyon of fayth standyng among them all, euery prouynce myghte haue theyr owne chyefe spyrytuall gouernour ouer it selfe, wythout any recourse vnto the pope, or any superyoryte recognysed to any other outwarde person.

And then yf the pope were or no pope / but as I say pro∣uyncyall [ B] patryarches, arbysshoppes, or metropolytanes, or by what name so euer the thynge were called: what au∣thoryte & what power eyther he or they sholde haue among the people, these thynges well I wyste wolde rayse among many men many mo questyons then one. For the aduoy∣dyng of all intrycacyō wherof / I purposely forbare to put in the pope as parte of the dyffynycyon of the chyrche, as a thynge that neded not / syth yf he be the necessary hed, he is included in the name of the hole body. And whyther he be or not / yf it be brought in questyon, were a mater to be trea¦ted and dysputed besyde.

And therfore maye y•• good chrysten readers se, y^t Tyn∣dale whyche in thys poynte wyll in no wyse perceyue me, but maketh the tytle of hys chapyter whyther the pope and [ C] hys secte be chrystes chyrche or no / laboreth to fle fro the lyght, and hyde hys hed in the darke, and confounde the mater wyth two, questyons at onys.

Now is not the tytle of hys chapyter so synystrely wry∣ten and wryed awaye from the poynt / but the begynnynge of hys chapyter it selfe, is mych worse and forther wrested wronge. For lo thus he begynneth.

Tyndale.

That the pope and his spirites be not the chyrche maye this wyse be proued.

More.

Lo before in the tytle he made hys questyon of the pope and hys secte, whyche questyon as I haue shewed you he framed farre from the mater / and syth those people whych Tyndale calleth y^e popys secte (by whych name he meneth all that professe the comon catholyke fayth) be all the na∣cyons

chrystened, excepte a few late fallen to Luther, wyc∣lyffe, [ A] frere Huskyn, and zuynglius: how fyttly he vseth his termes in callynge all the body a secte, whyche he myghte as well call a scysme, for bothe sygnyfye a cuttyng of from the hole chyrche / and then as well he maye and so doth he soone after, call the heretykes y^• chyrche / and therin calleth he bothe twayne as properly, as yf he wolde cut of a can∣tell or a gobbet from an hole lofe, and then call the cantell a lofe and the lofe a cantell.

But where as before in the tytle he made as I saye hys questyon of the pope and hys secte / here he turneth it into the pope and hys spyrytes. In whyche excepte he call spy∣rytes in mocke & scorne / all chrysten nacyons besydes those corners that professe them selfe for heretykes / he muste ne∣des [ B] mene here by hys scornefull name of spyrytes, onely the pope and the spyrytualtye / and then goeth he yet mych forther fro me wyth whom he sholde cope. For I call euer the chyrche whyche hys parte is here to impugne, not the spyrytualtye onely, but the hole corps and body of spyry∣tuall and temporall to.

And Tyndale very well woteth, that the spyrytualtye so farforth doth accompte not them selfe alone but the tem¦poraltye, and them selfe to gether for the catholyke chyrch / that there is not so pore a frere, but he professyth it almost in euery sermone. In whyche when he exhorteth hys au∣dyence to praye for the chyrche, he sayth not ye shall praye for the spyrytualtye alone / but ye shall saythe he praye for the thre estates of holy chyrche, that is to wytte the spyry∣tualty [ C] the temporalty and the sowles that be in purgatory. For though they be departed out of our cōpany, yet them compte we styll for viagers and pylgrymmes in the same pylgrymage that we be towarde the same place of rest and welth that we walke, tyll they be passed ones all the payne of theyr iournaye, and entred into the blesse of heuen.

Nowe it is a greate shame for Tyndale to flye fro the poynte as he dothe, in a mater so playne and open, that euery chylde maye se how lothe he is to comme nere and cope.

But Tyndale hath all redy ryden so many shrewed courses, in whyche he hath hadde suche buffettes, that he hath almoste broken hys horses backe and hys owne to / that now neyther is there bere nor heretyke more lothe to

[ A] come to the stake, then Tyndale to come nere the tylte.

And therfore drawynge a syde and flyttynge from the chyrche, that is to wytte frome the hole multytude of all chrysten nacyons spyrytuall and temporall bothe, whiche is the tylte by whyche he hath to ronne: he standythe styll at the tyltes ende tymperynge and temperynge aboute his harneys, and wyll no forther then the spyrytualtye / but putteth of hys helmet and doeth on a folys hode, and from iustynge falleth to iestynge, to do the people pleasure, and dreue awaye the mater wyth makynge of mockes and mowes. For now lo shall we peruse hys proues. Lo thys wyse reason he bryngeth in the fyrste.

[ B] Tyndale.

That the pope and his spyrytes be not the chyrche, maye thy•• wy••e be pr••∣ued. He that hath no fayth to be saued thorow Cryste, is not of Crystes chyr∣che. The pope ••••••eueth not to be saued thorowe Cryste. For he teacheth to truste in holy workes for the remys••yon of synnes and sa••uacy••n / as in the workes of penaunce enioyned, in vowes, in pylgrymage, in ch••styte, in other mennes prayers and holy lyuynge, in freres and freres cotes, in sayntes me∣rytes. And the sygnyficacyons put out / he teacheth to byleue in the dedes of the ceremonyes, and of the sacramente; ordeyned at the begynnynge, to preache vnto vs and to do vs seruyce / and not that we sholde beleue in them and serue them. And a thousande suche superstycy••usnesse setteth he before vs in stede of Cryste, to byleue in neyther Cryste nor goddes worde, neyther honourable to god nor ser∣uysable vnto our neyghbour, nor profy∣table [ C] vn to our selues for the ta∣myng of the flesshe, whiche all are the denyenge of Crystes blode.

More.

Some man wolde here peraduenture saye to Tyndale, that he playeth in thys poynte the very folysshe dysour, for the faute of the man to rayle vpon the offyce / consyderyng that all be it there haue popes bene that haue euyll played theyr partes, yet haue there ben popes agayne ryghte holy men sayntes and martyrs to / and therfore in iestynge thus vppon a good offyce for an euyll offycer, he canne

lacke no mater of raylynge, but maye runne out in hys [ A] rybaldry at large, and saye that all the hole worlde muste leue of all maner of offyces, and neyther haue pope, empe∣rour, kynge, counsaylour, mayre, shyryffe, nor alderman to gouerne or rule the comons, nor yet any man in hys owne howse stewarde, cater, pantler, butler, or cooke. For among all these offyces there can be founden none, that hath not had ere thys many an yll man in the rome.

Therfore wolde some man thynke I saye, that Tyn∣dals raylynge here vppon the pope were all ronne out of reason, though that all the thynges whyche he layeth here to hys charge, were in dede as euyll as Tyndale wolde haue them taken. But surely syth the man hath fawtes inough besyde / I wyll my selfe defende hym well in thys. [ B] For thys wyll I well make good in his byhalfe, that yf the fawtes for whyche he rayleth here vpon the pope, be thyn∣ges noughte in dede and worthy to be rebuked / then maye he well and lawfully ryally ieste and rayle vppon the hole pedegre of popes, saynt Peter hym selfe and all. For surely the thynges for y^e techynge wherof Tyndale rebuketh here the pope, hath euer ben the doctryne of popes, patriarches, prophetes, apostles, and our sauyour hym selfe and all.

For fyrste he proueth vs that the pope byleueth not to be saued thorow Christ, bycause he techeth to truste in holy workes for remyssyon of synnes and saluacyō. Is not here a peryllous lesson trow ye / namely so taught as the chyrch techeth it, that no good work can be done wythout helpe of goddes grace, nor no good worke of man worthy the re∣warde [ C] of heuen but by the lyberall goodnesse of god, nor yet sholde haue suche a pryce sette vppon it saue thorowe the merytes of Crystes bytter passyon / and that yet in all our dedes we be so vnperfyt, y^t eche man hath good cause to fere for hys owne parte, leste his beste be badde. I wolde wene that good workes were not so dedely poyson / but ta∣kynge not to myche at onys for cloyenge of the stomake, no more at onys lo then I se the worlde wont to do many drammes of suche tryacle myxed with one scruple of drede, were able inough for awght that I can se so to preserue the soule fro presumpcyon, that one sponefull of good workes sholde no more kylle the soule, then a potager of good wur¦tes sholde kylle and stroye the body.

[ A] The scrypture byddeth vs watche, and faste, and pray,* 1.1 and gyue almoyse, and forgyue our neyghbour / & we pore men that lacke the hyghe spyrytuall syghte that Tyndale hath and hys holy electys, take these thynges for good workes. And god sayth in hys holy wrytte, that he wyll forgeue our synnes the rather for them, and wyll rewarde vs for them, & thorow the scrypture / thys cryeth god in our earys, and faythfully promyseth almost in euery lefe. And now ye se Tyndale that precheth so faste of the fayth and truste of goddes promyses, wolde haue vs in these p••omy∣ses trust god nothyng at all.

But herein is great peryll,* 1.2 specyally to hope and truste to gete any good at goddes hand for y workes of pena••••••e [ B] enioyned. For the sacrament of penaunce is to Tyndale a great abomynacion, and therin in dede he sayth somwhat. For well ye wote euyn of naturall reason, a wyse man wyll sone se, that syth the punysshement that a man wylfully ta¦keth for the synne that he hath done commeth of an angre and dyspleasure that he bereth towarde hym selfe for the dyspleasure that hys synne hath done to god / and that h••s wyllyng submyttyng of hym selfe to the correccyon of hys goostly father, commeth of great humylyte gyuen by go•••• and taught by all good men: god muste nedes there••o••e perde bothe be angry and abhorre all them, that for the fru¦tes of these good affections can hope for any fauour grace or pardone at hys mercyfull hande.

If Tyndale lyste to loke in sainte Austayn in his boke [ C] of penaunce / he shall there fynde that holy doctour & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 byd euery man put hym self whole in hys con••••ssours had•• and humbly receyue and fulfyll such penaunce as he shall enioyne hym.

But than doth Tyndale specyally touch,* 1.3 that y^e church techeth to put trust in vowys and in chastyte / for that is a thyng in the earys of Luthers electes of all thynges mo•••••• abomynable. But the churche techeth none other tru•••••• therin, than the scrypture doth hy•• selfe, and oure bl••••s••d sauyour hym selfe.

They teche sayth Tyndale,* 1.4 to truste in other mennes prayours and holy lyuyng, in freres and in freres cotys. Is nat here an abomynable synne, that any man shulde haue so lytle pryde in hym selfe, that he shuld thynke other men moche better than hym selfe, and therfore desyr•• th••m

to pray for hym to, besyde hym selfe. In howe many places [ A] doth the scrypture exhort eche of vs to pray for other. And whan the scrypture sayth that the dylygent prayoure of a iuste man is moche worth / shuld we than truste nothynge therin,* 1.5 but thynke that it were ryght nought worth at all / or bycause the scrypture so commendeth the prayour of a good man, shuld we lyke hys prayour the lesse for his holy lyuynge, & byd hym pray nat for vs but yf he lyue nought / or if he be a frere and go in a freres cote, bydde hym praye nat for vs, tyll he put of hys frerys cote and put on a frese cote, and ru••ne out of hys ordre, an catche hym a quene & call her hys wyfe?

Than goeth he from good lyuers in erth vnto sayntes in heuyn / & fyndeth yet more faute, in that men are taught [ B] to go in any pylgrymage, or do any worshyp to them, or to thynke that theyr good lyuyng was so pleasaūt vnto god whyle they lyued here in erth, that he wyll therfore vouche¦saufe to do any thynge at theyr requeste for any louer of theyres, whyle they be wyth hym in heuyn.

Howe be it in thys poynt I dare be bolde to say for Tyn¦dale my selfe, that he is nat so folysh, but that he seeth well I nough that if I may well pray my neyghbur to pray for me that is here wyth me in erthe / I may moche better pray the sayntes pray for me that are with god in heuyn / sauing that he byleueth that they be nat there, nor neyther here vs nor se vs, but lye styll as Luther sayth a slepe. And therfore Tyndale leste we myghte wene that he byleued well, byd∣deth vs in another place of hys boke, that when we mete y^e [ C] sayntes and talke wyth any of them, than lette vs hardely knele and make our prayour to them. And so ye shall natte nede to meruayle moche though thys man be bolde to ieste and rayle vpon euery man here in erth, when he fereth nat to make mokkes and mowys at the blessed sayntes in heuyn.

He blameth vs and bylieth vs, as though we toke theyr dede ymagys for quyke. But hym selfe semeth yet moche worse in dede,* 1.6 that taketh goddes quykke saintes for dede, agaynst Chrystes owne wordes declarynge the contrary, bothe by the scrypture in the gospell of saynte Mathew, & by the story that Chryste also telleth of Habraam and the ryche gloton and Lazare in the .xvi. chapytre of Luke.* 1.7

Than commeth Tyndale in at the laste wyth the cere∣monyes

[ A] of the church and the sacramentes / agaynst which prykke he specyally spurneth wyth hys kyb••de hele, but it wyll nat helpe hym. The gentleman is so proude, that the holy sacramentes muste be his waytynge seruauntes. For now he sayth that they be but superstycyouse and serue of noughte, but be sette in stede of Cryste, and are (as they be taught) the denyenge of Crystes bloude.

How sholde they now be the denyeng of Crystes bloud, when the chyrche teacheth vs as god hath taught it, that they all haue theyr strength by Crystes bloude, and that in the tone of them is Crystes owne very bloude and hys bles¦sed body bothe. Bothe whyche thys heretyke denyeth / and as in my fyrste boke I shewed yow, bothe iesteth and scof∣feth vppon the precyouse body and bloude of Cryste in the [ B] blessed sacrament of the aulter / and lyke a madde frantyke fole maketh mokkes and mowys at the masse.

And now that ye se good chrysten reders for what doc∣tryne Tyndale rebuketh the comon catholyke chyrche / ye can not but therby perceyue what doctryne he wolde haue them teche / that is to wytte that we shold haue no respecte to good workes, vse no shryfte nor penaunce, beware of chastyte and blesse vs well therfro, let no good men praye for vs, nor none that vse holy lyuynge, no Francysce frere bydde any bede for vs in hys freres cote, tyll he do of hys graye garmentes and cloth hym selfe cumly in gaye ken∣dall grene / sette sayntes at nought, and all holy ceremo∣nyes vsed in goddes seruyse, and als the seuen sacramētes to / make mokkes at the masse and at Crystes body, and [ C] take it for nothynge but cake brede or starche. And when the clergye techeth this onys / then shall they be the chyrch, But for lakke of this doctryne, they be no parte therof. For Tyndale telleth vs that tyll they teche vs thus / they can ••euer byleue to be saued thorowe Cryste. And I saye me semeth as I be saued thorowe Cryste, yf Tyndale laye madde in the myddes of Bedlem, he coulde not to good chrysten men telll a more frantyke tale. And thys fransey is hys fyrste reason. Now let vs here hys seconde.

The seconde reason.

Tyndale.

Another reason is, who so euer byleue in Cryste consente••h that goddes sawe is good. The pope consenteth not that goddes lawe is good / ••or ••e hath for••••∣den lawfull wedlokke vnto all his ouer whom he reygneth, as a tempo••a••••

tyrant with lawes of his owne makynge, and not as a brother exhortynge. [ A] them to kepe Crystes. And he hath graunted vn••awfull boredome vnto as many as brynge money. As th••row all dow••helarde, euery preste payenge a ••••lden vnto the arched••con, shall ••rely and q••yetly haue h••s whore, and put her awaye at his pleasure, and take another at his owne l••••te. As they do in Wales, in Irelande, Scotlande, Fraunce, and Spayne. And in ••nglande therto they be not ••ewe whyche haue ••ycences to kepe who••es some of the p••pe and some of theyr ordynaryes. And when the parysshes go to law with them to put awaye theyr whores / the bysshoppes offycers moche them, polle them, and make them spende theyr thryftes, & the prestes kepe theyr who••es styll. How be it in very dede sens they were rebuked by the preachynge of wy••leffe / our englyshe spyrytual••ye ••aue layed theyr snares•• vnto me••nes wyues to couer theyr abomynacyons, though they byde not always secrete.

More.

Here Tyndal proueth vs that no pope byleueth in god / [ B] For none of them consenteth that goddes law is good. He proueth that they consent nat that goddes lawe is good, bycause they make he sayth lawes of theyr owne byside / & therfore he sayth that they nat onely consent nat that god∣des lawe is good, but also that they raygne ouer chrysten people lyke temporall tyrauntes•• wherby Tyndaletecheth vs that euery temporall prynce makyng any lawe byside y^e lawe of god, consenteth nat that goddes lawe is good, nor vseth nat hym self as a lawful prynce, but as an, vnlawful tyraūt / bycause he doth nat onely as a brother exhort Chry¦stes law, but also lyke a tyraunte compelleth them to kepe hys owne.

Now thys glawnce that Tyndale in raylyng vpon po∣pes maketh by the way at all temporall princes and lawes [ C] is if they playnly dur••te speke it oute, the very pryncipall poynte of all hys whole purpose and hys mayster Marten Luthers to, and all the serpentyne seed that is discended of them•• For Luther sayth y^t we nede no mo lawes but onely the gospell well and truly preched after hys owne false fas∣shyon. And he babeleth also in hys babilonica that neyther man nor angell hath any power or authoryte to make any law or any one syllable of a law vppon any chrysten man, wythout hys own agrement gyuen therunto. And by frere Bar••s heresy a man may wyth out deadell synne breke all the lawes that are made by men.

And thus ye may se that the shrewd sort of all this secte, wolde nat onely haue popes and popes lawes gone and

[ A] taken away, but kynges & kynges lawes to, if theyre pur∣pose myght prosper / & make all people lawles, bycause all lawes are lettes as they take theym to theyr euangelicall libertie by whych they clayme to be bounden or compelled to nothyng, but exhorted onely to lyue euery man after the gospell, by euery man, expouned after hys owne mynde whych maner of exhortyng amounteth vnto as moche, as to let all rune at ryot wythout any bond or brydell, & than exhort euery man to lyue as he lyste hym selfe.

But now is it good to se what lawe so specyally lyeth in Tyndals eye / for whyche he generally rayleth vpon all the remanaunt. That is for that he sayeth that the pope hath forboden lawfull wedlocke. In thys he meneth two thynges, with whych two Luther and wyclyffe were euyll [ B] content before. One that there is maryage now forbod••n bytwene bretherne and sy••ters chyldren that was not be∣fore forboden by the scrypture. For whyche cause wyclyffe sayth that suche maryages are forboden wythout any fun∣dacyon or grounde.

But thys thynge, to whyche pope wyll Tyndale laye? For he shall fynde that in these thynges the olde holy pope saynt Gregory and dyuers other holy popes to, and not popes onely but also dyuers counsayles and great assem∣blees of holy vertues fathers, haue in olde tyme sone vpon chrystendome well spredde abrode, for encreace of naturall honesty and propagacyō of chrysten cheryte, forboden ma∣ryage to be made wyth other degrees bothe of kynred and affynyte, mych forther of then they that abyde now forbo∣den [ C] / wyth whyche the chyrche hath synnys for our infyrmy¦tye dyspensed and vndone the bonde / so that in that poynt the faute that Tyndale, wyclyffe, and Luther lay vnto the pope, they muste laye to so many suche popes and other holy men besyde, that who so consyder the tone sorte & the tother wyll haue lytell luste to byleue thre or foure nowe suche maner folke as Tyndale and hys fonde felowes be, agaynste so many vertuouse old holy fathers as they were that made those lawes.

The tother law that he layeth so sore agaynst the pope, is that prestes, freres, chanons, monkes and nunnes, may not be suffred to be wedded, contrary to theyr owne vowys and promyses made vnto god, whyche no man compelled them to make. Is not thys a greate fawte tha•• frere tukke

maye not mary madde Maryon? [ A]

But then to set out thys mater som what the better to the shewe / he ryally rayleth out at large vppon all bysshop¦pes, archedekens, and other spyrytuall offycers. whose fau¦tes yf they be suche as we well knowe that he falsely by∣lyeth many / yet were theyr euyll deme••nure neyther to be imputed vnto the law which forbedeth it as y^e gospell doth nor vnto the pope. whyche when he hath ben enformed of a bysshoppes faute, hath as by dyuers decretales appereth proceded to the punysshement and amendement therof.

But Tyndale letteth not to lye out alowde, and saye that the pope hath hym selfe graunted vnlawfull whore∣dome to as many as brynge money / and in another place of hys boke he sayth, that the pope hath in Rome sette vp a stewys of boyes. [ B]

we haue hadde many pardonys come hyther and many dyspensacions and many licences to / but yet I thanke oure lorde I neuer knewe none suche, nor I truste neuer shall, nor Tyndale I trowe neyther / but that he lysteth lowde to lye. And as for hys lycences custumably gyuen by the ordynaryes, I truste he lyeth in other countrees / for as for Englande I am sure he lyeth. And therfore euery honest man wyll I wote well take hys tale therafter, for in the lyke maner he maye when he lyste, and wyll hereafter when he seeth his tyme, rayle vppon eu••ry ••orde that hath any lete, and vppon all the sessyons of peace kepte wythin the realme / in all whyche many kyndes of malefactours are amerced yerely, and fynes sette on theyr heddes, & they compelled to paye them, to compelle theym the••by to leue [ C] theyr euyll doynge / and yet wyll there many for all that be starke nought styll. But yet are not thamercemētes made for lycences / but deuysed for punyshementes & for meanes of amēdement, though the malyce of many men be so mych that they neuer amende therby.

And consyder that hys seconde reason wherin he repro∣ueth all lawes the spyrytuall openly, and couertly the tem¦porall to, and for the lawes calleth the makers tyrauntes / so farforth y^• fynally no man can please hym, but wyclyffe the fyrst founder here of that abominable heresye, that blas¦phemeth the blessed sacrament / thys seconde reason of hys I say euery wyse man seeth, is yet more vnreasonable and mych mor•• fonde and folysshe then the fyrste.

[ A] The thyrde reason.

Tyndale.

Therto all chrysten men yf they haue done amys, repent when theyr fautes be tolde them. The spyrytualtye repent not but of very su•••••• and con••••••te t•• synne, persecute both the scrypture wherwith they be re••••••••••, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••••m that warne them to amende and make heretykes o•• th••m and burn•• t••em. And besydes that the pope hath made a playne decre, 〈…〉〈…〉¦deth sayenge, Though the pope synne neuer so greu••us••••, and 〈…〉〈…〉 hym to hell by hys ens••mple thousandes innumerable 〈…〉〈…〉 hardy to rebuke hym•• Por he is hede ouer all, and none ••uer hym•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. xl. Si papa.

More.

Here he proueth vs that the spyrytualtye be not of the chyrche / for none is of the chyrche but repentauntes. And [ B] then all chrysten men he sayeth repente, as soone as theyr fautes be told thē / but the spyrytualty he sayth repent not.

Tyndale hoth now forgete, that he hath ofter thē onys tolde vs here before, that hys owne•• electes wyll not euer here theyr fautes tolde them at the fyrste whyle they be ca∣ryed forth in the rage / but that a man must yf he wyll haue audyēce, tary tyll y^• luskus haue played out theyr lustes / & as he sayd in one place, some of theym wyll not gyue eare tyll the very colde fere of deth come. And nowe yf he wyll stande to thys tale, he gyueth the spyrytualtye whom he so sore accus••th, a playne answere after hys owne doctryne•• that he is to hasty vppon them / they maye be of his ow••e especyall electes perde fulwell, though they be not con••ent to mende yet / but he must suffer them to playe out all theyr [ C] lustes, or ellys tyll they come so nere the colde fyre of deth that they fele not one sparke of the warme flesshe, and then speke and he shalbe herde.

How ••e it leuyng hys owne doctryne for hym selfe•• they maye tell hym that he is somwhat ouer temeraryouse and holde, eyther to iudge so•• rashely the repentaunce of other men whiche inwardly lyeth in the harte, wherof onely god is the beholder / or ellys to impute and ascrybe the maner and condycyon of some impenitent wretchys, to the who••e company of the clergy, whiche vsually declare theym 〈◊〉〈◊〉 repentaunt by shryfte and confessyon of theyr synnes and doynge of penaunce, as all other good chrysten people do.

Now yf Tyndale alledge agaynste theym / that for a••l that they falle to dedely synne agayne: we wyll aske hym

wherby knoweth he that / and then muste he saye that by [ A] some synfull dedes. But then yf he graunte onys, that de∣dely synfull dedes be a sure fuffycyent profe of dedely syn∣full myndes: he destroyeth ye wote well all hys owne for∣mar doctryne, concernynge the synnynge and yet not syn∣nynge of his owne holy electes, whyche can he sayth neuer synne dedely do they neuer so hortyble dedes.

And yet as for repentynge / our clergy perde maye well appere more penitent then theyres. For I dare boldely say that excepte some such as be fallen into Luthers and Tyn¦dales chyrch / there is ellys no man so bad of the catholyke chyrche, but he wyll confesse and agre that hys lechery is dedely synne. But on the tother syde, theyr owne clergy & the very great clerkes of theyr clergy, as the greate clerke Luther, and the great clerke Tindale, and the great clerke [ B] Huyskyns: yf they be asked whyther the lechery bytwene a frere & a nunne be dedely synne or no, they wyll answere ye wote well that it is none at all / yf they gyue it onys an honest name then is it no synne at all, yf they call it matry∣mony, but shall haue hell for theyr patrymony. wherof ye se well they repent not a whytte / but they wyll I warraūt you when they come there.

But all theyr excuse lyeth in thys, that all theyr fawtes come but of frayltye / and our spyrytualtye synneth of ma∣lyce, bycause they persecut•• Tyndals holy translacyon of the scrypture, in whyche hym selfe hath playnely confessed that he turned the vsuall englysshe wordes of chyrche, preste, and penaunce, to congregacyon, senyor, and repen∣taunce, of very purpose to brynge in his heresyes agay••st [ C] the sacramentes. whych whyle he so dyd of purpose / I am content to wynke therat, and forgete for thys onys that he synned therin of playne purpensed malyce. But yet thys wyll I saye the whyle for our parte, that he hath no good grounde to saye that the persecucyon is malycyouse, done agaynst such a translacyon, so translated of such a shrewd entent and suche a malycyouse purpose.

Now yf he wolde excuse hym selfe from malyce, in that he wold make vs wene that though part be false, hym self myght of weyke wyt and frayle fayth, wene hys heresyes were the trewe bylyefe, bycause of his owne mynde & Lu∣thers & Huyskyns authoryte in the construccyon of scryp∣ture: he muste perde by the same reason excuse our clergy

[ A] from malyce in persecutynge his heresyes, syth that they maye well wytte, by the authoryte of saynt Austayn, saynt Hierom, saynt Gregory, saynt Ambrose, saynte Cypriane, saynt Basyle, saynt Chrysostome, & all the olde holy sayn∣tes vnto theyr owne dayes, and all the whole catholyke chyrche of Cryste, and by hys holy spyryte gyuen to those holy doctours of his chyrche and euer abydynge therin / that those heresyes whiche Tyndale techeth, that freres may wedde nunnes, and that the sacramentes be but bare tokens and sygnes, and Crystes blessed body at the masse no sacryfyce nor none oblacyon, nor but a bare memoryall in wyne and starche or cakebrede, be very false deuelysshe errours / and in all good chrysten mennes eares, spyght∣fully spoken, blasphemouse, and abomynable. And where [ B] he sayth that the clergye doth rebuke them by whome they be warned to amende, and doth make heretykes of them & burne them, menynge Hytton peraduenture & suche other as he was / of whiche sorte there hathe of late some be bur∣ned in Smythfelde, as Bayfelde, Baynom, and Teux∣bery: the clergy maketh them nat heretykes nor burneth them neyther. But Tyndales bokes and theyr owne ma∣lyce maketh them heretykes. And for heretikes as they be / the clergy dothe denounce them. And as they be well wor∣thy, the temporaltie dothe burne them. And after the fyre of Smythfelde, hell dothe receyue them / where the wret∣ches burne for euer.

But than he sayeth that the pope neuer repenteth, by••••use he 〈◊〉〈◊〉 made a playne decre, in whiche he commaundeth sayenge; Thoug••e the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 [ C] synne neuer so greuously, and drawe wyth hym to hell by hys ensamp••e thousandes innumerable / yet let no man be so hardy to rebuke hym. ••or he i•• hede ouer all, and none ouer hym / Distinct .xl. Si papa.

There are orders in Christes churche, by which a pope may be bothe admonisshed and amended / and hathe be for incortigible mynde and lacke of amendement, finally de∣posed and chaunged. But that euery lewde lorell vppon euery false tale that he hereth, or peraduenture that hym selfe maketh, shulde haue courage and boldenes to scoffe, geste, and rayle, eyther vpon pope or prince, or a moche more meane estate / is a thinge so lytle commendable, that euery well ordered regyon, hath by playne lawes prohibi∣ted & forboden suche rybauldous byhauoure / all thoughe they were able to proue that the thynge whiche they sayde

were nothynge false at all. And this thynge hathe euery [ A] well ordered realme, nat without good reason prouyded / syth it well appered that were the thing trewe were it false, it were vnsittynge to suffre that maner to be vsed, wherby the gouernours myghte often causeles and falsely be de∣famed amonge the people. And if the thynge were some tyme peraduenture trewe / yet syth that fassyon & maner can nothinge amende the mater, & therfore is by all lawes forboden to be in suche wise vsed towarde the most symple wretche in all a towne / it were a lewde thinge to suffre any prynce, estate, or gouernour, to be brought in sclaunder amonge the comen people / wherof can come none other effecte or frute, but hatered or contempt planted in theyr hertes towarde theyr rulers and gouernours, whom they be for all that styll bounden bothe to loue and obaye. [ B]

And if a man wolde say that great men can nat other∣wyse come to the knowlege of theyr owne fautes: ye may be sure that if the thyng{is} be trewe wherof the people talke, they knowe theyr dedes them selfe before the people here of them. And if the same be false / yet may many men haue it in theyr mouthes before it come at the princes eare / and yet whan he hereth it syth the same is fayned, what good can he do thereby. And if percase any man thinke that the prynces them selfe perceyue nat theyr fautes for fautes / tyll they here the people murmure and wondre at theym: surely right seldome happes it that a man coulde nat per∣ceyue that thynge for a faute, whiche were in dede so great that it were worthy for all the people to wonder at. And yet if priuate affection towarde theyr owne fantasies, hap∣pened [ C] in any thynge so far to myslede theyr iudgemente / for helpe of suche happes serue their confessours and coū∣saylours / & euery man that of good mynde wolde in good maner declare his owne good aduyce towarde his prynce and his countrey, eyther to his owne person or suche other of his counsayle, as by them it may be brought vnto him / and nat in vnthrifty company fall to raylyng, or by sclaū∣derous bylles blowe abrode an euyll noughtie tale, wher∣of all the towne may talke, & to theyr owne harme diffaine theyr souerayne, whyle hym selfe shall happely nothynge here therof.

But yet are there some that defende suche euyll fassyon of vnreuerent raylynge vppou greate personages, affer∣mynge

[ A] that it shulde do good that suche hyghe es••ates as be farre frō all other fere, may stande yet vnder some drede of diffamacion and sclaunder / that lykewyse as the desyre of honoure, prayse, and glory, prycketh them some tyme forwarde to do good / so may the fere of infamy, dishonour, and disprayse, refrayne and reftrayne them from euyll, and some tyme holsomely brydle and conteyne them within the l••mytes and boundes of good and honorable ordre. There nedeth no man to doute, but that as far as suffiseth to that purpose, is prouyded fore well inoughe / thoughe noughty personys be not maynteyned in theyr malycyous raylynge. For who so standeth a lofte vpon an hylle of emi¦nent hyghe estate, can not in no wyse be hydde / but as he seeth all the eyen of his people from the valey lokynge vp [ B] vppon hym, so seeth he well that neyther dede nor counte∣naunce almoste that hym selfe may make, can passe vnper∣ceyued and marked. whyche is inough to make any man regarde hym selfe that any respecte hath toward the prayse and estymacyon of other folke•• whych respecte who so euer lacketh / no fere of slaundre or drede of dyffamacyon amen¦deth. which may percase also be lōge spredde farre abrode, ere any man brynge hym worde / whyle many men abhorte to be demaunded by what meane they knowe that there is any suche rumour abrode, and to be asked who tolde them the tale. And some loue to tell theyr mayster no displeasaūt tydynges / but when they here many speke euyll, turne of theyr good myndes euery thynge to the beste, and saye to theyr mayster that all the worlde sayth well.

[ C] And fynally yf it fortune hym to here that he be spoken of abrode / some may therby happen rather ware wroth thē care / specyally syth he maye make hym selfe sure, that yf suche raylynge speche be suffred to runne at ryotte, be the gouernour as good as god is hym selfe, yet shal he be sure to be shrewdely spoken of / so redy be lewde persons maly∣cyousely to rayle and ie••te vppon theyr rulers. And so for as mych as vppon raylynge and iestynge vppon any ma∣ner of estate, there can no good growe, but many tyme ra∣ther mych harme: yet it is not onely by the comon lawes of thys realme vppon great payne forbyden, that any man sholde with any slaunderouse raylynge wordes mysse vse hym selfe toward his prynce / but also by the playne statut de scandalis magnatum sore and streyghtly prohybyted,

that no man shall slaunderously speke of any noble man in [ A] the realme,* 1.8 And myche more is then intollerable to suffer any suche ribauldes to the rebuke of any state, to put forth any raylynge bokes / whyche malyciouse maner is by all other lawes vppon great payne forboden, though the ma∣ter touche a ryght mene persone.

And all thys I saye yet / as though I graunted that the pope had made that lawe that Tyndale here sayth he dyd.

But now yf it be false y^e Tyndale sayth, & that of trouth the pope made not that lawe, but that the wordes whyche Tyndale reherseth be no law at all, nor spoken nor wryten by any pope, but by some other that was neuer pope / what is Tyndale than, that sayth the pope hath made those wor¦des for a playne lawe.

Those wordes whiche Tindale sayth are a playne law [ B] made by the pope / are in dede incorporate in the boke of the decrees, in the same distinccion and place where Tyndale allegeth them. But than is Tyndale very ignoraunt, yf he know not that though there be in that boke of the decrees many thynges that be lawes, & that were by diuers popes and dyuers synodys and counsayles made for lawes / yet are there in that boke many thynges besyde, that neyther were made by any synode nor by any pope / but wryten by dyuers good holy men. Out of whose holy workes as well as out of synodys and counsayles and popes wrytynge, Gracyane a good vertuouse and well lerned man, compy∣led and gathered that boke / whych is therfore called the de¦cees of Gracyan, as an other lyke booke is called the de∣crees of Iuo, whyche out of lyke authoryte cōpyled a lyke [ C] worke. Now is euery thynge that is alledged and inserted in the bokes of those decrees, of suche authoryte there, as it is in the place out of whyche Gracian or Iuo gathered it / and not a lawe nor a thynge made by the pope, but yf it were a lawe or made by a pope before, and out of a lawe or out of a popys wrytynge taken in to the decrees.

Now the wordes whyche Tyndale bryngeth forth, and sayth that the pope hath made theym for a lawe, be not the wordes of ony pope / but they be the wordes of the blessed holy martyr saynt Boniface whych brought the fayth in to Almayne, and was for the fayth martyred in Freselande. And so is it playnely specyfyed in the decrees, by those wor¦des in the rubryce, Exdictis Bonifacit martyris.

But Tyndale to blynde and begyle the readers wyth /

[ A] wold make mē wene that it were the popys wordes made for a playne lawe. wherin Tyndale playnely sheweth hys playne open falshed, excepte he were so wyse that he hadde went the pope had made it for a law, by cause it begynneth with S•• papa / lyke hym that bycause he redde in the masse boke, Te igitur clementissime pater, preched vnto the pa∣rysshe that Te igitur was saynt Clemens father.

The fourth reason.

Tyndale.

And Poule sayeth Ro. 13. let euery soule obay the hygher powers, that are ordayned to punysshe synne. The pope wyll nat nor let any of his.

More.

[ B] Touchynge fyrste the pope hym selfe, Tyndale telleth vs here a wyse tale. For settynge a syde the questyon whe∣ther the pope eyther be or rightfully ought to be, chefe go∣uernoure ouer the chrysten flocke / and if he be or ought to be, howe farre than and to what thynges his authorytie stretcheth or ought to stretche: This thynge at the leaste∣wyse Tyndale very well knoweth hym selfe, that neyther in spirituall thynges nor in temporall, there is no man at Rome in his owne see, that claymeth any power or iuris∣diccyon vpon hym. And as for the clergye besydes, Tyn∣dale here as farre as I se, falsely belyeth the pope. For he letteth none of his to obay their higher powers / but by the canon lawes of the churche, commaundeth euery of them to obay theyr hygher powers, and to kepe and obserue the [ C] lawes of the princes and countreys that they lyue in.

But the thynge that greueth Tyndale is this / that any preest shulde in honoure of the sacramente of preesthode, haue any maner of preuiledge more than a lay man. For his heresye rekeneth euery woman a preest, and as able to say masse as euer was saynt Peter. And in good faythe as for suche masses as he wold haue sayd, without the canon, without the secretes, without oblacyon, without sacrifyce, without the body or blode of Christ, with bare sygnes and tokens in stede of the blessed sacrament: I wene a woman were in dede a more mete preest than saynt Peter.

And all be it that neyther woman may be preest, nor any man is preest or hath power to say masse, but yf he be by the sacrament of holy orders taken and cōsecrated into

that offyce: yet syth the tyme that Tyndale hath begonne [ A] his heresyes,* 1.9 and sent his ••rronyous bokes about, callyng euery chrysten woman a preest: there is nat nowe in some places of Englande the symplest woman in the parysshe, but that she dothe, & that nat in corners secretely but loke on who so woll, in open face of the worlde in her owne pa∣rysshe churche / I say nat here, but say her owne selfe and (lefte you shulde loke for some ridle) openly reuested at the hyghe aulter, she sayeth I say her selfe and syngeth to, if it be trewe that I here reported, as many masses in some one weke, as Tyndale hym selfe eyther sayeth or hereth in two whole yere to gether / but if it be whan he swereth by it, or hereth some other swere.

All holy consecracyons Tyndale calleth folysshe cere∣monyes / forgettyng that in the olde lawe dyuers tymes it [ B] is honorably rehersed and layde for a cause of the ••euerent vsynge of the prestes person, bycause that the holy oyle is vpon hym.

And he lyste nat to remembre that the holy Prophete Dauid, dyd so moche esteme that holy oyntemente with whiche kynge Saule was consecrated, that all be it he was reiected agayne of god, and hym selfe receyued and anoynted kynge in his place, and was also persecuted by hym / he nat onely put the man to dethe that sayd he hadde slayne hym for touchinge of goddes anoynted / but also for all that he spared hym and sauyd his lyfe, and beynge his dedely enemye, dyd hym yet no bodely harme. He repented and forthought that he hadde so moche done to hym,* 1.10 as secretely to cutte his garment.

These thynges and many suche other lyke whereof the [ C] scrypture is full, Tyndale in euery place diffymuleth / and wolde haue all consecracyons sette at nought and taken in dirisyon / aud wolde that no man shulde haue neyther prynce nor preest in any maner reuerence, the rather of one rysshe for theyr holy consecracyon. But as he wolde haue euery woman to take her selfe for a preest / so wolde he that euery man shulde wene hym selfe a kynge. For surely the wordes of saynt Peter with whiche these heretykes proue the tone, proue euyn the tother a lyke / that is to say falsely and folysshely taken, proue bothe the tone and the tother / but wysely taken and truely,* 1.11 proue neyther the tone nor the tother.

[ A] The fyfte reason.

Tyndale.

And Paule chargeth. 1. Co••. 5. If he that is a brother be an whore keper, a dro••kerd, couetous, an extorcioner, or a rays••••, and so forth / that we haue no felowshyppe with hym, no not so myche as to ••ate in his company. But the pope with violence compelleth vs to haue suche in honour, to receyue the sa∣cramentes of them, to heare theyr masses, and to byleue all they saye / and yet they wyl not let vs se whether the say trouth or no. And be cōpelleth .x. paryshes to paye theyr tythes and offerynges vnto one such, to go and runne at ryot at theyr cost, and to do nought therfore. And a thowsande suche lyke doth the pope contrary vnto Chrystes doctryne.

More.

To begynne here at the last poynt / the pope, though the [ B] partie somtyme that hathe dyuers benefyces dothe abuse the frutes, the pope gaue hym neyther libertie nor lycence that he shulde so do / but gaue him leaue to take the cure of them, trustynge vpon certayne suggestyon that the man were suche one as shulde and wolde vse them well. And no doubte is there, but that some man may ryghte well haue the cure of dyuers parisshes, and good causes why he so shulde / and do more good in them bothe tha•• some other shulde in one. But as for this poynte Tyndale meaneth moche farther than he speketh / and entendeth hereafter if it be well alowed concernynge popes and pr••estes, than to drawe that lyne a lytle longer / and loke whether he may make the reason stretche a lytle farther, as he hathe done a lytle in some parte of h••s wryting all redy, whiche we shall [ C] answere I truste well ynoughe whan we come ones to the propre places.

Nowe where he sayeth that whore kepers and suche o∣ther as saynt Poule forbyddeth vs the company, the pope with vyolence compell••th vs to haue in honoure, and to receyue the sacramentes of them, and to here their masses, and to beleue all that that they say: This is a very lowde¦lye. For the pope letteth you nat to complayne vpon them / and the lawes of the churche be, that for their crymes they shalbe suspended from the medelynge and adminystracion of suche thynges / and somtyme deposed of theyr offyces, depriued of theyr benefyces, and degraded of their orders to. And therfore the pope comp••lleth hym nat with vyo∣lence to do them honoure in their vyces. And if there were

any that dyd / he were in the doynge an euyll pope as he [ A] were an euyll man. But what were the faute of an euyll pope to the offyce of the papacy / excepte that Tyndale wyl reproue and rebuke euery kynge and prynce, and wolde haue none at all, bycause that some of theym somtyme do not alway theyr dewtye / or wyll lay to the prynces charge yf any offycer vnder hym do not euery man such ryght as the prynce wolde he sholde, and trusteth also that he dothe. Now where he sayth that the pope compelleth hym to by∣leue all that euery suche preste sayth: y^• is yet another lye ones agayne. For yf the preste say salse, & preche heresyes / as yf he wold say that all the seuen sacramētes be but bare sygnes & tokens, & that freres may lawfully wedde nūnes: the pope compelleth no man with violence to byleue that preste / nor compelled not Tyndale neyther agaynste the [ B] playne scrypture of god, in suche frantyke heresyes to by∣leue y^• lewd lernyng of Luther, frere Huyskyn, & Dencki{us}, Baltasar, Lambert, and Suinglius / of all whyche neuer one byleueth other. But the pope is well content & so wold it sholde be, that yf the preste preche suche heresyes, folke shall not byleue hym but accuse hym, and haue hym refor∣med, & reuoke them, and abiure them / or ellys let degrade hym and delyuer hym, and let the prynces kepe hym from the people. wherof to be sure and for auoydynge of such he resyes by the terrour of that ensample / good chrysten pryn¦ces cause faythfull people to burne hym.

Buf then is there one thyng wherwyth Tyndale is sore dyspleased, that the pope wyll not as he sayth let hym and hys felowes se whyther the preste say well or no. [ C]

If the preste be accused of hys doctryne / he is as I saye broughte vnto examynacyon, to wytte whyther he sayed trewth or no. what other way wolde Tyndale haue? It is playne inough what he meneth in thys mater. He meneth therin nothynge ellys, but that he wolde haue all thyng so ferforth sette at large, that he myght brynge fyrst in dowte and questyon, and after in errours and heresyes vpon the questyon, euery poynt of Crystes catholike fayth, that god hath by hys holy blessed spyryte in .xv.C. yere taught hys catholyke chyrche. And then all thynges ones brought in that euangelycall liberty, that euery man may byleue euen as hym lyst, and after that lyue euyn as hym lyste to, with out any lorde or any lawe to lette hym / then lo to make the

[ A] gospell truely taught, take awaye in any wyse all the cler∣gye clene, and let Tyndall sende his women prestes about the worlde to preche.

And nowe good christen reders here haue ye harde all his fyue reasons / by whiche in stede of that he shulde haue proued, that is to wytte that the knowen catholike church of all chrysten people is nat the churche of Christ in ••rthe, he hathe taken vpon hym to proue (all besyde the purpose) fyrst that the pope and his secte, and after yet farther fro the purpose, that the pope and the spirytualtie be nat the churche. And of that whiche shulde be his purpose, that is to wytte that the knowen catholike church is nat the chur∣che, he hathe nat spoken one worde. And yet fynally con∣cernynge that he hathe goone about to proue / touchynge [ B] the pope and the spiritualtie / he commeth forthe as ye se nowe with his fyue reasons that ye haue redde / in the ma∣kynge of which fyue reasons, a man may meruayle where were vanysshed a way all his fyue wyttes, for any pece of his purpose that appereth proued in them all / but if we r••∣ken raylynge for reason and shameles open lyes for good and sufficient proues. And therfore here ende I this boke / in whiche if Tyndale haue sayd any thinge to the purpose at all, I am content to graunt hym that he hath sayd well in all, and fully proued all to gether.

Here endeth the fyfte boke / and begynneth the syxte, where in is auoyded the solucyons of [ C] Tyndale, wherwith he wolde disproue the fyrste reason, prouynge that the knowen catholyke chur∣che is the trewe churche of Chryst. whiche fyrste reason is that all the sectes of heretykes do come out of the catholyke churche.

Notes

• * 1.1

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• * 1.2

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• * 1.3

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• * 1.4

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• * 1.5

  Ia••••••i. 5.
• * 1.6

  Matth. 22.
• * 1.7

  ••ucae. 16.
• * 1.8

  Ex••di. 22.

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• * 1.9

  2 R••gu. 1.
• * 1.10

  1 R••gum. 24.
• * 1.11

  1 Pe••ri. 2.